Do You Need a Mini-Notebook as a Second PC?
April 28th, 2008 by Dana Wollman Counterpoint: Why Your Second Computer Shouldn’t Be a Mini-Notebook by Dana Wollman When you spend all day researching and writing about shiny gadgets, it’s easy to imagine that everyone needs, wants, and can afford them. But I can’t help but bristle when marketers overemphasize the “low cost” in low-cost laptops. For a primary notebook, $399—even $599—is a steal (depending on the specs, of course). But these aren’t primary notebooks, and no one ever said they were. The idea that mini-notebooks are secondary toys assumes that people have money to blow on a grown-up notebook, and, moreover, that an extra $599 is chump change. Thank goodness for people with disposable incomes: Without them, tech writers like me would be out of work. But those people aren’t the masses or even the majority. Most shoppers want to get their bang for their buck, and sacrificing power for cuteness just won’t do that. If ever I have the money to buy a second computer, it’s going to be a full-size notebook. Here’s why:
Mini-notebooks are for whiners. Only Jabba the Hut is too lazy to get out of bed, sit down at his notebook and, you know, Wikipedia himself. Is a 14-inch notebook really too heavy to carry around, much less to rest on your knees during your commute? How many people really need a 9-inch screen? If full-size keyboards and bang-for-your-buck power are for strongmen, just call me Popeye. You can get a whole lot more notebook for your $600. If you can deal without a notebook as adorable as, say, the HP Mini-Note, you can get a whole lot more notebook for six hundred bucks (or $749, as our configuration of the HP Mini-Note cost). For instance, on NewEgg we found a Gateway ML6720 for $449, complete with a dual-core processor, 120GB hard drive, and DVD SuperMulti Drive. You know where my money’s going. Mainstream notebooks are more versatile at home. The Eee PC, at least, is supposed to be a great choice for children, but if I were a parent, I’d choose a cheap mainstream notebook if I wanted to give my kids a computer on which to watch Finding Nemo while I got work done. Mini-notebooks are best for connecting to the Internet on the go, so if you get them something with a tiny screen and no built-in optical drive, they’ll be bored—or asking for your supervision—in minutes. Notebooks are not discreet, no matter how tiny. If you put an Eee PC in your lap, someone will notice. And if you use a mini-notebook at a meeting, well, you’re still using a notebook at a meeting. Having a smaller screen doesn’t make your notebook use any less distracting or inappropriate. (Don’t fool yourself: Your boss can tell when you’re not making eye contact.) And as for the boot-up time? Just start up your notebook before the meeting. Sheesh. Since mini-notebooks won’t make you any more discreet or socially apt, you may as well go for a system that’s cheaper, more powerful, and—I’m gonna say it—more grown-up looking.
<< Read Avram Piltch’s Argument in Favor of Mini-Notebooks
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April 28th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Neither really. My n800 fits the bill perfectly.
April 28th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I picked up an Asus EEE PC for a second computer when my other laptop died. I still use a desktop for most activities, but certainly enjoy the EEE when I need a something mobile yet fully functional.
April 28th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
2nd computer? I run off and on 8 desktops (mostly old machines running win2k (2 newer PCs w/ Vista for copying netflix // Blockbusters DVDs), 4-5 Notebooks, a couple of older ones, seldom used, a newer Dell B130 in the bedroom and this here lenovo R61e in my armchair, bargain hunting, plus 2 ebay UMPCs for various use. A couple of Fujitsu touchscreen PCs for jaunts, work on the road. At some point I may get an eee, but no hurry, I’m gonna wait until prices drop.
April 28th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
The warm weather is rumored to be starting here in NYC. I like to sit in parks and read, look at unattainable attractive women, and access the Net and also write and blog. But I just don’t sit on my butt, I also move around the city. Doing all that is easier with less than 3 pounds hanging off my shoulder than the 5-6 pounds a full notebook would weigh. (And those computing pounds would be in *addition* to other things I drag around in a shoulder bag — such as a NYPL book or two.)
