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Asus laptops

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zzm9980
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Re: Asus laptops

Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 24 Aug 2015 1:50 pm

the lynx wrote:
Going back to OP, i just bought a new Lenovo T450 after I fried my Toshiba. Basic specs would cost you around SGD1400 and after using it for a month, aside from the specs (very dependent on what you're looking for), the build is pretty good, better than Toshiba. Reviews have been positive for this one.

Never tried Asus yet. Hope it helps.
I was a huge Lenovo fan until just recently; they have been caught doing things orders of magnitude more evil in regards to violating their customers than Google, Facebook, and the NSA combined.

1) SuperFish - They were pre-installing Malware/Crapware which was actively man in the middling every HTTPS connection off your laptop with untrusted certs.

What does this mean to the non-techie? Basically they made it so if you went to a "secure" site (which in theory can't be intercepted), the site's security was no longer to be trusted and your connections should be intercepted and monitored by anyone with minimal effort.

Oh, and obviously their own software was doing this. Why was it doing this? So they could insert image ads into websites you visited!

http://arstechnica.com/security/2015/03 ... customers/

2) Even worse, after this happened, they were caught installing more Adware onto laptops. Not only was the adware installed, they stored it in a section of the BIOS which meant that even if you wiped the laptop and reinstalled Windows cleanly it would silently re-install itself.

http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -crapware/

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by zzm9980 » Mon, 24 Aug 2015 1:52 pm

My useful advice for the OP? Like SE said, laptops at that price point are a commodity all with comparable specs. The primary differentiators will be screen, keyboard, and trackpad. That means go to SimLim and try typing, using the trackpad, and staring at the screen on a bunch of different models. See which one is the least shitty to use, and buy something with an agreeable set of specs/price from that company.

This is what originally made me an Apple fanboy btw. They have by far the best hardware when it comes to keyboard, trackpads, and overall design.

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by nakatago » Mon, 24 Aug 2015 2:06 pm

zzm9980 wrote:That means go to SimLim and try typing
But don't buy one there.

:roll:

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by Brah » Mon, 24 Aug 2015 9:09 pm

nakatago wrote:Dell has been producing highly regarded systems ever since they went private (again)--it seems the pressure to just dump so many SKUs was off and they could now focus on producing machines people can lust over and give Apple a run for their money: review off a non-tech site: http://www.forbes.com/sites/brookecroth ... -and-os-x/.
I also have been reading a lot of positive commentary on the XPS-13, and it looks nice.

For me, it's all about reliability. For instance, an ex-GF in Japan had horrible experiences with her Toshiba, could have been a one-off or indicative of their gear. Some makes are better than others.

I like Lenovo best but what they have done is inexcusable.
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Re: Asus laptops

Post by bgd » Tue, 25 Aug 2015 12:20 pm

Brah wrote: I also have been reading a lot of positive commentary on the XPS-13, and it looks nice.

For me, it's all about reliability. For instance, an ex-GF in Japan had horrible experiences with her Toshiba, could have been a one-off or indicative of their gear. Some makes are better than others.

I like Lenovo best but what they have done is inexcusable.
Reliability for me also. I've had good luck with Apple laptops (not desktops) and before that Dell. I've used some pretty battered ThinkPads from the IBM days which seemed to take anything thrown at them. My assumption is that this has carried over to Lenovo?

A former boss had a Toshiba, never worked properly - that's a sample of 2. :wink:

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by Strong Eagle » Tue, 25 Aug 2015 1:01 pm

In my life, I've overseen the installation of more than 27,000 Dell computers... mostly Latitude laptops. This is the business version of Dell offerings and includes docking station connections. I've also dealt with thousands of other laptops, mostly Lenovo and HP.

First, unless I was so dead broke I couldn't do anything else, I would not buy the entry level of any manufacturer. Second, I'd buy the Latitude... not the lightest, not the heaviest... not the fastest, not the slowest... when all said and done, there's a reason that BFC's, aka MNC's buy Latitudes in droves.

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by nakatago » Tue, 25 Aug 2015 1:10 pm

bgd wrote: Reliability for me also. I've had good luck with Apple laptops (not desktops) and before that Dell. I've used some pretty battered ThinkPads from the IBM days which seemed to take anything thrown at them. My assumption is that this has carried over to Lenovo?
The Thinkpad brand is still very popular though I'm not sure how affected day are by Lenovo's shenanigans. I could get one but only because I'm gonna install Linux on it anyway.
Strong Eagle wrote:In my life, I've overseen the installation of more than 27,000 Dell computers... mostly Latitude laptops. This is the business version of Dell offerings and includes docking station connections. I've also dealt with thousands of other laptops, mostly Lenovo and HP.

First, unless I was so dead broke I couldn't do anything else, I would not buy the entry level of any manufacturer. Second, I'd buy the Latitude... not the lightest, not the heaviest... not the fastest, not the slowest... when all said and done, there's a reason that BFC's, aka MNC's buy Latitudes in droves.
All the companies I've worked here have always gotten Dell for their standard issue (I don't mind either way since it's for work anyway)...the executives would be using Macbook Airs though because they want something sexy and not whatever the peasants are using. The only exception is a recent sighting of a corporate use of the Dell XPS13 which is still sexy.
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Re: Asus laptops

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Tue, 25 Aug 2015 2:17 pm

zzm9980 wrote:

1) SuperFish - They were pre-installing Malware/Crapware which was actively man in the middling every HTTPS connection off your laptop with untrusted certs.

