Why, I don't know, but I want one so bad. They are so danged cute! I could sell one of my Kindles and buy one, but first I have to know.........


Do you like/love it?

Do you read your books on it? How is that experience?

What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory)

Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one?

what is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about?

What am I not understanding about them?

I wouldn't be doing anything that required security on one, no banking or anything.

I"m just thinking this would be a great way to store Calibre and all my treasures..

Tell me about yours, and thanks in advance for all the responses.....! :)

hm, nice timing dg ! i've been thinking about getting one too, for client meetings. if things keep going this way it will soon become indispensable. i just have to find one that's small and light enough to carry around without annoying me too much, but still has a decent sized screen and keyboard. and is not too expensive. hm...

suggestions are welcome.

hm, nice timing dg ! i've been thinking about getting one too, for client meetings. if things keep going this way it will soon become indispensable. i just have to find one that's small and light enough to carry around without annoying me too much, but still has a decent sized screen and keyboard. and is not too expensive. hm...

suggestions are welcome.

Does this mean great minds think alike, or that sometimes even tiny minds (mine) hit the spot? :p

I have one - a Dell Mini 9 with a 16GB SD drive (ie no hard disk). Absolutely superb machine for mobile e-mail, web browsing, etc. I take it away with me whenever I go away; it's about the size and weight of a hardback book.

Takes a while to get used to not having a hard disk. The machine is totally silent, which is a bit "spooky" at first.

16GB may not sound like much, but it's perfectly adequate for a "travel" machine. I have all my eBook creation tools on it, so I can create books "on the go", and I still have about 9GB free on it.

Makes a lousy bookreader - the "letterbox" format screen is just the wrong "shape", and if you turn it on its side, the keyboard gets in the way.

Some netbooks have a full-featured but very small keyboard. Dell go the other way, and have a restricted, but pretty-much full-size keyboard. Eg, there's no function key row - to get a function key you press a special "Fn" key together with one of the alphabet keys.

I'm very happy indeed with mine. Great little machine for mobile use.

Makes a lousy bookreader - the "letterbox" format screen is just the wrong "shape", and if you turn it on its side, the keyboard gets in the way.

Some netbooks have a full-featured but very small keyboard. Dell go the other way, and have a restricted, but pretty-much full-size keyboard. Eg, there's no function key row - to get a function key you press a special "Fn" key together with one of the alphabet keys.

I'm very happy indeed with mine. Great little machine for mobile use.

Two really important points here. Thanks HarryT for your imput.

Two really important points here. Thanks HarryT for your imput.

I have an Acer Aspire One with one gb of memory, 160 gb HD, XP, and a decent sized keyboard. Yes; I read on it (like it, too), but it's just that tiny bit too big too be entirely portable, screen glares, too. This netbook doubles as laptop as I am on the move all the time and need a handy tool. It's perfect for what I use it for, except for the glaring screen.

I also have a Dell mini 9 and agree with Harry's comments.

IMHO, unless you enjoy reading books on a computer screen, with the associated glare and eye strain, they are a total waste of time as an ebook reader.

Where they score is portability, fits in my jacket pocket! I have quite large hands so I do find the keyboard a little small (abt 60% of fs.) & often hit wrong keys. (This should not be a problem for dainty ladies hands).

With no Hdd battery life is a good 3hrs, as long as you disable the WiFi & blue tooth when you don't need them. About half that without.

Mine also has the 16GB SD drive which comes with the Win XP version, (8GB with Linux), I also have an 8GB SD card doubling the available storage.

Overall a great little machine if you need portability - but don't swap your E-ink device for it.

If anyone is interested in the Lenovo Ideapad, I can dig up a friends and family code. At least for Canada, and possibly the US. Not too sure about Europe but I could check.

I've actually been looking at one of these for myself.

Feel free to PM if you are interested.

Cheers.

Overall a great little machine if you need portability - but don't swap your E-ink device for it.

Wouldn't think of it. I have two K1's..........:)

I've been thinking about getting one too. I see them on woot occasionally for around $200, refurbished.

I have an Asus EEEpc 4g. I'm writing on it right now. In fact I'm on MR through it most of the time.

It's setup with Linux so it does not have to carry a huge Microsoft elephant on its back, that makes it quick and agile for surfing and writing; which is my major occupation on a computer anyway. For this type of activity it is faster than the base computer and I can bring it anywhere through the house and shop, with the aid of its built in wifi.

It has a measly 4gb flah based hard drive but it proved its usefulness when I dropped the device from the kitchen table. No harm done.

The screen is only 7" . Fortunately I don't yet need glasses for narrow sight and if the computer is close enough, it's perfect for me.

After a year with it, I'm still happy and it gained a dedicated place in the living room on a side coffee table as a readily accessed wiki. It starts on a dime (thanks to Linux) when it has to be put to use.

cnet did a comparison (http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39029450,49297248-1,00.htm) of the "top 10" netbooks, their number one choice is the Asus Eee PC 1000HE. any thoughts on this model ?

i'm also wondering whether i should consider an "ultra portable" instead of a netbook... weight is important (the lighter the better or i really won't feel like dragging the thing around with me) but since i'll mostly use it for client meetings i have to have a decently-sized screen for showing maquettes and i need a keyboard i can actually type on as well. on the other hand, i don't necessarily need it to be a fully-functional work station (unless i think of it as a backup post just in case my main pc dies in the middle of a project, which is generally when that happens), and i don't want to spend too much money on it.

I have two netbooks, a 9" tablet classmate purchased from work, and an original Asus Eee PC 7" with 4GB Ram and the celeron processor (before the current generation of Atom and only runs at about 633 MHz). I haven't used the classmate much as I just got it.

But, I love my Eee! I just came back from a business trip and the Eee was a great traveling companion, light and easy to carry. I have a 5-hour battery to use when traveling. It has wonderful connectivity, plays movies, and I find the form factor convenient for reading txt and HTML books. I turn it to portrait-mode, make the display full-screen, turn the backlight down as low as possible, and hold it like a book. It's so comfortable that sometimes my hand automatically starts to try to turn the page! For evening reading in bed it is perfect - no extra lighting needed and quite silent.

That being said, I think the 10" is probably the best general netbook size as it is easier to browse the WWW and read PDF business documents. Some come with a 9-10 hour battery and most have a hard disk option. Asus has announced a 10" Eee tablet for the end of the year (if I remember correctly). That might be interesting if there is a page-turn button on the frame.

Cons:
Netbooks are not pocket-portable the way that the current ereader devices are and nowhere near the battery life. Even with the backlight turned down, the LCD is probably harsher on the eyes than eink (but I am not certain as I can go 2-3 hours with my 50's eyes in comfort which is fine for my needs). It seems that the classmate tablet display is not as comfortable as the Eee - don't know why, perhaps the tablet layer makes it brighter? I can't seem to lower the brightness as much even at the lowest setting.

Pros:
Netbooks are fully-functional PCs, with Internet access, dictionaries, video playing, and run programs including office applications such as a word processor and spreadsheet. Don't have to care about book formats and re-formating PDF to fit a tiny screen. Book page turns are instantaneous and without the flashing effect.

I am rambling a bit, but I've given it some thought since I'm in the opposite position from you: with 2 netbooks and a mp3 player with audiobooks for my purse, do I also need a dedicated reader device? I decided to go ahead and give it a try and am now waiting for my jetbook to arrive. So, my two-cents-worth is to get the netbook AND keep one of your Kindles for when you need the portability.

P.S. - I found out a side-benefit of a netbook-as-book-reader: no one can tell that you're reading a novel during a boring business meeting! ;)

cnet did a comparison (http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39029450,49297248-1,00.htm) of the "top 10" netbooks, their number one choice is the Asus Eee PC 1000HE. any thoughts on this model ?

i'm also wondering whether i should consider an "ultra portable" instead of a netbook... weight is important (the lighter the better or i really won't feel like dragging the thing around with me) but since i'll mostly use it for client meetings i have to have a decently-sized screen for showing maquettes and i need a keyboard i can actually type on as well. on the other hand, i don't necessarily need it to be a fully-functional work station (unless i think of it as a backup post just in case my main pc dies in the middle of a project, which is generally when that happens), and i don't want to spend too much money on it.

The Asus Eee PC 1000 HE is the one I have. I LOVE IT!! I stuck an additional stick of RAM in it, so it's got 2 gigs (really easy to do .... took about 15 seconds). I have rather large hands, so the keyboard is a little tight for me, but I can still pop out a document on the run if I need to.

I don't like it for reading, but then eink has sort of spoiled me, and I don't like looking at a lit screen for too long.

I also picked up a 500 GB Free Agent drive, so I have effectively 660GB of HD space. The combination is just plain great.

I bought my wife a pink Acer Aspire One.

It's very nice, the screen resolution is very nice. My wife uses it to surf the net for hours, and I've done the taxes on the device.

The device is small and light. My wife bought a larger purse to put the netbook and and it fits fine.
It comes with WindowsXP and is a full fledged PC. First thing I did though is install firefox and openoffice.

One recommendation is I would buy a DVD/CD-ROM USB drive and the 6 cell battery over the 3 cell this will double your batter life from 2.5 to 5 hrs.

The screen is small for a PC but bigger than most eInk. I've yet to read a book on the device but I would imaging the expereince would be like reading on any laptop.

=X=
A couple of recomendat

I've got a Samsung NC10 (http://www.cheap-netbooks.org.uk/samsung-nc10-netbook/01/2009/) from this place. Brilliant keyboard, lots of hard disk, and really good to carry about. I wouldn't be without it, and don't miss my fully functioned laptop at all.

The video is great. I love the "best for seniors" tag......:)

I am the proud owner of an msi u100 Wind notebook (currently going for sale in Amazon for $373.97 http://www.amazon.com/MSI-U100-432US-10-Inch-Netbook-Processor/dp/B001H0GEVG/).

Do you like/love it?
My Wind kicks ten kinds of ass, and I am very happy that I got it.

Do you read your books on it? How is that experience?
Yes, I read books in my Wind. I haven't used an E Ink screen for comparison yet, but I feel my experience has been great. I used to carry it to class because it contained my math book, for instance, and while it took a bit long to boot up, I was soon reading Green's Theorem and using it to solve the problem of the day, or something to that effect.

Outside of class and in my dorm room or house, reading textbooks or novels in pdf is just dandy. The netbook is small, so I can lie in bed and put it in whatever position I find most comfortable (including on my chest) and just read. I love computers and are used to staring at their screens for hours on end (incidentally, I am blind as a bat and wear glasses for seeing far away objects; I wonder if there is a relation?), so I don't mind reading books in my screen. It's just like reading webpages with a lot of text, but for longer periods of time.

