Favorite netbook?

[FarmerPete]

Re: Favorite netbook?

Well, I've got an EEE 701 4g, but I find I hardly use it. It's nice and small, but it just doesn't do everything I need. I travel a lot for work, and since I do computer support, I need a lot of storage. I've got my 320gb drive filled up with application installs, deployment images, and tools. Luckily, I tricked my company into giving me a Lenovo X200 Tablet. It's pretty damn light (3.5-4lbs) and much smaller than a normal laptop. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with an optical drive without using the docking station (which while semi-portable, would totally negate the size benefits of the tablet). I normally just make do with sharing up a CD drive on the network of the places I go, or I have a USB drive that I'll take if I feel I'll need it (i.e. defcon). It has the exact same size keyboard as T series Lenovo laptop. I've gotten 8 hours out of my extended battery. Mine doesn't have the touch screen, but it is an option. I guess the major downside is that it isn't really cheap, but it does give me a full powered laptop that is pretty compact.

Want to sell EEE 701 4g! Like new!

[barry99705]

Re: Favorite netbook?

Yes I know about Truecrypt. But you can't get whole disk encryption using GRUB as your boot loader. Also, I know this leet hacker dude(love ya man) who lost all his stuff at a hacker con using Truecrypt. Either he forgot his password, and/or his "dedicated" recovery disk and his data went bye bye. PGP uses a generic publicly downloadable recovery disk.

xor

Hey dude, I had Ubuntu doing whole disk encryption, with grub. Look up dmcrypt luks. Also for the macbook pro problems, you know a guy who can replace the batteries and not void your warranty.

[Melesse]

Re: Favorite netbook?

The Toshiba NB205 just got a stellar review from Laptop (http://www.laptopmag.com/review/lapt...ni-nb-205.aspx). Phenomenal battery life and a full sized, very nice keyboard and touch pad.

M.

[nerdgir1]

Re: Favorite netbook?

I have an EeePC 1000H running Ubuntu and my boyfriend's runs Windows XP. He is able to play City of Heroes and a few other low-resource computer games. I wasn't able to get City of Heroes to fully load in Cedega on my EeePC, but haven't troubleshooted since upgrading to Jaunty. One thing to note, Compiz desktop effects work with the on-board Intel integrated GPU but the last release of Ubuntu included a version of Xorg that was incompatible with the Intel drivers. So no cool flaming windows or desktop cube for me until the driver compatibility issue is fixed. Also in Linux I'm getting less battery life than my boyfriend's Windows EeePC, and am still experimenting with different ways to extend it. I get about 3 hours right now and the Intel driver bug makes it impossible for me to resume from Hibernate (Suspend works ok). The EeePC Ubuntu community is great, if you're looking to run Ubuntu on it. They provide a custom build. There is also the Ubuntu Netbook remix, that I have not tried yet, which might address some of the issues I'm whining about.

[DaKahuna]

Re: Favorite netbook?

My current netbook is an EEE PC 1000HD, currently running BT4 Pre-Release.

[xor]

Re: Favorite netbook?

The Toshiba NB205 just got a stellar review from Laptop (http://www.laptopmag.com/review/lapt...ni-nb-205.aspx). Phenomenal battery life and a full sized, very nice keyboard and touch pad.

M.

They all get stellar reviews, don't always believe the hype. Spec's speak volumes.


xor

[sintax_error]

Re: Favorite netbook?

When does it cease to be a "Netbook"? is the question I pose. And the answer is the same one I gave to the original post, it all depends on the person using it, what they feel comfortable with and what they intend to use it for. The way I see it, most of these machines on the market today are simply small notebooks. Similar to the line of "ultramobile" notebooks that Sony, for one example, has been putting out for years.

"Netbooks" have merged into the range of small laptops is my point. Hell, I have an HP DV2 that's a 12 inch with phenomenal spec's, and is substantially thinner than any netbook ever made (no, the Macbook Air is not a netbook, although I can see where some might consider it to be), and is only about 1lb. heavier on average.

Don't get me wrong, I love my EEE, and I get that most consumers want larger keyboards, and screens, etc. But the modern "netbook" is truly nothing more than an underpowered, slightly smaller than average, cheap laptop. That's my rant and my 2¢.

EDIT: And who in the hell thought it would be a good idea to put mouse buttons on either side of the touchpad?!

[Melesse]

Re: Favorite netbook?

They all get stellar reviews, don't always believe the hype. Spec's speak volumes.


xor

The specs for the ten inchers are mostly the same at this point. It's the battery life, aesthetics, keyboards, and ports that differentiate them.

I ended up getting the Toshiba, though the wireless doesn't work out of the box with Ubuntu's kernel (2.6.28 I think). Apparently 2.6.30 has support for the Aetheros chipset. There are workarounds, but people seem to be having trouble maintaining association with them. I'll just end up putting a different distro on it for now.

