Aug 3, 2010 Posted by admin in Articles

Netbook Buying Tips

Netbook Structure: Most netbooks sport small LCD screens, 8.9-inches to 10-inches, versus an average of 15.4-inches for normal laptops. Netbooks generally weigh around 2.2 lbs (1 kilogram) each, far lighter than most laptops, and carry batteries that last up to 8 hours. They cost between US$199 and $799 and lot more benefits.

Here are useful tips for your first netbook:

1. Make sure you want a netbook and not a full-fledged laptop computer.

What do you want to use this netbook for? Do you want a lightweight device for easy Internet access? Or are you really looking for a device to carry around that you can edit video on, play games, or use for other applications that test the computing limits of a netbook?

Don’t buy a netbook if you’re really looking for a laptop, it would be a mistake.

To ensure 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 e-mails, or doing homework.

2. Buy a netbook with an 8.9-inch screen or larger.

Tested an Eee PC with a 7-inch screen, the Surf, and found screen too small. I was not able to view an entire Web page on the cramped display. On a screen that small, you have to scroll left and right as well as up and down to see an entire Web page. Scrolling up and down is normal, but left and right was annoying.

That’s less of a problem on the slightly larger-sized screens and, in the 8.9-inch screen size, the weight and size of the netbook is nearly the same as devices with 7-inch screens.

The 10-inch screens are even better, yet add size and weight to the netbook.

3. Make sure you get a 6-cell battery for your netbook, although you may have to pay $50 more and the device will weigh more.

Most companies started out offering netbooks with 3-cell batteries as the standard, but that doesn’t offer a whole lot of run time, just 2-3 hours. A 6-cell battery doubles that, and in some devices designed around a 6-cell battery, such as Asustek Computer’s Eee PC 901, you can get up to 8 hours.

Another benefit of the larger battery is that it props up the back of the device, putting it on a slight angle that makes typing easier. Keyboards on netbooks are smaller than normal keyboards, and comfortable typing was one area I was not willing to compromise on.

4. Try out the keyboard and make sure it’s right for you.

None of the devices, I tested had a better typing pad than Intel’s ClassMate PC, which has a keyboard far smaller than the Eee PC 1000. Keys on the ClassMate PC’s keyboard are raised and there is a lot of space between them, making them easy to find by touch.

I really liked the keyboards on Acer’s Aspire One, Hewlett-Packard’s Mini 1000 and Everex’s CloudBook Max, but the best keyboard was on HP’s Mini-Note.

5. Software: See what comes preinstalled and consider trying the Linux OS.

There are two lessons on software.

First, some vendors have skimped on including software in their netbooks on the pretense that users can download a lot of free software on the Internet. That’s true, but it’s a bad excuse for not going the extra distance for customer satisfaction.

Who wants to spend time downloading when many netbook makers have added lots of software so users can play with their new netbook right away?

Second, it may be time to the give the Linux OS a try.

Most of the netbooks I tested with Linux booted up far faster than Windows XP or Windows Vista. Which reminds me, don’t buy a netbook with Vista — it’s just too slow.

There are also free Linux-based word processing programs and spreadsheets available on the Internet such as Open Office, Sun’s inexpensive StarOffice and Web-based software such as Google Apps.

Google also offers a nice package of free software, Google Pack, which includes several popular applications such as Adobe Reader, Skype, RealPlayer for music and video, Norton Security Scan and two browsers, Google’s Chrome and Firefox.

6. Price: if it costs more than $500, start looking at a regular notebook computer.

Companies have started promoting a wide range of netbooks at ever higher prices, but once you pass $500, netbooks start to compete with laptops, and a laptop will almost always give you more value for your money.

Laptop computers have far more powerful microprocessors and other components than netbooks, and sport DVD drives. BTW, there are no DVD drives on netbooks.

7. Look around at what’s available.

Many new netbooks have come out. There are a lot of look-alikes since newcomers have copied what the pioneers found to be the most popular configurations. The net effect is to put more good devices out there from a number of competitors. You may be able to pick up a nice machine for a very low price.

In any case, the 10-inch screen devices are a little bigger and more expensive than what I was looking for. Size is important to consider in terms of weight. Ten inch screens, hard disk drives (HDDs) and 6-cell batteries add a lot of extra weight to a netbook.

Several netbooks are now on sale with built-in 3G modules and mobile phone service providers are offering them with 3G (third generation telecommunications) contracts, so people can access the Internet from anywhere on their mobile phone network.

People can also buy add-on 3G or WiMax cards for any netbook.

Jul 13, 2010 Posted by admin in Articles

Netbook Is Always Everywhere

I believe that everybody still remember the first generation of Asus EEE PC, the pionner of world netbook trend in 2008. At the begining this device was called as mini notebook beacuse still unclasified yet between traditional notebook and mini notebook.  Later, in the mid year of 2008, flow of netbook in huge number came out from many producer and really hard to predicted. Since those time till today, if you want to looking for a ntebook you may get confuse what type or model should you take.

Netbook is a laptop with its own different market that more focused on internet access like browsing, e-mailing, chatting and other light computational activities like typing and presentation. Most of the netbook powered by Intel Atom processor and at large has 10 inches LCD screen size with 1024 x 600 resolution. The other supported input and output features like 3 units of USB port, D-sub VGA port, jack audio, card reader and webcam.

