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Are These Netbook OS’s Getting Your Blood Pumping?

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picture-13With talk of Dell’s Mini 10V running Android CupCake, Moblin 2.0 beta being released, HP’s Mini 1000 Mi, Unbuntu‘s Netbook Remix, and Windows 7 taking users where Vista could never take them, it has never been a better time to be a mobile user. Here’s a quick run-down on my personal experiences so far.

I’ve found HP’s owned packaged version of Unbuntu in the Mini Mi to be very restricting and driver unfriendly. Add-ons won’t install in the browser, and to do anything with the OS, you have to drop down to a command line. I wouldn’t recommend to anyone that they buy a Mini Mi – go for the Windows version of the Mini 1000 instead.   I have not given Moblin 2.0 or Unbuntu Netbook Remix a test drive yet, but will over the next couple of weeks. I’ve used Android on a G1, and I don’t see a compelling reason to port it over to a Netbook. I love Windows 7 on a Netbook. It has provided me with a consistent operating and application environment across my many devices, as well as giving me a no-compromise performance experience.   Being the tablet pc kind of guy that I am, I’ll likely stick with a Windows 7 install across my tablet pc and mini-mobile computers.

Have you been experimenting with these varous OS’s in your mobile computers? What are you liking the best / least? What do you think will be the predominant OS on netbooks and MIDs?

13 Comments

13 Comments

  1. Snowii

    05/20/2009 at 9:03 am

    Rob so you’re saying that Win7 outperformed XP on your netbook?

    I use Win7 on my X60t and love it… kinda regret paying for Vista :(

    so if Win7 would give me a snappier environment on my Acer Aspire One I would be mostly grateful as I wasn’t any close to happy when I was using it…

    will be back home in a couple of weeks so might give Win7 a test drive on the acer…

  2. Rob

    05/20/2009 at 9:11 am

    It is snappier all the around for me on Win 7 vs XP

  3. SAM

    05/20/2009 at 10:15 am

    Do your XP drivers work for your printers, older programs etc while using Windows 7?

    Less compatibility issues?

  4. HereAndNow

    05/20/2009 at 11:00 am

    People need to watch the Moblin 2.0 video. It looks awesome! The YouTube link is:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsCpIeLLoT8

    Perhaps Moblin should become the default OS installation on ALL netbooks/tablets.
    1. It boots in 7 seconds (sorry Splashtop).
    2. It provides a slick, touch-friendly UI, suitable for small displays & tablets.
    3. There are plans to incorporate the Android framework, so Android apps will run on it.
    4. Windows could be offered, as an option, for those wanting to run Windows apps. Virtualization would allow Windows apps to be launched from within Moblin.
    5. … (there are tons of other reasons!)

    I think the possible marriage of Android & Moblin is REALLY exciting! It would be cool, to be able to run Android apps on the Moblin desktop.

  5. GoodThings2Life

    05/20/2009 at 11:42 am

    @SAM… You would want to get Vista-drivers for your printers and other hardware, but otherwise, most programs will work fine on 7. You may find a few issues here and there depending on the app, but they usually relate to hardware specific programs that you probably don’t really need anyway.

  6. GoodThings2Life

    05/20/2009 at 11:45 am

    @Rob…

    Over the years, I’ve always played with various OS’s as they’re released, but I always come back to Windows, and until I find something better than Windows 7, I don’t see that changing.

  7. TateJ

    05/20/2009 at 2:49 pm

    Windows 7 rocks on my Dell Mini 9. But I am very tempted by Unbuntu Nebook Remix. Its as fast and friendly as windows 7 with out having to worry about the viruses and other bad stuff that I have to deal with running windows Windows.

    Since I use it like I used my old Mobilepro 790 pda, I’d like to treat my Mini 9 like I treated my old pda, turn it on , charge it and forget about it until I need it. I’m running Windows 7 and Remix side by side while I decide if I can live with Unbuntu as my netbook’s only operating system.

    As for my desktop and full laptop computers, Windows 7 all the way.

  8. SAM

    05/20/2009 at 5:02 pm

    Is Windows 7 faster than XP on the same machine?

  9. Rob Bushway

    05/20/2009 at 5:39 pm

    sam, all I can offer is my subjective opinion in that yes, win 7 on my netbooks is faster than xp

  10. SAM

    05/20/2009 at 5:44 pm

    Thanks Rob

  11. Sara Fauzia

    05/21/2009 at 2:23 am

    You have to use the commandline to use Ubuntu? Now, that amazes me. I understand why tablet PC users have to use the commandline to configure the pen, eraser, and touch, and even that is as simple as copy and paste from what is posted on many, many websites online. But Ubuntu, bring you to the commandline? They keep the commandline pretty hidden in Ubuntu, but I will admit that Ubuntu is more commandline-friendly than openSUSE. I’m sure the Netbook Remix is amazing; people without netbooks are liking it as well, though not all the icons are designed to be displayed on higher than 1024 x 600 res (or whatever resolutions netbooks have these days). Do give it a try before you judge!

    Personally, the more commandline-friendly the OS, the better it is to me… it makes me feel that I can actually control my computer, which isn’t an unpleasant feeling. And obviously not all netbook users are anti-tweaking, or we wouldn’t be seeing Mac OSX on quite a few of them…

  12. Sara Fauzia

    05/21/2009 at 2:26 am

    I will agree with one point your article made: I did not see before, and I do not see now the point of Android on a netbook. Unless it truly is instant-on–not even having to wait a single second–it doesn’t hold a real advantage over the other options out there to tweak booting.

  13. Ben

    05/21/2009 at 5:37 pm

    I’ll have to agree that android isn’t really suited for a traditional keyboard-trackpad-screen clamshell laptop. However, android on other more interesting slate-like form factors (slate pc, e-readed, etc), on the other hand, is something i’d really like to see.

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