Netbook Scoop » Reviews Archives – Netbook Scoop

Moblin 2.0 Review

Steve Greer — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:33:41 +0000

At Netbook Scoop, we have been testing various new operating systems on our netbooks over the last week.

Earlier we reviewed Google Android as a netbook OS. We also published tutorials on installing Android and Moblin on bootable USB memory sticks so that you can test these OSs without actually installing them on your hard drive.

Today I’m going to show you Moblin 2.0 Beta running on an Asus Eee PC 1008HA.

Booting Moblin

I decided to install Moblin 2.0 to the hard drive of the Asus Eee PC 1008HA to give the operating system a true run. The boot time was about 45 seconds. Not bad for a Linux based OS (note that I did not install the quick boot option).

Once I was booted into the Operating System I come right into the MyZone Screen.

Now you may notice that the MyZone main screen has a lot of information on it. Once you configure your RSS feeds, Twitter Account, Etc… you will see that the right panel will display all the latest updates.

The middle pane shows all the latest media, web pages, and other similar items that you have recently viewed. Last is the left pane which holds your calendar entries and current tasks.

MyZone gives you a quick and easy view of your mobile life right on the main screen. This is a very nice feature of Moblin.

Exploring Moblin

Moblin is built on top of a Linux kernel. You can access the console through the Application Zone.

As you can see you will have access to all your typical Linux commands, and this will give you the capability to install any Linux-based applications as well as full capability to configure the system to your heart’s content.

You can access all of Moblin’s applications through the Application Zone. In the picture below you will see the Zone Menu at the top of the screen.

You can navigate through all of the standard zones by moving your mouse across the tabs at the top of the screen.

Managing the Network

I found that managing your network connections was a snap in Moblin. Clicking on the wireless icon on the top tool bar will open your network management application.

I simply clicked on my wireless network and added my WPA key. This took seconds to connect up and start browsing the Internet.

Media

Mobin has your typical media player and picture viewer.

This beta version was missing a number of codecs. I tried playing some divx, and wmv files and had no luck.

Moblin installed a sample video, which played well on the Asus 1008HA (although it was a bit grainy).

Here is a picture of what the media library looks like.

Games

Now what would an Operating System be without some games to kill your free time. Moblin has added a handful of games to make your idle time more enjoyable. Here are a few pictures of the Frozen Bubble 2 game.

Summary

The Moblin user interface is simple and easy enough for any user to learn. Gone are the spooky days when it took a real hacker to know how to even use Linux.

However, the Moblin OS is that is centered around the mobile user. It does not attempt to be a comprehensive replacement for a typical laptop OS.

If you are looking for a full-blown Operating System that does everything Windows XP or Windows 7 does then you will be disappointed.

Moblin is based around social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. You will also find build in messengers like Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, and MSN Messenger.

Moblin is definitely aimed for your social butterflies.

The beta was noticably slow when running some applications. The Internet Browser was also very slow when loading web pages. I am sure that everything will be optimized before the production release.

Overall, I’m impressed with Moblin. I am happy to see something really different coming to the netbook world. It will be very interesting to whether customers embrace Moblin when it is finally released.

What are your thoughts? Will netbook buyers flock to an operating system focused on enhancing the social networking experience – or will they want their netbook to operate like a normal laptop?

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How to test Moblin from a USB stick

Steve Greer — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:33:02 +0000

It is apparent that Windows XP’s days are numbered. So, naturally there is a lot of interest in several new operating systems being developed for netbooks.

This weekend, we are exploring Moblin (initially developed by Intel), Android (from Google), Kubuntu (from Canonical) and Windows 7 (from Microsoft). All of these are pre-production releases, so we expect some buginess.

There has been some talk about Acer releasing a netbook with Moblin loaded on it. So, first up is Moblin.

We wanted an easy way to test Moblin without installing it to your hard disk. We thought you might like to know, too. So here is how we did it.

Preparations

All you need is a 1 GB USB stick and a few minutes of your time.

There are a few things to keep in mind while testing Moblin on your netbook.

It is recommended that you have an Intel Atom N270 or N280 processor with the GMA950 chipset. I’ve read that Moblin does not have support for the GMA500 chipset as of yet.

While it is possible to create a bootable CD, I would also recommend booting from USB instead. I’ve done some testing with the Live CD an found it to be a very slow experience.

Steps to Create Live USB Stick

Here are the steps to create your own bootable USB key. This takes about 5 minutes and you are good to go.

