If you haven’t been in the market for a new laptop computer in a few years, you may be wondering what the fuss is over “netbooks.” While scholars (and geeks) are still wrangling over a precise definition of a netbook, we take them to refer to low cost, ultra-lightweight and very portable notebook computers with longer than average battery life.
While the early netbook computer (circa two years ago) sacrificed a good bit of processing power to squeeze into their tiny frames, today’s netbooks are packing a much stronger computational punch. They still shouldn’t, however, be your first choice if you’re a gamer or plan on doing any video editing. Like their full sized notebook cousins, netbooks can almost always be customized to add a longer battery life and more memory, but be advised that better batteries mean heavier netbooks.
If you’re considering a netbook computer, you should definitely head to your local electronics or computer store for a hands-on look. Most netbook keyboards run on the small side, so if you have larger fingers or are will be hammering out the great American novel, you’ll want to do a trial run before bringing one home.
Here’s a look at today’s new, more powerful netbooks:
Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell
Starting at $389, the Eee PC 1005HA can deliver up to 10 hours of battery life and features a 10-inch WSVGA (1024 x 600) display, Windows XP operating system, 1GB of memory and a 160GB hard drive. This 2.8-pound netbook delivers WiFi, built-in Bluetooth, a 1.3-megapixel internal webcam, two USB ports, and an SD card slot as well as a keyboard that’s 92 percent the size of a traditional keyboard.
Dell Inspiron Mini 10
The 2.8 pound Mini 10 packs a 10-inch display, webcam, 1GB of memory (expandable to 2GB) and a 160GB hard drive (expandable to 250GB). The keyboard comes in just shy of full size at 92 percent and a wide variety of color choices including black, white, red, pink, blue and green. The baseline model starts at $399.
HP Mini 5101
Just because it’s small, doesn’t mean the HP Mini 5101 can’t take a beating. Well, maybe not a beating, but it does offer an anodized aluminum enclosure with magnesium alloy casing, all in the service of making the Mini 5101 tougher. You’ll find a keyboard that’s 95 percent the size of a standard keyboard, a touchpad, and a 10-inch display in either WSVGA or HD resolution.
Weighing in at 2.6 pounds (and up, depending on battery), the Mini 5101 uses Intel’s Atom processor and features WiFi, a 2-megapixel Web cam, up to 2GB of memory and up to 320GB of hard drive capacity. You’ll also find three USB ports, one memory card slot (SD), and an optional module for adding 3G internet connectivity. The basic configuration starts at $449.
Lenovo IdeaPad S12
The IdeaPad S12 is a high-end netbook geared toward mobile pros. It offers a 12-inch display, a traditional, full-sized keyboard and the option to add a NVIDIA ION graphics engine for greater horsepower, including 1080p high definition video playback.
The customizable netbook starts at $449 and can offer up to 160GB worth of hard drive storage, 1GB of memory, WiFi connectivity, a four-in-one flash memory card reader and an ExpressCard slot for adding 3G networking. If you’re prone to leaving expensive electronics in public places, the IdeaPad has facial recognition technology dubbed VeriFace that logs you in when it recognizes you.
All of this in a package that’s still under an inch thick and, with the three cell battery, just about three pounds. Lenovo also has a lower cost option in the $349 IdeaPad S10-2. It offers a 10-inch screen, 3G cellular networking and weighs in under two pounds. It also features three USB ports and a four-in-one flash memory card reader. It will be sold in pink, white or black.
Sony VAIO W
Sony decked out its new higher-end W-series VAIO netbooks in a choice of pink, white or brown. You’ll find a 1366 x 768 resolution screen measuring in at 10-inches, a 160GB hard drive, Windows XP operating system, built-in mic and web cam.
For $500, it’s definitely pricey, but also more fully-featured, with built-in Bluetooth, a pair of USB ports, and DLNA-certification (for easier WiFi connections with other DLNA-enabled devices).
Gateway LT3100
The LT3100 weighs in just over 3 pounds and carries an 11.6-inch high definition resolution display, 2GB of memory, a 250GB hard drive and a webcam. It is one of the few netbooks powerful enough to run the Vista operating system and it’s still an inch thick. A basic configuration will set you back $399.
Netpal: For the Kids
The nice thing about netbooks is that, given their price and size, they make a good “first computer” for the kids (giving them your older, crumbier one while you upgrade is my preferred route). Disney’s new Netpal, which is made by Asus, tries to lure you away from the hand-me-down approach with a suite of parental controls and a simplified, Disney-fied, user-interface.
The Netpal is packed with 40 parental controls to limit access to various websites (you create a pre-approved list), email addresses (again, you specify) and the ability to time-limit a web surfing session or Skype chat. It also sports a 160GB hard drive, 8.9-inch display, Windows XP and WiFi.
It will be sold in “Princess Pink” and “Magic Blue” starting at $349.
Free Netbooks
Because of their portability and connectivity, some netbooks are now being subsidized by wireless carriers – just like a cell phone. You can find free, or steeply discounted HP and Acer netbooks with 3G wireless connectivity from both Verizon and AT&T. The catch, of course, is that you’ll have to enter into a contract for a data plan, just as you would when buying a phone.
Chances are you’ll have bought your netbook several times over after having paid for a 3G wireless data plan, but if you wanted said plan anyway, you might as well get a free netbook out of the deal.