Netbook vs Laptop

Hello all forum members I am located in Orlando Fl, and love the valuable information that everyone is contributing it really helps. Here this is my first question and would really appreciate any feed back.

I have been using Microsoft Streets and Trips for three years and have really had no problems with it. But have had some challenges with my laptop a 15.4' laptop set up in the car with MS S&T 2007 & a GPS receiver. I have been having problems with my laptop but not the software and would like to upgrade to a new laptop or Netbook.

Please note that I am in the car using the laptop from 8am to 8pm 6 days a week. And that we have 3 cars with similar setups.

What I am afraid off is buy a Netbook with a small screen and not being happy with MS Streets & Trips running on the Netbook.

Any suggestions would be help.

If you really use your laptop that much, you might find that the keyboard is an even bigger issue for you than the size of the display.

I've looked at a couple of the netbooks and I wouldn't buy either of them if my use of the keyboard was anything more than absolutely trivial. One has sculpted keys (eg. the edges are beveled and the tops are dished a little) so it's somewhat easy for your fingers to find individual keys, but the keys themselves were quite small and crowded together. The non-character keys, like arrows and page up/down/home/end/delete and the function keys were so tiny as to be nearly useless .. hard to find and hard to press without pressing at least one or two others.

And I don't have large hands. I'm 5'6" and have hands that are about average for my size.

The other has larger keys but the way they have managed to get larger keys into the same space is to make them completely flat. Each key has absolutely no tactile definition at all. It's impossible to position your finger on a key without looking directly at it and I mean taking a really good look as you place your finger, not just a glance. If you don't position your finger correctly and hit the key straight down, there's nothing to stop your finger from sliding a bit and catching an adjacent key.

I hated both keyboards, for very different reasons, and would buy neither. If I want small, I'll do it properly and get either a dedicated nav device with the features I want for navigation. Or if I want to manage contacts and have the contacts integrated with the nav software for routing, I'll get a PDA and run Garmin's Mobile XT on it. At least that way I won't be kidding myself that I've got a keyboard that's usable.

The issue with screen size has two components. One is for nav use and the other is for computer use. In both cases it's a matter of positioning and screen resolution. Can you get as much on the screen as you want, and, if you can, can you easily place it in a position that it's readable?

Nobody can answer that except you. We don't know how you use your laptop at present. If you use large spreadsheets, a screen with lower resolution will have you scrolling a lot more. But a smaller screen with the same resolution will require that you get the screen closer to your face (or your face closer to the screen, or better glasses).

Same thing applies if you prefer to have lots of map data and detail on the screen when navigating or planning a trip.

It's not rocket science. Check your current screen resolution on your laptop and compare it to the netbook(s) you are considering. If their max resolution is the same or less and you are very happy with your current situation, you'll probably be dissatisfied with the netbook. If the resolution is less, the problem is obvious. If the resolution is the same, the smaller screen size is almost certain to be an issue.

You will likely only be happy with a netbook if the need for smaller size and less weight, say, for vehicle mounting or for packing it around, is the most important issue for you. An issue so important that it outweighs the other ergonomic considerations.

The fact that you are asking the question indicates that you are on the right track.

In the interest of full disclosure, I do not have a netbook. I have not been able to bring myself to compromise. I have a full-size laptop which I use for trip planning but do not use for navigation because I can't find a convenient and safe way to mount it in my vehicle. And I have two (different) PDAs with integrated GPS that are excellent as vehicle nav devices and still have all my contact information in them and integrated with the GPS functions. I have not been able to find any middle ground, in terms of size and weight, that interests me enough to sacrifice on the keyboard issues. And if I can't get past the issues with the keyboard, the screen issues, for me, are irrelevant.

...ken...

Ken,

Thank you for the information.

I think I will stick to the laptop.

Have a great day.

Rubin

Hi Rubin,

:welcome: to Laptop GPS World.

Every time I find myself in a store that carries these marvels of technology, I just simply cannot resist, and I just have to go (again and again) to the section where they have netbooks on display . I'm still amazed how technology has progressed over the past few years. These mini-latops are just so powerful, so small, so light, and so inexpensive -- I'm not in the market for a new laptop right now, but I have been, on more than one occasion, tempted to buy one anyway!

A friend of mine, who runs a website/forum of his own, asked me recently whether one of these inexpensive netbooks would be sufficient for him to occasionally, during the day, while on the road, to check his site, etc. I told him basically what Ken mentioned above: potential dislikes may include the screen size and resolution. Each person may feel differently about this aspect of the laptop. If one is used to a 15" or 17" laptop, or a 19" or a larger desktop, it is difficult to say if a user will be happy suddenly downsizing to a 9" or 10" netbook.

My friend, after agonizing over it for a couple of weeks, phoned me on Friday to tell me he just bought his Acer Aspire One. He was happy with it at that time. He phoned me today (Monday) again, to tell me he (still) loves his new netbook. Screen size is a non-issue for him, keyboard is fine, and according to him the mini-laptop if very fast.

