The Saturday Review: Toshiba Netbook

Toshiba Mini-Notebook (netbook)
10.1" screen
Intel Atom processor N455
2 GB memory (upgraded from 1 GB)
250 GB hard drive
Intel Integrated Graphics
Equipped with: full-size keys, touchpad, integrated webcam and mic
OS: Ubuntu Netbook Edition

As much as I loved Lappy, he was kind of a pain in the butt.  That particular model had webcam issues, so my webcam worked for about 2 1/2 uses and died.  I mounted an external webcam on the top when I needed to use one, but it was very frustrating and often fell off.  The battery had an extremely short life, even in the beginning, and only got steadily worse as time went on.  Then, Sullivan chewed through the power cord and I had to buy a generic compatible one as they no longer sold the actual cord.  This eventually led to Lappy's internal combustion and I was forced to buy my new netbook.

Sullivan looks on in horror as Lappy is gutted for parts.

When Kris suggested I get a netbook, I was against it at first.  I wanted to be able to have computer functionality and my understanding of a netbook was that it only provided the most basic functions and was similar to a smart phone or tablet.  As I read, I found out that this was not the case.  Netbooks have most of the capabilities of a full-size laptop, but simplified and streamlined.

I read up on netbooks and decided on the Toshiba mini-notebook based on positive CNET reviews.  The Toshiba is lightweight and sleek.  Previous models were described as having a bulky and protruding battery, but Toshiba seems to have fixed that issue.  I was able to comfortably use the computer while lying in bed and watching TV, something I was unable to do with my previous laptop.  Battery life is, on average, six hours and it is so nice not to have to be constantly plugged in.  Because of its size, the netbook only has one speaker (mono), but it does have a headphone jack, which allows the sound to be heard in stereo.  It also has a USB port and a SD card reader.

The Nanobot

Most netbooks come standard with Windows 7 Starter, which means very limited access to Windows 7 features (for instance, you can't change the desktop background).  This virtually forces you to upgrade, which can be costly.  Another option is to use the Ubuntu Netbook Edition.  Even though Kris is a die-hard Linux convert, I am not a Linux user by any means.  That being said, the netbook version of Ubuntu is surprisingly easy to use once you get used to it.  There are benefits to using Linux; you deal with less bloatware and unneeded programs and there is less chance of getting viruses.  Most Windows-compatible programs have Linux counterparts or, as in the case of Skype, a Linux beta version. 

Ubuntu Netbook Edition desktop

As far as looks go, the Toshiba netbook is probably the best-looking netbook on the market.  It looks like a very small laptop, and this model comes in some gorgeous colors (turquoise, lime green, bright blue, brown, and orange).  The screen, though small at 10.1", is excellent and arguably rivals any full-size laptop for clarity.

Toshiba Mini-Notebook in blue

The netbook is perfect for what I need and very user friendly.  I would recommend it for people who are looking for a high-quality laptop without a lot of extras or frills.  It's not a good fit for people who use their computer for entertainment (ex: games, watching movies, etc.), but for those who can afford it, it would make an excellent secondary laptop for students or frequent travelers.

Your Laptop A Splode!

After St. Patrick's day revelries, we were hanging out with some friends and I noticed a burning plastic smell.  Imagine my distress when I found that my laptop power cord had shorted out and started melting the case!  I caught it before it did any damage to my desk, but sadly Lappy is no more.  I'm currently using Kris's work laptop, so there may be a shortage of pictures over the next week.  I am planning on getting this little guy to replace poor Lappy.

A moment of silence, if you will, for my dearly departed computer.

Speaking of Twitter . . .

If you're not using Twitter, you should, if only to follow some very funny/interesting people.  Here is my Top Ten list of best geeks to follow on Twitter:

10:  @BigBoyler (Chris O'Dowd from "The IT Crowd"):  O'Dowd's off-kilter non sequiturs are always good for a laugh.

9:  @michaeljnelson (Mike Nelson from "MST3K" and RiffTrax):  Nelson doesn't tweet as often as some, but when he does, it's always funny.  It's also worth it to follow his conversations with fellow riffers Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy.

8.  @kwmurphy (Kevin Murphy):  Murphy is funny and very in touch with his fans.  He and Corbett also have an awesome rapport, which makes it worth to follow him to keep up with their conversations.

7.  @BillCorbett (Bill Corbett):  Corbett is the most frequent tweeter of the "MST3K" guys and like Murphy, is responsive to his fans.  He's funny and manages to retweet funny things from his followers

6:  @ConanOBrien (Conan O'Brien):  O'Brien took to his Twitter account after his contentious departure from NBC prohibited him from immediately returning to television.  His tweets are always concise and funny, acting like a peek inside his very quirky brain.

5.  @donttrythis (Adam Savage from "Mythbusters"):  Savage tweets a balanced combination of anecdotes on his life, his work on the show, and funny non sequiturs.

4.  @nickjfrost (British comic actor Nick Frost, famous for his role as Ed in Shaun of the Dead):  Frost's irreverent tweets and frequent joshing with friend and costar Simon Pegg make following him feel like part of their inner circle.

3.  @simonpegg (star of Shaun of the Dead):  Pegg gives you an inside look at his life and his friendship with Frost.  He frequently tweets pictures, which increases the feel of familiarity.