2) Even worse, after this happened, they were caught installing more Adware onto laptops. Not only was the adware installed, they stored it in a section of the BIOS which meant that even if you wiped the laptop and reinstalled Windows cleanly it would silently re-install itself.

http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -crapware/
Interesting!! particularly the 2nd point, I knew about superfish all along but not about the adware being stored in the BIOS.. damm those a******** :x
is there a way to flash the BIOS and put in a version without the adware ? :x
EDIT: nvm found it..
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Re: Asus laptops

Post by the lynx » Tue, 25 Aug 2015 5:23 pm

rajagainstthemachine wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:

1) SuperFish - They were pre-installing Malware/Crapware which was actively man in the middling every HTTPS connection off your laptop with untrusted certs.

2) Even worse, after this happened, they were caught installing more Adware onto laptops. Not only was the adware installed, they stored it in a section of the BIOS which meant that even if you wiped the laptop and reinstalled Windows cleanly it would silently re-install itself.

http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -crapware/
Interesting!! particularly the 2nd point, I knew about superfish all along but not about the adware being stored in the BIOS.. damm those a******** :x
is there a way to flash the BIOS and put in a version without the adware ? :x
EDIT: nvm found it..
:cry: I learned something bad about my new work laptop... This is where laypersons like me gets chaffed. But it is work-issued laptop so can't get away from it anyway.

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by nakatago » Wed, 26 Aug 2015 7:30 am

rajagainstthemachine wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:

1) SuperFish - They were pre-installing Malware/Crapware which was actively man in the middling every HTTPS connection off your laptop with untrusted certs.

2) Even worse, after this happened, they were caught installing more Adware onto laptops. Not only was the adware installed, they stored it in a section of the BIOS which meant that even if you wiped the laptop and reinstalled Windows cleanly it would silently re-install itself.

http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -crapware/
Interesting!! particularly the 2nd point, I knew about superfish all along but not about the adware being stored in the BIOS.. damm those a******** :x
is there a way to flash the BIOS and put in a version without the adware ? :x
EDIT: nvm found it..

Feature allowed by Microsoft, abused by Lenovo; meant for restoring system images, not restoring bloatware.

Also, if you found it, tell us how. You're such a tease. :oops: :P

On a personal note: If I'm getting a Lenovo, it will definitely NOT be running Windows.
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Re: Asus laptops

Post by x9200 » Wed, 26 Aug 2015 8:20 am

rajagainstthemachine wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:

1) SuperFish - They were pre-installing Malware/Crapware which was actively man in the middling every HTTPS connection off your laptop with untrusted certs.

2) Even worse, after this happened, they were caught installing more Adware onto laptops. Not only was the adware installed, they stored it in a section of the BIOS which meant that even if you wiped the laptop and reinstalled Windows cleanly it would silently re-install itself.

http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -crapware/
Interesting!! particularly the 2nd point, I knew about superfish all along but not about the adware being stored in the BIOS.. damm those a******** :x
is there a way to flash the BIOS and put in a version without the adware ? :x
EDIT: nvm found it..
Soon it will likely become a standard I am afraid.
BTW, I wrote elsewhere there is already a malware spreading on Mac laptops utilizing flushable firmwares and it seems the only way to remove it may be by a physical replacement of the firmware chip.

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Wed, 26 Aug 2015 2:01 pm

nakatago wrote:
rajagainstthemachine wrote:
zzm9980 wrote:

1) SuperFish - They were pre-installing Malware/Crapware which was actively man in the middling every HTTPS connection off your laptop with untrusted certs.

2) Even worse, after this happened, they were caught installing more Adware onto laptops. Not only was the adware installed, they stored it in a section of the BIOS which meant that even if you wiped the laptop and reinstalled Windows cleanly it would silently re-install itself.

http://arstechnica.com/information-tech ... -crapware/
Interesting!! particularly the 2nd point, I knew about superfish all along but not about the adware being stored in the BIOS.. damm those a******** :x
is there a way to flash the BIOS and put in a version without the adware ? :x
EDIT: nvm found it..

Feature allowed by Microsoft, abused by Lenovo; meant for restoring system images, not restoring bloatware.

Also, if you found it, tell us how. You're such a tease. :oops: :P

On a personal note: If I'm getting a Lenovo, it will definitely NOT be running Windows.
read the article ZZM posted properly lah! it had a link to this page.

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/produc ... s_notebook
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Re: Asus laptops

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Wed, 26 Aug 2015 3:12 pm

Nak - :oops!:
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by nakatago » Thu, 27 Aug 2015 7:23 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Nak - :oops!:
The next version of HTML should really add sarcasm tags.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

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Re: Asus laptops

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Thu, 27 Aug 2015 7:56 am

^this.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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