Netbooks ? Anyone have one

[dandysmom]

Or are familiar with them? I'd never heard of these until today; article in the business section of the paper. They're like laptops, only smaller, lighter, less powerful and less expensive. Plus they can run Linux, which is important; don't want to use Windows.
All I'd use it for is e-mail and Catsey.

And here's a dumb question for those of you with laptops... without a mouse, how do you navigate? I've only used my Mac and the library PCs which have mice .....

Any comments welcome, I'm intrigued by the netbook idea!

[Moli]

Hubby says they are good, do not have big memory, don't have have optical drive for DVD/CD'S, most do not have an RJ port they are mostly wireless, graphic card as not as good as in a normal laptop.They come with either XP or Linx...they XP one is more expensive.Any questions please do not hestitate to ask....

I am just typing what he is telling me!

[dandysmom]

Thanks, Moli. I'd never have any use for DVDs/CDs, not sure what a graphic card is (does that mean I couldn't see pics on the screen?) Nor would I want to upload pics on it, would do that on the Mac. As I said, all I'd use it for would be checking e-mail and posting/reading on Catsey...would be nice to be able to do that outside instead of here in the house.

And how do you navigate without a mouse???

[smudgley]

We have mini laptops at work. They are a new initiative and seem to be working well. I don't have one as I have a normal laptop.

You can use a mouse, but you navigate with a touch pad, they take a bit of getting used to initially. I love my laptop & have remote internet access so can get on line anywhere which is very useful.

[dandysmom]

That sounds interesting, Smudgley, thanks. May I ask what make you have at work?

And could you explain how a touch pad works? As I said, have never used a computer without a mouse.

[Kazz]

Eileen you can add a mouse to the majority of laptops and netbooks I believe. Although you navigate the pad it is dependant on size of latop notebook etc...a square that you sort of touch with your fingertip. Not as hard as it seems. The line arrow moves like it does if you touch the mouse...

[Kazz]

Now you mention it that might be ideal for me..........

[dandysmom]

Now you mention it that might be ideal for me..........


Take a look at this, Kazz. A tad pricy, but shopping around could probably do better. I'm quite intrigued..

http://www.linux-netbook.com/dell-inspiron-mini-9-16-gb-ssd-blac (http://www.linux-netbook.com/dell-inspiron-mini-9-16-gb-ssd-black)

[Kazz]

Joining you in the intrigued club Eileen.

[smudgley]

Not sure what make they are... something like Eezzy PC but have searched the internet & can't find them. They are good and have been brought in as a mobile device for people who travel / visit people so they can access the internal system en-route. however they have been told they can't use them for long periods & they must have a break if using them for more than 30 mins (this is just our company policy) but they have been told not to use them in the office, unnless they are just having a short session or checking e-mails. I've got some photos of the girls using them when we went to Scotland, I'll post them in this thread (may take me a while)

[Kazz]

Is that just your works own restrictions then Smudgley.

[dandysmom]

I wonder how long they run before batteries have to be recharged? Think I'll Google and see if I can find a users site with FAQs after dinner.

[smudgley]

Is that just your works own restrictions then Smudgley.

Yes, it is just company police, but it's for H&S reasons as they say it is not a good working practice to be on it for a length of time as the screens are so small.

I wonder how long they run before batteries have to be recharged? Think I'll Google and see if I can find a users site with FAQs after dinner.
Batteries are good, seem to last well.

[CathyW]

charlie bought one a couple pf months ago. he loves his, it had linux already on it. but he put a differnt linux on it an ubuntu on it.
charlie sez google ubunto on an acer one , and just have a read, any questions (as he speaks fluent linux geek) u have my email addy just ask :)

[dandysmom]

Thanks, BM, might just take you up on that offer. Hope Charlie has patience with a non-techy person! :-D

[Moli]

I had a look at them in the Airport and must say, they are a perfect size......Are you thinking of getting one DM??

[dandysmom]

Definitely tempted, Moli, once I learn a little more about them and their ease of use and capabilites. I didn't buy myself a Christmas present this year, so.....

Another dumb question: how do you know if wireless access is available where you live?

[smudgley]

Definitely tempted, Moli, once I learn a little more about them and their ease of use and capabilites. I didn't buy myself a Christmas present this year, so.....

Another dumb question: how do you know if wireless access is available where you live?

