I believe that everybody still remember the first generation of Asus EEE PC, the pionner of world netbook trend in 2008. At the begining this device was called as mini notebook beacuse still unclasified yet between traditional notebook and mini notebook.  Later, in the mid year of 2008, flow of netbook in huge number came out from many producer and really hard to predicted. Since those time till today, if you want to looking for a ntebook you may get confuse what type or model should you take.

Netbook is a laptop with its own different market that more focused on internet access like browsing, e-mailing, chatting and other light computational activities like typing and presentation. Most of the netbook powered by Intel Atom processor and at large has 10 inches LCD screen size with 1024 x 600 resolution. The other supported input and output features like 3 units of USB port, D-sub VGA port, jack audio, card reader and webcam.

Those facilities or feature mentioned above is a standard features of all nebook, however, some producer trying attach additional extra feature to distinguish their products specification and to provocate consumer interest. A feature that today become trend and seeking by large number of people is 3G/HSDPA modem, with this modem, a user can easily get internet connection, user just need to insert SIM Card from choosen operator and get connected with internet, whenever and wherever. Next, for oparational system, most netbook producer used Windows XP Home Edition in their netbook but some other put Linux as operational system perhaps to hold down the price of netbook.

Among those specification and features offered, one thing most interesting is the popularity of netbook that seems unbelieveable and always get increase in consumer demand from year to year and the producer seems like they are fitgting on the race ground, each of them are trying to offer  their best products specification and exellency to get huge number of consumer needs. This competition has brought effect to the cost or price of netbook nowdays, price of a netbook may equal with price of a smart phone and spread in world in large number. IDC, a company which observing the flow of computer market has predicted that the category of netbook will get increase from 500.000 since 2007 to 900.00 in 2012 later. Intel also suggested that in 2011 there are will be 40 million of netbook units produce each year. These issues have made Intel Company to rethinking and have to decrease price of computer chip that can be use in netbook and nettop. With new Intel Atom chip, Intel will be able to fight with a company from Taiwan, as the C7 Chip maker that used in Via netbook. Therefore, HP,Dell and other PC maker already observeed and they know what types of computer consumer like most.

Anyway, between number and price of netbook, these optional offers makes consumer to think smart on how to chose which is good netbook. Absosultely, every product must offer has their excellency, now deped on user. A best netbook does not solely means a netbook which has high price or a netbook which has complexity of feature. On the other word, how user can maximize the netbook to support computational need. A ntebook user must inventing his/her computational needs, what is the main reason for having a netbook, what would she/he done with netbook, remember that netbook not only offers computational needs but also fashion and life style. After you decided what would you do with your netbook, you will easly to find specification of a netbook base on your needs. This is one best simple way to chose a best netbook among various types, specification, brands and price offers in the market.

I am a blog writer, I like IT. I like writing article and every I write on notebook and netbook review from various types and brands offered in the market today and publish to any article site or to my own blog site http://www.wireless-laptop-computer.com

We’ve reviewed the experts’ recommendations and users’ comments on a wide range of netbooks, and here we recommend 4 highly rated ones.

Firstly, what are netbooks? Like the meaning of “responsible” (as in “who really is responsible for the deep economic mire we find ourselves in – greedy bankers or incompetent ministers?”) everybody seems to have a different point of view.

For the non-techy they are small, very portable laptops which are more likely to be used for basic wordprocessing, emailing, surfing the net, and watching and listening to video, pictures and songs on the move. Later models are now able to play more sophisticated games, and even do some video editing, though this is still best left for a more powerful laptop or desktop. They are at the smaller end of the screen sizes, up to 11 inches (measured diagonally), though there are no hard and fast rules.

Don’t get confused with notebooks – notebooks a bit bigger, and less portable, lying between the netbook and the laptop; nor are they “tablets” – the most famous of which is the newly launched iPad. Tablets have no keyboard and are principally for playing media and surfing the web, not more serious multi-tasking.

The important thing is that netbooks are designed to be very portable laptops – though a recent survey of US owners found that 60% never took them out of the house! Most have inbuilt wifi to connect to wireless internet wherever you are, or have the capability to link to the internet via a 3G link (like a phone).

