Netbook User Perspective: A View From the Clouds

I would consider myself to be a very typical laptop computer user. For business trips I would pack up my 15-inch latop, battery charger, and head for the airport.

However, I recently began researching the new ultra-portable "Netbook" computers, and immediately saw the potential advantages (and disadvantages) of the format. As a very "hands-on" person, I knew that the best way for me to fully evaluate how the netbooks would fit with my requirements was from a first-hand perspective. So after some additional research, I purchased a Samsung NC-10 Netbook, an external USB DVD drive, loaded my most-used applications on the netbook hard drive, and headed to the airport for a 9 hour roundtrip flight.

I selected the Samsung netbook based on how well the hardware specs seem to fit with my expected usage requirements. In order to be able to use my current Microsoft-based applications, I knew that I needed a Windows 98 operating software (not Linux-based Ubuntu) and a standard high capacity hard drive (not a smaller solid-state drive) . Since I don't pay for any mobile broadband services, depend upon free wireless network access or internet connectivity, and wanted to utilize the computer during flight time, the cloud-based computer applications would not be able to fit with all my requirements.

Now that I've returned from my trip, I can tell you without any hesitation that I am a BIG fan of the netbook. In more detail:

- The Samsung netbook provided the same applications useability (I used MS Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and Filemaker Pro) as my 15-inch laptop.

- Traveling was much easier in all respects. The light weight of the netbook made it a pleasure to carry. The small size fit easily into my "overnighter" suitcase and took only half of the available tray-top space in my Coach class seat.

- Battery life was amazing. I used the computer for four hours straight enroute and the battery indicator indicated there were two hours of use reamaing. After an overnight recharge, I used the netbook for over four hours on the return flight and found the same results.

For me, the Samsung NC-10 was a perfect replacement to my 15-inch laptop, and had definite travel and useability advatages. I must caution that it is absolutely necessary for anyone looking at purchasing a netbook to do your research to make sure you select the product that will fit with your typical mobile usage requirements. You will not obtain the same useability from a netbook equipped with a solid-state or flash drive, if you want to use the computer in-flight where you don't have internet access you will not want to have all of your applications based on the cloud-computing format, and if you have always lived in a Microsoft world, you will likely be dissapointed with the learning curve involved in transistioning to a Linux-based system.

For me, I'm sold on the netbook format, and my Samsung netbook will likely be accumulating many frequent flier miles in the future.