Sunday, April 18, 2010
The new Netbook computer
I ordered my "new" computer on eBay on a Friday night. The seller shipped it the next day, Saturday, from Kentucky to me in Washington State and it arrived on Monday. I liked it from the start although the info posted on eBay said it had Windows 7 Starter Edition but it didn't- it came with Windows XP. I was planning to install Windows 7 Professional but it having XP made that a bit more complicated as you have to do a full install rather than being able to upgrade. And I had to wait for the external DVD drive that I ordered that Saturday from Amazon.com to arrive, which it did on Tuesday.
I like Toshiba brand portable computers so all of my newer ones have been that brand and these are no exception. Here are a few photos comparing the size of this computer with my regular laptop.
Here are the two of them on the table in our sunroom. The Netbook is on the left, the laptop on the right. You can see that there is quite a difference in their size.
Here they are open and running. The Netbook has a 10" screen and is running Windows 7 while the laptop has a 15" screen and runs Windows Vista. I will move the bigger machine to Win 7 before long as I really do like Win 7. As you can see I haven't yet changed the desktop photo from the standard Windows one on the Netbook. The photo on the laptop is looking downriver on the Wenatchee River about 6 miles west of Leavenworth, WA along US Hwy 2. I don't plan to keep a lot of photos on this new machine as it really isn't intended to do graphics and its internal hard disk is a fairly small 160GB size.
This view is looking down on the two of them. You can see that the keyboard on the Netbook has smaller keys and they are what I've heard called "chicklet" type keys. But, it does seem to be fairly easy to use. My main complaint about both machines is that I really don't like the touch pads for mouse control. The big machine has four USB ports so I just plug in a USB mouse to it. The little one has three USB ports but it also doesn't have a DVD drive, so two of those are used to plug in the exterior DVD drive that I bought. That only leaves one USB port clear. But, it also does have a Bluetooth system and came with a Bluetooth mouse, so I use it without tying up that one extra port. I don't use the DVD drive all the time, usually only when installing programs, so much of the time the two ports it uses are available, too.
A closer view of the Netbook. I do like its bright clear screen which is easy to use although much smaller than the big one I have connected to my desktop machine or even the one on the laptop. The battery in this little guy is a fairly large lithium ion battery that will give up to about nine hours use of the computer on a charge. That would be reduced if I have the DVD drive or an external hard drive hooked up and am using them a lot, but I don't think I will be doing anything with this PC where I will need either of those hooked up all the time.
So far I'd say that I like this machine. It is quite a bit smaller than a regular laptop so will be easier to carry while traveling and it's long battery life per charge should be a help, too. We will be going to the Oregon Coast for a week in May and I'll plan to take it along and give it a bit of a workout on that trip. The built-in WiFi works well and Win 7 makes it a breeze to connect to hotel servers. I may end up not keeping the bigger laptop although this sure won't replace my desktop computer.
I like Toshiba brand portable computers so all of my newer ones have been that brand and these are no exception. Here are a few photos comparing the size of this computer with my regular laptop.
Here are the two of them on the table in our sunroom. The Netbook is on the left, the laptop on the right. You can see that there is quite a difference in their size.
Here they are open and running. The Netbook has a 10" screen and is running Windows 7 while the laptop has a 15" screen and runs Windows Vista. I will move the bigger machine to Win 7 before long as I really do like Win 7. As you can see I haven't yet changed the desktop photo from the standard Windows one on the Netbook. The photo on the laptop is looking downriver on the Wenatchee River about 6 miles west of Leavenworth, WA along US Hwy 2. I don't plan to keep a lot of photos on this new machine as it really isn't intended to do graphics and its internal hard disk is a fairly small 160GB size.
This view is looking down on the two of them. You can see that the keyboard on the Netbook has smaller keys and they are what I've heard called "chicklet" type keys. But, it does seem to be fairly easy to use. My main complaint about both machines is that I really don't like the touch pads for mouse control. The big machine has four USB ports so I just plug in a USB mouse to it. The little one has three USB ports but it also doesn't have a DVD drive, so two of those are used to plug in the exterior DVD drive that I bought. That only leaves one USB port clear. But, it also does have a Bluetooth system and came with a Bluetooth mouse, so I use it without tying up that one extra port. I don't use the DVD drive all the time, usually only when installing programs, so much of the time the two ports it uses are available, too.
A closer view of the Netbook. I do like its bright clear screen which is easy to use although much smaller than the big one I have connected to my desktop machine or even the one on the laptop. The battery in this little guy is a fairly large lithium ion battery that will give up to about nine hours use of the computer on a charge. That would be reduced if I have the DVD drive or an external hard drive hooked up and am using them a lot, but I don't think I will be doing anything with this PC where I will need either of those hooked up all the time.
So far I'd say that I like this machine. It is quite a bit smaller than a regular laptop so will be easier to carry while traveling and it's long battery life per charge should be a help, too. We will be going to the Oregon Coast for a week in May and I'll plan to take it along and give it a bit of a workout on that trip. The built-in WiFi works well and Win 7 makes it a breeze to connect to hotel servers. I may end up not keeping the bigger laptop although this sure won't replace my desktop computer.
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Jessica has a small netbook, but I prefer my bigger notebook. For me the bigger size and heftier weight are more than offset by the convenience of the built in CD/DVD burner and 3 USB ports, plus other ports, though I rarely use those. I do use the ethernet port when I'm having trouble with my wireless router or take my notebook places where it has to be hardwired to get internet access.
I'd really like to have another laptop or desktop as a backup for my laptop. If something went wrong with my laptop I'd be cut off from internet access, and that would be a fate worse than death, lol! ;o)
Enjoy tinkering with your new toy, Dick. ;o)
Love and hugs,
Diane
I'd really like to have another laptop or desktop as a backup for my laptop. If something went wrong with my laptop I'd be cut off from internet access, and that would be a fate worse than death, lol! ;o)
Enjoy tinkering with your new toy, Dick. ;o)
Love and hugs,
Diane
Looks like we are both in new laptop heaven! I love the small size of your new one. Much more convenient to travel with.
My husband has a netbook and he loves it.
My husband has a netbook and he loves it.
I have heard a lot of good things about the netbook but don't have a reason to leave notebooks yet anyway. I got a new laptop last month and am still trying to get it set up. Eventually I think it will become my main computer with a keyboard and monitor the sizes I prefer and it'll work like it does in Tucson. For now it's just getting set up which is nice to have that time before catastrophic failure forces me.
I picked up a mini around the holidays. Mine's a Gateway. I love the size! It is so easy to tote around anywhere - like waiting rooms for doctors, dentists and so forth. Way cool.
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