The "I just bought..." thread.

[IronWing]

I bought a USB WiFi adapter for my circa 2011 X220 laptop. The factory WiFi card doesn't recognize many modern routers so I was having to tether to my phone to get connected in some locations. That fell apart on my last field project where we had no cell service and the internal WiFi adapter couldn't see any routers. For the same price, I could have gotten a half mini card to replace the internal adapter but that requires a kludge BIOS upgrade, removing the keyboard, and taping over a pin on the new card. This seems like a surer thing than risking bricking the laptop. It's already a bit wonky with the Win 11 upgrade that used Rufus to bypass the Win 11 hardware check. Now the laptop doesn't recognize its own keyboard about 25% of the time when turning it on. The USB adapter works with my home router and doesn't seem any slower. I'll have to see how it fares on my next field project.

I don't want to replace the laptop if I don't have to because it's paid for, runs everything I need it to run, and I know me and I know that I'll blow way too much money on a new one than any possible use case could justify because I'm a RAM size queen. Also, I have a license for Office that I bought under an employee home user program circa 2006 and MS has been honoring the license and providing upgrades ever since. I suspect moving the license to yet another computer might be more than MS will allow.

 

[Chaotic42]

I have an x220i. Still the best laptop keyboard I've ever used. Replaced the screen and it still works like a charm.

 

[igor_kavinski]

 

[sdifox]

I bought a USB WiFi adapter for my circa 2011 X220 laptop. The factory WiFi card doesn't recognize many modern routers so I was having to tether to my phone to get connected in some locations. That fell apart on my last field project where we had no cell service and the internal WiFi adapter couldn't see any routers. For the same price, I could have gotten a half mini card to replace the internal adapter but that requires a kludge BIOS upgrade, removing the keyboard, and taping over a pin on the new card. This seems like a surer thing than risking bricking the laptop. It's already a bit wonky with the Win 11 upgrade that used Rufus to bypass the Win 11 hardware check. Now the laptop doesn't recognize its own keyboard about 25% of the time when turning it on. The USB adapter works with my home router and doesn't seem any slower. I'll have to see how it fares on my next field project.

I don't want to replace the laptop if I don't have to because it's paid for, runs everything I need it to run, and I know me and I know that I'll blow way too much money on a new one than any possible use case could justify because I'm a RAM size queen. Also, I have a license for Office that I bought under an employee home user program circa 2006 and MS has been honoring the license and providing upgrades ever since. I suspect moving the license to yet another computer might be more than MS will allow.

you know you can replace the wifi card in your laptop right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DTrx6kEH_oJc

 

[IronWing]

you know you can replace the wifi card in your laptop right?

https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DTrx6kEH_oJc

Yes, I discussed this very subject in the post you quoted.

 

[Kaido]

View attachment 127994

 

[Stopsignhank]

No more wall tapping for me. Even has a green line for the center of the stud and a built in level.

View attachment 120378

Not as cool as a horse, but I still like it.

I cannot recommend this highly enough. I am adding supports to the shelves in our pantry. There are a total of 15 and instead of tapping the wall or trying to measure for all 15, I just run this thing on the wall, mark with a pencil and I am done. Plus then I know I am in the middle of the stud and not just maybe hitting an edge of the stud.

 

[manly]

Ars loved the new Fold 7, but dat price...

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: Quantum leap

Samsung’s new flagship foldable is a huge improvement over last year’s model.

arstechnica.com

The only non-stock app I have is one to interface with my car's computer. I'm a bit of a luddite

I don't use mine much, so I'm hopeful it will last a while. I moved away from Samsung because of their weird update policy, but I can't bring myself to buy an iPhone.

Torque Pro? Well you have me beat! I probably install about 2 third-party apps a year.

YMMV but Samsung has excellent update policies. I have nothing against Apple devices, except the exorbitant prices.

UPS just delivered a new NZXT H7 Flow, for a future unplanned build lol.

 

[lxskllr]

This is all the programs I installed from fdroid, which is virtually all the packages I've installed. There's less than six from Play.

