Netbooks For Dummies
Contents
1. Get More and Do More at Dummies com Start with FREE Cheat Sheets cer Cheat Sheets include Ge e Checklists e Charts e Common Instructions e And Other Good Stuff To access the Cheat Sheet created specifically for this book go to www dummies com cheatsheet netbooks Get Smart at Dummies com Dummies com makes your life easier with 1 000s of answers on everything from removing wallpaper to using the latest version of Windows Check out our e Videos e Illustrated Articles Step by Step Instructions Plus each month you can win valuable prizes by entering our Dummies com sweepstakes Want a weekly dose of Dummies Sign up for Newsletters on Digital Photography e Microsoft Windows amp Office e Personal Finance amp Investing e Health 8 Wellness Computing iPods Cell Phones e eBay e Internet e Food Home amp Garden Find out HOW at Dummies com Sweepstakes not currently available in all countries visit Dummies com for official rules Netbooks DUMMIES Netbooks FOR DUMMIES by Joel McNamara WILEY Wiley Publishing Inc Netbooks For Dummies Published by Wiley Publishing Inc 111 River Street Hoboken NJ 07030 5774 www wiley com Copyright 2010 by Wiley Publishing Inc Indianapolis Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing Inc Indianapolis Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in a retrieval sys2. the keyboard Different models have different reduced size keyboards Some users with larger hands and fingers may find it difficult to type on smaller keyboards The size of the keys can vary between manufacturers and models Most 10 inch screen netbooks have very usable keyboards although they are reduced in size Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks 13 PC Figure 1 2 Check out the size difference between a netbook with a 9 inch screen and one with a 10 inch screen AAA 1 Screen size Netbooks generally come with screens ranging from 7 to 10 inches with different levels of resolution Ten inch screens are the stan dard these days Smaller screen models are more compact see Figure 1 2 but have smaller keyboards and don t have as much screen real estate which means more scrolling when browsing the Web Another one of the decisions you ll need to make when selecting a netbook is what operating system you ll use Netbooks come installed with different versions of Windows and Linux and there s currently talk of other operating systems being available in the future including Apple s OS X and Google s Chrome OS Based on sales figures most people opt for Windows which I primarily focus on in this book I list all the operating systems currently used on netbooks and discuss their pros and co
3. Stumped by Storage ccccscesssesscesscssscsssecsscseeessesseessceseesseessseessesssesseessees 46 Solid state drives SSDS nicieni 47 Hard disk drives HDDS ennenen o a a 48 Deciding between SSD and HDD ooonccnnoconococononononnncnnncononononononnnonnos 48 Keyboard ConundrumS seseesesseesessessessessesoessesresseseesoeseesesseesessessessessesoe 49 B tfled by B tteries4 2 22 un el ankamen 50 NO ren agenanireee 51 Operating System Opinions coocoooccnononononnnonnnonnnnononononononononnnono nono nonnncnnncnnnos 52 Case im Point arms Unid 53 Ferreting out Other Features ooooooccocnnonononocononnnonnnonnnonnncnncnonono non nono ncnncnnnos 53 IMA OS a 54 BluetootM vinil ido led 54 TOUCH PAS Ga 54 WebMail 55 ExpressCards un een dai 55 Selection Suggestions eesin irere E rA E EE EEEE ES ESTESA 55 BUYING Basics A R T EEA 56 Chapter 4 Netbook Operating SystemS 59 Working with Windows uueeessessesssenssensnenenensennnennnennnenseensnnnnennennnn nn 59 XPEFIENCE COMES soto sense A E AOA EREE 60 Viewing Vista aa 61 DECKINS Tr da lada ad nae es ea 62 Loving Lin ia 64 Penguin pointerS v raana rea aara a nono nncnnnnnannnnnn nacion 64 DISCUSSING ISO Hdi ita 65 Asking for Apple c ccccccsscsssessscseceseeesecesecsscescesseesseesseeesecessceseenseesseeneeenes 68 Getting Google Android ooooococcncccooncoononononononnncnnncononon ono nonnonn nono nono nono n
4. a little challenging for programs that expect more screen real estate Business sense When it comes to business productivity suites like Microsoft Office or the free open source OpenOffice are a must many netbooks come bundled with Microsoft Works which is adequate for very basic word processing and spreadsheet work but may not offer all of the features users come to expect for real business Aside from traditional productivity suites it s worthwhile considering Web based collections of programs such as Google Apps and Zoho see Figure 1 3 If there s a Net connection nearby these Web programs have a number of benefits I fill you in on everything you need to know about both traditional and online productivity programs in Chapter 7 Fun and games Of course netbooks are great for work but they re also great for play All netbooks have sound cards that allow you to record there s a microphone jack and listen to music and words through the speaker headphone jack In addition to the jacks netbooks also have a built in microphone and speaker With some basic software you can turn your netbook into an over sized MP3 player or a handy digital tape recorder for recording classroom lectures and meetings Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks U U U Figure 1 3 Zoho Web based productivity software on a netbook U 17 Zoho Personal Windows Internet Exp
5. a plea sure working with pros Publisher s Acknowledgments We re proud of this book please send us your comments at http dummies custhelp com For other comments please contact our Customer Care Department within the U S at 877 762 2974 outside the U S at 317 572 3993 or fax 317 572 4002 Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following Acquisitions Editorial Composition Services Sr Project Editor Christopher Morris Project Coordinator Katherine Crocker Acquisitions Editor Katie Mohr Tiffany Ma Layout and Graphics Carl Byers Joyce Haughey Melissa K Jester Melissa K Smith Proofreaders Melissa Cossell Penny Stuart Copy Editor Virginia Sanders Technical Editor Jim Kelly EOE Manager Kevin Kirschner Indexer Infodex Indexing Services Inc Editorial Assistant Amanda Graham Sr Editorial Assistant Cherie Case Cartoons Rich Tennant www the5thwave com Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies Richard Swadley Vice President and Executive Group Publisher Andy Cummings Vice President and Publisher Mary Bednarek Executive Acquisitions Director Mary C Corder Editorial Director Publishing for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele Vice President and Publisher Composition Services Gerry Fahey Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey Director of Composition Services Contents at a Glance Introduction oo cccccccccccccccccccccccccececccccccccec
6. and other basics However I focus on things that make a netbook a little different to use compared to running Windows on a desktop or conventional laptop 1 Don t expect Consumer Reports style specific product recommenda tions New models are released much too quickly and any netbook I rec ommend today could easily be yesterday s news in a matter of months Although you won t find any product endorsements I do arm you with plenty of information to make a good choice if you re in the market for a netbook How This Book Is Organized This book is conveniently divided into several parts The content in each part is related more or less but by all means feel free to skip around and read about what interests you the most Part 1 Getting Started with Netbooks This part of the book introduces you to netbooks I start with a chapter that provides a quick roadmap to everything I cover in this book Then I launch into telling you all about netbooks especially how they differ from conven tional laptops I help you make sense of the myriad of features and select a netbook that will work for you Because netbooks come with a number of different operating systems I provide a chapter that compares and contrasts the various options And I conclude with a chapter that tells you what to expect and what you should do when you pull a shiny new netbook out of the box for the first time Part Il Using Vour Netbook In this part of the bo
