Netbooks - Hardware CRIMP?

Posted by Ken
Dec 5, 2008 at 08:24 AM

Alexander Deliyannis wrote:
>>6. There are
>now several subnotebooks offering more than twice a netbook’s specifications for
>less that half the price. They should also be more upgradeable than netbooks. The
>specifications of my Vaio (bought early 2007) are currently offered by quite
>affordable machines and should be more than enough for road work—as long as you can
>somehow ‘downgrade’ them to Windows XP.

Thank you for the comments and link, Alexander. However, I am not certain I understood point #6 above. When you say less than half the price, are you referring to these machines’ original prices, or the netbooks’ prices? I have had a hard time finding any new or factory refurbished ultra-portables for less than $750-800. I realize that $500 is not much less, but the Samsung comes with everything I need, and it weighs less than 3 lbs fully loaded with a battery that will last over six hours. These are essential factors that make the machine convenient for me. I was considering some Thnkpad X series machines, but they are at least twice the price. In some ways, price is not as much the issue as is the question of whether I will use the machine with more frequency than my current Thinkpad laptop.

My problem is that I want a small device with a useable keyboard, and that rules out many smaller internet devices like a Nokia N800. And, I want to be able to run programs like Ecco and Surfulator, so XP, in spite of its bloated nature, is really needed. So, by a process of elimination, I am looking at devices with screens between 10 and 12 inches. My thought was the smaller and lighter, the more inclined I would be to have it with me at all times (and possibly let it live in my briefcase). I carry my Clie with me at all times, but it only goes so far in meeting my needs.

I wish I could learn to do it all on a PDA, but that never seemed to happen as much as I would have liked. It keeps my personal calendar, with some tasks, and my address book. And it has my packing lists for travel. But, it never met my needs like Ecco could, so I guess I never incorporated it into more aspects of my life. And that is what I am afraid might happen with a netbook. It may meet some of my needs, but it may not provide me with $500 worth of better organization. Worse yet, could somebody say that this quest for a hardware Holy Grail really be distracting me from the true task at hand? I want to do something to tackle all of the things than need to be addressed, but I just do not know if I can further leverage myself with technology. At some point, we hit diminishing returns when trying to leverage, and there becomes no substitute for time spent directly on the tasks at hand.

—Ken