Laptops | Castellini on Computers - Computer help for beginners

Posts Tagged: laptops

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 5 Comments
25
Apr 09

2 laptop suggestions for college students

photo credit: jarnott

Millions of high schoolers will be graduating soon and will be leaving for their respective campuses (campii?) at the end of the summer. These students will more than likely go to college with a computer…probably a laptop. I would like to suggest two possible laptops ideas for these students.

Both of my ideas involve good systems that will allow college kids to word process, chat, email, listen to music, watch DVD’s, browse the web wirelessly(for school research of course), create presentations, spreadsheets, download and edit photos and much more. Neither involve Windows and thus don’t require a degree in computer security and maintenance. One of the computers costs between $1200-1800 and the other costs less than $700.

My recommendations stem from first hand accounts from parents whose college kids call home frequently with tales of woe about a slow, non-functioning new computer. Students need to have their computers operational, and running around to the campus IT people or dropping the computer at a fix-it shop for expensive repairs. These two recommendations will keep calls home for repair money, tales of woe, and computer down time to a bare minimum. Continue reading →

Netbooks – What are they really designed to do and for whom?

Today, I demo’d the original EeePC from Asus and the new Dell Mini 9. These Netbooks and all the others on the market from nearly a dozen companies have the following characteristics in common:

9″ or less screen size (there are some 10″ screens, but I start to put those in the category of ultra portable notebooks instead of netbooks)
All cost less than $400 and some less than $300
Weigh less than 3.5 pounds (anything over that weight goes into that ultra-portable category). Many of the netbooks weigh closer to 2.5 pounds.
All have small keyboards – between 70 and 80% of normal size keys
All have wireless capability to connect to wi-fi hot spots
All have a minimum of 3 USB ports and 1 SD card slot

Depending on the netbook, you might find these differences:

Some are pre-installed with Windows XP
Some are pre-installed with a version of Linux customized for the small platform and screen
Most come with 4-20 GB flash memory for the hard drive, thus requiring less weight, power, and space.
Others come installed with an 80-160 GB hard drive.
Many of the netbooks, but not all, come with a decent webcam built into the lid.

What functions and uses are best performed on a netbook?

Traveling. There is no better current option for portable computing as a traveler than a netbook.
Email. Some people feel that smartphones like a Blackberry or iPhone are sufficient for traveling and they work quite well, but for responding to lots of email and comfortably composing and reading those email, a netbook makes a lot of sense.
Skype video phone calls. You can’t make video phone calls in a hotel, campground, or coffee shop with a smartphone.
Word Processing and spreadsheets. You won’t write a novel or build a complicated multi-sheet spreadsheet on a netbook, but you certainly can edit and view them on one.
Digital photography while traveling. Install Picasa on one of these little gems, and you can use it to download, view, and email your photos easily while traveling.
Maps. The screen is small, but much bigger than a cell phone and makes looking up destinations and info about them convenient.
Games. Sure, you can get your solitaire fix or play a number of online games on them.
Music. Using an Internet music site like Pandora.com works well on these devices…providing you have an Internet connection.

What is a netbook is NOT designed to do?

Replace a desktop computer. They are too small for long periods of use…your hands and eyes will cramp up before it does.
Replace a laptop for those who need to travel with full office capabilities and proprietary programs installed to perform work and travel with large amounts of data.

Who can make the best use of a netbook?

Because of their flexibility and portability, I think anyone with an interest of staying connected while traveling would be happy to have one of these netbooks.
Anyone who wants to stay connected but doesn’t want to carry 7-10 pounds of computer and has no need for that kind of expense, upkeep, and bulk associated with a laptop.
Someone who recognizes that these units do have small screens and keyboards and respects that trade off for its portability.
Children. Since netbooks are pretty durable (especially the Linux ones), inexpensive, and yet powerful, students who could use their own computer to compose short documents, learn to use email and the Internet, and play with their digital cameras make good candidates for a netbook.

