Pick of the litter

Lots of netbooks out there. The two main camps are small size (9in or less) and large size (10in or more). My main advice is to try before you buy. My local stores usually have a couple of dozen models on display where customers can freely try them. I checked out netbooks at Sam's and Costco. I just couldn't manage typing on the 9in or less size. I got it done on the 10in size. There was a lot to say for different makers and models.

I bought an ASUS 1000HE and Targus case because, at the time, I was out of the country and the only way I could buy was through NewEgg where I had an account. I picked it for the CPU edge, LED backlight and typing size. I had them deliver it to where I would be a month later. I would later be convinced that it was the pick of the litter.

I think that netbooking is about more than hardware and the hacking that goes on with it. It's a lifestyle. It's a personal computer. It's a Me machine. It's made for the way I live. It's my travel buddy. It's my all day co-worker with a 8hr battery. It's small and light so I can pull it out wherever I am and Wow! those around me. It's my production assistant with gobs of special software, not just for checking email and browsing.

Pay your money and take your choice.

[fratermus]

Originally Posted by netbooking

Lots of netbooks out there. The two main camps are small size (9in or less) and large size (10in or more). My main advice is to try before you buy. My local stores usually have a couple of dozen models on display where customers can freely try them. I checked out netbooks at Sam's and Costco. I just couldn't manage typing on the 9in or less size. I got it done on the 10in size. There was a lot to say for different makers and models.

I agree that the kb difference between 9" and 10" Eee is significant. I have a 9" and it took a few hours get up to about 90% of my normal speed/accuracy. The 10" I felt at the store felt very natural and probably would not take much time to get used to.

[drowe]

They both slow me way down from how fast I can type on a full size keyboard. But neither are they used to type novels. For normal surfing, email, forums, the speed doesn't bother me.

One of the things I like about my 1KHE is how sturdy the lid is. I don't know of any objective tests that exist for this but I do have anecdotal information.

I can stand the 1KHE on a side edge and put it into my soft-side briefcase with a paperback, an insulated bag with lunch, a folding umbrella (usually strapped on top), my iPod Touch kit, my wallet with train pass and credit cards, an assortment of pens/keys and my phone. It kicks around inside that mess and is easy to pull out for use.

I don't worry about pressure on the lid that might crack the screen.

On international trips, I use a slightly larger soft-side briefcase with junk to run the weight up to 16 pounds. The 1KHE travels well. Its smaller size lets it sit flat in the security bins at airports. Its battery allows lengthy work or play on the plane.

The SSD doesn't have moving parts so that jolts and bumps while operating don't affect it. It's sturdy.

Yes, I have dropped it on a carpeted floor while I was seated at a table. It landed on its edge and bounced but there wasn't any damage.

I can't help but wonder how it compares to other computers.

[drowe]

Originally Posted by netbooking

I can't help but wonder how it compares to other computers.

You're going to have to do those tests on your own!

David

Hasn't anyone ever been impressed by how sturdy a netbook seemed by what happened? No tests. Just, I dropped it and.... Or, I loaded it in with books and... How about, I put my netbook and my insulated thermos under the wheel of my car and got out of the snow bank type story.

[ThisIsNot]

Absolutely. I felt that way about both my older HP Mini 1000XP and Asus 1005HA. I would put them in a slipcase, put that in my backpack with a whole bunch of books, and start walking to class (the university is right across the street from where I work). Both netbooks were able to survive. There was even one time whenever I dropped an Eee PC 1008HA, on thinly carpeted flooring, and it survived without issues. I actually caught the netbook before it hit the floor but, due to the way I caught it (I grabbed the LCD panel so the body of the netbook was still "free"), the body of the netbook still hit the floor pretty hard. No scratches or anything like that.

Both notebooks and netbooks have come a long way in terms of their build quality. I remember a time when notebooks were called laptops and these units were rather flimsy. You had to spend $3000+ in order to get a sturdy unit. My Mom had an old Dell Latitude notebook way back in 1998. It was powered by a Pentium II 333MHz processor, 256MB of RAM, 16GB hard drive, 12" screen, and a 3-cell battery. That notebook cost the schools $2500 and it was nothing more than plastic. The casing cracked over the years, the keyboard is now permanently flexed from heavy typing, and the lid requires a great deal of force to get it open. You can now get great build quality in a $400 netbook.

I think the bulkiness of the 1000HE is also important. It allows more room inside the computer for cooling which is a problem for slimline models. The size allows more hacking opportunities fitting supplemental gear inside.