1. Download the latest Moblin release from Moblin.org

2. Download Win32DiskImager.exe

3. Unzip the file and extract the contents to a known directory

4. Run W32DiskImager.exe (See screenshot below)

5. Select the Moblin Image File

6. Select the drive letter that represents your USB key

7. Select the “Write” button to byte-copy the image to the USB stick.

8. Presto! You have a bootable USB stick.

9. Make sure you set your bios to boot from USB before you try and boot.

10. Boot Moblin from your USB stick and Presto! You have Moblin available for testing.

I will make sure and post a video in the next day and share some of my experience using Moblin.

Just remember one thing while testing. This is a BETA release and does not represent the final release.

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Asus Eee PC 1008HA – Reviews

Tom Greer — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:51:46 +0000

We have scanned the web to find the best reviews of the Asus Eee PC 1008HA. Below, we provide brief summaries of each along with links to the articles where you can read the full text.

If you are seeking additional information, our Eee PC 1008HA product page includes a product overview, specifications, videos and price comparison charts.

In-depth

Source: LaptopMag.com	Title: ASUS Eee PC 1008HA (Seashell)
Author: Joanna Stern	Published: May 22, 2009
Review Type: In-depth	Rating: ★★★★★
Joanna Stern at LaptopMag.com reviewed the Asus Eee PC 1008HA and made the following observations: At 2.2 pounds, it is also incredibly light. We easily held the netbook in one hand, and it felt almost nonexistent in our shoulder bag, even with the charger Unlike the island keyboard of the 1000HE, there are no spaces between the raised black matte keys, which we found flat (we prefer them raised, as they are on the Samsung N110), but they did provide nice, tactile feedback. ASUS keeps the correctly placed keys it mended with the ASUS Eee PC 1000HE. The right Shift key is full size and directly below the Enter key. A streaming clip of Saturday Night Live from Hulu.com looked smooth, and colors were bright. On the LAPTOP Battery Test, which assesses endurance by surfing the Web until the battery dies, this netbook lasted 5 hours and 40 minutes, just four minutes shy of the netbook average for 6-cell batteries. The Eee PC 1008HA Seashell is one of the slimmest and most attractive netbooks on the market, and with the latest Intel Atom processor and more than five hours of battery life, it has the brains and brawn to match its beauty.

Source: Trusted Reviews	Title: Asus Eee PC 1008HA - 10in Netbook Review
Author: Andy Vandervell	Published: May 07, 2009
Review Type: In-depth	Rating: ★★★★☆
Andy Vandervell at Trusted Reviews provides a very in-depth review of the Asus Eee PC 1008HA. Some of his more interesting observations: Then there are the ports, which are all neatly hidden behind flaps. Though a slight inconvenience this definitely helps keep the machine looking neat and tidy... Having chided netbooks in general for the lack of diversity, it's fair to say that Asus delivers more features than most. Okay, so the 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280, 1GB RAM and 160GB hard drive won't set hearts aflutter, but at least Asus does deliver Draft-N Wi-Fi - hardly a given even now - as well Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR. There's also a 1.3 megapixel webcam that boasts stereo array microphones, rather than just the single mic granted most netbooks. Instead of an isolation keyboard Asus has used a tile-style one, where the keys are completely flat save for a slight recess between each key. This allows for large and clearly defined keys, but most importantly the depth and positivity that was lacking in the 1000HE. ... one thing that will put off many, particularly the hardcore netbooks users, will be the non-replaceable battery. This means that not only can you not enhance battery life with spare batteries, you also can't replace the battery should its performance significantly degrade. This might not be an issue until three or four years down the line, but an issue it remains. Yes, it is significantly more expensive than the mainstream crop of netbooks, but Asus has successfully created a slim and light netbook that offers excellent battery life while still remaining as cool and quiet as any netbook we've encountered. This is no mean feat. Asus has delivered a very refined and classy netbook without sacrificing functionality and this should be applauded. And, while it is expensive for a netbook, it delivers enough that it isn't extortionate. Thus, if you're after a little more refinement than regular netbooks can deliver, this is your best bet.

Source: Digital Trends	Title: Asus Eee 1008HA Seashell Review
Author: Nick Mokey	Published: July 27, 2009
Review Type: In-depth	Rating: ★★★★☆
Nick Mokey at Digital Trends provides a nice, in-depth review of the Eee PC 1008HA. Some of his key points: It may not pull anything unusual under the hood, but super-slim dimensions and a sleek shell make it one of the most lust-worthy netbooks we’ve laid eyes on. Keeping with the Seashell’s smooth theme, the track pad has been made totally flush with the wrist rest – only a braille-like dot pattern lets you know your fingers know they’re on it. We liked the subtlety, but missed having hard edges to the pad to run fingers along when scrolling. ... the Eee 1008HA does not include a removable battery, so when it’s dead, it’s dead. For nonstop on-the-go users who genuinely can’t afford to plop down next to an outlet for an hour every once in a while, this might be a deal killer... We did, however, manage to get a full five hours out of it with a fairly intense Wi-Fi surfing test (loading three pages a minute with the screen at a dim-but-readable 40 percent brightness). Those who find themselves smitten with its dainty good looks won’t mind paying $429 for the super-slim design, especially compared to much spendier alternatives like a MacBook Air, or Sony’s atrociously overpriced Vaio P.