Where can you get a netbook?

Any number of retailers now carry them or you can click on these netbooks listed here for the ones I recommend.

Acer Aspire One – $325

HP Mini Note- $299

Asus EeePC 900 – $320

Asus EeePC 1000HD – $360

Dell Inspiron Mini 9 – $375

Hardware Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 18 Comments
14
Nov 08

Netbooks are NOT made for Windows XP or Vista

EeePC One year ago, ASUS started a fire storm of new computers that now go by the name of netbooks with the release of their EeePC. I wrote about this subject just a few months ago, but with the holidays approaching and netbooks are high on gift giver’s radar screens so I want to explore netbooks a little more in depth.

Netbooks make attractive gift giving ideas for a few reasons:

They are inexpensive; usually cost less than $400.
They are extremely portable (2-3 pounds).
They are cute.

Here are some facts you need to know about netbooks:

Netbooks run on an Intel Atom processor that has roughly half the power of a typical laptop Intel or AMD processor.
Netbooks utilize a very basic graphics system.
Maximum RAM is 1 GB (very few exceptions)
Hard drives are usually solid state flash memory ranging from 4-16GB. More expensive models have small hard drives with up 160 GB of space)
Screens are no larger than 10″
Keyboards are 80-90% of a typical laptop keyboard.
They do not have CD or DVD ROMs.
Prices range from $300-700
Most have built-in web cams
All have wi-fi capability and Ethernet as well
Some models run a Linux operating system, some Windows XP, and a few attempt to run Vista.

Netbooks are in no way meant to replace a desktop computer or even a laptop. Instead, netbooks are designed to be used as a second or third computer for traveling, Internet or email access in another room of your home, light word processing or document creating/editing, making Internet phone and video calls, instant messaging, and even listening to music.

Because netbooks run on tiny batteries and less powerful processors, trying to run a large operating system like Windows XP and especially Vista is completely impractical. Windows XP with all its updates and service packs and security software requires a strong processor and a minimum of 512mb of RAM or 1 GB of RAM on a slightly older processor. Also, Windows XP, and especially Vista) require above average graphics processing to function with any oomph. Vista barely crawls on dual core processor with 1 GB of RAM and is completely useless on a netbook.

Linux, on the other hand, can be completely customized for a less powerful computer like a netbook and doesn’t need to be burdened by excessive updates and security software. This makes Linux a perfect fit for the netbook Plus, Linux laptops come pre-installed with complete office compatibility, games, multimedia software and more…all things you need to spend extra for with a Windows install plus you need to have an external CDROM to install all of these things on a netbook since it has no CDROM.

If you are in the market for a netbook for yourself or to give as gift this Christmas, by all means go for it. I love my little Asus EeePC and think they make the best travel companions and work great for getting a small amount of work or email done while watching TV or sitting outside. But know up front their purpose and don’t expect more from them. Here are my recommendations when shopping for a netbook:

Do NOT spend more than $400.
Get one with a Linux operating system, NOT WINDOWS.
Make sure it has a built-in web cam. You will like having the ability to make video calls while on the road.
Purchase a 4-16GB extra SD Card for storage, but realize that it isn’t meant to be storage machine.

If all this still makes your head swim a little, here are my top 5 netbook suggestions (in no particular order):

Again, keep in mind that netbooks are not meant to be a replacement for a desktop or a full-time laptop, but an adjunct to them for traveling and quick access to a computer. If you already own a netbook, leave a comment below sharing how you use yours and what your experience has been with it.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 5 Comments
6
Oct 08

Lazy computer users

Messy Computer Over the past few days, the tech news sites and blogs have carried a story centered on a quote from a NetBook (tiny laptop) manufacturer stating that the company receives 4X the returns of Linux based systems versus Windows systems. The more often I saw this headline and read the articles, the more irritated I became.