7. information on which games work on various models of netbooks and which don t In Chapter 8 I go into much more detail on the fun and games aspects of net books I show you how to use your netbook to watch videos listen to music and turn it into a game machine Better safe than sorry Lots of early Internet users had high hopes that the Net would usher in a utopian era of greater community through worldwide inter connectedness Unfortunately the architects of the Net never expected all the spam viruses worms and other malware that lurk in the digital shadows waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting victim Because a netbook is at its best when connected to the Net it s critical that you have your shields up when you re zooming around in Internet space Chapter 9 is devoted to security and in it I bring you up to speed on the latest programs and techniques for keeping the bad guys out of your netbook Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks 1 9 In addition to electronic threats a netbook s small size makes it a tempting target for theft The small size also makes it more prone to accidental loss There are a number of ways to reduce the chances of this happening and to protect your data just in case it does In the chapter on security I also dis cuss physical security approaches to keep your netbook out of harm s way Going places Although many cell phones have built in GPS Global Positioning System f
8. issnin nerian a aii 134 Internet resources for netbook gamers oooooconoccnoocnnonnnconnncnoncnnnnnnnno 136 XIV Netbooks For Dummies Chapter 9 Better Safe than Sorry Security 137 Keeping Viruses at Bay ccccccessccssecsseecssseeeseessneeeeseeesseeceeeesseeeseeessnees 138 Zapping Spyware arinei aE E OIE E A EEI ENE NAE 141 Ad Aware Free conei eraan aar aA haa ATSKE 141 SPYbOL Dirt ideada 141 COCA iii 141 Focusing on Firewall Sissener oeeie ierden ra i er di es 142 Windows Firewall cion eE EE EE REEE 142 Eirewall lternatives a i 143 Evading Evil with Encrypti0N oconncnincnoonnonnconnnonnnonnnnnconnconncnnnconnconcconanono 144 Finding out about TrueCrypt ocooconocncocanononononononononnncnnncnnnconccnnonnnono 145 Creating a TrueCrypt VOLUME oocoooccoccconcnononononononononnncnn nc noconccnnonnnons 146 Opening a TrueCrypt volume ooooooocnocccoccnonononononononononcnnnconononccnnonnnono 148 Accessing files in a TrueCrypt VOlUME ocooonocccoconononononononononncconcnnnos 148 Closing a TrueCrypt VOLUME ccooccoccnonccocanononononononononnnconnconncnccnnonnnono 150 Keying in on Kensington LockKS oooconcniocononononooononnnoonnooncnanononorononononnnonos 150 Chapter 10 Staying in Touch Twitter Social Networking IM and SKYE eii nenea cnc ea ae a sad nen 153 Of Twitter and Tweets ueeseessessessessensensennennnensensennennnnnnnnnn nennen nen 154 Following tweets uua
9. 1 Determining the installed version ooonnocnnnoconoocnnonnncnonnconnnnnnnnnnno 301 Getting the latest versiON oooonoonnonnconononcnononononononn conocio nono nonononnnono 303 Installing the update 304 Chapter 21 BIOS Basics 000 cece cece eee eee eee 307 Boiling Down BIOS ccccescssscessesecsscessesscecseceseessecssecesecesesessseeeseeseseeeeees 307 Getting to the BIOS Settings oooooccnoccooncoonoonnooncnononanonnncnnnonnono nono nonnncnnnonns 308 Changing BIOS Settings 0 0 0 cececssesseeseeesecsseceseceseesseesseseeeeseesseeeseeeeeees 309 Navigating the screens ccsccessceessceesecesseecsseeessneesseeesseesseeeneeess 310 SEO OPS ica 311 Updating the BIOS camarita ninia les 313 Part U The Part of Tens accesses DTT Chapter 22 Top Ten Internet Netbook Resources 319 Official Support oooococccoccnoconononononononnnono nono nonononnncnnnnon cnn nono nnnn nono ncon nano nannncnn nono 319 NAAA assnene 320 News and REVICWS circuit a ii 322 Chapter 23 Ten Cool Hardware Hacks 325 Add a Keyboard Backlight ooonooconococoocccnococononononcnconnncnnnnconnnnnonnnconnnnonos 326 Add Internal GPS a 2 essen dao conan nnidincacin ceectadasseasetesabestannsess 326 Swap in a Touch SCree Mh ccescessccsscsssesssessscsecessessseesscessesseesnsesssesseeseeees 327 Make Your Own Extended Battery oooooococonoconoconononnnoonncnncnonon
10. 89 802 iii 90 IGNMEIWOTKS ii aia 92 Blueto0 Misc coi oracion incor 94 Easy Ethernet E 96 Internet InsStrUCtHONS vincia diiniita dida 97 Browsing the Web en a a E aE 98 Exchanging e mail ccccccesscsssceeeseeeeseecsseeesseeesseeessseesseeeseeesseeess 101 Connecting remotely with Ultra VNC ooooooccncoccnonononconnnonononocononnnoso 102 Sharing files on a Windows network ooccococonocncooncoonconnconncnnccnonnnono 105 Chapter 7 Netbooks at Work lt oooooooooooo 109 Working with Microsoft WorkS ooonoccnnncccnonccooonononcncononconnncnnnnnonnnncnnnnnonos 110 Managing Microsoft Office neeseeesesssenssensensnnnsnennnnnnnnnnennnensnensnensnennnnnnn 112 Considering the OpenOffice OptiON oooccooncoccnocononanonccnnonononononononnnonnnonos 114 Going Online with Google Docs ocococcnoconoconononnncononancnnnononononono nono nonnnonononos 117 Getting in the Zoho Zone ueessessesseessensnennennnennnnnsnnnnensnennnensnensnensnensnennnn 119 Chapter 8 Netbook Fun and Games ooooooooooooo 123 M sic t0 My Eafsi u ans egal spieler 123 MP3 Mania aiii een SH RES 124 Streaming audio eueeeeessesssesseessennsennnennennensnensnennnnnnnnsnnnnnensenenennn nen 126 MONTA IA 128 DVDS tao delia 128 Ripping MOVIES nam its 129 Streaming video 2 0 ee ecccsseesseeseesseceseesseeseeeseessecsseceaeesseceseceseenseeaees 131 Shall We Play a Game esris eearri 134 Netbook limitations
11. Checking Underneath the Hood In this part I pop the hood or bonnet if you re from the U K on your netbook and see what makes it tick I cover a collection of slightly more advanced but not too geeky topics compared with elsewhere in the book I start with a chapter on troubleshooting your netbook hopefully you ll never need to refer to it I also cover backing up and restoring your netbook upgrading memory and internal drives and changing Windows settings I tell you what you need to know about drivers I m talking about system software here not golf and considerations for dealing with BIOS BIOS is an abbreviation for basic input output system which is code a com puter runs when it is powered on before the operating system loads Part V The Part of Tens All For Dummies books have a part called The Part of Tens and this one is no exception In this part you can find a chapter devoted to the best netbook Web sites blogs and forums on the Internet I also give you a list of ten real cool netbook hardware hacks Introduction Icons Used in This Book MBER KV Y sr S Tug TECy ar ING N If you ve ever pawed through the pages of a For Dummies book before undoubtedly you ve seen all sorts of little icons scattered throughout the book In keeping with that fine For Dummies tradition this one is no different So as a reminder or first time explanation here s the scoop on the various
12. LL WARRANTIES INCLUDING WITH OUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL ACCOUNTING OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE IS REQUIRED THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZA TION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE FURTHER READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ For general information on our other products and services please contact our Customer Care Department within the U S at 877 762 2974 outside the U S at 317 572 3993 or fax 317 572 4002 For technical support please visit www wiley com techsupport Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books Library of Congress Control Number 2009935829 I
