Comments on: Netbooks: Size Matters

By: Netbooks: Size Matters | PC Pitstop | Tech - Cynoo.com

Netbooks: Size Matters | PC Pitstop | Tech - Cynoo.com — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:37:30 +0000

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By: Vanessa

Vanessa — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 22:17:46 +0000

I purchased a Dell netbook from QVC for about $600. I sent it back after a few days it was too expensive for the ram and hard drive it had. I was looking to replace my desk top and/or laptop when I walked into a Staples and saw the Acer netbook with 1GB ram and 160GB hard drive. They were out and had to go to several store to find one for me. I LOVE IT. I took it on a business trip and was able to do everything I did on my big Dell laptop and it fit into my large purse I use when traveling. No need for the rolling carry on bag. I purchased a bag for a DVD player to carry it in and just pulled it out of the purse and placed that in the tray with no need to even open it. When my coworkers saw it they all wanted one, only one had brought her laptop the others said they didn't want to bother with the big old things. My son a computer programmer loves to play with it when he comes to visit he is just amazed at what it does. I still might replace my desktop but I tote my Netbook around town and on trips.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:22:15 +0000

My 10" Asus EEE has replaced my 15" laptop for sure. I sold my old laptop and have not regretted it yet. The netbook is perfect for what I want it for, looking at email and the interned while in the living room or bedroom. I don't miss the hot and heavy laptop at all. I use the power saving mode and no need for a cooler underneath. I like power, I have a huge desktop with 5 hard drives, 8gigs of RAM, Quad Core processor and a 9800GTX video card. It does anything I want. I don't need all of that when I am putzing around on the internet. The thing I like most is that I can carry my netbook around with me at all times and I can get on line through my cell phone with it. It is what I always wanted.

By: Steve Hogan

Steve Hogan — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:24:36 +0000

Just for the record, I think there is a place for smaller, lighter computers but I don't think consumers will have to put up with reduced performance. As I mentioned the "line is blurring" between netbooks and notebooks. I believe a couple of people have mentioned that they are seeing an increase in size and price of netbooks and I agree with that; I'm also seeing a reduction of size, wt, and price of notebooks, thus the blurring line.

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:41:18 +0000

Have to agree with all the other comments. I'm a journalist who travels a lot. Always have had a robust desktop system for photo editing etc., but for work on the road I first got an early TRS-80, then a NEC MobilePros, the last of the old HPCs to disappear from the market. Bought a couple of used MobilePros but had been looking for something new to replace them when they became harder and harder to find. I was thrilled to see netbooks emerge and finally bought an Asus EeePC 901. It's perfect for traveling — wireless connection's a snap, Web pages display in full (even on the 9" screen, which is crisp), typing is almost as easy as my home system, and running full version of XP allows me to do even more than on my beloved MobilePro. Battery life is a crucial factor here, and your powerful netbooks are dreadful in that department. Only drawback to the EeePc is it's a little heavier and a little bigger than the MobilePro. My complaint about netbook development is that they seem to be getting bigger and heavier, and more expensive. It's not the economy — I just don't want to pay for power I have no use for. The typical laptop is too expensive compared with a desktop system and too clunky (and battery-hungry) compared with a netbook. I agree with other comments: You've really misjudged why people want netbooks.

By: John Kerr

John Kerr — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:58:42 +0000

OK then. I jumped into this from an email I received today and the list of replies is probaly so long that few will read this but here goes…
I have been a gadget freak and an early adopter for years. I should probably be in some sort of technology twelve-step program right now instead of writing this. I have thought about a netbook and will probably get one like the new Asus models with discrete, switchable nVidia graphics.
I think the netbook market is just starting to grow legs and we will see some incredible machines soon. I would have bitten the bullet by now were it not that my gadget bugdet is tanked from a number of other technology purchases recently made (laptop, dual-band WiFi, monitors, Gigabit network gear and so on). My view from the mountaintop – albeit a small mountain of celphones, PDAs, notebooks and what-not that I own(I could open my own museum)is this:
1.) Desktops are generally diverging along 2 lines – gaming and network-connected HD/music servers that mostly enthusiasts either build or buy.
2.) Laptops are the new desktops. Take a new mainstream laptop, add a keyboard, mouse and say a 20" or larger monitor and you have a system that is likely more powerful than your average 1 or 2 year old desktop and is portable if you detach the peripherals.
3.)High-end laptops are an endangered species. Only specialization will save them. There's exeptions like multimedia monsters with 17"+ screens, blueRay and full 1080P, but these are the stay-at-home or LAN-party types. No traveler would lug one for long.
4.) PDAs are what you USED to carry if you didn't want to lug a laptop. They're dead. Cell phones are the new connected PDA.
5.) Netbooks are what PDAs morphed into after addressing the complants like: can't type on it, who wants to use a stylus, too limited and incompatable file types. Fix these complaints and you get the Netbook. They are going to stay. They will become more capable, more diverse in terms of price and features and most certainly will not go the way of the 8-track.