Computers are still in their infancy compared to much of the technology we use today. Americans have had indoor plumbing for 75 years, electricity for almost 100 years, telephones for almost 100 years, televisions for 50+ years, and radios for 70 years. Computers, however, have been around just over 15 years en masse, and even today they only exist in about 70% of American households.

My point is that computer technology has not matured enough to rely on one company or one way of doing things. Yet, that’s exactly what our society of lemmings has done. If it doesn’t say Microsoft on it, it is deemed to be unworthy of use. Microsoft had their chance, in my opinion, but they dropped the ball by losing to the degenerates among us who create malware that cripple a too often unprotected Windows based computer. For years, I have stood on my soapbox and defended Microsoft, and insisted that computer users take the time to learn how to properly secure and use their computers. The reality, however, is they don’t. Too many computer users are too lazy to learn or apply what they learned until something happens to their computer, then they scratch their heads and wonder why it happened to them.

Enter Linux based computers. Linux turned 17 this year and many different distributions (operating systems based on Linux) developed over that same period. Ubuntu being the most successful of these distributions. When NetBooks were introduced to the market just one year ago, some form of Linux was the preferred operating system because they were free, require little maintenance, require less computer power than Windows, and were safer for Internet use. Now this quote from a MSI executive states that the laptops with Linux are returned 4X more frequently than the same computers with Windows.

Is it because they break down? No. Is it because they are more expensive? No. What is the reason? It appears that the users who return them find that either they are unable to make the adjustment from Windows.

I did not go to college with a laptop, and didn’t own a computer until I was 24 in 1990. I learned from the ground up and am the first to admit that I have a slight aptitude for these things, but I learn something new about them every single day. I’ve also learned that if a computer user isn’t flexible, willing to learn new techniques, willing to research solutions, willing to go through trial and error periods, and willing to trust that sometimes change is good, that computer user will remain a lazy computer user and be destined to a life with a buggy, expensive, and frustrating computer(s).

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 1 Comment
4
Sep 08

New Dell Mini laptops

Dell has joined Everex, Acer, HP, Sony, and the ground breaking Asus Eee PC in the arena of the netbook. Netbooks are small laptops with a screen of 9″ or smaller and a weight of less than 2.5 pounds. They all run on either a form of Linux or Windows XP. The Dell Inspiron Mini (click the picture above to buy or read more about them) is Dell’s entry into this increasingly crowded and popular market. Remember that these netbooks are not for everyone, but they fill a niche for frequent travelers, train or bus commuters, and computer users who want an inexpensive yet capable second computer.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — No Comments
8
Aug 08

Asus started a whole new trend

I just returned from visiting my brother and his new baby and traveled, again, with only my phone and my Asus Eee PC. As usual, the little laptop did not disappoint. I was able to keep up with email, work with my spreadsheets and word processing documents and do other web research as well. All from a little marvel that cost less than $400 and weighs less than 2 pounds.

Asus was the first to release a successful mini-laptop last fall (the Eee PC), but since then an entire new genre of laptops has been born now known as netbook. Netbooks have lower power processors, smaller screens, wi-fi capability, and small hard drives, but offer almost all the functionality many computer users require…especially while traveling. Asus has released a couple more models since then, and HP, Acer, Dell and others. Type the single word netbook into Google or Wikipedia and see for yourself what this new genre of laptops has to offer. These are low cost, high function, portable machines that offer much to any computer user looking for a light weight travel computer. I suggest staying with the versions that install Linux as the operating system, but these laptops also provide one of the last methods of obtaining a Windows XP computer.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 3 Comments
17
Mar 08

WiFi is truly becoming ubiquitous

I’ve mentioned before that I think that laptops make a lot of sense for computer users who travel. With a great deal of our communication and information gathering tied up in the computer world, not having this tool when traveling is a definite minus. My family and I just returned from a short trip where having our laptop with us saved us a lot of time and aggravation.

