I going on vacation and I'm looking for a small laptop to use on the plane and keep in touch with my family. I don't need to download a lot of pictures or a lot of program files, just need it to get online to Facebook and keep in touch with family while I'm gone, nothing big or expensive. Looking at 7" netbooks, they have less RAM and more HD space, the 10" notebooks have more RAM and less HD space. I'm not sure what I need more of, RAM or HD space, only need the internet to access Facebook and leave messages. Any help would be great, thanks........

Looking at 7" netbooks, they have less RAM and more HD space, the 10" notebooks have more RAM and less HD space.

That is not true for all of them so I think you need to do more hunting. Since you will not be downloading a pictures or programs, disk space is not a priority. More RAM generally means better performance so look for a nice amount of RAM - 2Gb would be my absolute minimum with 4Gb or more being better.

Bigger screens typically come with bigger keyboards and for me, that is better.

Battery life is important when on the road so look for long run times.

What you currently state you will be doing can easily be met by a netbook.

However as time went by we discovered that when we needed to browse numerous local location web sites, while travelling, the original 7 inch (or less) screen became a real liability. For several years, we were well served when we only used email and other basic tools such as Facebook and Skype. But, needs, available functionality, and wants do have a way of changing.

We have subsequently purchased a 15.6 inch travel laptop but had initially been looking for a 14 inch model (more portable but pricier option, however).


OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

• Netbook sales are fast declining and becoming increasingly absent in retail stores. This is clearly indicative that other tools may be a better choice (even tablets) for your stated objectives.
• Lower RAM is often bundled with W7 Starter edition (you get what you pay for). You may later and subsequently realize that the full edition, larger screen, and more RAM may have been a better choice in hindsight (for $100-$200 more).
• If you ever change your mind as to functionality needs and want to update to the upcoming W8 OS for its new features, you may come to regret you prior choices.

As i was calling around on notebooks I told the salesman I just needed something small just to get on the internet to keep in touch with my family. He told instead of a note or netbook why not try a internet tablet. Would an internet tablet or android tablet do the same thing as a notebook? like I said, I only need something to access the internet and leave messages on facebook only. Would this be a better idea?

A tablet is an individual choice that I did not choose to make on my last purchase. For me, the screen size and 'real' keyboard remained some of the critical determining factors. Yet, a tablet has been a seemingly good choice for numerous people around me. See:

SEARCH TERMS: pros cons notebook tablet

pros cons notebook tablet - Google Search

Frankly speaking, users need to have good idea about how much technology [learning curve & methodology changes] they can handle before deciding whether to go for notebooks or tablets. Go through the above mentioned comparative analysis of notebook and tablet and then make the final call. That’s the best thing that you can do as a consumer.

Tablet vs Notebook - Pro's and Con's

It's funny, I was over at my friend's house the other day, and he wanted to show me a youtube video. He breaks out his ipad, hunt/pecks for the keys, pulls up the video, and holds up the tablet for me for the duration of the video. I am thoroughly convinced that touchscreen, while marginally more intuitive than a mouse, is an infinitely more cumbersome input method. I don't think it'll catch on. I HOPE it won't catch on. There's something about feeling the grooves between the keys that makes it so much easier to type on a physical keyboard than a virtual one.

As for speed comparisons, fuhgeddaboudit - the lappy is much, much faster than the tablet. Of course, the tablet runs some 8 hours on its own battery, and about 16 hours when docked and using the keyboard battery in combination with its own.

Tablets are great if all you really want to do is consume content. Such as read a book, watch a movie, play a game.

It's not so good if you want to create content or use it for productivity beyond writing e-mails. Such as work on a spreadsheet, write a document, edit video, design a game for tablets.

Pros and con of tablets - General-Laptops-Notebooks - Laptops-Notebooks

Thanks for the help, how do I delete this forum posting, I had to post a new question....

Thanks for the help, how do I delete this forum posting, I had to post a new question....

You don't. It stays so future readers can learn from the information exchange. That's what forums are all about.