Why would you want one? Apart from establishing your IT revolution credentials on the 7.36 from Tring, it could perfectly adequately satisfy your general computing needs whilst on the move. Battery life of the more modern netbooks is between 6 and 8 hours.

However, the basic fact is that you trade off convenience for power – ie what the thing will do for you. For example, they are unlikely to do lots of tasks at the same time, or even a single, power hungry application such as video editing. Also, one of the key things to bear in mind is the size of the screen – its small size may mean that it’s easy to slip into a large pocket or bag, but as a result it may be less easy to see what’s on it. Nevetheless, you just have to read a few user reviews to see how popular they are, and how they fulfill most users’ computing needs.

The other thing you are unlikely to find in a netbook is an inbuilt CD/DVD player – though a reasonable solution is to buy a seperate player (or “drive”) for around £30.

So what netbooks do the experts recommend? We’ve scanned the web to find their recommendations, and have found suggested best buys listed by Cnet, PC Advisor, Netbook Review, Budget Netbooks, TechRadar, Stuff.tv, Pocket Lint, Trusted Reviews, and we’ve also reviewed user comments in Revoo, Review Centre and Amazon. We’ve aggregated the rankings, and come up with our own definitive list of best buy netbooks – ones we would happily buy ourselves.

One thing to bear in mind is that manufacturers are developing their products all the time – new versions are being released regularly. This means that reviews and recommendations may be out of date after a short while. However, where a notebook has been around a while, and there is an updated version, we’ve mentioned it as worth checking out.

We’ve looked at the budget end of the notebook spectrum – under £260. You can spend more – over £400 – and you will generally get a more powerful machine, with more features. However, we think, for general use, you can buy an excellent notebook for under £300.

Here are the 4 top recommended netbooks in priority order, best first. To get more detail and the price, click on the name of the netbook. To see a particular review, check out the full article at www.recommended.net/2010/02/08/netbooks-2.

1.Samsung NC10 Netbook

Possibly the most recommended netbook is the Samsung NC10. Described as “Most Popular” byBudget Netbooks, given 10/10 by Trusted Reviews, 4.5/5 by PC Advisor, 5/5 by TechRadar,  5/5 and a “Hot Buy” by Stuff.TV.

In terms of user reviews, it gets 4.5/5 (11 reviews) at the Review Centre, and 5/5 (22 reviews) at Amazon.

Unfortunately, this notebook is getting a bit old now (though still available and still getting excellent reviews), so you may also wish to consider a newer netbook from the same stable, such as the Samsung N120 (TechRadar gave it 4.5/5 ) or the Samsung N130 (TechRadar gave it 3/5 and 52 users gave it an average of 4.5/5 at Amazon). They all seem great notebooks!

2. Asus 1005HA 10-inch Netbook

This netbook is highly recommended by Netbook Review (2nd out of 5), and is considered “Good Value” by Budget Netbooks. It gets an average of 4/5 in 7 reviews at Amazon

It supercedes the highly acclaimed Asus 1000 HE. A good alternative, though more expensive, is the Asus Eee Asus PC 1008HA, which is ranked 9/10 by Trusted Reviews, and 5/5 by Stuff.TV, and rated 4.5/5 on average by 12 customer reviews at Amazon
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3. Toshiba NB200-10z 10.1-inch Netbook

Highly recommended netbook, by Netbook Review (5th out of the top 10), Cnet (8th out of the top 10), Trusted Reviews (9/10), PC Advisor (4/5), and Stuff.TV (4/5).

9 customer reviews average 4/5 at Amazon

4. Acer Aspire One D150

Whilst this notebook is getting a little long in the tooth (relatively!), and has been updated during 2009, it is still rated very highly by the experts and users. Budget Netbooks said it was “easy to use”, PC Advisor gave it 4.5/5, as did TechRadar. Stuff.TV rated it slightly lower at 4/5, but still recommended it. 33 customer reviews at Amazon rated it 4 /5 on average.

You might equally consider the Acer Aspire One Pro 531 which is rated  4/5 by Stuff.TV, and gets rated 5/5 by 1 customer at Amazon.

