Technology is becoming more mobile and compact every day. Is this a good thing? If we have the same capabilities in a smaller, more compact device, then I suppose it is. But is smaller always better? Let's take a look at the "netbook" (or "mini"), a laptop computer that is much smaller and lighter than a traditional notebook computer.
Netbooks have a 9" or 10" screen, as opposed to a 15-17" screen, and the keyboard is approximately 92% the size of a normal keyboard. Hard drive space is comparable to that of most notebooks, and netbooks access the Internet wirelessly. They are thinner and lighter than most notebook computers, making them extremely portable. In addition, netbooks are less expensive than most notebooks -- starting around $249.
Sounds ideal, doesn't it? So, what do notebooks have that netbooks don't? Most notably, there is no optical (CD/DVD) drive in a netbook. So, in order to install software you have purchased on CD, you will need to connect an external drive to the netbook. Want to burn pictures to a CD? Same thing. For those of us over the age of 40, viewing a 10" screen could be a challenge. Notebook computers routinely come with 2 GB RAM, whereas the netbook usually has only 1 GB.
The netbook is great for web-based applications, but what about using it for other tasks, such as photo editing, video editing, extensive word processing, spreadsheets, etc.? I have never actually used a netbook, so this is not a rhetorical question. If you have used a netbook, please let me know what you like/dislike about it, and make additional comparisons to a traditional laptop. If you have used both, which do you prefer, and why? If you could only buy one or the other, which one do you buy, and why? All comments, observations, and suggestions are welcome...please share your experience &/or expertise!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
One of the possible positive is because there are no movable parts such as a cd drive or disk drive that when the laptop is dropped it is less likely to break.
ReplyDeleteI see the future moving to flash drive installations
I think that the Netbook might be good for students to use in the classroom for research and reports.
ReplyDeleteI think it seems too limited if you want it for photo/movie editing and music.
Brooke,
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing up student use of the netbook...it was sort of implied, but I really should have discussed it specifically. Would netbooks be useful in the classroom, perhaps to replace the current notebook computers? Or would it be worth the extra $$ to get more functionality? Do you think teachers will find them useful for everything they would like to use them for? I'm hoping to hear from people who have a netbook, to hear their pros/cons.
I have not used a netbook, but my husband has one and he LOVES it. He will recommend the 10" ones rather than the 9" one (the one he has) because of the keyboard layout. He is a computer programmer (currently C++ under Linux) and had to get used to having the " and the | keys in the wrong place. He got it because of the price and the size. He doesn't do pictures or movies, so the size of the screen is not a factor for him. Since he is a programmer, a flashdrive suffices for him. He does have an external hard drive for his backups (a firm believer of those). It's extremely portable and with free WiFi he can get connected and play his favorite computer game (Nethack--I know it dates him) and listen to whatever podcast he might be interested at the time. For my husbands needs, the netbook is appropriate. He also walks with a cane so the weight was and is a factor.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that netbooks have lots of positive features. Every time I take a trip with my 15" notebook computer, I wish it were as small and light as a netbook!! And I can see how it would meet the needs of many users. Our teachers may be getting netbooks to replace their desktops at work...it will be interesting to see if they meet the teachers' needs in an educational setting.
ReplyDelete