Wife wants a Netbook for Xmas - all she uses it for would be internet browsing (mostly Facebook) and hotmail / instant message access - and not a lot else (we have a main PC for anything else)

Buy Acer Aspire One Netbook, 1.6GHz with 8.9 Inch Display, Blue online at JohnLewis.com

Any good?

 

Fantastic from what I hear. I'm after one in the new year when we should see 3G built in. Keyboards are a good size, even for us with large hands.

As I understand, the main issues are battery life which is much better on the solid state models and heat build up, also better on the SSD versions. Memory upgrades are not impossible but do require it to be fully dismantled. I'd question whether a 120Gb drive is really necessary for such a device too. 8Gb is a fair amount, plus you can use your USB drives or flash cards for removeable storage, plus network shares.

The Linux based OS seems to be fast and does everything you'd need for surfing and office, but there's always the option to move to an MS based one.

 

The 2 i ordered turned up this morning , not had time to have a proper play but seem good value .
I payed £199 from amazon although they seem to have gone upto £215 now

 

The new issue of PC Pro which should be in the shops soon has a netbook group review. I think the Acer and a Samsung were their picks - will check later.

 

Sitting in my hotel room now on my new Samsung NC10, got it from Amazon last week for £292, got to say battery seems to be lasting around 6 or so hours but hav'nt timed/ or run it down yet, the wifi seems a "little " weak as Ive got to move nearer to the wireless router than on the dell isperion that the GF is using on the other side of the room!

 

AA1 seems to be the Daddy!!

mb

 

How are you guys getting on with your netbooks?

Was looking at getting an Acer Aspire one.

 

Spot on mate,really good value

 

Which one did you get spireite? Linux or windows?

 

Linux


Acer Aspire One A150-Aw Netbook, Linpus Linux Lite: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

 

I'm leaning more towards the Samsung NC10 due to it's apparently much better battery life. Anyone been able to do any real world comparions?

 

Hmm, forthcoming Dell Mini 10 looking to tick all of my boxes . . .

 

DJ
Have just got back from grenada, which I took my NC10 along for the trip, it was great for round the pool etc, surfing/skyping even wacking the screen to max brightness was still getting 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Also the startup time of around 45 sec is pretty good,was watching other people in the airport lounges sitting there for ages waiting for there big boy laptops to boot and find wifi. So very please so far with the nc10.

Also just put solidworks 3D design software on to try it, and it seems to handle it ok.

 

Cheers Ray, that sounds pretty good I've heard stories of just 2hrs battery life on some other netbooks.

 

Any downsides to using linux instead of windows? Never used Linux before.

 

even better - you can put OSX onto these netbooks.
Video HERE
I'm seriously looking at one at an alternative at work for students. 95% of our app use is native to OSX.
BUT Macs are expensive when looking at outfitting in bulk!!

They do look good and I'm also toying with one for my daughter....

Dan

 

To be honest the kids just use them for the internet but i've not had any complaints from them