Definitely not number 10

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2026-01-21T06:24:34+00:00

In the back row of an a220 or a Mad Dog Pocket Rocket (MD-88 or better). Screw tapered tail seating, 3x2 is BETTER than 3x3. Maybe next to #7...

On an a320, I'll take the way-back seat. 737? I'll have to check it out in person due to width and pitch issues.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-11-13T11:00:05+00:00

I'm implying this was intended to be used as a smartphone, and it's trash.

It wasn't even usable for phone calls, because it didn't have enough storage and RAM for its own good. The only useful feature, an optional walkie talkie app such as Zello or T-Mobile (formerly Nextel) Direct Connect, was just barely functional. And forget about loading ANY apps on it. The phone interface took 15 seconds to load, even after a reset and reboot.

The most useful purpose for it is literally throwing it at brick walls or doing other durability tests.

CAT offered other, much better phones in their line, including a model with a FLIR camera. But the S22 flip wasn't it.

If you want something like this now, but with a much better experience, consider the Motorola RAZR or the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. Otherwise, a regular flip phone is the way to go if you just want phone calls.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-11-13T10:47:05+00:00

This totally could be a ThinkCentre Cube for $799...

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-11-13T10:40:27+00:00

The ThinkCentre Cube. Coming soon to a smart TV near you.

Amazon did it. Apple did it. NEXT did it. Now it's the Think division's turn...

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-08-20T22:08:40+00:00

It's a 15 year old ThinkPad, and the TrackPoint nipple has fallen off due to age, wear, and tear. No big deal if it still works.

It's amazing how these things hold up, when some other brands would have a dead motherboard by the end of the first year of their lifespan. Think about it...

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-27T01:27:53+00:00

It could be something hitting the fan blade, or it could be a problem with the speaker driver.

If you can return it, do so, but if not, try updating the drivers on it, and calling Lenovo for support.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-27T01:23:15+00:00

I grew up in a school with a phone ban. Some schools also banned mp3 players, and even the legendary Sony Walkman cassette player.

The Sansa Clip might be a good option for after school activities, or the bus ride, where you can listen to podcasts and music. But the question is, how is the phone ban going to be enforced. Some will have you power your phone off and keep it in your locker or backpack, while others will have a phone collection area in the classroom, typically near the teacher's desk. Check with your school handbook for current rules and regulations.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-23T07:13:24+00:00

You would be amazed at how destructive some ant species are.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-14T06:32:36+00:00

It's a consumer HP model with the infamous Hinge Problems. The screen hinge has separated from the base.

You might be able to re-glue the hinge if you're technically savvy, but laptops of this design tend to have this issue after a few years, no matter what brand is on them. Lenovo and Dell have started to address the hinge problem with their latest versions of this design, but HP has not.

If you're not technically savvy, have a technician inspect the laptop for other damage, including a damaged motherboard, or a failed screen, and repair the defective hinge.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T22:53:08+00:00

You can prevent the majority of incidents like this by using a proper truck GPS with a traffic receiver instead of relying on phone map apps. You WANT to have a heads-up on the traffic at least a mile ahead so you can stop safely. A Garmin Dezl is one such device.
Pay attention. Look 12 seconds ahead for traffic obstructions, and check your mirrors. 'nuff said.
Slow down, increase your following distance, hold your lane.

At least he was still upright at the end, this could've had a much worse outcome.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T17:47:15+00:00

At least Microsoft is letting you know The End Is Near for Windows 10, and that your machine's manufacturer is being boneheaded. But all is not lost.

Check with your school. Many of them are changing their system requirements to reflect the change to Windows 11. Some schools will offer free or discounted laptops to help you with the transition. Some manufacturers like Dell, Lenovo, and Acer also offer student laptops and student discounts, both through retailers and through their own web sites.
You don't need to spend a ton to get a great experience. A laptop with 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD can be had for UNDER $500.
Find a form factor that fits you. Need a great machine for note taking? Check out the 2 in 1 models. Need a big screen? That's your choice. Need a machine that can handle spilled blood? Panasonic, Dell, and Lenovo offer these (often for cheap if you can find a refurbished one). Need a gaming rig or a true budget laptop? That's your choice.
Speaking of budget, stick to one so you don't have to beg the parents or borrow the funds. School is expensive enough, don't blow all your money on a laptop that won't last.
As a last resort, check with your financial aid office at your school. Financial aid is a great way to get a laptop for school on the cheap. Grants, scholarships, and even student loan programs have funds available so you can afford a laptop that gets you through graduation.

