Blogs The perfect netbook isn't a netbook at all

http://www.bit-tech.net/blog/2010/06/17/the-perfect-netbook-part-3/

 

You need to get 10.1 Beta 1. Beta 2 doesn't work with iPlayer, something to do with the specific interlaced format their using or something.

 

I used an MSI Wind netbook as my main PC for nearly 2 nears, before getting a Macbook Pro 13. I used it mainly for web browsing, Skype chatting and some light office work, and it was fine. With Windows 7 and an upgrade to 2GB RAM, the performance was OK on everything I wanted to do except HD Flash video. Neither the screen resolution nor overall size of the keyboard and trackpad were a problem. Conclusion: I can easily live with a netbook - except when my requirements change, hence the Macbook.

 

I'm still using my Toshiba Portege R500. It's about 1.2kg, has a DVD writer, LED backlight etc., 12.1" screen. But it's hardly a netbook, more an executive ultraportable class machine.

 

Forgive my ignorance but why do you need a Beta version at all, I thought the latest normal release of Flash was the proper 10.1?

 

Something I've been meaning to ask bit tech for good while now is that when windows 7 was released towards the end of last year I bought an ASUS eee netbook for under £320.

HOWEVER the point is that it has 2GB of ram (yes 2!) and a single 250GB HDD. It has an 11.6" screen and Z something or other atom at 1.3 ghz but the ASUS BIOS has an auto overclock feature of upto 30% (which I have to admit is always on) overclocking it to 1.8 GHZ.

HOW DID I GET THIS?!?!?! especially at the time, even now netbooks have only recently upped the usual 160GB HDD to 250GB

What the jiggles?? Still can't get my head around it?? And I was reading custom PC and other PC review magazines ALL doing netbook reviews at the time and I was half expecting the newer specs to be creeping in but its now nearly 9 months later and still zip.

Any thoughts anyone?

 

this Acer Aspire 3810tz is 460pound here (cheapest), which is about twice that of you standat "Netbook"
It's a nice CULV though

 

Had the original MSI Wind for a year, had to use it as my main computer for a while as my rig broke. It was...usable, just.

I then got a bonus from work and had a look to see if netbooks had come on at all and in terms of performance and they really haven't. The only ones that appealed to me were the AMD based ones, much more power against the stagnant Atoms.
The main feature I was interested in was the idea of a discrete graphics chipset. ION is crippled by the Atom while AMD/ATI setups were relatively powerful but sacrificed battery life.

No longer needed the portability though and got a fully-fledged laptop and I'm now a very happy bunny. Laptop for going places where I have a power outlet, netbook for when I want the portability and a rig at home for my gaming.

 

13" Macbook Pro is the best Netbook replacement in my opinion.

9 hours real world battery life, lots of power when you need it and is very durable for use out and about.

 

not really true considering you can pick up a netbook now between £200-300

the laptop you have is £509 which is double the cost of a netbook and still £100-150 more than a full fat better performing laptop.

even the cheaper version is £428 which is still £100-150 more expensive than your average netbook.

considering a netbook cost around £250 and the CULV is £430 (basic version) thats a whooping 72% more.

 

11.6" would be the limit of the size i would tolerate, anything bigger is just too bulky.

looking forward to AMD's Fusion chips, should provide enough grunt for small form factor devices.

 

I have:

• unibody aluminum macbook 13" (the non-pro with a removable battery)
• 10" vaio netbook (VPCW211AX)

The mac is very comfortable to use, largely due to the super awesome trackpad.

I selected the vaio for its screen resolution - 1366x768 over the meager 1024x600 of most netbooks. At ten inches, though, it's painful to use even with custom DPI settings and browser zoom. It's okay on a desk right in front of my face, but lap distance is too far! I still haven't become accustomed to the keyboard and the trackpad is just sad. Ubuntu support is pretty good, though =]

 

Ha, my 'netbook' is a 15" Toshiba satelite 2410 (vintage 2003). The battery doesn't actually last long enough to load windows so I guess it scores quite badly on that front but apart from that its great!

 

Ha, my 'netbook' is a 3.5" Nokia N900 - it comes with standard netbook performance too! Flash can run, but most of the time it's lousy, I can browse the web, I can edit documents, I can listen to music, but I get better battery life out of it.

And in Singapore, the two cost similarly! Woo hoo!

I still want a CULV, though. >.>

 

http://myhpmini.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=4456

Forum thread concerning iPlayer on the HP Mini 311. It's an ION Netbook so the results may not be directly comparable but I just thought the Blog Poster might be interested in looking into it.

 

MSi GT 729.. Not really small.. but pwns..

 

Not really a good battery life either Steve!

High spec and long battery life do not go hand in hand.

 

3810TZ looks nice, but it's still an Acer - which means it'll stop working and fall apart in six months. My friend owns one of the biggest computer shops in my city (strictly PC, not one of the electronics supermarkets for idiots) and just lately he completely stopped selling Acers - he said that when warranty return rates were (in some months) as big as 55% it was just too much work processing the returns compared to income from selling them. Acers are cheapest for a reason, if you want quality you need to spend some more money for a proper machine.

 

Would disagree with the return rates youve quoted on that one.