Aspire One Computer

Has anyone purchased an Aspire One computer and is a realtime reporter?

Looking for a possible new computer and would like one (like my existing one) that is tiny.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Theresa,

I know quite a few reporters that have the Aspire One computer (the teeny tiny one).  However, they use it as their display computer for the attorneys, not their sole computers, especially considering that it doesn't come with a great deal of memory, etc.

Also, if you do go with the Asp. One, make sure it does not carry the Linux operating system.  I've been doing searches on them because I would love to get one to have as an "extra" (especially at the lovely cost of $350 to $400), but most that I'm finding are Linux.

Hopefully Best Buy gets another shipment in and I will be there ready and waiting!

Theresa,

Found this Aspire One with XP on it for under 400.

Thanks to both of you !!

Yeah, that's what they seem to be good for, but my Dell is only 2.9 lbs as is, with plenty of RAM and a reasonably large drive, since I back off my work regularly and keep my music on an external drive.  I got a couple used Dell x300s on eBay, and they work great as attorney computers.  Just want a couple more for employees, plus I figure my luck can't last on my Dell forever.

Thanks again !

They also have plenty in stock now at MicroCenter for only $349.99!

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0293528

There was a thread about this over on depoman.com a few weeks ago:

http://members.spboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=4471&mforum=depoman

Okay.  Guys, I need you to talk me out of buying one of these right now.  I don't need one.  I swear I don't.

I have my new Toshiba that I just got in July.  I use that at home, take it with me when I travel, etc.  It also has my CaseCat on it and CaseView as a backup.

Backup to what?   I currently have a POS laptop at work (provided by work) that is over 5 years old.  It really is a POS.   However, I am getting a new laptop at work (provided by work) within the next two weeks!   It's in the building, just needs set up by our IT Dept. before it's given to me.  Brand spakin' new Dell Latitude D830.

Uh, what else do I have?   Oh, yeah, my desktop at work which is what I do most of my editing on while at work.

I have my old Sony laptop that is set up as our "main" computer that stays put in our home office.  This is now my hubby's computer.

And my daughter has her laptop that is about a year and a half old (an HP).

So, not including my hubby's or my daughter's laptop, I have access to 3 computers on a regular basis (and use all three pretty much on a daily basis).

The only reason I'm considering buying another one (this Aspire One) is to start offering realtime to attorneys in the courtroom.  I figure it will pay for itself in a matter of time.  Obviously, though, if I do that, I actually need to have two of them, not one.

And the reason why I won't use my Toshiba to do that is because it was waaaaaay too expensive to be offering it up to unknowing hands!  Whereas the Asp. Ones are cheaper and less fragile, IMO, because they don't carry a lot of extras.  Just the basic "get 'er done" computer.

So, seriously....talk me out of buying one.  I don't need it.  I definitely don't need it, and I don't even have the money at this time for one!  [:'(]

wow...sorry I was rambling.  That was really long and crazy talk.  LOL!

Janice:

Thank you !  Heading to Denver tomorrow.  Best price I've seen !  I'll pick up one...or more...for my realtimers.

Sarah:  I'm the LAST person who'd talk you out of it.  At that price, you're right.  2 w/pay for themselves quickly.  And it's faster than installing drivers.  But I wouldn't call it a backup. 

Yippee.

Great, Theresa!  Glad I could help.  I really need to bite the bullet and get a couple of them, too. 

I agree, Sarah, I could never talk you out of it.  I think it would be a great marketing tool for you!

Hi, I have the acer aspire one and I love it.  Mine was 399 plus $9.00 shipping from J&R (and no tax).  (This font is so teeny I can barely see it.  I don't post here often so not sure how to do things..) 

When shopping for the aspire some things to keep in mind:

They have a good sized hard drive, 120 gigs as opposed to the dell and asus.  The one that is about 379 has a 6 volt battery and I think 512 megs memory.   BUT for $20 more, 399 I got a 9 volt battery and 1 gig of memory which is great with XP.  It is XP home and not pro though. 

