Thanks Andy and Raul. Raul, I didn't mean to say I had only read a review a year ago; I was implying the reviewer may have written the piece a long time ago using a prototype device in order to meet publishing deadlines.
I did go googling for reviews which compared netbooks to laptops so I could get a feel for how they were different. I came away thinking I want both; a netbook because of what it can do for the price, and a high end laptop for what it can do when I have a demanding piece of software to run, or lots of typing to do. That's usually my way of choosing, I want both! ;) Chip ------------------------------ Chip Orange Database Administrator Florida Public Service Commission [email protected] (850) 413-6314 (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service Commission.) > -----Original Message----- > From: Andy Baracco [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 11:51 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: W.E. and Netbook PC's > > There are some good reviews at the following sites. > > www.trustedreviews.com > www.techspot.com > > There is also a good podcast done by a blind person using the Asus > Eee PC 904HA on www.blindcooltech.com > > There is also a good podcast that evaluates several brands of > netbooks at: > > www.serotalk.com > > Even though he is kind of pushing System Access, he gives a lot of > general info about keyboard, system performance, etc. > > Andy > At 11:33 AM 1/27/2009, you wrote: > >Hello Chip. If you are going based on a single review from a year > >ago, you might want to read up on some of the latest reviews. This > >means reading them all regarding some of the more popular ones such > >as the ones mentioned earlier in this thread. It does take time to > >read because when it comes down to it, no one but you can truly > >decide on what's best for your needs. Go to a local Best Buy or > >Wal-Mart and see what one looks like physically. > > > >As has been mentioned in prior messages, they are all about the same > >in terms of cpu processor, sound, video, hard drive space, memory, > >and operating system. So in my own humble opinion, it comes down to > >how you will like the feel of it, how you will like the keyboard, > >and how much customizing you are willing to do. > > > >Good luck in your research. > > > >Chip Orange wrote the following on 1/27/2009 2:09 PM: > >>Hi Raul, > >>Yes, I am trying to figure out what will meet my needs, > that's why I'm > >>asking questions. > >>No, I haven't had a chance to use one; yes, I have read > reviews which > >>mention their limited processing capabilities. I don't > constantly scan > >>for reviews, so I figured you owners would have later > information than a > >>reviewer who had an early model maybe a year ago. > >>I'd really like to buy something which had as much > processing power as > >>the best laptop, but which could clip to my belt. I really > thought the > >>SmallTalk Ultra (the Oqo) was it, until I spoke with your > sales staff. > >>I really admire someone who can tell a customer, this may > not be what > >>you're looking for. > >>In case anyone here had a different opinion about the > SmallTalk Ultra > >>(the Oqo) though, I thought I'd ask. > >>It appears that nothing yet exists which equals the processing > >>capabilities of a laptop, in a very small package. > >>thanks. > >>Chip > >> > >> > >> > >>------------------------------ > >>Chip Orange > >>Database Administrator > >>Florida Public Service Commission > >>[email protected] > >>(850) 413-6314 > >> (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not > >>necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service Commission.) > >> > >> > >>>-----Original Message----- > >>>From: Raul A. Gallegos [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, > >>>January 27, 2009 1:47 PM > >>>To: GW Info Discussion List > >>>Subject: Re: W.E. and Netbook PC's > >>> > >>>Chip. What it comes down to is what will meet your needs. Have you > >>>read any of the reviews? Have you actually used one for a > while to really see? > >>> > >>>To answer your other message about it working fine, it works fine > >>>for my needs. I am not expecting a powerhorse to calculate > >>>trillions of computations in one second. I'm not expecting to play > >>>intensive graphical games. If you are looking at something for web > >>>surfing, light game playing, reading and writing email, and > >>>working with Office, then these will work fine. > >>> > >>>Hope this helps. > >>> > >>>Chip Orange wrote the following on 1/27/2009 1:03 PM: > >>>>Raul, > >>>> > >>>>It helps some, but I thought they were say half the price > >>>of a laptop? > >>>>If that's the case, the one article I had read said they > >>>achieved this > >>>>price cut by giving you components that were slower, hotter, and a > >>>>screen that was smaller, dimmer, and lower resolution. > >>>> > >>>>They implied, in the review article that did some testing, > >>>that slowness > >>>>(of everything; bus speed, hard drive, and processor/memory, and a > >>>>processor without L2 cache), made for an experience where > >>>say, loading > >>>>MS Word was grindingly slow, but use of the web, where the > >>>server at the > >>>>other end, and the speed of your internet connection were your > >>>>bottlenecks, would seem only slightly slower. > >>>> > >>>>So, I'm looking for what even defines a "netbook", since > the article > >>>>said it was a slower, but cheaper, notebook computer. > >>>> > >>>>BTW, I talked to someone on the sales staff of GW, and he > >>>said the Oqo, > >>>>what you might call a netbook, although an expensive one, > >>>was still too > >>>>slow to run window eyes with synthetic speech, and a > >>>processor intensive > >>>>application like speech recognition. In his opinion, you > >>>needed a full > >>>>high end laptop to run it all, and that's been my > >>>experience with a high > >>>>end Dell laptop