The Pointer Online
A new electronic device called the netbook has joined the computer market and is adding yet another option to the laptop industry. However, when choosing between these three options the most important thing to remember is not what Justin Long said on TV, but what the laptop will be used for in the future.
With an appealing price point ranging from $180 to $500, a netbook is a small laptop-type device that is designed specifically to search the web and do other small tasks. A netbook weighs around three to five pounds, and has a small LCD screen between 10.1 to 13 inches.
Although similar in appearance and basic functions, netbooks lack the raw computing power of a fully functioning computer. At their slimmed down size, netbooks lack a disc drive, utilize a single core processor and come equipped with a slimmed down operating system.
“It is important that we say that netbooks are a supplement to a fully working computer; they’re not a replacement. People think they’re a small computer when they are not, they are a netbook,” said Donovan Lozo, Supervisor at the Stevens Point Best Buy.
Although a netbook will surf the web and create office documents as well as their larger counterparts, more advanced tasks such as video and photo editing are going to require more computing power.
A recent survey conducted by Square Trade Inc., analyzing failure rates of 30,000 laptops, found that netbooks fail 20% more often than laptops, and that contrary to media advertisements, Toshiba and Asus make the market’s most reliable laptops.
“I don’t think [the] failure rate is different across brands because it’s not really HP or Toshiba - they don’t make the components that they put into their computers. They choose them put them in a plastic case and put their name on it. I tell consumers that if you’ve heard of the name brand you’re fine. I just wouldn’t recommend a brand that you’ve never heard of,” said Lozo.
From the commercials, consumers would be led to believe that the Mac is more powerful and reliable than a PC. When analyzing technical specifications alone, Mac’s entry level MacBook, starting at $999, is closely comparable to a Toshiba Satellite which sells for $329 at Best Buy.
What truly separates a Mac from PCs isn’t the internal specifications. The real difference in a Mac is their efficient operating system, said Jeremy Spriggs, deputy of Counter Intelligence (Geek Squad supervisor) at the Stevens Point Best Buy.
“The Mac OS [X Snow Leopard] is a solider operating system,” said Spriggs.
Riding on the negative reviews of Windows Vista, Apple’s stable operating system has been the theme of their current campaign against Microsoft. In retaliation to this campaign, Microsoft rushed to release their answer to this problem with Windows 7. New Windows 7 users are optimistic.
“Windows Vista was a pretty hefty operating system. Windows 7 is much lighter. This will influence the load time for different applications. But, no matter how reliable the software is, you have to remember that these things are mass produced,” said Spriggs.
According to Spriggs, the majority of computers they service are because of user error. These are computers that are infected with viruses that have been downloaded onto the system by using LimeWire, BearShare and downloading emails, free wallpaper and screen savers.
Viruses are yet another reason the Mac OS is considered superior to Microsoft. But it isn’t the reliability of the program that makes Windows so susceptible to online predators.
“Macs are only about 7% of the market. A virus would have to be specifically built to harm a Mac. If their market share explodes, I guarantee you’ll see more viruses,” said Spriggs.
Depending on how it is used, a Windows based computer can be just as secure as a Mac with the addition of good anti-virus software.
Netbooks are a decent, cost- efficient option for entry-level users who just want to use the Internet. When purchasing a netbook, remember that there are full size models around the same price. Also keep in mind that a major benefit of a netbook over a laptop is portability. If a computer is going to spend the majority of time sitting on a desk then maybe a full-size upgradeable laptop is the better option.
PC’s offer a large and technologically diverse group of cheap laptops with something for everyone. These laptops can range in price from as little as $299 to well over $11,000. The key to picking the right model is understanding what you want the machine to do.
Mac computers are still considered to be the ‘best.’ And OS X is a less problematic operating system than Windows Vista. For professional grade photo and video editing, potential buyers should end their shopping adventure at the Apple Store.
But for users who aren’t media moguls, a standard PC is still a reliable and cost-efficient option. And with the introduction of Windows 7, PC users can hopefully look forward to an easier and faster computing experience.