Source: Liliputing	Title: Asus Eee PC 1008HA review
Author: Brad Linder	Published: June 11, 2009
Review Type: In-depth	Rating: ★★★★☆
Brad Linder published a review of the Asus Eee PC 1008HA at Liliputing. He makes these points: The Asus Eee PC 1008HA is the thinnest and lightest netbook with a 10 inch display that Asus has released to date. The first thing you’ll notice about this netbook is just how small it is. That’s also the second and third thing you’ll notice. But Asus did make some compromises with this machine. While it boasts a 5 to 6 hour battery, that battery is not removable. If it dies and needs to be replaced, you’ll have to send the whole computer back to Asus for repair. Asus also chose to cover up most of the ports on the sides of the computer with plastic covers. From a distance, this makes the netbook look like it has almost no ports at all, but the flimsy bits of plastic connecting the covers to the case feel like they’re bound to break within a year or so of regular use. ...you’re not going to want to use this netbook outdoors in a bright and sunny setting. You can crank the backlight all the way up to make the screen somewhat readable, but you’re probably going to doom yourself to looking at your own face while you type or surf the web. I was regularly able to get between 5 and 6 hours of run time with the WiFi, on, Bluetooth, off, and backlight near the medium setting. If you’re looking for thin and light, the 1008HA might be the way to go. If you’re looking for a computer that you can more easily modify or repair, you might want to hold out for the 1005HA.

Current prices and availability:

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Asus Eee PC 1008HA Overview

Tom Greer — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:56:15 +0000

Asus Eee PC 1008HA

Summary

What’s Special

The Eee PC 1008HA features Asus’ new Seashell design – the look is simply stunning
Super slim – only 1.0 inch thich but the shape makes it look even thinner
Extremely light at only 2.2 pounds
All of the external ports have covers, which really itrackmproves the looks

What’s Not So Special

While the appearance of the 1008HA is breathtaking, what is inside is rather typical for a competitive netbook
The battery is non-removable
There is no VGA out port -but there is a VGA dongle stowed in a pocket in the bottom that provides that functionality.

Recommendation

Netbooks are supposed to be thin, lightweight and visually appealing. The Asus Eee PC 1008HA is scores at the top of the chart on all of these categories.

The 1008HA makes sacrifices to achieve these traits. But if having the skinniest, lightest-weight, best-looking netbook is a priority for you, it is well worth the extra money.

On the other hand, if you are looking for really thin netbook at a better value, you might be interested in the Acer Aspire One D250. Or, if you need a better keyboard, the Samsung N310 might be your ticket. Or, if you need better battery life, then take a look at the Toshiba mini NB205.

Or, if you want the appearance of the 1008HA without sacrificing utility, then the Asus Eee PC 1005HA is what you want.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Asus Eee PC 1008HA Keyboard

Outside

Appearance and Build Quality

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA with its seashell design is breathtaking. It is so thin and light and beautiful, that when people see it for the first time, they are awed.

The quality of the fit and finish is top-notch. To really complete the look, Asus covered all of the external ports, which really improves the appearance. However, if you use the ports often, you will soon find yourself frustrated at the work required to uncover/recover the ports.

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA’s dimension are 10.3″ x 7.0″ x 1.0″ and it weighs 2.2 lbs.

As a comparison, the Acer Aspire One D250 is a just as thin (1.0″) but weighs more (2.4 to 2.8 lbs. depending on the battery). The Samsung N310 is just a smidge thicker (1.1″) but weighs a lot more (2.8 lbs.).

The 1008HA is available in four colors: Pearl Black, PearlWhite, Pearl Blue and Pearl Pink.

Display and Keyboard

The Eee PC 1008HA has an extremely glossy 10.1″ display. The glossiness makes it difficult to use outdoors and can even be a challenge in a brightly lit room.

The display’s maximum resolution is 1024 x 600 pixels, which offers an extra 24 rows of pixels over the 1024 x 576 widescreen format used in many other netbooks like the Dell Mini 10v and the HP Mini 110.

