You see them on tables in coffee shops, under the arms of college students and on the laps of travelers waiting for a flight. Called “netbooks or “mini-notebooks,” these small, lightweight and relatively inexpensive computers are one of the hottest tech toys of the year.
Netbooks are designed for people who need constant access to a computer but don’t require a full notebook for content creation. This unique category of ultraportable notebooks burst onto the scene late last year with the arrival of the Asus Eee PC. Since then, we’ve seen almost every major notebook manufacturer (and even a few newcomers) release low-priced netbooks.
It’s easy enough to distinguish netbooks from other laptops. They generally weigh around 2 pounds and have 8-to-10 inch widescreens. Not a single one has a full-sized keyboard, so expect a more cramped typing experience. In general, you will find an abundance of USB ports, webcams, card readers, and built-in Wi-Fi.
As manufacturers compete vigorously for market share, they continue to slash prices and tack on extras. Over the past few months, a dozen or more new netbooks have hit the market, giving people a wider range of choices. To get a netbook that does all the things you need, you have to follow some basic configuration guidelines. Here are a few tips for your first netbook purchase.
1. Start with the operating system. Although average consumers tend to be more familiar and comfortable with Windows, you should consider the Linux OS—it’s fast, cheap and user-friendly. Even if you’ve used Windows for most of your life, switching to Linux is a smooth and easy transition. There are also free Linux-based work processing programs and spreadsheets available on the Internet, such as Open office and Sun’s inexpensive StarOffice.
2. You’ll also find two hard-drive choices: solid state drives and spinning hard drives. While SSDs have faster transfer speeds, are more durable, and have longer life spans, storage capacity currently maxes out at 16GB.
3. To ensure a longer battery life, some key components on a netbook, such as the microprocessor, are less powerful than common laptops. That’s why they’re good for surfing the Internet, sending emails, or doing homework. If you’re looking for something with a bit more power and capabilities, you’ll probably need a full-fledged laptop computer.
4. Get a netbook based on Intel’s new Atom architecture. It’s the fastest and most energy-efficient notebook processor you can get. The latest netbooks are almost exclusively using the Atom, and many of them will run on 1GB of memory. In addition, most of them can be upgraded to 2GB, provided you can make this simple upgrade yourself.
5. Make sure you get a 6-cell battery for your netbook instead of the 3-cell battery. Although the device may weigh more, your battery life will be doubled. Also, a larger battery will prop up the back of the netbook. This puts it on a slight angle, which makes typing easier for you.
6. If you want to experiment with your new little toy, a wise investment might be an external USB DVD/CD reader/burner, so you don’t have to waste time copying your favorite operating system to USB sticks.
7. Buy a netbook with an 8.9-inch screen or larger. Here at Superwarehouse, we’ve tested the 7-inch screen and most have found them too small. On a screen that size, it’s difficult to view an entire Web page and scrolling from left to right becomes a pain. Keep in mind, however, that larger screens add size and weight to the device.
