[Az-Geocaching] Gasoline in Prescott; recommendations for laptop computers and digital cameras

Bill listserv@azgeocaching.com
Wed, 20 Aug 2003 08:40:50 -0700


This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_02C1_01C366F6.C21F6050
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

With notebook computers, get the fastest P4 processor you can afford, =
512 megs RAM, and a CDRW/DVD.  Bigger is better in hard drives, so look =
for 40 gig minimum.  Keep in mind that most of the wireless Internet =
companies will start charging you a per minute charge as soon as you =
roam to analog, so check the plan carefully.

With digital cameras, the two main factors are megapixals and the lens.  =
The more megapixals the better the pictures will be and the more you can =
blow them up.  I would suggest at least 4 megapixals.  Camera salesmen =
will talk about optical zoom and digital zoom.  Forget digital zoom, =
because you can do the same thing later on the computer.  Look at =
optical zoom only.  Also, in my experience, the camera companies do =
better lenses than the electronic companies now looking for a piece of =
the digital camera market.  Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Minolta, and some =
others have been making cameras for a long time.  You won't go wrong if =
you stick with them.  By the way, I teach digital photography (and =
computer science) at the college here, so I have experience with a lot =
of different cameras.  I also teach astronomy, so if you decide you want =
to hook up your digital camera to a telescope, let me know.

Bill in Willcox

  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Ken Akerman=20

  I need a new home computer, and I am thinking of getting a laptop with =
wireless Internet access.  Therefore, I can bring this computer with me =
while traveling, look for caches in the places where I visit, and enter =
my cache findings and travel bug movements a lot faster.  I would also =
like to use my computer for downloading digital photos.  Does anyone =
have any recommendations about the best laptop computer to buy?  What =
requirements, such as memory, processor speed, and hard drive space, =
should I get?

  Also, I am also considering replacing my digital camera.  The one I =
have is not working well, and I never liked it much in the first place.  =
I am thinking of upgrading to something better, but I don't want to =
spend a lot of money.  Does anyone have a recommendation for a =
high-quality, affordable digital camera?
------=_NextPart_000_02C1_01C366F6.C21F6050
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">
<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1170" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Bookman Old Style" size=3D2>With notebook computers, =
get the=20
fastest P4 processor you can afford, 512 megs RAM, and a CDRW/DVD.&nbsp; =
Bigger=20
is better in hard drives, so look for 40 gig minimum.&nbsp; Keep in mind =
that=20
most of the wireless Internet companies will start charging you a per =
minute=20
charge as soon as you roam to analog, so check the plan =
carefully.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Bookman Old Style" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Bookman Old Style" size=3D2>With digital cameras, the =
two main=20
factors are megapixals and the lens.&nbsp; The more megapixals the =
better the=20
pictures will be and the more you can blow them up.&nbsp; I would =
suggest at=20
least 4 megapixals.&nbsp; Camera salesmen will talk about optical zoom =
and=20
digital zoom.&nbsp; Forget digital zoom, because you can do the same =
thing later=20
on the computer.&nbsp; Look at optical zoom only.&nbsp; Also, in my =
experience,=20
the camera companies do better lenses than the electronic companies now =
looking=20
for a piece of the digital camera market.&nbsp; Canon, Nikon, Olympus, =
Minolta,=20
and some others have been making cameras for a long time.&nbsp; You =
won't go=20
wrong if you stick with them.&nbsp; By the way, I teach digital =
photography (and=20
computer science) at the college here, so I have experience with a lot =
of=20
different cameras.&nbsp; I also teach astronomy, so if you decide you =
want to=20
hook up your digital camera to a telescope, let me know.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Bookman Old Style" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Bookman Old Style" size=3D2>Bill in =
Willcox</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Bookman Old Style" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
  <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A title=3Dken@highpointer.com href=3D"mailto:ken@highpointer.com">Ken =
Akerman</A>=20
  </DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3D"Bookman Old Style" size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>I need a new home computer, and I am thinking of getting a laptop =
with=20
  wireless Internet access.&nbsp; Therefore, I can bring this computer =
with me=20
  while traveling, look for caches in the places where I visit, and =
enter my=20
  cache findings and travel bug movements a lot faster.&nbsp; I would =
also like=20
  to use my computer for downloading digital photos.&nbsp; Does anyone =
have any=20
  recommendations&nbsp;about the best laptop computer to buy?&nbsp; What =

  requirements, such as memory, processor speed, and hard drive space, =
should I=20
  get?</DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV>Also, I am also considering replacing my digital camera.&nbsp; =
The one I=20
  have is not working well, and I never liked it much in the first =
place.&nbsp;=20
  I am thinking of upgrading to something better, but I don't want to =
spend a=20
  lot of money.&nbsp; Does anyone have a recommendation for a =
high-quality,=20
  affordable digital camera?</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_02C1_01C366F6.C21F6050--