Netbooks are basically pint-sized laptops that are geared towards portability and Internet browsing. For instance, the new HP Mini 1000 Mi netbook is a 10.1 inch screen laptop that has a 60GB hard drive. Its decent pricetag of $435 allows you to have a small, very light laptop with a full-sized keyboard. This HP netbook, as other netbooks, are good solutions for the home user who just wants to get on the Internet and check e-mail, but has the need to move the laptop around the house. Or this is a great solution for the road warrior or for restaurants and stores who need a discrete was to ge online or run a simple word or excel file.
The drawbacks. Netbooks like the HP typically run only on Windows XP or Ubuntu. It doesn’t have enough power to run on Vista. The RAM is usually only at 1GB and the applications may be limited from the manufacturer to conserve the laptop’s energy. For instance, instead of Internet Explorer, Firefox will be loaded. Open Office will replace Microsoft Office. Thunderbird will replace Outlook. This doesn’t mean you cannot install the good, robust software. It just means that the Netbook was not tested for such to run adequately.
Remember, these netbooks are meant for the Internet, run a few documents, and to check the occasional e-mail. So, if you’re looking for the casual laptop; need a mobile laptop; or just want a secondary small laptop to kick around, the netbook is the way to go. Tech support can be tricky though since it is small and might require opening up the whole laptop for hardware replacements, such as replacing the hard drive.