2.  @thinkgeek (geektacular online store):  Clever employees (or "monkeys") of the awesome website tweet funny tidbits along with news about the site and upcoming deals.  Following @thinkgeek is a guaranteed reciprocal follow and they are very responsive to fans/customers.

1.  @wilw ("Star Trek" alum and founder of geek fest Wootstock Wil Wheaton):  Wheaton's tweets are equal parts anecdotes about his life, geeky musings, and spirited conversations with his followers.  My personal favorites are his amusing conversations with his perpetually apathetic cat.

News and Upcoming Events

So, remember him? He is also a geek, and since he is way more into computers and video games than I am, I've decided to have him guest post once in awhile. He will be doing tech and video game reviews, and as a bonus, we will have an "Ask the IT Guy" feature, where he will answer whatever computer questions you may have. Just post your question in the comments section of the most recent post and he will post the answer!

On the toy front: Awhile back, I got a cute little Alice in Wonderland plush doll and then, just a few weeks ago, we found a Green Lantern one at Borders that was almost identical. Turns out, these little guys are made by Funko (famous for pop culture bobbleheads) and Entertainment Earth has a bunch of them! They have everything from Lord of the Rings to Universal monsters to Wizard of Oz, along with tons of Star Wars bobbleheads. My personal favorite is this guy (available for pre-order and expected to arrive in October):



Finally, October is quickly approaching and as a horror movie fan, this is an exciting time for me. New horror flicks are already being released in theaters and, as always, AMC will have their Fearfest towards the end of the month. And, drum roll please . . . this year, we will be having our own "Geek Fright Fest"! I will post a horror movie review each day in the month of October. The reviews will be fairly in depth, but I will refrain from divulging major spoilers. I will include the MPAA rating as well as a "Fright" scale. Suggestions are highly appreciated, so if you have a favorite scary movie (or a horror flick you've been wanting to see), post it in the comments and more than likely, you'll see it reviewed! Our Fright Fest will culminate with a review of the "Walking Dead" premiere on October 31st.

This is AWESOME!

The GPS system TomTom has decided to delight geeks everywhere by providing beloved Star Wars character voices for their devices. To promote these new voice overs, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process.





(Is it wrong that Kris and I are seriously considering getting one of these for the Yoda voice alone?)

Stay tuned for tomorrow's "It Came From the $5 Bin" . . . Catacombs!

Focusing On My Goals . . . Oh Look, It's a "Tales From the Dark Side" Marathon

Every week I say to myself, "This is the week you're going to do everything right. You're going to wake up early enough to eat breakfast; you're going to put on makeup and do your hair. On your day off, you're going to do something productive." The reality is that very few of these things happen. Like most people, I usually end up spending the day in my "Twilight Zone" T-shirt eating microwave hot wings and watching "Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman" and old episodes of "New Detectives". Oh wait . . . no one else does that, do they?

A few posts back, I said I wanted to post every day. I really do want to do that, but I can never seem to find the time. The worst part is that I'm not doing important, necessary stuff. I'm doing lame, time-wasting things like playing Plants vs. Zombies or looking up movie trivia on IMDB. (Actually, I don't think those things are lame, but I'm sure other people do.) I am going to try to post every day, but I may not be able to tear myself away from facebook.

A while ago, I posted about The Nook. My loving husband (we just celebrated our 2nd anniversary!) and my dad went in together to get me this awesome device as a birthday/anniversary gift! It is amazing to say the least. It's very easy to use and has some awesome features, including screensavers that appear on the screen, even when the device is off (they use no battery life). Here it is in all it's beautiful glory (Kris even picked out the pink cover!):


Once I've used it a bit more, I may write a whole post about it, but for now, I'll just say that I've been referring to it as "my precious" all weekend.

Before I sign off, I highly reccommend that you check out Pralines and Dick, a relatively new blog that is a shining example of what I hope this blog will someday be. Color me jealous over how funny these girls are! You can't go wrong with a Wayne's World reference and their Netflix Mystery Theater is hilarious. Definitely worth a read.

B&N . . . Why Must You Torment Me With Your Awesomeness?!?

I have to admit, when I first saw the Kindle, I scoffed. "What is this world coming to?" I wondered. "Reading a book on a machine will NEVER be as good as reading an actual book!"

But alas, I must now eat my words. While watching "Attack of the Show" today, they featured Barnes & Noble's answer to the Kindle . . . The Nook. It's basically the same concept, except the eBooks are cheaper and when you sync the Nook up with Barnes & Noble's WiFi, you get free cafe coupons. (Not to mention that you can have the majority of your library in one location.)

Don't get me wrong, I love books. I love reading, and truthfully, reading on a machine would take some getting used to. I would miss the sound of turning pages and even the way the words simply look on the page. Books are very dear to my heart and a machine could never completely replace them.

That being said . . . I am extremely hard on books. I dogear the pages, most of the covers get torn after numerous trips in my purse, and many of my books have food (or Dr. Pepper) spills in them. It would be nice to have access to a portable book without having to worry about it falling apart.

Finally, it's almost my duty, both as a reader and a geek, to boldly invest in reading tech. The Nook . . . Coming to a birthday near me!!!