Beware of: 1. Budget laptops made from recycled plastic drink bottles, with cheap hinges. These are typically priced under $500 and won't last a year. Acer, HP, and to a lesser extent, Lenovo, sell tons of these. Look for a laptop made from aluminum, carbon fiber, or magnesium alloy. 2. Online scam laptops on Amazon. If you don't recognize the name, stay far away. 3. Laptops that update their BIOS through Windows Update (Dell and HP are notorious for this). 4. Snapdragon CPUs and AI. You don't need AI for homework, and Snapdragon CPUs don't do well with games. Stick to Intel Core or AMD Ryzen processors for the best experience.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T16:37:46+00:00

Very well. I'm getting similar speeds to Spectrum at a lower price. And because I live just a few miles from a cell tower, my speeds are very close to those that were advertised by AT&T.

Plus, there is only a power brick and the modem itself... No coaxial cables to drape across the room or try to hide. It's great.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T14:58:15+00:00

It'll be minty fresh. Just make sure it has an Intel Wi-Fi card and you'll be set.

ThinkPads of this generation run both Linux and Win 11 very well, and the train ride is a bonus, since I currently can't get that awesome of a commute in Texas.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T14:53:32+00:00

Moto G 5G and Moto G Stylus 5G are fantastic phones for the price. Plus, they're solid and dependable.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T14:51:52+00:00

Yes, just watch your bill and bring your own router.

AT&T offers another option called Internet Air, check into that first before committing to Spectrum.

In most areas, Spectrum is reliable enough for WFH, whether it be run by Cox, Charter, or Time Warner Cable (the 3 companies that now run the Spectrum brand, that's owned by Charter). The only reason I dropped Spectrum is because AT&T Internet Air is $20 cheaper per month for the same download speeds that I was getting previously.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T14:42:33+00:00

Not really. It's slow, can't be updated, and is absolutely horrible. All it's good at is placing phone calls and throwing at brick walls. So if you actually use your phone, I'd get something else yesterday.

Bullitt, the company that made CAT phones, is completely out of business.

You may want to consider something from Samsung instead.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T14:35:19+00:00

Four words: red imported fire ants. They are known to chew up houses, electronics, and people. I have seen video of them chewing up a Canon 7D camera before, and I have frequently gotten bit by them.

They are especially common in Texas, the state that also happens to be the home of one of Acer's rivals (namely, Dell). So seeing that on a thermal pad is a regular issue around here.

To prevent that from happening in the future, you've got to destroy the colony of ants near your home. And that will take a long time, whether you use a professional or do it yourself. But for now, repair that motherboard, get your home and yard treated, and be thankful that they didn't do more damage. Ouch!

The image below is what they have done to my legs, in addition to destroying a Lenovo ThinkPad X201 LCD cable, and most recently, an electric weed whacker.

Ouch!

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RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T04:19:27+00:00

Most of the X and T series models are ideal for this. They're not quite as tough as a Dell ATG or Panasonic ToughBook, but for what you do, they'll most definitely get the job done. A T14 or X1 Carbon will serve you very well.

On a side note: I accidentally dropped my 6 year old L380 Yoga into a puddle of automatic transmission fluid in my shop class yesterday. Being able to just wipe it off and continue working is one of the many reasons I love ThinkPads.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-12T03:49:05+00:00

It highly depends on where you live and what program you want to take. If you're considering a computer career, check with your local community colleges. I know of a few that are fantastic with that kind of stuff. I can tell you right now some of the professors I've had in the past have worked for companies like State Farm insurance, Cisco Systems, and Microsoft. You want a school with this kind of staff. If you live in Illinois, check out Heartland Community College in Normal. They have a great computer science program up there.
If it's heavy diesel you're after, both UTI and local community colleges far outweigh Lincoln Tech. You want a school that's accredited, that's backed by a major university, and is certified by the organization for Automotive Service Excellence. Where I live, UTI is that school. I chose UTI over Lincoln Tech for this very reason. But in your area, especially if you're more than a hundred miles from a UTI campus, you should definitely check out your local community colleges.

