Who has a netbook? - Page 4

HarryT · 05-24-2009, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Over

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.

Over · 05-24-2009, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

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. (?)

Peverel · 05-24-2009, 06:24 AM

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

Laine · 05-24-2009, 07:52 AM

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.

Greg Anos · 05-24-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peverel

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....

Peverel · 05-24-2009, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

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

lilac_jive · 05-24-2009, 09:24 AM

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.

zelda_pinwheel · 05-24-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

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...

vivaldirules · 05-24-2009, 09:53 AM

Dang near free. Must resist!

zelda_pinwheel · 05-24-2009, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivaldirules

Dang near free. Must resist!

not easy, is it ?

lilac_jive · 05-24-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

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.

zelda_pinwheel · 05-24-2009, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

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.

it's the wrong keyboard anyway, so really i have no reason to feel frustrated.

lilac_jive · 05-24-2009, 10:02 AM

LOL, read the write up

They talk about the Kindle.

(Woot's product writeups are usually funny stories)

zelda_pinwheel · 05-24-2009, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilac_jive

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.

RickyMaveety · 05-24-2009, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taosaur

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.

05-24-2009, 09:24 AM	#52
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	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. Last edited by Nate the great; 05-24-2009 at 09:58 AM. Reason: fixed the link

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05-24-2009, 06:24 AM	#48
Peverel Still Easily Confused Posts: 889 Karma: 505319 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampshire/Berkshire/Surrey - yes I am that big Device: Kindle	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

05-24-2009, 07:52 AM	#49
Laine Addict Posts: 341 Karma: 1162396 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cabramatta, Sydney, Australia Device: Aura H2O, Voyage	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.

05-24-2009, 09:53 AM	#54
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	Dang near free. Must resist!

05-24-2009, 10:02 AM	#58
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	LOL, read the write up They talk about the Kindle. (Woot's product writeups are usually funny stories)

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