[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Three Reasons Why Android-Powered Netbooks Could Kill Microsoft Windows here

[jinx101]

Giving an advertising company control over the OS? That's something I'm not comfortable with.

[rokky]

How is using Android going to differ from other Linux distros customized for the various Netbooks? Most reports I have seen indicate they have XP options that are much more popular.
Lucky for me, too, so I could get an Asus EEE 900A from BestBuy on clearance for $200, and upgraded it to a usable Linux, EasyPeasy. With a $21 2 GB RAM upgrade from TigerDirect, and $43 16 GB SSD upgrade from NewEgg, I am a happy Linux netbooker, but would seem to be the exception.
And now with all the Conficker anxiety, I am quite happy to continue staying away from M$ (except for my job PC and infrastructure, but that is not my choice - letting the PHB mentality there deal with it even though that is just another excuse to cut jobs instead of the M$ tax...), but doubt that most Netbook buyers "get it".
Posted from my EasyPeasy EEE
RO

[derek3A0]

Brennin Slaterry should reconsider a career as a misleading tabloid gossip columnist rather than as a credible tech writer, based on his lame amateur conjectures steeped in faulty junior high school level reasoning and superficial and poorly researched tech awareness.

$89 for XP Home at retail cost isn't cheap but neither is it "hefty". The Linux-based version of its popular Mini 1000 series was rather crappy and suffered from wifi connection lags or total hangs. The Mini 1000 MIE was priced at $379, whereas the XP Home-based HP Mini 1010 runs perfectly at an even cheaper $298 (from Amazon).

And you can't run Adobe Photoshop or Acrobat Pro, or any other well developed advanced app off Android/Mie/Linux other than some web browsers, but they all run fine on XP enabled Netbooks.

Netbooks are aimed at the casual computing crowd, but they are obviously also marketed to middle range mobility users. There is no point to carry around anything even netbook size without some advantage in app robustness. Netbooks running apps like OneNote/Word/Wordperfect, DejaVu, Access, and with the ability to support everything ported in Windows makes the Netbook inexpensive. Without all that, ppl may just as well stick with their Nokia tablet, PDA, iPhone, or Blackberry.

Quote

> "Windows can be a complicated, fickle beast -- especially the much hated Vista -- that's packed with memory-hogging features that are useless to those who just want to surf the Web and write e-mail"

You haven't tried any XP based Minis, have you? Their response time is instantaneous and they run flawlessly, even mid-range games.

Quote

> "it looks like HP could hit one out of the park -- and crush its competition -- if these speculations became reality."

Yeah, listen Nostradamus, what is this, a psychic X-Men comic book column? Crush its competition? Please get a grip on yourself and write with some responsibility towards your profession, unless you're too busy out partying late and just slapped this piece of garbage journalism together to meet a deadline. At least get your facts straight by trying the products out.

Composed and transmitted via HP Mini on XP

[Toulinwoek]

OK, OK, let's just follow the line of "reasoning" here (using the term "reasoning" quite loosely, like the author obviously is)...
It's just as likely that any of the following could KILL Microsoft Windows:

-A Commodore 64 running a modified version of BeOS
-A Packard-Bell 386-based desktop with a 9600 baud modem
-One of those electronic Bibles you can get at Radio Shack
-A $35 digital watch
-A couple of screen doors with webcams glued to them

What a lame article!

Oh, and BTW, anyone who vows to stay away from M$ because of "Conficker Anxiety" (what a laughable term), should probably not stray too close to sinks either; they might mess around and drown or something.

[spellham]

Yes, but you also get all the problems that come with your $89 XP purchase as well. Don't see the need to elaborate about how windows is subject to many more security holes than the Linux or Mac OS. I don't have to purchase or download additional spyware, malware or virus protection when using Linux - so in reality, the cost in time and money is much, much more than $89.

It really depends on the audience. Seems like you would want a more full-featured machine with better specs than a netbook anyway if you wanted to run Photoshop or Acrobat Pro. I certainly wouldn't want to attempt to do graphics work or write code on a netbook.

