Computers for the Commonwealth

Last year I learned to fly an Airbus A300 (my first Airbus; I was flying a Boeing before that), after which I found myself merrily jetting around some interesting parts of the world. I also managed to start a small business that took me to Hong Kong and other places, and, throughout all of this, be it in the cockpit, or in hotels, or in meeting rooms, or in cafes, or in the tropics, or in the snow, or, well, anywhere else, I was always hauling around my notebook computer.

And I do mean always. That notebook is just part of life for me. It’s not that big of a notebook, but once you add the power brick and something to carry it all in, it tips the scales just shy of nine pounds.

Anyway, still looking back at last year, I happened to be in Taiwan when a Taiwanese company called Asustek launched a teeny, tiny, almost toy-looking model of a “netbook” computer they called the Eee PC. I don’t know if it was the very first netbook, or just one of the first, but, either way, it was the first time that I’d seen one. And when I first spied it, I realized that if the netbook really worked and wasn’t just a toy, it would be perfect for Saipan duty.

After all, Saipan has a lot of fleet-footed travelers. A cheap, tiny, portable computer would have a real place in island life.

Unfortunately, when I spied that early netbook computer, it didn’t strike me as very useful. So I didn’t know if they would evolve into really useful devices.

Well, they did. Big time.

In fact, netbooks are the big thing in tech right now. I bought my wife one last week, and after I set it up for her I thought: WOW! I liked it so much that I’m getting one for myself, too.

Every big name PC manufacturer that I can think of makes netbooks now: Lenovo, Dell, Asustek, Acer, HP, Samsung, and so on. Of course, different models have different specs, but a typical netbook these days has a 10 inch screen (approximately), 160 gigabytes of hard drive capacity, the Windows XP operating system, an Intel Atom 1.6 ghz processor, three USB ports, WiFi connectivity, and all the usual computer stuff except for an optical drive. Add a big battery (if you order a model so equipped) that will chug along for, say, six or seven or even more hours, and it all comes to a three-pound machine that will cost, oh, $350 or so.

The one I got my wife, and am getting for myself, is the Acer Aspire One with a 10.1-inch screen. I have no idea if this is the best one to get, so I’m not recommending it, but I’m totally convinced that netbooks are a match made in heaven for CNMI duty. They are (a) highly portable, (b) can save your bacon during a long blackout, and (c) are laughably cheap (as computers go), which is just the ticket for a tropical environment that will ruin just about any computer eventually.

I’m writing this column on the wife’s netbook, and, though the small keyboard certainly is not as comfortable as a full-sized computer keyboard, it’s OK for churning out a page or two of text.

As cool as netbooks are, there are some weird quirks lurking out there. I’ve yet to see a model with a point-stick device, they all have touchpads, which I happen to loathe. No surprise, then that people commonly get a mouse to bundle with their netbooks, but for me that would defeat the entire purpose of having a minimally-sized computer.

Meanwhile, I’ll note that some brands have shrunken “shift” keys on the right side, which will drive a touch typist totally bonkers. Those of you who buy netbooks, and many of you will, will be well-advised to give the keyboards a lot of scrutiny; you can’t take anything for granted.

As for size, this Acer is probably typical: Fold a sheet of typing paper in half; that’s the approximate screen size. Unfold the paper, cut off the top inch of it, and you’ve got the approximate foot print of the computer.

For CNMI residents, this is an exciting development. Netbooks seem tailor-made for tropical duty. The hope of last year has become a reality.
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E[I]d is a pilot, economist, and writer. He holds a degree in economics from UCLA and is a former U.S. naval officer. His column runs every Friday. Visit Ed at TropicalEd.com and SaipanBlog.com.[/I]