I'm soon to be the proud owner of one of these:
www.saveonlaptops.co.uk/ASUS_Eee_PC_1018P-BLK147S_1008136.html
My previous efforts to speed up my Samsung have proved only partially successful, and I would have to pay someone to do a Windows 7 install.
I'm hoping the weedy, but dual core processor will mean the new new netbook will not suffer so soon with Windows' self-clogging arteries.
Battery life is important for my use, so there's no harm in having a machine with a fresh one.
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1GB of RAM is still going to be a major bottle neck unless you do nothing more on it than simple web browsing.
If its a second machine it will be ok, but I would have paid more for 2gb of RAM, would have made a big difference.
That said if you're careful with what browser you use and what AV software you use you will be fine.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Wed 9 Nov 11 at 18:04
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Fair point, but my limited research suggests a 2GB netbook is nearer £300.
Could always upgrade, but my Samsung wanted expensive Samsung-only sticks, so I'm wary of that route.
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I've got the same spec machine, different manufacturer (PackardBell).
For a surf and mail machine it's fine. I did upgrade the memory on mine when my daughter knocked it off the table and the case opened up. I had to take it to pieces to put it back together so thought while I was in there I may as well upgrade.
It worked fine with 1GB RAM, 2GB extends the battery life a little. I can typically get 5 or 6 hours from the 6 cell battery which is now 11 months old and used every day.
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Not sure about that model but with many netbooks you have to remove the motherboard to replace the RAM.
So while a stick of 1GB DDR2 may only cost £10 you would void the warranty fitting it. If there is a flip though I would upgrade without a doubt.
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The PB you have to loosen the keyboard and gently fold it forward not breaking the ribbon, then undo 8 screws and then pop the bottom flap off to get at the RAM slot.
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I use mine for work, but surf and mail is all that amounts to.
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iffy why haven't you gone for a MacBook Air 11.6"? You know you want to. :-) Apart from cost I guess? I'd like one. Could afford one. Don't actually need it though. Which makes getting one pointless for me.
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...iffy why haven't you gone for a MacBook Air 11.6"?...
Cost is the main reason, also an Air's screen size is too similar to my MacBook Pro.
The Air is thinner than a netbook, but I reckon portability of a 10" netbook is still better.
Plus I already have a suitable case, mouse, etc.
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...update...
Netbook arrived on schedule.
It has an Asus 'seashell' satin black case, which is smart and shouldn't show finger marks.
I can get on the net in under a minute, and navigation from site to site is bordering on snappy.
There's a dual boot feature - Asus Express Gate - which is supposed to bring up the net even faster.
Tried it once, couldn't quite grasp it.
I might have another go, but not while booting to Windows remains as fast as it is.
One problem - the charger conked out after 20 minutes.
There's mains power into it, so the little box itself has failed.
About to open negotiations with the retailer on that.
Might order another from Amazon, they are only about £14, and a spare which I can leave at one of my other locations would be no bad thing.
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We've found a car charger to be an invaluable part of our netbook's support kit. Mainly when camping, no other need for an electrical hookup and tbh I don't like the mix of leccy and wet grass!!
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...failed charger update...
The retailer wants to collect the netbook and the charger.
Not keen on that because I've done the set-up on the netbook.
Retailer suggested I try Asus.
They seem prepared to collect the charger only, but would rather collect both.
I've filled in an online 'RMA' form, whatever that is, and must now wait to be contacted by Asus.
Oh, and I've ordered a £12 charger from Amazon.
The most likely outcome is I will end up with two chargers, although when, and in what order they reach me, is anybody's guess.
What a faff.
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Let them collect both, there is a 5% chance it might be the netbook shutting the charger down due to overcurrent.
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...there is a 5% chance it might be the netbook shutting the charger down due to overcurrent...
Is there?
Oh dear.
I've tried the charger again this morning - unplugged from the computer - and the little blue light on the charger doesn't come on.
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probably just the charger then,
Unless its blowing the chargers! :-0
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...probably just the charger then...
Thanks.
Fair play to the bloke from saveonlaptops.com, he did say there was a small possibility it was a fault in the netbook causing the charger to fail.
