Netbook for budding author...

January 30, 2010 8:24 PM

Netbook for mostly word processing?

I'm looking for a netbook and have zero experience/knowledge of netbooks. I am not technologically savvy at all, and primarily want the netbook to write short stories on. So that's about it...something I can word process on, and something that isn't too pricey. I am also clueless as to what programs are already on the netbook and which I'll have to purchase separately. Any recommendations? Thanks hive!

posted by muxnaw to Technology (18 answers total)

The keyboard's the thing. As for the writing side, what you ought to want is a distraction-free text editor to write in, then sort out your formatting once you're done.
posted by holgate at 8:41 PM on January 30, 2010

first thing you need to do is make sure that you can comfortably type on whichever model you want to buy. If you have small fingers, one of the 10.1 inch models might be okay, but personally I can't type on them. I went with an 11.6 inch model, and I'm fairly happy with it, but that's not for really heavy typing.

As for software, usually a windows netbook will ship with a demonstration version of office. If you want to go that way, it will cost you after the 60 or 90 day trial. You can download open office for free, but not everyone likes it.
posted by bluejayk at 8:44 PM on January 30, 2010

On the other hand, if all you're doing is basically text entry, you can save some bucks by skipping Windows and buying the Linux version of the same netbook.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 8:58 PM on January 30, 2010 [2 favorites]

There are keyboards with tiny screens that are for word processing only. It could help if you always get distracted by the internet, videos, etc.

The Writer.
NEO.
posted by stavrogin at 9:15 PM on January 30, 2010

I'm very pleased with the HP MiniNote. The keyboard is very close to full-size and it was priced well. I write quite a bit on it and have been comfortable and happy with it.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 9:16 PM on January 30, 2010

Also, be wary the some newer netbooks ship with Windows 7 Starter, which is the most useless of Windows versions ever. You can't even change the background picture! It will however, run a word processor, if that's all you want it for. Otherwise, it costs $80 to upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium.

But you need to go into a BestBuy or similar where they have a lot of display models, and try out the keyboards. (Once you find a model you like, you can purchase it wherever.) I'm currently typing this on a brand new 10" Acer AO532, which I love (Win7 Starter not withstanding), but I wouldn't want to by typing a novel on this thing.
posted by cgg at 9:16 PM on January 30, 2010

I agree that the keyboard is important, and it was one of my main considerations when choosing my netbook, but the conclusions reached on holgate's keyboard link are basically the opposite of how I felt. The HP Mini and the Dell Inspiron Mini, which that link recommends, have weird mushy keyboards where the keys don't feel distinct. I hated them. I ended up with a Toshiba with "chiclet" keys, and so far it's been completely great. Another one I looked at (maybe the Asus, can't remember) had a decent keyboard but touchpad buttons I couldn't stand.

All netbooks have pretty much the same specs and hardware. The differences are in company reliability/service reputation, battery life, price, and aesthetics, including the feel of the keyboard and buttons. It's not too hard to find information on reliability and customer service (off the top of my head, I remember Asus and Samsung and Toshiba all looking good in that regard) and battery life online, and for the other part I recommend you visit your nearest Best Buy and type on all their netbooks for a while (but for the love of god don't buy it there). That's what worked for me. Different reviewers are going to have different preferences for the keyboard, so it's really something where your personal touchyfeely experience will be important.

My netbook came with Microsoft Works. You can get free word processing software from the internets if there isn't something included on your machine.
posted by thirteenkiller at 9:25 PM on January 30, 2010

Response by poster: Great advice thus far everyone, thank you!

I will heed your advice and "test drive" some keyboards at Best Buy (but why should I not purchase a notebook there? Where do you recommend I buy one?)
posted by muxnaw at 9:32 PM on January 30, 2010

Hell...if you're really savvy, you might be able to grab a applecare-provided macbook for $500. Not only will you have an excellent laptop with great hardware..

Please elaborate! I've never seen one for less than $750.
posted by lunasol at 9:37 PM on January 30, 2010

but why should I not purchase a notebook there? Where do you recommend I buy one?

