On 18 Feb 2009, at 22:05, Tim Green wrote:
2009/2/18 mbm mbm@rlogin.net:
Could you let us have your views on the HP please? I guess I'm not alone in considering purchasing a netbook now and I'd like to know why you chose the HP over one of the others (Eee, Aspire One etc). And of course, if any others on the list have views or preferences I'd appreciate hearing.
I tried the Eee 700 for a while, but could not stand the keyboard, which actively seems to reject typing fingers (my fingertips skidded on the keys making any keystrokes) as well as being Just Too Small. My best friend, a girl geek like me, is very tempted, because she has very small hands and she knows she's capable of using even a Psion Series 5 for typing. Possibly the best netbook for kids if it suits their even smaller fingers, because it's cheaper than the later netbooks so isn't too much money.
The Aspire One has a usable keyboard that is still recognisably A Netbook Keyboard but permits typing. But I fell in love with the HP 2133 as soon as I stroked its silvery keyboard, which is the best one I've ever touched on a netbook, bar none. I don't in general like this fashion for flat keyboards with no rake, but this is actually comfortably usable without any preparation period.
I'm taking a 3-hour train journey tomorrow, and the netbook will be my companion (and allow me to charge my mobile phone and portable brain just by taking cables, probably).
Incidentally, I found one blog in which there's an inconclusive discussion of the difference, if any, between UMPCs and netbooks. The difference, of course, is obviously cost. UMPCs have been out for a while, and premium prices were always charged for the slimline parts used. They were aimed very much at the business or rich market. UMPCs are things like the ultra-slimline version of the Vaio, or the MacBook Air. Netbooks are less elegant, but usefully cheaper.
Regards, Ruth