MintBook

A 2024 take on the tiny netbooks of the past.

After some searching, I managed to find and secure what has quickly become my tiny little netbook of 2024. It feels like I took a trip to the past and brought back some of the best features of old tech—updated just enough for today.

Last month, when I reflected on the value of tiny little netbooks from years ago, I imagined what a 2024 version might look like for me. At the time, I didn’t think I’d actually purchase a tiny laptop so quickly—or end up using it as much as I currently am. ¹

Since most of my writing, web browsing, and general online activities now happen on this underpowered machine, I thought it might be worth sharing how I arrived at daily driving such a device.

Sourcing a Device

I started by scouring Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Kijiji for used Chromebooks under $100. I knew that to get the small form factor I wanted without spending much, I’d likely need an older education model with an 11" screen.

Initially, I looked for models with 8GB of RAM and an upgradable hard drive, but most were well beyond my budget. Sticking to my goal, I opted for a 4GB RAM + 32GB eMMC storage model with a microSD card slot for additional storage.

After finding a device that met my specs and price point, I confirmed that it could run a different operating system. One of the appeals of older Chromebooks is their ability to swap out Chrome OS for a Linux distro—if the right model is selected. A quick check on MrChromebox.tech confirmed I could flash the BIOS. That sealed the deal, and the Buy It Now button was clicked.

The device cost me $32 before shipping.

Even if this experiment was short-lived, I figured I’d get my money’s worth.

The Setup

When it arrived, I:

• unpackaged it immediately and marvelled at its $32 beauty,
• gave the exterior a thorough cleaning,
• opened it up to disconnect the battery ²,
• cleaned the surprisingly tidy internals,
• followed the MrChromebox.tech guide, and
• flashed the BIOS.

With the prep done, I installed a lightweight Linux distro for low-spec machines. After testing a few, I landed on Lubuntu. ³

Setting up the device—including installing key apps like Brave, QOwnNotes, and Apostrophe, along with custom keybindings—took me about 60–90 minutes.

In no time, I had turned an old education-focused Chromebook into my 2024 netbook.

Why This Tiny Machine Works for Me

This tiny, portable, and affordable device has exceeded expectations. It’s my daily companion and sees more use than my iPad Pro or ThinkPad T480s. Why? It fits everywhere—from my leather satchel to my GORUCK GR1. No more swapping devices just to change bags.

What Surprised Me Most

1. Battery life: It’s incredible. I rarely power it off and only charge it when the battery is completely drained. Even with frequent use, I get an estimated 13–18 hours of battery life per charge.
2. Desktop versatility: Plugging the MintBook (yes, that’s what I’m calling it) into my docking station transforms it into a desktop setup. Linux Mint handles dual displays far better than Windows, and I’ve noticed no performance drop.
3. Expandable storage: By remapping /home directories to the SD card, I’ve essentially eliminated concerns about running out of space. With media files and regular text documents easily accessible, the 32GB eMMC drive is no longer a limitation.

What Could Be Better

1. Lubuntu: Never again. It’s ugly and unintuitive, even for a lightweight distro. Mint is far better.
2. The touchpad: Garbage. It’s functional but clearly a cost-saving measure. Thankfully, the keyboard is surprisingly decent.
3. The missing DELETE key: This is a Chromebook quirk that still frustrates me. I’ve yet to map a workaround for it.

Final Thoughts

This device won’t win awards, but it does exactly what I need.

For under $50, it’s an absolute steal—perfect for reading, writing, project planning, and most browser-based activities. While it struggles with large datasets or too many browser tabs, that’s a trade-off I’m fine with.

It’s not quite on par with the best computer I’ve ever owned, but for the price, I’m not complaining.

Would I recommend this to others? Only if they can set realistic expectations. If you’re good with “just enough,” this device more than delivers. For me, it’s been a revelation.

Tiny Little Netbooks

I try not to regret many things in life. I hold this aim very true, except for a couple of very bad choices in my youth. Outside of those specific experiences, I believe that the decisions I've made were the right ones given who I was and what I knew at the time.

Of all the places where I'm certain to not hold any regrets is when it comes to 'stuff.' Things bought and never used, things discarded only to be repurchased later. When it comes to 'stuff,' that's all it is—replaceable, unnecessary, and mostly meaningless.

Yet here I am, regretting having ever sold my 11-inch Macbook Air. That was the best computer I ever owned

Hear me out.

In 2019, as my aging Macbook Pro was failing, I decided to try an iPad Pro as my personal device. With Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard in tow, I thought I'd found my solution.

I was wrong. Office documents were a headache, file management was a nightmare, and app feature parity was laughable compared to desktop versions. The device itself was bulky, rarely fitting comfortably in my bags except for my Goruck GR1's laptop compartment.

Five years later, I switched to a used Thinkpad running Linux (Zorin OS) - one of my best tech decisions ever. But I still miss having a truly portable computing device for daily life.

My iPhone 13 mini? That's strictly a tool for communication and media consumption. I don't read or write on it beyond quick notes.

This is where that 11-inch Macbook Air shines in memory. It was so portable I'd forget it was in my bag until I needed to read or write. Small enough to carry everywhere, yet powerful enough to never feel limiting.

Recently, Patrick Rhone quipped:

"Remember when those tiny little netbooks were all the rage with the geeks and you could hack them with Linux and have a small cheap cute little underpowered laptop you could throw into a bag?

I kinda miss those."

That 11-inch Macbook Air was essentially my netbook. Now that I'm using Linux, I'm dreaming of another tiny computer - maybe another 11-inch Macbook running Linux, a modified Chromebook, or even an upgraded netbook.

I've spent the last month scouring Kijiji, Ebay, and FB Marketplace with a $100 budget. My requirements are simple: ideally 8GB RAM (will settle for 4GB), 32GB storage minimum, and an 11-inch screen. But finding the right device is proving challenging. Classic Eee PCs are expensive, ideal Chromebooks like the upgradeable Acer C710 are rare, and newer Chromebooks often fight Linux installation.

Alas, my search continues for my Goldilocks device.

"Makers gotta make."

Too good to not share.

My favorite app, Huffduffer, seems to be on its way out. Recently, it stopped working with YouTube and it looks like this is a known issue due to YouTube cracking down on similar services with little chance of a fix.

Following the creator's own suggestion, I’m giving PodQueue a try to see if it can fill the gap.

I don’t use Huffduffer daily, but it serves a unique purpose and does it so well. It brings me real joy to easily convert video audio into a podcast stream, perfect for my walks to and from work.