Anyone Still Messing With Netbooks?

[Kouen Hasuki]

Anyone on here still messing with netbooks?

Wondered if anyone wanted to share there experiences with software on these low power machines.

I have had some amusement messing with the Eee PC 1005PG that I was given, While its screen scrambles for a split second occasionally its been a not bad experience. Maybe I went in knowing full well a Atom N450 isnt a powerhouse and hell can make a Celeron look good but there is some odd fun to finding games that work well on it

So anyways anyone still using em or am I alone

 

[bobmcjr]

I have an acer netbook with an atom. Half life 1 and Team Fortress classic work excellent on it (mouse is required). N64 not so much. I mainly use it for programming stuff OTG, and to mess around with linux.

 

[Clydefrosch]

i like the small no-fan netbooks... i put them in a plasticbag to watch movies when i take a long bath.

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

I have an acer netbook with an atom. Half life 1 and Team Fortress classic work excellent on it (mouse is required). N64 not so much. I mainly use it for programming stuff OTG, and to mess around with linux.

Dungeons of Dreadmor despite claiming needing a Core 2 Duo actually ran perfect on my Atom :S

 

[PityOnU]

The netbooks that had an Atom but no nVidia Ion chipset made me a sad panda.

Most of my old standbys would work, though: Insaniquarium and Bejeweled 2. Woohoo hardcore

 

[ferret7463]

I use a Hp 1150nr with 2GB of Ram, 60GB of Hard drive space, and a N260 Atom processor. I have been using for the last 2 years as my main laptop. It replaced my old Itronix IX250 with 512MB of Ram, 20 GB Hard drive and a Pentium III 850Mhz processor. The netbook is running windows XP pro (My pirated Ver.) because the POS version they had on it was so bad it took like a minute and a half to pull up note pad.
Since then, it has ran great. I use windows Ice Box to lock down the OS which frees up memory and CPU, I run Microsoft office 2007, Emulators up to PS1, I even use it on my ghost hunts to analyse data and cut and paste together video files and my main browser is maxtor. I like the netbook form factor because it's very light and portable.

 

[Plainscript]

Always been interested in having one, but never actually had one.

Still thinking about getting one - I know, the "hype" seems te over and everyone's messing with tablets nowadays. (which I do own one)

It just seems to come in handy for those on-the-road situations where I don't want to grab my 15.6" ASUS K53SV..

 

[The Catboy]

Actually I am buying a Samsung Chromebook Thursday, so I guess I will be messing with one soon.

 

[Xarsah16]

Always been interested in having one, but never actually had one.

Still thinking about getting one - I know, the "hype" seems te over and everyone's messing with tablets nowadays. (which I do own one)

It just seems to come in handy for those on-the-road situations where I don't want to grab my 15.6" ASUS K53SV..

My mother purchased a netbook. I believe it was a Compaq, as she had Verizon service on it. She wanted something to access Facebook and check her email with. Has she used it? Maybe once or twice.

She purchased an iPad 2 when those were current tech and does she use it? All the time now. Tablets are really taking over as you mentioned - because they are smaller, and they get the job done because in most cases, if not all the hardware is better. She doesn't want to wait 10 minutes for Internet Explorer to load - Safari is quick and does the job.

(I've told her many times before to switch to Chrome or Firefox, but she's too stubborn.)

To me, netbooks suck. Her little piece of crap netbook couldn't do anything quickly. Even my broken Dell Inspiron 1525 was faster than it.

 

[Plainscript]

My mother purchased a netbook. I believe it was a Compaq, as she had Verizon service on it. She wanted something to access Facebook and check her email with. Has she used it? Maybe once or twice.

She purchased an iPad 2 when those were current tech and does she use it? All the time now. Tablets are really taking over as you mentioned - because they are smaller, and they get the job done because in most cases, if not all the hardware is better. She doesn't want to wait 10 minutes for Internet Explorer to load - Safari is quick and does the job.

(I've told her many times before to switch to Chrome or Firefox, but she's too stubborn.)

To me, netbooks suck. Her little piece of crap netbook couldn't do anything quickly. Even my broken Dell Inspiron 1525 was faster than it.

Happen to know if she had one with the processor/graphics combo of Atom N270/GMA950?

Times have changed.. I've worked with those.. True PITA. But nowadays, they have gotten way more powerful.

Actually I am buying a Samsung Chromebook Thursday, so I guess I will be messing with one soon.

This was my second option.

 

[ferret7463]

"To me, netbooks suck. Her little piece of crap netbook couldn't do anything quickly. Even my broken Dell Inspiron 1525 was faster than it."

The reason netbooks suck right out of the box is because they are loaded down with a bunch of junk that starts up as soon as windows start up. They did this to the new XP computers at the time, to get people to dump XP for the "Faster" windows Vista/7. My netbook was the same way til i took steps to fine tune the OS. Now i use it more then i do my i3 desk top system.(Due to the fact i am always on the go and when I'm home all of the stuff i want to work on is there.) I only use the i3 when i need some "Muscle" in processing power.
On the topic of tablets.... I used an atigo M by Zybernaut way back in 2004. I agree if all you want to do with a computer is to look at things or listen to music, then they are great. BUT if you want to be more productive, then a netbook or laptop with a "real" OS is the way to go.

