Toshiba mini NB205 belongs to ODC Category
Toshiba Mini NB205
Latest from Laptop Mag, the Toshiba NB205 is topping the list of most recommended netbooks, as it boast the best chassis design so far and longest battery life at 8.5 hrs, all day internet usage with WiFi on. That’s what you call One Day Computing (ODC). Though Asus EEE PC 1000HE claims 9.5 hrs, based on my 2 weeks usage of my 1000HE, it could only last around 8 hrs.
The Toshiba NB205 also has a 10.1 inches screen and packs the same specs under the hood as with competing netbooks. Intel Atom N280, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD. So the competing factor of this device should be the design and battery life.
via laptopmag
Toshiba Mini NB205 Specifications
| CPU | 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N280 |
| RAM Included | 1GB |
| RAM Upgradable | 2GB |
| Hard Drive Size | 160GB |
| Hard Drive Speed | 5,400rpm |
| Hard Drive Type | SATA Hard Drive |
| Display Size | 10.1 |
| Native Resolution | 1024x600 |
| Graphics Card | Intel GMA 950 |
| Video Memory | 251MB |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 2.1 EDR |
| Operating System MS | Windows XP Home |
| Ports (excluding USB) | Ethernet; Headphone; Kensington Lock; Microphone; VGA |
| USB Ports | 3 |
| Card Slots / Readers | 3-1 card reader |
| Warranty/Support | One-year limited/24/7 toll-free phone |
| Size | 10.4 x 7.6 x 1.3 inches |
| Weight | 2.8 pounds |
HowTo achieve One Day Computing
Like what we’ve discussed before, battery capacity plays the most important part on One Day Computing principle. And while netbook manufacturers claim their design can last a whole day (8hrs), it still seem untrue. However, most netbooks nowadays can last up to 5 or 6 hous in average, and that’s a very huge improvement for the ODC part.
But let’s forget about everything for a while for the sake of this post. We’d just like to talk about this new monster battery pack from DealExtreme, same who provides the monster battery pack for eee pc 701/900 before. This new battery pack has 12000 mAh of power, twice as the current most powerful battery pack that comes bundled with netbooks. But be warned, extra power comes with extra weight factor as well.
What are the ingredients of One Day Computing?
One Day Computing is literally composed of 3 words, describing a whole day (8 hrs) of mobility using your netbook. And by mobility it means that you should be able to move from one place to another, without plugging a charger or turning off your netbook. One Day Computing largely depends on battery life, but there are even more factors that helps the battery lasts a whole day.
Has the One Day Computing been achieved already by Netbook manufacturers?
When Asus announced their 901 and 1000 series of Eee PC, one of the things they improved is the battery life, which lasts up to 7.8 hours. And it’s one of the factors apart from larger disk estate that attracts many buyers. Previous versions had 4-cell battery, which obviously lasts shorter. Previous versions also uses Intel Celeron processors while the new versions uses Intel Atom, which eats power way thriftier than Celerons.
The secret behind this does not rely completely on the battery capacity. Every 6-cell battery might store and produce same amount of power, but if used in different ways, results differ as well. In theory, larger battery capacity + lesser consumption = longer life. Any factor changed in the formula might affect the result.
Take for instance the 901 Linux and 901 XP versions. They sports the same 6-cell battery but somehow, the XP version lasts longer than Linux. Is it because Windows XP has better power management than Linux? Or is it because the 12GB SSD consumes less power than 20GB? But this still doesn’t sum it all up.
Another factor that greatly affects battery life is you. How do you use your netbook? Do you just write documents, visit the internet? Do you watch movies and TV series on your Eee PC? Do you prefer very bright LCD and faster CPU speed? Anything you do with your netbook affects all else on the equation. It may prolong or reduce the life, but as long as you are satisfied of what what you’re doing then it’s fine. Except that what we’re trying to achieve here is the longest battery life we can have.
But if you really can’t conserve power and you still want to see long life, you may consider adding third part batteries, a monster one.