13. SA TESE TEESE EE 183 Putting it all togethet iarsin usiende iie s 183 Table of Contents Part 111 Netbook Add On Accessories and Hardware 185 Chapter 12 Carrying Your Netbook 0 187 CASTRO A da 188 MV ii id 188 Soft carrying CASES ini 189 Hard CASES ninia dietas 193 For the Do It Yourselfer ooooonocnocococnconnnononononononnncnnnonn nono nonncnononncn nono ncnn conos 195 Sew it yourself oooonoconoconococononnonnnconoconononono nono nono nono non nconncon cnn ncnnncnnnono 195 Modify an old planner ooooconcccocnnonanoncnonononononononono nono ncnn noo nnconccnncnnnono 195 Wrapitin DUBDlES usas 195 Pad it with an envelOP cooooconoccnnoconoocncoonnononccnonncnoncnconnnconnnconnnnnnnnnnno 196 Chapter 13 Powering Your Netbook 197 Tackling Battery Basics ooconocccnocccononcnonnnnonnnnnnnnconnnnnnnn cnn conan cn nan nnnnnnncnnnos 197 Current concepts cocoocococccononononnnonnnconononono nono nono nono nono nonn nc n nc nncnnncnncnnnono 198 Brand name Datteries otitis dad 199 Third party batteries ooonoocnnoccconcccoocnnnonnnnonnnnnnnononnnconnncono non ees 200 Power to go Universal batteries ooooocnnncconoconoocnnonnncnonncnnnnnnnnnnnno 201 Getting a Charge Out of Your Car uneessssessessensenneeneenenennnnennnnnnn nenn 203 Cigarette lighter adapterS ooooocnononocncocnnononononononononnncnnnc nono ncconcnnnono 203 Iii ad 205 Power Savi
14. SBN 978 0 470 52 123 6 Manufactured in the United States of America 10987654321 WILEY About the Author Joel McNamara started using computers in the early Cenozoic era of personal computing 1980 to be exact If NorthStar Horizon ARPANET PDP 11 Kaypro and Apple Lisa ring a bell when dinosaurs roamed the earth like in the movie Zelig he was there Over the years Joel has worked as a programmer techni cal writer and manager for a number of companies in the high tech sector Joel currently consults and writes on things he finds interesting Living in an undisclosed location somewhere in the Pacific Northwest he likes boats of all kinds and is fond of old school technologies such as celestial navigation and Morse Code Joel is also the author of ASUS Eee PC For Dummies GPS For Dummies lst and 2nd Editions Geocaching For Dummies and Secrets of Computer Espionage Tactics amp Countermeasures all brought to you by Wiley Publishing Inc Author s Acknowledgments Thanks to ASUS and Dell for loaning me a few of their latest netbook models And much gratitude to the talented folks at Wiley for transforming a collec tion of ideas and words into a real live book specifically acquisitions edi tors Katie Mohr and Tiffany Ma project editor Chris Morris technical editor Jim Kelly copy editor Virginia Sanders and anyone else who was involved with this title that I didn t have a chance to virtually meet It s always
15. a specific task 1 0 Part I Getting Started with Netbooks Netbook Nuts and Bolts More than likely you ve wondered just exactly what a netbook is and how it s different than a laptop Here s the lowdown A netbook also called a mini laptop sub notebook or mobile Internet device has these key features Compact size and light weight Netbooks are lighter usually below or right around 3 pounds and come in a smaller case than a conventional laptop The smaller size is achieved with a smaller screen typically 10 inches or less and a smaller keyboard that doesn t have full size keys See Figure 1 1 for a size comparison between a laptop and a netbook a Figure 1 1 A tull size laptop with a netbook resting on top ea 1 Internet ready As the name suggests a netbook is ready to connect to the Internet Netbooks have 802 11 wireless cards and an Ethernet jack for wired connections 1 Minimal hardware features Unlike a full size laptop you won t find a DVD drive internal modem FireWire port PC card slot or more than two or three USB ports on a netbook Netbooks also have slower Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks MBER et Y processors compared to full size laptops All of this helps keep the costs down which is a nice segue into the next bullet 1 Affordable Netbooks are currently priced between 250 and 600 Many are under 400 with the average price falling on a regul
16. ar basis When you see a netbook for the first time you may be surprised by its size However don t let the toy like appearance of the mini laptop fool you This is a real computer and for the most part it can do just about anything a normal PC can with a few exceptions that I discuss coming up A netbook isn t just a cheap laptop Its diminutive size allows you to carry it around more often and take it places where carrying a full size laptop would be a hassle I want to emphasize that a netbook isn t really designed to be your primary com puter Its purpose is to be a highly mobile convenient laptop you can take just about anywhere It s great for browsing the Web sending e mail using Skype a service for making phone calls over the Net and other Internet centric activities It s also suitable for basic word processing and spreadsheet work However the under powered processor and small screen and reduced size keyboard on some models limits its usefulness for certain tasks such as playing graphics intensive games desktop publishing or running computationally intensive programs That s a brief description of what a netbook is For more information read Chapter 2 where I provide a lot more detail Picking the Perfect Netbook ar When you ve decided you need or want a netbook now comes the chal lenge of selecting one that earns the Goldilocks rating of just right When ASUS released the first netbooks in t
17. cer etei aee EEEE EE ES 269 Do you need to upgrade memory ueeeseeseseesenessnnenennennnnennnneennnnnnn 270 Can you upgrade the memory ueeesesesssesssesssensnenseenneennensenenennn ann 270 Selecting the right memory ooooooccoccnonccononononononononononn conocio nnconocononnnons 272 General guide to upgrading memory 273 Table of Contents xvii Swapping Internal DriveS ooooonoocnocnnonononoconononcnnnonnnonnnconcnonono nono nononcnnnonos 276 Types of netbook drives ooconocconococoocncnocnnoonncononononcncannncononcnncnnnnnnnno 277 Do you need a bigger drive uensseeseseessneenensensnnennnnennenennenennnnnenn 279 General guide to replacing a driVe cooonoconocnnononononnnonnncnnncnnccnnononon 279 Chapter 19 Optimizing Windows 000 cece nenn 285 Reduce SIMPli ii 22328 Beten a e 286 Disable Services ausser leader 288 Selective St rt ps nu nesessnssleiisn seeluneteheker eaten 289 Dit h the Glitz di aii ann 291 Industrial Space Saving ueeseesesesesssensensnensnnnsnnnnnenennnennnensnensnensnennnnnnn 292 CompressiOn uusesesssessseesessensennsennnennnennensnensnnnssensnensonnsnensnensensensnennn 293 Page flecos iio da 294 Hibernate decida 295 NACIO A 296 Chapter 20 Discovering Drivers 00ooooooommmmmo 299 The Dope on Drivers ccccccescceesseeeseeesseecesceessnsessaeeceseeesseecseeessaeeseneessnees 299 Updating Driv rS 0icionnincconii dl at ide 30