with a 2.2 ghz processor, loads of RAM > and L2 cache, > >>>>that it bearly keeps up with the demand placed on it by > >>>window eyes and > >>>>synthetic speech (and windows). I've seen times when > response time > >>>>isn't what you would call acceptible, and when I've removed > >>>window eyes > >>>>and synthetic speech and had a sighted person try the same > >>>things, it's > >>>>been ok. This is why I respected his analysis that a > >>>screen reader and > >>>>synthetic speech can place quite a load on a system themselves. > >>>> > >>>>thanks. > >>>> > >>>>Chip > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>------------------------------ > >>>> > >>>>Chip Orange > >>>>Database Administrator > >>>>Florida Public Service Commission > >>>> > >>>>[email protected] > >>>>(850) 413-6314 > >>>> > >>>> (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author > and do not > >>>>necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service > Commission.) > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>>-----Original Message----- > >>>>>From: Raul A. Gallegos [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, > >>>>>January 26, 2009 4:31 PM > >>>>>To: GW Info Discussion List > >>>>>Subject: Re: W.E. and Netbook PC's > >>>>> > >>>>>Chip. This is not my experience at all, and I have reviewed 4 > >>>>>different netbooks. All in all, they all for the most part have; > >>>>> > >>>>>* Atom 1.6 ghz processor > >>>>>* 1 gb of ram > >>>>>* 120 or 160 gb of hard drive space > >>>>>* 3 or 6 cell battery > >>>>>* built-in wireless > >>>>>* onboard lan > >>>>>* onboard camera > >>>>>* Windows xp-home > >>>>> > >>>>>Some have the added bluetooth support, a modem, and/or a few > >>>>>other extras. In any case, since the hardware is about the same, > >>>>>what it comes down to is how you feel about its keyboard, its > >>>>>management of the battery, its shape, size, and feel. While > >>>>>opening Word, Excel, or Powerpoint, they work fine. While using > >>>>>Internet Explorer and/or Firefox, they work fine. Not as fast > >>>>>and screeming as a desktop pc with far more power, but not as > >>>>>bad as one might think. > >>>>> > >>>>>Hope this helps. > >>>>> > >>>>>Chip Orange wrote the following on 1/26/2009 2:56 PM: > >>>>>>Hi Steve, > >>>>>> > >>>>>>If you're doing it because of the cost, then you may want > >>>>>to know that > >>>>>>system access is offering a "netbook" version of their > >>>>>screen reader for > >>>>>>$150. I don't know what's cut out to restrict it to netbooks. > >>>>>> > >>>>>>Well, my impression of these devices is that their > >>>>>processing capability > >>>>>>is very limited and slow; if you're using it for synthetic > >>>>>speech, and > >>>>>>running a screen reader, and trying to do something like > >>>>>run internet > >>>>>>explorer or ms word, I'd guess you'd better have some > >>>real patience. > >>>>>>I'm not an owner of one, but they have to get the cost down > >>>>>somehow, and > >>>>>>I thought processor speed was one of the ways. > >>>>>> > >>>>>>My preference, if money is not the only issue, would be > >>>to find the > >>>>>>screen size and resolution that's the cheapest for a given > >>>>>line of high > >>>>>>performing laptops. That's usually been the 14 inch ones > >>>>>lately, but it > >>>>>>could be the 12 inch ones by now. > >>>>>> > >>>>>>Then you shouldn't have any worries in adding a > >>>full-fledged screen > >>>>>>reader like window eyes, with synthetic speech. > >>>>>> > >>>>>>Chip > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>>------------------------------ > >>>>>> > >>>>>>Chip Orange > >>>>>>Database Administrator > >>>>>>Florida Public Service Commission > >>>>>> > >>>>>>[email protected] > >>>>>>(850) 413-6314 > >>>>>> > >>>>>> (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the > author and do not > >>>>>>necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service > >>>Commission.) > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>>>-----Original Message----- > >>>>>>>From: Steve "The Jazz Man" Bauer [mailto:[email protected]] > >>>>>>>Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 1:56 PM > >>>>>>>To: gw-info list > >>>>>>>Subject: W.E. and Netbook PC's > >>>>>>>I'm looking at possibly purchasing one of these new > >>>small Netbook > >>>>>>>computers. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>Samsung MC10 appears to be top on my list at this point. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>Does W.E. run successfully on these small units? > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>Thanks. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>Steve > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>If you reply to this message it will be delivered to > the original > >>>>>>>sender only. If your reply would benefit others on > the list and > >>>>>>>your message is related to GW Micro, then please > consider sending > >>>>>>>your message to [email protected] so the entire list > will receive it. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>>All GW-Info messages are archived at > >>>>>>>http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, and can be searched through and > >>>>>>>sorted using the search > >>>>>>>form at the bottom of the page. > >>>>>>>If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > >>>>>>>[email protected] and include leave gw-info in the body of > >>>>>>>the message. > >>>>>>> > >>>>>>If you reply to this message it will be delivered to > the original > >>>>>>sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > >>>>>>your message is related to GW Micro, then please > consider sending > >>>>>>your message to [email protected] so the entire list will > >>>>>receive it. > >>>>>>All GW-Info messages are archived at > >>>>>http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, and can be searched through and > >>>>>sorted using the search > >>>>>>form at the bottom of the page. > >>>>>>If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > >>>>>>[email protected] and include leave gw-info in the body of > >>>>>>the message. