[Wolves] Best sub £300 Linux Netbook

[Adam Sweet]

----- Original Message ----

> From: Dave Morley <davmor2 at davmor2.co.uk>
> To: Wolverhampton Linux User Group <wolves at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Sent: Sunday, 17 May, 2009 17:27:00
> Subject: Re: [Wolves] Best sub £300 Linux Netbook
> 
> On Sun, 2009-05-17 at 16:37 +0100, DragonMaster wrote:
> > Hi All.  Just been to PC world to try to get a netbook - specifically the
> > Advent 4213.  However, I was told that putting Linux on it would mean that
> > half the features wouldn't work, and that it would invalidate the
> > warranty!  Can anyone advise if they have found a netbook that is 100%
> > compatible, AND has a large HDD (rather than an 8Gb SSD) and 3G
> > compatability.

> I've seen ubuntu running on the netbook as it is based on the msi wind.
> So I don't know what they are on about.  UNR runs better on it but
> basically what ever modern linux desktop should run fine.

The Advent 4213 *isn't* a rebadged MSI Wind, that was the Advent 4211.The Advent 4213 is a rebadged ECS G10L:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/20/review_netbook_advent_4213/

No idea how Linux runs on it.

As far as I can tell, Dell Minis have a space on the motherboard for a 3G device, but the (HSDPA?) riser isn't soldered on to the motherboard unless you get it from one of the phone companies (Vodafone I think) as part of a 3G plan. I know Tesco were selling Dell Mini 9s cheaper than Dell were, but the specs were on Dell's low end. No idea whether they are still selling the newer models or whether they have a connector for a 3G device.

The HP Mininote 2133 was more or less end of line stock when I got mine in mid March, it's since been replaced by the Atom based 2140 (which I think is pretty pricy and has a lower res than most netbooks (1024x576) unless you get the only just released and very expensive one at 1366x768) . Haven't opened my 2133 to see if there's a space for a 3G modem.

Sorry I can't answer your question. Everyone I know who has bought an Acer Aspire One was happy with it and I think people generally like the bigger Eee PCs and the Samsung NC10 though where that leaves you with 3G I don't know.

As a side point, I believe Asus are killing off all but the 3 most recently announced Eees, so you might be able to buy up some of the end-of-lifers cheap sooner or later like I did with the Mininote.

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