18. cocnconanoncnononononononononnonononnnonos 225 KV XVI Netbooks For Dummies Chapter 15 Netbook Gizmos and Gadgets 229 Blinging Out Your Netbook ooococccocononononocononononononnnononcnncnononnorononononononos 230 Messing Around with Mice ueeesesssesssesssensnensnennnenennnennnensnensnensnennennnn 231 Contemplating Keyboards c ccccsscssscssscesscecceseceseceseeseeeseesseeeseeeseeeseees 233 Mastering Modems sirri u 22 tes e a ea a Diada 234 Beefing Up with Bluetooth ooooccnnoccnooccnoncnnoonnconnnnonnncnonncnoncnnancncnnnnconnnos 236 Headphones Headsets and Speakers ueesseesssesseesensnenenensenenenenennnnnnn 237 Bring on the Big Screen ccccssccsscsscessecssecssesseesseesscesaessacesseessessseseees 239 External MONOS ii e a te E ee es 239 Projectors enn A ha Bai eed Halak 239 Flipping Channels irese ee sn alili nenn 240 Saw the Litio dais 241 In Case You Gotta Have More USB ToYS cccoconcccnonoocnonnonnnoonaconorononononononos 242 Part IV Checking Underneath the Hood cccccccccccsecaee 253 Chapter 16 Troubleshooting Your Netbook 245 How to Troubleshoot ccccessesseseesseeseeseeseeseeeeeseeaeesecsecseseeeeeeeseeseeeeaeees 245 Troubleshooting Tools cccceesccsssccsseecssseeeseessceessseeesseecsseeesseeeseaeessnees 247 MISCO a een here ed aa 248 MSI ros 248 Windows Task Manage cuusessesessesenneennn
19. d to be high performance computers how ever this isn t to say they re as slow as molasses Instead of horsepower focus on the processor that provides decent performance coupled with low power consumption I discuss available processors in depth in Chapter 3 Y Battery life The processor and the battery used batteries typically are 3 cell or 6 cells the more cells the more power stored dictate how long you can use the netbook without plugging it into a power source Whether you have wireless turned on or off and what programs you re running also impact battery life The first generation of netbooks got only a few hours of battery life Current models can easily achieve upwards of five or more hours Longer battery life means a bigger battery Netbooks that claim eight to ten hour battery lives are noticeably heavier and thicker than models with smaller batteries 1 Storage Netbooks models come with a variety of internal storage options Solid state drives SSDs are the wave of the future and use memory chips to store data They re lighter and have no moving parts to malfunction but they re currently more expensive and hold a limited amount of data compared with traditional hard drives Hard drives add a bit more weight to a netbook but offer more storage space at a lesser price than an SSD 1 Keyboard size To fit a netbook in such a small package manufactur ers need to make some compromises and one of them is the size of
20. e very important topic of moving data between your netbook and another computer Pm guessing you ll want to connect to the Internet more sooner than later so I talk about that next Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks 15 Netbooks and Networks The word net in netbook doesn t apply to a hair net fishing net or Annette Funicello Nope net refers to Internet or network because when connected to the Net the little laptop really shines All netbooks have an 802 11 wireless card for connecting to the Internet If you ve used Windows to connect to the Internet a netbook works the same way That means you need to do the following 1 Make sure the wireless card is turned on 2 Select an access point you want to connect to use a correct password if the connection is encrypted 3 Start using the Internet In addition to a wireless network card netbooks also come with an Ethernet port for making a wired connection to the Internet or a local area network LAN You ll need an RJ45 cable to do this Just plug one end of the cable into the netbook and the other into a network jack and Windows should automatically do the rest and connect If you need more details on connecting to the Internet be sure to read Chapter 6 In addition to the basics I also cover 3G modems sharing files on Windows networks and using your netbook to remotely connect to another computer Aside from doing e mail and browsi
21. ecccccccccccccceccee 1 Part 1 Getting Started with Netbooks ccccccccccscccsecccseee Y Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks ooooccoocconcconocononanonononos 9 Chapter 2 Introducing Netbooks ooooccoconocanocononononononononcnnnconconnnconccononnono nono nono nono ncnnnos 23 Chapter 3 Selecting a Netbook oooociocnnocnnoncnonononononononconnconoconnco nono nonnono nono nonn non nonnnos 39 Chapter 4 Netbook Operating SysteMs cccccecssceseesscesceseessecesecessessesseeeseeeeessees 59 Chapter 5 First Things First ccccccssccsscssscsscsssessscsssessesssecsscesecesseesecsssesssessseseessees 73 Part Il Using Vour Netbook occse S Chapter 6 Netbook Networking cccccsssssssssesseesssesecesecesecesecesecesecesscesessseeseesseessees 89 Chapter 7 Netbooks at Work uceeesesssessseesensensnensnnnnnennnnnnnnnnnnnensnensnensnnnsnensnensnnnnnn 109 Chapter 8 Netbook Fun and Games cccccecssssssessscesseesseessceseceseceeeceeeeseeseesenseeeees 123 Chapter 9 Better Safe than Sorry Security oooooncconcnnoncoonconnnonnnonncononanannncnnonononn conos 137 Chapter 10 Staying in Touch Twitter Social Networking IM and Skype 153 Chapter 11 Netbook NavigatorsS eeeesesesssessseesensnensnennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnensnensnensnensnensnnnnnn 169 Part Ill Netbook Add On Accessories and Hardware 185 Chapter 12 Carrying Your Netbook oooonoocnocnnononononononn
22. eminds me of opening up presents at Christmas when I was a kid The year s big present almost always came in a large box But in the case of netbooks the big gift from Santa comes in a small package First things first Read the manual It may be only a quick start guide with the full user manual tucked away on a DVD or installed on the netbook s hard drive but in any case read it It will make your life much easier trust me I always like to plug in the power and fully charge the battery before I start using a new laptop If you re impatient go ahead and fire up the netbook but keep it plugged in to a power source and after you shut it down let it fully charge While the netbook is charging read the user manual yes I sound like a broken record and get familiar with all the buttons keys jacks and connectors ai If your netbook didn t come with a paper user manual for you to read while you re patiently waiting for the laptop to charge visit the manufacturer Web site with another computer and download a PDF version of the manual to peruse When the netbook first starts up more than likely you ll need to go through some initial setup screens that customize the laptop for your location and time zone This process is painless so just follow the instructions and fill in the requested information In Chapter 5 I provide more information on what to do after you get your new netbook out of its box I also discuss th
23. ennenennenennnnnennnnennnne nennen 249 St rtup Problems 2 e erie sinne ang 250 Forgotten Windows Login Password ooooocococonocoonnonnnoonnconcnonononorononnnonnnonos 251 Getting in Touch with the Touchpad oooccoccoccnoconononononononanonrnononononcnnnonos 251 Webcam ISSUCS cidade doses ent oan dealeess 252 Dealing with Batteries ccccsccsscsssssssesssessecsecsssssscessessacssseessessseseeeees 253 Repairing Wireless Connections c ccccescesseesscesscesseeseeesseseeesseeseeeeeees 253 R nning Slow reset A abe 254 Dead as a Proverbial Doornail ooonoonnocnnoccnononononnncnnnconcnononononnonononononos 255 Chapter 17 Backing Up and Restoring Your Netbook 257 Understanding Simple File Copying ooooccocnnoccoononononononnnonnanononononononononos 257 Backing Up and Restoring Your Drive ooonccnnoccnocooonconnconcnanonononononnononono 259 Windows backup utilities oononcconoconoocnnononcnonncnonnnnononnnnnnconnnos 260 Commercial backup programs occooccoccconcnononononononononnncn occ nono nccnnonnnon 262 Reinstalling WindOWS cccccccesccessessseecessecesecsseeeseseeeeseeceeeesseeesesesenees 263 Using a recovery disc ccccccesccssssceessceeseeceseeceseecssnsessseesseessneeeseeens 264 Using a drive partition recovery iMage ooooconoccnoocnnonnncnonnconncnnnan no 266 Chapter 18 Upgrading Storage and Memory 269 Adding More Memory er
