Typing on a netbook

[suitedaces]

I'm thinking of buying my other half a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 for her birthday because I'm just that kind (and to stop her from borrowing my laptop!!) Only thing is her main use would be typing up essays. Would this be feasible for her use on a regular basis? She has quite dainty fingers?

Also, if not, could you advise me on what type of notebook I could get in the UK for £200ish? Nothing fancy needed, just the ability to run office software and perhaps connect to a camera and very occasional net usage.

Thanks guys

[mamamia88]

you might want to go for something bigger like the mini 12 i tried typing on the ee before and it was too cramped

[albinootje]

Only thing is her main use would be typing up essays.
I'm not sure about prices but for example the Asus EEE 1000H has an almost as big keyboard as a normal size laptop, although I have the impression that the EEE 1000 (between 380 and 400 euros here) here in the shops is quickly being replaced by the more expensive EEE 1002 (500 euros).

And of course a nice external usb keyboard can always help.

[suitedaces]

Thanks for the asus recommendation, but think that's a bit out of my price range. As for the usb keyboard, that's a good idea. What would the screen be like after a few hours usage?

[Mehall]

I say Dell mini 9, or EEE 901 of some variety.

Also, I say check out Cruncheee, the eee variant of Crunchbang Linux (or just use Crunchbang Lite if using a Dell or other non-eee netbook)

It runs really well!

[suitedaces]

I'd try that if it were for myself, but I know what she's like with computers!

[Metaf]

I have a mini9, and small fingers. Its really worse to type on then I thought, but that might just be me. The screen, small as it is, isn't too bad. With an external keyboard, and maybe a little zoomed in on whatever is being typed, its probably fine

[Giant Speck]

One of the main reasons I will never own a netbook: I have giant fingers and trying to type on the damn thing cramps up my hands.

Also, the fact that such a small screen can have such an enormously high screen resolution scares me. I saw an EEE running Vista at Best Buy a few weeks ago, and daaaaaamn, the screen resolution was really really high. Everything was so tiny on the screen!

[suitedaces]

Thanks. I really am in two minds at the minute. To be honest, if I got a link to a decent shop with refurbished notebooks around the £200 mark I would get one fo those. I just can't afford £300+ for a new notebook, but don't want to waste £200.

[Therion]

Essays, plural? On a "daily basis"? I'm a touch-typist and do a lot of keyboarding at my day job; I'm not sure how thrilled I'd be about typing what sounds like quite a bit on MY Asus eee 1000. And the 1000's keyboard is supposedly 80% of a full-size. Smaller hands or no long periods of typing on the Mini's is just plain grueling in my opinion.

[suitedaces]

Well, weekly basis perhaps, but still fairly regularly. The more I think about it, the less convinced I am that it's a good idea.

[suitedaces]

Time for a new direction in this thread methinks: can anyone reccommend a decent UK based refurbished notebook seller, or any good UK buy it now ebay notebooks, around the £200 mark? I would be indebted.

[MaxIBoy]

Don't mind the keyboard. The built-in one doesn't matter.

Get one of these babies:
http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/9246/subcatid/0/id/399100
Plus one of these (since most laptops don't have ps/2 ports:)
http://www.clickykeyboards.com/index.cfm/fa/items.main/parentcat/11298/subcatid/0/id/124184

Total price is $60 US, which is probably pocket change converted to Euros. It's totally worth the money. Type a single letter on this keyboard, and you'll understand why it's the best in the world.



EDIT: Also,for the use you're describing, you should just get a cheap used laptop. You'll get a bigger screen for slightly less cost, and it'll still handle abiword like a pro.

[gn2]

This should suit (http://www.computerbargains.co.uk/shop/catalog/category_252_Laptops_Notebooks_Second_User__Refurb ished_Laptops_page_1.html).

Or this (http://www.speedie.co.uk/acatalog/Laptops.html).

[suitedaces]

I think I love you! Plues they're OS Free!

[suitedaces]

What do you think of the acer? http://www.speedie.co.uk/acatalog/AMD_Celeron_Laptops.html

[gn2]

Looks OK, apparently it has an Nvidia GPU.

If you could stretch another £50 you could get a very nice looking Core 2 Duo (http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/Grade_A1_Acer_Aspire_5720_Laptop_A1-LX.AJS0X.090/version.asp?PID=171) job.

[aeiah]

she'd probably get used to typing well on the small keyboard but that doesn't mean she'd be particularly impressed with it. she'd probably prefer a fullsize usb keyboard.

incidentally, i can vouch for crunchbang. on the acer aspire one, anyway. me and my girlfriend bought one a bit ago. the great thing about crunchbang is it's bootup speed and generally snappy performance. the bad news is it looks very hackerish and intimidating with openbox and the minimalist black. i just made the gtk theme nice, gave it a menu button that links to the right-click menu and put the common apps in the menu and removed the weird ones. she's not had a problem with it and uses it more than i do.

