Your views please...

[caveman_nige]

What do you guys think of this for a cheap and cheerful lappy for using in pub or on holiday etc.. I have proper lappies but do not wanna take them to some of places where i may end up having a few glasses etc...

minibook? Ultra-Portable Laptop > Maplin (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=225532)

I am looking at the cheaper b grade sales for ?99 as these are returns from people who bought them and realised they wanted windows and not linux...

[Devilfish]

If you're used to Linux then these are great! Obviously with a 2GB solid state hard disk you can't put windows on it but I think you can get a bootable version of windows on a usb stick and it will boot from that.

Grade B - probably a return as you say, maybe not in original packaging or has a scratch or two.

[zaphodbb]

i have been looking into buying a netbook myself, and the more i look the more confused i get, the only problem i can see with that one is it is very limited granted it is very cheap too. but i think i would get a bit bored at the lack of space and processor power i was looking at this one it has an intel atom processer and a decent hard drive, plus windows i know it costs about 300 euros but it has so much more to offer




(PER.904117) MSI WIND U90 BLACK (PER.904117) MSI WIND U90 BLACK

# Επεξεργαστής: Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz. Processor: Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz.
# Οθόνη: 8,9'' TFT LCD, με ανάλυση 1024 x 600. Display: 8,9''TFT LCD, broken 1024 x 600.
# Μνήμη: 1.0 GB DDR2 667MHz. Memory: 1.0 GB DDR2 667MHz.
# Σκληρός Δίσκος: 80 GB SATA. Hard Drive: 80 GB SATA.
# Οπτικός Δίσκος: Δεν περιλαμβάνεται. Optical Drive: Not included.
# Floppy Disk: Δεν περιλαμβάνεται. Floppy Disk: Not included.
# Κάρτα γραφικών: Intel GMA 950. Graphics card: Intel GMA 950.
# Ενσύρματη επικοινωνία: Eνσωματωμένη διασύνδεση δικτύου Ethernet 10/100. Wired communications: Ensomatomeni network Ethernet 10/100.
# Ασύρματη επικοινωνία: WiFi 802.11 b/g. Wireless Communication: WiFi 802.11 b / g.
# Διασυνδέσεις: 1x VGA port, 3x USB 2.0, 1x είσοδος μικροφώνου, 1x είσοδος line in, 1x RJ45, 1x έξοδος ακουστικών. Interfaces: 1x VGA port, 3x USB 2.0, 1x microphone input, 1x entry line in, 1x RJ45, 1x headphone output.
# Πρόσθετα χαρακτηριστικά: Web Camera, Card reader 4 in SD/MMC/MS/MSpro, πληκτρολόγιο με Ελληνικούς χαρακτήρες, Touchpad, Kesington κλείδωμα. Additional features: Web Camera, Card reader 4 in SD / MMC / MS / MSpro, keyboard with Greek characters, Touchpad, Kesington lock.
# Ήχος: Eνσωματωμένα στερεοφωνικά ηχεία (High Definition Audio). Sound: stereo speakers Ensomatomena (High Definition Audio).
# Διαστάσεις (W x D x H): 260 x 180 x 19-31,5 mm. Dimensions (W x D x H): 260 x 180 x 19-31,5 mm.
# Βάρος: 1,0 Kg. Weight: 1,0 Kg.
# Μπαταρία: 3 κελιών ιόντων Λιθίου (Li-Ion) με αυτονομία περίπου 2 ώρες και 15 λεπτά σε κανονική λειτουργία. Battery: 3 Cell Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) with autonomy of 2 hours and 15 minutes in normal operation.
# Χρώμα: Μαύρο. Color: Black.
# Λογισμικό: Windows XP Home Αγγλική/Ελληνική/Γερμανική/Ολλανδική/Γαλλική έκδοση, με δυνατότητα επιλογής στην πρώτη εκκίνηση του φορητού. Προσοχή , η επιλογή της επιθυμητής έκδοσης διαγράφει τις υπόλοιπες. Software: Windows XP Home English / Greek / German / Dutch / French version, with the first option to start the notebook. Please note that the selection of the desired version deletes the rest.
# Τσάντα Μεταφοράς: Περιλαμβάνεται. Transport Bag: Included.
# Εγγύηση: 2 χρόνια on site. DOA 7 ημερών (ισχύει και αναδρομικά για όλες τις αγορές προϊόντων MSI Wind) Warranty: 2 years on site. DOA 7 days (applies retroactively to all purchases of products MSI Wind)

hmm copied and pasted in english and its in greek, never mind you can get the gist of it, but i have not made my mind up yet
but the one your lookin at for 99 quid cant be bad kv go for it m8... ah its in both languages doh!!!

[Krypton]

i would go for an eeepc. linux is good, putting xp on is doddle, they're upgradeable, higher re-sale value.
http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Computers/Laptops/Asus-7-EEE-PC-Linux-8GB-Black(0018174)

[Devilfish]

Here's a better spec'd model for only ?40 more...

