Sylvania GNET28001SN Meso 8.9" Netbook PC (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive, Ubuntu OS) White

I am currently writing this on my new Sylvania G Netbook MESO. Which I have now owned 4 a little over two weeks. This is the Ubuntu Remix edition, but if the desire moved me I could always throw on a copy of windows XP. For the record the desire will not be happening any time soon. Let me first explain why I decided on the MESO & then give a brief review of pros & cons this little machine.

WHY DID I BUY: Over the last few years I have started 2 use Linux more & more. I am not a "geek" persay. And I don't like having 2 command line everything. I like a nice grasphical interface 2 do nearly all my work. I'm from the windows 95, XP generation. So I hunted around & tried a few distributions, SUSE, Madriva (which I loved 4 a while) & then I discover Ubuntu. Something about Ubuntu just felt right. Everyone is different. But 4 me Ubuntu felt like home. Is it a perfect replacement 4 windows....no. But it does most of what I need. And after spending some time working with a Vista laptop, I finally decided that my next laptop would be Ubuntu based. Vista was too bloated. Even with all the eye candy turned off....it was slowwwww. I would run Ubuntu on the same laptop & it was quick & responsive even with COMPIZ (eyecandy working overtime) So I wanted a laptop with Ubuntu preinstalled & working right out of the box. But it seemed that of big commercial companies only DELL offers Ubuntu laptops. They are very nice looking. But I just wasn't sold. Then I saw the new crop of netbooks coming out, & I stumbled upon the Ubuntu web page describing the Netbook Remix GUI. I decided 2 make the plunge. So when the first netbook came out with this version of Ubuntu on it, I purchased it.

WHY GET UBUNTU REMIX: I wanted it, because it had the power of Ubuntu, but with the simplicity of a mac using the remix GUI. (once you get use 2 it. I come from a PC background (windows) & when I first started working on a Mac it took me a few hours 2 get comfortable. The remix was as easy as that 2 adjust to, if not easier. My wife who is completely computer illiterate, & can crash any machine in about 30 seconds by just looking at it, & she was up & running on this in no time. (and as a side note: Has not been able 2 crash it yet.)

TO MESO OR NOT TO MESO: Sylvania? Don't they make light bulbs? Yeah they do. I was a bit wary of buy anything from a relatively no name (computer) company. And truth be told they are simply slapping their brand on a machine from over seas. But then again who isn't these days. I purchased the netbook, because I wanted something inexpensive, (around $350) with a decent harddrive (80gb on the meso), that was small & lightweight from carrying around, & good on battery usage. The meso met all those needs. It may not be 4 everyone, but it was perfect 4 my needs. And I can say that any issues I have had, their tech support has walked me through, via emails & telephone calls. The support has been excellent from Sylvania.

THE LOOK: A number of site have said it looks like a portable dvd player. That maybe be so, 2 some people. But I have had more complements on the look of this device in the last two weeks, than with any other electronic gadget I have ever owned. I own the white (snow) version. Looks like a baby Mac. And people will come up 2 me & ask "where did you get such a cute little laptop? I love it." I mention that it uses Ubuntu, & the price. Most have no idea what Ubuntu is, but when they see the interface, they are like "Wow." That's so cool looking, & I can't believe its so inexpensive!" The build quality is excellent as well. At no time does the meso feel "cheap". It well constructed, & has a lightweight but solid feel.

PROs: Great battery life. I was working at a net cafe 4 nearly four hours wirelessly & still had charge left in my battery. Not bad at all. I had it on the highest power saving setting, & the screen dimmed a bit, but still that excellent. The screen is nice & bright, & easy on the eyes. I have the 1 gb ram version, & I find the performance 2 be excellent. This version of Ubuntu is tweaked 2 best use the Intel Atom processor's various abilities, & it is fast & responsive. Boot time from cold start about 30-45 seconds. But after that you ready 2 go. Not like windows. 45 seconds 2 boot, then wait another 3-5 minutes while all your programs load. When Ubuntu is up, its up. 30-45 seconds is not bad at all. From a suspend mode, you up in 5-7 seconds. So far hibernate does not work. I hope they get this function working in the near future. 80 gb hard drive, is fast & quiet. CPU fan is silent. I mean it is as quiet as a mouse. I have heard others having issues with it running at a high rate. These may have been some of the early models first released of the line. But mine is stone silent. The restore partition (in case you jack up your ubuntu) works great! (I have already tried it, it wipes everything & puts it back 2 how it was when you first opened the box.) VGA port works great. I have it connected 2 a DELL monitor at 1280X1024 resolution. Plug & play. I have hooked up a number of usb sticks, mice, keyboards, external harddrives, CD/DVD burner, two HP printers, all worked plug & play. If you need a small, lightweight, machine, that won't get viruses & crap ware, this is the machine. Wireless is very fast. Excellent 4 web surfing. The version of office (Openoffice) that comes with Ubuntu worked great with all my MS office docs! Just wish they had a real MS ACCESS replacement.