The Recommended Directory (www.recommended.net) scans the internet and printed press to find and review recommendations for a wide variety of products and services, and summarises that information in one short and relevant recommendation for each product or service.

There are actually tons of netbooks that are now available in the market. There are a lot of netbook manufacturers who consider themselves number one or even the best of the bunch. However, what is currently the leading and the best netbook today? Here are the top 3 best netbooks that have been launched this 2009:

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1. Samsung NC10

The Samsung NC10 netbook is considered to be the one of the best netbooks in town because of its amazing specs. This 10.2″ netbook is specifically powered by an Intel Atom N270 processor. This Samsung netbook comes with 1024 MB RAm and also 160 GB of hard drive. The display screen and the keyboard of this netbook made it stand out from its competitors.

2. Asus Eee PC 1000H Netbook

The Asus Eee PC 1000H Netbook earned its reputation for being one of the best netbooks ever made because of its affordable price and its specs. This Asus netbook has a sophisticated design that stands out amongst its competitors in the market. This netbook has a 1.3 mp camera and is also wi-fi ready. The RAM of this Asus netbook is 1GB and it has 160 GB for its hard drive.

3. Acer Aspire One Netbook

The Acer Aspire One Netbook is a unique creation because of its design and its specs. The Acer Aspire One Netbook is one of the best netbooks because even though it shows great designs, its price is still reasonable. This netbook has 1 GB RAM and has 80 GB for hard drive.

Finding the best netbook in the market right now can be really tricky. You would have a lot of manufacturers to choose from. These information would certainly be a big help for you in having that best netbook ever created. Good Luck!

This author finds Best Netbook and Best Netbook Review to be cool.

A netbook is a small, light, cheap and extremely portable, but has the computing power in less than a full-sized laptop. However, it is well suited for general computing, word processing, running a web browser and Internet connection. Laptops are small, usually slightly less with 10-inch screen, but some images may or greater. It weighs 2.5 pounds and sold for less than $ 500 nowadays.  Most of the netbooks come with Intel Atom processor with at least 1GB of RAM.

Released With the ever increasing demand of many companies design netbooks growing netbook models in the global market. Therefore, it is not easy to make the right choice for buying a netbook good for the buyer. For anyone who wants to buy a Netbook, here are some key features considered netbook:

Keyboard and touchpad
A keyboard of netbooks is usually smaller than a standard keyboard of full size laptops and range from 88-93% of the full-size keyboards. The keyboard layout of netbook is quite similar to the full size keyboard but key buttons on netbooks are smaller and closer.

But even if two netbooks have the same size keyboard, their layouts could be different and their keys are closer on some netbooks than others. If possible, please test out the keyboard to ensure they are large enough and user friendly.

Touchpad is one of features to consider. At present, a wide variety of touchpad have been developed and specially designed to offer a more comfortable experience during prolonged use. So, try out and get a touchpad that supports multi-touch gestures.

Screen size and display resolution
Netbooks generally come with a screen size which ranges from 7 to 12 inches. That’s a big difference from the average 15 inches on a full-sized laptop. In order to decide which screen size is good enough for you, you should try to run your favorite programs and view your favorite websites on a variety of different sized screens.

Try to buy a screen size of 8.9 inches or larger otherwise the screen and its resolution might be too low and finally make it more difficult to read. A 10-inch netbook usually has resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels and weighs less than 3 pounds whereas 11- and 12- inch netbooks usually have resolutions of 1280 x 800 and 1366 x 768 respectively and weigh a little bit more. However, when considering its price and weight together, a 10-inch screen is a perfect choice and is the best selling netbook size on the retailer’s site.

Processor
Intel Atom is the most common processor available for the netbooks (most of them run on the Intel Atom N or Z Series). Here you should go for the latest technologies because they are available with more efficiency and try not to buy an old netbook because you can face problem of speed and efficiency.

The latest Atom processor on netbooks for 2010 is Intel Atom N450 Processor (1.66 GHz). Most netbooks launched into the markets last year were Intel Atom N270 or N280 which are being replaced by new Intel Atom N450. We can notice that all processors on netbooks are slower than the standard processor on laptops, which is about 2.1 GHz. This means that a netbook will be slower when running heavier programs. So, you shouldn’t use a netbook for heavy processing, such as photo/video editing and gaming. However, netbooks are perfect for light processes like web surfing, email, and word processing.

