People looking to buy a netbook should examine five simple aspects before deciding whether to purchase one of the mini laptops.
Siddharth Bhatia, writing for Tech2, said that these "little products of evolution" are convenient, cute and priced decently, but with so many out there, consumers should make sure they do their research.
Battery life is the most important point, according to the expert, with some models carrying a three cell and others a six cell to give greater performance.
Keyboard ergonomics is another area to look at, with keen typists wanting a machine which closely resembles a full-size laptop.
"Netbooks will be worked on in front of clients, at the workplace or the coffee shop. It has to look good, and of course please try and get a matte finish, internally and externally," he added.
CPU performance and connectors are also other areas to take into account before splashing out on a netbook.
PCMag.com also said that if people are not thinking about buying a netbook, "they should be", as they are powerful, portable and inexpensive.
Archive for March, 2010
Battery life ‘one thing to consider when buying a netbook’
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010BlackBerry users ‘could switch to iPhones’
Wednesday, March 31st, 2010
Owners of a BlackBerry are suffering from ‘touchscreen envy’ which could see them switch to the Apple iPhone when their contract expires, according to new research.
A survey conducted by online market firm Crowd Science showed that BlackBerry users are more likely to abandon the brand, rather than iPhone or Google Android users.
Furthermore, with the ongoing Apple-Google war reaching fever pitch, 92 per cent of iPhone users said that they would stay loyal to the brand, with 13 per cent of Android users stating that they would switch to the iPhone.
John Martin, Crowd Science chief executive, said: “These results show that the restlessness of BlackBerry users with their current brand hasn’t just been driven by the allure of iPhone. Rather, BlackBerry as a brand just isn’t garnering the loyalty seen with other mobile operating systems.”
A report by SmartCompany recently said that in the next iPhone, it wanted to see multi-tasking and a front-facing camera for video calling.
Netbook preferable to iPad in new survey
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
A new survey has shown that the majority of consumers would choose a netbook over Apple’s new iPad.
Research from NPD found that 51 per cent of people aged between 18 and 34 would opt for a mini-laptop, while 44 per cent of Apple product owners said that they would prefer a more functional computer rather than the iPad.
Around 57 per cent of people said that the high cost of the iPad would put them off buying one, a factor which has helped the budget netbooks to sell so well.
In another boost to netbook manufacturers, 66 per cent of consumers said that they were ‘not very likely’ or ‘not likely at all’ to buy an iPad when the product launches within the next few months.
A report by CNET said that netbooks have a number of advantages over the iPad, such as being able to run flash and video chat applications.
Son spends £500 on dad’s iPhone eBay account
Tuesday, March 30th, 2010
A father came back from a quick visit to the toilet to find that his son had spent £500 on his eBay account.
The Sun reported that James Hilton had been using his iPhone to look at signed books and other items and left the device on the sofa as he popped to the loo.
In his absence, four-year-old Benji picked it up and unbeknown to him bid £500 for a rare bookplate signed by Harry Potter author JK Rowling.
“I asked him what he had done and he said, ‘pressed some buttons, Daddy’. I could have died – it meant I was committed to paying £500 for something I didn’t want. And Benji doesn’t even like Harry Potter!,” said Mr Hilton.
However, Mr Hilton has now emailed the seller in the hope that he agrees to cancel the deal between the pair, with son Benji promising never to use his father’s phone again.
Earlier this year, Dan Woolley used his iPhone to help him survive the Haiti earthquake, with a medical application coming to his rescue when he was trapped under rubble.
Apple iPad ‘will not hurt sales of netbooks’
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
The upcoming release of Apple’s iPad will not harm sales of portable netbook devices, according to an industry expert.
David Coursey, writing for PCWorld.com, said that Apple’s recent claims that people will want to put down their netbooks when the iPad is released will be unfounded.
"Personally, I find this whole iPad versus netbook comparison more than a little specious. A netbook is a real computer, if an underpowered one, that benefits from having a keyboard and the same operating system as most users’ desktops," he added.
Mr Coursey also said that while most netbooks lack touchscreens, they will be able to show a motion picture in 16:9 format, something that the Apple device will not be able to do.
Another advantage that the netbook has over the iPad, according to the expert, is that the graphical capabilities of the machines are improving.
Overall, netbooks are becoming more attractive as they evolve, not less, he added.