What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory)
Huh? At 160 GB, I assure you my netbook has no lack of storage. And while 1 GB of RAM may seem like little memory these days, when running Windows XP (and, I assume, Ubuntu) it is more than enough to run everything beautifully except programs of very high demands (such as games). The bottleneck seems to the the processor; if I use the computer in Maximum battery mode, even YouTube videos can become laggy (note that this isn't a problem when plugged in, or when set to use full power even in battery mode). Also, for some reason the Wind has a habit of freezing once every couple of weeks or so. No big deal, just unplug, remove the battery, and re-start, but still annoying. It does make you a bit paranoid about saving your work, but that's a good habit, anyways.

Also, my Wind lacks a CD drive, but I haven't really needed it (I have a couple of games, but I doubt the Wind could run them, and I can find music and programs online).

Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one?
See above. I tried several models at Best Buy before getting the Wind on Amazon, and I noticed something; the other netbook's keyboards sucked. They had tiny buttons that I wasn't able to press like I was used to, lowering my typing speed dramatically. The Wind was the only model I saw that had decent sized buttons, so I immediately decided on getting a Wind. I choose this particular model because I wanted this netbook to be my main, permanent laptop for years to come, so I didn't skimp out and got the model with twice the battery and higher storage instead of the Wind with 3 battery cells.

what is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about?
The wind can last about 4 hours in maximum battery mode without power. At university, there were electrical outlets everywhere (and I mean EVERYWHERE, including a handicapped stall in one bathroom) so between classes I could charge if I wanted to, but the Wind on a full charge and last battery mode would last through the day easily. As for hot spots, the university had a network which covered everything, so with a few exceptions (the chemistry departments are freaking Nazis about how their internet is used, for example) that wasn't a problem.

Outside of university and at home, we have a wireless network set up. Expecting to find random "hot spots" when out in the streets, though, strikes me as unrealistic. More people are locking up their wireless networks (greedy bastards), and anyways, a netbook isn't really a device you use while walking on the street. Even sitting on the street is not likely, between the couple of minutes of boot up, a fear of having it stolen, and a lack of open wireless networks. Netbooks are best for use in houses, and maybe a few places where wireless networks might be the norm (for example, airports or bookstores) as opposed to sidewalks, cars, or buses. They aren't as spontaneous devices as, say, cellphones; choosing to use them is quite deliberate.

What am I not understanding about them?
I am not sure. If you state what you believe netbooks to be like, or describe what you think a typical day with your netbook might be like, maybe I could help you correct what understandings, if any, you have about the things.

So..........I'm thinking, this would be a great time to break away from Windows, and go Linux, ebuntu, or ?

BUT......would those support Calibre or Mobipocket?

Karma to you Jaime_Astorga for your detailed info post.

I will keep one K1 of course, because I"m spoiled with the e-ink screen like most people.

However, I am looking at a netbook to browse the 'net, send email and use as a dedicated ebook storage center, (freeing up my laptop) and part time reader.

I'm hearing a lot of 'glare' problems, so maybe that isn't such a good idea. But then again, I never read for any great length of time anymore, so may it is.

Like those who are looking for the perfect dedicated e-book reader, I am looking for the perfect netbook.

From your accounts, storage isn't a problem.

I'm thinking some 'hands on' research will help a great deal.

I have one asus eeepc 701. I don't read e-books on it, it's just not confortable in my opinion. I use it at work and we have wifi there. The big 'it' about a netbook is it height and size. It doesn't not compare with a notebook but it's easy to have along with you all the time.

I just bought an Acer Aspire One last night. Wal-Mart has them for $312, and they have a 15 day no questions return policy.

I'm loading up Windows 7 RC right now, but if the Lil Buggah don't have enough omph to run that I'll probably run Ubuntu Linux on it. But it runs the Windows XP that it ccomes with just fine.

So..........I'm thinking, this would be a great time to break away from Windows, and go Linux, ebuntu, or ?

BUT......would those support Calibre or Mobipocket?

I have a VM running Ubuntu on my main computer. It runs Calibre, but the version of Calibre that comes in the repository doesn't have the "View" icon. And I havent found a way to read a Mobi file (yet).

I have an Acer Aspire One with one gb of memory, 160 gb HD, XP, and a decent sized keyboard. Yes; I read on it (like it, too), but it's just that tiny bit too big too be entirely portable, screen glares, too.
This is what I have, too (the 8.9" model). It's a surprisingly capable machine. Certainly faster than my old Dell Inspiron 1000 laptop circa 2004. I did consider getting the 10" version, but I settled for the smaller one since I wanted the portability. I have a fairly thin & light Toshiba laptop (13.3") but lugging it around for hours still gives me a backache so I got something even smaller. Keyboard feels pretty cramped, even with my small hands, but I guess that has more to do with the fact that I'm used to touch-typing on the Toshiba's keyboard. My brother who has bigger hands than I do has no problem typing on the Acer Aspire One. One questionable design choice they did make was putting the left and right "mouse" buttons on either side of the touchpad. It feels pretty awkward but I guess, as with most things, it'll be fine once you get used to it. At least Acer included a USB mouse in the package. :)

It comes with WindowsXP and is a full fledged PC. First thing I did though is install firefox and openoffice.
What he said. It's a full-fledged PC and while slow (performance would probably be abysmal for heavy Photoshopping and you can expect a lot of stutters if watching Blu-ray rips), it can do everything a full PC can. One of the first things I did (once Windows was done with all the updates) is install Firefox. I opted for MS Office 2003, though, instead of OpenOffice. When I first installed OpenOffice (v2?) on my other computers, I found it to be slower than MS Office. Well, at least opening programs seemed to take forever compared to almost instantaneous with MS Office. Things have probably improved since then, but I've still got a license free (Student & Teacher version) for MS Office so I'm using those up first.

One recommendation is I would buy a DVD/CD-ROM USB drive and the 6 cell battery over the 3 cell this will double your batter life from 2.5 to 5 hrs.
I also got the one with the 6-cell battery. It's a bit heavier than the 3-cell version and the battery protrudes from the back, but the 5-hour battery life is very useful when you're on the go. I didn't buy a portable USB DVD/CD-ROM drive for mine as I find I don't really need it on the go. I barely use the optical drive on my current laptops. Since I'm somewhat prone to losing CDs, I keep a disc image of install discs, etc, on my desktop's hard drive. I've got Virtual CloneDrive installed on the netbook so in case I need to install something from a CD, I just open the disc image with Virtual CloneDrive, and presto, instant optical drive. Besides, I have one of those Xbox 360 HD-DVD player add-ons that I can connect to the Acer Aspire One in a pinch.

cnet did a comparison (http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39029450,49297248-1,00.htm) of the "top 10" netbooks, their number one choice is the Asus Eee PC 1000HE. any thoughts on this model ?

I've owned an Asus Eee and an Acer Aspire One. I would choose the Acer hands down. I found the keyboard on the Asus way too out of wack for my taste. The chiclet-sized right shift key drove me crazy. I never did get use to it. Based on his results, I sometimes wonder if the guy at CNET ever actually types on any of the netbooks he tests. I do prefer the trackpad configuration on the Asus though, so if you plan to do more scrolling and clicking than typing, it might be the better choice.

I am getting my hands on the HP Mini-note next week, and I am planning on carrying it around Europe with me, so I will be able to report on that in a month or so.

As for using a netbook to read, the Asus came with FBReader installed, which is pretty good little no frills reader, but the netbooks have the same problem that regular monitors have, i.e., that you are reading from light shining into your eyes. Some people don't seem to have a problem with this, but I still carry around my Sony Reader when I want to read something.

I hope that is helpful.

so far, the Acer Aspire One seems to be the favorite.

Kudos to everyone answering, all your inputs are helping tremendously!

Outside of class and in my dorm room or house, reading textbooks or novels in pdf is just dandy. The netbook is small, so I can lie in bed and put it in whatever position I find most comfortable (including on my chest) and just read. I love computers and are used to staring at their screens for hours on end (incidentally, I am blind as a bat and wear glasses for seeing far away objects; I wonder if there is a relation?), so I don't mind reading books in my screen. It's just like reading webpages with a lot of text, but for longer periods of time.
Lol, same here. Happy to know I'm not the only one that does this. Terribly myopic, too, but at least I don't need glasses to read from my netbook. :p

More people are locking up their wireless networks (greedy bastards), and anyways, a netbook isn't really a device you use while walking on the street.
Locking up your network is prudent and in no way means you are greedy. There are cases of identity theft, stolen bank passwords, etc due to people leaving their wireless networks open. Also, if someone downloads a bunch of MP3s from Limewire using your wireless network, will you be happy if you get sued by the RIAA?

Besides, many ISPs are starting to implement bandwidth caps and for people with those ISPs, it's probably best to be greedy.

so far, the Acer Aspire One seems to be the favorite.
When I did my search a while back, it seems to be one of the cheaper ones. Last I checked, the 8.9" XP Home, 160GB, 6-cell model costs $280 from Amazon. As specifications go, it's also one of the closer ones to a traditional laptop (XP, largish hard drive), aside from size, that is.

I cannot see a single down to this one. The price is fantastic......thoughts? I've dealt with these people before and they are reliable.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4483582&Sku=H24-8001

For the price, I'd go with the Acer Aspire One AOA150 (http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AOA150-1784-8-9-Inch-Sapphire-Netbook/dp/B001NT9UHG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1243101246&sr=8-3) instead. While the Via Nano trumps the Atom, the Via C7 is slower clock for clock. On top of that, it only has 1.20GHz compared to Atom N270's 1.60GHz.

8.9" 1024x600 LCD
Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz
160GB HDD
1GB DDR2 SDRAM
Webcam
802.11b/g WiFi
6-cell battery (5 hours battery life)

You can get a laptop of similar specs (but more storage and different processor) below for about $15 more:

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-U100-641US-10-Inch-Black-Netbook/dp/B001P5GKCG/

But if you like mini-note, go for it ^_^ I'm glad we were able to help you in this thread.

Decisions Decisions.............(whistles happily to herself ((which in itself is remarkable since she can't whistle)) as she ponders what she can get for her K1 loaded with 33 pages of books and a 4 GB card..............)

You can get a laptop of similar specs (but more storage) below for about $15 more:

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-U100-641US-10-Inch-Black-Netbook/dp/B001P5GKCG/

But if you like mini-note, go for it ^_^ I'm glad we were able to help you in this thread.

