Itching for a Netbook
So my birthday is coming up and I’m hoping to get a UMPC/Netbook. I’ve been looking at them for months.
I was torn for a while as I already have an iPhone that handles just about anything I would do on a Netbook with the exception of document editing. The iPhone, though tiny, is very nice for checking e-mail just about anywhere and sending back the short replies that we have become so familiar with since the days of clam shell pagers, Blackberries, and now iPhones (and other small e-mail devices).
Another reason I was torn for a while on the idea of a Netbook is that I have a laptop that I use for business and for business travel I usually lug it around. It’s not an aircraft carrier of a laptop (it’s not a 17 incher) but it’s still large and can’t just be chucked in a suitcase or backpack. I don’t like carrying it on personal weekend trips or even longer personal vacations but often find myself doing it just so I can keep in touch (even if I’m not “technically” going to be working while away from home.
Granted there are smaller full use laptops available, but since I don’t have an actual desktop at work, I think I need my 15″ Macbook Pro as I like the screen real estate and I also like the full size keyboard since I’m often writing several hours per day.
Even considering that I already have a laptop and an iPhone I often found myself reading reviewes and comparisons of the eeeeeeeeeeeeePC, Wind, Aspire One, and others. I think the coup de grace was when I actually got my hands one. I was traveling recently saw someone using an eeePC surf in the airport. I am usually an intravert but I just asked the user how he liked it. He couldn’t stop praising it and said that it is the only computer he travels with.
Now that I’ve decided I want one, I don’t know which features are a must have for me.
- I am set on Linux as I can’t stand Windoze to begin with and on a lower powered Netbook it would drive me batty. I’ll probably put Ubuntu with NBR launcher on it anyway so don’t want to pay Microsoft for something that I’m not going to use anyway.
- I think I want SSD as opposed to a magnetic hard drive as think for having it on my lap the heat and spinning hard drive would bug me. I also don’t think I need that much space as I already have an iPod so I don’t know what large media files I would put on it.
- In regards to size (and this is the most difficult decision for me), I want one that is small but I don’t know if I want the smallest of the small. I’m seriously leaning towards the eeeeeeeePC 901, but it’s one of the tiny ones and from what I hear the keyboard is an issue. Why I’m torn is I want something that is usable.
- I also want something with a super long battery life. The reason for a UMPC/Netbook is mostly form factor and I don’t want to have to keep a power brick with me all the time. If I knew I had a solid 5 hours of use, I don’t even know if I would travel with a brick unless I knew I would be away from home for extended periods of time.
I’m open to suggestions. If you have a reason you love or hate your eeeeeeePC, AAO, Wind, or other Netbook drop me a comment with your experiences.