8.9 Netbook Review

Netbooks are a new wave in computing— they’re cheap, extremely portable, and have a long battery life. At costs as low as $300-$400 dollars, they make excellent second computers to carry in your bag for long-range word processing and internet services like web and email.

1. Get to know your options. Check out the MSI Wind, the ASUS Eee PC 901 and 1000 series and the Samsung NC10 as a starting point. Look at reviews on CNET and Engaget, as well as Digitgeek and Techradar and get a sense of the differences between the models and manufacturers.
2. Decide what operating system you want, Windows XP or Linux, and what sort of features you’re looking for. Some netbooks have very small keyboards, others have larger ones, and they vary widely in display size, weight, and battery life, as well as price. Figure out which features you need and which models have them, and get a working list going of the models that meet your needs.
3. Shop around in your area to see if any local stores are having deals on their netbooks. Netbook manufacturers are trying hard to create a market for their new products, so you can often get one at an excellent price.
4. Compare prices on the internet. Google shopping (http://www.google.com/prdhp?hl=en&tab=wf) is an excellent resource for comparing prices, as are Pricegrabber, Nextag and Bizrate. Often this is the best way to get deals on electronics, just because the range of retailers is so broad.
5. Buy and enjoy your netbook!

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t settle for less! Netbooks may vary in price, but none of them are as expensive as standard notebooks. Go for the features you want that are specific to the Netbook class, like 7+ hour battery life and high portability.
• Take the time you need to find the best deal. As always, you can save a lot simply by being patient.