By: Douglas

Douglas — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:19:06 +0000

Of course size matters. Guys like me, who think nothing of lugging 10 pounds of tools,sporting goods,or computer paraphenalia will stick to our big screens and full sized keyboards, the better to fit my hands and play my games. Just because I never liked rap or tatoos or text messaging doesn't stop them from becoming trends.

I pre-ordered an Asus for my wife the first year they game out. She liked it so much that she replaced it with an XP version so she could use business applications and got a 3G connection. Gave the original to the kids.

Now she doesn't travel for business or pleasure without it, she just puts them in her purse. She types at full speed, she connects anywhere, and she's envied everywhere she goes.

I think there is a market for purse-sized personal computing.

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:20:21 +0000

I kinda jumped the gun and bought an Asus eee 4g when they first came out. I was looking for a multi media player. Dollar for dollar, getting a netbook seemed the better buy with all of its capability vs an iPod touch or an Arcos. I really wanted something that I could play my home recorded digital files. I recently stopped working to be a stay at home mom. I've had 3 kids in the last 4 years. I love my HP Laptop, but found it increasingly difficult to find time to use it. Although I bought the Asus early in the netbook game, I really have been very happy with it. Our family travels a lot, and traveling with a lot of small children is challenging enough.. a full size laptop is too cumbersome with all of the kid stuff I need access to whether traveling by plane or on the road! It took a bit of getting used to the smaller screen size and the smaller keyboard, but I have acclamated just fine. I have a map program with a gps device that I use while traveling so I have a full blown navigation program, can use it to play my digital videos and music, surf the internet, upload my travel photos, let my kids play games… my only regret is not waiting just a little bit longer before buying so I could have just a little bit more speed and a bigger hard drive. I love that the hd is solid state, but have to use an external drive to have all the function I really need from this handy machine. It has really given my the ability to use a computer back again! I can nurse my baby while surfing the net thanks to its small size and so light weight. Of course I'll always need to keep a primary computer for my powerhouse tasks.. video editing and recording, gaming and any really processor heavy tasks, but having a netbook has re connected me to the outside world again and lightened my load when I travel! I can't imagine not having it around! I look forward to buying another one, and handing this one down to my 12 yr old for homework assignments and web surfing

By: Ray Pagden

Ray Pagden — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:33:13 +0000

Didn't PC pit stop recently do an article on how software very rarely makes use of multiple cores? There fore correct me if I'm wrong, but the fact that a duel (or quad) core can in theory and in test conditions do much better, in real life it makes little difference?

Also in prictice my 1.6GHZ 1GB RAM 120GB HDD running XP, outperforms the laptop it replaced – HP TX1080EA running Visa, 2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, AMD Turion 64 x2 processor. which also actually cost 4 times as much, some of the features never worked until after 6 months of updates and 3 components failed just after the 1 year warranty expired. Netbooks are here to stay – as long as Microsoft can continue to supply a fuss free operating system!!!!! (or a better alternative comes along)

By: Paul Hollowell

Paul Hollowell — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:19:38 +0000

I bought an Acer One Aspire. I have a very good Dell Laptop but for many of my trips it just was too bulky and I did not need all that capability. As long as I do not ask too much of the Aspire it does fine. I have been able to lock it up but that can be delt with. I even loaded a pretty hefty flight planning package called Flitesoft on it and it handles it fairly well. I would like to upgrade the processor speed though.