Netbook revolution

Over the past few years there have been a vast number of innovations in computing that have totally tranformed many aspects of our lives. Few homes these days are without some kind of computer..  In recent years, laptop computers have become more popular.  They come these days with DVD rewriters, big screens and huge hard drives..  This is wonderful for most users but  the average laptop computer is quite heavy and it feels heavier the further you have to carry it.
  In October 2007, the Taiwanese computer firm Asus started a revolution with the launch of a tiny new laptop the EEEpc.  This boasted a seven inch screen and a fancy solid state hard drive and ran on a modified version of the free Linux operating system and sold for around £200.  The first model flew of the shelves worldwide. Asus struggled to keep up with demand and began to produce further versions boasting nine-inch screens and the Windpws XP operating system.
  The processor maker Intel launched its Atom processor in June 2008 to improve the performance of these small cheap computers.  Big computer companies like Dell, MSI and Acer began to bring out their own netbooks. Typically they have smaller hard drives, ten-inch or smaller screens and run bespoke versions of Linux or Windows XP.  The launch of these machines has given a new lease of life to XP as they are not powerful enough to run the resource hungry Windows Vista.
  In comparison to a regular laptop, it is a pleasure to carry one of these devices around.  They are all wireless enabled and allow internet access almost anywhere.  If coupled with a 3G USB mobile broadband dongle you can get a clear signal everywhere you can talk on your mobile phone. They all weigh less than a kilogram and can be slipped into almost any bag.  The best designed ones have a good keyboard and reasonable battery life.
  I have been using an Advent 4211 from Currys for the past six months or so.  It has a clear ten-inch screen and enough space on the hard drive for all my photographs and articles for the Carrick Biz..  It’s certainly not powerful enough for cutting edge computer gaming or video editing but great for taking anywhere, storing mp3 music collections and basic office functions and web browsing.
  I have to say that this wee machine is a joy to use and is available for around £250.  The Advent is a Currys ownbrand version of the highly regarded MSI Wind with the advantage that it’s a good fifty quid cheaper. Fair play to Asus for coming up with the idea.  For many people one of these cheap, small PCs will probably be all you’ll need.