Best full keyboard PC 2008 for a tourer?
 

What would be the best buy for a long touring computer PC with full keyboard in 2008? Most important to me is writing, internet, weight, access to free internet sones, storage for pictures and shock resistant.
The HP is more powerful as far i can see but its also needs more space and the weight is heavier than Asus. It might has to be a very individual choice. Just wants opinions.. If extreme weight weenies would choose they choose Asus, if tech people choose they choose HP i guess. But will both could work it out on very very long tours?


http://eeepc.asus.com/global/

or

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9912854-7.html

I wouldn't touch a HP with your fingers and someone else pressing the power button... JMHO

I recently bought an ACER and it is VERY nice.... How about a Palm or Blackberry with a roll out/ fold out keyboard?... For that matter try one of the new laptops running Linux... (God, who the heck makes those????.. ARGH!) They are SMALL, Light and have GOOD storage (CHEAP TOO :D) the only drawback is the keyboard is too small for serious typing (like writing a novel or taking notes at school)

HP mentions the ASUS in its text, talking about the extra 'sophistication' of the HP (duh!). But, on the face of it, the HP looks to be a shrunken version of the standard laptop. The ASUS looks like a new animal. With that comes the caveat: do you want your experience to be a guinea-pig ride for this machine?

It does sound, though, like the ASUS will better suit what you're looking for; it's almost 1/2-pound lighter, and touts its web-access, picture-handling, shock/impact resistance.

In the end, though...

...it's your money.

Oh, and to add to DDM's comment about HP's:

+++++100000K!

SEE!!! I'm not crazy! :D (at least on THIS subject!)

Lenovo R61?

If you're a thumb typer, the OQO Model 02 is the ultimate in compact size. It is high quality and pricey but a truly capable computer.

You said you wanted the best, right?

>For that matter try one of the new laptops running Linux... (God, who the heck makes those????.. ARGH!) They are SMALL, Light and have GOOD storage (CHEAP TOO :D)

Uh, that's exactly what the Eee PC, which the OP referred to, is.

Steve

With either you're going to be a guinea pig. They are both bleeding edge technology.

Personally, I'm salivating over the HP model due to specs. I would immediately ditch any windows OS and install my favorite Linux distribution on it, that's just me. I have very little brand loyalty, I use ASUS and ABIT motherboards in desktops because I know and trust them but find the eee lacking in storage. -- note the first poster who said "HP sucks" uses an Acer... the red-headed stepchild of the computer industry if there ever was one.

I would bring my MacBook Air.

Get a Thinkpad, an X or T series. Or a Dell Vostro if you want something cheaper. Make sure to get the accidental damage coverage that Lenovo and Dell offer. If you crash your bike and damage the laptop, they will fix everything for free.

I use a Palm TX with a fold up blue tooth keyboard and take it with me to school and work.

You simply can't beat it in the weight department and it has the writing and internet aspects covered. I haven't really messed around with storing pictures or doing much internet surfing other than checking and writing emails.

It's not that the hardware "sucks", its that the product support does.... I have had HORRIBLE experiences with HP customer service (still have yet to talk to anyone who speaks english in a passibly understandable way) and am still waiting on a shipping label to return a defunt lap top four years latter :thumb:

I got the ACER cheap. It has quality components and I now have a computer "rider" on my insurance policy. If it breaks (more like my kids break it), they buy me a new one. I've used the service before, and it ROCKS! Only about $2 a month extra. And ACER had good reviews on Consumer reports and CNET and Computer Shopper.

A Fujitsu LifeBook P8010 is one of the best ultra-portable laptops as it has an optical drive, built-in webcam, built-in card reader, bluetooth, wi-fi and all the fixings. It does not come cheap but for a full-fledged computer this is one of the better choices out there. I use an older model of this as my travel computer and it can handle all of the software that I use normally at work on my desktop.

Alternatively you can get an Asus Eee which is a highly attractive option at a much lower pricepoint.

