Netbook info - can it?????

[ilovediznee]

I am in the early phase of looking into purchasing a Netbook. We have a laptop but it is slowly failing so I need to look into other options. All we use it for is email, FB and ebay.

Can someone tell me if a netbook:
- does it have a USB so I can charge by ipod and use itunes?
-I also want to use it to download my pictures from the photo chip to Shutterfly

My understanding is the one thing that people have really asked for that it doesn't have it a DVD/CD slot but I don't think that is too much of an issue.

Any assistance would be helpful and thanks!

Diane

 

[DrCavin]

Yes they have USB port(s) You can purchase an external DVD/CD that would plug into the USB port as well.

 

[bicker]

Generally, the compromise you make getting a netbook instead of a laptop is in the forum of processing power. For example, you can generally play MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 video, but can't transcode video. What would you need to transcode video for? To convert it into a different format, for presentation on a display device markedly different from the netbook display, for example. Or for editing the video, such as making home movies. Also , receiving video from the web might require some pretty heavy-duty transcoding for display on your netbook - that might not be a successful venture.

I discussed video instead of photos, because generally these days there is very little you need to do with photos that you can't do with a netbook.

 

[mickilee]

One thing. When buying a netbook. Make sure the windows 7 is higher then the windows starter . It can cost 99$ to upgrade. booooo.
Unless you dont mind less features like changing your desktop picture or themes.
There is a prg out there that lets you do it with the starter package.
Try for the 6 cell battery if possible too.
I love mine, just throw it in my purse and go.

 

[SaraJayne]

My netbook has a USB port, but no port for camera chips.

 

[NotUrsula]

My netbook has a USB port, but no port for camera chips.

You can buy a $5 dongle that will handle sdcards via the USB port. It's the size of a pack of gum.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Netbooks don't have a super lot of hard drive space, so I'm not sure if it would be practical to have your music library stored on there. Unless you have a shared folder on your desktop set up and you somehow get iTunes to point to that folder for your music.

 

[SaraJayne]

You can buy a $5 dongle that will handle sdcards via the USB port. It's the size of a pack of gum.

Really? Wow, that would be awesome if I could find one. I wasn't going to bring my netbook to WDW b/c I wouldn't have any place to download my pictures, so I was going to buy another SD card instead.

Getting a "dongle" (which I've never heard of) is much cheaper than buying a 2nd SD card.

Thanks!

 

[DrCavin]

Netbooks don't have a super lot of hard drive space, so I'm not sure if it would be practical to have your music library stored on there. Unless you have a shared folder on your desktop set up and you somehow get iTunes to point to that folder for your music.

250GB drives are available for netbooks most come with 160GB drives that would be a pretty big music library!!

 

[SaraJayne]

O.M.G. I'm such an idiot. It's apparently been a while since I've had my netbook out, since I just checked it and it does have a SD card slot.

D'oh!

For the OP, down one side, it has a plug in for headphones, a plug in for a mic, a HDMI port, 2 USB ports and a telephone plug.

On the other side, it has a SD port, and two ports/things I don't know what they are.

 

[DrCavin]

Really? Wow, that would be awesome if I could find one. I wasn't going to bring my netbook to WDW b/c I wouldn't have any place to download my pictures, so I was going to buy another SD card instead.

Getting a "dongle" (which I've never heard of) is much cheaper than buying a 2nd SD card.

Thanks!

Plus you dont need the cord for each camera/device that you want to use, just the one for the card reader!!!

 

[NotUrsula]

LOL ... "dongle" is just IT-speak for any small gadget that plugs into a computer to give it exta functionality. Generally speaking, if it easily fits into a shirt pocket, it can be called a dongle.

I bought the ones we have at MicroCenter. Just search for "card reader" and under $20; you'll find a bunch of them.