There has been a lot of talk about the best modern portable computing platform. Things like the iPhone are really popular, as are “traditional” laptops. By “traditional” I mean the clamshell which opens up so that the display and the keyboard are both protected during transit, but both are usable when opened. The new “netbooks” take the traditional laptop, shrink it down both physically and to the specs, which is really a neat idea if you think about it.
What everyone wants is a computer which doesn’t cost too much and can do everything they want it to do. Both of these parameters are different for every person, so here are mine!
My ideal notebook is what I use to entertain myself when I otherwise have no access to computers. I would use it to listen to music, watch videos, maybe even read books and websites. It should even have some development software, so I can do some programming on the move. I will not be editing video, or even major development.
Must haves:
- Ability to run Linux. Ubuntu is nice and I have been using it on my laptop since 2005.
- 10-11 inch screen. I don’t need a huge screen when out and about. I have large screens for serious computing at both home and work and anything bigger than this can get in the way.
- Screen resolution of 1280×800 (minimum).
- CPU that is at least as fast as a 1GHz modern one, as long as speed can be controlled to conserve power
- 1GB RAM. I know this isn’t a lot; see previous point.
- 32+GB solid state permanent storage
- Keyboard I can use (big enough keys and including F keys up to F12). I don’t mind weird key placements as much as others, and I can even live with Fn combos for some things.
- At least 3 USB 2.0 ports
- Wifi. This must be built in so that nothing will be sticking out at weird angles
- Bluetooth. This must allow connection with a mobile phone to get onto the 3G data network when truly out and about. It will avoid a need for a separate data card as these tend to change often. (eg GPRS vs EDGE vs WCDMA vs HSDPA)
- Card reader. SD(HC) and xD is what I care about, but others would also have their merits.
- Good power management. Some power management systems are a little flaky, especially on Linux. This needs work
- At least 5 hours of battery life doing normal tasks such as watching a video or playing a game, and 8 hours doing things like reading static text. Always want more time!
- Weight less than 1.5kg
Things that could be very handy:
- Screen resolution of 1280×960 (yes! not wide-screen). Smaller pixels means it’s harder for shoulder-surfing and you can fit more stuff on. Higher than this might start to cause troubles.
- Linux Open BIOS so that it boots almost instantly
- Software that can run directly in ROM, so no loading time at all! I would like to discuss this further later on.
- Switchable video cards. Switch to an “integrated” video when you don’t need the fancy graphics.
- Reflective screen mode. In high-light situations this will be very clear and use virtually no power (talking microamps). I don’t even mind if we have to drop into a monochromatic mode. This could potentially provide weeks of use on a single battery charge if only reading text off the screen!
- Ability to turn it into a “tablet” with your choice of portrait or landscape.
- Less than 1 kilogram, but not if it skimps on batteries
- Aluminium case so that fan cooling will not be required.
- Charge from a variety of sources: at least mains (100-250VAC) and 12V DC from a car.
- Modular battery packs. the idea is to be able to change packs without shutting down and without AC power, for those really long trips.
- Battery technology. The ideal battery will be small and light, while providing power enough. It will also handle being abused (such as being left fully discharged, or constant discharging/recharging). Li-Ion is close but still not there… I guess these batteries will be useful in electric cars too.
Things that I don’t really care one way or the other:
- 16:9 or 8:5 or 4:3 or 1:1 screen ratio
- Built-in webcam
- Built-in microphone
- Even a built-in sound card. USB headsets are fairly common these days at that will provide sound when required. Either that or bluetooth headsets if they can do the quality for music.
- Multi-touch. This can be useful on a small screen without a keyboard, but not really needed at the moment.
- Optical drive (eg DVD burner). I can use an external one, or another computer’s one. Get rid of it to save room and cost, although sometimes it is useful to have one to burn off something, if you have the media on you.
- x86 compatible CPU. Having a non-Intel-compatible chip should reduce costs and getting rid of some of the baggage may make it more efficient. Most of the software I use every day is open source so this will be trivial, although some useful propriety software may suffer (Adobe Flash is the first to spring to mind)
Things I don’t want:
- Windows. I rarely boot my laptop into Windows anyway.
- Huge Harddrive. I have other computers for storage. A few gigabytes will hold days of compressed video, plus a SD slot will provide more storage if needed in the future.
- Big and bulky things:
- Case
- Power adaptor
- Accessories
My current laptop meets some of these criteria. In fact my old 486 laptop meets some of them too, especially the size ones! I have been eyeing off the Asus eeePC since I first heard about it. It, and its followers such as the MSI Wind and Dell Inspiron Mini meets some of my criteria, but none of them seem to sell the Linux version in Australia. Plus the 9 inch models have keyboards a little small for me. Both of those features make them a show-stopper.
Expect this post to be updated as I think of more stuff (to add and remove)!