Laptop shopping. Help me decide.

I'm shopping for a new laptop.

Here's my wish list:

15.4 wide screen

Celeron (Runs cool)

512 (memory)

40 or 60 gigs

lightweight

What should I buy (Under $2000)?

From Fryes

Toshiba S331 Centrino Notebook: Pentium M 730 1.6GHz;
512MB;
80GB;
15.4"WXGA TruBrite; DVDRW;
XP Home

$100.00 Rebate

Toshiba:
Outpost #: 4319395
Loaded with features, the fast and mobile Satellite M45-S331 is a high-performance notebook that can do it all.

Price: $ 1,399.99
After Rebate: $ 1,299.99

http://tinyurl.com/cfb2x

For their other models
http://tinyurl.com/7s2y2

I ordered a Toshiba Satellite laptop from Fryes last year, recieved it in only ONE day.

Toshiba makes a great computer, no problems at all so far.

Is it heavy?

I left info there.

Just bought a Tecra A2 for a new guy at work. Big screen, runs quiet, runs cool. Celeron M 1.5GHz.

I've used Toshiba laptops for years and they have always been some of the best. The things are durable and just keep running.

I've got a 17" widescreen Satellite. LOVE it. LOVE it. LOVE it. It's very heavy and kinda awkward - but I knew that when I bought it. The screen is worth it!

Sony
Rating: White - 47 %
BuyBlue.org's Position:
Sony currently has a 47% BuyBlue rating due to political contributions for the 2003-2004 election cycle. Sony's key executives contributed a little under $40,000 to almost solely Democratic politicians in the last election cycle. The bulk of Sony's rating comes from the political action committee for their Sony Pictures group - $226,500 (40.00% Dem, 60.00% Rep)
http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=171

Costco Wholesale Corporation
Rating: Dark Blue - 99 %
BuyBlue.org's Position:

Costco Wholesale currently has a 99% BuyBlue rating due to political contributions for the 2003-2004 election cycle. Costco executives contributed heavily to Democratic candidates for Congress and some in high-profile Senate races including Barack Obama and Tom Daschle, and many Democratic candidates for President.
Furthermore, according to the Seattle Weekly (December 15-21) Costco also treats their employees extremely well. "Costco's average U.S. hourly wage of approximately $16 an hour is widely considered to be the best in the retail business. And its approach to health care, as noted in a report at the time by the financial research and investment firm Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., "has been to provide employees with the best plan at the least expense to the employee."
Costco is leading the way by showing that you can make progressive values profitable in business.
More:
http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=17

CompUSA Inc.
Rating: White - 50 %
BuyBlue.org's Position:
CompUSA/Good Guys currently has a 50% BuyBlue rating due to lack of political contributions for the 2003-2004 election cycle. While BuyBlue believes that lack of political contributions is a "blue" value as well because it shows a company is in business to do business and not influence the political landscape, we must rate these companies as "white" or "neutral" until we have more data available for other rating areas.
More:
http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=69

Best Buy Co., Inc.
Rating: Dark Red - 0 %
BuyBlue.org's Position:
Best Buy currently has a 0% BuyBlue rating due to political contributions for the 2003-2004 election cycle. Best Buy's executives contributed a little over $45K (100% of their contributions) to Republican politicians in the 2003-2004 election cycle. Best Buy has a Political Action Commitee, but it had no recorded activity during the 2003-2004 election cycle.
More:
http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=45


Circuit City Stores, Inc.
Rating: Dark Red - 10 %
BuyBlue.org's Position:

Circuit City currently has a 10% BuyBlue rating due to political contributions for the 2003-2004 election cycle. Circuit City's executives were relatively inactive politically in the 2003-2004 election cycle. However, Circuit City also has a political action commitee associated to their company that contributed $25,000 (10.00% D, 90.00% R) during the past election. 2004 was actually this PAC's least active year, significant monies were contributed in prior election cycles (see opensecrets.org).
More:
http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=49


For other Computers & Software:
http://www.buyblue.org/categories.php?parent_id=70

http://www.unionmadepc.com/notebooks.htm

I have not purchased a computer from them and they are not compensating me for the plug. I can't vouch for their customer service or anything, but they are Union-assembled in the USA.

or is it just a name? I've never been sure.

When my son worked for Dell, they were told not to call them "laptops" -- since they get so hot, they wanted to get away from the idea that one should place a laptop on his lap, since he might get burned. At least, that's how my son understood it. :shrug:

...but I don't think there is a difference now.