I haven't made a decision yet........but getting there..........:)

Why, I don't know, but I want one so bad. They are so danged cute! I could sell one of my Kindles and buy one, but first I have to know.........


Do you like/love it?

Do you read your books on it? How is that experience?

What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory)

Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one?

what is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about?

What am I not understanding about them?

I wouldn't be doing anything that required security on one, no banking or anything.

I"m just thinking this would be a great way to store Calibre and all my treasures..

Tell me about yours, and thanks in advance for all the responses.....! :)

I have Samsung NC10-14GB 10.2-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 6 Cell Battery, XP Home) White and
I like it very much. I recommended it to many people and they like it too. This NetBook good for people who travel a lot, it works 6-7 hours with one battery charge, very compact and handy to use.
You can find many reviews and pictures on Amazon website
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-NC10-14GB-10-2-Inch-Netbook-Processor/dp/B001I45TA8/
It is on sale now for $397 (I purchased my unit for $450 several months ago)
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41hod1LssjL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

I use it for e-mails and Internet but I don't read books on it. I use my jetBook for books reading but I can recommend it if you really need NetBook (I did a lot of research before buy it) :).

hm, nice timing dg ! i've been thinking about getting one too, for client meetings. if things keep going this way it will soon become indispensable. i just have to find one that's small and light enough to carry around without annoying me too much, but still has a decent sized screen and keyboard. and is not too expensive. hm...

suggestions are welcome.

Get a flexible external keyboard to plug into it? They roll up to a reasonable size and are surprisingly nice to type on (not as good as a proper keyboard, but a lot better than I was expecting!) No idea how long they last. Saw some today for a UK fiver.

The small Sony Vaios have very nice screens, and are light. But if you're going to be travelling a lot I'd advise getting a relatively tough case for it as the machines themselves aren't that sturdy (one chap at work is on his third repair in about a year...) And Sony support has been shipped out to a third party and is suffering for it.

If anyone is interested in the Lenovo Ideapad, I can dig up a friends and family code. At least for Canada, and possibly the US. Not too sure about Europe but I could check.

I've actually been looking at one of these for myself.

Feel free to PM if you are interested.

Cheers.

I've been debating one of those IF I do get one. If I do, it won't be until my mobile contract runs out, as I plan on changing suppliers and might see if I can get a 3G dongle as part of the deal. I only know Lenovo as the people who took over the Thinkpad range from IBM, which is a machine I like.

I have an Acer One Netbook with a 120gig hard drive - I read ebooks on it and also on my Ipaq 4700. What I really like is that I can run any reader software - Ereader. Ms reader, Mobi, Adobe Digital - so I can read anything. Same with my Ipaq - Which is the reason I have not taken the plunge on buying any particular e-ink reader.

I have no problem reading books on either device - I like the netnook because you don't have to hold it.

I also use it for music, and watching movies.

If you buy one. just make sure you get the 6 cell battery....

I am the proud owner of an msi u100 Wind notebook (currently going for sale in Amazon for $373.97 http://www.amazon.com/MSI-U100-432US-10-Inch-Netbook-Processor/dp/B001H0GEVG/).
<snip>


I have the previous U100 build, w/ 120GB HDD (probably 4x what I'll ever need) and 3 cell battery (2-2.5 hours), and my experience has been the same except for:

Also, for some reason the Wind has a habit of freezing once every couple of weeks or so. No big deal, just unplug, remove the battery, and re-start, but still annoying. It does make you a bit paranoid about saving your work, but that's a good habit, anyways.

0_0 That's not good, man. Regarding start-up time, you don't have to shut it off. Mine is set to sleep when I close the lid, and the power drain is minimal, even w/ my smaller battery. Especially for ebooks, I can whip it out of my bag and have FBReader up in 4 keystrokes and maybe 20 seconds, which I do frequently on the train. I only shut it down completely maybe once every week or two. While I enjoy reading on the Wind, it strikes me as the maximum comfortable weight for holding hard-cover style, so a smaller person might have issues there (I'm 6', medium build). It's great for curling up in bed, maybe better than a pbook or ereader, as it stays open in a good position on its own.

From following reviews of other netbooks, I get the impression this is the most ergonomic: 92% keyboard, no screen glare + hotkeys for brightness (great for ebooks). If I were shopping right now, however, I would probably go with the ASUS 1000HE, which has adopted a more Wind-like keyboard compared to the older EeePCs and gets killer battery life (though the short battery life on my wind hasn't been an issue for me). The only unknown w/ the 1000HE that gives me pause is the screen, because I'm so happy w/ the Wind screen for ebooks.

I've heard they're great Skype machines, too, if you want to do video calls w/ the grandkids.

Sorry to be late to the party, DG, but I've been busy today.

I have two of the little beasties. I have an original Asus 4G (with the 7" screen) and I have the ASUS 900HA, which has a 160 GB hard drive and a 8.9" screen in the almost the same size case as the original ASUS 4G.

I have swapped out the 160GB drive for an 80 GB drive to testbed LINUX MINT's Gloria RC1 release of Ubuntu Linux. The original came with XP Home.

I don't like them as an e-book reader. You can use them for such, But I still prefer e-ink.

I went with ASUS because they were rated as very easy to upgrade. I can vouch for the hard drive change. Undo 4 screws, pull out the hard drive, put in another, and put the cover and 4 screws back in. Real easy.

Hardware comments. Size is what these little beasties are all about. This cuts two ways. Really small is easy to carry and keep around, but you pay for that convenience but little screens and small (sub-normal size) keyboards. You can go with bigger, more comfortable, portables, but they are just that. Bigger! That's a personal call, only you can decide what is the right size. You at least have choices. I went with the smallest possible with a 2.5" hard drive. If I want a SSD drive, I can buy it later. you can plug in an external mouse and/or keyboard and/or screen, but you'll have to pack then along. I always pack a mouse with my ASUS, as I hate trackpads. Total carry weight (w/mouse and power supply) is over 3 pounds (or 1.5 Kilos). Dimensions are 9" x 6.8" x 2". Netbooks all have basically the same CPU, the same graphics chip, and have about the same throughput. It's about what a desktop had 10 years ago. For my uses, acceptable. If you want to run the latest and greatest Photoshop or games, it isn't up to it. It'll run Skype.

Software comments. Ubuntu Linux will run fine on the bigger ASUS, but I still have a big learning curve on installing applications. Furthermore, I find the most hyped video player, VLC, unacceptable on the machine. It drops frames, and didn't handle menus correctly. This is not a hardware limitation, as PowerDVD 5 under XP worked just fine with the same video. Music players work just fine though. On the other hand Linux is safer for internet. Probably a dual-boot set-up would be fine. (With the limited processor power available, I hesitate to try Microsoft emulators. Besides, I downloaded Virtual Box, but it didn't show up on the menus. As a complete N00B, fixing it was beyond my knowledge base.)

Therefore I'm going back to XP when I can afford a 500GB hard drive, probably a dual boot configuration.

Hope this helps...

I have the previous U100 build, w/ 120GB HDD
0_0 That's not good, man. Regarding start-up time, you don't have to shut it off. Mine is set to sleep when I close the lid, and the power drain is minimal, even w/ my smaller battery. Especially for ebooks, I can whip it out of my bag and have FBReader up in 4 keystrokes and maybe 20 seconds, which I do frequently on the train. I only shut it down completely maybe once every week or two.
Mine is set to sleep when the lid closes as well, but it hibernates after a while if it isn't open. I don't really like the idea of the machine being sleep while on the go, anyways... it is still on, and I keep it on its case, so it gets hot and I wonder if it might not get damaged from it. But it recovers faster from hibernating than from being shut down, so I don't really shut it down much anyways. I usually keep it hibernating.

As for the freezing, yeah, not good, but I don't mind. It sometimes happened to me in my other laptop, but it was much more rare, and I imagine something like that happens in all computers at some point or another; it just strikes me how regular an occurrence it seems to be with my Wind. Maybe I got a defective one?

A couple things I left out: I don't know why you would need an external CD/DVD. Maybe if you have a favorite piece of legacy software and really don't want to learn how to rip an .iso and run a virtual drive, but then you are shelling out for a rather cumbersome piece of hardware that you will use...once.

Regarding the memory, most of these machines upgrade very easily, but I'm finding mine runs quite fast (especially Firefox) with the stock 1GB running XP.

Mine is set to sleep when the lid closes as well, but it hibernates after a while if it isn't open. I don't really like the idea of the machine being sleep while on the go, anyways... it is still on, and I keep it on its case, so it gets hot and I wonder if it might not get damaged from it. But it recovers faster from hibernating than from being shut down, so I don't really shut it down much anyways. I usually keep it hibernating.


I don't have hibernation enabled. Doesn't hurt to be safe, but mine is always cool to the touch when I pull it out. The convenience of a machine that 'boots' in three seconds is pretty incredible, and better yet if I'm reading, put it away, and pull it out later to resume reading; it's faster than fishing out and opening a pbook.

I bought my Samsung NC10 before the Asus Eee PC 1000 HE came out. They both have similar features but the Asus has a slightly longer battery life and is a hundred g. heavier. I am very happy with my Samsung and IMHO thinks it looks better than the Asus. There are several sites that compare these machines.
See here: http://www.trustedreviews.com/laptops/
and here: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/03/20/review_netbook_asus_eee_pc_1000he/

A couple things I left out: I don't know why you would need an external CD/DVD.
For installing Windows 7, which indecently runs just fine on an Acer Aspire One.

You also need one to burn the recovery DVDs and Applications/Drivers DVD so you can restore it to factory if you don't like Linux or Windows 7 or whatevery you decided to try this week.

I use HDSD 8GB cards. They run native on an EEEpc . I simply copy from a CD on the base computer to thse SDs to exange info.

For various reasons a small computer like that is used as a second machine.

For installing Windows 7, which indecently runs just fine on an Acer Aspire One.

You also need one to burn the recovery DVDs and Applications/Drivers DVD so you can restore it to factory if you don't like Linux or Windows 7 or whatevery you decided to try this week.

Heh, yeah a lot of people use these as hobby machines. If you look at the Wind forums, you'd think 3/4 of the people who buy them wipe XP and put on OSX, and the other 1/4 go for a trifecta [(XP/Vista/7)+OSX+Ubuntu]. When there's no point in loading it up with media, 160GB is a lot of room to play.

