I share your feelings on a laptop keyboard...nothing like the regular one. Did you look under the keyboard options, mine has 3 choices and I went to "regular Kayboard". I like it much better without the "fn" features but I can still use them by pressing the "fn" key. First I have to learn them. Jean

Depends I guess on the car/color and breezes, but some trunks get mighty hot here in florida's sun. Just read arizona for kids safefty,, cars interior rises 45F over ambient in one hour, and another site about the same. You might want to look at the specifications for laptop temperature ranges,, both opperation and storage. Wouldnt want to run it when its really too hot from sitting in the truck all day. IBM technote; Note: Be aware that extreme temperature ranges within the trunk/vehicle can damage laptops. My toshiba's spec shows storage max is 149F/65C, opperation max ambient temp 95F/35C

Any new laptop you buy will be able to connect to the Internet if you already have an Internet service at your house. If you want to switch from BellSouth to AOL or to any other provider of Internet services, it doesn't matter: the laptop will still be able to connect to the Internet through whatever provider you choose. Most providers do not need to have any special software installed; you just need to have a browser installed, like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, etc., and all of these are free. At least one (probably Internet Explorer) will already be installed on your laptop when you buy it. If your MIL does not have Internet service, you generally can't connect when you are at her house. Think of Internet service like regular, wired phone service. If you are at someone's house and they don't have a phone line, you can't make a phone call. Now I am going to tell yo something a little more complicated. When you have Internet service at your house, the company will typically provide you with a little electronic box called a router. This device hooks up to a cable in the wall that carries the signal the company provides, and then a wire goes from that little box to your computer. You can get access to the Internet from the wire that comes from that router, or you can connect without the wire because the laptop has a card in it that can receive the Internet signal wirelessly (sort of like a cell phone) from the router. That way, you can move around the house easily with the laptop, or maybe even sit outside with it. The disadvantage of a wireless connection is that it has limited range. The computer may not be able to receive a signal in some parts of your house. On the other hand, if the signal was strong, you might even be able to get it wirelessly and connect to the Internet at your MIL's, even though she doesn't have her own service. Given that you know little about computers, probably any laptop will be just fine for you. You should choose one primarily on the basis of the screen size and how much you want to pay. Don't get talked into spending a lot because all the features and speed you need will be present in even the lowest cost computers. If you go shopping and are confused, ask more questions here before buying. Lastly, there are many good books out there that will explain what you need to know in very simple language. Get yourself a book like Computers for Dummies or something similar like the one below. (In trying to answer your questions, I have assumed that whatever Internet service you have that it is not the old-fashioned, painfully slow dial-up that uses a modem. If you do use dial-up to get Internet service, then there is other stuff to tell you. Here is a link that might be useful: Absolute Beginner's Guide

We have 11 SQs in our business and love them! They recently discontinued the top two models of SQ with timer controls and replaced them with electronic controls. Some other changes are that they now fully fill without having to adjust the water level. They meet water use standards by offering an Eco cycle that uses a spray rinse. There is also a conventional fill the tub rinse on other cycles. My SQ(timer controls)has a spray rinse followed by a tub rinse for the first rinse. I am not sure if the new ones do that for the regular rinse. There also seems to be a third rinse available for those with allergies. We have severe allergies so I do a wash with single rinse and a second light wash with a little water softener to remove detergent and single rinse. I get one warm rinse that way. There is still a basic model available with timer controls.