Netbook for travels

Robin9

ktk wrote: »

Thanks Robin9. What she is looking for is something to replace her laptop, not a tablet, as she with have to do research and write reports. She will be at a field study centre.

Then she will want something more substantial than my Kindle which runs Word and Excel offline but the small keyboard makes life difficult.

FJerry

What sort of software does she need? If it's just for web browsing, communication and editing word documents or spreadsheets I would recommend a chrome book.

I can't paste a link but check out amazon or PC world!

Chrome books are fairly cheap and stable. My mum has one and she loves it, it's all she needs for basic computing.

Jivesinger

agrinnall wrote: »

although I'm not sure whether Office can actually be loaded locally on a Chromebook, others may be able to advise.

I don't think it can - on the Google website it says:

Microsoft Word on a Chromebook

You can open and edit Microsoft Word documents on your Chromebook in a few different ways:

• Use Google Docs or your Chromebook's built-in file editor.
• Add the Microsoft Word Online app from the Chrome Web Store.
• Add the Office Editing Chrome extension to your Chrome browser. Find out more.

Google Docs might work offline, but I'm pretty sure that Word Online won't.

And Google Docs won't be 100% compatible with Word, especially if there is anything complex in the reports being written.

NiftyDigits

If you can find the matching wireless keyboard/battery dock, this Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140

They have a dock, but it's the mains version methinks; http://mcscom.co.uk/product/new-dell-venue-11-pro-latitude-13-tablet-dock-k10a-c8xrf/

£223 in total.

That will get you a full HD screen, 4G connectivity as well as WiFi and Ethernet, SSD etc....

ktk

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will do some research, then take her to have a look at a few.

Jivesinger

NiftyDigits wrote: »

If you can find the matching wireless keyboard/battery dock, this Dell Venue 11 Pro 7140

They have a dock, but it's the mains version methinks; http://mcscom.co.uk/product/new-dell-venue-11-pro-latitude-13-tablet-dock-k10a-c8xrf/

£223 in total.

That will get you a full HD screen, 4G connectivity as well as WiFi and Ethernet, SSD etc....

I don't know if it's the same model, but some people at work got Dell tablets which look like that, and found they weren't very reliable, with the connection to the docking stations being a common fault.

DCFC79

FJerry wrote: »

What sort of software does she need? If it's just for web browsing, communication and editing word documents or spreadsheets I would recommend a chrome book.

I can't paste a link but check out amazon or PC world!

Chrome books are fairly cheap and stable. My mum has one and she loves it, it's all she needs for basic computing.

Post #9 mentions what software is to be used.

NiftyDigits

Another option would be to get a good quality business machine and a new battery, keeping the old as a spare. Such as: http://mcscom.co.uk/product/dell-latitude-e6220-i5-2520m-2-50ghz-4gb-320gb-12-5-hd-30day-wty-mll405/ Should just be a matter of clean installing Windows 7(and then moving to Windows 10 Pro, if wanted). I would also swap the HDD for SSD. Though that model has no webcam.
I wouldn't waste money on a cheap plasticky underpowered machine with too little storage.
If living in a rainforest for a year, you won't have much use for a 12 month warranty anyway.

A more attractive option would be to go the whole hog and pick up this Dell XPS 12 9Q33 with Full HD Touchscreen with Gorilla Glass, SSD etc... for around £262...gulp!

Review here

Mr_Toad

ktk wrote: »

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will do some research, then take her to have a look at a few.

Perhaps the first step to getting the best advice would be to have a talk to her and then include all the requirements in a single post.

Asking a generic question followed several posts later by another telling us she will be writing reports then another post telling us she needs MS Office etc. and another telling us she needs a full sized keyboard.

Drip feeding info doesn't make it easy. All of those things make a difference to what is suitable and will help people make helpful suggestions.

Give us all the requirements in a single post and I'll put money on Nifty coming up with as good and impartial advice as you're likely to get.

And, as an afterthought ask your daughter if she knows, or can find out what the other people at the field study centre are using.

System

Microsoft Surface 3/4 with keyboard.