While traveling, we used the computer and a wi-fi connection (which was easy to find) to :

Email relatives
Access maps
Compare shopping centers we were thinking of visiting
Keep an eye on the weather
Check road reports
Find our favorite eateries
Find independent coffee shops (we like them better than Starbucks)
Download and look at pictures we took
Stay current with news without having to wait for a newspaper or the evening news

I’m curious what other travelers use their laptops for on the road. Leave a comment and tell me your traveling laptop story or tip!

Riding Shotgun with Adam — 6 Comments
22
Feb 08

Help! My laptop has been stolen – No they didn’t catch the bad guys

Before I get a bunch of comments about the news story on the bad guys who were caught, it doesn’t appear to be the same bad guys at the moment. My stuff was not in the initial find and the dates don’t match up.

Maybe the bad guys know each other, but until the police contact me with a find, I am assuming that my laptops are still out there.

Yes, both my laptops were stolen out of my car last night. One was an Averatec with tons of stickers plastered on the top cover, the other was my Asus Eee PC. There was a lot of other stuff in the bag, but nothing that I can’t replace.

I just thought I would put out an APB just in case someone in the Grand Junction area has a relative that might be rummaging through cars in North Grand Junction looking for cash to pay for their healthcare needs.

P.S. If you are the bad guy and you are reading this, post a comment and let us know how you like Ubuntu and the Eee PC.

UPDATE: No, my car was not locked last night. Typically I lock it, but for some reason (probably that I got home late last night after the show) I didn’t lock it last night. I also usually bring my laptop in and charge my Eee PC at night. But, again, not last night.

As it turns out, my business insurance that I have to cover any electronics excludes laptops. Now I know.

It looks like I will be doing my digital photo classes on a 4-year-old laptop with 512MB of RAM for another few months until I pay off the one that got stolen.

I wish thank everyone who has sent flowers and sympathy cards. Your thoughts are much appreciated.

Riding Shotgun with Rick — 1 Comment
26
Nov 07

No great holiday computer sales

I was pretty disappointed with the lack of good computer sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Prices for computer have been pretty low since mid-summer, but I was hoping to see some 2GB RAM laptops under $450 and desktops with 2GB of RAM for less than that. Maybe we will see some lower prices before Christmas Eve.

Adam didn’t post any outstanding deals on digital cameras either, so I’m assuming that the camera market was equally as flat as PC’s.

Large, widescreen monitors did surprise me with some low prices, however. One 22″ widescreen LCD monitor was advertised for $149, and I also saw a 19″ for around $100. On the other hand, Palm is still selling their nearly four year old Palm E2 for a ridiculous $199. How they can justify this price when they just announced the Palm Centro (a Palm AND phone with 10X the functionality and power than the E2) for $99 is beyond me.

Overall, it looks like a dismal tech shopping season to me.

Did you find any great tech deals over the weekend that I didn’t see? Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Riding Shotgun with Adam — No Comments
22
Nov 07

Sleepy Tryptophan effect is a Thanksgiving myth!

Most people will not read this post in time to help this Thanksgiving, but hopefully it will come in handy for next Thanksgiving and future poultry dinners to come.

The tryptophan effect is a myth.

That’s right. Every Thanksgiving after the big meal I hear family members complain that the tryptophan is kicking in as they feel a sudden sleepiness.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is in turkey and does cause sleepiness. However, there is not enough tryptophan in turkey to cause sleepiness – and even if there was – the tryptophan would only kick in on an empty stomach with no protien present. Not likely at Thanksgiving dinner.

How do I know all this? I read it on Snopes.com.

Perhaps a fun activity for the next be family dinner would be to gather around the computer or pull out the laptops and play Snopes.com bingo.

How to play:

1. Place each of the interesting "facts," that came up during dinner conversation onto a bingo grid.

2. Look up these points on Snopes and cross out any that are false.

3. First person to make bingo wins the wishbone.