If your plan is to actually use the machine, though, just grab PowerISO or the like on both the netbook and your main rig. I haven't even needed to do that; downloadable apps + flash media have me covered.

A couple things I left out: I don't know why you would need an external CD/DVD. Maybe if you have a favorite piece of legacy software and really don't want to learn how to rip an .iso and run a virtual drive, but then you are shelling out for a rather cumbersome piece of hardware that you will use...once.


When I want to install something from CD or DVD (as I did when I installed Microsoft Office, for example), I simply "share" the DVD drive on my main machine and access it across the network from the netbook. Works beautifully.

Don't those SD drives (instead of hard drives) have a very limited life cycle? That's what a friend of mine told me. His most used apps are stored in a USB pen, because he doesn't want to wear the SD drive too much...

Don't those SD drives (instead of hard drives) have a very limited life cycle? That's what a friend of mine told me. His most used apps are stored in a USB pen, because he doesn't want to wear the SD drive too much...

They have a lifetime of hundreds of thousands of write cycles, as I understand it, and pretty much limitless reading. I have some CF cards that are 10+ years old now; I've never had one fail.

They have a lifetime of hundreds of thousands of write cycles, as I understand it, and pretty much limitless reading. I have some CF cards that are 10+ years old now; I've never had one fail.

Yes, but one thing is using a card to just store files. Another is to run apps that use much more intensively the memory, reading/writting more frequently. (?)

This is an issue I have heard before in the industry and I know that a number of the solid state drive manufacturers actually have algorithms in the controller firmware to ensure that the write requests are distributed across the whole disk memory. It's the issue of the number of OS writes for tyhings like swap files and page files etc.

I believe that this is being a little over hyped as we have had systems running such OS's as linux and embedded linux in the topend PMP and alike using memory only storage for quite a while and they seem to survive.

I guess time will tell really

I bought a Sony Vaio P today. It's still charging so I can't write about experiences much. It is so portable though. Much lighter than the eeepc that was stolen and MUCH prettier - it's olive green. (I really wanted a red one but green is cute too.) Of course it cost a lot more too. I want it to be portable and access email and the web. I have a usb modem from my mobile provider.
I won't be reading ebooks. I don't think laptops have the power for that without being plugged into the mains.
So when I go to the mobileread meetup in Melbourne next month I'll be able to take my Vaio and still keep up with you all every day.

This is an issue I have heard before in the industry and I know that a number of the solid state drive manufacturers actually have algorithms in the controller firmware to ensure that the write requests are distributed across the whole disk memory. It's the issue of the number of OS writes for tyhings like swap files and page files etc.

I believe that this is being a little over hyped as we have had systems running such OS's as linux and embedded linux in the topend PMP and alike using memory only storage for quite a while and they seem to survive.

I guess time will tell really

There are ways to tune the OS around the problem. Use lots of RAM and disable the swap file, is the most common. As SSD's get much cheaper, they will become mainstream. Right now a 80 GB SSD cost around $300 US. I bought an 80 GB hard drive for my Linux experiment for $35 (on sale at newegg, with free shipping.) When 80 GB SSD's get to $35, I'll use them instead of hard drive, and tune accordingly. Until then....

I bought an 80 GB hard drive for my Linux experiment for $35 (on sale at newegg, with free shipping.) When 80 GB SSD's get to $35, I'll use them instead of hard drive, and tune accordingly. Until then....

I feel the same - I am dying to try an SSD and see what they are like but not at the price per GB they are at present

Speak of the devil-

http://www.woot.com

Asus EeePC $149.99 refurbished

Ack! Wanna buy!

Yeah I know its only 4GB, but I doubt I'll even fill that up.

Speak of the devil-

http://www.woot.com

Asus EeePC $149.99 refurbished

Ack! Wanna buy!

Yeah I know its only 4GB, but I doubt I'll even fill that up.

damn ! that's not a model i was really considering and it has the wrong keyboard but at that price i'm so tempted ! but 4go is not much... when you're carrying around a lot of image files (that is mostly what i would need it for) 4go doesn't go far...

Dang near free. Must resist!

Dang near free. Must resist!

not easy, is it ? ;)

damn ! that's not a model i was really considering and it has the wrong keyboard but at that price i'm so tempted ! but 4go is not much... when you're carrying around a lot of image files (that is mostly what i would need it for) 4go doesn't go far...

Woot doesn't ship to France, so you can now resist :)


However, I can't. *groan* If I weren't closing on my house in four days I'd snag that up quickly.

Woot doesn't ship to France, so you can now resist :)


However, I can't. *groan* If I weren't closing on my house in four days I'd snag that up quickly.

that does make it a lot easier for me. :p it's the wrong keyboard anyway, so really i have no reason to feel frustrated. :rolleyes:

LOL, read the write up :) They talk about the Kindle.

(Woot's product writeups are usually funny stories)

LOL, read the write up :) They talk about the Kindle.

(Woot's product writeups are usually funny stories)

i did. the writeups are my favorite part of woot, since i can't actually order from them. ;)

A couple things I left out: I don't know why you would need an external CD/DVD. Maybe if you have a favorite piece of legacy software and really don't want to learn how to rip an .iso and run a virtual drive, but then you are shelling out for a rather cumbersome piece of hardware that you will use...once.

Regarding the memory, most of these machines upgrade very easily, but I'm finding mine runs quite fast (especially Firefox) with the stock 1GB running XP.



I don't have hibernation enabled. Doesn't hurt to be safe, but mine is always cool to the touch when I pull it out. The convenience of a machine that 'boots' in three seconds is pretty incredible, and better yet if I'm reading, put it away, and pull it out later to resume reading; it's faster than fishing out and opening a pbook.

I always keep a USB CD/DVD burner handy. It goes in my travel kit along with several other items I use all the time. For example, when I want to use my netbook as a DVD player, or I am diagnosing and repairing problems on a neighbor's computer, and I need to burn drivers or other materials I can leave with them when I'm done.

I also keep a small Wacom tablet in my kit, several USB port docks, a few USB cables and smaller storage drives, some CF cards, and other stuff that it always seem I need when I don't have it with me.

damn ! that's not a model i was really considering and it has the wrong keyboard but at that price i'm so tempted ! but 4go is not much... when you're carrying around a lot of image files (that is mostly what i would need it for) 4go doesn't go far...

See post # 42, you'd be surprised how fast those cards are and how much you can cram on them. But their keyboard sucks! Really. NO ACCENTS!!!!!

I feel the same - I am dying to try an SSD and see what they are like but not at the price per GB they are at present

You don't want to use one in situations where you're writing large files - writing is just painfully slow. Reading is fine.

Normal use is just fine on my Dell netbook, but installing large apps takes an eternity.

See post # 42, you'd be surprised how fast those cards are and how much you can cram on them. But they keyboard sucks! Really. NO ACCENTS!!!!!

it's not so much the lack of accents (although that would be a problem) it's more that all the letters are in the wrong place !! :p

it's not so much the lack of accents (although that would be a problem) it's more that all the letters are in the wrong place !! :pNormal in quebec we're an island in anglophonia...

it's not so much the lack of accents (although that would be a problem) it's more that all the letters are in the wrong place !! :p

You mean it's a French keyboard? ;).

it's not so much the lack of accents (although that would be a problem) it's more that all the letters are in the wrong place !! :p

No QWERTY keyboard in france? :p

No QWERTY keyboard in france? :p

god no ! those things are just wrong. :p

god no ! those things are just wrong. :pWhat's the layout you're using?

What's the layout you're using?

on my proper keyboard, you mean ? ;) the top line is azertyuiop^.

on my proper keyboard, you mean ? ;) the top line is azertyuiop^.

That's not that different....

I must admit that I find French keyboard layouts a lot less confusing than American ones, where all the punctuation symbols are in the wrong place.

That's not that different....

trust me, it's different enough !! there are plenty more differences in the other lines.

here's how a proper keyboard is :

http://www.trantor.fi/images/french-layout.gif

Having to watch your keyboard as you type is confusing enough even if it's only one symbol out of place...

Having to watch your keyboard as you type is confusing enough even if it's only one symbol out of place...

yes, exactly !

god no ! those things are just wrong. :p

Madame Z, I feel the same way about your keyboard as you feel about my querty. I looked at it and literally got queasy!

I guess it all depends on how you were taught typing, and your countrys typing mode.

'sigh. Good luck with your search............:D

Madame Z, I feel the same way about your keyboard as you feel about my querty. I looked at it and literally got queasy!

I guess it all depends on how you were taught typing, and your countrys typing mode.

'sigh. Good luck with your search............:D

it's a question of habit, and also of language (i need accents which you don't use in english). when i was in canada it drove me quite mad trying to type in my usual way on the canadian keyboard ; i finally got used to some of the more common switches (like the "a"), then when i came home i had to get used to typing on my own keyboard again. :smack: i think the french keyboard is a pretty good layout, the only think i really dislike is you must use shift for the period "." and the question mark. this is really annoying.

When I want to install something from CD or DVD (as I did when I installed Microsoft Office, for example), I simply "share" the DVD drive on my main machine and access it across the network from the netbook. Works beautifully.

This is one frustration I've had, that I can't figure out how to set up a proper home network with shared folders/drives/etc, which would make a number of things much easier. No trouble getting the netbook to use my router as a WAP, but my attempts to get it on an actual network with my desktop have been fruitless.

You don't want to use one in situations where you're writing large files - writing is just painfully slow. Reading is fine.

Normal use is just fine on my Dell netbook, but installing large apps takes an eternity.

The SSDs that ship with netbooks tend to be very low-end, too; you can get SSDs that match HDD write speeds, but you're going to pay plenty for them.

This is one frustration I've had, that I can't figure out how to set up a proper home network with shared folders/drives/etc, which would make a number of things much easier. No trouble getting the netbook to use my router as a WAP, but my attempts to get it on an actual network with my desktop have been fruitless.
Really? What sort of problems are you experiencing? I've never had a problem setting up simple networks/workgroup using the Network Setup Wizard.

Really? What sort of problems are you experiencing? I've never had a problem setting up simple networks/workgroup using the Network Setup Wizard.

I started a thread in Other Devices so as not to derail--if you have any ideas, I'd appreciate them.

I, too, am thinking about a netbook for an ebook reader, primarily for two reasons: I find my Sony Reader (505) is too dark in too many places; my favorite pastime is reading while simultaneously listening to the audio book. (Yay for Audible!). My Sony Reader can't do audio bookmarks so I end up carrying a separate MP3 player. The Sony light wedge is heavy, gives uneven illumination, and I don't like looking through it to the screen.

