The smouldering remains of my Inspiron 15 7000 are making their way to the Republic of Ireland.

After the drama of last week, things have settled down considerably. Dell have collected my damaged laptop and promised a replacement system in the next ten days or so, although what form that computer will take is anyone’s guess. Will they calculate an equivalent value of my old laptop and base it on that, or will it be a model of equivalent specification? It wasn’t a cheap computer at the time, so hopefully I won’t be sent something with a Celeron (a processor aptly named for its resemblance to humble celery).

On this occasion, the only fault in the service from Dell has been the speed with which they have moved. I assumed the old laptop would have been collected in a similar timescale to the new one being delivered (10 to 15 days), but yesterday we received an “attempted collection” card through the door from UPS. I was hardly ready to hand it over as the SSD was still in an enclosure connected to the desktop so I could transfer the contents over. I did salvage my additional 16GB RAM module that I bought when I was using the laptop for heavy image analysis work during my academic job, although the value of it has dropped considerably since I bought it, unlike a lot of other components. (From about £140 to £50)

Under the Dome

The Market Hall in Devonport is home to a 360 degree dome cinema showing a range of short films, including one exploring the history of dinosaurs and how they live on in modern birds. It’s just about the best place to bring a two year old who loves dinosaurs (or Raaawwwwrrr, as they’re known). The space is relatively cosy and the seats are beanbags, which are actually quite comfy. Market Hall also has a nice café to relax in while waiting for the show to start, so it’s worth checking out if you’re in Plymouth, particularly if you’re trying to entertain small kids.

Games

We finally made it to, and through, Resident Evil 8: Village. Overall impressions? It’s a really worthy sequel to RE7, and ties in beautifully with the story of the other games. The story was quite an emotional rollercoaster, too, and it remained shrouded in mystery for a lot of the game. It masterfully cherry picks the best parts from Resident Evil 4, including the intense, provincial village atmosphere with the odd horde of monsters and the bizarre roaming merchant providing items and weapon upgrades. The legacy of Resident Evil 7 is also heavily felt, and it is a very direct sequel. The final boss battle is also fitting, with a tough but manageable challenge level. I don’t know what exactly I was expecting, but Village exceeds all of those expectations. Go play it for yourself.