netbooks

[Mr Beefy]

Catch of the Day has a hp notebook and some others

[JAS]

*bump* again

Finally saved up enough so I'm looking at buying one for my trip in the next couple of weeks. Now thinking about what stats/functions I need to concetrate on such as batterylife, wireless b/g/n etc and those I don't care about like webcams.

So my question is for an average punter like me who is not buying high-end is there any discernable difference between AMD and Atom and the various types of each make of processor???

Planned uses...
For Op Wombat....Skype, IM, forum, uploading photo's/video to Webshots and email via wi-fi hotspots.

Back home....Open Office database to keep records of foraging and recipes etc, offline letter writing etc and emergency back-up to tide me over if PC craps itself.

Regards
JAS

[Q.]

If weight is not a factor JAS, then opt for a 6-cell battery. A netbook that has n-networking wireless seems preferable to me as well.

THIS is what I'm almost sold on.

[JAS]

Yep that one is on the definite maybe list.

Weight isn't too much of a concern for me...they're all sub 2kg's and I'm not a backpacker having to count every gram and sq cm so it would just be part of my cabin luggage.

I'd also been thinking about THIS ONE

Having watched various 'dads' looking like rabbits in the headlights trying to pretend they understand every word the shop assistant is saying in front of the kids...I want to try and work out what bits of their inevitable technobabble I can safely ignore

Regards
JAS

[Westsider]

If it was me, i'd go the Samsung.

[JAS]

If it was me, i'd go the Samsung.

OK can I ask if it's anything specific or is Samsung just a better make.

Regards
JAS

[Westsider]

Oh I didn't notice you were in Scotland.

I just have a preference to never import any technology as warranty issues are hard as you usually have to send the goods back.

[JAS]

Oh I didn't notice you were in Scotland.

I just have a preference to never import any technology as warranty issues are hard as you usually have to send the goods back.

Ah ok...sorry wasn't suggesting anyone buy from the UK I instinctively called up the technical specs from the site of the local retailer I can get to.

Regards
JAS

[Wedgie]

JAS, from the things you mention any of the processors would be fine, as mentioned you should be looking at battery life and if you can go have a play with them and find which one has a better screen and keyboard for you. If you're going to use Open Office down the track it can be a bit of a memory hog so perhaps look for something with a bit more RAM.

[Q.]

What's the preferable anti-virus program to run on a netbook? One that doesn't significantly slow performance, but still offers solid protection.

[Wedgie]

What's the preferable anti-virus program to run on a netbook? One that doesn't significantly slow performance, but still offers solid protection.

AVG and Avast are free and are pretty good.
Personally I prefer the user interface of AVG.

[JAS]

JAS, from the things you mention any of the processors would be fine, as mentioned you should be looking at battery life and if you can go have a play with them and find which one has a better screen and keyboard for you. If you're going to use Open Office down the track it can be a bit of a memory hog so perhaps look for something with a bit more RAM.

Thanks so much for that Wedgie...exactly what I was hoping someone would say so one less thing to try and get my head around

I was looking for something like Microsoft Access to create and link my recipe/cooking/foraging records so I was going to use Open Office Database as it's the only free alternative that I've heard of...but if anyone knows of a better one or less memory hungry one then by all means shout cos it's still in the planning stage

Regards
JAS

[JAS]

If weight is not a factor JAS, then opt for a 6-cell battery. A netbook that has n-networking wireless seems preferable to me as well.

THIS is what I'm almost sold on.

Quichey I've just got back from town after looking at netbooks and made a point of checking out the N150.

If you're still planning on this one make sure you ask about card reader slots. The info on the shop website said it has an sd/sdhc card slot, which is something I want, but when I looked at the netbook and asked the guy instore we couldn't find one on it at all and he reckons it doesn't have one...bit of a surprise given it's not one of the cheapest around.

I've just ordered This

Regards
JAS

[Q.]

Okay, thanks JAS.

I'm waiting until just before I leave to buy the netbook, see what deals might crop up between now and then.

[JAS]

Yaaay we are now the proud parent of our first netbook...safely delivered this morning...mother and software doing well Btw no idea if it's the norm but very impressed that the mains adaptor to charge the battery has a 2.5m lead.

OK now I need to get it connected online. Want to run past you guys what extras I think I need to buy now so I don't make unnecessary pruchases as I don't have cash to waste.

My PC is an HP Media Centre desktop running on XP and connected to the net via a wired little ADSL modem that came with the ISPs broadband package.

I assume the best/easiest way to hook up the netbook to both the internet and the PC so I can transfer stuff between them all and use the PC disk drive to upload things like my ISPs software onto the netbook from the original disk would be to...

a) replace the modem with a wireless modem router and...

b) buy a network usb adaptor for the PC as the thing listed under 'Network connections' on 'My Computer' is Intel R PRO 100 VE Network Connection and I don't think that's wireless.

Or am I being a dozy bint and missing something obvious

Regards
JAS

[Westsider]

You can either buy a all in 1 wireless modem/router

Or just buy a wireless router to plug into your modem (if you have a free port that is)

I wouldn't get the network usb adapter - you then still need to be plugged in to access the net, least with the above 2 wireless options you can use your lappy anywhere in range

bed, toilet, backyard, couch

[Wedgie]

Probably too late now but I think it was a samsung I saw that actually had that all inbuilt and all you had to do was slip in a sim card, that really appealed to me.

[JAS]

Never too late Wedgmeister...bound to be others that look in and are condisering netbook options

Thanks for the reply Westsider...

...sorry to be a right royal pain in the do-da's but whilst I now save up for a modem/router would one of these be any use to me for things like adding my current ISP's software from their disk and my camera's software from their disk onto the netbook using the PC diskdrive?

Crossover cable

I'm thinking that then I would then still be able to use wifi hotspots away from home in the mean time.

Might have to get a copy of Netbooks for Dummies so I can leave you all in peace

Regards
JAS

[Q.]

Couldn't wait much longer, drove down to JB HiFi and bought my Samsung N150 for $392.



Doesn't have a card reader slot, but that probably won't be a big issue for me (just means carrying around a USB cable for the camera).

[Q.]

Any seen or have a decent protective case or bag for their netbook?