There have been a myriad of names for this Fujitsu model; it's called the Lifebook U810 right here in the US, the Lifebook FMV U8240 when it was first released, the loox in Japan, and the U1010 in Southeast Asia. But don't be misguided; it is the same netbook all throughout. Let's take one last look back at one of the first units to get into the netbook world.

(Rather than switch from name to name, I'll just call it the Fujitsu u810 for now)

The U810 is a conglomerate of black and white - not exactly very stylish, but it works well enough. Apart from this color scheme, what is most notable about the Fujitsu is its convertible property. It was effectively the first of its kind to turn into a tablet.

The U810 only weighed 600 grams, and was about as big as your paperback book, making it easy to move around. Today's units are still heavier by comparison, save for a few select models.

Like many tablets, the U810 can only swing one way. The hinge is sturdy enough, though, so you don't have to worry about it breaking early unless you abuse it. And as for the screen, it is very bright legible.

When the unit is sitting on a desk, you can easily maneuver within by using your fingertips. The touch pad is remarkable, and I assure you that you will have a lot of fun with it.

While the tablet form is really fun to use, I have to dismally say that the keyboard is next to unusable. It really can't be helped, and Fujitsu should be praised by getting a 66% full-sized QWERTY keyboard in, but it is just physically impossible to add anything bigger. If you are a touch-typist, avoid the U810 as much as you can.

the specs are what you'd expect a netbook from two years ago to be; it has a 40GB hard disk, a 1GB RAM, and an 800MHz Intel processor. These are now low by today's standards, and I wouldn't suggest getting it. It's just a fun device to reminisce on, but if you want a more modern version of it, then I suggest the upcoming Fujitsu 2010. I will review that model the first chance that I get.

Sony loves to go against the current; that much is certain. While many other netbook manufacturers are currently churning out models in the $300-500 range and promoting new 12-inch units, they decided to enter the game in their own style. Their new Sony VAIO P may be standing alone, but you can be sure that everybody else is looking. It currently stands on the high-end, scheduled to come out at $900-1200, depending on the specifications. Also, it stands out by emphasizing design and fashion over efficiency; the result is an incredibly compact, light supermodel of a netbook that weighs 1.4 pounds. (Sony insists that it isn't a netbook, but it qualifies as one according to my definition of the term)

The VAIO P also makes itself stand out in the netbook field by having features that none of its competitors have; features like the mobile broadband, GPS, and an instant-on module. Also, the keyboard is easy enough to use, adding up to deliver a premium netbook that holds its own in terms of uniqueness. The worst criticism that I have for the VAIO P is that it just doesn't provide the best performance under a resource-intensive OS such as Vista; you may find the price difficult to justify because of that. Still, if you have the cash to spare, the VAIO P has a lot to show.

Sexy miniaturization is something that Sony just does well, and the VAIO P is the perfect proof of that. You may be surprised at how considerably longer but thinner it is compared to the others, measuring in at 9.7"x4.7"x.08". To give you a feel for these numbers, the unit slides in perfectly in a jacket pocket, even if I could feel the weight by doing so. This gives the VAIO its own unique class in terms of portability. I should say, though, that putting it in you skinny jeans like what is shown in the picture could be misleading.

Do get that VAIO out of the pocket, because it is one machine that you'll be proud to show off to people. The pre-production unit that I got to try out had a a glassy black lid with just a bit of chrome specks, and I got a silver deck for the keyboard. Once it's out, you can also get it in standard black, as well as green, red, or the increasingly popular white.

Finally, Sony plans to sell a few accessories beside the VAIO P; a protective leather case at around 90 bucks, and a bluetooth mouse at 70. Both are really good-looking, although your budget might already be affected after you've gotten this pricey unit. One thing's for sure; this unit will compete with the Asus Eee S101 for the sexiest amongst all the netbooks.

You may begin to think that people are obsessed with netbooks recently, but the facts cannot be denied: Every other day, it seems, a new netbook comes out to join the rumble. And most of these models are very competent, too. As almost all of them are priced in the same range and have more or less the same specifications, it becomes continuously harder to choose. This time, we'll review the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, a bigger, twelve-inch version of the earlier Mini 9.

Compare the two Dell netbooks

As we've seen from the Samsung NC20, the Mini 12 may actually be categorized as both a notebook and a netbook; it is already a notebook by size, but a netbook in terms of price and capabilities. So don't go about expecting that this monster of a portable is more powerful than your standard netbook.

At first glance, you'll think, as I have, that the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is essentially a larger Mini 9. The body is a stylish combination of black and silver, metal and plastic. It is one of the slimmest 12-inch laptops around, and definitely the cheapest, too. So, even at this size, it's ultra-portability rightly defines the Mini 12 as a netbook.

So, let's go on to the primary things that you may be concerned about when purchasing a netbook. Firstly, there is the almost full-sized keyboard. You'll have a nice time typing with the good key-spacing; they're simply perfect for touch typists; you'll definitely get used to the keyboard in minutes flat.