If my life depended on it, I would send both back, but 'probably just the charger' is good enough for me in this instance.
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Iffy what charger did you order? Was it genuine? Also it comes with a plug make sure it is a BS 1363 and not one of the fakes. I've seen so many fakes being sold on amazon.
Have a look on this site.
www.bs1363.org.uk/
It is a major problem when ordering laptop chargers online. I've seen quite a few, and even had one cause a fire.
Also here, some links to the ilegal plugs on Amazon.
www.bs1363.org.uk/html/amazon_listings.html
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 11 Nov 11 at 15:59
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Think I'm OK with the mains side of things because I will be using my own figure of eight plug lead.
Not even sure the charger comes with one, some don't.
As for the charger, it must be alright - it's got good reviews. :)
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...update...
The new charger works, but the netbook has now hung itself permanently trying to install number eight of 32 oh so crucial Windows updates.
Both the original charger and the netbook have gone back.
I'm beginning to wish I'd bought an Air.
The phrase: 'you get what you pay for' springs to mind.
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Should've boughta Lenovo m8, pleased as Punch with mine!
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...Should've boughta Lenovo...
A Lenovo netbook is an extra £40, which is a lot in a £200 purchase.
Only five hours battery life, 10 on the Asus - when it's not frying chargers.
The Asus is now back with me and working as it should.
My confidence in it is dented, but it's a good little machine for what it is.
The charger runs hotter than others I've had, but I suppose that's just the way this model works.
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>>The Asus is now back with me and working as it should<<
Asus is a well respected name, shame your confidence was dented by your recent experience with the brand,
no harm done though really in the grand scheme of things :)
As good as my little Lenovo notebook is, I'd still rather be on this ere Novatech desktop!
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>> The charger runs hotter than others I've had, but I suppose that's just the way
>> this model works.
A hot charger is badly designed or underspecified, and will fail again due to thermal stress, the only variable is when!
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...and will fail again due to thermal stress, the only variable is when!...
I was thinking the same.
Good thing I've now got a spare.
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>> ...and will fail again due to thermal stress, the only variable is when!...
You may find the charger is a bit cooler when it isn't charging the battery and running the netbook at the same time (IE when the battery is fully charged).
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...You may find the charger is a bit cooler when it isn't charging the battery and running the netbook at the same time (IE when the battery is fully charged)...
It does, runs a lot cooler.
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>> Both the original charger and the netbook have gone back.
>>
Is that for a refund or replacement ?
It's like everything you can get a duff one whatever you buy.
It's how they deal with you when something goes wrong that marks out the good from the bad for me.
Good Luck ! with whatever you go for.
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>> ...update...
>>
>> The new charger works, but the netbook has now hung itself permanently trying to install
>> number eight of 32 oh so crucial Windows updates.
>>
Tell me about it !
Currently rebuilding SWMBO's laptop after a MAJOR infection. Currently on 33 of 95 updates...
Then I just have to put the important stuff back.
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Treated the netbook to a 2Gb Crucial stick.
I don't think it's any faster, but hopefully in the coming months it will slow down the inevitable Windows self-slowing down process.
Speaking of which, Windows decided it wanted to install 44 updates.
What's that all about?
I've only just bought the netbook, so should have a relatively fresh copy of the operating system.
And what to these updates achieve, other than slowing down the machine?
Apple can produce an operating system for the consumer that works seamlessly, so Microsoft should be able to do the same.
Windows, in all its guises, is a pile of poo.
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>> Speaking of which, Windows decided it wanted to install 44 updates.
>>
>> What's that all about?
Even if all updates to date of manufacture were built in (probably a big if) it wouldn't take many weeks in the supply chain for 40+ to be needed.
Mostly they're about stopping weakneses. Windows could do better in design but with thousands out there seeking to exploit it there's inevitably going to be some keeping up to do.
Only way round is to select custom install and only choose those you want.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 24 Nov 11 at 14:00
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>> Speaking of which, Windows decided it wanted to install 44 updates.
>>
>> What's that all about?
