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View Full Version : What's your position on subnotebooks / netbooks?



aysiu
April 17th, 2008, 08:15 PM
Some people picked up the "give one, get one" OLPCs at the tailend of 2007. And others purchased Eee PCs from Asus.

It looks as if Acer, Dell, and HP all have something on the horizon to compete with the Eee.

Asus itself is planning to release a newer version of the Eee soon, too.

What's your position on all this?

Bought one already? Planning to buy one? Never planning to buy one?

billgoldberg
April 17th, 2008, 08:28 PM
I find them useless.

How much does a normal laptop weighs? I think mine ways 3kg (17inch widescreen). That's nothing.

Besides, the resolutions on those things makes them unusable for the thing they are made for: surfing the web.

zmjjmz
April 17th, 2008, 08:32 PM
After finding my iPod Touch incredibly useful as a portable computer, I think I'll stick with PDA's until I want a subnotebook.

aysiu
April 17th, 2008, 08:44 PM
I find them useless.

How much does a normal laptop weighs? I think mine ways 3kg (17inch widescreen). That's nothing.

Besides, the resolutions on those things makes them unusable for the thing they are made for: surfing the web.
As a proud new owner of an Eee, I have to disagree with you there. Your normal laptop weighs 6.6 lbs. My Eee weighs 2 lbs. It's also significantly smaller than your 17" laptop, which means it will fit in my small bookbag or my wife's purse, which means we don't ever have to think about whether it's worth taking or not.

And, believe it or not, the screen is usable (that was my biggest worry before purchasing it). Most of the websites I visit don't require side scrolling, but you can also install Opera and it allows you to adjust websites to screen width.

I'm not saying you should get one. If you're happy with a 17" laptop, stick with it. But an extra 4.6 lbs is a lot of extra weight. And the screen on the Eee is usable, if not ideal.

aaaantoine
April 17th, 2008, 09:03 PM
I voted that I don't have one because I don't need one, but this might not exactly be the case.

I was looking into a laptop to get the wife for Mother's Day. I showed her the Eee PC. She seemed to like it, but once I told her it has up to 8GB solid state storage, she was no longer interested.

She wants a laptop because even though we have a separate desktop PC that she can use, she can't spend any time on it because she has to take care of our baby son. The Eee with 8GB won't be enough to hold her collection of photos, music, and videos. I might counter that with the idea of using an external drive (that we already have, to the tune of 80GB) for backups. But at the very least, I think I'll wait for the 20GB Eees to come out.

If you could fix my vote, the correct answer is more likely, "I don't have one, because I'm waiting for the newer releases"

hessiess
April 17th, 2008, 09:10 PM
thay are useless becouse the screen is too small. graphics work on small screens is a nightmere!

aysiu
April 17th, 2008, 09:23 PM
thay are useless becouse the screen is too small. graphics work on small screens is a nightmere!
They're not really made for graphics work. They're really meant to be internet appliances (browse the web, email, Skype, IM).

Blue Heron
April 17th, 2008, 09:25 PM
What's your position on all this?

Noteboots suck, long life the desktop

popch
April 17th, 2008, 10:18 PM
I voted 'have one, other situation'.

I just received mine today (a triple-e). It's a terrific machine but I reserve my opinion until I have tried to actually use it for something.

My wife loves it on first sight. I will have to be fierce when I want to use it myself, I fear.

Onyros
April 17th, 2008, 11:50 PM
@800 x 480, I'd rather have my N800.

@ 1024 x 600, I'd get one... if it cost as much as the original EEE's.

Because @ 1024x768 I still have my lovely X31 :D

D-EJ915
April 18th, 2008, 01:30 AM
You are referring to EEE-like laptops? Yeah they are somewhat useless, the screens are too small for efficient web browsing which is their biggest pull.

I'd rather use my real ultraportables.

SomeGuyDude
April 18th, 2008, 01:53 AM
They're cute, but I need more keyboard space and screen real estate. I won't even buy a 14.1" screen notebook.

clairegrrl
April 18th, 2008, 02:25 AM
As a proud new owner of an Eee, I have to disagree with you there. Your normal laptop weighs 6.6 lbs. My Eee weighs 2 lbs. It's also significantly smaller than your 17" laptop, which means it will fit in my small bookbag or my wife's purse, which means we don't ever have to think about whether it's worth taking or not.

