And Change is Never Easy

 

My trusty Lenovo Ideapad laptop, which has served me well for the past 2+ years, has recently suffered a fracture of sorts.  The left hinge had gotten damaged from wear and tear and is not repairable – this I know from having been to the computer repair dudes.  Otherwise, the laptop works like a charm.  Since I have to travel quite a bit with my laptop, opening and shutting the lid is critical.  For starters, I’m back and forth from the courtroom every day, twice a day, to set up my realtime translation, and then returning to my office to have internet access, getting work out, etc.  Yes, the lid gets a good workout, and it’s just too bad it wan’t able to withstand the wear and tear.

So I’ve had to purchase another laptop.  I’m short on funds for a myriad of reasons, too depressing to address for now, so I felt compelled to go with another Lenovo (my favorite brand), though with a few less bells and whistles.  I did a bit of research, googled price comparisons, and ended up purchasing a Lenovo G580 from Staples at what seemed like a good deal.  “Caveat Emptor.” I plan to submit a review at some point.  Overall, I give it a 6 out of 10 stars.  For now.  It’s still new, so that review may change.
My biggest gripe is not having two designated 3.5 mm audio jacks, one for microphone, one for headphones.  I report bench conferences, i.e., side bars, while listening to the parties through my headphones.  The judge pushes a button to turn on the white noise that goes out to all courtroom speakers, except my input cable, i.e., via headphones “for my ears only,” and as the Court and counsel speak into the bench microphone, only I can hear it.  I never even have to get up out of my chair.  When sidebar is over, white noise is turned off, and I take off my headphones and continue reporting open court proceedings.  Thus, I need TWO audio ports. 

Instead of two audio ports, this laptop is equipped with a “combo port” – whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean – that I find rather useless.  I cannot run audiosync  (a backup audio recording that is synched word for word with my steno strokes) through this port, number one, because it is not recognized; and two, because I can’t both listen AND record at the same time – essential for bench conferences.  So I googled and researched and ended up buying a USB Stereo Audio Adapter with two 3.5 mm audio ports that so far works rather well.  My computer, as promised by the manufacturer of this little baby, recognized it instantly as an audio port.  I’m still having to troubleshoot simultaneous playbacks while recording, having tinkered with it most of yesterday afternoon.  This may require more research, more googling, comparing guru gadgets, reviews and feedback – until I get it right. 

Another gripe I have:  There is no CAPS indicator on the keyboard.  I find that pretty essential.  There is a caps indicator light that flashes on the screen for a brief moment, but then it goes away.  I want this indicator to STAY lit.  Is that too much to ask?  I find myself wasting time toggling back and forth from caps to lower case, never sure which mode I’m in.  Time.  Time is of the essence in a reporter’s life.  In most everyone’s life …?

Another gripe – this is a big one, and it involves CHANGE – my keyboard is not set up the way my other -- most all laptop keyboards are set up.  I’m used to having the HOME and DELETE keys in the far right corner.  They are used constantly.  On this keyboard, they are five keys from the right on the top row.  This means I have to stop and search for them every time instead of just reaching up there blindly, an instinctive tap without missing a beat.  The PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys, are in a completely different spot too, another critical “change” to get used to.  And the whole keyboard is not centered, but rather sits slightly left of center—why?  Because there is a numeric keypad to the right of the alphabet keys  (I couldn’t care less about this – when do I ever do math?) taking up space where the keys would normally be in true “home” position. 

I type for a living, oscillating from qwerty to steno machine, back and forth, countless times a day and for countless tasks and reasons.  A keyboard layout is about as fundamentally relevant as it comes.  Thankfully, when at the office I use an external keyboard, all nice and predictable, all keys in familiar/traditional spots.  I can fly on that baby.  But when having to use the laptop keyboard, either at home, on the road, the courtroom, etc., there I am, painfully struggling along, trying – TRYING – to adjust to a new keyboard layout and making way too many annoying typos. 

 

When will it get easier?  DOES it get easier?  Will I adjust to this change?  I’ve never much cared for the word “can’t.”  I refuse to give it stage time.  This much I know:  I’ve learned my lesson (again).  You get what you pay for.  Had I spent a little extra money, another $100-150, I may have avoided these bumps in the road.

I’m paying for this.  And I’m embracing change.  Maybe it’s intended to be more of a lesson about change, learning curves and tolerance, and not so much about economics and marketing.  Time will tell.