Operating system (OS)
Netbooks are available for Linux and Windows operating systems and new netbooks have moved to Windows 7 Starter, which is a lighter version of Windows 7 to help with load time and overall performance. As we all know about windows because that most people are familiar with the Windows layout as they have been using it for several years on their home and office computers.

You can also get a netbook with Linux, which is a much more basic and faster operating system. Netbooks with Linux run great for web surfing, email, and word processing via Open Office. However, Linux may be incompatible with some programs. Lastly, you can still find netbooks running on Windows XP or Vista.

Battery Life
Old notebook batteries usually come with 3-cell (less than 30 Wh) units but for new netbooks, they have upped their standard batteries to 6-cell units which can get you unplugged for about 6-9 hours while 3-cell systems usually get between 1 and 3 hours of endurance. If your job or work require traveling then you should look for the 6-cell option that can get you unplugged for about 6-9 hours on a single charge. These are little costly than 3-cell battery netbooks but can be very useful if your activities involve overseas travel or all-day classes.

After Intel has unveiled new Atom N450 processor, new netbooks can consume less power approximately 20% over previous netbook generation (e.g. Intel Atom N270, N280). New latest netbooks are coming with battery life of 10-14 hours such as models Asus Eee PC 1005PE-P, Asus Eee PC 100P, Acer A0532h and Toshiba Mini NB305-N410 (10-inch screen).

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Many people admire netbooks for their portability, but no two models are exactly alike, and each reflects different trade-offs. A system with a great laptop battery may have a horrible keyboard arrangement; a model with a solid-state drive might be out of your price range; or a unit with killer specs might be missing 802.11n connectivity. All of these are common problems, but they don’t have common solutions.

Due to their diversity, netbooks don’t share a standard upgrade path as typical desktop PCs do. Each model is unique in what you can do to it, and the procedures are as varied as the netbooks themselves. If you plan to upgrade your machine, you’ll need to hunt down the instruction manual or – in the case of trickier upgrades – a community of users to walk you through the process. That said, possible netbook hacks range from five-minute routines to soldering-gun-based surgeries. Following are seven hacks for a dell e1505– one of the more tweakable netbooks we’ve come across. The first three hacks are easy, and the other four are intermediate. While your mileage (and procedures) will depend on your own netbook model, this guide should give you a good idea of the kinds of upgrades that are available (and suitable) for your machine and your skill level.

1. Insert a better battery

In PC World testing the Dell Inspiron E1505 Battery survived for about 3 hours, 34 minutes. That’s not too shabby for a four-cell battery, but you can do better. Though you may find a few guides online that describe how to create a laptop battery by using a number of aftermarket batteries wired together, that method is a recipe for disaster

Instead, we found an Nine-cell, 6600mAh battery on udtek.com that’s entirely compatible with the existing connections (and size) of your Dell e1505. At $191 it’s by no means cheap, and if you’re prepared to order offshore you can do a lot better with a US $69.99 battery from udtek.com, who ship worldwide. With an nine-cell battery you’ll double the longevity of your netbook – provided that you aren’t bothered by the inelegant mass sticking out from underneath it. To replace the battery, just flip your netbook upside-down, move the two switches from the locked icon to the unlocked icon, and then push up on the battery tray.

2. Upgrade the OS

If you want to install a new operating system onto your netbook, you certainly can: you simply pop the CD into any external USB optical drive and install away.

Want to dual-boot your netbook? Grab the GParted utility, by downloading the .iso file for its LiveCD at udtek.com and then burning the file onto a disc. Insert that disc into the external optical drive, restart the netbook, and enter the BIOS to change the boot settings for your machine. Boot off of the optical CD  first, and GParted will load. Right-click on the primary partition and select Resize/Move. Microsoft recommends that you have at least 16GB of space for Windows 7; if you were hoping to use that OS but your netbook has too little room, your experiment ends here. For any OS, if your netbook does have space for it, enter a new partition size of your choosing. Click Resize, and you’ll see the newly unallocated space sitting to the right of your primary partition in GParted’s graphic. Right-click on this area and select New. Enter zeros for ‘Free Space Proceeding’ and ‘Following’, select Primary Partition under ‘Create as’, and click the add button.