And, believe it or not, the screen is usable (that was my biggest worry before purchasing it). Most of the websites I visit don't require side scrolling, but you can also install Opera and it allows you to adjust websites to screen width.

I'm not saying you should get one. If you're happy with a 17" laptop, stick with it. But an extra 4.6 lbs is a lot of extra weight. And the screen on the Eee is usable, if not ideal.

Besides, everybody wants to know if its a mac air :P

Xbehave
April 18th, 2008, 05:23 AM
Im waiting till the prices drop abit, for me its not going to replace my laptop, just be something to use when im about,
Im not sure weather to wait for linux phones, tho? they should fill my need, but then ill have to buy a contract which im not a great fan of, and my phone is no longer disposable.
When i finally get one im also torn between a laptop like one ( EEE or something) or a phone like one ( N810)? given that my main use for it is going to be on the bus/train im thinking even an EEE might be hard to use due to its conventional form.

init1
April 18th, 2008, 05:37 AM
After finding my iPod Touch incredibly useful as a portable computer, I think I'll stick with PDA's until I want a subnotebook.
Heh, I'm posting thus from my iPod touch right now :D
It's a little slow, but that's to be expected from such a small device

tigerplug
April 18th, 2008, 05:47 AM
I prefer traditional pen and paper.... A4 sized whiteboards are as far as I go.


Wait a minute... I dont even have a computer... what am I doing here?


:confused:

jrusso2
April 18th, 2008, 05:54 AM
I am waiting for one that does 1024x768 and has at least 40 gigs of storage.

Also it needs to be priced under what a regular cheap laptop runs Under $500 and should have at least a gig of standard ram with room to upgrade ram

What a lot of people don't seem to realize is that this is not a replacement for a regular laptop but an ultra portable you can carry with you to do some web browsing, Fire off a document or spread sheet in a hurry or watch some flick on a flight or do some quick emails on the run.

Mattaus
April 18th, 2008, 06:02 AM
Obviously the HP 2133 Mini-note has not been considered at all yet....keyboard 95% the size of a full blown keyboard, a 9" 1280x768 resolution screen, with an internal 160G HDD and a 1.6Ghs CPU, all in a system the size of an EeePC.

Of course thats the top model and costs upwards of US$899 but it shows these devices are really comming into their own.

My little brotehr has an Eee PC and as impressed with it as I was (he has xbuntu on it and the compiz cube makes the small screen so much easier to use for multiple programs) I still was looking at purchasing a 13.3" note book from dell. However with the advent of the HP 2133 and news that dell would release their own sub-notebook in the comming months I am verys eriously considering these. Especially as a full blown note book is slight overkill for my daily use.

tbroderick
April 18th, 2008, 06:11 AM
What's your position on all this?

Bought one already? Planning to buy one? Never planning to buy one?

They are really nice. I wouldn't mind having one, but I already own a laptop. I can't really justify having more then one computer. If there still being made when my laptop dies, I'll buy one.

riven0
April 18th, 2008, 07:22 AM
I love the small size, but the resolution and small storage space is the deal breaker. It's just not worth the money.

Arkenzor
April 18th, 2008, 07:29 AM
I don't own one for now, and I'm pretty ambivalent about it. I definitely find regular laptops are overpowered for the way I use them, and I'd prefer to trade that performance for something else (like the ability to carry my computer in a normal bag, and without coming home with sore shoulders every day --'). But since I'm always carrying a truckload of accessories along my laptop I'm also wondering about how much I'd really gain if only the computer got smaller.

I'll have to give it all some serious thinking once I've got some money to spend again...

kutjara
April 18th, 2008, 07:31 AM
I participated in the OLPC give-one-get-one program, but gave the one I was supposed to get, too. After all, the whole point was to give the things to needy kids. If' I'd known what babe-magnets they were, I might have reconsidered, but there we are.

As someone with muscular dystrophy, for whom every pound of weight I have to carry is like ten pounds for an "able" person, I am a keen consumer of tiny laptops. I've used a Sony TX650P as my primary travelling machine for the past couple of years. More recently, I've been using a Fujitsu U810, but I'll be damned if I can get Linux to work on it properly, so it's not ever going to be my primary on-the-road machine.