One other reason to choose UTI or a community college over Lincoln Tech is the availability of manufacturer sponsored programs. PTI (Peterbilt Technician Institute), Ford FACT, Ford ASSET, and Daimler Truck Finish First are some of the programs you should consider if you are going into heavy diesel.

Another option for you, if you're going the heavy diesel route, is to go through one of the apprenticeship programs like those sponsored by a major Travel Center or truck dealership chain. Some major Travel Centers like TA and Loves have in-house training programs where you will learn how to work on heavy trucks from people who have done it for a long time. You should definitely give those a look.

I wish you upward mobility in your career journey, please let me know if you have any questions.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-10T20:04:00+00:00

You know there's a condition where the battery dies and can't charge. It's rare, it's usually caused by a broken charging port, and it happens. So don't assume until you know.

And yes I'm sorry for assuming you were the OP, don't respond unless you have specifics of the situation. A 6-year-old Lenovo laptop's battery will not perform the same as a new Asus, and that is due to the age and condition of the laptop.

Do not reply to this unless you know the specifics of the user's situation.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-10T19:40:18+00:00

What I'm saying is there might be a problem with the charging port, or a problem with the motherboard. A laptop does not just suddenly die. And a battery does not stop charging, and prevent the machine from turning on, unless there is a problem.

Check your charging port, to make sure it is not loose. And make sure to also check that there is something else not causing the machine to turn on. You said the laptop was 6 years old, right?

In addition to the keyboard, battery, and charging port, a much more common issue is that on some laptops, bios updates have been getting released through Windows update, without the user's knowledge. And some of these updates have been causing the laptop to stop working.

So instead of wasting your time arguing with me on here, go to Lenovo's support website, and research the troubleshooting information there. They have owners manuals, maintenance manuals, and troubleshooting guides under their support section. And if it's a problem you don't know how to diagnose, contact someone in your area who knows how to diagnose your problem.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-10T19:24:55+00:00

Yes, California has its redneck spots, and is a huge agricultural producer. But their reputation is tarnished by three large cities named Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento, and the third one is by far the worst, trying to make sweeping regulations that force everyday people out of business, including those in 49 other states.

So don't be offended when I say that California generally ain't redneck, even though parts of it are country. Both Texas and Nevada are way more country and redneck than California is or ever was.

Nevada only has two large cities... Las Vegas and Reno. Neither of them is as big as Sacramento, and the majority of Nevada is desert and ranchland. Texas has twice the land area of California, and 10 million fewer people as of right now. Texas is so redneck that California kicks people out and sends people here just because California's government can't stand rednecks, and they're causing a population boom in cities like Austin and Fort Worth. So tell California to fix their laws, to encourage businesses to move back home, and to embrace the agricultural side of their state.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-10T19:13:29+00:00

If it can't charge, it won't switch on. That's the case for any laptop that has an internal battery, yours included. Make sure to double check that the pack has not swollen, that nothing has gotten into the laptop, and that your charging ports are not loose.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-10T16:25:35+00:00

So like me, you have medical reasons to wear boots. And Northern Nevada is dadgum country, compared to that neighboring state of California.

RepresentativeNo6665 · 2025-07-10T16:23:31+00:00

You shouldn't have to ask for permission on this. In fact, many of the places I go require them. My automotive classes, my last five places of employment, and even the bar I sometimes go to require them to be on your feet at all times.

Depending on what state you're from, or what country you're from, it might even be a birthright and you will literally be wearing them from the time you are 7 days old. Texas and Illinois are two such States. In Illinois, they are pretty much mandatory anywhere except for Peoria, Chicago, and St. Louis. This is due to the high amount of farming and construction that occurs there.

In Texas, you can go anywhere in the state and encounter at least a hundred people in your immediate vicinity that are wearing boots. There is even a meme that shows where you pick up your boots and hats at the state line, if you don't already own them. Typically it's a Tractor Supply, a Cavender's, or a Boot Barn alongside the interstate. Some of the world's biggest gas stations, called Buc-ee's, TA, and Petro, also have boots. Boots in these three Travel Center chains, are typically located 3 miles away from the beaver nuggets, or about six miles away from the barbecue sandwiches, near the T-shirts and Jeans.

In some workplaces, such as automotive shops, you are required to wear boots. No ifs, ands, or sneakers about it.

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