If you prefer not to use an external optical drive, you can follow the same steps for using GParted and installing the new OS with a simple USB thumb drive.

3. Rearrange the keyboard

Does your laptop keyboard’s default layout conflict with the muscle memory you’ve built for desktop keyboard layouts? You can pop an offending key off of your netbook by wedging a tiny screwdriver under the key and gently applying upward pressure. As long as the keys you are swapping are the same size, you can interchange them as you please.

Dell Inspiron E1505 Keyboard

Once you’ve made the physical transformations, use the Sharp Keys utility (udtek.com) to reassign your OS’s interpretations of the keystrokes to the appropriate keys. Alternatively, if you don’t mind a bit of visual confusion, you can leave the physical keys exactly where they are and use this helpful application to redefine their purpose.

4. Replace the hard drive

What’s worse: the underwhelming capacity of a typical solid-state drive inside a brand-new netbook, or the price difference you’d have to pay to get a larger drive in your preconfigured netbook build? Here’s a way around both of those nightmares. First, when you’re building your netbook on the maker’s website, select the lowest-capacity drive available (or if you have no configuration options, buy the netbook as is). Next, consult user forums (see “More resources” on page 85) to get a clearer sense of which aftermarket solid-state or magnetic hard drives are compatible with your unit. Finally, grab a screwdriver.

For the Dell e1505, flip the netbook over and remove the two screws that secure the large back panel into place (since it’s in the centre, it’s hard to miss). Pry off the panel with your finger or with the tip of a screwdriver. With the dell e1505 battery facing north, you’ll notice a set of four electronic pieces inside the machine; those are the hard drive, the memory, the network card, and a space for a 3G card (if you bought your e1505 from Vodafone it will have the 3G card installed). You should see a pair of screws securing the tiny flash-memory circuit board into place in the upper-left quadrant. Unscrew them, and the SSD should lift up. Pull it out, insert its replacement, and tighten the screws.

5. Upgrade the RAM

Memory is one of the main areas of a netbook where system manufacturers can increase their profit margin. Don’t let a netbook maker empty your wallet by selling you RAM that you can find elsewhere for a lot less. In the case of the e1505, we bought the bare minimum of RAM that we needed to complete the configuration: 512MB. To upgrade RAM, first open the netbook’s back and look for the existing memory. On the e1505, it’s in the upper-right (with the battery facing north).

On the RAM module you should see its specifications. You can either purchase the same type of RAM in a larger size (in our case, a 2GB stick of DDR2 SODIMM running at 533MHz) or check the manufacturer specs for your netbook to discover its maximum supported speed. The difference between DDR2-4200 and DDR2-5300 memory is almost unnoticeable, but there’s no sense in maxing out with DDR2-6400 memory if your netbook can’t support its full speed.

To replace the memory, push outward on the two clips holding the RAM in place near the notched groove on each side. The RAM will pop up toward you for removal. Insert the new memory and push it into place. When you start up the machine, quickly press the appropriate key to access the system BIOS (for the Dell Mini 9, it’s the 2 key). Head to the main tab and confirm that the system recognises the new memory.

6. Upgrade the Wi-Fi

Upgrading the internal Wi-Fi capabilities of a netbook from 802.11g to 802.11n sounds as though it should be easy. In theory, you’d simply buy a miniature wireless card, pop off the back of the netbook, shuffle its components, and start enjoying the increased functionality and speed of the new card.

Alas, in reality it isn’t that simple. Just because a Wi-Fi card looks as if it will fit in your netbook, that doesn’t mean the card is compatible with the netbook’s OS/motherboard combination. But even before that, you have to deal with the issue of size. When purchasing a new Wi-Fi card, you need to know whether your netbook can support a full-height or half-height card. Remove the back of the netbook and look for the existing Wi-Fi card. A full-height card is long and rectangular, similar in shape to an SD Card for a camera. A half-height card is stubbier and resembles the shape of a CompactFlash card.