The 1008HA has a chicklet-style keyboard where the keys have flat surfaces and are positioned with the key tops levels with the case. The keyboard contains two full size shift keys which are located in the correct position. It also has a full set of function keys, two ALT and two CTRL keys. The only annoying thing about this keyboard is the half-sized up and down arrows which also serve as PageUp and PageDown when used in conjunction with the Fn key.

The touchpad is adequately-sized and has little bumps designed to provide tactile feedback that lets you know that your fingers are on the touchpad.

Asus Eee PC 1008HA Side View

Webcam, Audio and External Ports

The 1.3 megapixel web camera is significantly better than the 0.3 megapixel camera configured in some netbooks.

The Eee PC 1008HA’s speakers are located on the front bottom of the netbook. The speakers have good volume but the sound quality is typical for a netbook, with a bit of a tinny sound .

The 1008HA is configured with a typical array of external ports:

two USB ports
3-in-1 card reader
Audio in/out
Ethernet

There is no VGA port, however, in a small storage cavity on the underside of the 1008HA there is a VGA dongle that plugs into a small port on the left side of the unit.

Inside

Processor, Graphics and Storage

The Eee PC 1008HA is powered by a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 processor which just slightly faster than the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 which is standard for most of today’s netbooks. In reality, the speed difference is almost imperceivable.

It is configured with 1GB of RAM. The graphics accelerator is an Intel GMA 950. The hard drive is a 160 GB model spinning at 5400 RPM. These features are typical for a netbook.

Communications

The 802.11b/g/n wireless adapter provides faster speeds, a wider range and is more reliable connections than the 802.11b/g support provided by most other netbooks.

The 1008HA contains an internal Bluetooth adapter.

Battery

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA has a built-in five-cell battery which cannot be removed. With the life expectancies for batteries being less than the life expectancy of a netbook, many question the logic of this design.

The battery is rated at 2900 mAh and will last about six hours in real world.

Operating System

The Eee PC 1008HA is configured with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

Wrap Up

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA is an ultra-thin, ultra-light and stunningly beautiful netbook. But to build-in these features, Asus had to comprimise on in other ways.

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Asus Eee PC 1005HA Overview

Tom Greer — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 22:02:08 +0000

Asus Eee PC 1005HA

Summary

In the USA, Asus is currently shipping two different version of the Eee PC 1005HA, which they have named 1005HA-V and 1005HA-P. The table below shows the differences.

Feature	1005HA-V	1005HA-P
CPU	Intel Atom N270 (1.6GHz)	Intel Atom N280 (1.66GHz)
Battery	48Wh 6-cell	63Wh 6-cell
Bluetooth	No	Yes

In this overview, we will cover both models.

What’s Special

The Eee PC 1005HA is the second in Asus’ sleek Seashell design series. The differences between the 1005HA and the recently-introduced Eee PC 1008HA are that the 1005HA:
- has a removable battery
- has a built-in VGA out port
- has an access panel for upgrading RAM
- is thicker (1.4″ vs. 1.0″)
- is heavier (2.8 lbs. vs. 2.2 lbs.)
- does not have plastic covers over the side ports
Comfortable chicklet-style keyboard with two full-size shift keys located where they should be
Clearly, the best Eee PC model to date (don’t be fooled by the numbering convention, the 1005HA is newer than the 1008HA)

What’s Not So Special

At 1.4″ thick, it is significantly fatter than many competitive netbooks. Some comparisons: Samsung N310 (1.1″), Aspire One D250 (1.0″), Dell Mini 12 (0.92″)
The touch pad has small dots, designed to provide tactile feedback that some find uncomfortable to use
Keys on keyboard are flat and have very little space between them, which some find difficult to use

Recommendation

The most important features to netbook buyers are: (1) battery life, (2) dimensions and weight, (3) keyboard and (4) appearance. The Asus Eee PC 1005HA scores well in each of these categories but is not best-in-class in any.

If battery life is most important to you, then you will probably want to look at the Toshiba NB205. If you want a really slim, lightweight netbook, then check out the Asus Eee PC 1008HA. Best keyboard? The Samsung N310 or the Toshiba NB205.

But when you consider the entire package, the eee PC 1005HA is an excellent netbook, with no major shortcomings.

Rating: ★★★★★

Asus Eee PC 1005HA Keyboard

Outside

Appearance and Build Quality

The 1005HA inherits the seashell design that Asus introduced first with the 1008HA. It is hard to discuss the 1005HA without comparing it to the 1008HA.

From a distance, the two look remarkably alike. But, up close, the 1005HA is easily distinguished from it’s sister netbook.

First off, it is fatter (1.4″ vs. 1.0″).

