

Netbooks are the new Razor Scooter - BrandonWatson
http://www.manyniches.com/developers/netbooks-are-the-new-razor-scooter/

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TrevorJ
I love my netbook for web apps - running FF in fullscreen mode gives you a
solid extra inch of screen real estate and when I'm chilling on the couch
after work The tiny form factor is actually pretty handy. Plus, the price is
such that I don't feel like I need to think twice about taking it with my
everywhere on the off chance that it might get dropped/stolen.

It's also the ideal device for streaming Hulu or Netflix before bed.

~~~
socillion
I bought my laptop for $90 from Free Geek (50% off for volunteering there) and
use it much the same way you're using your netbook, albeit with a larger
screen and (more importantly IMHO) a larger keyboard.

~~~
TrevorJ
I've actually adapted pretty well to the keyboard. I'll be honest, I hated the
computer for the first 3 months, but now I've found a lot of uses for it that
I'd never use a larger, more expensive laptop for.

Tethered to, my treo I've got a really trouble free and reliable internet
connection at the drop of a hat anywhere in the country which is also pretty
great, but I guess you could really do that with any laptop.

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noodle
well, i disagree with some of the points of the article as a netbook owner
($350 1000HE)

the battery life issue is dubious. my netbook with default battery lasts for
about 6 hours. its advertised at about 9, but thats at low settings, i need a
brighter screen. but the point is, 6 hours is still long, much longer than the
reported "at most 2".

talking about how netbooks have problems running a lot of programs or powerful
programs is obvious. of course an atom processor and 512 of ram is going to
have problems with outlook and eclipse open. netbooks aren't designed to
replace full powered computers. they're designed to run simple stuff and web
apps. if you need more, don't buy a netbook. don't try and roll your razor
scooter down the interstate.

screen res and quality is valid, but you kind of get used to it.

~~~
BrandonWatson
My netbook has 2GB of RAM. The proc is limiting, and I suspect the network
throughput (and associated proc hit) are constraints as well.

I found myself want the small form factor more than the experience. A refurbed
MBP was a nice price point, though more expensive, but a much, much better
experience for day to day use. But that's just me.

~~~
greyman
I like my netbook and didn't encounter the issues you are describing. Battery
life is 4.5 hours, which is quite ok-ish, and the new EEE netbooks have 8+
hours.

The cpu speed is also ok, although i don't play games or process very large
files. And, Atom dual core is comming...

Regarding the screen real estate, 1024x600 on 10" is enough for me. I did some
customizations in apps, for example in Firefox I use Tiny Menu extension, so
all my navigation buttons, menu, and URL box is nicely placed in just one
toolbar, and statusbar is switched off. Or in Microsoft Word (my second most
used program), I usually write in full-screen mode. So you are right, no ribon
for netbooks. ;-)

I think it comes down to personal preference. I've been a "desktop guy" and
never owned "normal" laptop...I just consider it too heavy to carry. I also
don't own a smartphone, since I don't find it necessary. The combo powerfull
desktop + netbook does it for me.

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unignorant
Many of the author's problems can be solved with a minimalistic linux distro
and a lightweight window manager.

From my own experience, an MSI wind has great battery life running Arch
(around 5 hours, minimum). And xmonad allows one to make good use of the
display (no annoying toolbars, ect...)

~~~
BrandonWatson
I love this answer. Yes, it is true that you can solve the problem with light
weight linux distro, but the mass consumer market has rejected linux on
netbooks.

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blasdel
Don't you at least fancy yourself cleverer than the _mass consumer_?

EDIT: Oh duh, you work for Microsoft!

~~~
BrandonWatson
I love that answer even more! :) My profile makes it pretty clear I work for
MSFT. I spent 9 of the last 10 years doing LAMP development. My home machine
is a MBP 13". So yes, I am more clever than a mass consumer. However, I am not
a fan of Linux for desktop. I will take free-bsd based OS X over any linux
distro, but that's a personal preference.

~~~
berntb
I doubt the GP wanted to insult your intelligence, he just noted that your
opinion was in line with your employer's position ("Linux is a cancer" a few
years ago, iirc?).

If it was just a consumer choice that Linux died on the netbooks, then I
should be able to at least order a new (not used) one with Linux from
Amazon.co.uk. I had problems finding one a few weeks ago.

Edit: It was in 2001 Linux was named a cancer.

Edit 2: The last few years, articles/blogs have been discussing pressure on
netbook manufacturers to not ship Linux.

A random Google:
[http://blogs.computerworld.com/microsoft_strikes_back_at_lin...](http://blogs.computerworld.com/microsoft_strikes_back_at_linux_netbook_push)

>> ... PC World, Britain's self-professed largest specialist chain of
computing superstores, announced that, regardless of what was coming with
Linux netbooks, it would only be selling Windows netbooks.

~~~
blasdel
You're right, "rejected linux on netbooks" was one of Microsoft's PR pushes,
and I was simply noting that Brandon did not internalize that opinion in a
vacuum.

It used to be that Linux netbook models cost less and/or had higher specs than
the XP versions. Then Microsoft offered deep discounts for XP licenses, and
added draconian restrictions on what specs you can ship. Why the hell else do
you think every goddamn netbook ships with a 1.6ghz Atom, 160gb HD, and 1gb
ram?

~~~
berntb
>>I was simply noting that Brandon did not internalize that opinion in a
vacuum.

Ah, you are right. Brandon wouldn't quote marketing that would get his wrist
slapped on HN. That means he really believed the quite obvious company
propaganda. Fascinating.

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CWuestefeld
I think the OP fails to understand what a netbook is for. It's not your
primary PC, it really does do a lousy job for that. And when trying to do so,
it is going to have poor battery life, and performance problems executing
demanding software.

But as a highly-portable tool for note-taking, i.e, "book" and quick access to
webmail and calendar, i.e., "net", it's satisfactory.

Not that it's great, but I don't think the items cited are the faults. My
biggest complaint is that note-taking can be tough because of the cramped
keyboard.

~~~
BrandonWatson
I dont use it as a primary PC. I use it for travel and meetings. Nothing more.
I couldn't get used to all of the issues I laid out. It was a very painful
experience. The most common apps open on my netbook were Outlook and IE/FF.

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fondue
Yes, it's over-hyped as much as the Razor was but these days every kid on our
block has a Razor and plays with it and I'm sure the netbook will become just
as ubiquitous.

No, it doesn't solve your problem but it's perfectly suitable in others; I
have a 1005HA and love it! I use it primarily to write and when bored I can
play Diablo II or even World of Warcraft. No, it's not going to play the
latest FPS but I didn't buy it for that.

~~~
BrandonWatson
You plat WoW on a netbook? For real? Screenshot! What res and fps?

~~~
socillion
WoW runs on almost anything... I have a refurb T43 (X300 + 2.0Ghz Pentium M +
512 MB RAM) and with settings dialed down, at 1024x768, I get at least 20 fps
- haven't installed fraps here so I don't know the exact fps. RAM gets tight,
but XP Pro uses max 160MB right now :)

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sidsavara
I use my netbook whenever I travel - I can write articles and do moderate
amounts of software development

It is also cheap enough that I am not too concerned with it getting lost or
broken

I get a legitimate 4-5 hours of battery life (tested - I fly Hawaii to Los
Angeles)

Genius headline though. Caught my attention. _sigh_

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GiraffeNecktie
Screen res is not an issue for me. I always plug into a desktop monitor when
I'm at home or the office (usually with a KVM switch). When I'm on the road,
I'll gladly trade off the size and weight for screen size.

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robotron
Netbooks rule on airplanes. That's why I got mine.

