Experience with NetBooks/Micro Laptops??

[BillBingham2]

Come on Mac fanboys, we know you'll buy a netbook as soon as Apple rolls out one 😉

Mr. E.,

Speaking for the MacGeeks out there, Fred is right, we were already there. Now we have a reasonable OS and a very powerful yet stingy on the power consumption chip (ARM) we are just waiting for the form factor. With WiFi keyboards and mice already out for many years (wireless Mighty Mouse) and a new agreement with LG to provide screens I bet we will see a iTouch on steroids within the next six months.

Apple has learn positioning and they know they need to have it be not too powerful but yet highly functional. I think if they had iPhoto on her it would provide enough functionality, lots of storage (40GB) plug in cards say. Apple know 802.11 very well. I would vote for no G3 but put in GPS if you please and price it around $650 USD for entry point and I think you would have a killer digital photo accessory.

I'd love to have it at a lower price ($350-400) as I think that is were most of the market is. But people (including me) have been willing to pay a bit more for functionality and quality so $600 to $650 is a fine starting point.

As Fred said, been there, done that, got the TShirt.

B2 (;->

 

[nightfly]

I think a shrunken Macbook Air would be the ticket. The Air was (is) way too expensive for what it is but shrink it down and cut the price in half (maybe a little) more and I'd buy one in addition to my Macbook Pro.

Would love to have something smaller for working at a cafe or on the road and would eventually dump the Macbook Pro for a desktop or souped up Mac Mini for home use.

As a Mac fanboy and iPhone user, it's really too small to be useful for any computer work. Everyone says "you'll get used to the keyboard" but 6 months later and I only like writing very short emails on it. I don't really store photos on it, it's just a phone with a good interface, an iPod and a few cool apps- which is plenty for a phone.

However I do like playing Lux Touch on the subway.

 

[Spider67]

Hi,
I am typing this one my Aspire one the linux Version.
I got it as a present and was a bit disappointed as I compared it to the windows versions.....but you know what...You don't need them if you use a netbook in the intended manner.
The Linux -version is the cheapest in the aspire line up. It's good for surfing the web (for free at places like Burger King or several cafés in Vienna.
But I would not buy it to fullfill the notebook role.
It's a product I wanted to be made for years: A cheap and small laptoplike device to take the place of a portable typewriter. Unfortunately the trend seem to go to Windows powered netbooks with HD's that are alltogehter morte expensive, which basically undermines the idea of the netbook.
As soon as you say take the Linux version you don't need more hardware, that seems to awaken some primeval instincts that usually lead to buying the one with the most RAM and the most Gig-HD..........seems to work with MP's too.
Still quite a charm to use.

 

[kuzano]

Looking at the Samsung NC10

Looking at the Samsung NC10

I consider the netbook the difference between having the computer with me all the time, or leaving it home more often. I've owned the Toshiba Portege with the 12 inch screen, pentium M, 1 gb RAM, 40 Gb hard drive. Closest I've been to a computer that went with me a lot, not always, but often.

For a computer I think will always be in the bag or car with me, I am looking at the Samsung. 93% keyboard, 10 inch screen, 160 Gb HD and good reviews.

When I look at the phone and PIM devices, I just can't fathom how I will run photoshop on an iPod or similar. Too gimmicky.

I want a semi serious computer. I have used laptops for my primary computing for years now. My work station at home is set up with a small port replicator that cost $100. Hooked permanently to the port replicator (dock if you like) is a full size monitor, wired optical mouse, standard wired keyboard, extra external DVD/RW/Player, and my Epson R2200 printer.

When I take the laptop away, I unhook one USB cable and go.

All the shortcomings of a Netbook and/or small laptop are resolved by this setup.

No SSD hard drives for me yet. Doing the research, they have not yet arrived in dependability and transfer rate. There is a new SSD coming out at 128 Gb with astonishing transfer rate (beating conventional HD transfer rates, which is where the recent SSD drives fall down, aside from stability). This new 128 Gb SSD drive is anticipated to hit the market at $4600.00. That's right, the decimal is in the right place.

In addition, when I see the prices at $400 to $500 for the 2.5 inch LCD based dedicated storage devices to clean images off our memory cards in the field, I can't help thinking why the netbooks would not be far superior.

I'm ordering the Samsung next week. The other candidate in 10 inch screens was the MSI wind... which with a 6 cell battery, 120 HD, Atom processor, Windows Home (runs faster than Pro) and 1 Gb RAM can be had for about $375

 

[rbiemer]

I'm using an Asus 904ha as I type this post. Got it this past Thursday, so I'm still learning its quirks but I like it quite a bit. It has what I wanted and most of what I need. With two exceptions; I will be getting an external DVD drive and a second monitor. Once I have those, this will be my only computer. Reasonable amount of storage--160 gig hard drive and I upgraded to 2 gigs of ram. The key board is small and some of the key placements are different than a normal key board but I am a hunt and peck typist any way so that's not a problem for me.
GIMP runs fine on this machine not appreciably any slower than on my other machine. I've been storing my photos on an external drive for a while now so that's no different.
The one thing I thought might be a big pia was setting up firefox as I like it. I found a program called "Mozbackup" that worked very well. Installed firefox on the new machine, installed Mozbackup, used the restore function and I had my browser set just as it was on the old computer. I don't play a lot of games and those I like are typically puzzle games so this computer will do fine for my games too.
And it was relatively cheap; less than my old laptop and better speced!
Rob

 

[back alley]

i bought the dell mini 9 inch a few weeks ago.
so small and light.
i have access to the net, use it for meeting notes at work and can do emails at coffee shops.
i got a travel mouse with usb connection but the trackpad is sensitive enough to use easily.
the space key sticks which drives me mad.

i went from a dell pc with 19 inch screen to a macbook and 13 inch screen and now have added the 9 inch mini. no headaches or eye strain so far.

 

[Frank Petronio]

My son just swapped his MacBook Pro for a MacBook Air of the same vintage (early second generation) and it is really nice for non-Photoshop work. Of course it won't fit in a Domke F2 but any backpack our courier bag could take it, and the weight savings is great over a MacBook.