Believe it or not, I have never really had a laptop -- anything that comes into the house that falls into that slot is snatched up by the kids. No more. As of today, I have a tiny little 11.6 inch Acer Aspire One with full-sized key board, 250 GB hard drive and 2GB RAM. It's a slower Intel® Atom™ processor, but the machine itself is just 2.8 lbs. and 1" thick, has a camera and 3 USB ports, Wi-Fi, and a 720p HD screen.
The machine cost only $300, and came with Windows Vista and Microsoft Works. Though I hate Vista, the price-gouge on Macs is intolerable, and Windows XP is on the way out. Vista's bugs will get sorted out in time, I suspect.
Some may wonder "What the hell is an Acer?" Acer is the largest manufacturer of laptop computers in the world, and the second largest computer manufacturer in the world, behind Hewlett Packard. These folks own Gateway, the maker of hard drives, if that tells you anything. For those of a flora and fauna bent, Acer is also the genus name of the maple tree.
I do not yet know how well this little baby works in the real world, other than I can get Internet, and I can answer email and do some writing at coffee. The screen is terrific, and I am getting used to the keyboard and pad -- always an issue with a new machine. I have to register a couple of new bits of software tomorrow, and figure out how to make sure I get the most recent version of McAfee virus protection on the system, but I think it will all work out. Fingers crossed!
This post is being done on the new "Netbook," by the way -- wireless and without power cord. Look ma, no hands!
5 comments:
Now all you need is that swank laptop cover!
Absolutely! I'm thinking two groundhog skins should do it. The tricky part is the zippers. I may need to recruit someone with real sewing skills for assembly.
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I have a mac that is three years old and seems pretty worn out. The screen fades in and out. I've been thinking of the Acer thing as a replacement. Can't beat $300.
I've had an older version of your new netbook for a while now. It did have a problem (hard drive died), but getting it fixed for free under warranty was a very easy process and didn't take long. It's very handy to take on trips. I love how little it weighs compared to my regular laptop! My husband and son have managed to take it over most of the time, and at first they just indulged me wanting this tiny computer I got a good deal on. LOL!
-Susan
I just purchased and am trying out the new Dell mini. 7" x 10" and fits in a small backpack or purse.
Update us on how you like yours - Technology is a wonderful thing!
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