As for the particular brand of card, there is no hard-and-fast rule for determining what will be compatible with your netbook model. A card that looks perfect on paper may not work with your unit’s configuration. Instead of using trial and error, search the internet for stories of other people’s successful Wi-Fi upgrades of the same netbook model. It’s the best way of improving the odds that the card you pick will actually work.

Once you’ve cleared that hurdle, installing the card is easy. On the Dell e1505, for example, remove the netbook’s rear cover. The Wi-Fi card is in the centre-right of the system; it’s the card with white and black wires (the antenna) running into it. Gently disconnect those wires, undo the screws, and remove the card from the slot. Insert the new card, reinsert the screws to tighten the card into position, and reconnect the two antenna wires – note, however, that the specific card you buy will dictate whether you should reverse the wires as compared with their positions on the original card. Depending on the size of the card and the configuration of the motherboard, you might have to remove a motherboard standoff to permit a solid fit.

If the operating system can’t find the new card on the next boot, install the drivers for the particular Wi-Fi card you bought. You should be able to find the drivers on the company’s website; if not, you might have to install drivers from a third-party netbook manufacturer whose product uses the same network card.

7. Overclock the CPU

Overclocking represents the pinnacle of system upgrades that an average user can perform without physically deconstructing the netbook. It’s also among the more dangerous upgrades for netbooks, given that these miniature systems don’t come with the best cooling systems. In the case of the Dell e1505, the passive cooler protecting the processor from thermal overload is no match for frequency tweaking, and it’s probably for the best that we couldn’t find a way to overclock this tiny PC.

Other netbooks are a bit more flexible in this regard. Owners of Dell e1505 netbooks can rev up their CPU through the SetFSB utility. Users of earlier Asus Eee PC models can pick up the Eeectl utility, which permits them to alter the frontside bus within Windows and, consequently, up the speed of the processor. If you have an MSI Wind and you want to update its BIOS, you’ll discover that MSI officially supports your overclocking habit. Still, these waters demand careful navigation (or strict avoidance) lest you wreck your netbook and condemn it to an inglorious end.

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In the early years the PC was primarily a plaything for science enthusiasts and technology geeks. To bring computers to the masses, something was needed that would engage the user and be of genuine use to them, something that we now know has revolutionised the way people live their everyday lives. And that, of course, was the internet. Enabling people to tap into the global community 24-hours a day, the internet has changed the way people communicate; helping to bridge time and distance barriers.

But there has been a tremendous change in the way people use and access the wealth of information that’s available in cyberspace. What was once a handful of networked computers found in libraries and shared amongst many users, is now affordable and technologically advanced enough to be in the majority of homes across the UK.

Moreover, one of the main changes is that the internet has been transported out of universities, libraries and homes and is now ubiquitous almost everywhere we go – airports, trains, coffee shops and even in our pockets. In fact, mobile phone technology and PDAs have advanced to the point where we can surf the internet at any time and at any place.

But whilst internet access on pocket devices does have its uses, much of the true value of the web is having large screens with a broadband network connection. And this is where laptops help to bridge the gap between home and office-based desktop machines and pocket-sized mobile devices. However, many laptops aren’t as portable as they otherwise could be and may still be too big to carry around for long periods of time. This is where netbooks come in, as they are gradually starting to fulfil their potential as being the next logical step towards enabling genuine portable internet.

Netbooks were originally designed for emerging markets as an affordable, small, network-enabled computer. But over the past few years, they have gradually begun to win over a sizeable market share from laptops. Given that the main advantage of buying a netbook over a laptop is that it offers wireless internet access for web browsing and emailing on a device with a screen size as little as five inches, it’s hardly surprising that they are starting to gain popularity with business professionals too.

Acer netbooks have proven to be a particularly popular choice on the market. However, with a growing demand for fast internet access on the move, it’s likely that many more of the computing industry’s leading brands will be fighting for a market share in the months and years ahead.

And this will be another chapter in the remarkable transformation of the humble PC of only a few decades ago to the slick portable models that are available today.

Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

AT&T’s plan to offer subsidized netbooks for $50 (and more, depending on which model the subscriber opts for) raises interesting questions. The most basic is what means to the open access debate. 

