Re: [tlug] Mac or EeePC?

[Ian Barwick <barwick@example.com>]

2009/4/19 Niels Kobschaetzki <n.kobschaetzki@example.com>

> I don't know which eeePC-model you are using but at least the
> 700-series is more robust than a (plastic) MacBook. In addition if you
> are carrying it around w/ you all the time every gram counts. A
> plastic MacBook should be around 2.2 kg, shouldn't it - an eeePC
> should be more lightweight.

Over the past couple of months I ended up carrying round my white
MacBook on an almost daily basis and it's neither a small machine
nor particularly light. It soon makes itself felt after a while :(. A couple
of weeks ago I took the plunge and  bought a netbook (an HP 2133,
arguably more of a miniature laptop) and though it's "only" about a third
lighter (around 1.5kg vs 2.2kg) the difference is night and day, I hardly
notice I'm carrying it.

FWIW my MacBook (early 2008 model) gives me about 4.5 h hours
on battery, maybe a little more if you are conservative with the screen
brightness and aren't using wifi. The HP gives about the same, though
it's not the most efficient of processors (VIA C-7) and I'm not yet
sure whether the installed Linux (Xubuntu 8.10) is doing everything it
can in the power-saving department.

I think Apple dropped modems around the time they phased out the
PowerPC processors.

Personally, if I was travelling for that length of time (as opposed to being
on a business trip) and not doing any great amount of work (not fun with a
small screen) I'd take the netbook over the Mac.

HTH

Ian Barwick