Making Lemonade from Laptops

The laptop I bought last week turned out to be a lemon. That's the bad news. The good news is that I can continue to use it until the new model comes in in a few days. Then, I get essentially a free upgrade. W00t!

Here's what I've learned from this experience:

1. Buy from reputable firms that will stand behind their product. For me, that was Harvey Norman, a big electronics chain in New Zealand.
2. Understand your power as a consumer. The technician first tried to tell me nothing was wrong. Then he tried to tell me that it's normal for trackpads to be jumpy when the laptop isn't on a perfectly flat surface. First, that's bull. Second, it doesn't matter. As a consumer, three words suffice: "I'm not satisfied." There's no arguing with that. Once I made that clear, we got straight down to business.
3. Be firm about your requirements. I can't afford any more downtime, so sending it away for repairs was not an option. The store manager understood completely and worked with me to come up with a solution.
4. Never let anyone talk you into buying the display model, regardless of how much of a discount they give you. That machine has been on and running for probably 8 months, and people have been pounding on it non-stop. Is it any wonder that the trackpad would be possessed be demons? The keyboard will probably give out too, and the battery is already weak. Just say no to the display model.
5. When hardware isn't behaving 100% to spec, don't hesitate; get it looked at or replaced immediately. Hardware problems never get better on their own, and they usually get worse -- much worse -- very quickly. Heard any strange noises coming from your hard disk lately? Run, don't walk, to the nearest PC repair shop. Really.
6. Don't scrimp when it comes to your professional tools. I tend to be frugal and make do with what I have. But when it comes to the tools of my profession, I'm not scrimping any more. The productivity gains more than make up for it. I'm putting myself on an aggressive upgrade cycle. Laptops, phones, accessories, services -- I deserve the best! So do you.

One other good thing has already come of this: I splurged for a bluetooth mini-mouse. How did I ever get anything done without it? It's a fabulous investment for any traveling computer professional.