Since last week everyone with a keyboard has thrown in their two cents about Apple’s newest device, the (poorly named in my opinion) Apple iPad. A tablet computer built to be ‘better than an iPhone and better than a laptop.’

Many have called it a ‘jumbo iPod Touch’ and they’re not far off. Built on the iPhone OS, the iPad really does have some impressive features and what it represents is far more important than it’s current form.

I’m a geek. I know computers pretty well. I’ve fiddled with multiple operating systems, learned to dig through Explorer windows, folders, and libraries to find files, jumped through hoops and at times inflicted upon myself headaches unparalleled trying just make things work *and* look nice.

The iPad is not a tinkerer’s machine (unless [until] you can jailbreak it, then it’s another story.) It’s meant to be a easy, no nonsense way to write emails, check out videos, listen to your music, and browse the web for the Average Joe, who know nothing of command lines or even Start buttons (yes, they’re out there, I work with them.) Computer users who don’t know a program exists on their PC unless there’s a shortcut right on the desktop. There are big, clearly labeled buttons to explain what things do on the iPad, and when you open them, they open full-screen! No managing windows or minimizing or searching the taskbar, no setup required. I think there’s definitely a place for such a device in people’s lives. I think the iPad is going to be a huge hit with baby boomers. No more haranguing their children and grandchildren into teaching them to use a computer; it’ll just come naturally.

Recently I watched a clip on youtube where someone had cut up the keynote last week into just the adjectives. Simple. Easy. Beautiful. That’s what Apple envisions as the future of personal computing. I can’t say I disagree, so long as there’s still something around to tinker with, be it a PC, or an Android device. I’m looking forward very intently to the next iteration of the iPad, or a tablet device running Chrome OS or Android. Apple has made a bold move heading down this path, hopefully others will follow.

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Netbooks! They’re a new class of personal computers designed to work as an accessory to a main laptop or desktop computer. Ranging from 7″ to 12″ screens, they’re typically underpowered when compared to a standard laptop, but can run common programs and operating systems well enough to surf the net, hammer out a quick email, watch a Youtube vid and chat with your friends. Some use a traditional HD, while some of the newer ones use a solid state drive. One of the advantages of a SSD is improved battery life and less chance of wear-and-tear as there are no moving parts. However, SSD prices and capacity are way higher and lower, respectively, than a physical hard disk in the current market. Speaking of price, most models are dirt cheap, roughly $300, though more often than not you can track down some of the older eeePCs and Dell Minis on the cheap. I’ve seen some of the original eeePCs on sale for as little as $150.

So who makes these things?

A number of different companies have jumped into the netbook market, the biggest being Asus with their eeePC line of netbooks, with more than a dozen different flavors and varieties for sale. Dell has four different netbooks available right now, the Dell Mini line, including 9″, 10″, 11″, and 12″ models for sale. There’s also smaller companies releasing their own unique netbooks, like Always Innovating, with their TouchBook.

So, what kind of operating systems can be run on a netbook, anyway?

Damn near anything you want to throw onto it, though some are easier to install than others, with the biggest hurdle being that most netbooks lack a optical drive. An external drive will make things easier, but most OSes can be installed from a decent-sized thumbdrive (~8GB is preferred.) A majority come with Windows XP already installed on them. Programs like UNetbootin make it easy, automatically downloading the proper CD Images and configuring them for you. In addition a number of guides have been put together by folks from Gizmodo and Lifehacker to get your preferred OS onto your tiny computer.

As stated above, most netbooks have XP on them by default, as it’s suited to their lower-end specs. In addition, Microsoft’s latest OS, Windows 7 has been tailored for use on netbooks, with the Windows 7 Release Candidate available, free to use until mid-next year. Here’s an excellent guide on how to install Windows 7 on damn near any netbook on the market today (provided you have the space on your HD for it.)

“Whaaaah?” Yes OSX can and will run on several different netbooks, with the Dell Mini 9 being the most OSX-friendly one available as of now, according to several reviewers (at least until Apple releases their own device.) Be warned, however, that the installation of OSX on a netbook violates the EULA of the software. If you don’t mind the bending of the law, Gizmodo put together another great guide for installing it on the Mini 9, as well as one for the eeePC.

It’s free! However, Linux is not for the faint of heart. Oftentimes it requires a number of additional bits of configuration and tweaking to run how you want it to. The most popular Linux distribution is Ubuntu, a community-supported desktop OS with a slick layout and prides itself on being a bit snappier than other OSes. Fair warning, however, that some software isn’t supported by it, though there are often free user-created alternatives. Ubuntu itself has spawned several alternatives, each with it’s own pros and cons. Ubuntu 9.04 codename: Jaunty Jackalope: released just last month, Jaunty is the newest edition of the Ubuntu operating system. There haven’t been huge changes from the previous version, Intrepid Ibex, but enough that it’s worth updating. Ubuntu has a 6-month development cycle, with the next update to be released this October, codename Karmic Koala; Karmic has been touted as ‘extremely netbook friendly, with an emphasis on speedy boot times, reliability, and cloud-oriented computing services’

• Ubuntu 9.04: the standard OS, usable on desktops and portable computers alike.
• Ubuntu Netbook Remix: designed with netbooks in mind, UNR provides an icon-based GUI for your netbook.
• Linux Mint: Developed concurrently with Ubuntu on a slightly different release schedule, Mint provides a clean, friendly desktop environment good for the first-time Linux user.
• Jolicloud: not much is known about Jolicloud, to be released this summer. So instead, here’s a pretty picture:

Useful programs and utilities designed for netbooks:

• GMABooster [Windows and Linux]- overclocks the processor of netbooks, allowing them to run some games and apps they wouldn’t normally be capable of running. CAUTION: there is a chance it could lead to burning out your processor or bricking your netbook. Remember to turn it off when you don’t need the extra processing power.
• GNOME-Do [Linux]: inspired by OSX’s Quicksilver launcher, some folks created Do. Do works as an app launcher, but includes a growing number of plugins allowing you to add events to your Google Calendar, generate searches from the desktop, create emails, post to Twitter, upload photos to Flickr, and control your media player.
• Dell Mini 9 BIOS Flash Utility [Dell Systems Only, need at least one machine running Windows]: Some folks have had trouble upgrading the BIOS on their Dell Mini systems; this utility helps with that process. *USE AT YOUR OWN RISK*
• Rocketdock [Windows Only]: A dock program designed to make navigating your system easier, and it looks snazzy to boot.
• Launchy [Linux, Windows]: Launchy is another application launcher that had a number of configurable plugins and skins.

Useful Websites For the Netbook User

• Official Ubuntu Forums: great for support for anyone using Ubuntu on their system, plenty of people who will help you out, albeit with an air of snootyness.
• Ubuntu Mini: great site for folks using Ubuntu on the Dell Mini 9, with tips, guides and suggestions on how to get it running smoothly. While tailored to Mini users, a number of the tips and suggestions will work on any system running Ubuntu.
• mydellmini: another great resource for folks using the Dell system, using any OS.
• eeeuser: forum community for eeePC users with guides and tips.