I love mine and think it's a great deal.  I can slip it in my purse and edit in the car, which I did recently.  The battery, 8 volt, lasts about 3 hours.  It does RT just fine.  The main drawback, the keyboard is tiny.  I hook it up in my office to a full sized keyboard and monitor. 

It doesn't have a disk drive, but to install your software just copy everything to a flash drive.  The unit has 3 usb drives and some a couple other little drives that I don't use.

carolyn

Hi, Sarah.

As everyone has said, probably not going to work talking you out of getting one of these (that's called "technolust," by the way).

That said, since you're doing research and all, I would recommend that you take a look at the ones with Linux preinstalled.

What you should do is find out what flavor of Linux is installed (Fedora? OpenSuse?), and then Google that flavor of Linix and the phrases "install Wine" and "how to".

If you're planning on using these as realtime feeds to attorneys, running Bridge under Wine works on my Mac -- but I have not tested whether or not it will accept a realtime feed.

So, the other phase of your research would be to see if you can buy the laptop (with Linux), install Wine, and see if Bridge or CaseViewNet will run on it, AND receive a realtime feed -- preferably without crashing.

If it will do that, great --! Recommend to your IT folk that they buy a bunch of these, install Wine and your viewer software of choice, and charge a wee bit extra for the realtime connection.

The money spent on the laptop could be recouped pretty quickly, I would imagine ... and you would satisfy that technolust!

Good luck ....

--gdw

Carolyn,

What software are you running the Aspire One on?  I am on Eclipse and have my Fujitsu tank in for repairs, the one with every port imaginable, even a parallel port!  The loaner they gave me has Vista on it.  They didn't have any with XP on it.  I'm having a little trouble with it.  The audio is HORRIBLE. I have a call in to support to see where to change the settings on Vista.  Does the Aspire One have decent audio on it?  I'm thinking about running to Fry's and picking one up.  I found out they carry them, too.  I have a three-day realtime job starting tomorrow, so I really need no problems.  I don't even know if I can get this loaner to work with interactive realtime.  I'm about to  try that out now.

I'm on Eclipse.  The audio on the Aspire is excellent.  No problems at all.  But remember I have the 1 gig ram on mine.  The audio is real tek.  I use my stenocast wireless with a flash writer on it. It has 3 usb ports which is nice, plus decent built in mic also plus headphone mic.  It's not my main laptop but I use it for when I have to move from my courtroom and use it for editing in my office.

It does not have bluetooth installed though if you need that.

I had purchased a really nice vista computer, lightweight, 4 gig ram, big hard drive, etc for my main computer and I sent it back because my wireless stuff kept crashing on it.  I don't know if it was just the wireless or not that caused it.  But I couldn't cope with it.

carolyn

Janice

In case this may help, I'm on Eclipse and Vista. Here are my audio settings:

Speex

11.0kbits/sec, 8.0kHz, Mono, Q6, 1kb/sec

I believe I had to turn off the microphone boost.

I know I had to just try various choices before finding one that worked well.   Hope this helps you out.

Thanks, Carolyn.  That's good information to know.  The one at Fry's does have 1 gig of RAM, according to their website:  http://shop2.frys.com/ShopCartServlet

I've been on the phone with support much of the day and have a workable solution, I think.  Thanks for the info.   I don't have a wireless setup, so that's not an issue with me.  The Aspire would just be a backup for me as well, and an extra laptop to promote realtime on the job.

Tricia, thanks for those settings.  Support helped me out, and the audio is MUCH better than it was when I first posted.  Vista's audio settings are different, and I haven't even been able to locate the microphone boost option anywhere that I've seen.  Where is that option?  I might try that as well.  

Thanks, ladies!

Oh, Geez, janice.  Memory test.

Let me see if I can figure out where that boost thing is. ..

I think I found it.

Control Panel/Sound/Recording tab.   Double click Microphone.  Boost should be one of the options in there.  I have the slider bar all the way down to zero.