<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 3:06 PM, Michael Mol <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:mikemol@gmail.com">mikemol@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
On 1/26/2010 3:00 PM, Bob Kline wrote:<br>
><br>
><br>
> On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 2:35 PM, john-thomas richards <<a href="mailto:jtr@jrichards.org">jtr@jrichards.org</a><br>
> <mailto:<a href="mailto:jtr@jrichards.org">jtr@jrichards.org</a>>> wrote:<br>
><br>
> On Tue, Jan 26, 2010 at 02:20:50PM -0500, Bob Kline wrote:<br>
> [snip]<br>
> > The technical details are pretty skimpy.<br>
> > e.g., how much RAM. IMHO it's better to<br>
> > get a cheap laptop and just run Puppy<br>
> > or something. The netbooks look pretty<br>
> > expensive yet for what you get. A CPU<br>
> > with no poop, and pretty lousy battery life.<br>
><br>
> It's amazing how these "netbooks" resemble regular laptops from a couple<br>
> years ago but with a small screen. I think the concept was a small,<br>
> lightweight net device that wouldn't hurt a great deal if lost / dropped<br>
> / stolen. Now "netbook" essentially means "laptop with small screen and<br>
> little cost-savings."<br>
> --<br>
> john-thomas<br>
><br>
> I think the last line about covers it.<br>
> At present, they make little economic<br>
> sense IMHO.<br>
<br>
It really depends on your needs. If all I was going to do was basic web<br>
browsing with flashblock, mixed in with a little SSH, it'd be fine.<br>
However, my laptop is also a relay point for my photography, so I need a<br>
little more oomph.<br>
<br>
Intel's NOBi is a neat little device I'd thoroughly enjoy if I didn't<br>
need to handle photo processing at a con once in a while. Otherwise,<br>
it'd handle my needs. <br></blockquote><div><br></div><div>True. My main gripe is that there</div><div>is so little product distinction between</div><div>a low end laptop and a netbook. I think</div><div>a netbook should be sans hard drive.</div>
<div>It should allow you to attach as large a</div><div>flash drive to it as you care to pay for.</div><div>And I'd prefer that it be capable of </div><div>running a mainstream copy of Linux,</div><div>which for me could be Puppy or Ubuntu.</div>
<div><br></div><div>As it is, I believe they are simply packaging</div><div>gimmicks at this point. Small and cheesy, </div><div>expensive, and just scaled down laptops, </div><div>not something rugged and cheap.</div><div>
<br></div><div>HP had a unit a year or more ago that </div><div>about fit the bill - 1GB of RAM, 16GB flash.</div><div>I looked at one at BestBuy, and but for</div><div>the fact they had none at that store location,</div>
<div>I would have gotten one on the spot. Well</div><div>built - stand HP quality. About $275.</div><div><br></div><div> -- Bob</div><div><br></div></div>