Is this laptop too cheap to be any good?

[AlicesWonderland]

Hi

my son would like a laptop or a netbook for xmas as most of his mates are getting one, unfortunately we don;t have as much cash as the other parents seem to so if he got one it would literally be all he got as we have two other kids to buy for plus the rest of the family

I have found this one for £69

does it look any good it's only for him to do research for his homework on and to go online

or does anyone have reccomendations?

TIA

or this

www.marcdormey.com/index.php/archives/allfine-pc703-mini-netbook-review-and-pictures

I think the netbook is this one.

The IBM laptop looks reasonable. Obviously not the latest and greatest and a bit slow by modern standards. As with any second hand item, you are taking some risk on the wear and tear, but the ThinkPad had a reputation as a reasonably solid piece of kit.

Although I've dealt with the firm selling the 7" netbook, and would generally recommend them, this does look a bit limited.

On the one hand, it might protect him from some of the viruses going round, while on the other, it won't run some of the games and other software that 'friends' may offer.

(I say 'friends' as one never knows which 'mates' might deliberately provide something which is infected, for a laugh.)

So the question is one of how important to him it would be to be able to use OpenOffice or similar (ie comparable software to MS Office, but free) for preparing homework. I guess it depends to some extent on his age.

The IBM may be a better option.

thanks for the replies

He's only 9 so just wanted something simple and cheapish really

hhmmmm might have to put a bit more thought into it

Thanks again

Nine ? Most of the other kids are getting laptops or netbooks at nine ?

At nine the 7" netbook will be absolutely fine, really.

Yes, at nine, it may well be better that he does have a Windows CE netbook. So long as he can browse web sites and search with Yahoo! etc it should be fine. If it is incompatible with some games and so on, then that means a future machine can be seen as an upgrade... but start saving now (!)

A full size keyboard and mouse might be an idea though prevent spills from destroying the thing at Christmas!...

Would not suggest a webcam (though Asda Living were flogging off some Microsoft model for 2.50 the other week) - but maybe a cheap optical mouse and keyboard would come into the budget OK. Even with a 7" screen you may want to encourage placing the screen a bit further away so it isn't right in his face, and you can see over his shoulder what he is looking at...

thanks it is really just to keep him away from mine

yeah you should see the homework they have been getting for the last two years all please research Germany on the tinterweb etc ridiculous, god knows what we'd do if my laptop broke!

Yes, spoke to a chap the other day who has a son of 10 and the assumption is that there is access to the internet and a PC at home.

Seems a bit much in my view (not too long ago a BBC R Wales programme - Mousemat - suggested only 50% of households in Wales have a computer, let alone good internet access... may be fine in S Wales but the rest seems to be lagging somewhat).