Tom's Hardware has a nice photo gallery of the world's fastest netbook, thanks to heavy modding of a now discontinued Sony model. They also revisit a few of the form factors and products that preceded today's netbooks.
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It's a slider UMPC (ultramobile PC), not a netbook... I think you can actually use it as a tablet without exposing the keyboard. It's got a screen around 5-6".
ReplyDelete[I started writing a longish bit about how the CPU upgrade came about, but decided to drop it).
Going to your bit about the iPhone/iPod Touch, I've read quite a few books on my Dell PDA (X50v, 3.7" VGA resolution display), which appears to be about the minimum size for me for longish reading. I've read some books on various Palm PDAs and smartphones and that wasn't comfortable. Reading on my tablet PC (Fujitsu P1620, 8.9" 1280x768 display) is very nice, except its heavier than I'd like if I'm going to be holding it at 2.5lb; at least it isn't as heavy as an Entourage Edge.
Netbooks seem to be any cheap notebook that isn't something else. :) Based on the definition of affordability, that rules out most Sony's, and I guess it absolutely rules out any machine after a bunch of expensive modifications like a new processor and a top of the line SSD. :) The VAIO Lifestyle P is often called a "Netbook", but it's too close to a thousand bucks for me to use that term, I think you're right about this product too.
ReplyDeleteI've tried reading on an iPhone, it works... but I'm much happier on something with a 6" display. I think you are right, 2.5 pounds isn't a book like experience, unless you're trying to replicate reading a heavy, hardbound textbook experience. :)
Maybe that's why people are excited about Skiff and Que - one pound or less, tablet sized readers. I'm not sure everyone who gets so excited about Que though is REALLY going to plunk down some $800.
Oh yes, if I recall correctly, the Sony UX series sold for around $2000 for a barebones model; definitely not aimed at the netbook market. If you've heard of Microsoft Origami, this was one of UMPC devices it was intended for.
ReplyDeleteThe CPU upgrade in that article isn't cheap, the guy who does it has access to lab soldering and desoldering machines (the CPU isn't socketed) and upgrade CPUs aren't sold through consumer retail channels.
Its very doubtful I'll buy a dedicated ereader in the near future, it would be yet another device I'd be carrying around a lot, for me the attractions of a dedicated ereader are weight and free fastish WWAN. Hmm... and good daylight readability, the PDA has a transflective display which is decent in daylight, the tablet is adequate in the shade but not so good in direct sunlight. Darn it, lets try not to talk myself into carrying yet another device... *grin*
Samuel is right, it's not a netbook at all. Not even close.
ReplyDeleteWe actualy have a moderately active forum where both the owner of the Sony UX, as well as the brilliant technician who did the mods both spend time.
http://www.micropctalk.com