In addition, one of the reasons that the 1008HA looks so sexy is that all of the external ports have little plastics covers. In contrast the 1005HA’s external are all naked. While the 1008HA’s covers are aesthetically pleasing, they are a pain in the butt when you want to use a port. We prefer our ports naked.

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA’s dimension are 10.2″ x 6.9″ x 1.4″ and it weighs 2.8 lbs. The Acer Aspire One D250 is a little taller (10.2″ x 7.2″) about the same weight (2.8 lbs. – 6-cell) but a lot thinner (1.0). The Samsung N120 is even taller and wider (10.7″ x 7.4″) but also thinner (1.2″), but the same weight (2.8 lbs.).

The 1005HA is available in four colors: Black, White, Blue and Pink.

Display and Keyboard

The Eee PC 1005HA has an extremely glossy 10.1″ display. The glossiness makes it difficult to use outdoors and can even be a challenge in a brightly lit room.

The 1005HA has a chicklet-style keyboard where the keys have flat surfaces and are positioned with the key tops levels with the case. The keyboard contains two full size shift keys which are located in the correct position. It also has a full set of function keys, two ALT and two CTRL keys. The only annoying thing about this keyboard is the half-sized up and down arrows which also serve as PageUp and PageDown when used in conjunction with the Fn key.

The touchpad is adequately-sized and has little bumps designed to provide tactile feedback that lets you know that your fingers are on the trackpad.

Asus Eee PC 1005HA Side View

Webcam, Audio and External Ports

The 1.3 megapixel web camera is significantly better than the 0.3 megapixel camera configured in some netbooks.

The Eee PC 1005HA’s speakers are located on the front bottom of the netbook. The speakers have good volume but the sound quality is typical for a netbook, with a bit of a tinny sound .

The 1005HA is configurerd with a typical array of external ports:

three USB ports
3-in-1 card reader
VGA-out
Audio in/out
Ethernet

Inside

Processor, Graphics and Storage

The Eee PC 1005HA-V model is powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor which is standard for most of today’s netbooks. The Eee PC 1005HA-P model has a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 process, which offers a boost in speed that is almost imperceivable.

It is configured with 1GB of RAM. The graphics accelerator is an Intel GMA 950. The hard drive is a 160 GB model spinning at 5400 RPM. These features are typical for a netbook.

Communications

The 802.11b/g/n wireless adapter provides faster speeds, a wider range and is more reliable connections than the 802.11b/g support provided by most other netbooks.

The 1005HA-P contains an internal Bluetooth adapter. The 1005HA-V does not.

Battery

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA offers the choice of two different six-cell batteries. The 1005HA-V model is configured with a 4800 mAh battery which provides about 8.5 hours of real-world use. The 1005HA-P model is configured with a 6300 mAh battery that should provide 10.5 hours of real-world use.

Operating System

The Eee PC 1005HA models are all configured with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

Wrap Up

The Asus Eee PC 1005HA is an excellent netbook with a full set of top-notch netbook features at a very reasonable price.

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Acer Aspire One D250 Overview

Tom Greer — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 01:42:11 +0000

Acer Aspire One D250

Summary

The Acer Aspire One D250 comes in two basic versions. The base-cost model is configured with a three-cell battery and without a Bluetooth adapter. The high-end model ships with a six-cell battery and adds Bluetooth support.

Other than those differences, the versions are identical, so we will cover bosheth here.

What’s Special

Thinner (1.0″) and lighter (2.4 – 2.8 lbs) than preclvious Aspire One models
Mouse buttons are now below the touchpad
Solid netbook at a great price – one of the best netbook values around

What’s Not So Special

The touchpad is smaller than most
Keyboard is the same as the Aspire One 9″ models, which was good in its day, but competitors’ 10″ models have roomier keyboards.

Recommendation

If you are looking for a quality netbook for under $300, this in the one you want.

Rating: ★★★★★

Acer Aspire One Keyboard

Outside

Appearance and Build Quality

The Aspire One D250 is one of the very thin and super light weight. While the Asus Eee PC 1008HA, with its seashell design looks sleeker, in reality the two netbooks have nearly identical thickness (1.0″) and weight (2.4 pounds).

Even though it loses the beauty contest to the 1008HA, the Aspire One D25o is still quite attractive. Perhaps more importantly, the D250 looks and feels a lot sturdier.

The D250 is available in five colors: Diamond Black, Pink, Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue and Seashell White.

Display and Keyboard

The 10.1-inch screen is a glossy display providing 1024 x 600 resolution. I like having the extra 24 rows of pixels compared to the 1024 x 576 that many netbooks offer today.