The touchpad has also been enlarged from the Mini 9; it now measures 45mmx77mm. It is very responsive, and it has just the right amount of sensitivity. The buttons sit comfortably just below the touchpad; no opposite-side buttons here.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 12 runs on the newer Intel Atom 530; it is essentially more power-efficient N270. The graphics card is an Intel GMA 500 instead of the usual GMA 950. All in all, this adds up to a slightly lower performance, but also uses energy more efficiently. Combined with its 6-cell battery, you get a total of more than 5 hours with this unit.

To summarize, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is stylish, portable, and has a large display. It is on the more expensive side of the netbook market, but is still essentially cheaper than notebooks of the same size. It fails on performance, though; it's not bad, but we've seen better from lower-priced units.

You got that right, folks; there is yet another Asus EEE PC. They're trying out a new tactic this time, though, by marketing it as 'the S101' rather than as a subset of the EEE. Also, while previous EEE netbooks have emphasized affordability, the S101 is built with those who see their netbook as a fashion accessory. Did they do a good job of it? I'll give the unit this much; nowhere else will you find a more beautiful netbook. Not even the Samsung NC10 will compare.

Whereas most netbooks have adhered to the standard blueprint, the Asus S101 moves away from this safe ground more than we've ever seen. Gone are the standard, dull finishes; the lid is an attractive, "mocha" shade, and with the metal wrist-wrest common to EEE's, you will pique everyone's interest whenever you take the unit out.

The elegance of the unit continues on to the trackpad, which is large and responsive unlike the previous varieties of the EEE. You may be surprised that there is only one button beneath the trackpad, but it's something that you could get used to fairly quickly.

If you used to get bad dreams by merely thinking about typing in a EEE, you wouldn't have to worry 9as much). The S101's keyboard is similar in size to the EEE 1000H, which was, in turn, bigger and easier to use than the smaller versions. It gets an added coating of glitter, too, to further add a sense of style to the unit.

The S101 is really well-built, and it looks absolutely fantastic. However, a peek under the armor shows that at the core, it is the same netbook as the EEE 1000H. You get the familiar Intel Atom N270 for your processor, and your expected 1GB RAM. It does manage to be lighter than its surprisingly heavy predecessor, but it sacrifices precious battery life to do so. It croaks at just about 4 hours; long enough for some, but then we've seen 7 or 8 hours out of other netbooks.

So, is the expensive Asus EEE S101 worth it? It may be worth your hard-earned dollars if you're determined to have the most fashionable unit amongst your peers. For all the others, I suggest you stick with the 1000 series.

The craze for netbooks continues, and I find myself continuously searching for new models to tinker around with. Most recently, I have had the opportunity to test HP's very own Mini 1035NR. Here are a few important negative things that I noticed:

1. Eventhough it has a larger screen, the 1035NR actually has a lower video resolution than the 2133, HP's predecessor in the netbook industry. The older 2133 has 1280x268 resolution, while this netbook has the typical 1024x600 netbook resolution. That is very disappointing, and I consider that a downgrade even with the larger screen.

2. There is a major flaw in the form of the singular audio in/out port. Essentially, you can't hook in a microphone and a headphone at the same time, because the port is just there all by itself. This is a definite turn-off for people who like to use IM programs like Skype. The netbook's competitors do not have this issue; perhaps this is a ploy to get the consumer to use the built-in mic. Unfortunately, the people I chatted with found that with the built-in microphone, there are a lot of extra background noise that wouldn't have been there if you use the headset's mic.

3. The HP Mini Mobile Drive Port for more memory is disappointing. Thanks to HP's proprietary tendencies, additions are sadly going to have through-the-roof prices. This is too bad, although they are within their rights to do so.

4. The case is now made of plastic, in comparison to 2133's rugged aluminum. That makes it lighter now, but it also looks aesthetically less impressive.

5. The webcam only works well in well-lit areas.

6. The hinges do not allow the unit to bend back quite as far as the 2133. I personally don't have a problem with that, but taller people may have a problem with this unit.

7. The unit turns quite hot after some time. It doesn't get as hot as the VIA model from HP, but it is definitely hotter than most Atom netbooks that I've had the opportunity to test.

Aside from these glaring errors, the machine works as well as you'd expect a netbook should. Most notably, I am having little trouble with the keyboard, which is somewhat a sickness of netbooks in general.

Samsung is quickly becoming my favorite in the netbook industry. Rather than hastily jumping onto the bandwagon as many manufacturers did after the popularity surge of the EEE, it waited it the netbook frenzy would catch on with consumers. When it was obvious that the craze wasn't just going to die down, they showcased the NC10 to a pleasantly surprised market. Up to now, it is considered an exceptionally well-crafted netbook; it ranks better than many other companies' first attempts into the industry.

