netbooks

[Pseudo]

I am looking for a decent 'netbook' machine, i.e. an inexpensive portable mini-laptop primarily for internet contact while travelling.

Can anyone give me their experience with any model of netbook, and recommend a good place to buy one?

TIA.

[Dissident]

I researched a lot of them Psuedo.

I wanted something as close as possible to the specs of a standard laptop, with the portability.
Read a lot of reviews and even used some.

I ended up going for the MSI Wind. 10.5" display (I think?) and 95% keyboard size make it nice to use.
Upgradable (cheaply) to 2 GIG of RAM.

160GB HDD in mine, so plenty of space.

Runs sweetly with XP, Office etc, and I useit for email, browsing the 'net, online poker, etc.

[mick]

I researched a lot of them Psuedo.

I wanted something as close as possible to the specs of a standard laptop, with the portability.
Read a lot of reviews and even used some.

I ended up going for the MSI Wind. 10.5" display (I think?) and 95% keyboard size make it nice to use.
Upgradable (cheaply) to 2 GIG of RAM.

160GB HDD in mine, so plenty of space.

Runs sweetly with XP, Office etc, and I useit for email, browsing the 'net, online poker, etc.

I've got the Asus EEE 1000H very similar specs, brilliant battery life and I upgraded to 2g Ram for about $30. Heard good reports about the MSI Wind as well. Purchased from Harvey Norman last November. This is my only machine at home, I'm not interested in games etc. The netbooks are brilliant machines for what they are designed for.

[Wedgie]

Ive had heaps of experience with them all, it depends what you're after.
I don't like the low end EEE PCs as they're too small a keyboard to type on if you're a touch typist like me but I found I could type normally fine on my daughter's Acer Aspire One.
Having said that my mate at work picked up a EEE a couple of weeks back on catchoftheday for $199 which is an incredible deal (virtually no HD but he bought a 32 or 64 gb stick to put in it).
Go to somewhere like Radio Rentals or Harvey Norman and have a play with them, some of the lower end ones have shockingly small screens, find what you like and then go purchase it online cheaper!

I personally would like one with a built in sim card so there's no mucking about with external modems, I think Virgin or Vodaphone do a deal with one like that.

My daughter has had no probs with her Acer Aspire 1, I know another lady at work who loves hers too. My mum has two EEPcs and had problems with at least 1 from memory, it was under warranty but meant a bit of stuffing around.

[Dissident]

You're welcome to try mine out Psuedo, if it helps.

[Mr Beefy]

Ive had heaps of experience with them all, it depends what you're after.
I don't like the low end EEE PCs as they're too small a keyboard to type on if you're a touch typist like me but I found I could type normally fine on my daughter's Acer Aspire One.
Having said that my mate at work picked up a EEE a couple of weeks back on catchoftheday for $199 which is an incredible deal (virtually no HD but he bought a 32 or 64 gb stick to put in it).
Go to somewhere like Radio Rentals or Harvey Norman and have a play with them, some of the lower end ones have shockingly small screens, find what you like and then go purchase it online cheaper!

I personally would like one with a built in sim card so there's no mucking about with external modems, I think Virgin or Vodaphone do a deal with one like that.

My daughter has had no probs with her Acer Aspire 1, I know another lady at work who loves hers too. My mum has two EEPcs and had problems with at least 1 from memory, it was under warranty but meant a bit of stuffing around.

I also bought one of those $199 eeePCs, for that price it is a bargain as a spare for when I can't get on my notebook due to kids and wife using it

[Wedgie]

I also bought one of those $199 eeePCs, for that price it is a bargain as a spare for when I can't get on my notebook due to kids and wife using it

Well done, a true bargain! I built a new gaming PC last week and paid more money for a video card than that entire netbook! My processor was only $10 less too!

[Pseudo]

You're welcome to try mine out Psuedo, if it helps.

Cheers Diss, can I have a look at your netbook afterwards?

But seriously folks:

Thanks all for useful comments thus far.

I am leaning towards the MSI Wind chiefly because of the price. I like the idea of an EEE PC but would have to source it from the USA to make it economical.

Diss: is your Wind the 6-cell battery model? How much life do you typically get out of it? And how do you find the weight?

I would like to set up my machine as dual-boot WinXP/Linux. Anyone have any experience with installing Linux on top of Windows on a netbook?

[Dissident]

You're welcome to try mine out Psuedo, if it helps.

