Anyone Using a Netbook???Posted By Richard Kline |
I'm using an eeePC 901 running linux (I bought the version with linux because I run linux at home and it came with a larger solid state hard drive since you're not paying for windows.) This model has a 6 cell battery, and I get nearly 5 hours of run time with the display brightness down and wireless networking off. I installed a different linux distribution (Ubuntu for the eeePC) to be free to install my own software most importantly kstars which I find to be a good open source planetarium program. I've only been out with the combo twice for observing, but found the work model of locating the object with kstars on the 901; noting which way was up; and turning the Sky and Telescope Pocket Sky Atlas that way up for star hopping to be highly effective with my dobsonian. I've attached a screen shot of kstars on the 901 with it moderately zoomed in on NGC 2042 in Orion.
The 901 is also one of the netbooks that runs on 12V and has a power connector you can find at RadioShack which is nice. I've seen generally favorable reviews of the Acer Aspire One which has a slightly easier to type on keyboard than the eeePC, but several people did not like the mouse buttons which are placed to the left and right of the touchpad instead of below. The Aspire One (with a 3 cell battery) has just had it's price cut to $300 at MicroCenter.
Regards,
Richard Kline
The 901 is also one of the netbooks that runs on 12V and has a power connector you can find at RadioShack which is nice. I've seen generally favorable reviews of the Acer Aspire One which has a slightly easier to type on keyboard than the eeePC, but several people did not like the mouse buttons which are placed to the left and right of the touchpad instead of below. The Aspire One (with a 3 cell battery) has just had it's price cut to $300 at MicroCenter.
Regards,
Richard Kline
