Looks like I need,(actually want) a netbook, so-------------

[Michael K (Az.)]

 it seems my computer, ie wi-fi, wireless, literacy is about on par with knowing that the 'delete' is the rubber end of a pencil.
 That said, (and it was, I just did!) I appreciate some input on the +'s and -'s of these little buggers.
Currently I'm looking an Acer AOD150-1920 Netbook - Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz, 1GB DDR2, 160GB HDD, 10.1" WSVGA, Windows XP Home.
Two thing I'm wary about, mechanical HD and no way to upgrade the memory.
I may be over thinking the whole deal tho. Just need to stick it in in a saddlebag and have the option to go surfing, e- mails, tunes, watch vids, etc.
Also, do I have to purchase a monthly plan to go on-line or does this wi-fi thing mean I can just piggyback on any available broadcasting area? Thanks for the info!
That's all for now as I prefer to expose my abysmal computer ignorance in small doses! 

[Serk]

Ironic this comes up today, I had my first hands on experience with one last night, setting it up for my mom's birthday present...

We got her the Asus EEEPc 900HD/XP... It was $230ish from Wal mart...

Pluses:

-CHEAP
-TINY
-Simple

Downside:

-TINY. These big ole hands were having a hard time typing on it. Very hard time.

Whichever you go with, I HIGHLY recommend getting a hold of one and trying to type on it and actually use it before making your purchase.

You can get a 3G (Think cell phone) card that you have to pay a monthly fee to use, or you can just rely on WiFi hot spots. WiFi hot spots are becoming pretty ubiquitous by this point, and I find I can generally find one just about anywhere I go anymore, and just go with that method. Just about all the netbooks are gonna come with a WiFi interface built into them...

[Cruzen]

I recently bought one of those Netbooks but returned it and bought a reconditioned IBM Laptop instead.  I wanted a CD/DVD ROM drive.

Maybe the situation has improved but several years ago I purchased a HP, PDA with WI-FI capabilities.  I thought that the PDA would allow me to maintain some degree of email correspondence during my motorcycle trips.  I figured I could just go into any establishment that had one of those WI-FI signs on their windows and get onto the Internet.  NOT SO!!!!

What I found at the first place which was a local coffee shop was that they expected me to buy something.  Then in order to log onto their system I needed to subscribe which would cost me a small amount but meant that they would have access to my charge card info.  I do not put my charge card info out over the Internet.  Good way to experience identity theft.

Next stop was the local book store and the story was pretty much the same except they did not insist that I buy something.  I could log onto their web site for nothing and see all their latest sales advertisements but if I wanted to go further well again, get that charge card out and …….

Next stop was the library where again they insisted I subscribe and that would require me putting personal info out over the Internet which they assured me was a SECURE site.  Anyone who believes in a "SECURE" Internet site deserves to have their identity compromised.  Also realize that if you are logging onto someone’s wireless system it may be easy for anyone with the appropriate skill set to monitor your communications or worse and some of those people lurking about near those WI-FI sites look like they are just waiting for you to make that mistake.
 
Finally, I went just outside the local Best Buy.  Here I could piggy back onto their network with some degree of success.  Now, I am sure there are ways to get around the issues I encountered and if you're one of those GEEKS who revel in accomplishing such feats you're probably amused by my lack of savy but by the time I completed this experiment I was very disappointed in the ability to use other people’s connections and now only use my PDA’s Wi-Fi if I am in my home or office. 

[Michael K (Az.)]

Thanks for the info! I'll be curious to see what sort of hoops I'll have to jump through to be a wi-fi- player. At any rate, I sprung for this plastic rectangle so in a week or so, I'll be that smooth talkin, netbook wielding, devil that I am!

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10965536

[Cruzen]

I think we need to plan some sort of Arizona get together maybe on a quarterly or twice a year basis.  There seems to be a bunch of us out here.  Maybe we can do something around Arizona Bike week or..........

[Bladedog]

I agree with the above posts, if you just want basic functions of email, web browsing, some tunes and such, and the portability, they are GREAT.  But, you will need to get an external DVD drive if you want to watch DVD or transfer music from CD's to the PC hard drive.  Probably not a good idea anyway, because system drives in the netbooks run small. 

