Netbooks and the evolution towards larger machines...
#61
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
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#62
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Posts: 53
Dell inspiron 11z isn't a "real" laptop imo, 1.2 GHz celeron is hardly a huge step up from the Atom N280s in current netbooks. Plus, the published battery life results pales in comparison to netbooks.
#63
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 789
For me the key plus points are 8.5 hour battery as many flights nowadays have no working power, portability (size and weight), smaller screen size (my 15" Laptop pixelates watching NFL on Slingbox as Hotel broadband in Europe and Latin America is insufficient for 480p let alone HD) and the led screen (as watching movies on my old toshiba laptop I was never happy with screen angle).
I am also cheating as I am sick of Windows for my main laptop so I am going Mac and I want to keep a toe in the Windows world for compatability and old time's sake.
As to Dell, experience with hardware reliability traveling has not been good for me.
This forum has been more helpful for me in researching my purchase than the more techy PC sites. Thanks guys.
#64
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 789
Ok now I really need advice from someone who has Sony W. I made my mind up on NEtwbook but now I see Sony VPCW111XX/W. This has the usual Sony Price Mark Up and they say the battery sucks but everyone say the screen is awesome and as I want to use for DVD's, Sling box and NFL Game Pass HD streaming, I am being swayed by this. Anyone able to give experience to this? Toshiba NB205 or Sony VPCW111XX? Thanks
#65
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Baltimore, MD
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Netbooks dont have optical drives so you'll need an external usb drive for DVDs. Also word of warning, netbooks have been known to lag when streaming HD videos (underpowered Atom CPUs). I experience this with HD videos on hulu, there's occasional stuttering, it doesn't bother me too much but ymmv.
#66
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 789
I am hoping the 280 will be better than the 270 with HD. I think pixelation is more bandwidth dependent, anyone heard of synch problems caused by Atom processors. I used to use a Win TV Card on old Toshiba with Celeron and that went out of synch if I tried to run more than 1 app. (I am worried anti vrius software like McAfee may cause problem...