Best Buy won't typically have the best price for computers, and beyond that I just think they're incompetent and dishonest and skeevy. I may have an irrational aversion, though. It's probably okay to get a computer from Best Buy. I got mine from Newegg.com after searching around for the best price and return policy.
posted by thirteenkiller at 9:43 PM on January 30, 2010

I would also like to throw a vote in for the HP netbooks. I had an AspireOne that I used for about a year and was reasonably happy with, but just last month got the slightly larger HP mini-311, and the difference between the AspireOne's keyboard and this was like night and day. Much easier to touch type on, and the bigger screen is nice as well.
posted by barc0001 at 9:54 PM on January 30, 2010

I wrote all of my papers (lots and lots of papers) for the last year and a half of university on an MSI wind. I'm actually typing this post on it right now! The keyboard's about 90% the size of a 'standard' desktop one, it's super lightweight, the battery lasts for about forever, the computer's fairly small, and costs less than three-hundred bones. I'd definitely go with a Wind, if I were you... the only netbook that I know of that's comfortable to write on for pages on end.
posted by ThomThomThomThom at 10:08 PM on January 30, 2010

I do lots of writing on my netbook, an Asus 1002HA (bought last year for less than $500). The keyboard is the closest I've found to a regular keyboard, EXCEPT the right shift key (google it). I don't touch-type correctly and never use the right shift, so this isn't a problem for me.
posted by rossination at 10:10 PM on January 30, 2010

My Samsung NC10 (there's a newer version out now) has a great keyboard and has been generally brilliant and very hardy for about 14 months now. I believe the HP netbooks are also good - but definitely, go touch some netbooks in a shop before you decide.
posted by 8k at 10:22 PM on January 30, 2010

I have an Aspire One that I'm very happy with. However there is a newish class of super netbooks or light notebooks that I look at with great interest whenever I'm in a laptop store.

They have higher performance chips than the Atom and also have somewhat higher resolution screens. They are also heavier at about 1.5 kg as opposed to 1.1kg for the Aspire One type netbooks.

The Dell Inspiron 11Z is a good example of this class of machine. HP and others also have similar laptops.

Go and try the keyboards for a bit to see how you like them, that's important. A larger screen also allows you to see more. If anything the most annoying thing for me about my Aspire One is that normal web pages don't operate quite right, things like Google reader look odd and yahoo mail doesn't like the resolution for their flex yahoo mail client. For writing having more on screen may be a bonus.
posted by sien at 11:34 PM on January 30, 2010

but why should I not purchase a notebook there? Where do you recommend I buy one?

Best Buy swindling customers for a start. Before this they were putting higher prices on their internal website and using that to lure customers into the store and overcharge them. The place is scammy enough that I don't feel bad going there to look at/touch items before buying them online from Amazon or Newegg.
posted by dalesd at 8:34 AM on January 31, 2010

I've got an Asus eee that I took multiple three-hour exams on this summer, and it worked out fine. The keyboard is smaller, but I find that the adaptation isn't bad - it's tough to go straight from a full sized keyboard to this one, but after the first few minutes it's not a problem. (The lack of separate number-pad irritates me, but that's going to be the case for anything w/o a separate keyboard.) I would suggest trying them out - not for a few sentences, but for a page or so of typing if you can. That said, I did get mine from Newegg and it got here super-fast (east coast).

I pretty much use google docs for most of what I need, these days - it's set up for offline use and I haven't had particular problems. The trial of Office 7 was just enough to make me loathe it.
posted by cobaltnine at 8:48 AM on January 31, 2010

Because you are using this primarily for word processing, the keyboard is absolutely essential. I insist that you do not purchase a netbook you have not already test-driven by typing at least a page of text. I have a Dell Mini 9 - I'm using it right now - and the keyboard is tiny, which results in keys having been moved from their normal locations. (For example, the apostrophe/quote key is below the period, and the F-keys are on home row with a Function keypress to access them.) I've grown used to it, but I still don't like using it to type papers for class - it's just too easy to make mistakes. I have pretty small hands, but I mis-type all the time. I can get up to about 98WPM on it, but that's below my average speed for a regular keyboard, so there is a significant difference with netbooks.
posted by etoile at 11:17 AM on February 2, 2010