$249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

News, discussion and questions about technology and computers, whether broadcast-related or not.

$249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

Postby jon » Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:51 am

Staples current flyer, good until March 8th (Tuesday) has an HP Compaq netbook on sale for $249.06. Windows 7 Starter edition, 10.1" screen, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, 1.66GHz Intel Atom Processor N455, and all the normal stuff you get with a Netbook, i.e. - quite a lot.

http://www.staples.ca/ENG/Catalog/cat_s ... xedcode=WW
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/manu ... t=5052022& - manuals

I was surprised recently to see a Dell netbook for $269, having happily paid $329 a year ago for an HP Mini -- the cheapest at the time with Windows 7 -- so, $249.06 is really quite the deal.

I'm actually surprised how much use I get out of mine. Bought originally for my wife, instead of a desktop, I end up using it for the oddest chores that would be difficult any other way. For example, two installs at my in-laws, first of a Shaw Wireless Gateway, then the TELUS equivalent, and a replacement of a defective Shaw Wireless Gateway at home. Because I opt for installing modems and routers in the basement, near the entry point to the house for telephone, cable, etc., it is a real hassle now that most equipment requires some sort of "conversation" via a computer to get it working. The netbook eliminated the need to temporarily setup the household desktop in the basement. Or, worse yet, running back and forth, up and down stairs, to respond on the computer, push switches, watch lights or read ID/password off the label on the gateway.

I also use the netbook in the local public library while waiting for family to do chores nearby, in the parking lot at the doctor's office while waiting for others' appointments, or at the eye doctor on one of the dispensary counters. Even out of range of wi-fi, I can caption pictures for web sites and such.
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9256
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: $249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

Postby Mike Cleaver » Sat Mar 05, 2011 5:39 pm

$199 at Walmart here in Vancouver for a 10 inch Emachine.
Mike Cleaver Broadcast Services
Engineering, News, Voice work and Consulting
Vancouver, BC, Canada

54 years experience at some of Canada's Premier Broadcasting Stations
User avatar
Mike Cleaver
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 2085
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:56 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: $249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

Postby jon » Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:35 pm

Unbelievable! According to walmart.ca, they don't sell any netbooks in Edmonton.
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9256
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: $249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

Postby TRENT310 » Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:02 pm

I paid $120 for a Acer Aspire One AOA150 at The Brick (South Edmonton Common). Atom N270.
That was around the time they were getting out of trying to sell computers at their furniture store.

I got it to evaluate the emerging Netbook form factor (I do that a lot, like evaluating Sirius radio as mentioned in my last post)... and at that price, why not.
The atom processor is definitely low TDP (so low heat) and saves energy, therefore runs for an acceptable amount of time on the 3-cell battery.
It's definitely a cool piece of hardware that has full computer platform capabilities (runs anything any other x86 can) and is at a low price where if it breaks or gets lost or whatever, isn't really devastating.
The keyboard size, or lack thereof, really bugs me though. On current Netbooks, they seem to have increased the size of the keys (well, display too), which is nice to see.

It won't replace my laptop that I bring everywhere all the time (Latitude D620) but I did use the netbook once in the field when programming a particularly finnicky phone system.
TRENT310
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:40 pm
Location: Whitecourt/Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Re: $249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

Postby MIKE FM » Mon Mar 07, 2011 1:10 am

$179.99 for the netbook I'm on right now. Got it Boxing Day at Best Buy, South Edmonton Common. It's a blue Acer Aspire D260. I Absolutely love it, even though it only has Windows XP SP3. It also has a 7-8 hour battery life with the brightness cranked full blast.
MIKE FM
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:43 pm
Location: Edmonton

Re: $249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

Postby PMC » Mon Mar 07, 2011 11:15 am

Buy a netbook, a tablet, or a laptop based on how it performs for you and your software. Don't buy it on price alone...
PMC
 

Re: $249.06 = Cheapest Netbook Ever!

Postby jon » Mon Mar 07, 2011 11:29 am

PMC wrote:Buy a netbook, a tablet, or a laptop based on how it performs for you and your software. Don't buy it on price alone...

Good advice! In my case, the needs for the netbook were so far below the bottom of the low end model, it was ridiculous. Reliability and Windows 7 were all I was after.
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9256
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton


Return to Computer & Technology News

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 87 guests