The idea is to make things as simple as possible for the users that need nothing but internet access and/or email services -If integrated with their online apps appropriately, Android on the netbook would work wonders to accomplish this and to push people to use their services - THAT would be the reason for Google to release Android on the netbook or any other architecture, for that matter.

[PCMan]

I am currently evaluating the purchase of a NetBook for light use (web browsing, e-mail, etc.) but also want some flexibility to occasionally run a word processor, spreadsheet and a few other applications. I agree that XP is a much better option than Vista, hands down. Might think of Linux if some of the applications were not Windows-based.

However, even if I picked Linux, I would very unlikely pick Android. As posted before, it was developed by a company that makes money spying on people's behavior to sell its ads so I can just wonder what is "under the hood" (there's no free lunch). Furthermore, it is not a proven OS as Windows or some versions of Linux.

Therefore, HP will not see my money for this product.

[pvk100]

I agree with many of the comments here. People shop for PCs, even netbooks differently from phones. They have applications they are familiar with and are already purchased. They'll stick with windows for the extra 50 or 75 bucks and they won't just work "in the cloud". I'm excited to hear this development as a hobbiest, but people rely on what they already know to do the real work that they need.

[VideoGameReality]

You have an issue with 'giving an advertising company control over the OS'?

Seriously? What do you think Microsoft and Apple are doing? MS is and
has been notorious for it's tricks with forcing software on people, the lovely
one where they gelded IE so it couldn't download other competition's stuff
like Netscape, etc.

Smacks of someone already 'in control'. At least so far Google's track record
of giving you something for nothing's been a good one! Far from perfect, but
it's supply and demand - free sucks and you'll be willing to pay to get some OS
other than Android if it were junked up with ads everywhere. So let the market
decide, don't be paranoid and gossip-kill something before you see what it is.

People hated Gmail - I can't live without it and love them crazy bastages!
4+ years and 80% full storage capacity does what they advertised and I don't
get a boatload of spammy marketing in that, so I wouldn't be expecting it in
Android. If it showed up, MS gets my money and my soul back.

Paranoia Kills.

[Milez5858]

I assume this article is an April fools joke.

[Milez5858]

Lies in comments aren't good.

[rokky]

Hey, PCman.
A netbook with 1.6 Ghz Atom CPU and 1-2 GB of RAM can do most anything you mentioned with no sweat. My EEE is more powerful than most desktop PC's over about 2 years old anyway. Just plug in a big monitor (my 1400x1050 LCD works fine with it) and external keyboard and mouse for "serious" stuff. Check out keyboards and touchpads (which I hate, cuz they are so "touchy"). Asus's stupid right shift placement is 1 big annoyance for me - Acer and HP seem to have "sweet" keyboards in that respect.
EasyPeasy (yeah, silly name) is based on Ubuntu 8.10, with enhancements like Open Office 3.0, and access to pretty much the whole Ubuntu/Debian repositories.
I used the EEE recently to run a VirtualBox vm (from an external USB HD) just to run Xubuntu for a PHP/MySQL class to keep its test server isolated from everything else.
I also use VirtBox to run Win2K on a SanDisk Extreme III 8GB SD card just for Delorme Street Atlas with a GPS. As I indicated before I stay away from Windows except for those special cases (cheap shot, Toulinwoek, about "Conficker Anxiety" and sinks! I was indicating that is just one more reason to continue as I have - Windows is mostly dispensable for me - YMMV).
These critters are fun when you mix and match your OS (even Windoze ;-) and apps of choice. TO each their own.
PAX
RO

[derek3A0]

>"I used the EEE recently to run a VirtualBox vm (from an external USB HD) just to run Xubuntu for a PHP/MySQL class to keep its test server isolated from everything else."<

Freakin' awesome.

