Netbooks

Printimus · May 1, 2018

Shadow Reaper said:
Who here is computing on a laptop or netbook, and specifically an Android instead of a PC?

When I have to move (hopefully soon) I will probably not be able to take my 27" iMac with me from the start, so I need to find another solution. Do the Android machines like this run Open Office? Do you have any reasons to suggest a PC based machine over Android? The machine absolutely needs to run PowerPoint or something like it, and connect with a small nano-projector.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-2-in-1-Tablet-Laptop-10-1-Screen-32GB-Intel-Atom-Quad-Core-Processor-Blue/162832957186?epid=600951799&hash=item25e999bf02:g:loYAAOSw5dlaTEx5

I would pick what you know over what you dont, aka, go with a windows netbook.

NaffNaffBobFace · May 1, 2018

I have a netbook, a Samsung NC10 so it doesn't get much older than that.

Got it in 2009, it was running Windows XP until Microsoft dropped support for XP, at which point I loaded Ubuntu Linux on to it which comes pre-loaded with Libre Office (as far as I can work out its an Open source version of Open Office) which kept me computing on it until early this year when it finally expired (well, I got tired of the screen flickering due to a design flaw with the way the screen cable connector worked so it still works really)

10 years from a first generation Netbook is not bad considering it was my Shitposting machine - The Samsung logo fell off letter by letter, I stuck some back on randomly if I could find them but it ended up reading "Anus". True story.

So I'd advise an Ubuntu machine, get whatever you like the look of Netbook-wize, and then you can dual-boot or overwite the original OS totally but to start I'd advise Dual-Booting until you know everything works as you want it. More details on Ubuntu features including the office suite here. You can even make a bootable USB so you can try it out on your machine without having to load it to your drive, just to see what it does and how you get on with it. Ubuntu is totally free and with Dual Boot you have lost nothing if you don't like it.

Whatever you choose, have fun :slight_smile: Using a Netbook is the same as using a laptop but without the optical CD/DVD drive.

Montoya · May 1, 2018

A Chromebook will be able to do almost every task you need except play games.

Radegast74 · May 1, 2018

Hey, when I needed a cheap & portable computer, I bought a used unibody MacBook...the ones from 2010-11 take up to 16GB of RAM, and I just popped an SSD into it. It even runs the latest Mac OS High Sierra. Yeah, it is a little slow in some things, but for Microsoft Office, the limiting factor is going to be how fast you type.

This is what I got:
http://www.macofalltrades.com/MacBook-13-inch-2-4GHz-C2D-Mid-2010-p/mb-13-24-m10u-e.htm

Thugari · May 1, 2018

just make sure its running android, not chrome os. chrome os is internet dependent and extremely limited.

Montoya · May 1, 2018

Shadow Reaper said:
What makes a machine a "Chromebook"?

In simplest of terms, open a chrome browser on your computer, hit the google apps icon. What you see there is all a Chromebook will have.

Sirus7264 · May 2, 2018

Most netbooks have the ability to do what you need and are less costly than a good android tablet. Now on androids defense they are alot lighter and there are some which you can plug a micro usb(or usb type C.). There is also the microsoft Surface which i heard is a very strong tablet/netbook which runs windows. Lastly there are a lot of backdoors you can use also get an old tablet and jailbreak it install some other OS onto it and you are set. Just make sure you have enough computer power to handle it and space.

Agent_Mothman · May 2, 2018

Montoya said:
A Chromebook will be able to do almost every task you need except play games.

I'm on one right now.

I love it for reading forums while watching tv.

Lorddarthvik · May 2, 2018

Shadow Reaper said:
Yeah, but either I misunderstand or I was not clear.

I'm a Mac user so Windows is not familiar. There's no advantage there.

The question is whether to pay for the more expensive Windows 10 netbook or a much cheaper Android netbook. It needs to be able to run things like Apache Open Office to replace Microsoft Office, especially including something to run Powerpoint, Word and Excel. Also, Skype, Slack, etc.

It appears there is an Apache derivative, called AndrOpen Office, but it is read only. It is 5 years old so I suspect someone has made it possible to read and write MS Word docs for example, on any Android device, but I don't know because literally everyone I know uses an iPhone.

Who is using Android on their phone or tablet and can tell me where the limits are? I need to be able to write Word format docs, edit PPT docs, and display PPT docs through a linked nano-projector, as well as hop on Slack, Skype, WebEx, WhatsApp, Linked In, Facebook, Test, etc. There's no point in buying a 10" screen machine if I have to go to my phone for all my normal stuff.

