PS: And a special thank you to Samsung for not including an XP disc or any sort of disc to restore the system from.
So is USEnet.Ubuntu NBR is really sweet
Good for flashlights, not so useful for a netbook.
I admit to being a little skeptical about an 8GB SSD; it seems small if someone would consider later upgrading to Windows 7. I think 16GB SSD + 120GB HD would have been a better mix.
http://www.cio.com/article/490588/Windows_Ultimate_on_a_Netbook_See_How_it_RunsIt's worth noting that while Microsoft claims any version of Windows 7 will run on current netbooks, Intel is not making such claims. In fact, Anand Chandrasekher, Intel's head of Ultra Mobility, recently said that Intel will be releasing new Atom processors in the second half of 2009 that will support Windows 7 Starter and Basic editions
So now that you guys have had some time with your Netbooks would you recommend one for someone to do internet stuff and light Office work?
Is there a current consensus on the optimal model?
My idea of an ultraportable runs to something like the HP DV2z, slightly larger than the 10" Asus, but thinner. It also boasts a 12.2" LED screen--1200x800--discrete graphics, standard peripherals. OK battery life won't be near as good, but for my needs, it would be a lot more usable. Oh, the z version comes with a dual core Neo.
Maybe you were thinking of the nVidia Ion?
I'm expecting another driver hell.
Sorry to barge in, but I am also in search of a netbook. I want one with 3 USB ports, XP, NLT 1GB RAM and ideally a 2.5" HD that can be replaced. I will be using the netbook for travel, and stuffing it in the checked luggage. Applications will be Breeze Downloader Pro, Breeze Browser Pro and DPP. I might install an old version of PS (6.0?), but would not do any real work on it. How fast/slow is the CPU compared to the one in a old sub-notebook such as the Pentium M 900MHz (Bananias?).
The cost should be less than $500, since it may be a throwaway item after 12days of field use. I would bring my primary notebook, but they are no longer made and I could not bear losing it at this time. :sad: Which netbooks are currently the best for my intended purpose, or are there none? I can wait until mid-August if necessary. Thanks.
I understand where you're coming from, but you're comparing apples with pineapples. I'm going to deliberately ignore the 10" Asus, because it's oversized, overweight and overpriced.
Comparing the HP DV2z with the MSI Wind, the Wind is nearly 2.5" (25%) shallower - which means you can actually use it on public transport such as trains and planes. That's a huge advantage, offset by the limited vertical screen size.
The Wind weighs only 2/3 as much as the DV2 and takes up only 55% (ignoring battery protrusion) of the space (volume).
It also has two RAM slots to the DV2's one (good luck finding that 4MB SODIMM), Bluetooth, and a true megapixel webcam.
The DV2 default graphics is - correct me if I'm wrong - no better than the Intel 945G crap that netbooks sport. And as you say, if you opt for the 'dedicated' graphics options, battery life gets clobbered.
Of course, the AMD Neo is a huge plus technically, but in a growing world of Citrix and VM servers, I'm no longer as impressed by workstation CPU power.
AFAIK, all current netbooks have LCD backlit screens.
Finally, the DV2, even in base configuration, costs at least twice as much as the MSI Wind.
I'm actually a huge fan of the Lenovo X series, which collectively are a far, far more deserving candidate for the "ultaportable" moniker. But they're even more expensive.
So far the best use for my netbooks has been up on a tower aligning antennas. I was lead-climbing a free standing tower that near the top was about a foot across. At the top, clipped in, I needed to align the antenna I had just mounted. With the wind starting to blow a bit and the tower swaying, a laptop would have been a bit too bulky.
I could have used a faster boot time, though. It seemed to take forever (I am scared of heights).
So far the best use for my netbooks has been up on a tower aligning antennas. I was lead-climbing a free standing tower that near the top was about a foot across. At the top, clipped in, I needed to align the antenna I had just mounted. With the wind starting to blow a bit and the tower swaying, a laptop would have been a bit too bulky.
I could have used a faster boot time, though. It seemed to take forever (I am scared of heights).