Hi Graham
If Vista were used, it wouldn't put me off as I have it on my laptop, but
I still rather XP if I'm being honest. I will really need to get some
hands-on of these machines to see which I like the feel of.
Thanks for all the info.
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 15:48
To: bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bcab] Re: Samsung NC 10 netbook
Hi Jackie.
Currently these netbooks are available with Windows XP or Linux.
As you say, there is not enough ram for Vista on most of these machines
though I think the Advent 4211, the Asus EEEPC machines and the Samsung
NC10
can all be upgraded to 2 GB. Personally though I think XP is the better
operating system for them if you are going to use Windows.
I would say that for most people Linux should be avoided as the versions
of
Linux that come with these netbooks tends to be cut down so a full version
will need to be installed in order to get screenreaders working. Hardly
an
out of the box solution, definitely one for the enthusiast rather than for
those that just use the computer as a tool.
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: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 11:09 AM
Subject: [bcab] Re: Samsung NC 10 netbook
Hi Graham and everyone
I've been following this thread very closely as I am in the market for
buying a Netbook, and want to thank all those who have contributed so
helpfully and with so much useful detail. Essentially, I want something
really lightweight to carry around, with wireless connectivity, a nice
keyboard, reasonable hard drive, and the ability to run most programs
such
as JAWS and MS Office 2003.
It's been most interesting, thanks everybody. One quick question though
please? Are these Netbooks coming with XP by default as opposed to
laptops that seem to be loaded with Vista now? It isn't too much of a
big
deal whichever the platform happens to be, except that I would prefer
more
RAM if it were Vista. What is the feeling among you who use these
machines on that score?
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 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
__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 3651 (20081129) __________
The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
http://www.eset.com
______________________________________________________________________
This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email
______________________________________________________________________
*** BCAB List administration ***
If you wish to unsubscribe, set vacation,, request a digest or carry out
routine maintenance on your subscription to the list then go to:
http://www.bcab.org.uk/mailing-list.html
Alternatively, send an email to bcab-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
faqin the subject line. You'll receive an email with advice on managing
your subscription to the list.
If you wish to discuss the administration of the list then contact:
bcab-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 3651 (20081129) __________
The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
http://www.eset.com
__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 3651 (20081129) __________
The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
http://www.eset.com
*** BCAB List administration ***
If you wish to unsubscribe, set vacation,, request a digest or carry out
routine maintenance on your subscription to the list then go to:
http://www.bcab.org.uk/mailing-list.html
Alternatively, send an email to bcab-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
faqin the subject line. You'll receive an email with advice on managing
your subscription to the list.
If you wish to discuss the administration of the list then contact:
bcab-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
______________________________________________________________________
This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email
______________________________________________________________________
*** BCAB List administration ***
If you wish to unsubscribe, set vacation,, request a digest or carry out
routine maintenance on your subscription to the list then go to:
http://www.bcab.org.uk/mailing-list.html
Alternatively, send an email to bcab-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
faqin the subject line. You'll receive an email with advice on managing
your subscription to the list.
If you wish to discuss the administration of the list then contact:
bcab-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus
signature database 3651 (20081129) __________
The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.
http://www.eset.com