What Exactly Is A Netbook?
A netbook, very simply, is an extremely portable notebook. On average netbooks weigh 3 pounds, have screens in the ballpark of 10 inches, and cost between $300 and $500 dollars. The netbook hit the scene in 2007 with the arrival of the Asus Eee PC. Seen as somewhat of a strictly B2C fad three years ago, the netbook is now gaining credibility as well as experiencing an increase in popularity among business professionals as it unarguably does mitigate low levels of productivity caused by constant mobility.
Do You Need One?
You might want to consider purchasing a netbook if:
1. You or your employees are constantly mobile and need to work or stay connected to work while on the road
2. If you are looking for a smaller, lighter, cheaper alternative to the traditional notebook
Where to Look
Virtually all vendors that sell notebooks offer at least one netbook model as well. However, most vendors only produce consumer-centric models with fixed configurations. So if you are looking for a business-centric netbook with the option of custom-configuration, I suggest starting with Dell and HP that do provide you with such options such as the new HP Mini 5102 -, HP’s first touch-enabled netbook – and Dell’s Inspiron Mini 10 Netbook.
What to Consider
Now that you know where to look, what should you be looking for? According to Joseph Moran -writer for SmallBusinessComputing.com -there are 5 aspects one should mull over while formulating a decision.
1) Processors and Computer Memory
While shopping around for a netbook keep in mind that portability and performance are a positive correlation in this scenario: as size decreases so does storage and speed. Don’t worry: netbooks are still powerful enough to handle basic computing such as surfing the Internet and accessing your email, but you want to keep this correlation in the back of your mind if you are more interested in a model that has faster processes and more memory.
Most Netbooks use one of Intel’s entry-level Atom processors, which as a low-power CPU it is meant to minimize battery drain. Intel’s latest version is the Atom N450 which improves not only battery life but performance as well by combining the CPU, memory controller, and graphics accelerator into a single chip. If you can wait, the Atom N470 will be available shortly and at 1.6 to 1.83 GHz will run a bit faster.
If price is more important to you than speed, then you might want to consider purchasing a netbook with an older Atom processor, as long as you don’t mind demonstrating a little patience or the dated hardware. Just be certain that you are getting a great discount for these models as they will likely be discontinued in the future.
Netbooks come standard with 1GB of RAM which will allow you to run one or two programs at a time. You might want a memory upgrade if you plan on using more than two programs at once often. Just be certain that the model you purchase can handle the upgrade; most Netbooks can handle up to 2 GB of RAM, but if you are looking for 3 or 4 GB you need to make certain the model can accommodate you. Also be aware of the fact that most Netbooks only offer you one memory socket meaning you are going to have to purchase the larger memory module to upgrade.
2) Display
For obvious reason, the screen-size of a Netbook is relatively minute. On average, the display is 10.1 inches with a resolution of 1,024 by 600: think the full width of a standard webpage but not height. If larger screen size is important to you, consider a Netbook model that offers an 11.6 or 12.1 inch screen with a resolution of 1,366 by 768. Just be aware that you are not only investing in larger desktop size but also a larger and heavier Netbook and you will be sacrificing some battery life.
If you are only concerned with sharper resolution and not a larger screen, some models will squeeze the 1,366 by 768 resolution into the 10.1 inch screen for you; just be sure your eyesight is up for the challenge. If HD tasks are very important to you, there are models that offer beefier graphics via a dedicated graphics chip.
3) Wireless Connectivity
Wi-Fi is available to you on all netbooks. However, according to Joseph Moran, “though you’re much more likely to find support for 802.11g/b rather than the newer 802.11n. This isn’t a big problem unless you want to use your Netbook on a home N network without having to run the network in mixed mode in order to accommodate the older standard.”
You can also shop around for a netbook model that boasts a built-in 3G mobile broadband modem which is often known as a Wireless WAN (WWAN). Just be sure that you know which carrier network plan you are going to be using in advance, because all carriers utilize different 3G technologies all of which will require different modem chips. Most netbook models give you the option of choosing between Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T (but also note that T-Mobile now offers a 3G modem as well). You can purchase a 3G equipped netbook from a carrier at a discounted price (as they want your business) but be aware that these will be older models and no matter where you purchase a 3G equipped model, be prepared to pay between $50 and $60 a month for your data plan that will be under a 2 year commitment to that carrier and will be capped off at 5GB per month under contract.
Bluetooth is another option you can search around for; not all netbooks offer it, but some do if you are looking for that feature. Bluetooth will allow you to sync your data or transfer your data from your Smartphone to your netbook and it also provides you with a wireless headset and external mouse.
4) Storage, Software, and Battery Life
Your storage options typically range from 160 to 320 GB of memory. This should be more than adequate for anyone, especially if your netbook is but a supplementary device.
If you want to install software on your netbook, you must be aware that they do not come with optical drives. You must therefore download your software through the cloud, use a USB data stick, or connect a USB-based DVD drive.
With regards to batteries, older budget netbooks commonly come with 3- or 4-cell batteries. But if running all day (6-8 hours) on a single charge is what you are after, you must go for a newer model netbook with a 6-cell battery.
5) Operating System
Windows dominates the world of operating systems for Netbooks, especially Windows XP. However, nowadays, with Windows 7 on the market, the operating system included with most new netbooks is Windows 7 Starter edition. Note: you will be paying a little bit more, roughly $20 or $30, for the newer operating system.
Also be aware that Windows 7 Starter has its shortcomings. For one thing, it does not support the visual effects that enable certain features found in Windows 7 Professional, and one cannot customize desktop background, window colors, or sounds. Both Windows 7 Starter and Windows XP Home Edition -the OS netbooks typically come with – cannot join a domain-based business network.
Some vendors, including those that offer custom netbook configurations, may give customers a broader choice of operating systems, often including XP Professional, Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional, and certain flavors of Linux.
You can also upgrade a netbook from Windows 7 Starter to a more capable version via Microsoft’s Windows Anytime Upgrade, but it’s neither cheap nor simple. For example, the cost to go from Starter to Home Premium is $80, and it costs $170 to get to Professional (with the latter requiring separate upgrades from Starter to Home Premium and then Home Premium to Professional).
Conclusion
Netbooks can be a useful business tool, increasing the productivity of your employees and keeping them connected to the office while on the road. Just be sure that you take your time and utilize the above checklist when making your final decision.
References
1. www.netbooks.com
2. “A Small Business Guide to Buying a Netbook;” Joseph Moran; SmallBusinessComputing.com; www.smallbusinesscomputing.com
3. HP; www.hp.com
4. Dell; www.dell.com
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