[der_joachim]

Whether the small keys are easy to work with, is a matter of personal taste. My brother in law has huge hands and he loves the keyboard of my EEE900. It even made him buy his own 900 series netbook. OTOH, my sister has very small hands and she hates it.

I for one like the small keys, since it reduces my hand movements when typing large chunks of text or code. I should possibly note that I use a dvorak layout, which feels very different to qwerty.

[billgoldberg]

you might want to go for something bigger like the mini 12 i tried typing on the ee before and it was too cramped

You get used to it. I can type as fast on the eee as on my normal keyboard.

[suitedaces]

Poll added, complete with spelling mistake!

[polkadotteapot]

Hello, just putting my oar in:

I've got an Acer netbook and it's a beaut. I dont have particulary large hands but I have had no trouble at all. I find the size of the machine is perfect for resting the edge of your hands on without impeeding your typing or straining your wrists - although I do sit at a desk and rest my elbows too. You get used to the screen after a few minutes anyway, and I don't have any problems reverting back to a normal size pc of laptop. You can get one for £200 running linux from most hight streety electrical shops, so probably better bargains in the specialists.

[suitedaces]

Thanks for your input. Like I admitted, I still haven't got a clue. Need to order whatever one within 2 weeks though.

[gn2]

If you are going to opt for a netbook, the AA1 probably has the best keyboard of any netbook.

And you could save some wedge as they're available much cheaper (http://www.acerdirect.co.uk/box_opened_laptops/prod.asp) than the Dell.

[nothingspecial]

My wife does all her assignments/homework on a little aspire one although I like my samsung nc10 - its just that bit bigger.

[JackieChan]

Get the Dell

[jespdj]

I have a Mini 9. The keyboard is really not something that you want to use for writing any longer amounts of text. The keys are really small and you cannot type fast without hitting multiple keys at the same time.

If you're looking for a computer to write essays on, the Mini 9 is not a good choice.

Why not look at for example the Dell Mini 10? It has a much better keyboard than the Mini 9.

[t0p]

OP should take his girl to a computer store and get her to size up a few different candidates. She'll be the best judge of what will suit her. Incidentally, I have an eeepc 701, and I don't like having to type a lot on it. If a job needs doing that calls for intensive keyboard use, I use my desktop machine and its full-size keyboard.

[notwen]

I own a Mini 9 and would recommend a full-blown notebook over a netbook for school work. The smaller keyboard w/ a few keys re-located takes a while to get use to, plus the smaller screen may cause strain on her eyes during longer periods of usage. I just don't see the benefit of a netbook over the notebook when it's regular usage would be just as much for school as for carrying convenience. I mainly use my Mini 9 when I travel or perhaps when I'm browsing in bed. Does your significant other have a opinion on this? Since she'll be the one using it, why not let her decide.

[suitedaces]

So many conmflicting opinions! It's a surprise for her birthday, so I can't really ask her upfront.

[t0p]

So many conmflicting opinions! It's a surprise for her birthday, so I can't really ask her upfront.

Then buy her several netbooks. One of them will be perfect. And she'll have the others for backup. Or something.

[suitedaces]

:lolflag: Problem solved!

[polkadotteapot]

Mine was a fairly recent purchase and the only thing between the acer and the eee was the trackpad, I got the acer in the end because they had it in blue. Even my dad agreed it sounded better in blue.

For those who have a dell, how much were your machines? I really wanted one but they were hideously expensive.

[billgoldberg]

I'm thinking of buying my other half a Dell Inspiron Mini 9 for her birthday because I'm just that kind (and to stop her from borrowing my laptop!!) Only thing is her main use would be typing up essays. Would this be feasible for her use on a regular basis? She has quite dainty fingers?

Also, if not, could you advise me on what type of notebook I could get in the UK for £200ish? Nothing fancy needed, just the ability to run office software and perhaps connect to a camera and very occasional net usage.

Thanks guys

I don't know why people keep insisting on using/buying netbooks for stuff it isn't made for.

Netbooks are only useful to browse the net and write some emails.

Don't even think about writing an essay on one, you'll be smashing it on the floor by page 4.

You can get a laptop that is as cheap as a netbook, is three times more powerful and has a full size keyboard and 15inch screen.

--

I like my eeepc 900.

I use it a lot and it's great to post here on the forums, but even when typing a long reply to some post gets me a little frustrated.