Though I do think netbooks have a future (even if Intel don’t) however what computer do I carry around with me to meetings, events and conferences?
My MacBook Pro!
So is it just that I prefer OS X over Linux and Windows?
Well not really, I do like OS X, but do like Xandros and Windows 7.
The main reason I don’t carry a netbook, is the battery life.
Now it is getting better than it was, but the three cell batteries most of the netbooks I have only last an hour or two, which isn’t good enough for a long train journey or a conference.
This is also an issue with learners having netbooks, they arrive at college at 9 am and most will be there until 4 or 5 pm. What’s the point of carrying a netbook, if well before lunch the battery has run out? Most colleges I am aware of, don’t allow non-college devices to be plugged in, so unless you have an enlightened institution with a sensible “personal applicance” policy, they won’t be able to charge up their netbook during the day.
So was quite pleased to hear from the Computex trade show via the BBC that:
some manufacturers are convinced cheap, low power computers with days of battery life are the future…
The new Tegra system has a lot of potential
Nvidia boss Jen-Hsun Huang claimed a Tegra system could play HD video for 10 hours, compared to 3 hours for a netbook powered by Intel’s rival Atom CPU, and an astonishing 25 days of MP3 playback, compared to 5 hours for current netbooks.
The key to embedding and transforming learning through the use of mobile technologies is dependent on many factors, decent battery life is certainly in there.
These new chips could make a difference.
I’m surprised to read that you don’t use a Netbook because of the battery life. I thought the Atom processors and NAND flash drives were giving 7+ hours per charge? When the EeePC 901 came out, the reviews of the battery life where excellent. Don’t they live up to the hype?
The netbooks I have (which come with Linux) only seem to have three cell batteries. Whilst the Windows versions come with six cell batteries.
Both the Asus 901 and HP 2133/2140 that I use have very poor battery life and are nowhere near 3 hours let alone 7 hours…
I have ordered a six cell battery for the 2133/2140 and hopefully that will make a difference.
Funny – things always go in cycles. I remember my trusty Sharp pocket pc that ran on AA cells and they lasted about 3 weeks at a stretch! Ran windows CE and did everything I now ask of a netbook.