24. esseessesseensnssnensnensnnnsensnensnennnenonnsnennnensenenennn ann 155 Sending tweets to follOWe S oooooooccocnoonononononononononcnnnconnconccononnnon 157 Getting the word out ueesesseesseseseesnensnensnensnnnnnennnensnnnnnennnennennenen ann 158 Practical applications eects ierdie issia ii eiia i 158 Social Networking Friend Sites oononinccnonnoncconnconnconncnncnanononcnononononnnonos 159 Going inside Instant Messaging IM ccccssssseesseseeseeeeeeseeseeseeseeeeneenes 162 IM networks nes Rails Shin lin ersehen 162 IMA retail dla cias 163 IM DaSICS astiis it ais 164 Getting the SCOOP on Skype o ooooccccocononononononoonnonnncnnonononnnconnonnnono nono ncnn nono nonos 165 Chapter 11 Netbook Navigators lt lt oo0oooommoooo 169 ISE O IA 170 Surveying GPS Receivers oooooocooccocccononononononnonnnonnncnn ono nncononononnncno nano non conos 170 Handheld GPS receivers nonnina iia a is 171 Mouse GPS UNS msi ar aa a 172 Bluetooth GPS r E E ARSS 173 Selecting Map Software uueessssssssessnensnensnensnennnnnsnnnnnensennnennnensnensnensnensnnnnnn 175 Street Maps ae Er asses Neda aoe ee 176 Topographic Maps eriein ieii inaa iake 177 Satellite images dese ereenn daa adere e an 179 Charts url E E A A E AERES 180 Making the Connection uueeseesseessesssesseenneennennennnonnnennnnnsnennnensnensnensnensnnnnnn 181 Protocol cian a n k ai 181 Virtual serial POTIS oie aaea aereo raaa pEr aE EO
25. happen to good netbooks Netbook Information on the Net oooooconocnnoncccnonnconnncnoncncnnncnonos Just what exactly is a netbook oooooocccnoccccoccccocnnconnononos Prehistoric netbooks ooooonocnoccnoccnoconnncnncconnconncorncnnarnnonnnos First generation netbooks eeseneeeeseesenneeenneneenennnnen Second generation netbookKsS o oconcoccocnnononononononnnonnnonoss Third generation netbooks oocooocccnocccoooncnoncnconncnonnncnnnnos Nuts About the Net kann ESTER 24 EEE RE 25 Ti Netbooks For Dummies Netbooks versus Laptops Bigger Isn t Necessarily Better 34 Looking at full size laptop downsides ooonoocnoconocononconconnconccononononoos 35 Missing in action Features you don t find on a netbook 36 Deciding between horsepower or more miles per gallon 37 A Laptop and a Netbook 0 00 0 ceccccssscsseceesceseseeeseeeecececeesseeessssesseeseneees 37 Chapter 3 Selecting a Netbo0k oooooooommo o 39 Meet the Manufacturers 0 escesessceseeseececeeseeeseceseeeaceeeeeeeeesneceeeeneeeaeeeaees 39 Pickingia Price Poltica arte aan 41 Choosing CHIPS 355 gek soos ti ii aa dd ai 42 Intel Celeron Mini italia dicta 42 Intel Atom siii aa E e EEE EA EE sens 42 MM AE E a A ATE 44 AMD ii ea 44 ARM Sd ao nde ie 44 Mesmerized by Memory cccesccsessesssseeeseeceseecesecessesessneessseeeseeeesesenseeees 46
26. he fall of 2007 making a selec tion was simple because there were only a few models to choose from Now thanks to the popularity of the little laptops there are dozens of models available from a wide variety of manufacturers In Chapter 3 I provide a list of netbook manufacturer Web sites so you can check what s currently available on the market And in Chapter 22 I list a number of netbook news and review sites When selecting the perfect netbook start with your wallet or your purse How much money do you want to spend At the time I m writing this netbooks 11 12 Part I Getting Started with Netbooks MBER KV Y are priced between 250 and 600 with many models in the 350 range I expect the entry point models to drop to around 200 or perhaps even lower so make sure to look around at prices Just like most other computers the more money you spend the more whis tles and bells you get Don t dismiss low priced netbooks though In most cases they provide more than enough function to get basic tasks done Next sift through the features Netbooks come with a laundry list of some times confusing features I go into lots of detail on features in Chapter 3 When it comes to specifications here are the primary features you should key in on 1 Processor Netbooks sport a number of different processors Don t expect the performance you get from a conventional laptop with a fast CPU Netbooks aren t designe
27. icons you ll encounter in the coming pages This is just a friendly little reminder about something of importance Because I can t be there in person to tap you on the shoulder or clear my throat this icon will have to do Every now and then I may need to get a little geeky on you Maybe it s to pro vide a bit more detail on a topic or clue you in to something cool that s a little techy In such cases rest assured l either give you a plain English explanation or point you off to a Web site where you can find out more This is a tip or trick designed to make your life easier usually gained from practical experience and often not found in the user guide or online help or if it is there it s buried deep in some obscure paragraph or maybe perhaps requires a suitable translation The little bomb icon means Danger Will Robinson Not a Lost in Space fan Look it up on Google While I m digressing here between you and me I ve always thought they needed to update this icon with something a little more contemporary The icon first appeared in conjunction with computers back in 1984 when the Apple Macintosh first came out And honestly when was the last time people even used bombs that looked like that Anyway whenever you see the bomb be sure to pay close attention It means something you do or don t do may cause the kind of trouble most rational people like to avoid Some Things to Keep in Mind Before you get goi
28. into a whole lot of depth which is perfectly understandable from the manufacturer s perspective you don t want a big user manual when your goal is to offer an affordable computer With this book I take you beyond the user guide and the online help expand ing on topics and programs presenting a variety of subjects that aren t covered and pointing out places where you can get more information on the Internet all in the easy to read and understand style of the For Dummies series Setting Some Expectations Before getting started I d like to set a few expectations about what you ll be reading just so you and l are on the same page literally and figuratively 1 I m not one of those netbook fanboys who say netbooks are the be all end all perfect computer I personally don t think such a thing will ever exist Netbooks have some distinct limitations which I honestly share with you Introduction 3 1 When the first netbooks debuted most of them ran one version or another of the Linux operating system You can still get Linux netbooks but the Windows models have proven much more popular and because of that I primarily focus on Windows netbooks Take heart Linux users I still discuss Linux netbooks here and there as well as provide a few resources 1 I expect you ve used Windows before and are familiar with the operating system so I don t spend time walking you through how to use a mouse copying and pasting
29. is has to do with the size of the battery the more cells the longer the life the type of processor some are more energy efficient than others the screen brightness whether the wireless card is turned on and what you re doing for example watching a movie drains the battery faster than working on a spreadsheet In Chapter 13 I charge up your brain cells with everything you need to know about batteries including third party and universal batteries I also discuss different ways to maximize battery life
