It seems as if the age of portable, disposable computers has dawned on us. And I really want one. Right now I use my work laptop for such scenarios, but it’s not always the right thing.
Seems like there’s basically three ways to go with this:
- iPad
- netbook
- chromebook
The iPad is probably the most lopsided in terms of capabilities. Great consumption device, but not so great for production. I’d probably never want to write an email or update my status with the thing. Also, unless my household goes full Apple, there’s going to be issues with compatibilities.
For a netbook, the Thinkpad x120e would probably be my choice. Windows. Decent processor. decent gpu. But it’s windows. But it’s got a good keyboard, and I can probably consume everything I need to on it.
Chromebook: well, these aren’t out yet, and they might just be bad, so it’s kind of not a super serious option right now, but I’m still intrigued. One big question is, will it be able to handle tasks like downloading photos from a camera (for when I want to on a trip). I’m not sure how much they could do with their web-only model.
The missing choice here is the macbook air. But I think it’s just too expensive. I’m not sure Apple will ever build a device that will feel “disposable”.. their stuff is always expensive compared to the corresponding market (except for maybe the iPad).
Out of these choices, I kinda want the chromebook to win. The windows netbook is likely the practical choice for now, and the iPad is something I would get for a family member.