Other advantages that the small laptops will have over the iPad include the ability to run Flash videos, meaning that websites will appear enhanced compared with the Apple machine.
‘Wonderful world of the App Store’ welcomes people to the iPhone
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
People who have recently bought an iPhone or iPod Touch will find that their welcome to the Apple "cult" is best served in the App Store.
Levi Buchanan, writing for IGN, said that the manufacturer’s tagline of there being an app for everything is not hyperbole.
"There are over 150,000 thingees and digital doodads to download for your iDevice, such as games, recipe collections, music software, and photo toys. With all of those apps, finding the essentials for your new device is truly overwhelming," he added.
Listing seven of the best applications to get new iPhone owners going, the expert recommended Pandora Radio, which is an internet audio source, making it easy for users to set up personalised stations.
Squareball also received a mention as it was the website’s best iPhone game of 2009. Describing it as a fresh action-puzzle game, the title also has a retro charm to it which will keep gamers coming back for more.
The iPhone also has a number of other applications on the horizon, with Tekken and Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge due out soon.
Netbook gaming ’something to keep an eye on’
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
People looking at buying a netbook have been told that the machines might soon be very good for playing games on.
The recent Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco has seen experts and firms from across the industry gather to discuss networking ideas and awards, while lectures and tutorials have also been given on things such as design, programming and audio.
However, one of the major talking points of the conference was about bringing gaming to netbooks, with developers now looking at the small laptop as another class of PC, rather than a basic internet or word processing machine.
"Netbooks are becoming the quickest entry point into the notebook martketspace due to their price point, battery life and portability. At the GDC, many major players in the gaming development industry are supporting this new platform," said a report on Notebooks.com.
This could mean in the future that as well as surfing the net, receiving emails and typing up word documents, gaming fans might be able to have a quick spell on Football Manager in their local internet café or shoot down the enemy in Call of Duty on the way home from work.
Skating fans to be treated to PlayStation original
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
The power of the iPhone will once again be demonstrated when a new skating game hits the App Store.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 has been confirmed for the Apple handheld gadget, after first making its debut on the original PlayStation console.
Published by Activision Blizzard, gamers will get to control the skater with a virtual on-screen directional pad, while four buttons; grind, kick, jump and grab, will allow users to pull off some daring moves.
The title could also make use of the clever accelerometer inside the iPhone by letting gamers tilt the machine to add extra flamboyance to their tricks.
While Activision has yet to announce a complete features list, PocketGamer.co.uk said that it was hoping that the iPhone version would be a complete port of its PlayStation cousin, which was one of the console’s favourite games.
Fans of skating and adventure sport games can also get their hands on titles such as Touchgrind, Crazy Snowboard and Tony Hawk: Trick Tips from the App Store.
PS3 shades shares of FFXIII sales as it hits top spot
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
One of the most anticipated releases of the year for gaming fans unsurprisingly hit the top spot, however, it is on the PlayStation 3 where it is proving to be most popular.
Final Fantasy XIII claimed the number one spot in the ELSPA GfK Chart-Track all formats top 40, with the PS3 coming out on top ahead of its Xbox 360 rival.
According to data from the chart organisation, a total of 45 per cent of the game’s sales were to people wanting to play the title on their PS3, with a further nine per cent opting for the Sony console’s special edition version.
The Xbox 360 lost out slightly to its main rival, with 42 per cent buying the standard version, while a further four per cent bought the special edition for the Microsoft console.
Reviewing the title for the Daily Telegraph, Nick Cowen said that it was a "beautiful, unique and immersive video game" which demands "total surrender from long-time fans and new players".
Nintendo Wii consoles could save health service money
Monday, March 15th, 2010
Elderly people could help to improve their fitness and save the health service £1 billion by using Nintendo Wii consoles, according to new research.
Dr Murray Griffin, of Essex University’s biological sciences department, said that those who use games on the console such as Wii Fit are less likely to fall, which could cause them health problems or depression.
He will work with patients at Colchester Hospital’s falls prevention clinic to see to what extent Wii sessions stop older people from losing their balance.
"It is all about improving their quality of life and wellbeing so they have more confidence. One of the biggest problems with many types of physiotherapy aftercare is getting people to do the exercises," Dr Griffin explained.
He added that as many people think the Wii is fun to use, he is hoping that more people will be inclined to do the exercise.
Earlier this month, the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2010 revealed that playing virtual reality games on the wirelessly-controlled console could help people improve their motor function.