30. lorer DAR O https personal zoho comfbizfindex do 8 IS Pi File Edit View Favorites Tools Help BY Windows Live O Whats New Profile Mail Photos Calendar MSN Share 8 O Sign in A Poser ww Al 23 Email Hosting CRM Project l Zoho Personal x ME Mr le Page Gp Tools Upgrade to Business Edition Settings Help l AOI Personal gt EZ Compose HF Document F Sheet EPresentation g Task Note 4 Link Dres Ren co Pay Week Work Month s Mail May 03 2009 May 09 2009 This Week Create Event Calenda Sun 5 3 Mon 5 4 Tue 5 5 Wed 5 6 Thu 5 7 Fri 5 8 4 May 2009 gt Sj Documents DE TE f ra a Dan 3a 31 4a America Los_Angeles E Add Apps Y My Calendar ngosecurity Hi Groups E no Gan v a O contacts 0 Done Q Internet 100 Most netbooks are about the size of a portable DVD player In addition to size they also share the ability to play movies Because netbooks don t have built in DVD drives you ll need to purchase an external drive that plugs into the netbook s USB port if you want to watch a movie on a disc Another alternative is to use ripping software to convert the DVD movie into a file that can be played on a computer this is usually an AVI format file If your net book doesn t have an external DVD CD ROM drive you can rip the movie on another computer and then transfer a copy to your netbook Many netbooks also have built in webcams for recording video or streaming with
31. n a conventional laptop and are loaded with all sorts of hardware and software that you need for accessing the Net thus the name They re perfect for doing a variety of personal work and entertainment related tasks from home or on the road 2 Netbooks For Dummies So with that bit of history out of the way I can get right down to business and start telling you about this book As you probably guessed from the title it s all about netbooks In the coming pages I tell you everything you need to know about these nifty little laptops including their capabilities limitations and how to get the most from them Who This Book Is For If you re browsing through this book at your favorite bookseller right now either online or in a good old fashioned bookstore and you re trying to decide whether you should shell out some hard earned cash for this book ask yourself these three simple questions 14 Are you thinking about purchasing a netbook 1 Have you recently bought a netbook or maybe scored one as a gift 1 Have you owned a netbook for a while but want to get more out of it If you answered yes to any of these questions you can immediately proceed to the cash register or online shopping cart because this book is for you If you re still not convinced feel free to continue flipping through the pages to make your decision Although your netbook user manual covers the basics there s a good chance it doesn t go
32. ng Tips oooooconoccnonconnconnconononononononono nono nono nonn noo n nc nico nono nano nanonannnanns 206 Turn off your Netbook oooooconoccnoocncoocncoonnnnoncconononononconnncnnnncnnnnnnnnnnno 207 Use standby Mode ciclo 207 Use low power Setting ooooconocccnocccoocncoonnnnoncnonnncnononconnnnonnncnnnnnnnnnnnno 208 TUro WiFi cacaos 208 Dim the dis play ainia aE eE E ASE en 208 Treat your battery TtiBht ooooooconococnococoocccnoncnonnncnononconancononcnnncncnnnnnno 209 Disconnect USB devices ueesesssseeseensensensensennenneennennnsnnsennennnnen 209 Don t use animated screen SavVerS ooooocncoccnonooononnonnncnnncnnncnnnconononon 210 Use a wired Ethernet connNectiON ooococccnonccononononnnnonnnnnnnncnnncnnnnnnnno 210 Know what activities drain batteries oconooconoconiocnnoonncnoncnnnnnnnno 211 Singlet sk is tito 211 Chapter 14 External Storage oooooooconconcrncn o 213 SD Secure Digital Cards 20 ccc ccesscsseesseseeseeeseeeeeseeseeaecseceeeeeeeaeeneeseeasens 213 Cavalcade of cards uuseeseessessensensennennennensnnsennenneennnnnnnsennennnnen 215 Msand Outs ananos aa enaA E REA OE ES 216 Formatting SD cards ceeeseesseseseesnensnensensnensnennnensonnnnennnnnenenennn nenn 216 Booting another operating SySteM cooooocnococononcnonnnnonnnnnnnncnnncnnnnnnns 217 USB Flash Drives inician ito los 220 USB Hard Drives noi dd ide 223 CD ROM DVD and Blu ray DriveS ooooooccoon
33. ng the Web an Internet connection pro vides you and your netbook with a wealth of opportunities for taking advan tage of second generation Internet communications programs and social networking sites The bring it anywhere nature of a netbook and a wireless Net connection allows you to use instant messages IMs Internet telephony such as Skype and social networking sites like Facebook MySpace and Twitter to your heart s content If you haven t used these programs or sites before be sure to read Chapter 10 to come up to speed Business or Pleasure Because of their small size and portable nature netbooks get a lot of use while on the road or around the house either for business or pleasure I find a netbook especially useful for the following 1 Checking and sending e mail 1 Browsing the Web 1 Watching videos 16 Part I Getting Started with Netbooks Listening to music Instant messaging and using Skype 14 Working on word processing and spreadsheet documents when away from a primary computer Viewing digital photos 1 Traveling especially on airplanes trains and buses MBER If your netbook uses Microsoft Windows as its operating system it s compat amp ible with all Windows programs with the exception of some games Just keep in mind that processor intensive programs such as graphics applica tions run slower due to the netbook s under powered CPU Also a netbook s small screen can make life
34. ng with the rest of the book and I know you can t wait Pd like to mention a couple of things 1 As mention earlier this book is not meant to replace your netbook s user manual especially considering the large number of different net books that are available on the market This is Netbooks For Dummies not a leather bound multivolume set of the Encyclopedia of Netbooks 1 Pm a self admitted cheapskate who likes good values That means I m going to tell you about a variety of free and low cost programs as well 5 6 Netbooks For Dummies as offer tips on how to get the best deal on a netbook In these hard eco nomic times every dollar counts and hey it s hip to be frugal 1 You can find lots of references to Web sites in this book I m sure you ve noticed that Web sites change and appear and disappear about as fast and randomly as the stock market rises and falls If you try entering a Web address in your browser and it doesn t work don t get frustrated and walk away I provide you with enough information to find what you re looking for with some follow up Google searching 1 You re not going to find every netbook or netbook compatible program in existence mentioned in the book I ve tried my best to list many of the more popular netbook manufacturers and programs but as with any author I m faced with the harsh realities of page count constraints So please don t get upset if I didn t menti
35. noccnnoconoocncoocncoonncnoncnonnnnnnnnnconnnnonnnnnno Setting Some Expectations oooocooccocncononononononononnnonnnonnnonnccnnonnnon How This Book Is Organized oooooocccccnoconononononnncnnnonnnonnccnnononon Part I Getting Started with Netbooks Part II Using Your Netbook oooooonocccnooccnonccconnncnonnconnnos Part III Netbook Add On Accessories and Hardware Part IV Checking Underneath the Hood Part V The Part of Tens sepe eioen Icons Used in This Book oooocccnccconocanoncnoonnnnoonnconnncnoncnconnnnnnos Some Things to Keep in Mind ooooocccnnoconononononononnnonnnonnccnnonnnos Part I Getting Started with Netbooks Y Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks Netbook Nuts and BoltS ooooccnoccccnocanoncnnonnnononnconnncnonnncnnnnnonos Picking the Perfect Netbook ooconooccnocnnoocccnonncoonccnonnnconnnnnnos Getting Started with a New Netbook Netbooks and Networks cccscccsssseesseeseseeesseeeeseecsseeessneesees Business Or Pl AS re coi 208 BUSINESS sense ahnen Eun and games ran area Better safe than sorrYy eesessessseeseneeseneenenennnnenennennnnnnn Going placita Aaa is Accessorizing and Expanding ooooooccnococononcnonnnoonnnnonnnconnnnnnnnnnno Technically Speaking oooooconocnocnconccononononononononn nono non ono nncnnonnnono Underneath the hood ooooconoccnoocccoocncnonnnoonnnnononconcnnnnnncnnnnos When bad things
