One of the big things that you need to consider when buying a netbook computer is the Operating System installed into it. For the most part, people prefer to have Microsoft Windows installed. As the predominant system that many people grew up with, the consumer has an instinctive aversion to any other OS that may come up.
With that being said, the main disadvantage of the Windows XP is the cost. Even with the reduced price for the netbook industry, there are simply some noticeable price differences between a unit that has XP Home installed as opposed to having Ubuntu Linux. This is the first thing that you’ll notice when you check out the Sylvania GNET28001SO Meso Netbook (quite a mouthful, isn’t it?).
Of course, the Sylvania Meso can run Windows XP home quite easily if you are willing to shell out the extra cash. But before you do so, I urge you to give Ubuntu Linux a try. It is not a complicated OS software; take my word for it.
OS concerns aside, how does the Sylvania Meso compare with the other netbooks out in the market today? Well, you’d expect it to work in more or less the same capacity as any other netbook based on the Intel Atom 1.6-GHz; it manages to run either XP or Ubuntu fast if you stick to net-centric computing.
The major problem that I have with the unit is with the keyboard; but unlike many other netbooks, it’s not because to the size. The keyboard itself is relatively large for a netbook. But to do so, they sacrificed two things. First, you’ll notice that the caps lock key does not have a light – a minor inconvenience when logging on to Facebook or something similar. In addition, they also decided to remove the Shift key below the enter key – it doesn’t herald the end of the world, but it is an annoyance.
If you want an ultra-portable laptop computer that runs perfectly well on Ubuntu, with a hefty-sized hard drive for storing a lot of music that you could listen to on the go, then Sylvania Meso does the job well. As an added bonus, the vibrant colours that the units come with are hip and fresh, making it an appealing first computer for your child.