The screen is indeed SMALL.  Get some reading glasses.  Web pages will not be as visible on that small screen as they are on standard desktop PC screens, so you'll be doing a lot of scrolling up-down-back-forth to read emails and chew the fat with us VRCC'ers. 

As for wi-fi, there's free wifi and there's what you have to pay for.  Typically the free stuff is NOT encrypted, which means it a lot easier for someone to get your information, and usually the free stuff runs slower (at least in my experience).  I think Verizon has monthly plans that are nationwide for getting on wifi that are more secure, BUT there's a monthly fee (and probably a time committment of 2 years) but talk about handy - ANYWHERE you are, airport, hotel, bar, campground, buddy's garage, etc. if you have cell phone service you probably will have internet access.

Good luck!

[Sharkey]

The pluses and minuses have been mentioned. There is a lot of wi-fi hotspots out there. Most hotels, and a lot of restaurants, coffee shops offer it free. I can tether my 3G Iphone to my laptop and use it as a modem.
You can download Netstumbler free  http://www.netstumbler.com/downloads/
 and it will show you all wi-fi available, and whether or not is encrypted. I used to leave it running while driving down the road netstumbler beeps every time it finds a network. It would amaze you how many businesses and home leave their network wide open.

[humshark]

Just a couple of notes here -  I've been considering this for a while as well.  I like to see maps and roads and all the cool applications on the web make it easy to look up stuff anywhere i am.

DISPLAY - like Bladedog said  - small screen.   Now it doesn't cram everything on that small screen so you need glasses, contrary, the resolution of these machines is not that great.  Many only do 600 or 768 lines of resolution. Use the second number in this case. ( I'm working on a screen set to 900 )  This means that you have to scroll UP and DOWN to see the whole page or picture displayed.  An annoyance but not necessarily a show stopper.

CD/DVD drive -  er, the lack of it.  Not a big deal for me, but might be to someone else.  Many people like to watch movies on these.  without an outboard disc drive that will not happen if you're holding a DVD.  I usually run files from a home server.   These files fit on cards or thumb drives in my case  - so this is also not a show stopper - BUT i have to watch the resolution of those converted ( DVD-> FILE ) movies.

MEMORY/ STORAGE - Most of these are sporting a 160GB Hard Drive.  I'd prefer solid state memory of only 32 GB even.  Bouncing around in my motorcycle makes me nervous when considering hard-drives.  BUT - the cost factor is so cheap that a good backup plan may work.  I am split on this.  It also ties into the next thing -

BATTERY LIFE - WATCH OUT!!!  Some of these go 9 HRS!  WOW - while most will tell you they last 2 to 3 hrs for the bargain basement variety.  I'd like one with lots of time.  Think about what a pain it is to haul out the charger every time, aren't we buying these to go cordless?
Solid state memory should play easier on batteries - but the only unit I've seen with solid state memory - doesn't give the battery life stats.

[Michael K (Az.)]

In a week or so, I'll report back on what I've gotten myself into! Here's hoping for the best.

[Tonysax]

  I bought a Netbook  (Eeee Machine) from Best Buy and brought it to the Blue/Grey run. It took up little room in the side bag. It was great with free wifi at the hotel. It doesn't have a disc drive, but you can buy an external one for $60. It is perfect for internet stuff.

Tonysax

[Michael K (Az.)]

That's what I was thinking. I also have an external drive so I'm hoping I'll be good to go!

[Wizzard]

I think we need to plan some sort of Arizona get together maybe on a quarterly or twice a year basis.  There seems to be a bunch of us out here.  Maybe we can do something around Arizona Bike week or..........

Go to Oatman Arizona,, that is an awesome town. Rode through there last summer and wished I could have spent more time there.

[Michael K (Az.)]

Yep, rode there last winter. Got a bit coldish if I remember correctly.

[RP#62]

Michael, we've got a small laptop we bought specifically for motorcycle trips.  We use it to download pics from the camera at the end of each day, for route planning (I've got a map program loaded on it) and for emailing and cruising the net while at hotels.  Most hotels have free wi fi.  They give you the password, you tell the machine to search for a signal, when it finds one it tells you.  You put in the password and off you go.
-RP