packageName,versionCode,versionName
net.gitsaibot.af,19,2.8
com.fr3ts0n.ecu.gui.androbd,20615,V2.6.15
de.danoeh.antennapod,3080095,3.8.0
com.aurora.store,68,4.7.2
deckers.thibault.aves.libre,15602,1.13.5
com.darshancomputing.BatteryIndicatorPro,26016,12.0.0
com.biglybt.android.client,1030403,1.3.4.3
de.katzenmue.birdipedia,1,1.0.5
org.breezyweather,50408,5.4.8_freenet
com.elasticrock.candle,13,1.7.0
me.hackerchick.catima,149,2.35.1
org.secuso.privacyfriendlydame,100,1.3.3
com.best.deskclock,2026,2.23
com.collabora.libreoffice,111,25.04.3.3
app.comaps.fdroid,25072304,2025.07.23-4-FDroid
com.kanedias.vanilla.coverfetch,17,1.4.9
com.drnoob.datamonitor,29,v2.4.0
org.stypox.dicio,16,3.2
org.disroot.disrootapp,33,2.1.1
dev.clombardo.dnsnet,60,1.3.1
nl.asymmetrics.droidshows,71110,7.11.10
com.duckduckgo.mobile.android,52411000,5.241.1
org.billthefarmer.editor,196,1.96
com.llamacorp.equate,12,2.0
org.eu.exodus_privacy.exodusprivacy,23,3.3.2
org.fdroid.basic,1023050,1.23.0
org.mozilla.fennec_fdroid,1400020,140.0.0
org.fossify.calendar,9,1.5.0
org.fossify.contacts,7,1.2.3
org.fossify.messages,12,1.2.1
org.fossify.paint,3,1.1.1
org.fossify.phone,10,1.6.0
com.google.android.apps.photos,49438018,7.11.0.705590205
com.ghostsq.commander,474,1.64.1b6
us.spotco.maps,44,4.4
com.github.mrrar.gps_locker,11,0.1.1
net.damsy.soupeaucaillou.heriswap,1603042149,2.2.0
org.purplei2p.i2pd,2570000,2.57.0
com.germainz.identiconizer,11,1.4
org.kde.kdeconnect_tp,13304,1.33.4
com.kunzisoft.keepass.libre,134,4.1.2
ardash.lato,1001006,1.1.6
org.proninyaroslav.libretorrent,9000312,3.6
org.localsend.localsend_app,583,1.17.0
io.gitlab.coolreader_ng.lxreader.fdroid,80500,0.8.5 (fdroid)
com.anoshenko.android.mahjongg,14,1.4.4
com.starry.myne,451,4.5.1
com.craxiom.networksurvey,94,1.39
com.nextcloud.client,30320290,3.32.2
com.omgodse.notally,56,6.1
dev.imranr.obtainium.fdroid,23163,1.2.0
com.gunshippenguin.openflood,12,1.3.5
universe.constellation.orion.viewer,2442,0.95.9
net.retiolus.osm2gmaps,37,0.5.21
net.osmand.plus,510303,5.1.3
sk.henrichg.phoneprofilesplus,7290,7.1.1
com.aaronjwood.portauthority,67,2.4.5
timur.prose,10403,1.4.3
dev.uint.qrserv,1055,2.7.5
com.readrops.app,22,2.1.1
org.quantumbadger.redreader,114,1.24.1
org.woheller69.ttsengine,21,2.1
com.google.android.stardroid,1560,1.10.9
net.sourceforge.solitaire_cg,4010,4.1
ie.delilahsthings.soothingloop,15,1.4.0
de.westnordost.streetcomplete,6102,61.1
com.termux,1002,0.118.3
com.termux.styling,1000,0.32.1
net.thunderbird.android,12,11.0
org.woheller69.TimeLapseCam,19,1.9
org.torproject.torbrowser,2016104082,14.5.5 (128.13.0esr)
com.kylecorry.trail_sense,133,7.0.0
org.y20k.transistor,106,4.2.6
juloo.keyboard2,50,1.32.1
com.kanedias.vanilla.lyrics,13,1.3.3
ch.blinkenlights.android.vanilla,13200,1.3.2
com.kanedias.vanilla.audiotag,28,1.4.11
com.dozingcatsoftware.bouncy,39,1.14.0
org.videolan.vlc,13060506,3.6.5
org.woheller69.whobird,45,4.5
com.vrem.wifianalyzer,70,3.2.1

 

[Kaido]

Ars loved the new Fold 7, but dat price...

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review: Quantum leap

Samsung’s new flagship foldable is a huge improvement over last year’s model.

arstechnica.com

I would be scared to walk around with the risk of dropping a $2,000 phone LOL

 

[Brainonska511]

I hate buying smartphones, but I love taking pictures, so I always end up with expensive phones to get the best cameras. I like to get a solid 5-8 years out of a phone, and I have to imagine the improvements have slowed down quite a bit, so maybe 10 years at this point?

You could always opt for one of the few premium compact P&S cameras.

 

[lxskllr]

Got a few albums from bandcamp. It's bandcamp Friday. There's others I want, but I'll sit on them for awhile.

 

[IronWing]

I shall give them a listen.

 

[manly]

I would be scared to walk around with the risk of dropping a $2,000 phone LOL

I think I can get it for half off, but that’s still too rich for my blood. 🤣

 

[lxskllr]

If I had to guess, I'd think Darshan Ambient and theAdelaidean would be more to your liking than the others.

 

[Kaido]

If I had to guess, I'd think Darshan Ambient and theAdelaidean would be more to your liking than the others.

I just woke up and read this as Ambien & Alderaan lol

 

[sdifox]

I think I can get it for half off, but that’s still too rich for my blood. 🤣

Half off as in the price or just half of the phone?

 

[JulesMaximus]

I bought a Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic. Well, by bought I mean paid tax and activation fee, my cellular provider had a promotion which basically gave me the watch for free. I feel guilty not wearing my other, far more expensive, watch though.