In the past few years, we have seen laptops become more portable and folks adopting a mobile way of life. People are now spending more time on on their mobile phones and are going after more portable laptops and gadgets. Top PC companies realized this trend and addressed it with ultimate mobile PCs (UMPC) and netbooks. While UMPCs did not have the success that some anticipated, netbooks are going strong. In fact, they are gaining ground even in these tough economic times.

Netbooks are highly portable laptops. They are designed for folks who live a mobile way of life. If you are a traveling businessman or a college student, you can get your work done on your portable PC without having to carry around a device that weighs 4 to 6 pounds. Many companies have already launched their ultra mobile laptops and more are on the way. So if you are looking for a good mobile PC, you should due your diligence to find one that gives you the biggest bang for the buck.

These mobile PCs come with all kinds of features. But at the end of the day, you should compare netbooks based on the following:

Power: these computers may be small, but that doesn’t mean you should settle for slower CPUs. Currently, top netbooks come with CPUs as fast as 1.66 GHZ. You want to make sure you buy one that provides you with enough power to get your work done. Portability: your mobile laptop could weigh anything from 2 pounds to about 5 pounds. If you want a highly portable PC, you should do your homework and avoid the heavier ones. Battery Life: some of these laptops come with only a few hours in battery life. The top netbooks can go for 8 to 15 hours on a single charge. Display: I don’t know about you, but I don’t like 7″ screens. It’s just too small. Your taste could be different, but you want to make sure you know the dimensions before buying a new machine.

Netbooks are highly affordable. That is why they are so popular in the consumer and business market. If you are looking for a device that is highly portable and yet powerful at the same time, you should consider getting one of these.

By: Panah C Rad

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Read Reviews of the Mini Laptops Available

When the ECS G10IL entered the scene, it was considered a threat to others in the same weight and size segment. The ECS G10IL had a screen size of 11 inches but it was priced nearly the same as those with 9-inch screens.

Moreover, the ECS G10IL allows for better connectivity. Asus has set the trend for small-sized netbooks that permit users to lug around their devices without some neck or shoulder strain for carrying too much weight or having to worry about running out of power. The ECS G10IL is lighter than most netbooks at about 3 pounds. However, it should be noted that there are lighter netbooks currently available.

The ECS G10IL has an elegant style that we think many users would find appealing. It appears to be sturdy too, lessening our worries that it would be damaged with the slightest bump. It doesn’t have sharp edges and its keyboard allows for comfort in typing. Its three USB ports are on the right side and it also has a reader for Secure Digital Secure Digital High Capacity cards, MMC and MS.

If connectivity is one of the criteria that you most value, then you’d consider the ECS G10IL to be an excellent find. Aside from allowing for broadband connection, the netbook also has Super-3G broadband technologies — a built-in mobile tri-band High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA). This means that downloads can be achieved at a speed of up to 7.2Mb/s for the HSDPA and 2Mb/s for the HSUPA.

The ECS G10IL also comes with Ethernet networking, a 56 kbps analog modem, WLAN and Bluetooth connection.

Specifications

Central Processing Unit – Intel Atom N270 1.6Ghz (aka “Diamondville”)

Chipset – Intel 945 GSE, ICH7M

Operating System – Windows XP or Linux

Read Access Memory – on slot SODIMM 200-pin DDR2 533/667, up to 2GB

Screen Size – 8.9 inches or 10.2 inches 1024 x 600 pixels

Ports – Three USB 2.0 slots, 4-in-1 Card Reader, VGA out

Web cam – 1.3 mega pixel Charge Couple Device

Storage – Hard disk drive or Solid state drive

Battery – 4 / 6 cell

Dimensions – 259 x 180 x 28.5 (mm)

Pros

We applaud the ECS G10IL for its anticipation of the users’ connectivity requirements. And since it allows for HSDPA and HSUPA connectivity, users are assured of a better browsing experience. How the keyboard is laid out and the size and shape of the keys make touch-typing easy to do. The user has the option of installing the netbook with either the Linpus Lite 9.4 version of Linux or Windows XP operating systems. The ECS G10IL also has a 1.3 mega pixel camera that provides high-resolution graphics. Engaging in videoconferences through messaging systems is enhanced.

Cons

Like other netbooks, the downside is that there’s no optical drive; hence, there’s a need to have an external drive to install certain programs or applications.

Conclusion

The ECS G10IL isn’t the lightest netbook but it has other features that make it worth buying. With its sleek design, keyboard comfort, impressive Internet connectivity, and LCD screen, the average consumer will be satisfied with it. However, it doesn’t have the latest features and it won’t work well for business users.

By: J Guelas

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Read Reviews of the Mini Laptops Available

When it comes to portable computers, you have a number of options open to you. You can either go down the route of purchasing a traditional style laptop or the other choice is to purchase a mini laptop computer of which there are a number available. Just like the normal laptop, you will find that there are very few if any drawbacks to using one and it could often be a far better option to take.