CONs: Can't hibernate yet (out of the box) Webcam is a bit subpar. But 4 $350 I can let that ride. Its just not the great. Keyboard is nice, & firm, with a nice solid feel. But it is very small. I have small hands & it is small. I am getting us 2 it. But just know it will take some adjustment. You have 2 expect that on a device this size. Its not too bad, but it will take some time 2 get use to. Software repositories need 2 be refreshed with newer software. Suspend sometimes hangs when you close the lid 2 the netbook. What I mean is, it will suspend automatically when you close you netbook, the first time. But after you wake it back up, if you close the lid again, nothing happens. So you need 2 press the power button, & tell it 2 suspend. A minor annoyance. All the hot buttons work, except the one that turns the wireless off & on. I called tech support & they said it just turns it off slowly. But on my unit, it has no effect at all no matter how long I hold down the button or how long I wait. The mouse buttons & touch pad set up are nice, & have a nice feel. The buttons do make a rather loud clicking sound when you tap them, which is not a problem unless your in a very quiet environment. But the touch pad is set up 4 button clicks, & scrolling. So you can use the silent touch pad instead if you are in a quiet place. So it is not really a big issue. Either Sylvania or Ubuntu needs 2 release a .iso 4 this Netbook Remix version of Ubuntu. It great having an additional recovery partition, but if the whole hard drive craps up you will need some form of media 2 reinstall. A small side point. COMPIZ does not work out of the box. And in fact I have not been able 2 get it 2 work on this machine. I would love & update 2 be released so I can enjoy the eye candy of COMPIZ. I know its doable. I would just like it out of the box.

FINAL VERDICT: This is the best computer buying experience I have had in a long time. Due in large part 2 the Ubuntu installation. It just works. Its a poor man's MAC if you will indulge me. I have fallen in love with the new GUI, & I love the speed. I have a video playing (MP4, with no choppiness, in video or sound.) & I can be surfing the web, & flip over 2 a WORD document, all without losing a beat. It never seems 2 sure from any lag (like my Vista machine) No need 2 defrag, no viruses, no spyware, no registry problems. When I uninstall a program it is gone (all of it) The machine & OS are rock solid. They work beautifully together! I hope this becomes the OS of choice 4 NETBOOKS in the future. For me its a Vista killer. But be aware it is not a gaming machine. So if your a game, look else where. This is a web, email, video, music, word processing, spreadsheet, workhorse. Though it does seem 2 play a wicked game of chess. :)

RATING:
APPEARANCE: 8.5
BUILD QUALITY: 8
PERFORMANCE: 9
INTERFACE: 10
WEBCAM: 2
WEB PERFORMANCE: 8
OUT OF THE BOX EXPERIENCE: 8
OVERALL: 7.5

I would say if your in the market 4 a netbook, & want 2 try something different than windows, but can't afford a MAC, this is the machine 2 get!

I sent off 4 a mini computer around a month ago, It was advertizing a multi media card slot but my sprint wireless card is too big.
I asked 4 an exchange or refund but they refused saying I can buy a smaller card 4 around $150 or sell it on Ebay!
I took it up with Amazon but they are not helping either. Now my money is tied up in a computer I can't use!

This quality case features steel corners, latches, & heavy-duty steel handles. High-grade padding gives extra support. The top cover is removable. 18"W x 9"H x 13-3/20"D. Weighs 14 lbs.