36. ns in Chapter 4 After you ve narrowed down which netbook model you want to purchase the last step is pulling out your credit card and buying the little laptop I provide you with advice on this in Chapter 3 but in the meantime here are some essential points 1 Stick with one of the larger netbook manufacturers Although a lesser known brand laptop may work great it s usually safer to go with a well known brand The more units that have sold the greater the chance an online user community has formed In many cases online user commu nities offer faster and better support than the manufacturer 1 Read buyer reviews and feedback especially from online retailer Web sites such as Amazon and Newegg Get as many opinions as you 14 Part I Getting Started with Netbooks can If you remember your statistics class the larger the sample size the more meaningful the data If you get a chance find a local retailer who stocks netbooks and check them out in person In the early days of netbooks this was tough because only online stores carried the little laptops Now more brick and mortar retailers are stocking the wee computers as my Irish cous ins call them 1 Shop around because prices can vary especially online Every dollar saved counts and you can easily save 20 bucks on up depending on where you purchase your netbook Getting Started with a New Netbook Pulling a new computer out of its box for the first time r
37. ok I get down to business and fun stepping you through what you need to know about using your netbook I begin with a chapter on networking Hey it s called a netbook and you re going to be 4 Netbooks For Dummies using it a lot to connect to the Net so this is a good place to start I devote a chapter to productivity suites both traditional software such as Microsoft Office and the newer generation of online applications like Zoho All work and no play makes for a dull netbook so I devote a chapter to entertainment including video music and games I also cover security issues and provide a survey of Net communication programs and social networking sites that lend themselves to the netbook form factor I wrap up this part with a chap ter that introduces you to the wonders of GPS and tells you how to turn your netbook into a mobile navigator Part 11 Netbook Add On Accessories and Hardware With a cutting edge solid state drive 802 11 wireless an Ethernet jack and webcam you might think your netbook is all ready to go Well yes and no Many users expand the storage with Secure Digital SD memory cards maybe add a DVD player writer perhaps charge the laptop in a car or plane or con nect any number of peripheral devices to the USB Universal Serial Bus ports This part is about add on netbook hardware and accessories and I discuss everything from hooking up external devices to appropriate carrying cases Part IV
38. on your netbook or a program you use 1 Some days I wish the pace of technology and the consumer electronics marketplace would take a short vacation and stand still for a moment or two It s a foregone conclusion that between the time I write these words and this book is published new netbooks will appear sporting spiffy new features and technology Because I can t see into the future keep in mind this is a snapshot of the general state of the netbook world circa late 2009 early 2010 Okay that finishes up the introduction so on with the show Part Getting Started with Netbooks I tell him many times get lighter laptop But him think he Know better Him have big ego Him say Me Tarzan you not That when vine break In this part n the fall of 2007 asmall laptop called the Eee PC appeared on the market and took the world by storm Dubbed a netbook this Lilliputian laptop ushered in anew era of affordable and ultra mobile personal computing These go anywhere Internet enabled laptops proved to be a perfect combination of size price and performance and consumers quickly opened up their wallets and purses This part introduces you to netbooks I start with some general information about the little laptops as well as provide you with a roadmap of what you can find in the book I then tell you exactly what netbooks are and how they differ from laptops If you re in the market for a net book you
39. onnncnnncnnnconconnonncnnncnoncno non conos 187 Chapter 13 Powering Your NetbOok ccccccsssssssssscesseeseceseceseceseeseecseeeseesseseneeeeeees 197 Chapter 14 External Storage uceeesesssessnessnensnensnennnnnnnennonnsnnnnnnennensensnensnensnensnnnnnn 213 Chapter 15 Netbook Gizmos and Gadgets oooooconoconoccnonconnnonnnonncnnncnnonnonnono nono nonononos 229 Part IV Checking Underneath the Hood 1 212220122 253 Chapter 16 Troubleshooting Your Netbook ooooonocnoonooonconnnonnconccononononononononononn conos 245 Chapter 17 Backing Up and Restoring Your Netbook ooooocconccccconononocononononnnonos 257 Chapter 18 Upgrading Storage and Memory cccooconoconononnnonnnonnnonnnonnncnnononanonononcno nono conos 269 Chapter 19 Optimizing Windows occcoccoconononononononononononnnonnncononnnonnnonncnnon nono nano ncnn nono 285 Chapter 20 Discovering DriverS ooooonocnnonnnoconononononononnnonononnnonnnno nono nonnnono nono ncno nono nono 299 Chapter 21 BIOS Basics uu iii ia dieran De 307 Part U The Part of Tens ccccccccccccscsecccccccccccccccececeeee DTT Chapter 22 Top Ten Internet Netbook Resources ooocoooccoonooonoonnconcnonanononononononononos 319 Chapter 23 Ten Cool Hardware Hacks uuuuuusssesssesssesseesnnnssnnnensnensnensnennnenenensnnnnnn 325 A RE OOO Table of Contents Introduction ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccecccccccccccccecececcccccccccecece I Who This Book Is FOr ooo
40. ono ncnnnos 69 Contending with ChrOM ooococncoccnononononnnonnnconncononononnonononnnonnnono nono nono rca ncnnnos 69 Windows Versus Linux A e 70 Pros aNd CONS ii la 70 ANA ana E a a Sn 71 Table of Contents xiii Chapter 5 First Things First aeaaaee 73 Read the Manual iii aii 73 Powerto the Beople evitas iaa ia 74 Signing on the Dotted Line ooonoccnoccnocanonocononnonnnonnnonnncnncnonononononono nono nononos 75 You Light Up My Dife 2 u2 2u 202 ist 76 Handling Parts and Pieces ccccccessesssseeeseeeeseeesseeesseecssseeeeseesseeesseeesseeees 78 Touching on Touchpads cccscccessesesseeesceceseecsseeesseecsseeessseeeseeesseseneeees 81 Figuring out Function Keys oooonocccnocccoooncnonncnoncnnoncnnoncnconnncnnnconn nono nnnnnnnnnnns 82 Exchanging Data with Your Primary PC o ooocccoccciccnocnnocnconononanononononnnononononos 83 Using USB flash drives oooocnnocconnnocccononononononononononnncnn non a ia 83 Making the most of Windows file Sharing ooocnnoccnnocnnonncnonnnconos 84 Making sense of online Storage ooooooconoconoocncoonncnonnnnonccnonononnnnnonnncinoss 84 Synchronizing with Briefcase ooooocnooncononononononononnnconcconononocononnnonnns 85 Part I Using Your Netbook assesses OF Chapter 6 Netbook Networking lt lt o ooooomooo 89 Wireless Wanderings cccccccscccsssccessecssceceesseseeeeseeeesseceeeesseeeeeseesseeseneees
