Unlike the olden days, we are now faced with many options when it comes to the size and power of our laptop.  You can buy everything from a small netbook (as small as a 7” screen) to larger than life notebooks that have screens over 18”.  With this buffet of laptops available to the consumer, how do you decide which one to buy?

For me, the toughest decision is whether or not I should buy a netbook.  You see, I work at home and it would be convenient to have a computer that I could use away from the office (like at the kitchen table) or when we go on the road traveling.  I already have a desktop that satisfies my gaming needs (at the moment), and really I am looking for portability.

But when it comes down to making the decision whether to buy a notebook or netbook, you have to consider the following:

1. Are you willing to sacrifice computing power for mobility?  If you are just working on basic stuff such as word processing, surfing the Internet or checking email, this won’t be an issue.  But if you are expecting your computer to be able to do something a little more complex (such as video rendering or games) you might be disappointed with the speed and responsiveness of a netbook.
2. Is weight an issue?  If you are a student or business person that will be carrying your laptop with you wherever you go for extended periods during the day, a lighter notebook will be better for you and your back.  Also, if you go with a smaller notebook or netbook, you will be able to carry more without having to have a large bag as they take up less space.
3. Are you going to be running primarily on the battery?  If you will be away from being able to plug in your notebook during the day, a netbook provides better battery life since they are designed to be more power friendly.  In fact, some of the netbooks can even run 8 hours on a full charge, which should be good enough for most of your working day.
4. Do you have problems reading or seeing text on a computer screen?  If you are wearing bifocals or don’t have the greatest vision, the screen size of a netbook may be a challenge for you.  If you find yourself in this predicament, you can go with a netbook, but chances are you will have to increase the font size to ensure that you are able to read the screen or go with a notebook that would have a bigger screen and therefore bigger font.
5. Are you going to be playing a lot of games?  If you are an avid computer gamer, then a netbook won’t work very well for you.  There currently is only one that I can think of that has a dedicated video card (the ASUS N10 in particular) and even that netbook can only play games on the most basic settings.

Make sure to consider the above questions when deciding on whether to buy a netbook or a notebook, and if you do, you should be happy with your decision.

	Acer Aspire One AO722-0473 11.6-Inch HD Netbook (Espresso Black) List Price: $329.99 Sale Price: $380.00
	The Aspire One AO722, 11.6" Netbook, is the perfect combination of usability and portability in a thin and light design, while boasting a full-size keyboard and excellent connectivity for the best of both worlds...

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	Toshiba Mini NB505: Stylish, Highly Portable Netbook Perfect for your everyday computing needs when you're on the go, the Toshiba Mini NB505-N508BL is one of the thinnest netbooks on the market--just 1...

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	Mobile Computing in Style The Eee PC 1001PXD-EU matches its beauty with power and energy efficiency, featuring the new power-saving Intel® Atom™ N455 CPU, which works in tandem with ASUS' exclusive Super Hybrid Engine energy management technology to deliver 4 hours of battery life on a single charge...

	Acer Aspire One AOD257-13685 10.1-Inch Netbook (Espresso Black) List Price: $279.99 Sale Price: $379.99
	The new Aspire One AOD257 is the ultimate fun and ultra-portable companion bringing you efficient performance, sensational style and convenient connectivity anywhere you go. Superior Intel® Atom dual-core processing power, 10...

	iView 7-Inch Android Netbook List Price: $149.00 Sale Price: $90.00
	Features: 7" Digital LCD Screen, VGA 800 x 480 pixel. Android 2.2 OS. 256MB RAM. 4 GB Nand Flash. WiFi b/g Ethernet port. Google Webkit browser. Supports MSN, Google Talk, Skype, QQ Basic Games: Chess, Sudoku, Miner...

I have had a number of people ask me what they should do with their old laptops once they are done with them.  Most of the people don’t really want to get rid of their old machine, but if they knew some other way to use it or give it a new purpose, they would be willing to keep it.  So here are five great ideas on what you can do with your old laptop.

1. Give it to your Child

   I know this might be an obvious one, but chances are that your child will be thrilled to have a computer of their own.  Unless they are heavily into games, an old laptop will work perfectly for their school work and Internet browsing, though the battery may not be useful anymore.

2. Use it as a Home File Server

   Even though the hard drive space that you will find on an old laptop isn’t usually too large, they still make a good machine to use as a home file server.  You can store your pictures, music and movies on them and have everything stored in one central location.  The best part is that they use little power, so it is good for the environment and your power bill.

3. Use it as a Media Player

   Having an old laptop kicking around is a great way to bring your living room into the 21st century.  The notebook can be connected to your television and can be used as a DVD player, movie player, picture viewer and even radio (via Internet radio) and can replace a number of devices in your living room, making it less cluttered.

4. Use it as a Television

   With the addition of a simple USB TV Tuner card (for as little as $30), you can turn your laptop into a television.  This can be a handy as it can be used in such places as the kitchen or in your workout room, or other places where you don’t quite have the room.  Also, since it is portable, you can take it with you anywhere in your home, which in itself is pretty convenient.

5. Automate your Home

   Another often overlooked use of an old notebook would be to use it to automate your home via X10 devices.  These devices can be used to control every aspect of your home and definitely bring it into the 21st century.

Even though these are only five uses for an old laptop, it is a start.  So, instead of throwing it out, reuse your faithful laptop as it will be useful for years to come.