I did some research this morning on the “Laptop for Mum” project, then scooted out around the Hutt Valley to visit some vendors.

I found an interesting place in Naenae called “PC Recycling Channel” which is partly government funded and takes donations of old PC equipment; refurbishes them and distributes them to schools, and if they can’t make it work, they crunch up the components and extract the good stuff.

They don’t have many laptops, and those that they do have are very obsolete, but it is good to know that the place exists.

After lunch I will probably drive into Wellington and check out the vendor situation there. I hope to check out a place called “The PC Zone” which seems to be mail-order only but perhaps they will let me look at one of their product offerings – a Compaq Presario 2133 that seems very competent.

Later:

The PC Zone thing turned out to be Not Good. Mum had an afternoon free and seemed keen to go shopping with me, so we drove into the city together, and on our first stop (Quay Computers) we saw just the thing: It’s an NEC Versa Premium 7521N. It’s not the latest model, not ultra-high specifications or anything, but seemed perfect for Mum.

Later on this evening I’m going to pick up Peter from Upper Hutt college where he will be having a basketball game, and take him back home to Tawa for dinner.