41. ononononononononos 328 xviii Netbooks For Dummies Mod the BEE SAAE T it 329 No Soldering Hardware ModS c ccsssssssesssesseesseeseceseeeseesseeseseseeeseeeeees 330 Add a Second Memory Card Reader ccccsssssssseesseeseceseeeseessseseeeseees 330 Turn a Netbook into a Picture FraMe cooooccnnnoonccnonannncnonnnnonanannonannnanonnno 331 Add an External Wi Fi Antenna Jack oooonncocinccononccnoncncnnnanonanornnncnnnnoronos 332 Swiss Army Knife Mod an Eee PC ooocconcnicccnocononconnoonncnnncnnncononononononononononos 332 A zer Introduction t s always pretty boring to start a book with a bit of history But hey this is important so I ll make it quick and painless You have my word I plead guilty to falling asleep in history classes myself so I can relate In October 2007 a Taiwanese company named ASUS which was primarily known for making computer motherboards and other components started selling a diminutive laptop called the Eee PC The laptop had an itsy bitsy 7 inch screen an underpowered processor compared with the latest and greatest dual core chips a dinky keyboard and a user interface that looked like it was designed by Toys R Us Pundits immediately dismissed the little laptop Some of the quotes I remem ber hearing include the following Who in their right mind would buy some thing like that when for a bit over a hundred dollars more they could get a full size low end laptop wi
42. re faced with a confusing array of models and features Considering this I bring you up to speed on all the options and provide guidance on selecting and pur chasing a netbook that best meets your needs I conclude this part with a chapter that gets you familiar with your new netbook and shows you how to easily exchange data with another computer Chapter 1 Everything You Need to Know about Netbooks In This Chapter Understanding what a netbook is Choosing a netbook Getting started with a netbook Using a netbook Adding accessories and hardware Handling technical issues Getting information from the Internet you want to know about netbooks Well you ve come to the right place Obviously this entire book is about the Lilliputian laptops but in this chapter I distill essential information to give you an overview of every thing you need to know about netbooks After you read this chapter you should be able to talk knowledgably about netbooks at cocktail parties and you may even gain a reputation for being techno savvy be careful though as such status often results in a never ending stream of phone calls from family and friends asking for help with their computer problems In addition to the big picture view this chapter also serves as a roadmap to the rest of the book In the coming pages I refer you to specific chapters where you can get more info about a certain topic or find out how to get your netbook to perform
43. tem or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic mechanical photocopying recording scanning or otherwise except as permit ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without either the prior written permission of the Publisher or authorization through payment of the appropriate per copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center 222 Rosewood Drive Danvers MA 01923 978 750 8400 fax 978 646 8600 Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department John Wiley amp Sons Inc 111 River Street Hoboken NJ 07030 201 748 6011 fax 201 748 6008 or online at http www wiley com go permissions Trademarks Wiley the Wiley Publishing logo For Dummies the Dummies Man logo A Reference for the Rest of Us The Dummies Way Dummies Daily The Fun and Easy Way Dummies com Making Everything Easier and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley amp Sons Inc and or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Wiley Publishing Inc is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book LIMIT OF LIABILITY DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM A
44. th a usable screen decent processor and built in DVD drive The keyboard keys are too small for typing unless you have toothpick size fingers A 900 MHz processor You have to be kidding I didn t know they even made anything that slow anymore And finally Well it might be okay for little kids but adults will never go for it Ah you ve gotta love those pundits They make the world go round They had no clue and I suspect ASUS didn t either that the Eee PC would be an industry game changer It was one of those right place at the right time products that opened up a huge new market niche By the end of 2007 around 400 000 little laptops were sold mostly to adults by the way In 2008 an estimated 11 4 million units were purchased ABI Research predicts 35 million units will ship in 2009 and a whopping 139 million of the little lap tops will be sold in 2013 It turns out there was and is a huge demand for a portable computer that s somewhere between the size of a cell phone and a conventional laptop And because there was money to be made more than a dozen companies jumped on the bandwagon and began selling their own versions of Lilliputian laptops These small wonders now pretty much universally known as netbooks are lightweight and compact laptops right around two pounds and a little bit bigger than this book durable enough not to mind getting knocked about a bit cheaper for the most part tha
45. unctionality that tells you where you are and how to get places if you have a netbook you might consider turning it into a netbook navigator It s easy to connect a GPS receiver to a netbook and a number of available mapping programs can tell you where you are and how to get from Point A to Point B Chapter 11 is all about netbooks and GPS Accessorizing and Expanding After you purchase a netbook if you re like most users you ll also eventually buy some additional hardware or accessories to go with it The first purchase is usually something to carry the netbook around with I really encourage you to have some type of padding to protect your netbook from the inevitable bumps and bruises when toting it around town Because of its compact size you have all sorts of carrying options available including cases and sleeves padding with no carrying straps designed spe cifically for a specific model cases originally designed for something por table DVD players work great and cheap do it yourself carriers If you need some ideas check out Chapter 12 If you re going to be using your netbook for trans Pacific or Atlantic flights or anytime you re away from a power source for an extended period you ll prob ably want to consider carrying a spare battery Battery life can vary dramati cally between netbook models ranging from a few hours to five hours plus I just tested a netbook that achieved an amazing eight hours of run time Th
46. video conferencing programs If you re a computer gamer you re probably wondering whether you can use your netbook to play some of your favorite games The answer is yes with a few caveats Many Windows games load and run seamlessly on a Windows netbook for example Figure 1 4 shows the ever popular time waster Solitaire The exceptions are games that require lots of memory or a high end graphics card Most netbooks have pretty basic graphics chips that get bogged down or don t work well or at all when playing graphics intensive 3 D games In addition the relatively under powered processor and limited amount of memory found in netbooks can also slow things down to a crawl 18 Part I Getting Started with Netbooks Ce Figure 1 4 Playing Solitaire on a netbook YA AAA ff Solitaire Game Help Score 32 Time 43 4 start CE ff Solitaire a LA Re 7 09PM If your favorite game requires a lot of graphics and CPU also known as the processor chip or the central processing unit power don t hold your breath that it will work to your satisfaction on a netbook Also just because a game runs on a netbook doesn t necessarily mean you ll have fun playing it keep in mind the small screen and touchpad That said some new netbooks with faster graphics processors and more memory make better game machines than others And there are active gaming communities on the Internet that provide a wealth of
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