[LINK] Netbooks

[Pilcher, Fred]

Stephen quoted: 

> Retailers say the growth has been driven in part by 
> cash-strapped parents seeking to equip their children with 
> simple, low-powered computers for doing homework before the 
> new school year, which for state schools began today.

...

> In fact, the lack of grunt might be beneficial in a school 
> context because an inability to play games, watch DVDs or 
> even stream YouTube videos smoothly means children have no 
> choice but to concentrate on work.

I'm curious about the "low-powered" meme. I know that my Eee 901 isn't
as powerful in terms of raw grunt as my dual core laptop with a couple
of GB of RAM, but it runs the Compiz cube and other effects smoothly,
plays video and TV perfectly (though sometimes it has a minor hiccup
with HDTV signals), does complex photo manipulations using Digikam
perfectly well, etc. Games? OK - probably not the latest and greatest,
but "inability to play games, watch DVDs or even stream YouTube videos
smoothly" is absolute balderdash.

Fred 
  
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