The keyboard on the Aspire One D250 is the same keyboard that was shipped with the original 9″ Aspire One models. In its time, this was the best netbook keyboard available. However, it is disappointing that Acer chose not to fill the extra space with a larger keyboard. As a result, other 10″ netbooks, like the Samsung N120, offer a larger, more comfortable keyboard.

The touchpad is a tad small when compared to other netbooks. In the D250, Acer finally moved the mouse buttons where they belong, under the touchpad.

Acer Aspire One Side View

Webcam, Audio and External Ports

The Aspire One D250′s 1.3 megapixel web camera is significantly better than the 0.3 megapixel camera configured in some netbooks.

The D250′s two speakers are located below the front edge. Sound quality and volume are average for a netbook.

The Aspire One D250 sports a rather typical array of external ports:

three USB ports
5-in-1 card reader
VGA-out
Audio in/out
Ethernet

Inside

Processor, Graphics and Storage

The Acer Aspire One D250 is powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor which is standard for most of today’s netbooks.

The D250 is configured with 1GB of RAM. The graphics accelerator is an Intel GMA 950. The hard drive is 160 GB spinning at 5400 RPM. These features are typical for a netbook.

Communications

The 802.11b/g wireless adapter is the baseline for most netbooks, although some of the higher-end netbooks have started to offer 801.11n support, which is faster, offers a wider range and is more reliable.

The high-end Aspire One D250 model (the one with the six-cell battery) also offers a Bluetooth adapter.

Battery

Battery life is slightly above average compared to other netbooks. The three-cell battery version provides about 3 hours of real-world life. The six-cell model offers about six hours.

Operating System

The Aspire One D250 is configured with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

Wrap Up

The D250 extends Acer’s tradition in the Aspire One product family of offering solid netbooks with competitive features for a price significantly lower than the competition. If you are looking for a quality netbook at a discount price, you won’t find a better buy.

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Product Overviews

Tom Greer — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 18:18:51 +0000

Yesterday, we published an overview of the Toshiba mini NB205 netbook that discusses all of the features in depth. In addition, the article discusses what is special about the NB205, as well as, what is not so special.

This is the first of many “Overview” articles. Our intention is to publish one for every netbook, nettop and all-in-one desktop that is actively sold in the USA.

As we complete each one, we are also inserting the content into our product information pages. You can view the Toshiba mini NB205 product page here.

The reason for explaining all of this is to get your feedback on the structure. Is there anything that’s missing? Is there a better way to present the information? Too much detail? Too little detail?

Please comment below or drop me an email. I plan to use this first one as a template. So, it would make sense to make any revisions before I start to clone it.

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New Site Design: What Is New?

Tom Greer — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:50:05 +0000

Over the weekend, we implemented a completely new design for the Netbook Scoop web site. The new design has offers a number of new features. The common link between all of these features is to provide you easier access to information about netbooks, nettops and all-in-one desktop computers.

Responses to Our Improvement Poll

Back at the beginning of June, we asked you what improvements you wanted us to incorporate into the Netbook Scoop web site. Much of our work was in direct response to your answers.

So here is a rundown of the new features.

New Look and Feel

You told us that the old design’s white text on a blue background was hard to read. So the new site design offers better color choices designed to ease readability.

We also modified our overall layout with the intent of maximizing the amount of content displayed. While our new design features a fluid layout (meaning the main section expands and contracts based on window size), we specifically worked to optimize the layout for visitors with 1024×576 displays.

You also told to “crank up the speed” – and so we have done that. Even though you can’t see the under-the-hood enhancements we’ve made, you will appreciate the “snappiness” of the new site.

New Search Bar

Netbook Scoop Search Bar

The new search bar offers the ability to search our site in three different ways.

The default search, using the Articles tab, will locate articles and permanent pages from our blog that match the search terms.

Via the Products tab, you can search our product database. The search engine will return products with matching names or descriptions. For example, searching for ‘N270 +blue’ will return a list of products that are powered by Intel Atom N270 processors which are available with a blue exterior.

The Price Range tab provides a way to obtain a list of all products available within a price range. When you click on the Price Range tab, the phrase “between 300 and 400″ is autofilled. This phrase can be modified to the price range desired. In addition, other expression are also supported like: ” < 300″, “>= 450″, etc. Just be sure not to include dollar signs.

Sample Product Family Page

Browse Products

Clicking on “Browse Products” link on the Main Menu provides access to our product database using a drill down process.

The initial page shows all of the manufacturers who currently offer netbooks in the USA. From this page, you can see the product familiies that each offers. For example, choosing the Acer logo will display the A110, A150, D150, D250 and 751h families of the Aspire One netbook.

Clicking on the “More Information” button on a product family will list all of the models in that product family.

Choosing a specific model from the list will take you to our next new feature.