>>
>> I've only just bought the netbook, so should have a relatively fresh copy of the
>> operating system.
You netbook is produced in the millions. All millions are loaded with the same image made at a point in time, probably with the fixes available and tested at that time. You must appreciate its not possible to keep changing the build image every day on the production line. The image is on the disks that are bought in and could be made weeks in advance - even apple build them that way.
>> And what to these updates achieve, other than slowing down the machine?
They dont slow the machine down. Windows does that on its own even if you never installed another update. What do they do? they are fixes and security updates.
>> Apple can produce an operating system for the consumer that works seamlessly, so Microsoft should
>> be able to do the same.
They dont. You have to apply fixes to apple products as well, Apple tend to update the OS in one lump, its far from seamless.
>>
>> Windows, in all its guises, is a pile of poo.
>
Seriously, its not. Windows 7 is a very good operating system.
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...Seriously, its not. Windows 7 is a very good operating system...
It may be for an experienced or expert user, but all I want the OS to do is its job.
The comparison with the Mac is night and day, like another poster said about iPhones and Android phones.
I've had the Mac for more than a year now and had no bother at all.
I turn it on, use it, and turn it off again.
The operating system is all but invisible to me, apart from the occasional offer of a software update, which it does with a couple of clicks.
Back at the netbook, it's just asked to install another 20+ important and recommended updates.
It's done that, with the usual string of failures, restarts, retrys, configuring and other messages, etc, etc.
The Mac never does all that garbage.
Hopefully, I've now caught up with all the Windows updates and I might be able to use the computer for what I bought it for.
Incidentally, one of the updates was Explorer 9, so I suppose everyone will be getting that.
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>> Incidentally, one of the updates was Explorer 9, so I suppose everyone will be getting
>> that.
>>
Now that's an example of why I custom install updates. My netbook is XP and I think IE8 is as far as it can go But I was happy with 7 for a long time as that's what we have at work.
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>> Now that's an example of why I custom install updates. My netbook is XP and
>> I think IE8 is as far as it can go
Correct, us XP users aren't given IE9 as an update, custom or not.
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An operating system is out of the date from the second the last updates have been installed.
Most my clients I have convinced to migrate to 7 from XP have been very impressed with it.
A laptop would also be typically 2 months old by the time it reaches your home, as it has to be shipped it, stored at a warehouse, sold onto to a distributor, sold to the retailer and finally sold to the end user.
If MacOS was as popular as Windows, it would have all the security issues Windows does. However updates are more important for Windows users as this what 95% of PC users use, so it is what crinimals target.
I use Linux on the my netbook which is sometimes used for things which may attract viruses.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Thu 24 Nov 11 at 16:25
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>> Now that's an example of why I custom install updates. My netbook is XP and
>> I think IE8 is as far as it can go But I was happy with
>> 7 for a long time as that's what we have at work.
You wouldn't have been offered IE9 if you were on XP. So automatic would have done the job, as it does with many.
And as far as updates go, I have had about 7 or 8 in a year on the iphone, ALL of them required much button pushing and reboots. Apple also tend to hide "issues" with the OS pretending they don't exist and not bothering to patch them.,
As far as your windows goes, honestly you could just set it up on auto - and the only thing you would know is messages and shut down times extended sometimes, and the occasional longer power up.
If you hate windows so much why did you buy a windows one? Oh wait I will tell you why, because you couldn't justify lashing out a grand for a netbook.
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...Oh wait I will tell you why, because you couldn't justify lashing out a grand for a netbook...
Well worked out, although it shouldn't have been too hard as I posted that further up the thread.
The moral of this story is an old one - you get what you pay for.
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Or in the case of the Macbook Air, you get less than you pay for.
Still want one tho, tho it means throwing more cash into the "what do we do with all this cash" apple pile. I will need a new one soon, the Ausus G2 is starting to crack up, but can I justify a grand on an Ibook, when I get can more bang for my buck elswhere.
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Can't comment on Macs, but iTunes seems to have an update every other week, and rather than incremental, it's a full download each time. If that's Apple - forget it.
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A new netbook - RattleandSmoke