Looking for alternatives, I found netbooks and the Mobipocket Reader software. Playing around with the Mobi Reader on my PC, seems great. I did change the background to a light grey and that helped reduce the contrast and ease eye strain. Forcing it to the same screen size as a netbook (1024x600, or 1366x768 -- I'm considering the Dell 10 with this higher screen resolution) and then changing the display to two columns gives me a very "facing page" sort of look which seems quite comfortable for reading in spite of its horizontal format. I love the font, spacing, margins adjustments in the Mobipocket Reader. In fact, I can't seem to find anything about it I don't like. It seems to offer everything I wish my Sony Reader had in terms of software.

So, for those of you who are down on netbooks as readers and prefer your dedicated reader, why? Could you be more specific? Before I buy a netbook, I'd like to learn from your experiences using your netbook as a reader or audio book listening device. At this point all I have is a lot of untested theories and I'd like to hear from some experienced users.

No problem. Plug in a French USB keyboard.... It has 3 USB slots (and it lets you plug in a second SD card in a side slot - up to 32 GB!

I, too, am thinking about a netbook for an ebook reader, primarily for two reasons: I find my Sony Reader (505) is too dark in too many places; my favorite pastime is reading while simultaneously listening to the audio book. (Yay for Audible!). My Sony Reader can't do audio bookmarks so I end up carrying a separate MP3 player. The Sony light wedge is heavy, gives uneven illumination, and I don't like looking through it to the screen.

Looking for alternatives, I found netbooks and the Mobipocket Reader software. Playing around with the Mobi Reader on my PC, seems great. I did change the background to a light grey and that helped reduce the contrast and ease eye strain. Forcing it to the same screen size as a netbook (1024x600, or 1366x768 -- I'm considering the Dell 10 with this higher screen resolution) and then changing the display to two columns gives me a very "facing page" sort of look which seems quite comfortable for reading in spite of its horizontal format. I love the font, spacing, margins adjustments in the Mobipocket Reader. In fact, I can't seem to find anything about it I don't like. It seems to offer everything I wish my Sony Reader had in terms of software.

So, for those of you who are down on netbooks as readers and prefer your dedicated reader, why? Could you be more specific? Before I buy a netbook, I'd like to learn from your experiences using your netbook as a reader or audio book listening device. At this point all I have is a lot of untested theories and I'd like to hear from some experienced users.


Here's my take (having both). It's a matter of 1. eyestrain. and 2. habit. and 3 portability.

I'll speak of habit first. I'm used to a vertically orientated page. That is the way books have been made since Gutenberg. There's nothing special about this orientation, but I've been reading this way for 45 years. I'm used to this orientation. <shrug> (A Roman would want his scroll....)

Eyestrain. When I'm working (I'm currently unemployed) I use a LCD (or shudders, a CRT) 9 hours a day, and have been for 30 years. I find that for me, personally, the non-flickering e-ink is easier on the eyes. Your mileage may differ, and reading in the dark can only be done with a back-lit screen.

An E-ink 6 inch screen e-book weighs less and is smaller than a netbook. As a matter of fact, an E-ink reader with a nice cover feels like a typical small hardback.

Finally, the battery for an e-ink e-book reader lasts 5-8 novels, whereas the netbook last a few hours.

On the other hand, the netbook does all sort of things an e-ink ebook reader can't do, such as surf the net, run programs, games, ect.

It boils down to whether you want one gizmo that does everything, but not that well, or several gizmos, each tuned to be the best at what it does. We mature people tend to prefer the latter, while most younger people prefer the former. you pays you money and takes your choice.

I, too, am thinking about a netbook for an ebook reader, primarily for two reasons: I find my Sony Reader (505) is too dark in too many places; my favorite pastime is reading while simultaneously listening to the audio book. (Yay for Audible!). My Sony Reader can't do audio bookmarks so I end up carrying a separate MP3 player. The Sony light wedge is heavy, gives uneven illumination, and I don't like looking through it to the screen.


Depending on how often you buy hardware (and how dissatisfied you are with the Sony), you might want to hold off until next year, when we'll likely see netbooks with displays and form factors geared more directly toward ebook users.

If you do want one sooner, just pay careful attention to the screen and ask questions on the relevant user forum if necessary. The main concern is that you want a matte rather than a glossy screen. Also consider that most of them are 2.5-3.5lbs--it's comfortable for me, but I could see a smaller person having difficulty.

I'll speak of habit first. I'm used to a vertically orientated page. That is the way books have been made since Gutenberg. There's nothing special about this orientation, but I've been reading this way for 45 years. I'm used to this orientation. <shrug> (A Roman would want his scroll....)


:chinscratch: but you see, if you turn a netbook sideways...

I only read in portrait mode. FBReader supports it directly and remembers your settings, whereas other apps will require a secondary program like irotate or eeerotate(hopefully Adobe et al will address this in future versions). I find landscape far too distracting, but FBReader in portrait mode delivers a very book-like experience.

Thanks for the feedback.

One small observation about portrait versus landscape orientation. Sure the page is portrait, but the open book is actually a two-column landscape. I guess in my futzing around with Mobipocket Reader in two-column mode, my brain has just adapted to the "open book" visualization.

Good advice about the matte versus glossy screen. I'll be sure to get specifics before purchasing.

I never thought about "flickering" in an LCD screen, but clearly this is the case. Hmmm . . .

One huge advantage to reading on a netbook...........

When my eyes get tired, I can always just click the "MR" button and check up on your guys!

The K1 is just not designed to be an effective web browser.

I like a previous posters idea of just laying in bed with the netbook on my chest, and reading.

Can't do that with a laptop.........:D

I never thought about "flickering" in an LCD screen, but clearly this is the case. Hmmm . . .

I remember this from CRT monitors, but I don't think it is the case on an LCD w/ LED backlight, unless you're scrolling.

I borrowed a friends Aspire for a quick business trip and it was great. Prior to that I had always traveled with my old Sony HE-505 laptop (450 MHz P-3, 512 MB RAM, 8 GB HD, Win 98SE.) The Sony had always served me well; however, it will now be retired. The Aspire did everything it did, only better. For a bit more than 2.5x what it would cost for a new battery alone (a new battery that is needed) I can upgrade the performance, reduce the footprint, and have a lot fore faith in the dependability of the machine. Nine years of solid work from one machine was great. It more than paid for itself many times over.

My thanks to all that posted in this thread as they have helped me to make the final decision to replace the old Sony 505 after over 9 years of faithful service.

I borrowed a friends Aspire for a quick business trip and it was great. Prior to that I had always traveled with my old Sony HE-505 laptop (450 MHz P-3, 512 MB RAM, 8 GB HD, Win 98SE.) The Sony had always served me well; however, it will now be retired. The Aspire did everything it did, only better. For a bit more than 2.5x what it would cost for a new battery alone (a new battery that is needed) I can upgrade the performance, reduce the footprint, and have a lot fore faith in the dependability of the machine. Nine years of solid work from one machine was great. It more than paid for itself many times over.



My thanks to all that posted in this thread as they have helped me to make the final decision to replace the old Sony 505 after over 9 years of faithful service.

Great. I was trying to decide between the Acer Aspire One and the HP 1000

Think its gonna be the Acer...right now Amazon has this one with free two day shipping for me..........I like the 6 cell battery.............which one do you like, RWood? :)

http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AOA150-1784-8-9-Inch-Sapphire-Netbook/dp/B001NT9UHG/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2VFH0L1AD9HAF&colid=2IWUU5UB27Z2E

I remember this from CRT monitors, but I don't think it is the case on an LCD w/ LED backlight, unless you're scrolling.

LCD screens can very definitely flicker, even when they're not being scrolled. There are a couple at work that noticably flicker, although in one case I think the screen is faulty.

:chinscratch: but you see, if you turn a netbook sideways...


...the keyboard gets in the way.

Or at least that's what I find with mine.

LCD screens can very definitely flicker, even when they're not being scrolled. There are a couple at work that noticably flicker, although in one case I think the screen is faulty.

Sounds like a faulty backlight. They generally start flickering shortly before they die.

I have one but do not use it for reading. The battery life is not robust enough and I have trouble getting on-line with it to download content. I am a teacher and I use it exclusively for that---I have some music I do with the kids, and I have ripped them all to MP3 and put them on the computer. I also have some Powerpoint shows with the words to some of the songs. So I use it like a glorified jukebox, basically :) Beats carrying around six million CDs with me every time I want to have a music session...

I looked at netbooks and decided they were not for me. They look cute and they really speak to my gadget self, but I just can't justify the cost.

Reading looks awkward with it (due to the keyboard) and for using it for a regular laptop, it is just too small. I'd need an extra monitor all the time.

But, thanks to another thread here somewhere, the UMPC's were brought to my attention. I think I'll have to look into those (as replacement for my PDA).

Right. Netbooks are definitely not a replacement for a good laptop........that wasn't my intent.

However, they are wonderfully portable, and it looks like they would make an ideal traveling companion. Shoot. Another 3 lbs in my purse wouldn't make a difference! :)

However, they are wonderfully portable, and it looks like they would make an ideal traveling companion. Shoot. Another 3 lbs in my purse wouldn't make a difference! :)

That's precisely what I use mine for. Travelling, and also browsing the web while lying in bed :). Definitely not a substitute for my main computer, but a wonderful "accessory" to have.

Right. Netbooks are definitely not a replacement for a good laptop........that wasn't my intent.

However, they are wonderfully portable, and it looks like they would make an ideal traveling companion. Shoot. Another 3 lbs in my purse wouldn't make a difference! :)


That's right, DG, just pack a smaller revolver - - - Red! :D :D :D

That's right, DG, just pack a smaller revolver - - - Red! :D :D :D

Any suggestions??? :D

Right. Netbooks are definitely not a replacement for a good laptop........that wasn't my intent.

However, they are wonderfully portable, and it looks like they would make an ideal traveling companion. Shoot. Another 3 lbs in my purse wouldn't make a difference! :)

Well, if you can spring for it, I would definitely suggest the Asus Eee PC 1000HE. It is marvelous!!

Right. Netbooks are definitely not a replacement for a good laptop........that wasn't my intent.

However, they are wonderfully portable, and it looks like they would make an ideal traveling companion. Shoot. Another 3 lbs in my purse wouldn't make a difference! :)
Is your purse big enough that a netbook and its power cable will fit there without taking considerable space?

Is your purse big enough that a netbook and its power cable will fit there without taking considerable space?

