So, how is the Aspire One?

[pyat]

Last Friday, I purchased an Aspire One, one of those little sub-laptop PCs. I've been toting it with me to work for the last week, and using it to websurf in the evenings when velvetpage is on the main desktop.

I'm liking it a lot. It's quite powerful - perfectly capable of running all my usual utilities, as doing the sort of basic video editing I sometimes do, as well. The little built-in camera isn't great, nor the microphone, but they are functional. I can do video blogging, if I shout...

The keyboard is perfectly functional, though it takes a little getting used to, I admit. I occasionally find my thumb straying onto the wrong key. Still, I've written more then 2000 words over the past week on the Aspire for a freelance contract, and that's about my usual speed when I'm not in a hurry.

The wireless card works reasonably well, though I'm finding fewer useful public wifi pools than I expected. The St. Lawrence Market, for example, has signs up here and there boasting their wifi, but I've never been able to get a connection from Paddington's Pump, which is inside the building.


I've mostly been using it on the train. On every third or fourth car, there is one with just four seats arranged in such a way that I can cram myself in with barely an inch to spare. This is great for sleeping on the train, but I've also discovered it's handy for typing. I turn my case upside down and on its side, jam it on top of my legs, and voila, instant desk.

It's... um... more comfortable than it looks. No, really.

Comments

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Cool. I just ordered an eeePC, which is kind of the same category of little beastie.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

I considered one, but they're a bit smaller, and I have long fingers.

[hilson.livejournal.com]

Did you get the XP or Linux version? Solid state or regular hard drive? And how much, if you don't mind my asking?

[pyat.livejournal.com]

XP, 120 GB HD, $425 at Canada Computers in Hamilton.

[hilson.livejournal.com]

How do you find the speed?

I'm thinking of picking the Linux one with the 8G solid state drive on my way home and I access access my home PC via Web if I want too or use a portable drive.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Pretty good! It starts up in under a minute. I'[d have gone for the Linux, but the doc templates we use at our office are so snarled they get corrupted by OpenOffice.

[hilson.livejournal.com]

Picked one up on the way home at Future Shop. $379 + tax for the XP version.

Playing with it at the pub and the owner now wants to buy one too.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

$379? Wow. They're coming down fast. When I reserved mine, the lowest price I could find was $460. When I went to pick it up, it was down to $425 or so.

[momentrabbit.livejournal.com]

It's... um... more comfortable than it looks.

Well, it would have to be, wouldn't it? n.n I'm still waiting for my transflective mirrorshade private monitors and subvocalization control system. (I've grudgingly given up on the jetpack.)

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Well, you shouldn't wear the private monitors while flying the jetpack, in any case.

[mr-weasel.livejournal.com]

And what are you doing on your netbook in the above picture? It looks suspiciously like you're playing Civ.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Curiously, I've yet to load any games on it!

[mr-weasel.livejournal.com]

Okay, you are a serious man. :)

What were you doing? o_O

[frogjimmy.livejournal.com]

*cough* http://communities.canada.com/shareit/forums/post/150365.aspx *cough*

Sorry for the delay. I dunna have yer email.

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow...

What really kills me is his list of businesses...

[frogjimmy.livejournal.com]

I think what frightens me most is the amount of name dropping and how that entire giant post says just about nothing in it. ;)

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

Cool picture! How did you take it?

And how do you get rid of that annoying MacAffee Antivirus off your machine?

::B::

[pyat.livejournal.com]

Your didn't come with the unmanned hovering camere drone?

I just held my cell phone at arm's length.

[slothpuck.livejournal.com]

I'm waiting for this to come along - not long now!

http://www.openpandora.org/

SP