Sample Product Page

Product Pages

In our poll, you asked us to “provide more information to help visitors choose best netbook for them” and “add links to reviews, videos and articles to the product pages.” The product pages were designed to meet both of these requests.

Our new product pages provide a wealth of information. From the tabs below the product you can access:

Features
This is where we tell you about the product’s most important features and we explain what makes this particular model unique.
Specs
The complete list of specifications for the product can be found here.
Reviews
Here we provide a quick summary of written reviews for the product and links to take you to the complete reviews if you want to read more.
Videos
Inside this tab we have selected the best videos that show the product.
Prices
Our price comparison charts are organized by color, making it easy to see who has your model in stock at the best price.

This area is still under construction. While the programming is complete (for now), we are still actively writing the content. So, temporarily, you may find products where the tabs are empty.

If you are in a hurry to obtain the information for a specific model for which we have not completed adding content, please tell us and we will give it our top priority.

Price Comparison Sidebar Widget with Samsung Brand Expanded

Price Comparison Chart Sidebar Widget

In the Compare Prices section of our site, we used to list all of the products in the sidebar. When we started, there were only a few models. Over time, the list became unwieldy.

In the new site, we have solved this problem by collapsing the list of models in the sidebar. The list can be expanded by clicking on a brand. Clicking on the brand a second time collapses the brand once again.

The image on the right shows the widget with the Samsung section expanded.

What’s Missing?

The number one response to our poll was “make it easy to compare specs on different models.”

We have not implemented that feature yet. But, in the new site we are building a complete list of specifications for every product.

Once we finish compiling the specs, we will introduce a feature answers your request.

Summary

We hope you like all of the new features. We want to thank all of you who responded to our poll and provided such good ideas.

We are not anywhere near complete. We have lots of new ideas for future improvements.

But we would like to hear about what you like, what you would like us to improve and your ideas for the future. So, please comment below.

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Toshiba mini NB205 gets Editors Choice

Steve Greer — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:37:47 +0000

The new Toshiba mini NB205 has received an Editors’ Choice Award at LaptopMag.

The mini NB205 will have 2 models with the first priced at $349.00 and a higher priced model at $399.00.

When you look at the specs on the netbook it looks like your standard run of the mill:

1.66-GHz Intel Atom N280 processor
1GB RAM
10.1″ display
Intel GMA 950 graphics card
802.11 b/g wireless
Bluetooth 2.1 EDR
160GB Hard Drive

In the review that LaptopMag gives they state that the laptop has one of the longest battery life to date for a netbook. The mini NB205 packs a whopping 8.5 hours of battery life.

The keyboard is very comfortable with a large touchpad. This is a nice plus since many netbooks have small touchpads.

In all to sum up what LaptopMag had to say about the netbook:

In creating its first netbook for the U.S., Toshiba has learned from the mistakes and successes of its rivals, and one-upped them all. Its mini NB205 has everything we’d recommend in a netbook: an attractive chassis, comfortable keyboard and touchpad, and more than eight hours of battery life for an affordable price. While Samsung’s N110 and ASUS’ Eee PC 1000HE continue to be good choices, Toshiba’s $399 mini NB205 provides an all-around solid package, and longer endurance than the competition.

Toshiba mini NB205-N210 160GB XP

10.1" Display (1024x600), 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 Processor, Intel GMA950, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 0.3 MP Webcam, 802.11b/g, 3-Cell Battery, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, 2.8 lbs

Black Onyx
Preferred Merchants
Merchant	Rating	Price	Shipping	Stock	Action
		$309.99	Free!	In Stock	Go!
		$324.49	Free!	In Stock	Go!
		$329.00	Free!	In Stock	Go!

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Dell Inspiron Mini 12 Review

Tom Greer — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:00:42 +0000

Dell’s Inspiron Mini 12 breaks new ground in the netbook marketplace. With atypical netbook features like a 12.1-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution, an Intel Atom Z-series processor, a larger keyboard and the speaker mounted face-up on top of the keyboard, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 stands out.

Summary

Pros:	Big 12.1″ (1280 x 800) display Ultra-thin (0.92 inches) Lightweight (~3 lbs w/6-cell) Excellent batter life (5+ hours real-life use)
Cons:	Keyboard is roomy but has shrunken right shift key and several fractional-size keys Slow, small hard drive Speaker lack volume

The Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is a pleasant break from the stream of me-too netbooks we’ve see released recently.

The Mini 12 hits the mark with its big 12″ display. The combination of this big screen in an ultra-thin, lightweight chassis makes us smile broadly in appreciation.

The change to the Z-series Atom CPU provides neither advantage or disadvantage.