The new HP Mini-Note has real potential, since I've seen one version of it will be preinstalled with SuSE. That should make it easy to install Ubuntu and have my preferred Linux experience in an easily portable package.

Roll on the age of the tiny laptop. My dream PC is one the size of a pen drive that projects a keyboard on the table and a 60" image on the wall. Only then will mobile computing truly have arrived.

Nevon
April 18th, 2008, 08:02 AM
I was looking into getting an eeepc, but the battery time really disappointed me. Only a mere 3 hours? If they could get it up to 6 I'd definitely buy one.

gn2
April 18th, 2008, 09:31 AM
The only thing that put me off the first gen of these devices is the screen res.

Newer ones, Eee 900, MSI Wind, address this deficiency.

I had a sub-notebook a Toshiba Portege 3440CT long before the Eee came out and am happy with it.
The wife likes it as well, so I bought her one on eBay for £53 which included a smart genuine leather Toshiba case and courier delivery.
That's £200 less than an Eee and a much better screen. Which is nice.

meborc
April 18th, 2008, 09:45 AM
i don't have one - waiting for eee with 1024*768 resolution, then will have a notebook i can carry to school every day... my inspiron is great, but heavy :(

gn2
April 18th, 2008, 09:50 AM
i don't have one - waiting for eee with 1024*768 resolution

That'll be a long wait, 1024x768 is very unfashionably non-widescreen.
The Eee 900 is to be 1024x600

jespdj
April 18th, 2008, 12:50 PM
The Asus Eee PC looks like a nice little device. I don't have one and I'm not really planning to buy one soon, but I do like watching it and the other cheap mini-laptops that seem to be coming from everywhere the last few months. Especially a 9-inch Eee PC with Intel Atom processor and 16 GB flash memory looks really interesting. I just hope that it won't be too expensive, because one of the things that makes these mini-laptops attractive is the low price.

One thing that I could use it for is when I'm on holiday, to view and store my digital photos. Unfortunately the storage capacity of the mini-laptops is not really suited for this - I have a 12.7 Mpixel DSLR, and on a trip of a few weeks I maybe shoot 12 - 15 GB of photos - that would hardly fit in on the storage of an Eee PC.

There's also a new Dutch mini-laptop, the Jisus (http://vanderled.com/onlinestore/product_info.php/cPath/49_48_58/products_id/81). It comes with Ubuntu, but unfortunately it uses an obscure Chinese Loongson-processor, which is not Intel x86-compatible. In my opinion, it will fail because of the obscure processor choice.

helliewm
April 18th, 2008, 01:14 PM
I very nearly bought one but changed my mind. I ended up with a refurbished Dell M1210 with a 12inch screen, an Intel 7200 Core 2 Duo 2.0 Ghz CPU, 2 gig ram, 160 gig hard drive, Intel 3945 Wifi, Intel GMA 950 Graphics On Board,4 USB, Firewire etc, DVD Writer. In fact a small full fledged laptop. IT also has a 9 cell battery so a longer battery life.

It was £364 no operating system but I am 100% Ubuntu so not an issue at all. Its happily runny Beta Hardy 64 bit.

For anyone in the UK I bought it from here:

www.msccom.co.uk

The laptop is absolutely immaculate it arrived the next day and has a years warranty. I can really recommend them brilliant laptop and service. It arrived this week so is my new toy:)

I am really happy with it. I do also have a 15inch new Fujitisu Amilo 2515 laptop too but its just a bit too big to carry all the time. I had some birthday money so thought I would get something smaller.

The Asus EEC seems a lot of money when you compare it to this. I also have an N800 too which is very small so am happier with a slightly bigger laptop that the Eec.

Helen

Dragonbite
April 18th, 2008, 01:41 PM
In our computer club there is somebody who has the EeePC which draws "oooohs" and "aaaaahs" whenever he pulls it out.

It's a great size for traveling and since it boots up quickly it's easy to pull it out, turn it on, jot some notes down or check some email, shutdown, put it away and be on your way.

