mini laptops?

ah, very good. I'll take a look. I just found the HP mini too which might be more the size I'm looking for.

thanks!

take it back, the MSI and the HP mini look to be the same size. am guessing this is as small as I'm gonna find yes?

I also bought the MSI Wind. It is a "full-size" computer as far as capability, very good battery time (though I got the larger battery which added a few ounces), and weighs just over a kilo. I LOVE IT.

Plusses: small, lightweight, wifi, able to back-up (and review) my photos, keep notes, copies of all the documents (itineraries, passport, etc etc), 3 USB ports (I use a mouse with it and I can still plug in my iPod and a flash drive or camera at the same time)

Minuses (sort of): smaller keyboard takes a little getting used to, need to use an external cd-rom to load programs (like microsoft office).

I find the screen is big enough for email and and web browsing, but not large enough for photo editing.

Check out the Dell Minis:

http://www.dell.com/us/en/home/notebooks/laptop-inspiron-10/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-inspiron-10&s=dhs&cs=19

There is a whole family of "Netbooks" out there - laptops at around 2+#. I have an Acer and have absolutely no complaints. My wife likes her Asus.

Actually, if all you want to do is type notes, then try to find an old NEC MobilePro. There were versions with full sized (800x600) screens, and they have flash memory, so boot up is almost instantaneous. My biggest complaint was that I couldn't run the newest software on it, but it came with a simplified form of Word that would be fine for taking notes.

I have an ASUS netbook which I love. It uses Windows XP, and I downloaded Open Office (which is free) as my word processing/database/spreadsheet program. I also downloaded Skype for making calls to another computer, and Picasa for handling my photos, and I'm all set! It was about $239 on sale at Best Buy. It has three USB ports (I use a little bitty mouse with it, too) and a built-in webcam.

I purchased a Dell Mini 10v approximately 1 month ago. It was much more than I ever expected. You must check it out.

It has 160 GB HD and 1 GB RAM. Comes with Microsoft Works 9, XP and WiFi, etc.

I don't like touch pads so got a wireless mouse.

April I purchased a Dell Inspiron Laptop for travel and it is perfect, but now will take the Mini to Europe instead as it does all I need for a trip overseas.

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dncwfa1&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=laptop-inspiron-10

II have the ACER mini --- have even named it "Baby" Highly recommend it...small, easy to travel with..much more useful than a full sized laptop. I made the mistake of carrying a full sized on one trip...Never again! Bought it last year on a promotion, about the same as the mini Dell's which had just been brought out. In faact, I am typing this from Toledo this morning!

Toby,

The type of portable computer you're looking for is termed a Netbook. These are basically very compact Laptops with display sizes ranging from about 8.9" to 11.1".

The Intel Atom Processors used in Netbooks don't have as much "horsepower" as those in full sized Laptops, so they wouldn't be as suitable for graphics applications or those requiring lots of processor power. However, they work well for E-mail, web browsing and other simple applications.

Some Netbooks are provided with Windows XP, some with Linux and some newer models with Vista Home. Some have built-in Memory Card readers and most have a Webcam and Wi-Fi capability. Most of the current models are provided with a 160GB hard drive, however some newer models have been upgraded to a 250 GB hard drive.

As you're not going to be travelling until next year and won't need the Netbook until then, I'd suggest waiting a few months before you buy one. That's a rapidly changing part of the portable computing market so there will undoubtedly be newer models coming in the next few months, with improved features. I suspect these will be a "hot" item at Christmas!

I'm also thinking of buying a Netbook before my next trip, and have been looking closely at the Toshiba NB-205. It's been getting good reviews on CNET and other sites.

Good luck and happy travels!

thanks so much for all the great replies! exactly the info I needed. It is soooooo appreciated!

Just to add to your choices, look at the Toshiba models as well for comparision. What I found is that nearly all netbooks are very, very, similar in features (same processor, same size, same weight, same OS, same memory and HDD) meaning you may put more weight into a name than anything tangible. I wound up going with the Toshiba based on good reviews and the long battery life (about 9 hours is possible). In fact the battery really separates many models (3 cell, 6 cell, whether the Netbook has a power management feature, etc.)

Thanks Paul. I have already noticed all the different brands! yowsa.

One other question I have since you mention battery life....am guessing I will need an adapter of some sort since I'll be in Spain for two weeks. I'm going to get one for my digital camera. Would that one suffice for the netbook do you think?

many thanks again. you all rock :)

Just on the adaptor question - all you should need is a adaptor plug for Europe (2 pin) into which any of you US plugs will go.

I've got a Samsung NC10. Excellent size and keyboard; excellent battery life - 6-8 hrs easily. They have the NC11 since I bought mine -- not sure of the difference.

Toby,

Some clarification on one of the previous posts....

"Just on the adaptor question - all you should need is a adaptor plug for Europe (2 pin) into which any of you US plugs will go."

You'll definitely need a Plug Adapter to connect the Netbook Charger to outlets in Europe (the Euro style has two round pins). However, you may or may not also need a Voltage Converter.

This will depend on the Input Voltage specifications of the Charger that's supplied with the Netbook. You'll need to check the specifications on that prior to travel. If the Input Voltage is listed as "100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz" then all you need is an inexpensive Plug Adapter. These are available for as little as US$2.85 from www.magellans.com or other sites, including Rick's Travel Store.

Cheers!

ah, terrific Ken. that's exactly what I needed to know. you all have been so helpful. thanks so much!!

I recently bought a Dell mini 10 and am using it in Europe. This is a great little 10" HD widescreen netbook. I loaded a scaled down version of Office 2007 with no performance problems. It also came with built in GPS, but the software only has US maps and CoPilot Live doesn't offer European maps. You can use Gamins laptop version as an alternative. Otherwise, this little guy is awesome!

Just FYI, the mini 10 is dual voltage BUT comes with a 3 prong US plug, not the usual 2 prong. It's not a big deal, 3 prong adapters are available. Just want you to be prepared.

Toby, you have a lot of info already to do some research; just wanted to second on the Acer. I'm writing on it right now from Morocco. Brought it with me on a 26-day trip in 4 countries. It's super-light; I have no complaints and I'm very glad I brought it with me. I had it before the trip, so I'm used to the smaller keyboard. I use it for notes, checking e-mail, and downloading all the pictures of the day.

I got it a Costco for less than 300 bucks, and if it fails you have 6 months to return it.

I got an adapter at Walmart ($8) and it works perfectly. Has different plugs, all-in-one, for UK, Europe, Aust/NZ.

Have fun!

thanks Sam and Maria!

I've bookmarked this thread for later when I seriously start shopping. appreciate all the great info so much!!