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> > >>>>>>__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of > >>>>>virus signature database 3801 (20090126) __________ > >>>>>>The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > >>>>>> > >>>>>>http://www.eset.com > >>>>>> > >>>>>-- > >>>>>Raul A. Gallegos -- GW Micro Technical Support > >>>>>Voice: 260-489-3671 -- Fax: 260-489-2608 > >>>>>WEB: http://www.gwmicro.com > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of > >>>>>virus signature database 3801 (20090126) __________ > >>>>> > >>>>>The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > >>>>> > >>>>>http://www.eset.com > >>>>> > >>>>> > >>>>>If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original > >>>>>sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > >>>>>your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending > >>>>>your message to [email protected] so the entire list > will receive it. > >>>>> > >>>>>All GW-Info messages are archived at > >>>>>http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, and can be searched through and > >>>>>sorted using the search > >>>>>form at the bottom of the page. > >>>>>If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > >>>>>[email protected] and include leave gw-info in the > body of the message. > >>>>> > >>>>If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original > >>>>sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > >>>>your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending > >>>>your message to [email protected] so the entire list will > >>>receive it. > >>>>All GW-Info messages are archived at > >>>http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, and can be searched through and > >>>sorted using the search > >>>>form at the bottom of the page. > >>>>If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > >>>>[email protected] and include leave gw-info in the > body of the message. > >>>> > >>>> > >>>>__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of > >>>virus signature database 3804 (20090127) __________ > >>>>The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > >>>> > >>>>http://www.eset.com > >>>> > >>> > >>>-- > >>>Raul A. Gallegos -- GW Micro Technical Support > >>>Voice: 260-489-3671 -- Fax: 260-489-2608 > >>>WEB: http://www.gwmicro.com > >>> > >>> > >>>__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus > >>>signature database 3804 (20090127) __________ > >>> > >>>The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > >>> > >>>http://www.eset.com > >>> > >>> > >>>If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original > >>>sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > >>>your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending > >>>your message to [email protected] so the entire list > will receive it. > >>> > >>>All GW-Info messages are archived at > >>>http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, and can be searched through and > >>>sorted using the search > >>>form at the bottom of the page. > >>>If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > >>>[email protected] and include leave gw-info in the body > of the message. > >>> > >>If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original > >>sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > >>your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending > >>your message to [email protected] so the entire list will > receive it. > >>All GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, > >>and can be searched through and sorted using the search > >>form at the bottom of the page. > >>If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > >>[email protected] and include leave gw-info in the body > of the message. > >> > >>__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus > >>signature database 3804 (20090127) __________ > >>The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > >>http://www.eset.com > > > > > >-- > >Raul A. Gallegos -- GW Micro Technical Support > >Voice: 260-489-3671 -- Fax: 260-489-2608 > >WEB: http://www.gwmicro.com > > > > > >__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus > >signature database 3804 (20090127) __________ > > > >The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > > > >http://www.eset.com > > > > > >If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original > >sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > >your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending > >your message to [email protected] so the entire list will > receive it. > > > >All GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, > >and can be searched through and sorted using the search > >form at the bottom of the page. > >If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > >[email protected] and include leave gw-info in the body > of the message. > > > > > If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original > sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and > your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending > your message to [email protected] so the entire list will > receive it. > > All GW-Info messages are archived at > http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, and can be searched through > and sorted using the search > form at the bottom of the page. > > If you wish to unsubscribe from this list, send a message to > [email protected] and include leave gw-info in the body > of the message. > > If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. All GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo, and can be searched through and sorted using the search form at the bottom of the page. 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