Millennius MiniBook 

Netbooks are all the rage now so I thought I would take a look at one to see what all the fuss is about. These units are essentially cut down laptops. For anyone that has had to lug a laptop around you will appreciate what Netbooks have to offer: size and weight - or lack thereof. 

The Millennius MiniBook which I had a look at runs an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor, has 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and a 10.1" TFT LCD screen. It is 250 mm x 186 mm x 32.5 mm and weighs just 1.2Kg with the battery. Something most ladies could whip out of their handbag. One of the things sacrificed for space is a CD/DVD ROM, but this is no longer a major issue as most files now days come from network shares and USB devices. Even movies are streamed so CD/DVD ROM\'s days are numbered. The Millennius MiniBook can connect either via wireless or via a standard network cable, has a couple of USB ports and a VGA port to connect a monitor. 

Millennius\' MiniBook is constructed from a black gloss plastic that seems to be used in a lot of devices lately. While the plastic might not be the sturdiest available it does look good, until you touch it. Finger prints are picked up very easily and are very visible after use. Personally I would have preferred the matt plastic that is used for the underside of the MiniBook as this hides greasy finger prints well. Similar to laptops the MiniBook can also generate a bit of heat. A lot of this heat comes from the hard drive. Once solid state drives become more prevalent and cheaper I can see a great use for them in mobile devices which will cut down the heat and noise generated by current hard drives. 

If you really want more of the tech specs you can go to millennius.com.au  but what most people want to know is \'what can it do for me? What is it like to use?\' For that I had to get over the size and weight of the slick little unit and turn it on. The operating system is not a version of Windows which most people might expect, however the unit is compatible with Windows if you want to install it, but the Millennius MiniBook runs Ubuntu Linux. \'I hear Linux is a Geek\'s OS and hard to use\' I hear you say. Don\'t let that put you off. For the average user the operating system is not much of an issue any more. There is the familiar desktop, task bar and start menu button that are consistent with most graphical OS\'es and the features and layout are alot more customizable running Ubuntu Linux than in Windows. Another bonus of running Ubuntu on a NetBook is speed. Ubuntu loads fast and runs fast even with a lot of different applications running. 

A bevy of applications that come pre-installed on Millennius\' MiniBook. The functionality of the programs remains the same even if the application is different. No Microsoft Office is installed, it is replaced by the Open Source Open Office suite. Firefox is the default Web Browser and Evolution is there for your emails. Other applications like GIMP are there to manipulate images and Skype is installed to chat online, of course there are a bunch of games and other applications installed. For the average user functionality is maintained. You will be able to work on documents, browse the internet, collect your email, watch videos and stream content as you normally would. You can connect to your work\'s VPN or create RDP sessions to remote hosts. All this from a very compact, light weight and portable design. And for a mere $369 it is the same cost as some mobile phones. 

The learning curve for the Ubuntu OS for someone familiar with Windows is small. You will be up and running with Millennius\' little MiniBook in no time. Things to keep in mind when looking at Millennius\' MiniBook: If you needed to run some specific software you would need to check there is a compatible version available for Ubuntu. The keyboard is more compact and initially I would miss hit keys but you soon learn to keep your fingers closer together. 10.1" screens do cut down on the desktop area a little but they still maintain good functionality. The screen width is good and displays content well but the height means that you scroll up and down alot in larger documents or web pages. If I was using a MiniBook for a while at a desk I would possibly connect a larger screen. But for working on the go a MiniBook is so much easier to get out and use than a laptop. 

All in all a great device. Ideal for people on the go that need to work or even just to have a larger screen to watch movies on than most MP4 players. Students would also find Millennius\' MiniBook useful for their study and as the cost is low getting one will not break the bank. 
 
 

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