I need a new netbook or similar. Please make recommendations.

[ShowOfBloodyStumps]

It's my 30th birthday soon and I really need a new netbook.

I use it for accessing the internet and writing. So able to save documents, decent battery and access to the Internet. I also like the keyboard to be a regular or near regular size.

I have a Dell Inspiron Mini atm (I know this because it says so on the screen). I like it. It's green. It has a nice keyboard on it. It's on its way out though. Loose connections, damaged screen, rubbish memory, needs a new battery and cable. Cheaper to replace than fix.

It has to be as affordable as possible. Nothing fancy.

What are reconditioned ones like? Worth it?

Shall I just get another Inspiron Mini Whatsit?

I have an acer aspire one.

I like it.

The keyboard is obviously smaller than a pc keyboard but it's not too small and quite easy to get used to. Battery not great but okay - you can get a good couple of hours out of it before recharging it and I think you can buy longer lasting batteries for it from ebay but I don't really need any longer so I haven't bothered.

I have the one with the bigger memory and I've never had an issue with it - have stored loads of docs on it, an entire college course's worth of work, loads of work work as well as personal documents.

I went for the ubuntu version but they are really pushing the windows version atm although the windows version is slightly more expensive.

ubuntu? I think that's what my parents have on theirs. I can't work it at all. I like windows.

Has the battery life remained good? I started out able to get a good 4 or 5 hours at least from this computer but now you get 10 minutes and no more.

I'm going to google the acer aspire one. I had an acer laptop before this and I loved it. DH has it now for work.

Ooh Tesco have them with money off atm. And I also get 10% off from Tesco.

I've had mine for two years now and it's as good as it was when I first got it.

I would deffo recommend.

sorry for a slight hijack here ... I am looking for a new laptop/netbook on a relatively low budget - what do you all think of your netbooks? Are they difficult to get used to after a laptop? I only really use my current laptop for internet, itunes and storing photos. I need something fast. I am only really considering a netbook over a laptop as they are much less expensive - but dont want to find its a mistake!

I've an HP mini. It's great, battery life is about 7 or 8 hours. Only moan is that the battery prevents me being able to push the screen back just another mm or so, which I'd prefer.

YOu get usde to typing on the smaller keyboard - as you can etll by my impeccanle typing here

Do web sites open properly though ... ie. shrink in proportion or do you have to scroll across?

Just got a Samsung NC10+, happy with it so far. Battery life suppose to be 9+ hours.

I've got the Samsung NC10 - I love it!

It's got a great battery life, it's quick to fire up and it does everything that it says on the tin.

I use mine mainly for accessing internet (am on it now) but have also got microsoft office on it so can do work stuff on it too. It's got a good size keyboard so I don't struggle at all when typing (and I've got a right set of sausage fingers).

I'd definitely recommend it

Bodiddly - my dd has a full size laptop, so I have access to both. I choose to use my netbook any day of the week and twice on a Sunday!

The only thing I miss is a cd/dvd drive. Well, I don't actually miss it because we just use dd's laptop for it, but could be a problem for you?

Plonkarrgghhh ... do you use it as your main machine for the internet or just for travelling etc? Do web sites come up as on a larger machine or do you have to scroll across to get the full width of a page?

NC10 looks good.

You don't have to scroll across bodiddly.

I love having a netbook. I find laptops cumbersome now.

It's my main machine. I always choose to use the netbook over the laptop. I much prefer it

No, I don't have to scroll across to get the full width of the page, though obviously it's smaller in general than the laptop. The difference isn't enough for me to choose the laptop though ...

"I love having a netbook. I find laptops cumbersome now."

Me too

thank you ... so are there any real disadvantages then? I can come up with the money for a netbook probably but there is quite a big jump up to a laptop. I had heard that they slow down considerably when you load itunes, office etc on them.

Yes, my work laptop seems too cumbersome now - goes all wobbly when balancing it. No issues with scrolling.

No, I have open office and lots of files stored. It's not slow at all.

ShowOfBloodyStumps .. which one you thinking of getting?

I've got MS office and Itunes on mine and it's still much, much faster than the laptop (and the laptop isn't a particularly old one ...)

The only disadvantage I have found, as I said, is the lack of cd/dvd drive. But you can get external ones anyway if it's a massive problem to you.

ah hadnt thought about that Plonkarrgghhh .... do you have a printer loaded on yours?

Prolesworth - I found the same when looking into them. 2 tips:

1. Try them out yourself to see which feels best to you. Acer felt a bit flimsy to me.

1. Buy from John Lewis, if possible, as they offer a 2-year guarantee

Sorry, I don't know what you mean by loaded?

Do you mean is the netbook connected to a printer?

bodiddly, I'm a creature of habit. Half of me wants to get another Dell Inspiron Mini because I like it. The keyboard is a normal size more or less, I liked the feel of it when I tried it out in the shop, I'm used to it etc.

But the battery life was disappointing and I think that I should be looking around. The Samsung one looks nice.

It'll be up to dh in the end as I've asked for it as a birthday present (from the whole family).