How to mod a MacBook Nano (Black&White), pics-a-plenty!

[raccoontail]

The 10" form factor is finally large enough to be comfortably usable. They are going to sell like hotcakes and Apple should not ignore the category.

Case in point: I needed a portable to complement my 24" iMac and I was really considering the new Macbook or an Air, but at 1/3d the cost I decided on a Samsung NC-10. Same specs as the MSI Wind, but slightly higher price & build quality. These machines aren't cheap crap. They have useful features like synaptics multitouch, LED backlighting, good speakers, SD card slot, 3 USB ports, ethernet, and bluetooth. What's the point of a small notebook if you have to carry around a USB hub, digital camera cable, VGA dongle, Ethernet dongle, etc. I'd also be hard pressed to tell someone to mess with buying/installing Parallels and a Windows license, vs $400 for a netbook.

 

[!¡ V ¡!]

My 15.4" MBP dances all over it too - maybe even your MBP too
Seriously, the point is, I really don't see the use for these things. They seem to be a fad to me. Not large enough to do anything real in my opinion. Again, my opinion.

Funny how you call the netbook a fad, when I could possible consider the iPod and iPhone a fad as well. Touch, really what good is it. Sounds more of a gimmick to me. People said the iPod was a fad when first released, however years later it still exists and is improving. Just cannot justify paying 400 for only 32GB of HDD space with no SD slot. Seriously.

I have several Mac from workstations to desktops to notebooks, and I liked the form factor of the netbook and price. I bought a 1000H because I did not need BT and N, however wanted something to carry with me and entertain me for music (iTunes), video (VLC) and surfing (FF, Safari) when I go on short trips. The HDD is ample as it can support SD/SDHC so no problems there, heck this was the selling point for me along with a matte screen. So far I have happy with it, though I wish it was a little bit smaller or a smaller bezel.

Here is hoping these improvements are implemented.

 

[glynhughes]

I made one of these a few weeks back - relatively cheap, quick and easy to do. I had intended to leave it as a windows machine, but when I found I could have osx the temptation was too great. I wouldn't have to buy new software for a start and I'd have the right sized machine without having to learn windows all over again.

I prefer it to my macbook. Main reason is it doesn't need as much working space so it's much more practical to use it on a plane/train/lap etc. It doesn't draw attention to itself the way a full size notebook does.

If apple turned their hand to making a 10" computer I'm sure I'd be first in line now. But even if they don't, I've got a perfectly adequate one for the time being.

Here's a few pros and cons in case anyone's thinking of going this way instead of the macbook air or whatever;

Against.
screen size is 1024x600 so a few dialogue windows disappear off the bottom. But this hasn't caused a problem yet.

updates aren't simple or immediate. 10.5.4 is where I've got to so far

touchpad is a bit different (with the tap-to-click thing) but you get used to it.

Getting it to run osx could be a bit scary for a sterotypical (these days at any rate) apple consumer.

Putting osx on the machine generates a couple of minor quirks. Nothing that gets in the way of using the machine though and if you've done the installation yourself you'll understand what's going on if you experience them and not be phased.

For.
Useable in spaces other macs wouldn't be

cheap enough to chuck around without feeling too guilty

replaceable batteries (another reason I never bought a macbook air)

Thought a £300 computer would be slower than the macbook but it doesn't seem to be.

 

[hihater]

People can keep daydreaming, Apple building a netbook is like the xmac and tablet, won't happen.

 

[oscillatewildly]

Apple Netbook only available through an iMac package?

 

[kamm]

IMO these devices only make sense with touch screen - like this OS X tablet, built on the Gigabyte M912, the best price/performance ratio netbook/tablet out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ObbUsTaupA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THsN1mtSRgQ

The guy posted his project here: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=130010

Now that Gigabyte is shipping the M912-M version with 1024x600 LED touch screen I'll order one from MobilX within weeks if not days.

 

[kamm]

Funny how you call the netbook a fad, when I could possible consider the iPod and iPhone a fad as well. Touch, really what good is it. Sounds more of a gimmick to me. People said the iPod was a fad when first released, however years later it still exists and is improving. Just cannot justify paying 400 for only 32GB of HDD space with no SD slot. Seriously.

I have several Mac from workstations to desktops to notebooks, and I liked the form factor of the netbook and price. I bought a 1000H because I did not need BT and N, however wanted something to carry with me and entertain me for music (iTunes), video (VLC) and surfing (FF, Safari) when I go on short trips. The HDD is ample as it can support SD/SDHC so no problems there, heck this was the selling point for me along with a matte screen. So far I have happy with it, though I wish it was a little bit smaller or a smaller bezel.

Here is hoping these improvements are implemented.

Netbooks are awe some IF they can fit into a bigger coat or jacket pocket or a little bag AND they can be used while holding 'em (tablets) - otherwise it's either just a crippled laptop or some oversized smartphone.

Their role for me is to bridge what I call the "15-20 minutes" (mobile) computing (my HTC TyTn or a G1 etc) and the tabletop computing (my Vaio, my WS etc.)
Also it makes a huge different to carry a sub-2lbs/1kg unit (netbook, MID etc) all day long on a conference or a sub-4lbs/2kg unit (lightweight notebook, sub-note etc.)

 

[nplima]

Their role for me is to bridge what I call the "15-20 minutes" (mobile) computing (my HTC TyTn or a G1 etc) and the tabletop computing (my Vaio, my WS etc.)

and to add to this, you can revisit a discussion on Slashdot about "what to take on a round-the-world trip". Back then, laptops were too much of a thug-magnet or too expensive to risk breaking/losing. The £200 that buy a new netbook today was about the ideal price level for a used thinkpad.

 

[macEfan]

Wish I could acquire one of those...would be perfect for taking on the road and around the office!

 

[chewietobbacca]

Personally I LOVE my Acer Aspire One. At 8.9" screen, its small enough to fit in bags easily and it was cheap! Now to modd OS X onto it