Netbooks are quite new on the scene following the first one to be introduced by Asus when they launched the first Eee PC in June 2007. Asus were better known for their motherboards and with the Eee PC they turned in a different direction.
Following the release of other versions of the original 7 inch screened Eee they were then joined by companies like Acer that were now following the lead of Asus and giving the customer what they wanted: a small, easily portable laptop that can be slipped into a pocket or handbag without breaking your back or the bank.
Starting at around the £160 mark, and rising to whatever you want to pay, the average Netbook will give you the capability of browsing the internet wherever you are, collecting and sending your emails and also use any Office type applications.
They are not really suitable for playing games or watching movies due to the lack of a high end graphics card but you’ll be ok with basic games like Freecell and Suduko type games. Most do not include a CD/DVD writer (although an external writer that connects through USB can however be purchased for about £60) but music can be downloaded easily as long as you have room enough on the hard drive to store hundreds of MP3’s.
The very smallest Netbooks can be a bit tricky to use with their small screens and just as small keyboards. These are more suitable for someone with slim, nimble fingers or for children.
The length of time that a Netbook can be used out on the road should also be taken into consideration. One of the best in this respect is the Samsung NC310 with a ‘battery time’ of up to 8 hours.
Netbooks normally come with a choice of operating systems with the majority fitted with Linux or Windows XP Home. Some also come with Windows Vista but unless you have a high powered machine then it will struggle to run Vista. Because of this Microsoft will still be allowing the installation of XP on new Netbooks for the foreseeable future.
So there you have the basic facts about Netbooks. Now all you need do is buy one and you don’t need to go far. Wink, wink 
