Considering new computers

I received the following questions in an email this morning:

I need to buy two new computers – a desktop and a portable.  I’m considering a netbook for the portable.

Do you recommend waiting until new computers ship with Windows 7?  Does it make sense to buy a netbook with Windows XP?  The Asus machines with XP claim up to 10 hours battery life which is certainly appealing.  What are your thoughts on the new Mac OS?

Here is my response:

• Do you recommend waiting until new computers ship with Windows 7?

Yes. October 22 is close. Waiting is advised.

• Does it make sense to buy a netbook with Windows XP?

No. October 22 is close. Waiting is advised.

• I’m considering a netbook for the portable…

Good choice. They are lightweight, conveniently small but relatively full-featured. Please note that they do not have optical drives (DVD/CD). This is not a problem for me but can be a handicap for others.

One key feature to check out is the processor.  I recommend getting one using an Intel Atom CPU N280 (or better) running at 1.66GHz. Many netbooks use the N270 (1.6GHz) or the Z520 (1.33GHz) to save money. These are slower chips that degrade the computing experience at the savings of a few dollars.

Note that netbook screens are typically 1024×600 resolution, which is a bit short on the vertical. I recommend running these with the Taskbar set to Auto-hide when not needed, to compensate.

I have three ASUS Eee PC 1000HE netbooks sitting next to me here in the office. Two are running Windows 7, the other is running the version of XP Home it came with. One is mine, the others are a client’s. Real battery life is between 6-8 hours of use, depending upon what you are doing. Watching video will run them down faster. Surfing the web or typing a Word document will not.

I tested the newest one two days ago by playing streaming audio until the battery quit. I got about 6.5 hours of constant audio. The battery hasn’t been fully conditioned yet so I expect slightly better times in actual use. If you close the netbook when not actually in use, thereby putting them into standby, they will last a whole day and then some since standby uses very little juice.

Most netbooks can be upgraded from the 1GB of RAM to 2GB. I recommend doing this.
Before committing I suggest you go to a local retailer—Best Buy, Staples, Walmart, etc.—and try typing on the netbook keyboards. Netbook keyboards are not full-sized and some people have issues with the smaller keys.

• What are your thoughts on the new Mac OS?

I suggest you read my blog post from last Thursday, Snow Leopard, snow job or honest upgrade, for an extended answer but…

I wrote to a Mac-oriented colleague yesterday, "IMO, Windows 7 leapfrogs Leopard/Snow Leopard in easy-of-use and usability. I think that Apple is now playing catch-up in the desktop/laptop OS world."

He wrote back, "…on this missive I can’t disagree with a single thing you’ve written. Which, of course, leaves me sorely disappointed!."

If you go Mac you will have a transitional period, a week or two, until you familiarize yourself with the differences. You will also need to invest in new software since Macs do not natively run PC applications.