Microsoft VP Steve Sinofsky Shows Windows 7 on a Netbook

For me to be comfortable recommending a netbook to seniors or other ABBS (aging Baby Boomers not yet comfortable calling themselves “seniors”) a couple of features are mandatory that might not be so important to younger people. Of course, some netbook features remain negotiable, depending on how much people want to spend. But IMHO the following five things are NOT OPTIONAL for seniors:

1. 8″ or larger screen – the bigger the better, with high resolution capability
2. a close to full-sized keyboard with raised keys and close to standard spacing between the keys, the spacebar and the touchpad
3. a bright 1.3 megapixel or better webcamera with good color fidelity
4. at least one on-board microphone that captures human voices well, so you don’t HAVE TO plug in a separate microphone
5. on-board speakers capable of delivering strong volume, so you don’t HAVE TO plug in remote speakers

Why these things are not optional for seniors seems obvious to me. But talking to salesmen in electronics stores, I discovered that they weren’t necessarily top-of-mind to them.

More than other groups, seniors may have eyes, ears, and fingers that may not always work as well as they used to. These don’t have to be handicapping conditions to be annoying. And devices that make things harder will only prevent seniors from reaping the benefits netbooks have to offer.

To enjoy using netbooks, seniors need keys that have a solid but easy touch and are as large and well spaced as possible. Keyboards that are 92% of standard size, or larger, will work a lot better for seniors than tighter keyboards. The same goes for display screens. All the convenience of having an inexpensive, small, light-weight, mobile device will be wasted on seniors if the display screen is too small or not bright enough to see without struggling.

Webcam fidelity and brightness matter a lot for this group, too. And, since regular mobile communication will be one of the most important tasks for seniors using netbooks, the onboard microphone and speakers must be of good quality and offer ample volume. The last thing senior users need is to have to hunt for an external microphone, earphones and/or external speakers just to make a Skype call or to participate in other kinds of virtual meeting with family or online learning groups.

MY PERSONAL FAVES

I spent one whole day in San Francisco, going from one electronics store to another, testing every netbook I could put my hands on. (For this trip, I skipped the cheap laptops, although there are several with great promise.)  I found three netbooks I like a lot – using my criteria above – and one I see as a marginal option. Because price is another serious issue for seniors and ABBs on fixed or dwindling incomes, I restricted my search to basic models available now for under $500.

Top 3:

1. Toshiba Atom NB 205/N311. Windows XP. Island-style keyboard. 6-cell battery (3 cell is standard). 10.1″ display. Adequate camera and sound. Comes in white, pink, blue, brown. $398. Link to full stats at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Toshiba-NB205-N311-10-1-Inch-Frost-Netbook/dp/B002BDUATU. Comes standard with 1GB RAM.

2. Acer Aspire One Z250. Comes loaded with VISTA (free and easy upgrade to Windows 7 later). 11.6″ display. 2GB RAM. 6-cell battery. Nice camera, speakers, and microphone. The one I tested was royal blue. $378. Link to full stats at Walmart.com: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=12024696#Specifications

3. Lenovo S10-2-G “Ideapad”. Windows XP. 10.2″ screen. Comes either with 1GB ($349) or 2GB RAM ($364). 3-cell battery. Nice camera quality and excellent speaker. Link to full stats at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Ideapad-S10-1311UW-10-2-Inch-Netbook/dp/B001TLVSZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251127987&sr=8-1

Marginal:

1. HP Mini 1050NR. Windows XP. 10.1″ screen. 6-cell battery. 1GM RAM. Adequate camera but onboard microphone and speakers aren’t really up to par for seniors who want to use them for free video conferencing without having to plug in peripherals. $435. Link to full stats at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BH4NFS

Tomorrow: Why You Might Consider Holding Out for an Asus Eee PC Touchscreen Netbook, Models T91 or T100H – And Paying More Than $500 For It