Can Netbooks do much else besides surf the internet ?

[BentValve]

Double Post

 

[BentValve]

I found a laptop that is pretty well loaded and not too expensive......

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/ol...oduct&id=1218122578847

 

[BentValve]

Originally posted by: Zap
I have a netbook (MSI Wind) and a notebook (Gateway Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, Radeon Mobility 2600 XT, 15.4" LCD). I bought both of them last fall. I've used the netbook about 100x more than the notebook. Of course I've used my main rig about 100,000,000 times more than the netbook.

My wife has the same two portables (except different color on the netbook). She uses the notebook a lot more than the netbook, probably flip-flopped from my usage patterns.

Everyone is different and everyone's usage patterns, patience levels and computing needs are different. Thus, the answer to the OP's question is YES, a netbook can do much more than surf the net and NO the netbook is insufficient for doing much more than surfing the net.

I am a Mac user, ive got a nice 24" iMac, it sits in my office and I do my surfing from there(here). Being that I have never owned a netbook or notebook and the keyboard/mouse set ups on those are kinda awkward, I have my doubts that they would get much use.

The benfit of a notebook or netbook is I could use those in my easy chair in my living room but as I stated above that would be awkward to some degree . My gut feeling is a netbook or notebook would not get much use.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: BentValve

Originally posted by: Zap
I have a netbook (MSI Wind) and a notebook (Gateway Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, Radeon Mobility 2600 XT, 15.4" LCD). I bought both of them last fall. I've used the netbook about 100x more than the notebook. Of course I've used my main rig about 100,000,000 times more than the netbook.

My wife has the same two portables (except different color on the netbook). She uses the notebook a lot more than the netbook, probably flip-flopped from my usage patterns.

Everyone is different and everyone's usage patterns, patience levels and computing needs are different. Thus, the answer to the OP's question is YES, a netbook can do much more than surf the net and NO the netbook is insufficient for doing much more than surfing the net.

I am a Mac user, ive got a nice 24" iMac, it sits in my office and I do my surfing from there(here). Being that I have never owned a netbook or notebook and the keyboard/mouse set ups on those are kinda awkward, I have my doubts that they would get much use.

The benfit of a notebook or netbook is I could use those in my easy chair in my living room but as I stated above that would be awkward to some degree . My gut feeling is a netbook or notebook would not get much use.

I was much like you. Had a desktop, it was plenty powerful for what I needed.

But then I got a laptop, and all that changed. The laptop became my primary system, even if it wasn't the more powerful simply because nothing beats portability when it comes to factoring the convenience of a system. I bounced around the idea of getting a netbook when I gave my macbook to my sister. Something to tide me over until I got my next Apple portable. But instead I got an old PowerBook off the FS/T here and although it is slower than my MacBook, and SIGNIFICANTLY slower than my desktop, it is convenient to use (aside from the trackpad) and I still use it a little more than my desktop (I have been watching Stargate SG1 on Hulu after work lately, so the desktop has been seeing a lot of use ).

Don't discount the advantages of a portable. Why do you think that OEM desktop sales are outmatched by OEM laptops?

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: VinDSL

I could do without the wide-screen nonsense, but...

Wut? All displays should be mandatory wide screen, 16:9 today.

I H-A-T-E that new-age widescreen shit! Gimme 4:3 any day...

Here! Go read this:

http://www.ideastorm.com/ideaView?id=087700000000PhnAAE (IdeaStorm | Consumers Pleading for Standard non-widescreen 4:3 laptop vs. widescreen )

I could add to that... but, it will give you the general idea.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: corkyg

Originally posted by: Bateluer Wut? All displays should be mandatory wide screen, 16:9 today.

Why?

Exactly!

Thank you...

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: VinDSL

I could do without the wide-screen nonsense, but...

Wut? All displays should be mandatory wide screen, 16:9 today.

I H-A-T-E that new-age widescreen shit! Gimme 4:3 any day...

Here! Go read this:

http://www.ideastorm.com/ideaView?id=087700000000PhnAAE (IdeaStorm | Consumers Pleading for Standard non-widescreen 4:3 laptop vs. widescreen )

I could add to that... but, it will give you the general idea.

All that article proves is that some people are slow to change. A good wide screen display is infinitely preferable to any 4:3 display for all manner of office and productivity applications. The only consumers 'pleading' for 4:3 are those who A) haven't used a wide screen display before, or B) are too stubborn to change.

My grandparents insisted on a CRT TV built into a wooden cabinet, flat out refusing the LCD designs, because they were familiar with the CRT. Nevermind it cost twice as much and was half the size.

Every day at work I deal with people like this too. OMIGOD! The screen is different than it was before, work stoppage! Usually have to brace for the deluge of idiots calling support when the programmers roll out a new version of various programs because things will change slightly.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: Bateluer


All that article proves is that some people are slow to change. A good wide screen display is infinitely preferable to any 4:3 display for all manner of office and productivity applications. The only consumers 'pleading' for 4:3 are those who A) haven't used a wide screen display before, or B) are too stubborn to change.

My grandparents insisted on a CRT TV built into a wooden cabinet, flat out refusing the LCD designs, because they were familiar with the CRT. Nevermind it cost twice as much and was half the size.

Every day at work I deal with people like this too. OMIGOD! The screen is different than it was before, work stoppage! Usually have to brace for the deluge of idiots calling support when the programmers roll out a new version of various programs because things will change slightly.

I don't care one way or the other for portables, but I like WS on my desktop systems.

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
All that article proves is that some people are slow to change.[...]

Guess you missed this part...

Computer makers obviously can sell less screen area while marketing the same screen sizes.

Widescreens are for suckers!

LoL!

I think P.T. Barnum said that...

Same width - shorter height! You're buying half a display... Hello?!?!?!?

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: Bateluer
All that article proves is that some people are slow to change.[...]

Guess you missed this part...

Computer makers obviously can sell less screen area while marketing the same screen sizes.

Widescreens are for suckers!

LoL!

I think P.T. Barnum said that...

Same width - shorter height! You're buying half a display... Hello?!?!?!?

Uh, no. They displays are wider, though slightly less tall. This allows more information, such as Word docs or PDFs, to be displayed side by side, a task not possible with 4:3 displays unless you buy a massive monitor. 1600x1200 vs 1680x1050 for example, the 16x12 technically boasts more pixels, but the 1680x1050 displays it more productively. The 1680x1050 display is hardly 'half' the 16x12.

I will concede, however, that lower end displays will market larger viewable areas while boasting lower resolutions, 1280x800 on 19in desktop LCDs, for example. You will get the same marketing BS on notebooks, desktops, TVs, cell phones, etc.

 

[EarthwormJim]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: Bateluer
All that article proves is that some people are slow to change.[...]

Guess you missed this part...

Computer makers obviously can sell less screen area while marketing the same screen sizes.

Widescreens are for suckers!

LoL!

I think P.T. Barnum said that...

Same width - shorter height! You're buying half a display... Hello?!?!?!?

You can also think of it as getting more of a display. For the same given height as a 4:3, I get more width.

Widescreen makes sense for a laptop. Keyboards are significantly wider than they are taller, even if you add in the height from a good sized trackpad. Having to use a 4:3 ratio display would add bulk. I don't mind scrolling down a little bit to have a smaller notebook.

Plus most widescreens (on laptops) sold today are higher resolution than 4:3 displays of the past.