Notepad computers for Cruising........

[innlady1]

I just checked and my HP Mini has a 3 cell battery. That's a bummer, I guess. Although, the charge seemed to last quite a while when I used it on the cruise.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Gosh, I didn't notice any noise at all. Either they fixed it or my hearing is finally gone. :)

 

I have one - never noticed any fan noise, even though I have read some complaints about it also.

..............

Also, I have an external CD/DVD drive that I use to load software onto it.

 

Thank you, Donna and Debbie .... that's great news because I had pretty much decided to forget it based on that. I have a perfectly good laptop and a desktop and it does seem like overkill to get a third, but for travel it just can't be beat!

 

Debbie, excellent idea aboout the external drive! It bothered me it didn't have a CD/DVD drive, but that's an excellent option.

 

I was at a party the other night and the chatter was all about the Acer. People knew some pretty smart techie types who say this is the best new thing for the money!

 

Thanks for the info!:)

[mamaofami]

Just a head's up. I double checked this am, after my order was already shipped , and found out that the 150-1784 is a slightly newer model than 150-1447 and has been available at Amazon only since 1/09. It has the wi fi land in it and intel celeron. Maybe this newer one makes less noise. There are so many different models that you have to be careful when ordering. I actually called them and ordered it while on the phone so someone could walk me through the differences.

[Activated95b]

I just came across this on one of the TV shopping channels.

 

Is this a good buy? A good computer to bring on our cruises?

Enough Gig, memory etc? I don't want to lug one of our size laptops.

 

 

Price is $537 but $100 rebate. $29.99 S & H.

 

Thanks.

 

My wife just bought the same thing, but with a larger hard drive from Tiger Direct for $299.99 + $1.99 shipping, and no tax outside of Florida. (Yes S&H really was One dollar and 99 cents.)

 

Fry's Electronics (a West Coast electronics retailer) sells the same thing for $299 plus tax.

[mamaofami]

I looked at Tiger Direct, and the $299 price is for the 3 cell battery.

[sail7seas]

I got e-mail last night saying mine has shipped. :)

Like you, Carol, I ordered the 150-1784.

[GmaPajama]

I just checked and my HP Mini has a 3 cell battery. That's a bummer, I guess. Although, the charge seemed to last quite a while when I used it on the cruise.

I saw one of those HPs at Best Buy here and it looked really slick. I think they would have been the frontrunner if Acer hadn't undercut their price. As for the battery - my old laptop was only good for an hour or so, and I managed to get by. Heck, it was just "yesterday" when everything had to be plugged in all the time. How quickly we get spoiled. :)

[sail7seas]

I saw one of those HPs at Best Buy here and it looked really slick. I think they would have been the frontrunner if Acer hadn't undercut their price. As for the battery - my old laptop was only good for an hour or so, and I managed to get by. Heck, it was just "yesterday" when everything had to be plugged in all the time. How quickly we get spoiled. :)

 

 

You're right, of course, Donna.

Three cell battery is certainly sufficient for almost all of us most of the time.

 

 

Those of you who have used your Acer or HP mini's on the ships...... did you have to reconfigure it to be compatible with satelite or was it fine the way it was? I remember reading sometime you have to make some changes for it to work and was cautioned to be sure to get help from the Internet Manager to change it back before we left the ship.

[mamaofami]

Judy, maybe Sheila will come back on and see this, but she said she was using her HP mini without any trouble and never mentioned anything about having to interface it differently on the ship.

[jtl513]

I remember reading sometime you have to make some changes for it to work and was cautioned to be sure to get help from the Internet Manager to change it back before we left the ship.

You MAY have to make changes changes for it to work on the ship, just as for any laptop, but odds are no changes will be necessary. For example, the sheet the ship hands out tells you to disable your firewall software, disable your wireless card's encryption, disable your pop-up blocker, disable script-blocking if using Norton Anti-virus, and a couple of other things. I have to do none of those things and I work just fine with my laptop. (And I do use Norton AV)

 

However, there is one change that I do have to make in order to use Outlook Express, and that is to set the SMTP outgoing server IP address to the ship's 172.31.0.2 in order to send email from O.E. If I don't change it back, it won't work when I get home! So, IF any changes are necessary be sure you know how to change them back later!!

[HeatherInFlorida]

I'm in a quandry again. Love the idea of the 1784 being the newer model and therefore more likely not to have the fan noise, but I see it's Vista and I've heard such bad things about Vista.

 

The 1672 and the 1447 both have XP which I like and I'm used to. Maybe just for this it wouldn't be an issue. This would be strictly for travel and I'd just load photos, access the internet, etc.

 

Any thoughts? John, I know you're a wiz about all this. What do you think?

[sail7seas]

It's XP.

 

 

"Acer Aspire One AOA150-1784 8.9-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery) Blue"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, John. Appreciate you reviewing that. Now I remember it was you who first explained it all to me. I don't use Outlook so, hopefully, I won't have to make any changes.