I like the keyboard alright, haven't really tested the battery. It's pretty enough, but the thing gets pretty hot after about half an hour. I noticed some people were returning theirs b/c of the heat. Haven't really had the opportunity to do much with it other than installing Ubuntu and screwing around with the wireless for a couple hours.

M.

[xor]

Re: Favorite netbook?

The specs for the ten inchers are mostly the same at this point. It's the battery life, aesthetics, keyboards, and ports that differentiate them.

I ended up getting the Toshiba, though the wireless doesn't work out of the box with Ubuntu's kernel (2.6.28 I think). Apparently 2.6.30 has support for the Aetheros chipset. There are workarounds, but people seem to be having trouble maintaining association with them. I'll just end up putting a different distro on it for now.

I like the keyboard alright, haven't really tested the battery. It's pretty enough, but the thing gets pretty hot after about half an hour. I noticed some people were returning theirs b/c of the heat. Haven't really had the opportunity to do much with it other than installing Ubuntu and screwing around with the wireless for a couple hours.

M.

Yes my HP is like a flame thrower at the vent sometimes but the components seem to be able to take it. If it starts getting too hot I switch from performance to dynamic/balanced. It's a tablet so I run Opersuse and every works on both Linux and Windows including the BroadCRAP 4322 wireless card.

xor

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Favorite netbook?

lately i've been getting seriously interested in learning more about the new Toshiba 205...

10" netbook

< 3 lbs, even with 6-cell battery

said battery providing 9 hours of life, allegedly

3 USB ports, including one that is "sleep and charge" capable

regular (but shock-resistant) HDD, not solid state... meaning low cost 160 GB standard

$349 starting price tag

[barry99705]

Re: Favorite netbook?

When does it cease to be a "Netbook"? is the question I pose. And the answer is the same one I gave to the original post, it all depends on the person using it, what they feel comfortable with and what they intend to use it for. The way I see it, most of these machines on the market today are simply small notebooks. Similar to the line of "ultramobile" notebooks that Sony, for one example, has been putting out for years.

"Netbooks" have merged into the range of small laptops is my point. Hell, I have an HP DV2 that's a 12 inch with phenomenal spec's, and is substantially thinner than any netbook ever made (no, the Macbook Air is not a netbook, although I can see where some might consider it to be), and is only about 1lb. heavier on average.

Don't get me wrong, I love my EEE, and I get that most consumers want larger keyboards, and screens, etc. But the modern "netbook" is truly nothing more than an underpowered, slightly smaller than average, cheap laptop. That's my rant and my 2¢.

EDIT: And who in the hell thought it would be a good idea to put mouse buttons on either side of the touchpad?!

I consider it a netbook when it costs less than $250. My eee does pretty much everything I wanted to use it for. I do wish it had a slightly larger keyboard though. I'm still waiting to see how the reviews of the new Latitude 2100 go.

[Melesse]

Re: Favorite netbook?

lately i've been getting seriously interested in learning more about the new Toshiba 205...

10" netbook

< 3 lbs, even with 6-cell battery

said battery providing 9 hours of life, allegedly

3 USB ports, including one that is "sleep and charge" capable

regular (but shock-resistant) HDD, not solid state... meaning low cost 160 GB standard

$349 starting price tag

I got the $399 version with the colored top, nicer keyboard. I'll let you play with it if you can wait ooooo, three weeks and a bit lol.

M.

[[Syntax]]

Re: Favorite netbook?

Ive got the Asus eeepc 1000ha bought from Frys. 6cell battery, but there's 12 cell 13000mah and 12000mah batteries available on eBay.. but they claim 7 hours battery on the stock one.
10.1" screen. Ive used it a few times at the local DC meeting. Its nice to carry a notebook
and a projector in a single shoulder bag.

$89 touch screen kits available on eBay.. Haven't had the time to look into gps for it yet.

Theres about 5 versions of the 1000ha, not sure what all the differences are, I just know they offered a rebate for the 1000ha, but mine
was a 1000ham-blkam1x and 2 digits didnt match the rebate forms..

[makumozo]

Re: Favorite netbook?

I will be packing my AspireOne with an extended battery and an external USB 5 dbi wifi antenna. That combo packs quite a punch. I got the one with the 160 gig HD and it came preloaded with XP (I run *nix off my flashdrives.)

Those little machines are amazing. I love em.

[Club81]

Re: Favorite netbook?

We have a couple HP 2140s around with 2GB RAM and the 6-cell battery. We get about 6 hours of battery with wireless on.

We run Debian Lenny as the base O/S and can push two VMs no problem.

HP just killed off the 2140, we are buying 5101s now. Basically the same machine......