Well, probably not. What, you mean I can't just "whip it out" and get instantaneous connection??? :rofl:

(that was a joke)

However, there are always bigger purses, aren't there??? :D

Any suggestions??? :D

A lighter dishwasher for your purse.

Is your purse big enough that a netbook and its power cable will fit there without taking considerable space?
Mine actually is. :D

Great. I was trying to decide between the Acer Aspire One and the HP 1000

Think its gonna be the Acer...right now Amazon has this one with free two day shipping for me..........I like the 6 cell battery.............which one do you like, RWood? :)

http://www.amazon.com/Acer-AOA150-1784-8-9-Inch-Sapphire-Netbook/dp/B001NT9UHG/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2VFH0L1AD9HAF&colid=2IWUU5UB27Z2E

I have this one - I don't use it for ebooks because I work at a computer all day and prefer to read on something that's more like a book! But it's great - I prefer it to my main computer although I mostly use it for writing, internet access, calibre etc, fairly simple things!

I've had it over 6 months and never had any problems - I carry it round in my handbag when I need it (although I have a large bag) and the power cable's not too bad - smaller than many laptops I've seen.

Is your purse big enough that a netbook and its power cable will fit there without taking considerable space?

My netbook gets a full 9 hours of battery time. So, I don't feel the need to carry the power cord with me at all times.

My netbook gets a full 9 hours of battery time. So, I don't feel the need to carry the power cord with me at all times.
Well, she said traveling companion, so I assumed she meant a trip long enough for a netbook to run out of power =P

Well, she said traveling companion, so I assumed she meant a trip long enough for a netbook to run out of power =P

:rofl: For me, traveling is to the mall, 12 miles away. We're kinda homebodies here lately.........:p

Also, taking the cord is good because if I'm at school volunteering, I can always plug it in and save the battery......

Right. Netbooks are definitely not a replacement for a good laptop........that wasn't my intent.


Depending on your needs, I would say they are. I see frequent posts on the Wind forums that people have parked or sold their Macbooks after loading OSX on the Wind. Unless your work requires serious software for mobile productivity, or you absolutely have to be carrying a home theater at all times, most people are probably better off putting their money into a good desktop and going light and cheap for their mobile needs.

Depending on your needs, I would say they are. I see frequent posts on the Wind forums that people have parked or sold their Macbooks after loading OSX on the Wind. Unless your work requires serious software for mobile productivity, or you absolutely have to be carrying a home theater at all times, most people are probably better off putting their money into a good desktop and going light and cheap for their mobile needs.
I would go even further and say that for the less technologically inclined folks (such as my mother, who got another u100 as her first computer), a netbook is sufficient to meet one's needs. Unless one has something specific in mind they need a desktop or a high end laptop for, I think netbooks are a better deal.

But then again, this is getting into the "how much computer is enough" thread territory.

That's precisely what I use mine for. Travelling, and also browsing the web while lying in bed :). Definitely not a substitute for my main computer, but a wonderful "accessory" to have.

Shhh! I don't want to hear it's a wonderful "accessory"... I don't want to be convinced I want one...

Mine gets used when I have to make a long trip (I prefer taking that through the airport than lugging my laptop), also when I make a short trip into town and know that I'm going to stop for lunch somewhere ... I also take my Kindle along for both types of travel.

I prefer my netbook for browsing and checking email in bed. Also, I like to have it on when I watch TV in bed (for those quick schedule and IMDB references). It's also nice when I get a quick idea I want to jot down so I don't forget it. My netbook boots a lot faster than my laptop (of course, I also don't keep as many programs on it), and so it's not such a big deal to turn it on, write something down or send a quick email, and then close it and go back to sleep, or talking on the phone, or whatever it was I was doing when I got the idea.

I've found my netbook and Evernote has made keeping a lot of information from getting lost (although, I do wish Evernote would institute a folder and subfolder structure).

I would go even further and say that for the less technologically inclined folks (such as my mother, who got another u100 as her first computer), a netbook is sufficient to meet one's needs. Unless one has something specific in mind they need a desktop or a high end laptop for, I think netbooks are a better deal.

But then again, this is getting into the "how much computer is enough" thread territory.

True, it would probably have met my mom's needs better than my old P4 Dell I gave her. You can always accessorize with a nice monitor and wireless keyboard/mouse for home use. I could see it being a little limited for media, though, both in terms of HDD space and audio/video output.

I have an Asus 1000HE. I replaced an aging full-sized Toshiba laptop. I specifically went for the Asus 1000HE for several reasons. First was the long battery life. Acer sells a similar unit with similar specs, but its battery sticks out like an ugly growth. The 1000HE battery is more streamlined.

The "chicklet" flat keys are actually a good compromise between closer spacing and typeability (I'm a touch typist and am picky about keyboards). I wouldn't have the earlier Asus netbooks, because they screwed up and moved the right shift key too far right.

Although not as large as a full-sized laptop, the screen is perfectly adequate for most uses (web surfing, word processing, etc). Using FBReader, it makes a fine ebook reader, although not as portable as I could wish.

The final point that makes netbooks so popular is the price. You get a lot of hardware for $400 or less. You can't touch a new laptop for that.

One last point. If you intend to use a netbook mainly for reading, you may want to consider one of the smaller netbooks with a 7 inch screen. The overall size and weight is much less than the units with a 10 inch screen. The downside is the shorter battery life, however. This is assuming that you get an Intel compatible netbook. If you get an ARM netbook, the battery life will be better. The ARM units are usually less expensive, also.

True, it would probably have met my mom's needs better than my old P4 Dell I gave her. You can always accessorize with a nice monitor and wireless keyboard/mouse for home use. I could see it being a little limited for media, though, both in terms of HDD space and audio/video output.

I don't know about that. You can't play HD video without issues, but standard video plays just fine. My netbook came with a 160GB hard drive. You can fit quite a bit of video on that.

For my home PC and its video collection, I have 1.5TB drives, but that is another story :)

I would go even further and say that for the less technologically inclined folks (such as my mother, who got another u100 as her first computer), a netbook is sufficient to meet one's needs. Unless one has something specific in mind they need a desktop or a high end laptop for, I think netbooks are a better deal.

But then again, this is getting into the "how much computer is enough" thread territory.

The only thing which might be a factor there is the small keyboard on netbooks. My Dell is fine for occasional use, but I wouldn't like to type on such a tiny keyboard "full time".

On my desk I can link mine up to a screen, keyboard mouse etc, and it operates much as the box on a desktop computer would.

To be fair I like the keyboard on my Acer Aspire One, but I have small hands and spent a long time finding a netbook with a keyboard that suited me :)

It's great for almost everything I need to do, but I don't ask it to do very much as my demands are mainly for writing, internet and office documents. I don't do much with graphics etc and I don't use it for video - although the screen is a perfect size for watching TV over the internet eg BBC iplayer.

The only thing which might be a factor there is the small keyboard on netbooks. My Dell is fine for occasional use, but I wouldn't like to type on such a tiny keyboard "full time".
Indeed, I did find most netbook keyboards I tried despicably unsuited to good typing, as described above. But since I choose my particular model based on the fact that it felt like a full-size keyboard, I can only conclude it isn't impossible to make a good keyboard of small size.

Indeed, I did find most netbook keyboards I tried despicably unsuited to good typing, as described above. But since I choose my particular model based on the fact that it felt like a full-size keyboard, I can only conclude it isn't impossible to make a good keyboard of small size.

Agreed--the Wind keyboard is not a full-size, and I would estimate it slows me down by maybe 10-15% vs. my ergonomic wireless board, but that's not bad. I would say it's more ergonomic than the generic rectangle that shipped with my last desktop. From what I've heard, the latest EeePCs have about the same quality of keyboard.

If you did want to use it as your main machine for papers and such, I would just invest in a nice USB keyboard + mouse.

I have an Eee PC 901 running Windows XP. It's got the 8.9" screen (mostly fine), and the little keyboard with the tiny rt-shift key (drives me nuts) and 12 gb of storage divided between a 4gb and an 8gb SSD. I supplement the SSDs with an 8gb SDHC cd. I've had my netbook for about 8 months now.

I do read ebooks on mine. I have eReader desktop and Mobipocket desktop readers on it, and like both. When I want to knit and read at the same time, I just set the font size and spacing large enough to read easily, turn on the autoscroll, and zoom away. I tried the Sony desktop reader and HATED it.

If I were going to buy a netbook today, I'd get one with a 10" screen and a slightly larger keyboard. The larger screen would cut down on some of the scrolling you have to do, and the larger keyboard would cut down on the aggravation of finding that you've hit the up arrow AGAIN, instead of the shift key. It would also be nice to have a little more onboard disk storage. I'd have a few more applications on here if I did.

This is the first laptop I've owned, and in spite of its quirks and foibles, I adore it. It's by little bebeh 'puter. :)

Archergal, you've answered some of my questions that no one else has.......
Mobipocket reader on the desktop, and about how many books would you say you had on it?

I was really wondering if I needed the 10" screen, and from you post mentioning the scrolling, I think I do.

Where are you from, and what do you like to read?

Never thought of the 'auto scroll' feature........that would work well while eating, also, eh?

Do you have a mouse? I have a 15" laptop, and really hate the pad.........got a Logitech nano cordless mouse, and as Ricky Maveety mentioned on anther thread, it barely sticks out, so isn't intrusive.

I haven't read the rest of the thread yet, but I'm going to go ahead and answer the first post. :D

I've been wanting a netbook before they even had a name. I wanted a tiny laptop that I could carry around for word and excel and calendars and contacts and notes and all those other things that I like to have but don't want to bother with little mostly empty books for. I've bought several handheld devices that just didn't cut it. Sony had one way back then but it was over $1000 and as much as I wanted it, I thought that price was crazy.

I was so excited to be able to finally get one for under $400!

Do you like/love it? I've wanted it forever so, yes, I love it! :)

Do you read your books on it? No.

What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory) None, for me, but I didn't buy it to be a computer -- I have several of those :p -- I bought it to be a portable internet/email/limited application device.

Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one? I have an ASUS eeePC 1000HE because my husband the computer geek -- who doesn't understand why someone would buy a $400 netbook when they can get a fully functional 15" notebook for $650 -- recommended it. His recommendations are always spot on because he does pay attention to what I'm looking for, even when it doesn't match what he would do.

what is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about? I don't know if I understand the question, but I have only used it at home or at a hotel. I don't literally take it everywhere with me. :)

What am I not understanding about them? I'm not sure what you are asking. I'm thinking you agree with my husband? I think they fit a specific niche that not everyone necessarily fits.

