Netbook Computers – Is One Good For You?

Netbook computers, which are like little variations of laptops, have taken the marketplace by surprise recently because of their really convenient size and capabilities. But before you charge away to acquire one, you first must figure out if one of these new netbook computers is proper for you.

The very first thing you must understand is that these are not designed to be an exact substitute for your desktop or laptop computer. They are designed to be convenient, and that is the key word to concentrate on. If you open lots of distinct browser windows while you have a 8,000 column spreadsheet open and are also managing email at the identical time, you are not going to be happy with the performance of your netbook. Virtually all of them nowadays have the identical processor, the Intel Atom 1.6 Ghz, which is not a dual-core, not high end, so you cannot expect to have two dozen windows and programs open at the same time. But for word processing, spreadsheets, electronic mail, and even seeing a video on it, one application at a time, these netbooks are super.

You also must be aware that the keyboard is smaller. It will not have an integrated numeric keypad, but you can buy an external numeric keypad that plugs into the USB port if you desire. If you have been a touch typist, this is going to take some familiarity time, since the keyboard sizing is about 93% of a typical keyboard size. Not a large issue, but for a touch typist, it will take some practice to get as expert as you used to be.

But on the bright side, these netbook computers are extremely handy, if you indeed apply it for what it was designed to do for you. First of all, they are exceedingly portable and light, normally weighing less than 3 pounds, with width and length roughly equal to a piece of paper. In height, they are normally about an inch thick. This makes them perfect for placing into a larger handbag or briefcase very easily.

They also have much more battery life than their laptop counterparts. Getting battery life of more than 4 hours is standard, with numerous models sporting twice that. A word of advice would be to find one with at least a 6 cell battery rather than the 3 cell battery that is standard in some of them. A 6 cell battery does not contribute much to the weight and will give you much more battery use.

Best of all is the price, where even the retail price is normally below $400, and some discount outlets have them even less.

These are perfect for situations where you are for long periods of time without the opportunity to plug into an electric socket, like for example on a coast to coast airline flight. And with some airlines like AirTran, you can even get online during flight, and more airlines are making in-flight Internet access accessible all the time.

As long as you can remain practical about the capabilities of these netbooks, they can be a valuable addition to your personal and business productivity while on the go.
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