I’m thinking about getting an Lenovo ThinkPad T43 but I can’t decide if I should just yet because the Dell Latutude laptops are so much cheaper.  However, I know if I get a Dell I’ll be replacing it in the next 3 years for sure and I can’t say the same thing about the Lenovo ThinkPads.  Here are some of the specs and pricing on the ThinkPad T43, I’d love to get some feedback on it.

ThinkPad T43 Model 266883U
Configured price $1,901.63 USD
Lease price $68.00 per month

Laptop Specs
*Processor: Intel Pentium M Processor 750 (1.86GHz 2MB L2 Cache 533MHz FSB) (Standard)
*Operating system: Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Standard) 1
*Display type: 15.0 inch XGA (1024x768) TFT Display (Standard) 1
*Memory: ThinkPad 512MB PC2-4200 CL4 DDR2 SDRAM SODIMM (Standard) 1
*Hard drive: 40GB 5400rpm EIDE (Standard) 1
*Optical device: ThinkPad 24X/24X/24X/8X Max CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo V Ultrabay Slim Drive (Standard) 1
*Integrated communication: Integrated Gigabit Ethernet and 56K V.92 designed modem (Standard) 1
*Integrated wireless: Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG (Standard) 1
*Battery: 6 Cell Lithium Ion Battery (Standard) 1

ThinkPad T43 Pros
Some of the things I like about this machine are first and foremost, it’s reliability.  The ThinkPad will last way longer than any Dell Laptop.  It’s got airbag technology built in which means it can survive a fall without corrupting my hard drive, with 2 girls under the age of 3 that’s a big deal.  It’s a ThinkPad.  It’s better than the standard Google issue ThinkPad.  The Lenovo ThinkPlus warranty and maintenance options: Warranty service upgrade; 3 year onsite repair 9x5/next business day is only $119.00, that’s awesome!

So what do you guys think?

In honor of those wearing beards everywhere and this sweeet t-shirt I found at Busted Tees, here's a post to those of you sporting beards. Currently I'm not sporting a beard or a goatee but rather a sweet pair of lambchops. I'll post before and after pics after I remove them.

In a related note, the podcast roadshow's next stop is Vancouver. Eric Rice is the mastermind behind the string of podcasting and videoblogging events that have thus far stopped in Hawaii and Seattle. I highly recommend attending next Monday if you're going to be in the Vancouver B.C. area just to see Eric in action. He's one of those guys the camera loves, unlike me. His enthusiasm is well tempered by his knowledge and desire to educate the world about all things blogging. He was just on TechTV a week or so ago, I'd link to the video but for some reason his site is down at the moment.

Eric is also the founder of AudioBlog, a service similar to Odeo but with a different look and feel. Both Audioblog and Odeo make it easy for you to create and syndicate podcasts but they use different approaches [and there are some service differences as well] and a little bit different technology. All in all both are good services I recommend checking out but you'll have to wait some time for Odeo since it's not quite finished. Perhaps I'll do a writeup of the two services and offer a side by side comparison. I think I'd better wrap up some Q & A's first though before I start getting hatemail.