They've ridden on the waves of this initial success, and have since come up with the newest addition to their netbook products; all twelve and a tenth inches of the NC20. Essentially a scaled up NC10, the design is quite identical to that of its smaller brother. It basically just went up to 12 inches and increased in weight by about 200g.

The primary concern here is that the NC20 is so close to the territory of the dedicated notebooks. With 12-inch units capable of outperforming the modest NC20netbook, will it be able to measure up? It all depends on what you want; those who want raw power will find more to like in the traditional laptops. But if you like the price of a netbook and don't care too much about power, then read on.

Those who share my opinion that many netbooks have a keyboard that is too small will have plenty of reason to rejoice. The NC20 is bigger than 90% of the netbooks, so it has a more normal-sized keyboard and a welcoming large trackpad. It's not yet perfect; the windows key somehow found its way to the right rather than the left of the spacebar, but it is still one of the best netbook keyboards so far.

One complaint that I heard was that the NC20 does not look as sleek and sexy as the NC10. Why is that so, considering they look the same? Apparently, the cute look becomes less-appealing as you make the machine bigger.Don't get me wrong; it's not ugly. It's just a step down from the impressiveness of NC10's overall look.

Stamina-wise, the NC20 packs a lot of juice through the choice of a generous 6-cell battery. Even with the larger display, it rivals its little Samsung brothers by lasting almost seven hours in light use. Otherwise, an NC20 feels much like any other Atom-based netbook in comparison.

But wait. It isn't an Atom. this is where the NC20 dares to be different. While almost any other netbook is installed with Intel's Atom, NC20 uses the rarely seen Via Nano U2250. So far, there aren’t any noticeable differences on my end, but I'll get back to you on that one as soon as I can.

The only real problem with the NC20 is that you might probably need to compare it with notebooks rather than netbooks. In doing so, the only advantage with the NC20 over the notebooks is the endurance of the battery (notebooks still last around 2-3 hours, tops). As a netbook, however, Samsung continues to show that they are one of the best.

When I first saw it, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 reminded me of that porridge my grandmother used to make; it doesn't taste bad, but it wasn't grounbreaking either. Initial reactions aside, however, the sub-$500 category has given rise to a few models that are a lot stranger, so I went ahead and tried to see what it can do.

It's all fairly standard inside, as you'd expect most Intel Atom-based netbooks to do. You get the Atom, 1GB of RAM, and a solid-state drive depending on the model. Mine was an XP Home version, so it carried an 8GB SSD (there is also a 4GB version that ships with Ubuntu 8.04). It's not exactly a lot of space, especially after the OS has been installed, so you may want to upgrade to a 16GB drive. but if you do that, you've suddenly passed the $500 barrier. Noticeably missing is the feature available in an Acer Aspire One; an additional SD slot for use as another hard disk. When turned on, it will run as well as most other Atom-based machines; nothing really different here so far.

I am glad to say that its 4-cell battery serves the Inspiron well. It performs for about 3.5 hours before running out, a full hour beyond the 3-cell standard of the MSI Wind.

One thing that we must look at when it comes to netbooks is the keyboard; in the Inspiron's case, the alphanumeric keys are large enough to make typing documents relatively easy. Every other key, though, ended up getting resized or placed at a different location. Have you ever seen the apostrophe key beside the space bar? After tinkering with the Inspiron Mini 9, I can now say that I've seen it.

With every other feature of a standard netbook available, the Dell Inspiron Mini seems to be a reliable machine. However, neither did it have any special qualities that make it stand out. So, I could safely say that the unit is a mundane but reliable machine.

If laptops were cars, then Toshiba would most definitely be Toyota. Every year, they manage to manufacture millions of units ranging from the really affordable to the mind-boggingly expensive, while maintaining a consistent standard of quality and innovation. Thus, when I had the chance to toy around with the Toshiba NB100, I was really optimistic about it. Unfortunately, I just ended up getting really disappointed.

So, what happened to that Toshiba's entry unit to the netbook world? Most likely, it's an effect of rushing to get into the bandwagon. This laptop is not worthy of Toshiba standards, as it looks more like a bunch of parts from models that came during the 1980's. What bothers me is that I know they could have made it better; they just didn't exert enough effort.

The standard boring netbook blueprint is followed by the NB100, but I feel like I should pass by them nonetheless. You get: An Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, a hefty 120GB of hard drive, and Windows XP Home for your OS. There are three USB ports, 802.11g Wi-Fi, webcam, and so on and so forth. it's no secret: Specs-wise, netbook are not too different from each other. That is why each brand tries to bring something unique in terms of outward appearance, comfortability, and longevity.

The design looks really old-fashioned, but at least it's going to find some appeal from those who have a thing for that. I personally remember a time when all laptops were black and nondescript; it would have been nice if they kept the old-fashioned plastic skin, too, because the glossy finish just attracts fingerprints. Why do these companies keep using that?

