Netbooks are the new, lightweight mini-laptops that go anywhere with you. A good netbook will do most of your basic computing - internet stuff like email, web browsing and downloading, run businessword applications and play music and video - without breaking your back or your bank balance. They're cheap and they're fun! Most netbooks come with Windows ready-installed and there are Linux-based mini-notebooks with their simple interface that's very popular.
Although there's a wide range of netbooks on the market, not all mini-notebooks are created equal. The people who design them have to juggle the problems of weight, size and performance and their compromises can cause problems for you, the netbook buyer.
Here are five factors you need to know when shopping for a netbook:
1: Will it do the job?
Most netbooks feature a snappy 1.6GHz Intel chip and although they give good, brisk performance in the jobs they're designed for, remember that they're not heavy-duty data crunchers. If you want to do some serious computing, you may need a laptop that's got more grunt.
2: Is the keyboard big enough?
The keyboard is the main interface with your netbook and many early-model mini-laptops had mini keyboards. People who could easily touch-type on a full-size keyboard found themselves struggling on a netbook. In addition, some manufacturers save space by moving keys around or making them smaller. Test the keyboard before buying so you know you'll be able to type comfortably.
3: Is the track-pad usable?
In the struggle to make netbooks ultra-portable the track-pad and its buttons often get the chop, too. Unless you want to carry a mouse, the trackpad is the other main interface with your computer. Check that the netbook's trackpad is big enough to be usable and that the buttons are positioned well.
4: Is the display big enough?
Early-model netbooks also had smaller displays, and while they were more portable, 7 inch screens are not noted for their visibility. Currently, 8.9 inch screens seem to be about the smallest display for good readability, while the industry standard, the 10 inch screen, is a good compromise in terms of size and ease of viewing. Check that the laptop you're considering won't cause you eyestrain.
5: Does it have the features you need?
Most quality netbooks have the features we expect in a notebook computer: a good-sized hard disk, webcam, speakers and microphone, card reader, bluetooth and a wifi card. The only feature that netbooks lack is an optical drive - the DVD/CD drive has been sacrificed to keep size and weight to a minimum. When choosing your netbook, make sure it has all the features you want.
So there are five important things to consider when buying your netbook.
Although these mini-notebooks are cheaper than regular laptops, do your research before buying. The major manufacturers all have web sites with detailed specifications. Check them out at your local computer store and visit online netbook forums. If you buy online, don't buy on impulse and buy from a seller with a good rep.
