Running out of power...

[lostcarpark]

My poor laptop is clearly suffering from old age. It gets tired much quicker than it should.

In its youth, it could stay awake for three or four hours at a stretch. But it's now the best part of five years old, and feeling sorry for itself. Back in January, I could run it for the entire trane journey between Drogheda and Dublin (about 1 hour 10 mins). But it's gradually been running out earlier to the point where it runs out a full stop before Drogheda on the way home (I've been tending not to use it on the way in).

I thought maybe if I could find a replacement battery, I could give it a new lease of life. But so far I've been unable to find a supplier for one. I've found a few sites selling such things, but not yet one dealing in my model. If anyone has any brainstorms, the sticker on the front says "Advent", but it's manufactured by Asus and part of the "M8000" series.

It's a bit frustrating, because apart from the battery life, it's capable of doing everything I want from a laptop. Most of what I want to do is writing, which doesn't need a whole lot of power. It's grand for surfing the web too, and when I need to, it's well able to do a little light web design or development work (but I tend to prefer a desktop for this as the screen contrast is not the best).

I will probably soon be in the market for a new laptop. I have a few ideas, but I'm uncommitted to any of them. I will definately be looking in the "small and light" end of the market rather than the "big and powerful" sector. Perhaps not quite as small as the Sony Vaio U101, as I'm not sure my fingers are small enough to type on its keyboard.

Suggestions for small and light notebooks welcome!

Comments

Is there a model number/name on the battery?

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

.... there are a few "Advent" batteries on ebay.co.uk at the moment, including this one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=11169&item=3482193386&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Be aware that many "replacement" batteries are likely to set you back more than 100 pounds (for example, Power Depot want 131 pounds for a battery for an Advent 8170.

This German site has a battery for an Asus M8000 for 130 euros
http://www.masterb2b.de/Detailed/news803855.html
(I think, I can't actually read the page)

[digignome.livejournal.com]

P-p-p-powerbook! (http://bu.dotsomething.net/powerbook/ppppstore.html)

[jcaswell.livejournal.com]

ROTFL....I was waiting for someone to sell them :)

[davidstewart.livejournal.com]

I second that p-p-p-proposal. :-)

[wyvernfriend.livejournal.com]

my pretty new toy is the Sony Vaio PCG-V505DP, 1.99kg, compact keyboard but pretty much normal sized. It's a little smaller than a4, with a 12.1" screen