Well, after checking various sites, I bought a new HP DV 1530 notebook (1.7 Centrino M, 1024 MB RAM, 100 GB HD, Lightscribe DVD/CD RW, 801.11 b/g wireless, 14" LCD and Win XP Home) for $ 699. This was from eCost in California. Some of the other laptops with similar specs were $ 50-200 more expensive for a refurb unit, so I decided that this price for a new model was pretty good. It is better than my existing home HP laptop, so I am now pondering giving that to the kids and taking the new one for myself!