Asus U1E-A1 is pretty decent, but expensive. It's much more powerful than the eeepc, but it also cost a lot more. About 2 lbs in weight, so it's really, really light for a full keyboard pc.
http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1...81&modelmenu=2

Samsung Q1U-SSDXP is even more compact, but lacks a full onboard keyboard. It does have bluetooth though, so you can just get a foldup bluetooth keyboard. They work quite well. The Samsung isn't as powerful, and doesn't have as nice a screen, but it is about half the money. A big plus is that it's got an 32GB SSD HD, which has zero moving parts. I also think the lack of hinges will be a plus in the durability department. Also, it's got a touch screen, which I would prefer for a compact computer.
http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/d...NP-Q1U/SD1/SEA

Personally I would be concerned over durability than any other factor. Panasonic toughbooks are good, but very heavy, so I wouldn't go that route. Whatever you choose, I'd recommend getting something with a solid state disk drive. Normal drives are not only prone to vibration, but moisture as well. SSD aren't. EEEPC's screen is to small in my opinon.

http://images.apple.com/macbookair/i...2_20080115.jpg

How about the XO Laptop? If you would be comfortable installing/using Linux, I think this meets your specs
http://weather-dimensions.com/tedkae...ith-labels.jpg

As a computer geek for a living, I have to go with something more durable and shock resistant - and made to use outdoors, sorry. Short list would be Panasonic Toughbook

-Roger

I believe Dell is coming out with a small form laptop in the near future.

As for HP, I've had a Pavilion for going on three years now and haven't had any issues.

MSI Wind. Look into it.

http://msiwind.net/

I'm typing this response on my seven year old Compaq Presario (HP) and have not had any reason to call a service person in the seven years I have used it daily; don't know in what language they speak computerese.

I've added and installed all the normal stuff; extra memory, second Hard Drive, second CD burner, cable modem, wire less router, printers, USB 2.0 PCI card, etc. I guess because I don't know nuthin' about computers is why I am quite happy with the value and service of my HP computer.

BTW, what do any of these posts have to do with Bike Commuting?

If I had unlimited funds, I would take a Lenovo Thinkpad X300, but that's pretty impractical for most people. The other notebooks in the Thinkpad X series are still very good, so you may want to look at those. It's relatively easy to find used or refurbished models for cheap.

Starting from the bottom and working up...

It has to do more with bike touring... but the OP probably figured that there were some commuters "beating" a computer or two to death with perhaps a daily ride.

As far as HP hardware... I tend to agree, it is pretty good, which is why I keep buying their printers... but the software and service can be pretty "sketchy," although their online tech help does get past language problems fairly well. They just don't have all the answers.

7 year old computer... time to upgrade. :D

It's like my commuter bike (though newer), works fine, 100% reliable; I'm happy with it's speed and efficiency now. I've already downloaded all the music and Old Time Radio Programs that I think is worth downloading; and I have no problem downloading all the audio books that I am interested in. Microsoft 2000 which I obtained for free works just fine, and I don't need no stinkin' software for Big Dog Cyclists. :)

Why upgrade?

AFAIK the Asus series have a more powerfull processor than the HP VIA CPU. The HP has some nice features, but Asus eee pc (both the 700 and 900 series) are mature products with a large community that can give you excellent support http://www.eeeuser.com/. I don't think there is anything regarding the HP that compares to that level of community support the eee pc has. It probably reflects the low numbers of HP 2131 sold.
The Asus eee pc 700 4G would be an excellent choice since it is both cheap, light and small. It doesn't have that much free storage since it uses a SSD instead of a hard disc drive. SSD's are solid storage which is extremely shock proof but rather expensive. It has a card reader, so it will be easy to unload pictures to either SDHC cards or a USB storage device.
The keyboard isn't full size but quite usable. Don't expect long battery running times on any of the cheap mini notebooks. There do exist large capacity aftermarket batteries for the eee pc, but they will add extra weight and take longer to recharge. The biggest drawback to the cheap eee pc 700 for your needs are the small screen. If you tweak Openoffice writer and Firefox this can be mitigated somewhat. The eee pc 900 series has a larger screen, but also costs more. No matter what, there will always be some compromises and only you can decide what is right for you.

--
Regards

Loss of support for your UI. Sooner or later it will make something as simple as internet access unavailable.