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Originally Posted by imwjl
Your efforts for that vintage should be mostly or exclusively getting access to your data and a new computer.
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OK. I was afraid of that.
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Originally Posted by imwjl
I hope you've been making Time Machine backups.
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Alas, my 3T Time Machine is nearly as old as the laptop and during the covid thing a few years back, connection to her laptop was lost and none of my (well-intentioned but inept) efforts to reconnect worked. She also lost the ability to access our printer remotely from the laptop. We kept talking about getting a tech out to the house to reconfigure everything but that didn't happen. I think the current situation will provide motivation...
Quote:
Originally Posted by imwjl
If everything is silent and when plugged in it might be dead. Using an external display could help let you know if it is dead or just a bad display.
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Still makes noise, so I think it was trying to boot up, but the black screen made it impossible to tell. I hope that's a hint that her software, downloads and assorted files are still salvageable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imwjl
As far as new, I have a bias for first tier models if Windows or a Mac and more bias for the M type Mac battery life. Final bargains on original M type MacBook Air models are out there but current Air models are great.
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Good input. What battery life should we expect in a new machine these days?
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Originally Posted by imwjl
The use scenario you mention is also find for iPads where at this point you can have keyboard and size like laptops but that's much more than buying an entry level iPad also great.
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Yeah...I'll check out the iPad thing, but I will guess that my wife will still want a laptop. She keeps talking about finding a new computer tutor (her old one moved away several years back) but that's another thing that hasn't got past the talking stage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imwjl
No one should be using a Mac or Windows computer that old for a lot of tasks if only for security.
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More good advice. Being 3+ years into retirement and away from daily interaction with IT specialists (boy, was I spoiled!), I need occasional reminders of stuff like that. Once we get on the other side of this issue, my wife and I need to think about getting new iPhones (ours are 8 Plus models, so probably getting close to phase-out for Apple support). And Spectrum is changing our plan, so I really need to get deep into cord-cutting-streaming-service options for home WiFi and TV stuff. Man...this is likely to be a costly and tech-filled time for us barely-reformed Luddites!
Many thanks to you, imwjl, and to the rest of you who've posted.
Cheers,
Dirk