I wouldn't be doing anything that required security on one, no banking or anything. Honestly, I haven't thought about this at all. All of my bookmarks are on my main computer and likely to stay that way. This isn't a computer replacement for me.

I"m just thinking this would be a great way to store Calibre and all my treasures.. Yep, I do this. And I'm going to run my Silhouette off of it, essentially making that a portable device (it's an electronic cutter that requires a computer to use it -- basically a scrapbooking/crafting tool.)

I take it, along with my PictureMate 4x6 photo printer, to my mom's house to print photos off of her camera for her. So much easier than dragging along a big laptop AND the printer!

I'm also going to use it for my scanner that seems to not like Vista. Up until now I have been lugging my giant 17" laptop downstairs, hooking it up to the scanner, and then lugging it back up when I'm done. We hooked it up to my new desktop computer but I haven't been able to get it to work (I'm blaming Vista. :o) The netbook should be so much easier to carry back and forth!

As time goes on I'm sure I'll think of other things that it will be nice to use it to do. :)

I haven't read through the the whole thread, but I thought I would put my two cents in.

I am the proud owner of a Lenovo s10. It is totally a functional laptop. I find that it is all that i need for research and school presentations. In fact I am on it right now.

No I don't read my books on it, I would need a tablet for that, which Asus is releasing very soon.

I think that what one needs to look at really is the keyboard. The Lenovo has an 85% percent keyboard. And it can be cramped. Anything less is terribly cramped. I think that I will be getting new one soon, with better battery life and a better keyboard. However I have one other requirment. It has to run OS X, so I am limited to the HP 1000 and some EEE Pcs...

Anyway I really like my purchase and I really can't imagine my life without it. hope this helps

I was really wondering if I needed the 10" screen, and from you post mentioning the scrolling, I think I do.


Doesn't a 10" screen rather negate one of the main strengths of a netbook - extreme portability?

Doesn't a 10" screen rather negate one of the main strengths of a netbook - extreme portability?

10" seems to be a size where a lot of netbooks are settling for consumers, apparently meeting for many the compromise between making it small enough for "extreme portability", but large enough to satisfy their usability desires. For myself, I agree that 10" is too large for me, and dropping one inch to a Dell Mini 9 (the machine I like), for instance, is where my compromise is likely most going to be satisfied (putting aside the Apple-effect for the moment).

Cheers,
Marc

I use my netbook (has an 160 gb HD drive) as a portable library right now with Calibre as the main software. As it comes with an Atom processor and 1 gb of memory, it handles Calibre and even conversions really well. I have the content server on all the time and serve the epub books to my iPod whenever I want to read one. As the books are about the only files I am storing on this device (except mails and temp files), there are a LOT on there (I got a backup, too of course;))

It just is the IDEAL solution for this purpose combined with Calibre and some additional converter tools. I can handle any files thrown at me and convert them into ePubs really fast, check and edit the meta data and even read the occasional ebook on it.

I use it to "feed" my (oh well, my wife's) Cybook and my iPod and download the books I want. The best thing for me is the fact that Calibre never has slowed down a iota even with all those books it has to manage.

@monty: My netbook has a wide 9" screen. I like that form factor!

10" seems to be a size where a lot of netbooks are settling for consumers, apparently meeting for many the compromise between making it small enough for "extreme portability", but large enough to satisfy their usability desires. For myself, I agree that 10" is too large for me, and dropping one inch to a Dell Mini 9 (the machine I like), for instance, is where my compromise is likely most going to be satisfied (putting aside the Apple-effect for the moment).

Cheers,
Marc

I have the Dell myself, Marc. An excellent choice.

Both my bairns have Dells, and they seem pleased with them....

I also have the Dell and am very satisfied with it. With no Hdd it has so far survived drops which would have killed a normal laptop & destroyed a 505.

dear lovely desertnana,

If reading ebooks is a highly ranked criterion for your purchase (if not, disregard this opinion), I wouldn't recommend it... yet. At least that was the result after my search, just nothing perfect for me in the market atm.

As others in this thread have pointed out indirectly, netbooks simply aren't ergonomically designed for long reading sessions - whether it be glossy lcd screen, keyboard getting in your way, weight distribution of the machine, etc.

Well, if you do have a good tolerance of prolonged reading on lcd and if you can withstand other physical factors, never mind.

If I'd get one personally for reading, I would wait (ah, the gadget lover's dilemma) for the release of upcoming tablet/touchscreen netbooks... Asus eee T91 (http://news.google.com/news?ned=us&hl=en&q=asus+eee+t91), or the widely rumoured Apple tablet, for example. Reading vertically w/o the keyboard getting in your way.

dear lovely desertnana,

If reading ebooks is a highly ranked criterion for your purchase (if not, disregard this opinion), I wouldn't recommend it... yet. At least that was the result after my search, just nothing perfect for me in the market atm.

As others in this thread have pointed out indirectly, netbooks simply aren't ergonomically designed for long reading sessions - whether it be glossy lcd screen, keyboard getting in your way, weight distribution of the machine, etc.

Well, if you do have a good tolerance of prolonged reading on lcd and if you can withstand other physical factors, never mind.

If I'd get one personally for reading, I would wait (ah, the gadget lover's dilemma) for the release of upcoming tablet/touchscreen netbooks... Asus eee T91 (http://news.google.com/news?ned=us&hl=en&q=asus+eee+t91), or the widely rumoured Apple tablet, for example. Reading vertically w/o the keyboard getting in your way.

For readable screens, you just have to shop around (or get lucky, in my case :D ). My Wind is very readable in all but direct, direct sunlight, and on the lowest brightness indoors with a soft background color in FBReader, it's very easy on the eyes. The form factor is great for ADE PDFs of hardcovers, too, but I haven't tried reading those at length (the white-ish backgrounds might be harder on the eyes, idk). I think a lot of people who go on about LCDs just haven't had a proper matte display with easy brightness controls.

I could see the weight being an issue for some people, but mostly I prop it on my chest or in my lap or on top of my bag on the train, just as I would a hardcover.

You're right about the near future, tho--PixelQi still says netbooks will ship this fall with their hybrid displays, and we'll surely see a wider variety hitting different sweet spots for weight/battery-life/processing-power/cost.

Do you like/love it?

I love both of my netbooks. Each has their own little pros and cons but for the most part, they are great on roadtrips or just for a day out on the town.

Do you read your books on it? How is that experience?

Yes I do. About the same as reading it on my desktop. My eyes get tired after a while and I really can't read it while lying in bed (don't want to drop it or block the exhaust port).

What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory)

What lack of storage/memory? Both of mines has a 160 GB HDD and 1-2 GBs of RAM. Plenty for such a small and basic machine. The limited screen resolution is probably the biggest limitation. At 1024 x 600, there's not quite enough pixel height for some menus and at the rate I read, only so many words fit on the screen at one time.

Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one?

I have the ASUS 1000HE and the Acer Aspire One (8.9"). Both have 6-cell batteries and 160 GB HDDs.

What is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about?

I run on the battery mostly. When I get low on battery power, I plug it in (if I can find a outlet). Of course I need to find a WiFi hotspot. Usually here in Chicago, most Starbucks locations have free (but unsecured) WiFi. I also mostly get free WiFi at school (cept when it can't find the network).

What am I not understanding about them?

They are not gaming machines and they shouldn't be confused with ultraportable notebooks/laptops as those usually feature more powerful components.

All of the various netbooks (and notebooks) have a built-in SD/MMC card reader/writer. So you can go and download books, load it onto a SD card, and then plug it into your BeBook or other eReader device.

Do you like/love it?

It's smaller than my 15"main Laptop, so I can compute without carrying too much weight(well another way would be losing body weight....)


Do you read your books on it? How is that experience?
I mainly use it for surfing the web during those boring 1-3h brakes in university and sometimes for reading A4 pdfs, but printing them is way better than reading them on a tiny screen(and I can write on them :D). ebooks I do not read on it, display resolution is just not good enough, even if it surpasses the cybook's, but then I would have to turn it and I am not sure if the HDD likes that, i gets warm too...

What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory)
It could be quieter, cooler and smaller, have higher resolution, more proccessong power and be lighter.


Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one?
Samsung NC10, because the EEEPC 4G's display reslution was unbearable for me. At release the Samsung's keyboard was one of the biggest and best available, also it had a huge 6 cell battery, was well build and quiet. And non glossy :2thumbsup


what is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about?

As I use it only in university I have permanent WiFi and power, but since Battery lasts for good 6-8 hours I haven't taken the psu with me since I got it.

Nowadays there are nice little ones with high resolution displays, I'd like to have one of those :chinscratch: but to be honest, I do not need it.

Mobipocket reader on the desktop, and about how many books would you say you had on it?

Between Mobipocket & eReader desktop programs, I only have about 150 books currently on my netbook. But I haven't moved my whole library over. These are just the ones I've downloaded since I got the netbook. :)


Do you have a mouse? I have a 15" laptop, and really hate the pad.........
I have a mouse, but I rarely use it. I like using the touchpad, but I understand lots of people don't. My touchpad has some multitouch features, so I almost never use the buttons. E.g., I can tap w/2 fingers to open a link in a new tab and tap twice for a left click.

Never thought of the 'auto scroll' feature........that would work well while eating, also, eh?

Yes, I've used autoscroll when I was reading while eating also. :)

Where are you from, and what do you like to read?
GA, USA, and I read mostly sf & fantasy. :)

I do read in bed with mine netbook. I prop it on my stomach and adjust the font size so I can read without my glasses. (I hate reading with bifocals on.) Admittedly, it's cozier to read in winter when it's chilly than in summer when it's warm, but my netbooks doesn't get too warm on me. The biggest problem I have is when I doze off with my finger on the down arrow and wake up to find I'm MUCH further along in the book than I thought I was.

IMHO, the desktop readers that let you choose fonts and color schemes are one of the really good reasons for reading on a netbook. Being able to adjust the size EASILY from small to large and bold is a great boon to me. I'm not limited to four fixed font sizes or fonts either. And if the glare of the screen seems a little hard on the eyes, I can chage the background color to something easier on the eyes.

That said, I'd take a tablet netbook with a touch screen in a heartbeat. The whole thing would be just a little bit smaller, and you'd have the option of having a screen that sits up like a regular laptop, or one you could flip over like a tablet. Just more options.

I love having options.

I have an ACER Aspire One.