As the name implies, open access is the ability of customers to link any device that passes technical muster to a carrier’s network. Verizon Wireless and AT&T have paid homage to the concept and, indeed, some devices – mostly in the machine-to-machine sector – employ it. 

This week, as reported by PC Magazine and others, AT&T said that customers opting for two-year Wi-Fi and a 3G plans will be able to buy an Acer Aspire One, a Dell Inspiron, LG Xenia or Mini 9 or Mini 12 for between $49.99 and $249.99, though the precise price of each was not revealed.

Of course, the fact that carriers are moving the subsidization concept from phones to netbooks doesn’t mean that open access is dead. However, it shows that the carriers still like the proprietary concept, and probably are willing to spend a lot of money in order to marginalize approaches that make it easier for customers to come and go. PC Magazine puts it like this:

Subsidizing phones has been the norm for a number of years, with mobile vendors eating the cost of the phone hardware in exchange for the ability to charge users for voice and data plans, and to upsell them on services. But subsidizing netbooks is relatively new, and it remains to be seen whether consumers will look upon a netbook as another device that they’re willing to lock themselves into a contract to own.

Verizon Wireless also is onboard with selling subsidized netbooks, though details are sketchy. InformationWeek reports that the carrier confirmed a previous Reuters report that it was going to offer the devices. The piece says that no other information was offered. It is fleshed out with speculation that the carrier is considering the Dell and HP products, including the latter’s HM Mini 1000. 

Smartphones and netbooks may be drawing closer, as well. Datamation’s Mike Elgan indulges in well grounded speculation. He says that netbooks are great sellers, but that they wear out their welcomes rather quickly. He describes why, and says that the challenges would be met by eschewing PC operating systems in favor of the OSes used to power smartphones. He describes the rationale for this, and it seems convincing. Again, using a smartphone OS in a netbook isn’t a smoking gun pointing to the death of the open network concept. It certainly seems like a step in the other direction, however. Says Elgan:

The cell phone model – giving away or heavily subsidizing cell phones in exchange for a two-year commitment on a wireless contract – will work great for netbooks. AT&T and other carriers have announced special divisions to look at such deals.

The bottom line is that open networks are not in carriers’ best interests because they loosen the reins they hold on subscribers. Carrier’s game plan will be to cajole the FCC — something that got a lot harder for the industry due to the election — and use their significant public relations machines. They also will offer customers a terrific deal on the hot device de jure in exchange for fealty to their networks.

Carl is a contributing editor to Communications Technology magazine and has held staff positions at InternetWeek, tele.com, Cable World and Cable Marketing magazines. Read Carl’s blog on IT Business Edge on how communication strategies shape the future of business. Become a IT Business Edge Facebook Fan!

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With the rest of the notebook industry rushing to grab a piece of the netbook market share, Samsung has responded by producing the Samsung NC10 netbook. Like many netbooks in the market, the NC10 is 10.2 inches wide and has all the basic netbook necessities such as a 1.3 mp camera, 802.11 b/g WiFi and runs on Microsoft Windows XP Home. It is powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM and has a 160GB hard drive.

The Samsung NC10 has no frills minimalist design and it comes in white or blue. It has a matte exterior and is adorned with a reflective Samsung logo. It simple design and rounded corners gives it a more professional design compared to other Asus and MSI netbooks. Weighing at just 2.8 pounds, it is also lighter than most of the other netbooks in the market (which usually weigh more than 3 pounds).

The keyboard on the Samsung NC10 is 93% of the size of regular keyboards. The positioning of the keys are very comfortable, with a full size shift key below the enter button on the right. The great layouts of the keys take little time to get used to (unlike some other netbook models).

Most of the new netbooks in the market today have a glossy display screen, which greatly reduces its visibility under bright conditions. The screen on the Samsung model is matte, maintaining good visibility even under bright sunlight. Although it has the standard 1024 x 600 pixel screen, the images are crisp and vibrant.

The powerful Samsung NC10 resembles more of a laptop than a netbook in terms of functionality. Due to the extra features found in this model, it cost a little more than the average netbook. From the raving reviews received by this netbook, I would say the price is well worth it!

Fore more real reviews and product info on the Samsung NC10 10″ netbook and other laptops, visit Laptop & Netbook Reviews.
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