Lift the glossy lid, and be amazed at how they continually manage to remind you of an era long gone. The keyboard looks very vintage, except that you don't see vintage keyboards this small anywhere. In an effort to put in the function keys, they effectively reduced the size to that of the EEE 700 series from before.

The trackpad likewise felt undersized. I did at least find the length of the buttons smart; the left and primary button was longer than the less-frequently used right button. However, these buttons were also guilty of being too thin, and you'd have to almost use your fingernails to click them properly.

If there is one piece of innovative design that I found from the NB100, it's the small strip of status bar that you'll find just beneath the trackpad. It is in plain sight, so you can easily check out the processes that the netbook is currently doing.

Aesthetics aside, a Toshiba NB100 will run as well as you'd expect an Intel Atom based machine should. Unfortunately, it also suffers from a non-standard 4-cell battery - you can only use this outdoors for three to four hours. So even if you do not care about the physical appearance at all, I can't rightly recommend this for the lack of a portability brought upon by its short battery life.

Samsung is really very sneaky. On the months leading to the release of their NC10 model, they insisted that they had no plans to enter the netbook battle. This time, they've done it again by issuing the follow-up to the already impressive NC10 right under our noses. And there it was, as if Santa Claus himself put them in the stores overnight, the Samsung NC110.

The N110 gets rid of what few problems its predecessor had. This new model has a better touch pad; Samsung made it bigger at 2.5"x1.3" to the old one's 2.3"x1.1". The button is higher and more clickable, too. It isn’t much of a difference, but it definitely contributes to the ease with which you surf the Web.

N110 also improves by getting a shinier casing and a rather peculiar burgundy stripe. The 6-cell battery that was a standard in the N10 was kept here, so the battery life clocks at an impressive seven hours. It's good to know that the good did not change. The travelling person would be delighted at having the unit on for those long plane rides.

The best part, though, comes with the fact that Samsung did not mess around with the keyboard any further. It is the familiar 93% full size keyboard that we've enjoyed in the NC10, complete with having the right shift key in the (pun intended) right place. Touch typists will rejoice at having this design model kept.

Other than that, the internal hardware remains largely the same. You get the Intel 1.6Atom processor, the same impressive 160GB hard drive, the same amount of USB ports (three of them) and a card reader. It does manage to tick off one NC10 trait, though. This machine is on the high-end of the netbook range in terms of cost. Otherwise, the machine is just perfect.

One of the big things that you need to consider when buying a netbook computer is the Operating System installed into it. For the most part, people prefer to have Microsoft Windows installed. As the predominant system that many people grew up with, the consumer has an instinctive aversion to any other OS that may come up.

With that being said, the main disadvantage of the Windows XP is the cost. Even with the reduced price for the netbook industry, there are simply some noticeable price differences between a unit that has XP Home installed as opposed to having Ubuntu Linux. This is the first thing that you'll notice when you check out the Sylvania GNET28001SO Meso Netbook (quite a mouthful, isn't it?).

Of course, the Sylvania Meso can run Windows XP home quite easily if you are willing to shell out the extra cash. But before you do so, I urge you to give Ubuntu Linux a try. It is not a complicated OS software; take my word for it, or check out this video below:

OS concerns aside, how does the Sylvania Meso compare with the other netbooks out in the market today? Well, you'd expect it to work in more or less the same capacity as any other netbook based on the Intel Atom 1.6-GHz; it manages to run either XP or Ubuntu fast if you stick to net-centric computing.

The major problem that I have with the unit is with the keyboard; but unlike many other netbooks, it's not because to the size. The keyboard itself is relatively large for a netbook. But to do so, they sacrificed two things. First, you'll notice that the caps lock key does not have a light - a minor inconvenience when logging on to Facebook or something similar. In addition, they also decided to remove the Shift key below the enter key - it doesn't herald the end of the world, but it is an annoyance.

If you want an ultra-portable laptop computer that runs perfectly well on Ubuntu, with a hefty-sized hard drive for storing a lot of music that you could listen to on the go, then Sylvania Meso does the job well. As an added bonus, the vibrant colors that the units come with are hip and fresh, making it an appealing first computer for your child.

The EEE family grows even more with the addition of another series - the EEE 1000. It is understandable, as they want to maintain the status quo with their identifiable line on top. But what is the EEE 1000, and how does it compare to the other EEE's, as well as the other netbooks out there?

My best bet is that the EEE 1000 model is made to rival the MSI Wind, one of their top contenders today. It features a nearly identical 10" screen with 1024x600 resolution, an LED backlit screen, and most importantly, a larger and more comfortable keyboard that has been the bane of the EEE models to date. It manages to differentiate itself from the MSI wind by being wider and deeper than the Wind, but not by a big margin.