Those facilities or feature mentioned above is a standard features of all nebook, however, some producer trying attach additional extra feature to distinguish their products specification and to provocate consumer interest. A feature that today become trend and seeking by large number of people is 3G/HSDPA modem, with this modem, a user can easily get internet connection, user just need to insert SIM Card from choosen operator and get connected with internet, whenever and wherever. Next, for oparational system, most netbook producer used Windows XP Home Edition in their netbook but some other put Linux as operational system perhaps to hold down the price of netbook.

Among those specification and features offered, one thing most interesting is the popularity of netbook that seems unbelieveable and always get increase in consumer demand from year to year and the producer seems like they are fitgting on the race ground, each of them are trying to offer  their best products specification and exellency to get huge number of consumer needs. This competition has brought effect to the cost or price of netbook nowdays, price of a netbook may equal with price of a smart phone and spread in world in large number. IDC, a company which observing the flow of computer market has predicted that the category of netbook will get increase from 500.000 since 2007 to 900.00 in 2012 later. Intel also suggested that in 2011 there are will be 40 million of netbook units produce each year. These issues have made Intel Company to rethinking and have to decrease price of computer chip that can be use in netbook and nettop. With new Intel Atom chip, Intel will be able to fight with a company from Taiwan, as the C7 Chip maker that used in Via netbook. Therefore, HP,Dell and other PC maker already observeed and they know what types of computer consumer like most.

Anyway, between number and price of netbook, these optional offers makes consumer to think smart on how to chose which is good netbook. Absosultely, every product must offer has their excellency, now deped on user. A best netbook does not solely means a netbook which has high price or a netbook which has complexity of feature. On the other word, how user can maximize the netbook to support computational need. A ntebook user must inventing his/her computational needs, what is the main reason for having a netbook, what would she/he done with netbook, remember that netbook not only offers computational needs but also fashion and life style. After you decided what would you do with your netbook, you will easly to find specification of a netbook base on your needs. This is one best simple way to chose a best netbook among various types, specification, brands and price offers in the market.

May 9, 2010 Posted by admin in Articles

Are Netbooks the Perfect Student Laptops?

Netbooks are everywhere, on buses, on trains, on planes… and in the classroom. It seems the little netbook has come out of nowhere to become extremely popular overnight.

But what is a netbook?

Netbooks usually have screens of 10 inches or less, runs Windows or Linux and generally sell for well under $500. As its name indicates, the netbook’s main purpose is to keep its owner conveniently connected to the net – anywhere, anytime.

First introduced by Asustek when it launched the first Eee PC in the fall of 2007. But it was only in the last year when we saw the explosive growth of these so-called mini-laptops. Now we have many computer companies such as HP, Dell, Lenovo… all jumping on this craze for a small portable laptop. So much so, that netbooks now is the fastest growing segment of the laptop industry and is expected to reach 139 million units by 2013.

Why is there a sudden popularity for the small netbook? Perhaps the answer lies mainly in our constant quest for mobility. We want a portable device that will keep us connected to the Internet and yet be small and light enough to be carried around all day. A truly ultra-portable device that keeps us connected with family, friends and the web.

The next question you have to ask: why do netbooks make for great student laptops? If the above reasons aren’t enough, try the following:

Size

Netbooks are small with 10 inch displays or less, which make them ideal for students. Plus, they are usually very lightweight – around 2 or 3 pounds. They are compact enough to tuck into your school bag or backpack, and small enough to carry around all day without developing a hernia.

Portability

As mentioned above because the netbook is so small and compact, it is very portable. A very mobile device that we can use to stay connected to the web and friends. Connectability is one of the main features – you are connected to the web at all times.

Sturdiness

Most netbooks are designed to be sturdy and tough. They can take a few hard knocks and still keep on working. Students are not exactly the most gentle creatures on the planet, so a sturdy tough machine is needed to handle the demands put upon it.

Battery Life

Because of their small size, you will usually get better battery life than with a regular sized laptop. This is important to the student since you may have to go all day without a chance to re-charge the battery. Long lasting battery life makes the netbook the perfect student laptop.

Performance

Although small, these mini-laptops still sports some very impressive specs. Many now come with at least 1 Gig of RAM and Intel Atom processors. There are even some with Solid State Hard Drives which make them more durable and less likely to be damaged. Most use Windows XP – newer models debuting this year with the Nvidia’s Ion platform may have Vista or Windows 7, but still don’t expect the kind of performance you would get from a regular laptop.

Storage

While storage on netbooks is constantly increasing, it is still nowhere near the kind of storage you will find on a regular sized laptop. Usually, most devices have around 30 or 60 Gig hard drives which should be adequate for most student’s needs. Many newer netbooks have 160 Gigs of storage.

Price

Perhaps, the main reason netbooks make the perfect student laptops is the low price. Students are usually on a very limited budget and the low price-tag is a perfect fit. Many perfectly adequate machines are now priced in the $300 to $500 range – while many good ones go for well under $300. Plus, prices are steadily dropping so almost any student can now afford a netbook.

As you can plainly see, the netbook does have many features to make it a perfect student laptop: small size, very portable, excellent connections, very sturdy, long battery life, good performance, adequate storage and most of all, a very affordable price almost any student can take advantage of. Overall, netbooks are well suited for the classroom and the student.

Dec 30, 2009 Posted by admin in Videos

Samsung NC10 Netbook Review