[bcab] Re: Samsung NC 10 netbook

Hi,

Went into a PC World store today to look at the new Dell Studio Hybrid machine 
which Dad was interested in.  It was interesting to look at the machines, most 
of them said "only available at PC World", that means they have customised the 
spec of the system and put their own software (probably Norton and the like) on 
the hard drive, and you will get no support from the OEM (instead having to 
ring up the PC World helpline).

I will never buy hardware from them other than hard drives, memory and CD 
drives and the like.

Andrew.

-----Original Message-----
From: bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 
Jackie Cairns
Sent: 30 November 2008 17:23
To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bcab] Re: Samsung NC 10 netbook

Hi Graham

I agree with you.  The staff generally don't have a clue, and point you in the 
direction of the little ticket that sits on or beside the equipment on sale for 
the blurb on the computer spec.  Oh, and that's when you can find a sales 
person these days! (smile).  PC World have chased most small independent 
dealers out of the High Street because of their prices, but if they vanish as 
well, then those who are still cautious to use online shopping will struggle.

Also thought I heard an advert just the other day where they were selling 
something along the lines of Pc Help, whatever that is, for £79?  I wasn't 
paying much attention to what they were advertising, but I wondered if it had 
something to do with technical support rather than an application.

Jackie Cairns
Braille Support Adviser
Email: jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sight and Sound Technology
Welton House North Wing
Summerhouse Road
Moulton Park
Northampton
NN3 6WD
Tel: 01604 798024
Web: www.sightandsound.co.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 
Graham Page
Sent: 30 November 2008 16:07
To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bcab] Re: Samsung NC 10 netbook

It would be interesting if Tony could explain where he gets this one from as 
looking the information up on the internet does not find any rumours about PC 
World shutting here.  This being said, PC World has shut its operations in 
Ireland and plans were announced in may to shut a number of stores.

the problem with pC World, unlike places like Woolworths is not the product 
they sell.  These days PC World sells a decent range of computers and 
peripherals and they will sell in store at the same price they sell online if 
you ask.  The problem with PC World and their partner store curries is 
unfortunately that of staff.  This is certainly the case in London at least 
though I have heard this criticism about other stores to.  the problem seems to 
be that staff have a lack of knowledge about the products they sell and rather 
than admitting this they just come out with reams of sales prattle.  Once you 
start asking any kind of technical question however their lack of knowledge can 
become all too quickly exposed.
I think therefore that if PC World does fail, it will not be before time in 
some ways, though it would mean the collapse of a potentially very useful shop. 
 They need to think of the operation in a more holistic way rather than just 
concentrating on how they can meet their minimum requirements at the very 
lowest cost.  Customer service and genuin product knowledge or at least an 
overall knowledge and interest in the subject are vital.

Cheers

Graham
Graham Page
Home Phone: 0207 265 9493
Mobile: 07753 607980
Fax:  0870 706 2773
Email: gpage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
MSN: gabriel_mcbird@xxxxxxxxxxx
Skype: gabriel_mcbird

        ----- Original Message -----
        From: Tom Reid <mailto:tom.reid2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
        To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
        Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 11:31 AM
        Subject: [bcab] Re: Samsung NC 10 netbook


        Hi Graham,

        really 8useful stuff.

        got my first advent mid August, battery failed after a month and it 
took more than a month for PC world to replace so got another machine. Now, the 
wireless is playing up.  A bit bothered by what Tony was saying about PC world 
potentially going out of business. Don't know what is going to happen if send 
the machine away.

        Tom



        Tom

________________________________

        From: bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bcab-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On 
Behalf Of Graham Page
        Sent: 30 November 2008 04:10
        To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
        Subject: [bcab] Samsung NC 10 netbook


        Hi all.

        I have mentioned this netbook before and read quite a few reviews and 
comments here and there.  A google search for Samsung NC10 review will bring up 
plenty.  Essentially the common view is generally that the Samsung NC10 is the 
top dog at the moment.  It was £299 though I believe that PC World sell it for 
£320 now.

        I never got to really look at one in PC World but today I got chance to 
set one up from scratch and do some work on another to get them both up to the 
same spec.  Essentially they were well behaved machines that worked well with 
JAWS and should work well with other screenreaders.  They use the Intel GMA950 
chipset I think.

        Reviews say they look more like a professional ultraportable than the 
MSI Wind, Advent 4211 etc. and I would agree with this.  They are certainly a 
bit less curvy.  The keyboard feels good to use and is generally well laid out 
but you gain a page up and a page down key to either side of the up arrow key 
but as a result the right shift key is rather small and feels too far over to 
the right.  The Control key is on the left however and the keyboard is 
perfectly comfortable to use.  You can turn off the mouse pad with FN key f10 
which is good to know.

        In some reports, it has been suggested that the hinge could be a little 
weak.  It felt reasonable to me and not all reviewers say the hinge is week 
though if you move the display sharply during use the screen can flex causing a 
ripple effect to appear.  Ports stick out very slightly from the case as 
plastic moulding sticks out a fraction to hold them.  The battery sticks out a 
centimetre perhaps from the bottom of the machine.  It is a little more back 
heavy than the MSI Wind but not much.

        The basic building blocks and spec in terms of connectivity are the 
same as the MSI Wind and indeed many of the other netbooks using the Atom 270 
chips.  You do get a considerably better built in mike in the Samsung NC10 
though which could be useful if you need to make a quick skype call somewhere.

        The NC10 does come with quite a lot of software including a recovery 
tool that keeps popping up until you run it.  It puts an image of your windows 
setup into the D drive which is a partition of the hard disk.  The hard disk is 
in fact split in half giving about 70 gig each I believe.  This recovery 
program reboots and asks a couple of questions before starting the recovery so 
if you want to do the recovery you will need sighted assistance.  Otherwise you 
could just uninstall it but things could be problematic if your hard disk dies.

        I have now come across Mcafee Internet Security on 2 PCs running Vista 
and 3 running Windows XP in the last couple of weeks.  On the NC10 you get the 
software half installed.  You need to install it fully if you really must use 
this software.  I have seen few programs that seem to slow even the fastest PCs 
down so much.  Removing Mcafee is best done by clicking the remind me later 
button that comes up in the Mcafee window.  This is spoken when you tab to it y 
Narator but not JAWS.  Go to add/remove programs and remove Mcafee security as 
soon as possible.  Use separate fire walls, spyware protection and antivirus 
programs or give the beta of Nod32 a go.

        Over all, if I were buying a netbook today I would go for the NC10 at 
the moment.

        Regards

        Graham

        Graham Page
        Home Phone: 0207 265 9493
        Mobile: 07753 607980
        Fax:  0870 706 2773
        Email: gpage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:gpage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
        MSN: gabriel_mcbird@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:gabriel_mcbird@xxxxxxxxxxx>
        Skype: gabriel_mcbird


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