Does the extra size matter to you? You make the choice, but to me, it does. The smaller EEE 900 and its 700 predecessor caused me to squint at the monitor too close too often. Besides, the extra size and weight of the 1000 is a small and bearable increase in load.

Other than the size, you'll notice that the EEE 1000 is basically identical to the 900 series. The glossy finish is the same, the placement of the EEE logo does not change, and it has the same basic arrangement of ports. It's an impressive-looking unit, but the Wind, who is in the same category, looks better by far. The EEE 1000 only gets the edge against the MSI counterpart through the better comfortability afforded by its touchpad.

Look inside the unit and you'll notice more or less the same monotonous design inherent with most ultra-portable laptops; an Intel Atom 1.6GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, Wireless-N, a 10/100 Fast Ethernet port plus Bluetooth, and all that. What it does have that s different is the storage. Those run by Linux have 40GB worth of hard drive; and that is what I have with me right now. Basically, there's nothing special here; it's a bigger, more spacious EEE that will excite the brand's fans.

Samsung arrived relatively late in the netbook craze, but as you will clearly see, it quickly takes its place as one of the top units available. That's a pretty strong assumption, don't you think? Spare me the time, and I'll tell you exactly why.

Obvious from the name itself, the Samsung NC10 is a 10.2" netbook. It's one of the bigger models out there; as I believe that there is such a thing as a netbook that it 'too small', this immediately makes me sort of biased toward it. So far, though, this unit feels like an ordinary ten-incher at 1.3kg.

In a market where first impressions are important, Samsung knew how to stand out. It is by far the most beautiful netbook that I have encountered, save from the pricey Asus S101. I'm not saying that some of the other units like MSI Wind are ugly; in fact that particular machine looks impressive as well. But there's just something about the glossy plastic sheen that implies its rather thrifty cost.

This is not true with the NC10; the unit that I got to toy around with had a clean, matte white finish, and while I am not too fond of the synthetic chrome that runs from hinge to hinge, it doesn't pass off as cheap. Even if you are one of the people who do not like the ostentatious nature of the matte white, you can simply get an NC10 in blue or black finishes.

There is a tried-and-tested formula to netbooks, and the NC10 shares this formula internally. But even though it has the same 1.6GHz Atom M270 processor and 1GB memory, it performs just as well as, if not slightly better, than the others who share this specification. It also comes with a 6-cell battery that is standard; there's no need to upgrade here, folks. It'll last for more than seven hours in standby, and about five hours with heavy use.

Finally, there is the cost. While not the cheapest model out there, the Samsung NC10 is definitely cheaper than what you would expect from a machine with these specifications. Combine that with seven hours of battery life, great keyboard design and a look outclassed only by the Asus S101, and we may have just found the new measuring stick with which to compare all other future netbooks with.

Lenovo has been thinking quite small recently. In recent months, it has released smaller sized notebooks such as the Thinkpad X200 and its 12.1" screen, and the IdeaPad U110 with the miniscule 11.3" screen. Now it's finally going one step further by entering the netbook scene with the impressive IdeaPad S10. Despite the new unit's netbook status, the S10 manages to house some features from its notebook big brothers.

The S10 is small, as expected; its 9.8"x7.3"x0.9" frame is roughly the size of Acer's Aspire One. The Aspire One's screen, though, measures only 8.9 inches, while the S10 manages a relatively roomy 10.2-inch, 1024x600 resolution display. It's not exactly the brightest screen around, but it does get the job done and is viewable at different angles.

This ultra-small machine also holds the most spacious hard-drive we've seen from a netbook to date: The model that I got to use came with a 5400-rpm, 160GB platter-based hard disk. That's definitely enough for Windows XP Home and the unit's minimal pre-installed applications. This roomy hard drive, though, may be the reason the S10 is somewhat heavy. It weighs 3.6 whole pounds, which is just about as heavy as the ThinkPad X200 notebook.

What seems to be the most impressive capability of this model is the fact that it performs well under pressure. The S10's processor is the same 1.6-GHz Intel Atom CPU that we've seen from other netboonks, yet it beats them in terms of performance. It performs better, faster, and you are able to multitask well.

The S10's biggest shortcoming is its low battery life. it comes equipped with a 3-cell battery, and it only lasts for about two and a half hours before getting drained. It fares better than an unmodified Acer Aspire One, but both are short-lived compared to the other Atom-based netbooks we've recently tried.

Although this model's keyboard is not as luxurious as its big brothers, the S10's keys make for one of the better typing experiences among the many netbooks we've seen. Compared with the MSI Wind and EEE 1000H, though, and you'll notice that the keys of our Lenovo netbook are a little scrunched in comparison. The touchpad buttons, regrettably, are the sinking type. They feel a little too loose, as if they have been used by a previous owner for years already.

The speakers also turned out to be a disappointment, for it only comes to par with the other netbooks and not beyond it. It delivers substandard sound that is not as audible as you'd want it too, even at maximum volumes. My theory here is that they did not bother to outdo their competition, eventhough the model's spacious hard drive and satisfactory screen could have made it a good video and music player.

