I believe I want a netbook, for occasional browsing, email and occasional editing of documents whilst in hotels for work. Hence I need a keyboard and don’t want to pay £600 for an iPad.

Thing is, netbooks are in there way out. Is there an alternative I haven’t considered? Asus Transformer is good but too expensive.

What have I missed, anything?

*watches thread*

Sounds like you need a small decent powered laptop (with decent res 13″ ish screen).

iPads and tablets aren’t best suited to actual work related tasks!

Microsoft Surface?

I’ve no experience, but I really like their ad campaign.

One of our guides tried to survive with an ipad.. decided it was impossible and all the ipad serve to do is make you realise that you really need a macbook if you want to anything other than app/browse/email.

What have I missed, anything?

A second-hand iPad?

An iPad for £479 😀

Chromebook.

I would have thought a chrome book would be a good idea for the OP too. Quite a bit cheaper than an iPad aren’t they?

My Samsung 3 series was £220. Nice bit of kit and the whole “you have to be online” thing is massively overstated.

I’ve been quite impressed with my mums Archos 101 xs.

Nice bit of kit and the whole “you have to be online” thing is massively overstated.

It’s kind of essential for emails though.

A thinkpad x60 and a small SSD.

Install Ubuntu for speedy goodness or Windows XP for compatible familiarity.

11″ laptop with something like an AMD E450 cpu or whatever the equivalent Intel Atom variant is. Nice and small, not quite as small as a netbook, big enough to work on, enough power to work properly, 8 hour battery life (on some) and they can be had for £300.

No brainer imo. They user an integrated platform with graphics and all the gubbins in one chipset which is why the power consuimption is so low.

Drac – Moderator
It’s kind of essential for emails though.

Well obviously, but that’s the same for anything. I’m referring to the people who seem to think if you’ve not got wifi the thing won’t even turn on.

Nexus 10? Chap at work loves his.

Filing that, lots of laptops for less than 300 quid around these days.

I avoided an HP with Ubunto, mainly because I didn’t know what it was. Can anyone summarise?

Chromebook looks good but I’d assumed windows as a requirement, a big nervous of having a third OS on the house – but should I be?

Btw under £250 and its free courtesy of work so thats my price point.

Is the only thing deterring you from an iPad the £600 price?

Patriot pro – yes & no, I want a proper keyboard.

Hmmm. Can’t edit / save word / excel on the Chromebook. Stays as a google doc.

You can get 11″ laptops for approaching that price.

You can get an iPad from £315…

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/ipad

Does it need to be new?
Also depends on how portable you need it to be?

Personally, I think if you want to be productive in any way at all, then rule out tablets at the moment. They just don’t cut it I don’t think. You need a keyboard, and if you take that, you may as well take a laptop. A l number of the Windows surface reviews comment on how they aren’t really useable with keyboards on the lap, so that may be another factor against the surface.

If I was wanting something new, but to be cheap and small, I’d be looking for a little bit more than £250, and I’d put the money against a small ThinkPad X131e or e130/e135. Something small, but sturdy and would handle the tasks you describe.

What about a Dell XPS 10 tablet/PC thing ?

I’ve never used one or seen one, but that qualifies me to talk about them on STW.

http://www.dell.com/uk/p/XPS-10-tablet/pd?un_jtt_v_d=37

Kryton57 – Member
Hmmm. Can’t edit / save word / excel on the Chromebook. Stays as a google doc.

You can run Ms Office to produce and edit office docs via an Ms live account.

My iPad was £360 new (refurbished but looked new and with same warranty etc). Easy enough to connect a bluetooth keyboard to it. Not sure that’s really ideal though.

Refurbed ipad from Apple store and add an external keyboard

All in for sub £400

Simples

iPad and logitech ultraslim keyboard case.

rarely take anything else out of the office with me these days.

I’m typing on a Lenovo x100e. 11″ non-reflective screen, the best keyboard you can get in something that small. The only downside compared to the possible alternatives is that the AMD processor is a bit more power hungry than the Intel equivalent. Would definitely recommend whatever the latest version is (presumably with the same keyboard and screen, but updated internals).

We also have an iPad, and there’s no way I’d choose to take that to edit documents (or indeed most of the stuff I want to do), not even with an external keyboard (which I very much doubt would be up to the quality of this one). Then again I’m weird, as I also prefer to web browse and consume media on this, given I find it rather more ergonomic to use.

As per jam bo

Unusualy good question from you 🙂
I want something similar for the missus, but its more tyhan likely going to be a laptop. Unless some good suggestions come along

aracer what duration do you typically get out of the battery?

I find the simulated keyboard on my iPad much easier to type on than my notebook. The ability to lightly tap and the auto correction enables me to type at a much higher rate than on any other type of keyboard.

Well, it looks like an iPad mini with additional physical keyboard case could be the answer.

In case anyone is remotely interested Dalesrider, I fixed this by convincing work to replace my aging LT with a 12″ Dell 6230, i7 processor, 8gh ram and 128gb flash. Weighs 3lb, has a small form factor and is made of “tri metal”.

It double well as work / sofa surfing and of course is free. 🙂

Dell Outlet, search 13 & 14″ screen home laptops
http://outlet.euro.dell.com/Online/InventorySearch.aspx?brandId=7&c=uk&cs=ukdfh1&l=en&s=dfh
Inspiron 14z looks perfect and 300 +VAT & delivery

A far better outcome than an iPad, imo. Well played.

edit: just saw your try-metal solution.

Should’ve got an ipad 😉