Acer Aspire one A110-Aw - LU.S020A.089 (http://www.ilgs.co.uk/Products.asp?PartNo=LU.S020A.089)

[zaphodbb]

i would go for an eeepc. linux is good, putting xp on is doddle, they're upgradeable, higher re-sale value.
http://www.toysrus.co.uk/Toys-R-Us/Computers/Laptops/Asus-7-EEE-PC-Linux-8GB-Black(0018174)

Age suitability:8 years + :laugh:

[caveman_nige]

just got an offered a dell from a company I have used before, its got a 9" screen, 16Gb solid state disk, comes with windows (not loaded) or can take linux... He wants ?250... Think I will go for that instead and load it with ubuntu 8.10 as I have that on a live bootable 32gb USB stick

[Devilfish]

what about this...

Play.com (UK) : Acer Aspire One A110L / Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz / 512MB / 8GB SSD / 8.9" / Linux / NetBook / White (LU.S020A.089) : Computing - Free Delivery (http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/4-/5825940/Acer-Aspire-One-A110L-Intel-Atom-N270-1-6GHz-512MB-8GB-SSD-8-9-Linux-NetBook-White/Product.html)

Or these...

Play.com (UK) - Free Delivery - Computing - Search Results: acer netbook (http://www.play.com/PC/PCs/6-/Search.html?searchstring=acer+netbook&searchtype=PCSH&searchsource=1)

[smoggy]

and another Buy ACER AOA110-AB | 9" netbook - Specification | Comet (http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/519308/ACER-AOA110-AB/tab/specification)

[Krypton]

and another Buy ACER AOA110-AB | 9" netbook - Specification | Comet (http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/519308/ACER-AOA110-AB/tab/specification)
that there is a very good buy.

[Dreamer]

just got an offered a dell from a company I have used before, its got a 9" screen, 16Gb solid state disk, comes with windows (not loaded) or can take linux... He wants ?250... Think I will go for that instead and load it with ubuntu 8.10 as I have that on a live bootable 32gb USB stick

The Dell is nice and it is this one I took with me when i went to Aus and NZ but I have now swapped that for the akoya 10" E1210 which is basically a rebadged msi wind.

Why did I swap it? I got a good deal but I didn't like the keyboard setup on the dell. the right hand shift key was a half size key and if you are a touch typer like me, then this can be very frustrating, also the screen on the dell was a glossy one and it made it difficult to see the screen in some lighting conditions.

At the end of the day all of the listed machines are good for purpose, its just finding the one that ticks all your boxes.

[Lainie]

i got an acer netbook a couple of months ago (on it now) and its fantastic. so easy to carry around etc, so light compared to my lappy which i hardly ever use now. i wanted xp not linus on it.

i got mine in comet as well (got a carry case for ?15 instead of ?30)

Buy ACER AOA150BB | 9" netbook - Laptops | Comet (http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/519502/ACER-AOA150BB) i felt the extra money was worth it for the 160gb hard drive.

Buy MCA LAPTOP BAG 9" | 9" laptop bag - Specification | Comet (http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/483311/MCA-LAPTOP-BAG-9-)

[caveman_nige]

I went out and bought the Dell Inspiron 910 for ?200,, Loaded it and had it on the net with Ubuntu 9.04 in 30mins... class....

I do not mind losing this so much, if i lost my main lappy i would ~~~~ing cry as its a beast... Will just charge up the battery for a bit then I am off to the pub.....

Thanks for the opinions etc, much appreciated...

[Devilfish]

Does your local boozer offer free wifi?

Or do you have a mobile broadband dongle?

[caveman_nige]

I know the guy who owns the boozer mate and he gives me the key etc... He used to use the wifi of the business next door after i ran russix and lifted their key for him... But they have gone etc so he had to get his own connection and naturally he gives me the key, or i would find it anyway...

[chroma]

poofter puters.

I dont get the undying love for these little bastard handwreckers outside of people who carry handbags.

Ive tried using an asus eee and it sucked ass, after 10 minuites my hands felt like id been slamming them in a car door from trying to type out notes on the same effective realestate as a postage stamp. complete ****ers cramp.
they really should put health warnings on them and slap a label on the box that instead of saying "as seen on tv" say "as used in guantanamo."

Computers should idealy take up a full room, at the very least a wall. be cooled by jet turbines and make so much noise as to rattle the fillings out of your head and turn your mind into the soft consistancy of butterscotch angel delight.

my pub laptop is an old ghetto toshiba monochrome running linux via commandline, it doesnt have the brute force to run a windowmanager. its a crazy 19" beast that only has a nice little 10" Greenscreen, the rest is just armour. it does the job tho and it takes ages for rum to permeate its dense outer crust of gaffer tape and no nails.
No one can steal it because A: it needs to be forklifted into the pub.
and B: its a gawdy piece of shit that id need to pay someone to take from me. perfect for pounding out notes.