Musings & Thoughts for Monday, April 11, 2022, or: Meet the New PC…Not Quite the Same as the Old PC

Well, Dear Reader, a week after I purchased a Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3 AMD All-in-One personal computer to replace a desktop computer that died on Saturday, April 2, I am happy to report that I am back at my desk in my room. The Caregiver removed the now-defunct Lenovo C506 All-in-One that I brought to Lithia from my former house in Miami In 2016 from my desk, cleaned my room up a bit, and helped me set up the new IdeaCentre.

As of 8 PM Eastern last night, the new PC was up and running; I activated some of my most-used apps and accounts, including Microsoft 360 and Steam, but due to the lateness of the hour – it was around 8 PM when I returned to my desk to try the new Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3 AMD All-in-One for the first time – I had to wait till this morning to download other apps, including Amazon Music and Amazon Prime Video.

I have bought many computers over the past 29 years, and every time I get a new computer – whether it’s by choice or necessity – I always need a few days to get used to using the new “toy.” Whether it is the “finger feel” of a new keyboard or figuring out where certain things are on the new computer, such as the location of the headphone jack or on which side of the all-in-one’s body lies the DVD-ROM drive, I need time to adjust.

For instance, the keyboard for the Lenovo C506 had function buttons specifically designed to work with the DVD drive (the D: drive, as it were). That keyboard was a tad longer than the one I’m using now, and it had an EJECT button that opened the DVD drive. The keyboard for the Lenovo IdeaCentre has no such button; to open the D drive you need to know where the press-and-it-opens button is on the PC’s body – it’s on the left side of the machine, instead of on the right per my previous all-in-one’s layout.

If you are like me and don’t like to open the drive manually, the only way to issue an “Eject Disc/Open Drive” command is through the Lenovo Power DVD app. On the Lenovo C506, there was a shortcut for the app on my desktop screen; here, there is no such shortcut, so I must remember to look in the Windows 11 menu. I will get used to these changes – I always have – but the first few days of using a new computer are a bit disorienting, to say the least.

This is especially true of the Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3 since neither the keyboard nor the mouse is wired. Luckily, I have used wireless mice since 2009, when I presciently bought my first laptop back in Miami. This is the first time that I’ve used a wireless keyboard; it’s going well, although I keep on hitting the CAPS LOCK key accidentally and I am treated to a visual prompt on my screen every time that happens. (On my previous computer I got annoying audio prompts every time I hit that key by mistake. Which is more annoying? Right now, I would say it’s a tie, although I suppose the video prompt is more bearable than the irritating “beep” I heard every time I hit CAPS LOCK instead of the SHIFT key.

I still need to figure out if I can access my Write Bros. Movie Magic Screenwriter software from this PC; I installed it via downloads on my two Lenovo laptops, so it’s not like I don’t have it at all. I hope that all I need to do is download a copy from my registered account and install it on this PC. I already spent over $700 on the Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 3; I don’t want to add more debt on my credit card than I have already. If I can’t access my Write Brothers account from here, I’ll have to work on scripts using the laptops. I hate that, but I hate stressing over bills even more.

Well, Dear Reader, that’s all the news I have for you today. I must wrap this post up, take a shower, change into clean clothes, and get on with the rest of my Monday. Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy, and I’ll catch you on the sunny side of things.