Comments on: Free buying advice in ‘Chippy’s Customer Challenge’ Week.

By: JLM

JLM — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:51:14 +0000

A couple more thinks.

Basics:

- Should allow to keep open and operative an minimun of two Excel sheets (heave ones), a couple of sites (two EI6 or two tab on IE7) and MSN.
- Mouse pad should be big
- Web cam

Better:
- WIMAX or 3G (Option available; WIMAX prefer)
- More than 1.3 mp Web cam
- Bluetooth

Thanks (again)

By: JLM

JLM — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:57:46 +0000

Ok. Let me think…

Basic:
Price: around 800,- U$S in USA or similar Europe.
8.9″ LED LCD monitor
1 Gb RAM
SSD 32Gb
Keyboard: ASUS 900 size
Atom
Win XP Home
MS Office (Word and Excel)
SDHC card reader
4 hours battery life (mid use)
WIFI

Better if we have:
Up to 2 Gb Ram (or more)
10″ (but no more than 11″)
SSD 64Gb or more (Pcie or SATA)
Keyboard: MSI 100 o Asus 1000 size
Centrino Atom
Win XP Pro
Ms Office (full)
CF card reader
5 hours or more battery life (full use)
WIFI N

All this with one more request.
I like to use this “ideal Netbook” to work here (Argentina).
I´m Tax Specialist.
Dayly use AFIP (Argentinian IRS) programs to settle Taxs.
This programs and AFIP´s Web Site ONLY runs under XP and IE.
Thank Chippy.

By: CCC Week. Challenges 7-9 | UMPCPortal - The Ultra Mobile Computing reference site

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:46:18 +0000

[...] to you all for the 30+ requests for buying advice I had over the weekend. It’s more requests than I expected so I may not get through them all [...]

By: Jack

Jack — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:59:42 +0000

TimJDav86:
Yeah, I went to the store a while back and held a UX in my hand back when they were out of my price range. Tempting and very sweet, but I kind of want to hold out for one of the cutting edge ATOM products. I expect to buy something next March (read Birthday). Just for reference the unit topping my current wish list is the Digifriends MID.

By: Asad

Asad — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:01:16 +0000

I need a MID, which is a around 500. Good with storage and better for games on the go. I am thinking of games which are like psp on emulator. I can have a psp and computer in one. The MID must have a touch screen because i don’t want my hands to be tired scrolling the ting.

By: chippy

chippy — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:39:21 +0000

OK, I think we should call a halt to the requests now.
I’ve got a good 25 to work through next week now via comments and the contact form so thanks for the input.
Starting from Monday i’ll see what I can come up with as recommendations.
Regards
Steve.

By: TimJDav86

TimJDav86 — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:45:17 +0000

Hey man, for you and your requirements the Sony UX line seams to fit pretty close to what you want. You can pick a used one in very good condition on ebay for under $1300 easy. Processors include 1.2 core solo and 1.33 core solo’s with 1 gig of ram and 40-60 gig hard drives. You can get versions running both Xp and Business. The screen is 4.8in with the same res that most netbooks are today(1024×600). It does have a slide keyboard that’s supposed to not be very good…but if your not going to use it, then that’s just fine!(although if your in a situation where its hard to tap the screen and you need to input just a little text, a physical back lit screen sure would come in handy)

It does have bluetooth and wifi, but no GPS…but you can always add a USB gps doggle or bluetooth GPS

By: bhtooefr

bhtooefr — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:22:52 +0000

I should’ve clarified that I’m used to the C2D, and the Atom would be a downgrade.

If I got an Atom machine, it’d be a secondary machine.

If I got a C2D, it’d replace my current machine.

By: ProDigit

ProDigit — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:13:18 +0000

Man,where do you get such a poor settings for such a price?
We’re in the mini-notebook segment, prices are going down dude!

Look at the Eee2G, and how much it sells, and it’s still being produced today!
Boost up the Eee2G specs and you’ll have what you want for well under $1000;well under 800 even!

By: squirrel

squirrel — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:05:28 +0000

netbook like MSI Wind U90 or U100 but 900 g for 3 cell battery or 1 kg for 6 cell
built-in wimax/EDGE is good but not obligatory

By: B. Factor

B. Factor — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:11:12 +0000

Price: don’t care

The primary usage scenario is very quick one shot web activity around the house. Turn it on, open the browser, go to wikipedia or google to answer a question or check a price, then turn it off. Other things to do on the web: watch a youtube video, adjust netflix queue, renew library books, read the latest news. I want the overall experience to be superior in every way (quicker, easier, more fun) than using on my desktop computer.

By: Pixel Qi fan in waiting...

Pixel Qi fan in waiting... — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:05:25 +0000

Browse, IMAP email with Thunderbird & Sync Kolab Extension to store Contacts and Calander up on IMAP server (resolution better than 1024×600), OpenOffice 3.x (works with data from Thunderbird contact list, and more, etc), K3B, old 2.x Gwenview with Kipi Plugins, Some media editing (Ubuntu Studio stuff)…
NO MONO at all (subject to MS patents = very bad),
NO .NET at all (again MS lock-in again = very bad)!
NO Silverlight at all (again MS lock-in, not needed)!
NO Vista.