Now this is where I am not technical at all, wireless and all that really confuses me. :? But this is how the mimi PC's work within my workplace. We all have a vodafone mobile Broadband USB stick. You plug it into your laptop or mini laptop and as long as there is a good vodafone reception where you are, you'll get a connection. It's called 3G. When you connect it will tell you if you have a 2G, 3G or 3G plus reception/connection where you are.
Again this is a kind of tool for "on the move" . I only use the stick when I'm travelling or if needed on a visit as I can get onto the internet via the laptop at work or home using a different connection (same as what I use with the PC)

[dinahsmum]

This is the (verbatim) reply I got from my very tech-savvy and tech-employed son when I asked him about notebooks, with a view to getting them for 'The Grannies'

"It’s a netbook (laptop mini) thing. So a low specification lapop. Linux wouldn’t bother you particularly, but you woulnd’t be running outlook, word and so on anymore you’d have to adjust to different programme. You might also notice some websites appear ‘different’ as you won’t be using internet explorer anymore and some web page designers are lazy and only make sure the site is perfect in internet explorer which (less so these days) dominates the market. The Hard drive is 2GB, an probably ¼ of that will be used in storing programme files. So it’ll fill up quickly if you store everything on it (Eg the 3 pictures you mailed me are 1 Meg each, so a thousand of them would be 1G. ) What is nice about it is it’s solid state, no moveable parts and very quick, no waiting for ages for windows to start.
You can use memory sticks as storage to increase the capacity.
It’s low on memory so you’ll probably only be able to have one application open at one. Not sure how it would handle video.
Only a 7inch screen so you probably wouldn’t see all of a website at any one time and would have to scroll around to see it all.
It’d be happy with high res pics, but with the same caveat as above if they’re large in dimention you’ll either have to scroll or zoom out to see them all.
Think of it as a thing that’s only for email and internet and wouldn’t be used to install any other applications (printer, games, graphics package) on it.
]Ahh, you’re thinking Gran(s) are you? I think it’d be Granny suitable, but they’d need some form of internet connection as it doesn’t appear to have a build in analog (not broadband) mobile. Which means ongoing monthly expense."

Hope that might help you too DM

[dandysmom]

Very informative and thank you! I'd only be using it for e-mail and internet, so sounds exactly what I'd need. With my Mac I only have one site open at a time (may be possible to do more but if so I have no idea how), so that wouldn't be a problem. As to the bit about internet connection, i thought they were wireless...?? Wonder if it would work with my Earthlink connection that I already have ...... Small screen size doesn't bother me...both my TVs are 7".

I need to do some more research; the user sites I found last night were all very techy, not for beginners with very basic (probably dumb!) questions!

[calismum]

I use a notebook at work sometimes which sounds very similar.

If I'm at work I can plug in the usual network cable and it works off that.

If I'm working from home I attach a 3g card.

I can also set it up to work from a broadband wireless connection. Your internet provider will be able to tell you if broadband is available in your area. If you can get broadband you should be able to go wireless.

[MrsH]

The new laptop that I got for Christmas is in this category I think but I know no technical information about it!!!

It's called Eee PC and it's 1000H model. It's got a 10 inch screen and the battery lasts over 6 hours. Santa bought it on reccommendation from son who knows about these things and has one from work. So far, so good, but don't ask me any tech questions!!

[smudgley]

Here are a couple of photos of my friends using theirs on our recent trip to Scotland. Not sure how well you will see the laptops though, here goes.....

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo292/kellynewton/DSC02024.jpg

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo292/kellynewton/DSC02030.jpg

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo292/kellynewton/DSC02026.jpg

[dandysmom]

Thanks for posting those. The keyboard doesn't look as tiny as I had thought it might be, good! Am really thinking about this.

[CathyW]

i used charlies one. but i did have to wear my glasses. but i did all that the lappy did.
only thing is u can play dvds on it.
but u can play music, films look at your pics.
and i think they are coming with bigger hds now

[dandysmom]

BM, all I want to do with it is e-mail, Google and Catsey! I have the Mac for other stuff, not that I do music or DVDs on it either..

Actually I only want one so I can be out on the porch or in the garden during the nice weather rather than indoors. I''d thought about the Apple laptop, but it's really too pricy for an indulgence, plus has too many features I neither want nor need. The netbooks are simpler and cheaper; think they might be a bit more user friendly also, with less features. And the icing on the cake is that you can get then with Linux; would never have Windows!