 

[PityOnU]

"To me, netbooks suck. Her little piece of crap netbook couldn't do anything quickly. Even my broken Dell Inspiron 1525 was faster than it."

The reason netbooks suck right out of the box is because they are loaded down with a bunch of junk that starts up as soon as windows start up. They did this to the new XP computers at the time, to get people to dump XP for the "Faster" windows Vista/7. My netbook was the same way til i took steps to fine tune the OS. Now i use it more then i do my i3 desk top system.(Due to the fact i am always on the go and when I'm home all of the stuff i want to work on is there.) I only use the i3 when i need some "Muscle" in processing power.
On the topic of tablets.... I used an atigo M by Zybernaut way back in 2004. I agree if all you want to do with a computer is to look at things or listen to music, then they are great. BUT if you want to be more productive, then a netbook or laptop with a "real" OS is the way to go.

Why still use XP over Windows 7/8?

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

The battery run time and true hardware keyboard make it invaluable to me already and I have like 3 laptops as it is as well as my desktop. I know tablets are the "in thing" but there is nothing quite like a real keyboard. I know you can get those bluetooth ones but really if your going to that length a netbook would be the better option.

Many bought them expecting them to be as fast as full laptops and was disappointed, me... not so much I know that clock for clock my atom N450 its half the speed of a Pentium M but I am fine with that hell I surf perfectly fine and what nots and the battery life is just what I need for an on the go machine, Especially to grab the images outta my camera or play some basic steam games like Zombie Shooter

 

[yuyuyup]

i like the small no-fan netbooks... i put them in a plasticbag to watch movies when i take a long bath.

Holy shit don't get electrocuted to death. Consider the worst case scenario.

 

[ferret7463]

to Pityonyou: Why use XP other then Vista or 7? I can answer why not? I know the max memory manager for XP is around 2GB, but lets be honest, it's a matter on "what do you want a PC for. " For me I use my PC mostly for office documents, basic Video editing, and emulation of console video games. All of that comes with following info for a netbook.....

1- A netbook can not exceed 2 GB of Ram, which is the max for XP and Min. for Win. 7 (There are some now breaking that rule)
2- A netbook can not have a processor that is not rated beyond a "clock speed" of 1.7 Ghz

So for me,
1- Windows XP (Service Pack)works great on a min. of 256 Mb of ram Vs Windows 7 just sitting there takes a min. of 750Mb of Ram
2- Windows XP was made for the Pentium III era of computers where 500MHz was the norm. While Win. 7 was made for the Dual Core 2.0Ghz and above PC

My reason for a Netbook with XP over 7 is the saving of system resources for speed, function, and battery life.

 

[Clydefrosch]

Holy shit don't get electrocuted to death. Consider the worst case scenario.

...i'm not actually taking the netbook in the plastic bag in the water... its standing next to it in a shelf. but even if i did, i'm pretty sure the battery alone is not enough to electrocute anyone.

 

[Kouen Hasuki]

to Pityonyou: Why use XP other then Vista or 7? I can answer why not? I know the max memory manager for XP is around 2GB, but lets be honest, it's a matter on "what do you want a PC for. " For me I use my PC mostly for office documents, basic Video editing, and emulation of console video games. All of that comes with following info for a netbook.....

1- A netbook can not exceed 2 GB of Ram, which is the max for XP and Min. for Win. 7 (There are some now breaking that rule)
2- A netbook can not have a processor that is not rated beyond a "clock speed" of 1.7 Ghz

So for me,
1- Windows XP (Service Pack)works great on a min. of 256 Mb of ram Vs Windows 7 just sitting there takes a min. of 750Mb of Ram
2- Windows XP was made for the Pentium III era of computers where 500MHz was the norm. While Win. 7 was made for the Dual Core 2.0Ghz and above PC

My reason for a Netbook with XP over 7 is the saving of system resources for speed, function, and battery life.

Technically 7 Is not wasting the ram it is utilizing it to help and if a app needs it it pushes data out as the new data is pushed in, Unused ram is wasted ram. Though I do understand your thinking it has changed with newer kernels, though I am with you on preferring XP on netbooks as it is lighter generally than 7

Besides really 7 Starter is worse than XP Home any day hell 7 Starter doesn't even let you change the wallpaper last I checked

 

[TheRedfox]

Bitch please, i still use a eeepc 701(4GB SSD, 2 GB RAM, 900mhz celeron cpu clocked at 630mhz, 800*480 screen, broken southbridge: no usb/sd/sound)!
Perfect for emulators and being a brick :+, it runs archlinux perfectly, nothing else will fit on the 4GB ssd without leaving space for apps

 

[Vengenceonu]

Does a Chromebook count?

 

[ferret7463]

to TheRedfox,
How is the key board holding up on the little guy? I got tinker with one of those years back and the keys seemed a little weak. have you tried using a USB plug in sound card? they are cheap off of ebay.