I probably wouldn't get one just because I don't travel that much with the laptop, or use it much when I am away. If I did, though, I would probably snatch one up.

argie
April 18th, 2008, 02:38 PM
I would get an EEE PC, but for the price and the improvement in size and weight I don't think it's worth it considering I just got an XPS M1330.

Banished
April 18th, 2008, 03:23 PM
Now that I have one I can't live without it.

I use it to watch videos on our drives home, keep track of our budget, look up recipes and ingredients I need for supper, play with stellarium, do some gaming, I love it for shopping because I can just go to the car google a product compare prices read reviews, or search for directions because my husband got us lost and won't ask for directions.

I use it all the time, the size makes it really convenient, and the fact it fits in my purse is a bonus.

dasunst3r
April 18th, 2008, 03:28 PM
The Eee's screen and keyboard are a little bit too dinky for my tastes. It's still a nifty little device, but I've turned my computer into a lean, mean workhorse with Ubuntu.

pape
April 18th, 2008, 03:36 PM
Waiting for the EEE PC 900. I really need a proper mobile computer that isn't a PITA to carry around. I'm just a bit annoyed that the EEE has cost almost 50% more here in the UK as in the US.

clairegrrl
April 18th, 2008, 03:40 PM
The eee is so inexpensive, you can but it just to keep in your car and play with when you have your latte. :)

init1
April 18th, 2008, 04:54 PM
I'm considering getting an eeepc because my laptop is big and heavy.

Dragonbite
April 18th, 2008, 05:33 PM
The Eee's screen and keyboard are a little bit too dinky for my tastes. It's still a nifty little device, but I've turned my computer into a lean, mean workhorse with Ubuntu.

It's got the USB ports for adding mice, keyboards, etc. and a VGA connection for a monitor so it isn't like you're totally stuck using the one that's included except when you're going mobile.

This friend of mine with the EeePC also had one of those roll-out keyboards and mini-mice.

I think I'll probably go for a solid-state hard drive for my laptop first, though. Just waiting for the price point to drop far enough.

will1911a1
April 18th, 2008, 05:39 PM
Picked up an Asus Eee PC and I love it. :)

macogw
April 18th, 2008, 06:28 PM
I'm not as worried about tiny screens as I am about unusable keyboards. Laptop keyboards in general are bad enough..now you want me to squish my hands *how* much?

gn2
April 18th, 2008, 06:40 PM
I'm not as worried about tiny screens as I am about unusable keyboards. Laptop keyboards in general are bad enough..now you want me to squish my hands *how* much?

Much depends on your typing style.

I've never learned to touch type properly, I just use my two forefingers and look at the keyboard, not the screen..
Doing it this way means that using a small keyboard isn't a problem at all and I can switch from a small keyboard to a large keyboard without noticing any difference.

Also typing with the forefingers can be reasonably fast with practice and doesn't cause RSI.

aysiu
April 18th, 2008, 06:42 PM
I'm not as worried about tiny screens as I am about unusable keyboards. Laptop keyboards in general are bad enough..now you want me to squish my hands *how* much?
Believe me, before I got my Eee, I was worried about both the keyboard and screen size. Neither was a problem. Seriously. Granted, I don't have monstrously large hands, but they're not exceptionally small, either.

The problems I have with the keyboard aren't with the size of it. The key quality is cheap (cheap, cheap plastic), and the placement of the right Shift key is awkward, which will cause you to press the Up arrow instead by accident a lot.

Tomatz
April 18th, 2008, 06:42 PM
I find them useless.

How much does a normal laptop weighs? I think mine ways 3kg (17inch widescreen). That's nothing.

Besides, the resolutions on those things makes them unusable for the thing they are made for: surfing the web.


Yeah but it keeps the missus off the desktop!

:lolflag:

tashmooclam
April 18th, 2008, 06:47 PM
Of the little laptops, I like the idea of everex cloudbook. Light and portable is pretty nice when traveling.

aysiu
April 18th, 2008, 06:50 PM
Of the little laptops, I like the idea of everex cloudbook. Light and portable is pretty nice when traveling.
Is the Cloudbook lighter and more portable than the other "little laptops"? I'm not sure what you're saying.

rev7
April 20th, 2008, 11:40 PM
The Cloudbook is the same size as the Eee. I'm using one now.