[derek3A0]

>>"Seems like you would want a more full-featured machine with better specs than a netbook anyway if you wanted to run Photoshop or Acrobat Pro. I certainly wouldn't want to attempt to do graphics work or write code on a netbook"

Spellham, the earlier tests of the Atom 270 at 1.6 showed that it runs slightly faster than a Pentium 4 at 2.4 or was it 2.6. It handles multiple i/os better also because of the hyperthreading. There's this illusion that something not expensive and not very big can't process as well, but the proof is in using these crazy little netbooks to do all this stuff that desktops of 3 yrs past -- some of which are still hanging around in my work setting -- can't do. For instance, the Netbook I am typing on handles Flash video better than my old Pentium 4 with a midrange video card (from 2 years ago). It also processes Photoshop 6.0 files faster. I also have ol' Visual C 6 installed on it to fool around. Works fine - I mean, if I had this netbook hooked up to a large monitor with a keyboard, and hid the netbook itself, I doubt anyone would know the difference, other than the 16 GB on the SSD, lol. Except I can carry this thing around in my coat outer pocket like a paperback.

[spellham]

Sure, I can see that. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a netbook, notebook, or PC snob. Just hadn't considered that they would work as well as a newer laptop or desktop PC with updated processors, hd and memory. I do like the portability factor of the netbooks as well - I'm considering a full blown laptop (a bit heftier than current netbooks) for my next purchase.... although only a 13 inch for portability. Biggest hang up for me is storage space, I know some of the netbooks sport larger HD 160gb drives rather than their smaller SS offerings, but I like my storage space.

At their current price points, I've considered purchasing a netbook for my 6 year old so she can have her own computer. Maybe that way I I can justify the purchase and have a chance to play around with them more... grin

[PCMan]

I agree Linux would run faster than Windows. However, I haver a few apps that require Windows and were never ported to Linux (e.g. my Palm OS PDA's desktop, my handheld HAM Radio's programming interface, my GPS' mapping software and desktop, etc.). Therefore, I am tied up to Windows. However, I can run a Linux VM and have the best of both worlds. Just do not see myself using Android until this thing gets more field use (and abuse) as well as more applications and dev support.

I currently have a Nokia N800 running Maemo (Linux), which is quite nice and cannot be beaten in versatility and portability. Just could not make it as user friendly and fast to use as my Sony Clie TH-55 running Palm OS, which is still the fastest device for quick access to contacts, to-do lists, etc. It turns on like a fashlight. :-)

I am currently split between a NetBook and a Fujitsu LifeBook U820 just because it is more portable - can really fit into almost any pocket. May end up going for the NetBook since it costs a fraction of the U820.

[DisComBoBuLaTeD]

Well there is an idea... Hey while you are waiting for your OS to load why not click on this AdSense link here.... Can't find what you are looking for click this link.... Whoa Viagra for 99 cents screw web browsing... I don't think we should give an advertising company control over an Operating System.... My opinion... o_O

[tremp101]

What a terrible article by this pudding head!

[WinTard]

How come I didn't stumble onto this April fools article? Better late than never!
h4. 1)
Well kill this!

h4. 2)
Or kill that:

http://www.engadget....ed-to-run-os-x/
h4. 3)
Please also kill my favorite livecd:
http://xbmc.org/download/




Booting off USB is fantastic and cheap! (16GB $20 tigerdirect). Hey Xbox distribution? Kewl ! Google is your friend! ;)

Or what about killing hundred+ or so Linux livecd's? that will all run comfortably on the Dell Mini 9, 10 or 12?
http://www.livecdlist.com/

h4. Question: How come any of these existing alternatives didn't already kill Microsoft Windows yet? Food for thought?

But I'm all for Android onto smartphones! Go Google Android! On netbooks? What a joke! Come to think of it, why not? The more horrible confusion, the merrier!

h4. Open Source Is The Greatest Who Cares About Brands?
A name brand serves absolutely no purpose to us the end-users except to bolster somebody else's bottom line. Who do they think we are? Tards?

Any and all name brands are mere play toys for true PC Enthusiasts. Anyway truth is they are all made by the same people ( Foxconn ), in the same place under one roof: At least in the case of Apple, Dell, HP, Motorola, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS 3 ... You name it. :D

~~~~~~~~~~
Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.
~ Warren Buffett

[WinTard]

How could I miss this?

h4. Android could kill the iPhone