Everun Note size, with Q-external portable keyboard (for road/nightstand/desk use.
Long Long Long Battery Life (user replace-able $10 OLPC battery technology).
Sunlight readable dual mode screen.
Good Keyboard.
FAST SSD (dual boot multiple OS’s, even Windows maybe)
USB bootable
USB powered devices (cd/dvd burner/player)
USB powered external hard drive that does Raid 1 see:
http://www.addonics.com/products/enclosures/AE25RDESU.asp
Ubuntu Mobile (with codecs and DVD player software)
—> Also Areca, JAVA multi-OS based software that does any backups (including delta and encrypted to FTP):
h__ttp://areca.sourceforge.net/

for kids - MESH NETWORKING to interface with OLPC XO (why not do this)? Why not? OLPC XO powering of WireLess Network also was designed to save power (why not use this for netbooks and mids etc)?

3G for those that need that too (can be by USB or other attachment, or uSIM card to internal (switchable on/off) device.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:29:13 +0000

OK Chippy, try this one:

Price range:less than $1300

Form factor: Vista MID ~5in screen (smaller=better)/ Touchscreen - no keboard required - inking a must/ 60GB HD min/ GPS if possible

Usage scenarios:Mainly hand held/take written notes in meetings/ read ebooks while using the potty/ travel computer/ PMP/ PIM

Top three applications: Office (word,excel)/ DVD-rip-play(any)/ ebook reader

Notes: Vista preferred because of inking capability and faster wake up time but alternatives acceptable if justified. 60GB minimum HDD or SSD bacause vista will probably take up 20GB and expect to load 33GB or more of movies, photos, etc. and don’t want to use 32GB SDHC for file storage. Must have USB, bluetooth, 802.11b

By: bhtooefr

bhtooefr — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:00:17 +0000

Hmm.

Price range: $2000 for the optimal device, $1500 for something suboptimal
Form factor: Mini notebook or convertible tablet
Usage scenario: Multi-use
Top three applications: Browser, SSH, light gaming

Oh, and here’s a requirement that’s not in that list. 1280×800 (or similar) resolution. I’m a resolution whore. Heck, there’s times that I think the 1400×1050 resolution on my X61 Tablet isn’t enough.

OS must be XP Pro or Tablet, meaning a machine with a Vista Business license.

RAM… preferably 2 GB, must be at least 1 GB.

I’d also like at least 4 hours battery life.

I think I’m quickly painting myself into a corner made of the Fujitsu P16×0 series with an extended battery, but I’m not sure. If the U820 weren’t too small, that could be considered, but I’d HAVE to see one in person - and based on the U810, I’m afraid the U820 would be too small.

Yes, there’s the Gigabyte M912, but that has a CCFL backlight on the high-res screen. And, I am used to the X61t’s Core 2 Duo, which the P1620 and P1630 have…

And, yes, there’s the Kohjinsha SC3, but that’s not sold in the US, which means I’d have to go through an importer for any service…

By: ProDigit

ProDigit — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:44:31 +0000

okay, it wasn’t really clear whether the question was directed towards people seeking a device (seeking for advice),or for statistical purposes.
In case of statistical purposes (or UMPC customer feedback)here are mine (but in case it’s for advice you can ignore the rest of this mail, since I’m quite updated about the last UMPC’s):

Price range :
under $650

Form factor:
Mini notebook

Usage scenarios:
car, public transport, plane, trian, travel, Wifi hotspots like Starbucks and Mc Donald’s or malls: All in one desktop/laptop replacement.

Top3 applications:
Browsing Internet(Firefox), Download client(bit torrent, P2P, Chat client), Office application(Word, Excel,Visual Basic (VB=programming)).

additional requirements:
- 7,9″-9,5″ 1280×720 pix (Normal HD playback)
- LED LCD (lower power consumption, brighter settings)
- 2x Sodimm RAM slot (2GB RAM)
- 5+ hours of battery
- 3xUSB
- LAN
- Wireless B/G/N
- Mouse pad with normal buttons (not on Left and right of touch pad)
- Intel Atom processor
- Preferably a 16GB SLC SSD(or otherwise a 20GB or more HD that is easily user replaceable with a fast SLC SSD drive: Zif, Sata, or Mini PCIe)
- Win XP
- Mic in / headphones out
- SDHC slot (upto 16 or 32GB?)
- Extra power save options
- Flexible Bios, booting from USB allowed
- Keyboard larger than EeePc 701, but not as large as EeePc 1000.
- 100Mbit / 1Gbit LAN connection.

Optional extra’s:
- Touchscreen
- Digital VGA out or separate docking station
- LCD with deeper colors and extra bright/low light settings, and perhaps B/W setting with reflective back of screen for use in sunlight like OLPC and old Nintendo gameboy’s had (save power)
- 1.3Mpix webcam & internal Webcam mic
- Over/under clock the Atom soft.
- under 1,5 pounds will be nice!
- Tablet mode seems nice
- Mechanical volume knob and Wifi switch would be very welcome
- Preferably 12V DC chargeable (works with car lighter / Plane cigarette lighter plug)
- Extension batteries able to purchase (somewhere)
- Also nice to have some Linux drivers just in case… Linux Ubuntu drivers of the PC or something…

Items that I don’t need:
- 3G
- Bluetooth
- Kingston lock
- Quick boot like Asus’ express gate
- Vista
- MLC SSD drives
- More than 1 internal HD or SSD
- Soldered RAM
-