April 29th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
There is no point of a mini-notebook. All of the things that you need it for you can accomplish with a ipod touch or iPhone. Its smaller, can fit in your pocket etc.
April 29th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
My Nokia N810 fits the bill perfectly for most of what a mini-notebook can do. The Asus EEE, while small, is not something you can tote around in all situations. The Nokia N810 is and it’ll get better when the diablo OS comes out plus micro and hopefully mini SD memory sizes gets larger. I use bluetooth with it when I’m out of a wi-fi area and I need to check my e-mail or do a quick internet search. I use google docs for all my office needs. I’ve got 35 books on it, 400 songs, 30 movies, 35 tv shows, 200 photos. ( Two 8GB mini cards and a 4GB card ). I use it for GPS routing using the wayfinder sofware ( okay so its Sat fix time isn’t the best, but firmware will improve that ). I’m using GPE for a calendar, to do and contact list. I’m using skype for cheap phone calls on it. I’ve got internet radio running in the background with my favorite radio stations. I’m watching tvshows on alluc.org and movies on it from quicksilver screen using the flash plugin and because of flash, I can play a bunch of games on it as well as install game emulators opening up a whole world of pass the time gaming ( I’m even running doom and quake on it ) and when hava gets their player working for the nokia, I’ll have access to my DVR and TV channels on the road using the the hava wireless HD. It’s got a 10 day standby battery life, 7 hours of use and I can pop a fresh battery in and out when I’m out of juice. If that’s not the definition of a mini-notebook, I don’t know what is!
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I love these small machines!
I’ve been watching them since XOXO was One child, One computer. At that time I thought them an amazing answer to an education problem. Soon after, I realized how good the wind-up power and peer-to-peer linkage would be in an emergency situation, natural or man-made, in almost any part of the world at any time.
If an emergency service is not designed, I will likely have the EEE when it’s a tad bigger and accessories come to size. These minis impress me with their cost and usefulness. They are just large enough that I don’t have to break out the reading glasses to operate the thing as I do when texting on the cell. This will be a great boon to folks who don’t need or can’t use all the programs on their tiny tiny cellphones.
May 6th, 2008 at 12:19 am
A lot of people are all excited about EEE and the like because of the cost, and not because they need something smaller than a normal laptop. Those people need to read the Sunday paper more often, because at least every other month there is a normal laptop available for $400-$500 at Best Buy or Staples. If you want a laptop to use around the house, and small size is not a priority, you will probably be better served by a normal one.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I had a slightly more expensive laptop with a 12 inch screen and a dual core processor. I junked it once the eeepc became available. Weight and portability were major considerations. Storage was not. Seriously, if you’re planning to work why bring 400 songs, 35 movies and 35 tv channels with you? Although you can stilll do that on the eeepc I realized that I can live on 8gb of SD memory (plus 8gb more on a flashdrive). I bought an 80gb external drive and found out that I don’t use it that much so now I leave the drive at home. My video and music files are in my desktop computer at home anyway. The ability to work on office documents without having to find a way to connect to the internet , always iffy in my place of work, was also a major consideration as was the ability to connect to an LCD to give presentations. My only beef is the tiny screen but I can live with that. The only time that I will replace the eeepc 701 is when the eeepc 900 comes around (same external dimensions, larger screen).
May 11th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Alright, I bought an EEE, used it for a month, then sold it on ebay. I couldn’t stand it! Being a college student I thought it was the perfect choice for a one the go laptop but couldn’t stand the tiny screen and small keyboard. Typing notes furiously for an hour and my hands would literally start to cramp up. I’m done with EEE, I just bought a 13′ mac book instead and I love it. It cost more, heavier, and bigger but now I realize keeping it in my backpack really isn’t that bad. These UMPC’s are way overpriced and overrated.
March 23rd, 2010 at 1:23 pm
That woman is just beauitful, I mean a lot seems to think she is a fool but that’s just an act, it does require some skills to become one of the most famous people in the world.