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(More customer reviews)I own and use both a Toshiba Satellite notebook for windows applications and a Macbook Pro for apple applications (I prefer a separate windows machine over rebooting into boot camp and also for the additional hard drive space for my multimedia applications).
Recently I saw the netbooks at a local department store, and asked myself why I would want one. The reasons boiled down to:
1.Long battery life.
2.Portability.
3.Light-weight.
4.Ability to play Netflix on-demand movies.
5.Ability to play Real Arcade games (or similar web-based games).
6.Solid build.
7.Somewhat decent speakers for listening to Rhapsody or other subscription based music programs.
8.Responsive speed for Microsoft Word 2003 (not 2007).
9.Chatting with my children who are away at college.
I then went on a week-long research into the different machines, read the reviews, played with them at the store, typing to see which one would fit my large hands, listening to the sound, picking them up to see how they felt in my hand, and how much they weighed. I didn't care if they had the Atom N270 or N280 processor as long as they met my criteria listed above. At first, I didn't care if the 10.1" screen was at 1024 x 600 or 1366 x 768. But after a bit, I began to prefer the 1024 x 600 resolution over the reduced, but sharp, images of the 1366 x 768. With the 1024 x 600, I didn't have to get close to the screen to see what was being displayed. And since I have a tendency to write short paragraphs when composing my next trash-can masterpiece, I preferred seeing part of the page of Microsoft Word over the whole page.
I finally settled on the Samsung Go (Midnight Blue) mainly due to form and the fact that I like Midnight Blue. And the reviews I read seemed to indicate that it would meet all the criteria I listed above.
The first thing I noticed when I lifted the unit out of the box was the way it felt. It has a slight rubber feel to it, and it was a little heavier than (as my wife pointed out) her Macbook Air. But for what I was used to carrying around, it felt great. The keyboard was also large enough for comfortable typing, although, I kept hitting the "=" key instead of the "Back Space" key when I want to correct my spelling errors. This is something that I know I'll get used to -- not correcting spelling errors -- but learning where the keys are when I am typing on a smaller keyboard.
The first thing I did was charge the battery up to 100% as instructed. It didn't take long as the battery already had a charge when I received the unit. I then begin to redownload my Real Arcade games to test them out. So far Luxor 3 and Rebound Lost Worlds have run like a charm. I also installed Starcraft, and didn't have, or expected, any problems running it. I installed Yahoo Messenger and chatted with my children. Made a YouTube video with the included CyberCam. Installed and played around with Microsoft Office 2003 Professional without any problems. I watched two Netflix movies and noticed only a slight stutter in some frames, probably due to the wireless connection (how far I was from the router). When I plugged in the Ethernet cable from the router, I had no problems at all watching the movies. But it wasn't enough of a performance difference that I wouldn't be just as satisfied watching movies using only the wireless connection.
All in all I'm quite pleased with the purchase, and am happy that I selected this netbook as my first netbook.
Now to my only quibble, and it isn't really much, but the sound is...well...tinny. But with headphones, it is quite nice and bearable. I installed SRS Audio for additional enhancement, and although it helped some, for a netbook, I felt it was the best I could do. For watching YouTube videos or chatting or casual game playing without headphones, the audio is adequate. And since I wasn't expecting an audiophile experience when I bought the Samsung Go, I am more than pleased with what sound quality it musters.
So far, my rating is five stars. If anything changes, I'll come back and revamp my review.
And one last thing -- the battery life is amazing. I have seen five hours so far, and I keep running the cursor over the battery icon to see how much more battery life is left. It's more than enough battery life for my portable needs.
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Samsung GO N310-13GB 10.1-Inch Midnight Blue Netbook - 9 Hour Battery LifeWeighing just 2.9 pounds, the Samsung GO N310 netbook is one of the lightest netbooks in its class and it's loaded with the latest technology for maximum performance. Distinctively styled, it's designed by award-winning Japanese artist Naoto Fukasawa and features smoothly rounded edges that resemble a pebble that's been worn down by wind and waterfall and its cover has a rubberized surface that more durable and easy-to-grip. In addition to this model in midnight blue (N310-13GB), it also comes in three other colors: jet black, sunset orange and mint blue.
An affordable mobile PC that's ideal for all your online needs, the GO N310 is designed to go almost anywhere--from kitchen and living room at home to Wi-Fi hotspots at coffee shops, airports and more. You'll be able to stay connected all day long thanks to the included 6-cell battery, which provides up to 9 hours of continuous use. It sports a 10.1-inch LED-backlit screen with a scratch resistant, edge-to-edge glass display, and the pebble-textured keyboarddesign makes typing comfortable with larger than average spacing. This netbook is powered by the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, which is designed especially for mobile devices and features an innovative hafnium-infused circuitry that reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy.
The integrated 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g) will keep you connected to email and all your social networks, while the Bluetooth 2.1+EDR technology enables you to use handsfree communication headsets while video chatting via the integrated 1.3-megapixel webcam. Other features include a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM, built-in speakers and microphone, SD/SDHC/MMC memory card reader, three USB ports, and a VGA output to an external monitor. It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.
Key Features
10.1-inch LED-backlit display (1024 x 600) offers up to 30 percent more viewing area than traditional screens with 300 nits of brightness. Using LED technology means the screen is thinner, brighter, more durable and power efficient. You can also enjoy photo-like image quality, greater viewing angles and better text legibility, reducing eye strain and boosting productivity.
1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor extends battery life and power efficiency to deliver excellent mobile performance and Internet connections on the go (includes 533 MHz front side bus and 512 KB L2 cache)
160 GB hard drive (5400 RPM)
1 GB of RAM (maximum capacity)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 with up to 128 MB of shared video memory
1.3-megapixel webcam integrated into the bezel
54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g)
Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity enables you to communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones.
Seamlessly move data from your digital camera, camcorder, MP3 player or PDA straight to the netbook via the 3-in-1 memory card reader, three USB ports or wirelessly with Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
Smooth rectangular-shaped isolation keypad design with an ergonomic design and optimized key spacing that make working and communicating a much more pleasurable and productive experience, with fewer errors and faster typing speeds.
Stereo speakers (1.5 W x 2) with SRS 3D Sound Effect and HD Audio capabilities
Windows XP Home operating system
Standard 6 cell (8850 mAh) high-capacity battery enables you to surf the web for up to 9 hours on a single battery charge
Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 2.8 pounds
Warranty: 1 year parts and labor
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion This netbook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks, and it also provides Fast (10/100) Ethernet networking.
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Analog video output: 1 VGA
3-in-1 memory card reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), and MultiMedia Card (MMC)
1 headphone jack, 1 microphone jack
10/100 Fast Ethernet
What's in the box This package contains the Samsung GO N310 (model N310-13GB), 6-cell rechargeable battery, AC adapter, power cord, printed user manual.
It also comes with the following software: Magic Keyboard, Easy Display Manager, Easy Network Manager, Easy SpeedUp Manager, Samsung Magic Doctor, Samsung Update Plus, Recovery Solutions III, Easy Battery Manager, Easy Resolution Manager, Battery Life Extender, Adobe Acrobat Reader 8, Cyberlink YouCam, McAfee Internet Security 9.0 (60-day trial)
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