I got that one because it has 160 Gb hard drive
It came with a free upgrade to 2 Gig RAM
It was cheap (about $500 SGD, I think a bit less)
It has a 10.1 " screen.
The screen is clear and crisp and handles Vid very well.
It has a good sized keyboard
It came with a 6 cell battery, meaning 6 hours of life away from the plug
It came with Windows XP
Wifi
Bluetooth (Though I don't use this)
Ethernet
It is light (just over 1.5 Kg)
I can put it in my bag and take it everywhere!

So when I travel (which I do a lot) I can take it and either hop in a wireless hotspot or connect to Broadband in a hotel, easy as!

Was invaluable when I went to Germany, same in Bankok etc.... Just an adjunt to my desktop, I keep it on a side table next to the couch and flick it on to check something on the web or Email whenever I feel like it....

Also use it for Digital comics (X-men still rule), as the screen is a great size when rotated 90 deg. thanks to am EEC app.

Do you like/love it?

Netbooks are great - they offer most of what a laptop can do in a much smaller, lighter package. Perfect if you are travelling, also handy as a second PC in the house. Or often even as a main PC if you attach a USB keyboard/mouse and external monitor.


Do you read your books on it? How is that experience?

Not really, I use my Sony 505 reader. You can read eBooks of course but they suffer from the same problems as reading them off any regular LCD screen and it's compounded by the often lower resolution (1024x600 is common) which limits the number of lines of text onscreen at any one time.


What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory)

Depending on the Netbook there isn't really a lack of storage or memory. They will typically take standard 2.5" drives and >1gig of memory, the same as any laptop. The real downsides are a smaller than average screen and a smaller keyboard.

IMO these are acceptable when travelling and can be alleviated by external keyboard/mouse/monitor setup when used at home.



Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one?

I have two - Samsung NC10 and Acer Aspire One. Got the NC10 because it was best in class (battery life, build quality, screen, keyboard) and later picked up the Acer when I saw it available in a fantastic clearance deal, just couldn't pass it up. The Acer isn't as good as the Samsung overall but it is smaller and is just as capable for computing on. I would recommend either.


what is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about?

Power source is either battery or mains, as suits the conditions, the same as any laptop.

There are quite a few hotspots around but I often as a 3G dongle for wireless broadband.

I have the Dell myself, Marc. An excellent choice.

I saw in recent days that Dell have discontinued the Mini 9. Ah, well, I'm not up for a new device yet anyway. I hope when I am, a satisfactory 9" device is around, as it seemed about the right spot for me.

Cheers,
Marc

What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory

1G RAM is not enough for XP/Linux? Most of the current one are upgradable to 2G which would be enough even for Vista.

160G storage is not enough, considering it is a not a desktop? :chinscratch:

I bought Asus eeepc 1000 HE 1 week ago.
The only downside so far is space key. A bit too close to touch pad and not protruding up enough for my right thumb.
Otherwise....it does what it should. Got bluetooth mouth for it, so I don't need dongles and all USB slots are free.
Tomorrow I am planning to
1. Create an image of the corrent config.
2. re-install everything from a scratch, partitioning HD the way I like it and installing XP Pro.
3. create an image of a new system :)


Why I wouldn't be doing anything that required security on one, no banking or anything.?
It is as secure as any desktop/laptop out there. It is by no means a downgraded version of them.
I bought mine because I believe it is the best you can buy today.

It is not a necessity. It is a very nice toy. Toy that makes your life a bit more comfortable and if you have a few spare £/$, why not to indulge yourself and get a feel of why you work everyday and earn money[hint* to make your life more comfortable when away from work?]
My wife adores it, because it is so light. She can spend an hour or two with it on her laps and don't feel tired as she does with her 15.4" laptop. I know for a fact that some people work on them, for example, write code or lesson plans. I am not sure I would do it. The screen is too small for me to do any actual work but to read a technical PDF ebook in any position you like instead of riggidly staring at your desktop screen? or surf the Internet or read forums/news? Netbook is a winner in this area.

Thank you Astra.

Now,.......something that I'm confused about.

You mentioned a "bluetooth" mouse,

How does that work, exactly? If there is no USB plug in?

If there is no USB plug in?
My turn to be confused :)
What do you mean?

I will try to answer maybe I will hit the right spot.
In my netbook(Asus Eee PC 1000 HE) there are 3 USB ports, so it not really a problem vs. when you have only 2 ports. However, if you use USB wireless mouse, you need a USB dongle. Logitech line nano, is very good at it and the dongle is truly miniscule, but if you can avoid using any dongle, why not? :)
I bought bluetooth mouse. My netbook has a bluetooth receiver built-in. So, no external part for my wireless bluetooth mouse. (Why wireless bluetooth? Can bluetooth be wired? I never used bluetooth gadgets before)

My my ...how do you understand me?
Bluetooth mouTH? *hangs his head in shame*

My my ...how do you understand me?
Bluetooth mouTH? *hangs his head in shame*

Nah, I understood what you meant. I'm not making myself clear.

I have a logitech vxnano mouse with the tiny receiver for my laptop.......I love it.

How does the bluetooth mouse connect? How does it know?

Do you just hold it in front of the laptop, and let it 'sniff' its way home? :smack: (just kidding here)

I guess i'm just not understanding the bluetooth stuff.

Nah, I understood what you meant. I'm not making myself clear.

I have a logitech vxnano mouse with the tiny receiver for my laptop.......I love it.

How does the bluetooth mouse connect? How does it know?

Do you just hold it in front of the laptop, and let it 'sniff' its way home? :smack: (just kidding here)

I guess i'm just not understanding the bluetooth stuff.

Got the same Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse a month ago for my wife's laptop. Almost bought the same for my netbook before I realised that I can get away without any external receiver.
Bluetooth receiver is built-in into netbook, just like wireless NIC. You simply don't see it. There is bluetooth icon in control panel, you just tell it to sniff around, it finds the mouse and asks you whether you would like to add this particular bluetooth device to the list of other(if any but none in my case) bluetooth devices your netbook is associated with. That's it. Mind you, I am telling it off the top of my head, I have done it only one time in my life a few days ago :)

Got the same Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse a month ago for my wife's laptop. Almost bought the same for my netbook before I realised that I can get away without any external receiver.
Bluetooth receiver is built-in into netbook, just like wireless NIC. You simply don't see it. There is bluetooth icon in control panel, you just tell it to sniff around, it finds the mouse and asks you whether you would like to add this particular bluetooth device to the list of other(if any but none in my case) bluetooth devices your netbook is associated with. That's it. Mind you, I am telling it off the top of my head, I have done it only one time in my life a few days ago :)

Got it. Now.......won't this affect your battery life?

Can't you turn the bluetooth aspect on and off to save the battery?

Got it. Now.......won't this affect your battery life?

Can't you turn the bluetooth aspect on and off to save the battery?

Hmm. I am not sure. I think you can do it. But then your USB mouse will eat up your battery instead?

Hmm. I am not sure. I think you can do it. But then your USB mouse will eat up your battery instead?

Yes, of course. I'm just wondering, if turning off the bluetooth and just using a receiver like the nano would make a difference.
I'm so clueless about this ........I know what I want to say just can't figure out the proper terminology! :smack:

Yes, of course. I'm just wondering, if turning off the bluetooth and just using a receiver like the nano would make a difference.
I'm so clueless about this ........I know what I want to say just can't figure out the proper terminology! :smack:

Cuess, we are in the same boat.
Cannot answer this question, because I am clueless about how much bluetooth consumes power.

We'll ask the experts...check here.

http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47632&highlight=netbook

I just picked up a Lenovo S10 and a few enhancements -- that are still on the way. I'm upgrading to 2GB RAM from the stock 1GB, and adding a SD card to back up my Sony 505 onto.

Do you like/love it?

Love

Do you read your books on it? How is that experience?

Tried that, but the Sony 505 is way better.


What are the downsides? (Besides the obvious lack of storage/memory)

Actually the S10 has a 160GB drive in it so there's enough storage and room to install your usual office products and email.

The screen is 1024x600 though so there is a lack of screen real estate. But what can you expect from a 10" netbook?


Which one do you have? Why did you get that particular one?

Lenovo S10. Should cost about $330 as of June 2009.

what is your power source, do you have to find a 'hot spot' for free internet access when you are out an about?

I tether to my Pocket PC which has 3g.

One more thing. I'm running Windows 7 RC1 and Office 2007 on this netbook. It boots from hibernate to desktop in about 20 - 25 seconds. That's with 1GB RAM and a standard HD, not a SDHD. Upgrading to a 2GB stick and a SDHD should make this netbook scream.

One more thing. I'm running Windows 7 RC1 and Office 2007 on this netbook. It boots from hibernate to desktop in about 20 - 25 seconds. That's with 1GB RAM and a standard HD, not a SDHD. Upgrading to a 2GB stick and a SDHD should make this netbook scream.

Yeah,

I'm running those on my Asus Eee PC 1000HE as well as MS Project and PhotoShop Vs. 6. I went with the Asus because of the nine hour (more like five in real life with WiFi-n turned on) battery life. Also I stuffed 2 GB of RAM and a 250 GB Hard Drive in it before I even turned it on. The original 160 GB drive with WinXP on it is still pristine.

One more thing. I'm running Windows 7 RC1 and Office 2007 on this netbook. It boots from hibernate to desktop in about 20 - 25 seconds. That's with 1GB RAM and a standard HD, not a SDHD. Upgrading to a 2GB stick and a SDHD should make this netbook scream.
Unless it is Intel's or G.Skill SSD that costs as much as netbook, then you will not notice the difference...I would not do it.

Enjoy new toy!

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Unless it is Intel's or G.Skill SSD that costs as much as netbook, then you will not notice the difference...I would not do it.

Enjoy new toy!

Too late :D

I pulled the 1GB and put in a 2GB stick. Also added a 9-cell battery. Haven't had a chance to test it yet, but I'm sure performance won't be worse for the 2GB.

Too late :D

I pulled the 1GB and put in a 2GB stick. Also added a 9-cell battery. Haven't had a chance to test it yet, but I'm sure performance won't be worse for the 2GB.

I think astra was referring to the amount of time needed to boot from hibernate, not how well it runs after it boots. Windows XP, Vista, or 7 will run better in two GB of RAM than it will in one; if only in the number of tasks that can be run concurrently.

I think astra was referring to the amount of time needed to boot from hibernate, not how well it runs after it boots. Windows XP, Vista, or 7 will run better in two GB of RAM than it will in one; if only in the number of tasks that can be run concurrently.

I was referring to swapping a real hard drive with SSD.
2G is good :)