Cheers Diss, can I have a look at your netbook afterwards?

But seriously folks:

Thanks all for useful comments thus far.

I am leaning towards the MSI Wind chiefly because of the price. I like the idea of an EEE PC but would have to source it from the USA to make it economical.

Diss: is your Wind the 6-cell battery model? How much life do you typically get out of it? And how do you find the weight?

I would like to set up my machine as dual-boot WinXP/Linux. Anyone have any experience with installing Linux on top of Windows on a netbook?

My MSI Wind is a 6 Cell Battery. I don't know what time I get out of it as I often charge it but at least 4 hours.
It weighs (give or take) 1kg. Extremely light.

Many many forums/info on the Wind and Linux distros, I can find them for you. Shouldn't be an issue though.

Oh, and I could get it for you wholesale if you wanted.

D

[Dissident]

Sorry, how do I FIND the weight.

SO light! Holding it in one hand is easy, which I do find myself doing sometimes

Two issues with the Wind :

- weight makes it sometimes hard to put on your lap if it's dead flat because it wants to move backwards
- the mouse buttons is "one" button with two halves. NOT an issue but if you read the reviews, that's what they say

[zipzap]

Hmmm good timing this thread, I'm looking to offload a bit of the IT budget on a few of these and needed some advice too. I'm currently looking at these things and would appreciate some expert advice.
http://www.asi.com.au/nimu/

[Pseudo]

Sitting here happily typing this on my brand spankin' new ASUS EEEPC 1005-HA-P

In the end I was swayed by this model's promised battery life, and the ease of upgrading memory should I desire it (not unlikely). The P model is actually American, I got this from a supplier in the states via his eBay store, only about US$360. Took the express shipping option for US$89. Even with this, it worked out to only about AU$540. Much cheaper than what the equivalent Aussie model retails for. I did have to fork out another 10 bucks or so for an Aussie plug at Dick Smith's.

Now to play with it!

[Q.]

*BUMP*


Looking at getting a netbook, firstly for travel (will be lugged around in a backpack for three months, so durability and weight is important), but secondly (should it make it back alive) for basic home and office internet use.

Are their any recent releases that people have used and can recommend?

[Westsider]

How much are you looking to spend.

ASUS are good.

http://www.msy.com.au/Parts/notebook.pdf

[Q.]

$350-$500

6-cell battery would be good. What are people's thoughts on the Samsung range?

[JAS]

$350-$500

6-cell battery would be good. What are people's thoughts on the Samsung range?

I'm looking at the moment as well and for similar travel uses as you.

As nobody else seems to be coming forward with info I'll give you a link to the magazine I've bought to use for a stats/features comparison...don't know if it will be any help to you but you never know...the makes and models should be available over there as well as here...

http://whatlaptop.techradar.com/

Regards
JAS

[Westsider]

There was a few netbooks in the JBHifi catalogue i was reading somewhere over the weekend.

To be honest, if I was going to get something small for just emails and the net, id get an iPad.

[Q.]

A netbook is more versatile. I won't touch Apple with a barge pole anyway.


Thanks JAS, that website was pretty useful. I'm going to hunt down some good prices on the Samsung N120 and MSI Wind U115.

[Westsider]

MSI Wind U130 from MSY

CPU: Intel N450 Atom 1.66Ghz
OS: Windows 7 Starter
RAM: 1GB DDR2
HDD: 160GB Hard Disk
Feature: Multi Card Reader
87 Keys keyboard,
Screen: 10” Ultra Portable
* 1yr National Wide Warranty
* WIFI * USB 2.0 * Inbuilt Camera
Available in Black and White
VIC - Clayton, QLD-Slacks Creek, SA Adelaide CBD Only
$ 319

[JAS]

Thanks JAS, that website was pretty useful. I'm going to hunt down some good prices on the Samsung N120 and MSI Wind U115.

Glad it was useful. I bought their 'netbook supertest' magazine last month but I don't think the comparison table in it will scan very well as it's tiny writing and covers a page and a half...couldn't see it on the website either.

Their gold award went to the MSI Wind U160 and silver went to the Packard Bell Dot S2.

I prefer to buy from bricks and mortar rather than online for electronics cos I like to be able to go complain face to face if it goes wrong and I like to be able to 'see them in the flesh' before I buy.

That seems to mean I can't get anything by MSI around here but I'm planning to look at the Packard Bell and probably Samsung as well and maybe HP.

Regards
JAS