Main differences:
CB uses VIA CPU, not Intel. It has a traditional 30 GB hard drive. NO graphics acceleration.

There are other differences, of course. I went with the Cloudbook over the Eee for the larger hard drive. (I really don't need the graphics acceleration, as I'm not a gamer, but I wouldn't mind it for those pretty Compiz desktop effects.)

Cheers!

SOULRiDER
April 20th, 2008, 11:57 PM
Screens on those things are too small for me to be able to read (yes, my ayes are all borked :p) If I were to buy a portable device I would just get a Nokia Tablet.

macogw
April 21st, 2008, 12:34 AM
Believe me, before I got my Eee, I was worried about both the keyboard and screen size. Neither was a problem. Seriously. Granted, I don't have monstrously large hands, but they're not exceptionally small, either.

The problems I have with the keyboard aren't with the size of it. The key quality is cheap (cheap, cheap plastic), and the placement of the right Shift key is awkward, which will cause you to press the Up arrow instead by accident a lot.

But the location of shift is caused by the small keyboard. I always hit F1 instead of Esc when in vim on my boyfriend's little Thinkpad because Esc is all scrunched up under the screen and F1 is over <tab> and then the ~ is next to + where the other half of backspace should be. Full size keyboards can have a normal layout.

aysiu
April 21st, 2008, 12:49 AM
Since people are more likely to use the Shift key when touch-typing than the Up arrow, they probably should have swapped them. The keyboard size forced them to make some tough choices with regard to placement, but I think they made the wrong choice in this instance.

Iandefor
April 21st, 2008, 12:57 AM
I'm undecided. I've been lugging around a behemoth of an old laptop and am definitely done with heavy, bulky computers.

The idea of something around 2 lb and smaller than a trade paperback sounds pretty attractive, but having felt how light some newer 13.3" laptops can be, I might go with one of that general size.

Vaelrith
April 21st, 2008, 04:00 AM
I voted too expensive. I was waiting for the Eee 900 and today I read it will be $549 USD... Kinda ridiculous. My current laptop is 17", and I think it's way too big, might as well have a desktop. I might just get a regular laptop that is 14"-15" screen. Or I might wait and see what Dell comes up with. I don't want another HP.

popch
April 21st, 2008, 06:53 AM
Just got my eee and like it.

My position? before the keyboard.

Dragonbite
April 21st, 2008, 11:22 AM
I'm undecided. I've been lugging around a behemoth of an old laptop and am definitely done with heavy, bulky computers.

The idea of something around 2 lb and smaller than a trade paperback sounds pretty attractive, but having felt how light some newer 13.3" laptops can be, I might go with one of that general size.
In the past year (year-and-a-half?) I've gone from luging my old, full-sized desktop computer to the computer club meeting, to a slim designed dell to a laptop. So the idea of lugging something smaller and smaller is quite appealing. :)

Anduu
April 26th, 2008, 05:35 AM
Ran across this article just now http://www.liliputing.com/2008/04/over-past-six-months-or-so-asus-everex_24.html

Remembered this thread and thought I would share.

akiratheoni
April 26th, 2008, 05:39 AM
I don't have one yet but I am definitely getting the new eeePC when it comes out. I'm excited :)

wersdaluv
May 13th, 2008, 06:47 AM
They're not really made for graphics work. They're really meant to be internet appliances (browse the web, email, Skype, IM).

Makes so much sense, buddy. I've been thinking about getting an HP 2133 or a Thinkpad T61. If all I do with my computer is PIM work, browse the web, IM, Skype, use office apps and email; subnotebooks would do. Besides, I want to bring my machine to school everyday. Thanks, aysiu.

nikkiana
May 13th, 2008, 07:22 AM
I don't have one, but I want one... but, I don't really need one... so I haven't bought one, and at this point I might as well wait for newer releases to see what comes out.

