Mini Laptop or Netbook Computers-- A Step Forward ... Or a Step Back

Mini notebook computers have been around for some time without much success in the marketplace. A few years back Intel had a vision of what they call a mobile internet device (MID). It was remarkably like the existing netbooks except it had an Intel processor. To power the MIDs, Intel developed the Atom processor. Atom processors are currently only available embedded in an Intel motherboard. These motherboards are 6.5 by 6.5 inches and have integrated sound and graphics This allows a square 9 inch d1splay. Since displays are currently not square, the actual mini laptops are generally 6.75 by 9.25 inches or larger. The mini laptop will weigh about 2.5 pounds. Battery life is listed at 4 hours or more. A 15.4 inch laptop will generally measure about 10 by 14 inches and weigh about 6 pounds. Battery life will be l1sted at 2.5 hours or more.

PROS

• Mini laptop computers are listed as less expensive than other portable computers.
• The mini laptop computers with Intel Atom processors are powerful enough to run Windows XP and Microsoft Office.
• The solid state drives most are equipped with find files faster and more shock (physical) resistant than standard drives.
• The displays are larger than Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) or i-phones other internet enabled cel phones--so are the keyboards.
• Some come with the hardware you need to connect to a mobile broadband provider and all have a way to connect some version of the hardware (a dedicated port or USB).
• Mini notebooks are smaller and lighter.
• They are cool, hip, chic, fresh or whatever term you want to use.

CONS

• The drives that come as standard on mini laptops are small (16GB or less). Windows XP, Windows Media Player 11 and Microsoft Office Professional 2002 are well over 4GB
• The displays generally have lower resolution than laptop computers.
• The graphics generally are not as good as notebook computers.
• Reviewers who have tried to run multiple office applications say they are deadly slow.
• Keyboards are smaller and some people have problems using them.
• No DVD/CD burner or player is included.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The least expensive mini laptop computers run a version of Linux, not windows, as their operating system. Most people will have problems sharing files between a system that runs Windows and one that doesn't. For that reason, I went to the least expensive Windows based model at Dell USA. I added an external CD/DVD burner and upgraded the hard drive from 8 to 16GB. That mini laptop cost $524. Without the CD/DVD burner the system was $439. You need the optical drive to play or rip music from CDs or watch DVDs and to restore your operating system (not unheard of with windows) if something goes badly wrong. I thought most people would probably want one, even if they weren't going to take it everywhere with them.

The least expensive 15 inch laptop Dell has there has a 120GB hard drive, built-in CD/DVD burner, and runs Windows Vista. With a memory up-grade to 2 GB it costs $529.

Both computers have wireless g network cards.

If you add mobile broadband hardware to each of these computers the mini notebook is $804...the laptop is $654. They were both Sprint devices (all Dell had available for the mini) so the service should cost the same.

You should be able to find a comparable Acer netbook with a 120GB hard drive for $80 or $90 less than the Dell in a big electroncs store. Asus should come in between Acer and Dell and will have the smaller solid state drive. Don't be put off if you don't recognize the names Asus and Acer. They are both major manufacturers in the laptop market world-wide. Asus has been the driving force behind the development of the netbook market. MSI has also been a market leader. Just about anything less than $330 runs Linux or has a processor slower than the Intel Atom or both. You can look at $100 for an external DVD burner. There is a pretty good chance you can get the mobile broadband hardware for close to free from the provider, but you'll need to sign a two year contract for about $60 a month.

RECAP

The Netbook page of one of the retailers I looked at to get price information will tell you that netbooks look like laptops but don't have the full capabilities of a computer. They also say that they are great for travel or as a supplement to your main computer. A mini laptop is marginally suitable as a primary computer for someone who doesn't use their laptop computer at work or school. If you mostly use a notebook to download music and load it onto your mp-3 player, e-mail your friends, and surf the net you might get by. You better not be into games and better not do any number crunching or complicated word-processing.

A mini laptop, a netbook, a mini notebook, or mini computers are in the same price range as i-phones. One netbook review said that it was easier to surf the net with the bigger display and keyboard of the netbook, but you couldn't make phone calls.

If I was a cynical person who didn't believe in the innate goodness of my fellow men, I might say it wasn't a coincidence that the recent push towards netbooks happened at the same time as prices on laptop computers and desktop computers rose for no apparent reason. I could interpret it as an attempt by the computer and chip manufacturers to put a new bottom on the market so profit margins on traditional mainstream computers could be increased. That has been done before.

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