New Goodies

Today I purchased a backup computer. It is an Acer "Aspire One" mini laptop with the following specifications:

• 1.6GHz N270 Intel Atom Processor
• 1GB DDR2 533MHz
• Windows XP Home SP3
• 8.9" 1024 x 600 WSVGA glossy LED backlit display
• 160GB 2.5" 5400RPM Hitachi Hard Drive (with SDHC storage expansion slot)
• 802.11b/g Atheros Wireless
• 3-Cell 23Wh battery
• Size: 9.75" x 6.625" x 1.28"
• Weight: 2lb 5.0oz

The price was $312 USD plus tax.

The laptop does not have a cd/dvd device and I want a DVD burner. So I purchased an external DVD drive for about $75. This drive reads and burns everything that I've come across in this type of media: CD, DVD, single and double layer, +R, -R, etc) The beauty of this little device is that I can plug it via a USB cable to either of my laptops.

This afternoon I got the Acer up and running then plugged in the external DVD device and used it to install Nero from the supplied CD. Then I moved it to the Toshiba laptop and burned the entire C-Map directory of about 2.5 Gb in less than 8 minutes. [16 x (22 160 kb/s)]

The photo shows the Acer mini laptop and the "LiteON" external CD/DVD drive.

I purchased the watches yesterday. The one on the right is shower proof and has a neat dual time: analog hands that I can easily see without glasses, and digital time below which is large enough to see without glasses with a little effort. I've set the hands to Hawaii time and the digits to GMT. The velcro strap is great. The left one is a larger-faced watch on a lanyard with really big numbers which I got for when I take sextant sights. I got both watches at a jeweler's ... er ... actually the jewelry section of WalMart. I paid $12 for each of them.

The laptop and external drive were from WalMart too. They cost $407 all-up.

My plan is to dedicate the mini laptop to the Sailmail system, leaving on the navigation desk plugged in all of the time.

It looks like I'm on a bit of a spending spree. I spoke to Lenny today about a hand-held VHF radio for my emergency grab bag. It looks like I can get a low-end model for $100. It will be waterproof and have the full spectrum of channels and DSC.