I6000 and stuff (Best Setup Ever)

Just ordered my notebook. nastiest ever:

KEY SPECS

1.86 GHz
1 gb DDR2 (2x512)
80 gb HD
9 Cell Battery
***Windows Media Center 2005 w/TV tuner & remote***
128 mb dedicated video ram
DVD R/RW and CD Burner
Microsoft Office Suite - Student/Teacher
4 year PREMIUM WARRANTY (college)
Bluetooth Card
WUXGA 15.4"

Total:
Before (34% off): $3050
After (34% off): $1950

ADDITIONAL STUFF:

20.1" widescreen Dell external monitor ($550)
250 gb LaCie external HD ($200)
Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer for bluetooth ($40)
Logitech x-230 speakers with Subwoofer ($30)
60 gb Ipod Photo ($400)
Samsung Laser Printer ($100)


with tax and everything it ended up costing me about $3,500 but im set for like 8 years. Questions:

Is Window Media Center all that its cracked up to be? or should i have just gone with the dell media experience? whats the difference? can u watch TV on both, or just media center. there are so many 3rd party apps for windows that it just seems like the right choice, PLUS the record TV remotely idea is ingenous. that deserves some kind of reward for whoever thought up that one. cnet.com is a godsend.


Is 250 gb external hardrive enough to be my super TiVo. i have tivo at home, but the monthly fees are idiotic when there's Windows Media Center out there. how many hours of VHS quality video can, say, 200 gb hold. the rest is for music.
***(This is an ingenous idea, external multimedia hardrive, the stuff that takes up the most room on ur hardrive. then u only need like 40 gb. for all the productivity apps u'll use. leave the monitor, external hardrive, and TV tuner at ur dorm and only take with u the school essentials to the library or wherever u go... brilliant if i do say so myself...)***


Will the Bluetooth card inside of my notebook work with the bluetooth enabled mouse? will there be one of those usb plugs i have to use?? because those things are annoying. and will it work with EVERYONE ELSE'S BT mouse in the dorm as well, i cant imagine...


Is DVI really all that great? will a parallel/USB port or whateva work fine? because i dont want to add a card to my notebook without it being absolutely neccesary for the enhancement of my couch potato status. and can u hook up an external monitor with a USB port?? (maybe thats a dumb question, but i dont know)


Whats up with the office suite, why is it so much??? its like $250. openoffice.org is pretty nice. i read somewhere 60% of college students use pirated OS software and Office software because of the outrageous markup microsoft has. im not saying anything, just thinking outloud...


everyone gripes about the x300 graphics card, but will that be ok for me. kingraft=not a serious gamer, but occasionally will get into some serious sessions of solitare and online poker, and i dont want it to lag, lol.
-seriously tho, will streaming media, (ahem, not porn, ahem) and other stuff work ok with 128 mb dedicated.


this setup is by far the best one ever and i challenge anyone to match my perfect blend of multimedia and productivity. 5.5 hours of battery time for surfing the web, 3.5 hours for watching a DVD. I have an external media hardrive with a brilliant trio of interface options. My mouse has not cords because im fresh like that. The external monitor = ultimate productivity and viewing experience. Top speakers for price out there. best multifunction laser printer for $100 or less. (price per page=2.5 cents, the guy at compUSA told me an inkjet=60-70 cents a page on just B&W). IPOD, need i say more.


(P.S: go to Circuit City and get ur IPOD with the plan that lets you uprgrade in the future for no charge. u simply send in ur ipod, and they give u the ammount of money u paid towards the latest ipod. i forget what its called, ask about it...)

ooh. good point about the 2pm thing, i really didnt think about that. pimp my ride tho?? come on...

for a four year warranty, dell has the best deal. slickdeals.net and newegg often refurb everything they're sellin. its like ebay - i wouldnt trust it.

but $2000 with a DVR and 250 gb external hard drive?? really? what kind of config is this.

u'd say barebones I6000 for $800
then all the extra's like the 20.1" monitor for $500

finally
TV tuner+Media Center+1 gb DDR2+External Hardrive+Office Suite+60 gb ipod <u><</u> $700?? i dont think so.

and thats without the fast processor and internal hard drive space.

and is there any way media center can record stuff from my TV tuner to my external harddrive without me having my notebook with my tv tuner? no, thats dumb. no, theres no way... or is there...