The smallish, sluggish hard drive, keyboard shortcomings and quiet sound system are all minor disappointments.

Overall, there is a lot to love in the Dell Inspiron Mini 12.

Currently the Inspiron Mini 12 pricing starts below $400. At this price, the Mini 12 represents a real value compared to other similarly-priced netbooks.

7 out of 10 ★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Design, Display

Design

When I viewed the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 I was struck by how thin it was. At 0.92-inches thick, together with the larger-than-normal netbook length and width, the Mini 12 creates an image that instantly made me think of the MacBook Air.

The finish is glossy, which is visually appealing when you first take it out of the box. But after a few minutes, like every other netbook with this type of cover, it is impossible to keep free of highly visible fingerprints. Our review model is white, which is more forgiving with fingerprints than the darker colors.

Overall, the design is attractive, more business than sexy. The build quality is excellent, with all trim pieces flush and a very solid feel.

Our unit is outfitted with a six-cell battery, which elevates the back of the unit slightly, providing a comfortable angle for typing.

Display

As the name suggests, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 has as 12.1″ display which provides a 1280 x 800 resolution. The display is a real treat for those accustomed to the standard 1024 x 600 resolution on 9″ or 10″ displays found in most other netbooks.

The display is glossy – but not to the point where glare interferes under normal lighting conditions.

Colors on the display are vivid and crisp and can be easily viewed from wide angles.

Keyboard, Webcam

Keyboard

The Inspiron Mini 12′s keyboard is 92% of standard-size. The keys are larger than most netbooks. They have a nice feel and provide good tactile response when typing. Unlike the Inspiron Mini 9, there is a full set of function keys on the top row.

I was disappointed in the keyboard. With a chassis this large, Dell could had plenty of room to place a near full-size keyboard. Instead, they chose to shrink the right shift key and place the up arrow to the right. For me personally, I constantly found myself inserting text at random places because I inadvertently up-arrowed when I thought I was shifting.

In addition, Dell chose to use half-width keys for the comma, period and slash keys. As a result, I found myself fat fingering these frequently. These are commonly used in word processing and in programming. I’m hardpressed to understand why Dell chose to make these sacrifices.

In contrast, the Samsung N120 fits a larger keyboard, that does not contain partial-width keys, into a smaller 10″ case. Even the original Acer Aspire One has a more useful keyboard in a 9″ case.

Touchpad

The touchpad is spacious and provide good response. The mouse buttons are placed below the touchpad (where I like them best).

Webcam

Above the display is a 1.3 megapixel webcam. The webcam pictures were sharp without much lag when used for video conferencing.

Hardware, Performance

Hardware and Performance

The Inspiron Mini 12 comes standard with an 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor. Our unit was upgraded to the 1.6 GHz Z530 processor. In use, I could not perceive any difference in performance compared to other netbooks configured with the standard 1.6 GHz Item Atom N270 processor.

The balance of the hardware was rather typical for a netbook:

1 GB of 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500
Ports: 3 USB, VGA out, 3-in-1 card reader, audio in and out jacks and a 10/100 LAN port
802.11b/g wireless
Bluetooth 2.0

The battery in our unit is a six-cell (a three-cell battery is available) rated at 48 WHr. The battery consistently provided over five hours of real world use (internet browsing, email, word processing, code development and testing).

Our Dell Inspiron Mini 12 was configured with Ubuntu Linux. While I prefer Linux, I realize that it is not for everyone. Dell offers the same configuration configured with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition.

For those new to Linux, Dell provides a large icon, extremely simple default user interface. If you are contemplating a Linux-based netbook, be sure to see our article “Should I Buy a Linux-Based Netbook?”

I really appreciated that Dell provided a full Ubuntu distribution with a standard set of Linux apps (like Gimp). I especially liked the feature that toggle the simple user interface on and off at will.

Unlike other Linux-based netbooks, it was simple for me to add other applications. For example, one of the first things I did was to install Internet Explorer 6 running under Wine. This was *way* simpler on the Dell than it ever was with Acer’s Linpus Linux or Asus’ Xandros Linux.

Specs

Specifications

The specifications for the unit we evaluated:

We do not have a Specification Sheet attached to this product (yet).

Price of the unit as reviewed: $467.10

None of our merchants currently stock this item.

Note: The links in the above widget leads to Dell’s shopping site where you can select the specific options you prefer, including Microsoft Windows XP as your operating system.

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Dell Inspiron Mini 12 40GB 6-Cell Linux
	12.1" Display (1280x800), 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520 Processor, Intel GMA500, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.1,6-cell battery, Ubuntu Linux
	Comes in: Obsidian Black (DNDWYA5)