Which netbook should I buy? I want to buy one for editing text and browsing the web on the train and when I travel. The operating system is not really an issue as I will probably install Linux and the drivers myself.
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AlwaysHope
ANSWERS: 2
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If you're going to install Linux when you get it, I'd recommend the Acer Aspire Netbooks. I am a Network Administrator, and we have 12 of them, with Fedora 10, and we use them as public internet computers.
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I love my Acer Aspire One. I got the ZG5 (1 GB RAM, 160GB hard drive, 3-cell battery and WinXP Home) for $350, though you could get one of the Linpus ones with a 6-cell battery for less if you shop around. Just watch which version you buy. There are WinXP and Linpus versions, some have 8GB SSDs while others have 120GB drives and still others (like mine) have 160GB drives. Some have 512 MB RAM while others have 1 GB. Watch the labels! On the hard drive WinXP models, ~15GB is taken up by a hidden recovery partition so you can perform a system restore without an CD. The SSD versions can expand their storage by sliding an SD card into the slot on the left. (The slot on the right is a 4-in-1 card reader: I use it to get pics from my camera without a USB cable.) Mine has the small battery but I still get over 2-1/2 hours with the wifi on and another hour if I operate totally offline. I hear the Linpus versions get longer battery life. I imagine that Linux and a 6-cell would last over six hours on a charge. I've also seen a 9-cell battery if you have to operate all day without plugging in.
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