I will assume, for a moment, that you've been living under a rack over the past couple of years and have completely missed out on the revolution brought about by the EEE 700 PC. We'll set you straight with a crash course.

Launched toward the end of 2007, the EEE 700 PC was designed to be the savior of people longing for a laptop computer, but not having the funds to do so. It is smaller than the traditional notebooks out there in the market, weighing less than 1kg. In addition, it ran on minimal power to make the battery last longer, as its CPU was underdeveloped at 900MHz and 512 RAM. It was just enough to run the Linux-based OS.

And that, my friends, is how the netbook revolution is born. But why isn't it called a laptop like its bigger companions? The term comes because a netbook does just that; you can go to the Web, check your email or running web applications. You sacrifice the power of the laptop for the increased portability and longer battery life of the EEE netbook.

Like with many things, however, the EEE 700 had its share of problems - they overemphasized its small size and made the screen too small, for one thing. There are other problems with this model, but most is detailed on my previous review of the EEE PC.

All the problems aside, Asus is a canny devil. They recognize the huge success that they had with the EEE model; there ia a certain type of brand recognition to be had when every netbook that comes out is dubbed as the EEE killer. There is no way that a company like Asus would let go of such intense brand awareness.

Enter the EEE 900 line.

Some of the best improvements include a bigger, high resolution 8.9" screen, and a bigger memory. The most intriguing new feature, however, is the multi-touch trackpad. It lets you scroll horizontally and vertically through documents by swiping two of your fingers across the surface at the same time.

The common opinion running around right now tells us that the LG's X110 is nothing but a clone of the MSI Wind, but visually, the pink and white design sets it apart. But unlike any Wind variant that I've seen, the X110 sports a built-in 3G modem with the SIM card slot accessible through the removal of the battery. Despite this feature, however, it isn't quite perfect for working for long periods away from the plug. The battery just lasted for over two hours for me, which is one of the shortest times for netbooks of this caliber.

Otherwise, the X110 is a well-built netbook, and you may definitely consider it as long as you know what you are getting. It adequately played standard-definition DivX video files. The keyboard is large for a netbook; it looks the same as the Wind's keyboard except for subtle differences. The Shift key is bigger than it is on the Wind, but the cursor keys themselves are a little smaller. There are also dedicated web navigation keys that are not included in the machine that it was supposed to clone. The one thing that was noticeably similar to the Wind, though, was the small touch pad and its buttons; frankly, I think this is a missed opportunity. Larger buttons are simply easier to press.

There are very few netbooks out in the market with great speakers, and the X110 is no exception. The SRS Wow software that it come with is supposed to improve sound quality and create a virtual surround-sound effect, but I am just not seeing (or hearing, rather) it.

If you're looking for a machine that can store an ample amount of documents and photos, the X110 is able to do that with the 160GB hard disk. That is definitely more spacious than most models, particularly the Dell's Mini 9 (the only other netbook here with built-in 3G).

All in all, the LG X110 is a well-designed and well-specified netbook, and would prove to be a quick favorite among your techie gadgets if you want built-in 3G. I am slightly disappointed by its poor battery life, so frequent travelers who need 3G Internet access may be better suited with Samsung's NC10. You will benefit from the latter's cheaper and longer-lasting battery.

Wading through all the netbooks, they all seem to have the same underpowered capabilities. HP, however, seems to take a different path with the release of their very capable HP Mini-Note 2133. It is marginally more expensive than the competition, but it makes up for the price difference with functionality and power close to that of their larger, more expensive siblings; the full-sized notebooks.

Like many netbooks out there, the most striking quality of the HP Mini-note is its compact design. Although it is larger than the EEE PC and the other ultra-portables, it's still noticeably smaller than laptops in general. It also showcases cool, rounded corners, as well as a mostly sleek exterior. The only problem that I have with the design is the fact that the included 6-cell battery. In hindsight, though, the battery raises the netbook up just a bit on the desk it's placed upon, which helps regulate airflow and makes typing easier for the wrists.

The Mini-Note comes with a QWERTY keyboard that’s 92% of a full sized version. It is quite easy to type on, unlike the majority of mini-notebooks out there in the market today. Touch-typists will find that they have fully-adjusted to the keyboard within 30 minutes of initially trying it out. This is one of the best advantages of the Mini-Note 2133.

If they only extended the roominess of the keyboard to the trackpad directly below, then this would be the dream machine of any touch-typist desiring a netbook. It is cramped and can feel awkward; plus they decided to be different by moving the mouse buttons to the left and right of the trackpad rather than below it. Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if there will ever be a perfect combination of trackpad and keyboard size with laptops this small. Maybe it just comes with the size with which these units come in.