 

[mamaofami]

I just called Amazon because I definately don't want vista. 150-1784 is XP home.

Life would be so much easier if they didn't have so many models to confuse you.

[Two@Sea]

I went to Circuit City to try out the Acer keypad. Am I the only one having difficulty with it? The space bar and mouse buttons are awkward for me too. I have small hands, so that can't be the problem. I must have faulty fingers! I am genetically finger flawed! :eek:

 

I think I am going to wait a while. The Asus 1000HE (E for extended battery life) is available for pre-order, but I would want to see it first. The HP has a great keyboard for my personal needs, but it is a tad too costly for me.

 

So, while I try to work out my finger problems... you all have fun with your great new toys! Keep us posted (yes, pun intended) on how you like them!

[sail7seas]

The poster earlier in the thread who mentioned we should try the touch was so correct. For me, it's comfortable and I certainly felt the difference from my other laptops but like the Acer touch fine. It's so personal and good you tried it before you made an unhappy mistake.

 

Like cruises, each has to choose the one that is best for them. :)

 

[jtl513]

... but I see it's Vista and I've heard such bad things about Vista.

 

Any thoughts? John, I know you're a wiz about all this. What do you think?

My experience with Vista is pretty limited, but IMO it's not as terrible as some people make it out to be. As with anything new, it takes a little user adjustment and some work-arounds, but I think most "ordinary" users don't have serious issues with it. But, as Sail and mamofami/Carol just said, the 1784 is XP, so it's irrelevant! :D

[Two@Sea]

The poster earlier in the thread who mentioned we should try the touch was so correct. For me, it's comfortable and I certainly felt the difference from my other laptops but like the Acer touch fine. It's so personal and good you tried it before you made an unhappy mistake.

 

Like cruises, each has to choose the one that is best for them. :)

 

 

Sail, I would have made SEVERAL mistakes without your valuable input and advise. So, altho it may be in arrears... thanks for the words of wisdom!

[sail7seas]

What a nice message. :o

 

Thank you, Two@Sea. (Love your 'nickname'. ) :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

I just called Amazon because I definately don't want vista. 150-1784 is XP home.

 

Life would be so much easier if they didn't have so many models to confuse you.

 

I apologize to all of you!!! I am seriously impaired. I had them all in my basket and I could have sworn the 1784 was Vista which, like you, I didn't want. So that's a relief.

 

I'm so sorry I alarmed you! Still think I'll wait for you to get yours, Carol, and see how you like it.

 

John, thanks for your input on Vista. My husband has it on his laptop, but he only uses it for internet so we've never bothered to use it.

 

I really appreciate this thread and I thank Sail7Seas for starting it. I was so worried about the fan noise that I just gave up on the idea, but now I'll probably bite the bullet and go ahead.

[stevexy]

...this is actually a subject I know...you have two basic choices--the HP is pricier but clearly has the nicest keyboard. The best buy price vs features in the asus eee 1000AH, or the new model the 1000HE. The 1000HE has an advertised 7 plus battery life and the new better keyboard. Is $364 at JR.com inc shipping and no tax for most outside of new york. The real key-get the 10 inch screen no matter what you buy--9 inches does make a difference. The 1000HE has bluetooth and wireless N and LED lit display and 160 gb HDD--you can download and play later all of the rick steve videos from itunes--perfect for the wait at the airport--everything you need.

[sail7seas]

You didn't mention the principle computer about which we are speaking....... the Acer Aspire. 8.9" 6 cell bettery.

 

[mamaofami]

My daughter is coming over today and bringing her netbook. She has one of the asus ones. I remember trying out the keyboard and not liking it.

 

She is amazed that I have an ipod since I couldn't program the VCR a few years ago, and now she's blown out of the water by all I've learned to do here, thanks to my CC friends. Also, since the acer has a camera in it, she told me there is a free web site called skpe.com and if I download it I can see her kids when we use the notbooks at the same time. How cool is that?

[sail7seas]

Oprah uses skpe.com often on her show. :)

 

 

I hope to find out about a cable lock or way to secure my little Acer in hotels. :)When we go to Pier 66, the safe is large enough to hold it but that isn't so in all hotels.

 

 

 

 

[mamaofami]

Now we 'll have a new requirement for chosing our hotels. :D

[sail7seas]

:D :D I'm really excited about getting this little netbook. Funny the little things that 'tickle' us.

 

 

The only nuisance about it is one more thing to have to fuss with when going through security at the airport. Take it out of the bag and turn it on etc I have enough going on with take off coat, shoes. take out 1 quart ziploc, watch no one steals my pocketbook :eek: and all the rest we deal with.

 

I'm not going to bother getting a case for it. I think I will simply lay it on top of my carryon so I can take it out easily when we get to security.