As you are a Mac user, wouldn't it be easier to get some cheap used iPad and just use a keyboard with it? I guess it has all kinds of apps that could do what you need.? I'm not sure about how you would connect a projector though. I only have an old iPad mini, not even running the latest iOS, and I only watch movies on it and read, so I don't know much about iOS stuff. Anyways, you can always use an iPad (or any tablet really) for like, whatever, but a chromebook could turn out to be totally useless to you later due to it's size and app limitations.

marctek · May 2, 2018

Montoya said:
A Chromebook will be able to do almost every task you need except play games.

I agree with the boss on this one. Chromebook is a cheap alternative that will do most of what you need. I personally use Google Docs and have used it some for doing documentation at work to share with customers that use G Suite (Google Docs for Business).

Also, a lot of schools are starting to adopt Chromebooks for their students. AISD here in Austin has a really cool 1 to 1 program where they are trying to assign a Chromebook to every student that wants one and the parents sign off on the kid having one.

I also use a Samsung Galaxy Tab A and really like it. I do some work with Google Docs on that as well. The cool thing about using Google Docs is you access them anywhere on any machine as long as you have access to the internet.

Vavrik · May 2, 2018

Shadow Reaper said:
Okay so yeah, this is what I need to know. What is a Chromebook? A quick check at EBay has HP, Samsung and ASUS all selling Chromebooks, and they all seem to be Win 10. They're about twice the cost of an Android netbook ($180 instead of $80, unless you buy refurbished--then they are the same price), and it looks like the only difference is the processor and consequent operating system.

What makes a machine a "Chromebook"? The processor and Win 10 operating system?

A "Chromebook" actually uses Chrome OS (by Google, and the Chromium OS project), and is related to Linux, not Windows 10. The OS is designed around Google Chrome, and runs web applications very well. Android is another OS, also by Google, designed almost specifically for mobile devices, even though the tablet/laptop line is becoming blurred at the high end of tablets. However, Chrome OS generally outperforms Android on the same hardware, and current speculation is that Android is probably going to be replaced by Chrome OS in the fairly near future.

My advice is, lean in Chrome OS's direction if you don't want Windows or iOS, not Android.

Frad in'Ryth · May 6, 2018

Vavrik said:
...
My advice is, lean in Chrome OS's direction if you don't want Windows or iOS, not Android.

I agree chrome books are a great and affordable solution
My wife got an Asus chrome book last year and it's really pretty awesome There's very little it can't do for her since she hasn't been a gamer for about 6 years.

BUTUZ · May 6, 2018

Montoya said:
In simplest of terms, open a chrome browser on your computer, hit the google apps icon. What you see there is all a Chromebook will have.

Not true. There are quite a few apps you can get as standard e.g. office online etc, and many chromebooks can now access the android app store. This makes them much more useful.

I would recommend a chromebook wholeheartedly if you want something cheap, productive, superfast. Mind you I would say that I just bought 200 of them for my school :p

marctek · May 6, 2018

BUTUZ said:
I would recommend a chromebook wholeheartedly if you want something cheap, productive, superfast. Mind you I would say that I just bought 200 of them for my school :p

I am amazed at the traction Google has gotten with schools in the last few years. My wife teaches and their school used to have iPads and laptops. Now they are almost completely Chromebooks. They have also moved from MS Office apps to G Suite.

Takeiteasy · May 6, 2018

You could buy a refurbed laptop or borrow from someone.

Oh oh oh I got it!! Buy a new fancy one and then return it when you're all set up in the new house :)

Radegast74 · May 7, 2018

Shadow Reaper said:
There is no such thing as a cheap used Mac. Android tablets are $80 new. Win 10 tablets are about twice that, as are Chromebooks. Used Macs are again twice that price, and since I only need it as a temporary fix (till my iMac gets moved to FL) I am hesitant to spend more than I need to. If I thought the Android solution would give me full MS Office like capability, I'd go that route, but I am not seeing that yet.

Another concern is if I can install Firefox on the Netbook, and somehow port over all my bookmarks, that would be great. That would be worth some extra pesos. Do Androids run Firefox? Chromes? Win 10 I expect would. . .

Ok, so you are just looking for the *cheapest* solution to run an "Office-like" program/suite and show presentations, while you are waiting for your move to complete. Now I get it. You were saying "netbook" that really isn't a thing anymore.

I think anything like an Android tablet that could connect to Google Doc's online would give you what you want (powerful Office like software). Do you use Google Doc's at all, right now?

As far as running presentations, does anybody with an Android tablet do that, or know if it can be done?

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