The screen itself is capable of displaying sharp text and bright colors, thanks to its 1280x800 LCD display. Interestingly, this is a common resolution for the bigger notebooks, and with the 8" screen of the Mini-Note, the text could get too small for the eyes.

The Mini-Note utilizes a Via C7-M ULV processor; with 2GB of RAM to compliment that, it as able to run on ample power and handle Windows Vista Basic or Business. Note that I said itcan run Vista; running them at desirable speeds is another thing. My recommendation is to wipe the system clean and have Windows XP run on it instead.

Also, note that this is one of the last few units that use the C7. It may be strong, but the new Intel Atom is simply faster. It is, however, configured well; if you manage to get XP rather than Vista in, it is surprisingly one of the more powerful netbooks out there, despite the lack of an Atom.

Battery-life is also important; unfortunately, this is one of the unit's weaknesses. With Vista, it only runs for four hours with a 6-cell battery. Perhaps this is the price to pay for the increased power of the unit itself.

Netbooks are multiplying like crazy these days. For the most part, this is a positive step; the competitive market drives down the prices and the more products out there means that there are more options for the consumer. The big downside, though, is that as the margins get tighter, the harder it is for more producers to get into the game. The netbook industry is now only a yard for the big boys.

That said, Acer is one of the three largest manufacturers of PC’s in the world, so they don’t have too much to worry about it. If a company this large decides to enter the market of netbooks, then they will quickly rise to take one of the top places. And they have definitely entered the mini-laptop genre with their Aspire One model.

Despite being called 'one', there are actually quite a number of configurations which this Acer unit is available in. What I have here for review is the most basic (and cheapest) one. It features an Intel Atom 1.6GHz, 8 GB SSD flash drive, but it only has 512 MB of RAM. That’s not exactly enough to run Windows XP adequately; but it works for the included Linux OS that this netbook runs on. If you’re really a diehard Windows user, I suggest getting the up-gunned versions with up to 1GB of RAM, a 120GB HDD, and even a six-cell battery, rather than the three-cell that my model came in. The bigger battery increases the bulk and the weight of the unit, but that just can’t be avoided. A colleague of mine reviewed the up-gunned Acer Aspire One in this video below:

--

Like many netbooks these days, “the One” comes in a spectrum of possible colors. There are some unusual cases in this one, though. You get two traditional ones, of course; Seashell White or Coral Pink are actually quite expected in markets where aesthetic appeal is a huge deciding factor. I never would have guessed that the remaining two colors would be Sapphire Blue and Golden Brown. I mean, where did the black go? Black is simply the color of most of my modern gear, and so I find this unit hard to combine with my other tech stuff.

Choosing Golden Brown for that vintage look that fits so well in coffee shops, I wanted to see if the Aspire One indeed holds a candle in the aesthetic department. The back of the screen itself looks like it has been enameled, but like other shiny coatings proved to be prone to fingerprints and scratches. Remember the old EEE PC 701? That’s the matte, rugged finish that I prefer. The One also could not match the lovely brushed metal chassis of the HP 2133 Mini note. On the whole, however, it’s just something that comes with the current trend for glossy finishing.

The first netbook player that has gone through the tablet form factor is Gigabyte, who has released the M912. I will be looking into how the Gigabyte M912 works for me as a tablet notebook in this review.

Before we dive into the review, though, I want to go through the specs of the Gigabyte M912 first. Here it is:

Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz, 1GB DDR2 667MHz RAM, 160GB HDD Fujitsu, WiFi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, 8.9? touchscreen at 1280×768 resolution, 3 USB 2.0 slots, Express Card slot, SD Card reader, 1.3 MP CMOS camera, Windows Vista Home Basic OS.

Now, one would think that as it runs on Windows Vista Home Basic, the default 1GB RAM and the Atom processor would cause things to run less than what is desired. In truth, however, the M912 was responsive and ran fairly well – it was cruising along at a comfortable pace. But then, I don’t have that many applications loaded into the system yet. Right now, the boot time is about forty seconds.

Here are the highlights that I noted with the Gigabyte M912:

§    Touch Screen Interface - Those who like touch screen will no doubt have fun with the M912. It is very responsive to finger movements (and it’s quite accurate, too). It even comes with a stylus, although it’s not attached to the laptop in any way like some models.  I have one complaint, though; the screen feels like it’s covered with a thin layer of plastic instead of tempered glass. You’ll have this instinctive feeling from time to time that makes you worry about it suddenly breaking.

§    High Screen Resolution - The screen itself is only 8.9 inches, but it can have a resolution of up to 1280x768 at 32-bit. This is hands-down the highest resolution that I’ve seen so far in a netbook. It can also support resolutions of 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x600 and 1280x720.

