Do I need a Netbook?

Within the IT world the latest crazy gadget now is the Netbook, looks like a baby version of a laptop. Smaller, less powerful and in most cases, a stripped down version of a laptops operating system.

The Netbook grew massively when Asus marketed its first Netbook, the EeePC. Small, white thinnish machine, which had Linux as its operating system, and from £150 upwards, they are relatively affordable, but are they useful?

• They offer much in comparison to a full blown laptop, much more convenient when it comes to carrying them, you can slip a netbook inside a small handbag.

• Can connect to the Internet.

• Most are running Windows XP, so are open to the vast world of Windows software.
  

But does the Netbook have a strong enough pair of legs to do what we take laptops for granted? Can it keep up with our demands?

Netbooks have been designed for:

Ease of use that gives quick, and trouble free connectivity to the Internet.

All come with WI-FI and more and more come with Bluetooth. So connecting to a 3G network via a mobile phone is all there.

High resolution is now affordable worth 1024 x 600 as standard. This means that most web pages can be viewed comfortable.

Problems
As the Internet becomes more multi-media focused, this may take its toll on the power of the netbook. If Flash is used on a website, then that in itself is demanding as it can take between 30% to 40% load of the netbooks CPU.

BBC's Iplayer will nearly wipe out the load on the CPU as 60% is common. What this means is that XP has little room for smooth usage.

Erm, pretty negative. So what would I need a Netbook for?

Netbooks are great for work, especially on the move. If you leave the multi-media world behind, then they are very good indeed. Emails, word processing, and spreadsheets, work very well. They will also let you listen to music, but again, when it comes to video, think hard.

The majority of Netbooks come with OpenOffice as standard, which allows you to write letters, do graphics, spreadsheets and databases.

Keyboards are getting much better, such as Asus EeePC 1000 and the MSI Wind model.

Battery usage is excellent, with the new Asus models giving up to 7 hours of continuous usages, much better than a laptop.

For day to day tasks, they have enough processing power to help you out, and get the job done, but keep away from graphic or multi-media intensive jobs.

Should I use Windows or XP?

When Asus first brought out the EeePC it was all about keeping price to a minimum, and so Linux was used. Manufactures thought about it, buy people bought it.

It also gave an extended life to Windows XP. Now that Netbooks have become more powerful and the price kept down, Windows is a big choice for most, due to familiarity. XP is the de-facto OS on netbooks. If you feel that you can handle Linux then you can buy one with Linux or install it yourself.

Windows does take more space than Linux, and gives the CPU more stress, but is viewed as simple to use. If you do opt for Win XP then take into account Viruses. They will still be a threat even on a Netbook.

So, should I get a netbook?

They are very tempting if all you do are tasks that are not multi-media intensive and you just do not want to lug around a laptop. The netbook is a great solution.

They are highly portable, battery efficient and competitively priced, and that there is Netbook on the market that will suit everyone's taste.

Take a look, have a good try and pick the brains of the salesman that is looking after you. Remember, a Netbook is not just for Christmas, its for everyday.