I recently had an opportunity to go to Europe for the first time. What this really meant was that I had an opportunity to trial run my new netbook, a 9” HP Mini, for the first time.
In previous positions, I have traveled frequently, and sometimes for long periods. Laptops, as portable as they are, are still noticeable 5-7 lbs on average when you’re dragging or carrying them through the airport. I decided it was time for a change.
Netbooks have been around for some time now, so I was hopeful that the kinks have been worked out. The devices are marketed for their portability and long life over their raw computing power. However, while traveling, my computing needs are light, and I was ready to trade in my 13” full laptop with 2 extended life batteries.
Immediately when I started it, the first thing I noticed was its lack of power. The Mini is by no means a screamer in performance. I already knew this and, as I planned to use it only for email, surfing, and secondary picture storage, I proceeded along accordingly.
The second thing I noticed was the keyboard/touchpad layout. Each manufacturer has a different approach to this combination. Unfortunately, I was not a big fan of HP’s method – they had integrated the left and right mouse buttons into the touchpad, allowing for a larger area to use, but making it extremely awkward for mouse clicks.
Beyond these issues, I found the unit itself to be a wonderful little device for doing exactly what I wanted: email, surfing, photos, and a long, long battery life. I pushed it to the limit by playing 720p HD encoded movies, and found that the battery easily lasted 4 hours, pretty much at full load. With general use, I’m certain the battery could reach the advertised 6-8 hours of battery life. It is worth noting that the unit got extremely hot under these conditions, and had an active fan to help keep it cool.
The portability was a godsend; I could slip the unit into the front pocket of my backpack and not take up room in one of the larger compartments.
In the end, I will probably look for a newer unit in the coming year – the main reason being I cannot stand the touchpad design. However, after this experience, I have no desire to ever travel with a full laptop again.