§    Simple, Yet Elegant Design - It has an outer finish of glossy, black silver, which is very appealing to the eye. Of course, the glossy finish attracts smudge like crazy. Better wash those hands often.
§    180-Degree Swivel - What separates the tablet-type from the other mundane laptops? The ability to rotate over 180 degrees and go to tablet form, of course! While the hinge is made up of plastic, it is sturdy enough and you won’t have to worry about it breaking off easily.

§    Smart Storage And Expansion Slots – the unit that I have with me has 160GB HDD, but there is also an option to go for 250GB. Similarly, my 1GB memory can be easily upgraded to 2GB. The system storage of the M912 is very smart, as gigabyte has made them just a few screws away like the regular laptops. Say goodbye to that nightmare of the technician breaking your unit apart just to replace a RAM chip.

Like all things, the Gigabyte M912 is not perfect, and these are the most glaring things that I’ve noticed:

§    On the Heavy Side For A Netbook – M912 is strangely heavy for something so small. At 2.87 lbs., this 9” netbook is almost as heavy as the 13” Macbook air. Granted, that is one of the lightest 13” models out there, but still. And it’s not like it has a 6-cell battery to make up for the weight; it only has a 4-cell that gives the M912 a life of about three hours.

§    Small Keyboard – the keyboard, all in all, is bearable and expected from a netbook. Still, they could have used some of the spaces on the side to at least make it slightly more manageable.

§    It’s Hot! – I still don’t understand why the unit is hot all the time. The SpeedFan registers at about 56-64 degrees Centigrade. The exhaust fan is kind of noisy, too.

All in all, I like the idea of a tablet netbook, and already I can think up a few unconventional ways to use it. For example, you could strap it in your car’s sun visor, install Google Maps plus plugging in a GPS module, and you can suddenly go on that road trip you’ve been wanting. I’m sure you’ll be able to cook up other ideas as well.

After waiting for a few months (the US has suffered a bunch of delays due to battery shortages), I finally got the chance to get my hands on MSI wind. A number of you may already have a Wind with you in coffee shops, but I thought I’d share my first thoughts on it just the same. But let me clarify first; the model that I have isn’t mine. But when my friend showed it off, I grabbed the computer from his lap and said, “This is what I wanted the EEE to be.” Seriously.

So first things first; what attracted me to the MSI Wind? There are two most important upgrades that you’ll notice over its predecessors – the screen and keyboard sizes. There are other upgrades as well, such as a 1.6GHz Atom processor that eliminates the freezing problems of EEE, but in the end, realizing that you can make a netbook too small is their crowning glory.

Yes, I like the MSI Wind mini-notebook because it’s larger than its peers. It’s an oxymoron, but it doesn’t mean it’s any less true.

You see, my current unit, the EEE, is just so small; it’s digitally claustrophobic! Wind is still a bit too small to have serious work-related stuff done with it, but at least in runs smoother for surfing. It’s perfect for those who like to lie down in their bed while surfing.

I cannot stress this enough; the performance really is quite speedy. As long as you don’t multitask, there will be no problems with loading. And even then, I never felt like the system was dragging its feet. I’m sure you’ve encountered slower units. I know I have.

If I have a complaint about the Wind, it’s the unit’s apparent (lack of) battery life. When my friend lent it to me, I tested it thoroughly with Wi-Fi browsing, ¾ bright screen, and an IM program running. I only got to use it for an hour and a half before it died. Of course, it’s pretty easy to purchase an upgrade to a 6-sell for 3 hours of power. But then again, that would also increase its weight.

The Asus EEE PC 700 has been with us at home since its launch. And while it’s true that no one can disagree with the system’s unbeatable size, users should know that, two years on, this unit is simply the dinosaur amongst the various other netbooks now out on the market.

Let’s start with the screen. Everybody knows that the 7” screen is small – but really, when working with computers, you really can get too small. When my friends borrow the EEE, I watch as the screen slowly moves closer and closer to their face. It’s almost like their wearing the laptop like video goggles. Other manufacturers have wisely avoided this by making screens that are about 10” diagonally. Now that’s small without being problematic.

With regards to the system, the truth is that it’s not that stable to work on. Even without multitasking programs, it often freezes up when just going through the dashboard. Running OpenOffice applications can turn out to be a hit/miss process, too. Of course, it’s easy to reboot, but I’m sure that everyone would rather not go through the trouble.

One of the biggest annoyances, by far, has something to do with the system’s less-than-optimal Wi-Fi. The very concept of a netbook is supposed to be a web-surfing machine, the trusty companion that you have while cradling an expensive espresso drink. Unfortunately, the EEE has a lot of trouble finding hotspots. Usually, you end up trying to detect several times before you finally pick up the signal. It’s not too much of a problem if you have patience, but I am not a patient man.

In conclusion, am I saying that the EEE is a “don’t buy”? More and more everyday, I find myself thinking that I should have held on to that $400 until the other companies have released one of the better netbooks. At the very least, I should have waited for the more recent EEE models which sport better batteries, better hard disk space, and ultimately, a better experience.