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November 2009 | Dental Lab Products
Tech Smart: David Lesh, cdt

Caught up in the net

Staying connected never got easier or in a smaller package.

After four years of writing TechSmart, it is finally time to say goodbye, but not without a farewell piece.

My pièce de résistance, the Netbook, is the latest evolution of the laptop and is the joint venture between HP and Verizon. Although the laptop has gone through several iterations and broken barriers—and backs—in both overall size and weight, few changes have culminated into something as significant as the Mini 1151NR Netbook.

Named for their overall purpose of surfing the Net, Netbooks are characterized by their light weight, small size, and, believe it or not, low price. Few Netbooks exemplify these traits better than the 1151NR. For starters, devices that use the Internet need hassle-free access to a network. With a built-in global chipset running on the Verizon EVDO Rev A network, the 1151NR accesses the Net from almost anywhere in the world.

Connect with ease

Simply lift the cover to revel the 10.1-inch edge-to-edge glass frame to get started. Power-up the Windows XP Home OS, and within minutes you’re surfing the Web. Interestingly, many of today’s software applications, including popular word processing programs, spreadsheet programs, and e-mail applications, can all run on servers that are accessed over the Web. That means the software is not taking up storage space on your laptop; you just go online to access it.

Because your Netbook requires less software, it also can get by with relatively smaller hard drives and even slower processors than larger predecessors. The 1151NR features a 1.6GHz processor and 1-GB of RAM powering an 80-GB hard drive. This combination is enough to have you surfing the Web, storing your documents, and running your applications—especially Web-based ones—problem-free. Collectively, it takes the electronics a full three hours to drain the included three-cell battery.

With a built-in video camera and microphone above the screen, communication is easy. There are also built-in stereo speakers and jacks for VGA out, headphones, and a microphone. Whatever additional features you may need can likely be accommodated through two USB ports and SD/MMC slot.

Inexpensive and nimble

Surprisingly, one of the 1151NR’s biggest advantages is not among its most obvious. Because the Netbook requires Internet access, you will need a wireless Internet plan to use it. And like other wireless devices, Verizon has teamed up with HP to offer subsidized pricing just like a cell phone purchase. At $249 with a two-year data contract, and a $100 online order discount, the 1151NR can be had for just $149 plus monthly data plan fees.

The 1151NR does not include much in the way of accessories, but then again, it’s not for the person who wants to carry much. Because of its size, a DVD drive is available as an external component. With so much connectivity packed into such a small and inexpensive device, there’s just no telling where you may take it and how much fun you will have when you get there.

So, as I write my final TechSmart article, I do so from a laptop much smaller than four years ago. I hope you have enjoyed watching the technological evolution unfold through these TechSmart pages as much as I have enjoyed covering it, and I look forward to staying in touch.

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