Each person's experience with a netbook may differ. One may love it, one may return it to the store the very next day.

I think netbooks are the best thing that has happen to the computer technology lately .

Setting up a laptop computer for GPS navigation is easy. Install software, plug in USB GPS receiver, and you are good to go. The difficult part has usually been a proper and safe mounting of the laptop in the car or truck. With smaller/lighter laptops, this will be increasingly easier. RAM Mounts, a company that manufactures mounting solutions for electronic equipment for vehicles, is going to start selling mounts for this class of small laptops (ETA end of this month, Feb 2009).

Marvin,

Thanks for the information. You site is really helpful. I will be going with a new laptop an emachine. They are running a sale for $399.00.

Thanks for all your help.

Rubin

Hello all,

I am new to this forum myself. I came here for some information on this very subject.

I plan to purchase a netbook this week for use as a navigational GPS in my jeep. I was thinking along the lines of and Aspire One with the Microsoft Streets & Trips 2009 along with the GPS receiver.

OK, I am going to say it. I am a geocacher that wants to have the optimize routing feature so I can hit my waypoints in the most efficient manner. Yes my wife gives me the evil eye everytime I want another GPS reciever. The geocaching aspect is also the reason I want a net book. I think being able to occasionaly access the internet while I am out is going to be a plus.

As for mounting it in my jeep, I plan to have my kids operate it in the passenger seat while I am driving. I may purchase a mounting bracket for it sometime in the future.

So I think I have my mind made up. I will post my experience here when I get my setup running.

Hi pennyfarmer,

If you haven't already, you might want to check out the forums over at geocaching.com. The section on GPS Technology would be a really good place to start with this issue.

A netbook would be really great for paperless geocaching. However, there is the issue of carrying it along. That's why most geocachers use handheld nav devices like the Garmin GPSMAP60CSx or Oregon or similar devices from other manufacturers.

If you are doing mainly urban caches where you are never too far from your parking spot, this might not be an issue. However, if you like to be a bit adventurous and get out for a hike as part of the fun, a netbook might be more annoying than fun after awhile.

I'm not sure how good S&T will be for geocaching. You should probably download the free trial version and try it out before you commit.

Another reason handheld devices like the 60CSx and Oregon, etc. are so popular among geocachers is that they have navigation features designed for hikers which translate into very useful features for geocaching. I don't know if you can get any laptop software that will give you a navigation compass that will point you to your destination when you are offroad and looking for the cache. This is a pretty standard feature on handheld devices designed for hikers and campers.

Have you decided what sort of GPS receiver you will use? And how you will manage to carry both the laptop and the GPS receiver with you as you hunt for the cache? (I probably have some thoughts on this if you haven't already got a good handle on it.)

Just some random thoughts...

...ken...

I sure like the Acer One for the size, but will not get one. Whether you choose a laptop or netbook, be sure their use is legal where you'll be travelling to. I'm seriously considering the common GPS just to be on the safer side of the law in case of accident outside of my province. Once I'm out, I don't really know anymore if I'm legal or not with my laptop.

Just the fact that we are talking about it says something about how small and mobile these mini-laptops are.

Welcome to the forum, pennyfarmer. Do let us know about your experiences if/when you do give it a try.

Not to turn this into a geocaching thread, here is my experience.

I own a Garmin Map76csx that I use when I get out of the car. I also have a mio digiwalker that is my navigation unit for the car.

I think the netbook is my answer because of its size, ability to run mapping software, and access the internet at wifi hotspots. I want to have one of my daughters be the navigator and I think this will not be too cumbersome for any of them to use as the passenger. I would like to be able to optimize my route through the waypoints when I am doing urban caching. I can also load as many GPX files onto the netbook as I will ever need. I will be able to load my handheld gps on the fly and be able to load cache pages onto my palm pilot on the fly. Right now I find myself occasionaly unprepared to cache in an area because I did not load the correct files into my gps or the gps got too full. With the setup I plan to get I will be prepared without being overburdend by a full size laptop.

Hi pennyfarmer,

Yes, that sounds like the perfect use for a netbook. You will not be disappointed because your expectations are in line with what the netbook can do for you.

Depending upon your daughter's interest and attention span, you probably better bring the Mio along, too. Once the novelty wears off you might be back to using it as your navigator rather than your daughter.

Or make sure you put lots of tunes and a really good set of headphones on it to keep her amused on those straight stretches where there's nothing for the navigator to do.

...ken...

... or don't use your daughter as a laptop vehicle mount at all, and instead search for a more suitable solution (click).

I thought you were going to suggest his wife. Or one of the Budwieser girls.

...ken...

Can someone tell me how you guys using MS S&T with the Netbook. Because there is no optical drive on Netbook????????