Does anyone have a recommendation for a netbook or laptop for taking notes during conference meetings? We have several appts that take place over a couple days. The meetings last about 30 minutes and my responsibility is to jot down the action items and important follow up information for each meeting. I end up taking notes, then going back to the hotel room that night and enter them into my laptop (if I have time!). If I don't have time that night, it snowballs and tends to be harder to capture. Any ideas on a lightweight option and pros/cons?
Submitted by: Lucky Admin
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Thank you everyone for the responses! This has helped tremendously. I appreciate all the recommendations!
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Lucky Admin on
3/3/2010 2:19:03 PM
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I type into my DELL latitude D830 laptop AND highlight action items as I type them. This way I can scan for yellow copy from the minutes which I then add to the Summary. The Summary is then the only part I distribute to the Executive Team.
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Aileen Edenholm Hopper on
2/25/2010 10:47:03 AM
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I have an HP netbook. It is perfect to use. It is so lightweight and small that I put it in my purse instead of carrying it separately. The screen on the HP is glossy, which I don’t mind but my son and husband prefer the nonglossy screens. My son uses his Samsung netbook at college to take notes, and to do his presentations. My husband uses his MSI netbook for his work in a pharmaceutical company. You do need to try out the keyboard on all types because they are very different. Also I would suggest getting a wireless mouse. We all hate the touch pads and for editing I find it impossible so a wireless mouse is a necessity. You can also look at the battery life. I think the Samsung has the longest battery life but for a 30 minute session it shouldn’t matter much. Good luck and have fun trying out the netbooks.
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Anonymous on
2/5/2010 8:40:01 AM
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I have an HP netbook. It is perfect to use. It is so lightweight and small that I put it in my purse instead of carrying it separately. The screen on the HP is glossy, which I don’t mind but my son and husband prefer the nonglossy screens. My son uses his Samsung netbook at college to take notes, and to do his presentations. My husband uses his MSI netbook for his work in a pharmaceutical company. You do need to try out the keyboard on all types because they are very different. Also I would suggest getting a wireless mouse. We all hate the touch pads and for editing I find it impossible so a wireless mouse is a necessity. You can also look at the battery life. I think the Samsung has the longest battery life but for a 30 minute session it shouldn’t matter much. Good luck and have fun trying out the netbooks.
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Anonymous on
2/5/2010 8:28:55 AM
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It appears you are more focused on the technology than on the process. You can process ideas and write them down faster than you can typing them. I recommend you forgo the computer and instead concentrate on the old fashioned notepad and pen. A sheet of paper gives you infinite flexibility over a computer screen.
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Anonymous on
2/4/2010 7:03:55 AM
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I had to solve this problem last summer myself. While I had recommended an AlphaSmart wordprocessor, my VP preferred a multi functional netbook, though it has turned out that he has rarely used it for any other purpose than notetaking. We got an Acer, I believe 8" or perhaps 9". I find the keyboard too small to type as quickly as I usually can. Even though I have long experience and facility navigating with a laptop touchpad, I find it more difficult on the small keyboard and screen. The clicker is a single bar that you have to click on the right or left end of, and it is very stiff. I've also had someone record a meeting for later listening, and to be frank, attending a meeting once is enough of a drain on my limited time, and I don't want to have to listen twice to take my notes back at the office, where there are too many distractions to focus anyway. Given the choice, if the only purpose for the device is to record minutes, I would still go with the AlphaSmart. It is lightweight, easy to use, and the battery lasts MUCH longer than a laptop battery.
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Anonymous on
2/3/2010 11:08:02 AM
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We also use the Olympus Wave Player and have used it for very large public meetings. Sound is good, uploads easily with the accompanying software, and is fairly expensive.
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Anonymous on
2/3/2010 10:57:17 AM
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Instead of a laptop, I now take an OLYMPUS Recorder. Its great! It gets the whole conversation. Then you can download it onto your computer and you have the whole meeting right there. You can save it to the drive you want it on (or the file folder). You can also purchase a foot pedal later if you want to transcribe the meeting. It comes with little microphones you can put on little tripods to put at the end of the tables. We have all gone to this for our Committee Meetings.
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Julie Minegar Stasi on
2/3/2010 10:18:02 AM
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