RiceMonster
May 13th, 2008, 07:23 AM
I have a 15" laptop (a Dell Inspiron 1520, and no it did not come with Ubuntu pre installed) and it's just as portable as I need. Basically, I just need to be able to take it back and fourth from College and my friends houses. I have a school bag like laptop bag so I can easily take it to class with my books. I don't see any reason to have anything more portable.

ghindo
May 13th, 2008, 10:12 AM
I think once people stop thinking of subnotebooks as full-featured computers and more like supplements to a desktop, their adaptation will skyrocket. I would love to get one, but I just bought a laptop last year, and recently acquired three desktops, so getting one would be a bit...excessive.
I prefer traditional pen and paper.... A4 sized whiteboards are as far as I go.


Wait a minute... I dont even have a computer... what am I doing here?


:confused:I lol'd :)

kshsj777
May 25th, 2008, 01:44 AM
My dream PC is one the size of a pen drive that projects a keyboard on the table and a 60" image on the wall. Only then will mobile computing truly have arrived.

LOL !!!

HunterThomson
May 25th, 2008, 02:07 AM
I am on the wall about getting a new Eee 900 or getting a SSD for my laptop. The new 8.9in screen makes a world of difference in usability and makes it look way Kooler(wish it was Black). However, an SSD in my laptop would allow me to carry my laptop with no worries about the HDD breaking and would add battery life as well as speed it up. Making my laptop truly portable.

I like how ASUS is selling the xp with 12GB and Linux with 20GB. Kind of bringing Linux to peoples attention. They should offer EeeUbuntu preloaded though.

dat311
May 25th, 2008, 04:19 AM
I got one a while ago. Couldn't afford to buy a brand new full sized computer, so the eeepc got me a system that was good enough to get into broadband (stuck with old Windows 98 and dial-up), download Xubuntu, and get the old desk top working better! :)

And, seeing as the desktop is in the coldest room in my flat, sitting in the loungeroom with the heater on, cruising the net ensconced in a sofa is kinda cool. :)

cheers,
Steve

Onyros
May 27th, 2008, 07:23 PM
@800 x 480, I'd rather have my N800.

@ 1024 x 600, I'd get one... if it cost as much as the original EEE's.

Because @ 1024x768 I still have my lovely X31 :DQuoting myself for the fun of it.

I actually took the plunge: dropped the N800 and bought a black 7 inch EEEPC. Guess I got tired of pecking at the screen and the difference in portability doesn't justify my keeping the N800 instead.

First thing I did was getting rid of Xandros and install Arch.

BTW, is P4-clockmod useful on an EEEPC? I know it can lower the CPU speed, but I suppose it won't touch the Vcore, though. I don't see much difference in terms of battery life, and performance takes a hit as the polling doesn't seem too aggressive (the CPU scaling lags a bit), so I was wondering on the real benefits of using that kernel module for CPU scaling.

Even so, my X31 still isn't at risk here :)

xjgnsdof
May 29th, 2008, 01:27 PM
I find them useless.

How much does a normal laptop weighs? I think mine ways 3kg (17inch widescreen). That's nothing.

Besides, the resolutions on those things makes them unusable for the thing they are made for: surfing the web.

I own an HP Mini-Note 2133, and because of it, I can easily take my work wherever I go. This is coming from a guy who weighs 185 lbs. at 10% body fat. It's not that notebooks weigh too much to carry; they're just plain bulky. Subnotebooks are selling well because people can toss them into a bag and go. If something's easier to carry, then it's easier to use.

karellen
May 29th, 2008, 02:18 PM
not my taste as I prefer big screens (17 inch for a laptop); I don't mind the extra weight so I guess I'm their consumer type

uberdonkey5
September 5th, 2008, 02:53 PM
ironically I am writing from my Eee PC now. I bought it for two reasons:
1. if I go to international conferences the saving in weight and size makes a big difference
2. I can take it when I go on surf trips to get forecast (with mobile connect pen)

A lap top is too bulky and too expensive for both those purposes (I have a lap top). I want something that won't devastate me if it is stolen, won't damage easily (much more durable than laptop) and which has a proper operating system on it (Linux). What I LOVE is that I can remove the memory & plug it straight into my laptop. It is not for regular working on (though a friend has a wireless keyboard and connects to his monitor at work, using his Eee PC), but laptops are really not that portable.

Its great also for skype cos of webcam etc. I live in a foreign country so I use it as a cheap phone on occasion.