So what reasons are there for you to consider purchasing one of the many mini laptop computers or mini notebooks now available? Below we take a look at some of the reasons for owning this type of machine.

1. The most obvious reason to own this type of computer is that they are very light weight due to their compact size. In most cases, they tend to weigh no more than 2lbs and can easily fit into a briefcase or handbag or their own special carry case. These can be carried anywhere and, if traveling a lot, will not take up any of your luggage allowance that is allowed to be taken on board a flight.

2. Another reason for purchasing a mini laptop computer over the much larger versions is the cost. A mini notebook computer has many of the same capabilities as its larger cousin but on average you would expect to pay around $200 to $500 for one of these compared to around $600 to $1500 for the standard laptop computer.

3. These computers tend to come with a great many features that you won’t find on a great many hand held devices. They often have 3 USB ports along with them being internet enabled as they are fitted with a wireless device to connect directly to it.

Also these machines have extremely powerful processors along with a lot more memory and will have good quality operating systems installed and good quality graphics hardware. Many of these machines have features which allow you to connect flash and memory cards to them quickly and easily. Plus you will find that these mini notebook computers are much more flexible when there is a need to upgrade the operating systems or hardware on them.

4. Just as with traditional laptops, these machines can run many different operating systems such as Mac, Linux and Ubuntu including those provided by Microsoft like Windows XP. In most cases, they come with between 512MB to 1GB of memory installed and in some cases there is the option to increase this further to 1.5GB. The hard drives on these machines on average have been 60 and 80GB of storage space available for you to use. However, there is one mini laptop computer, the Acer Aspire, that offers the use a hard drive with 160GB of storage space.

5. Finally when it comes to any mini laptop computer, they are kinder to the environment as they create a much smaller carbon footprint. This is because the batteries installed have a much longer life span and as a result, not as much energy from the batteries to power it.

By: Mark C. Taylor

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Best Mini Laptops Reviewed

Since their introduction, mini laptops have taken the laptop world by storm. They are also known as netbooks as they are highly geared for surfing the new and viewing online content. If you have ever used on of these mini laptops, it is easy to see why it has been such a phenomenon. They are very portable, affordable and extremely practical.

At the time of writing (Jan 2010), one of the latest mini laptop models in the market would be the Asus Eee 1005PE 10.1-inch netbook. It is one of the latest models in the iconic Asus Eee netbook series and one of the most exciting netbook models yet! No mini laptop reviews will be complete without mentioning the 1005PE. Generally, the Asus 1005PE is almost identical to the older (and very successful) 1005HA model except for several upgrades.

First of all, it comes with the new Intel Atom N450 processor (1.66Ghz). Compared to other netbook models, the Asus Eee 1005PE has one of the widest ranges of features. It comes with Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11b/g/n wi-fi connectivity, a multi-touch track pad, stereo speakers, and the Windows 7 Starter OS. This model now also comes with a longer battery life. The battery on the Asus Eee 1005PE can last up to a mind-boggling 14 hours on one full charge. Despite the upgrades, the Asus Eee 1005PE remains very well priced. It is currently selling at around $379 per unit.

Another of my favorite netbook models would have to be the Toshiba Mini laptop. This netbook is also a staple in any mini laptop reviews. It has a set of great specs/features, a sleek design and a comfortable keyboard. I am also a sucker for Toshiba laptops (they are very reliable and durable) as with many, so I am sure that the Toshiba brand alone would be enough to propel the sales of the Toshiba Mini. If you would like to get something cheaper, you can consider the Acer Aspire One or Dell Mini netbook. These two models are considered as ‘entry-level’ netbooks.

By: Troy Richards

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Read Reviews of the Mini Laptops Available

Specifications: When I think of Toshiba, I think of reliability and durability. For a while now, I have always wondered why it has yet to enter the netbook market. Toshiba fans will be delighted to know that it has recently released the Toshiba Mini NB205 netbook. It is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 processor and 1GB of RAM (upgradeable to 2GB). For storage, it comes with a 160GB hard drive. For connectivity, it is wi-fi (802.11b/g) and Bluetooth 2.1 enabled.

Design: The design of the new Toshiba Mini NB205 netbook would have to be one of its biggest selling points. It sports a professional/serious look. This model measures at 10.4 x 7.6 x 2.9 inches and weighs at just 2.9 pounds. The external casing of this model has a matte surface as opposed to a glossy fingerprint-magnet surface. This is a refreshing change of design among the other popular netbook models in the market. Generally it has a pretty slim and sleek design. The only thing that bugs me is the protruding 6-cell battery on the back. The thick frame/bezel around the screen is also a little distracting. This model is available in a variety of colors.

Features & Performance: Typing on the Toshiba Mini NB205 netbook takes a little time to get used to, but once you get the hang on it, it feels pretty comfortable to type on. The mouse track pad was also very spacious with huge click buttons. Toshiba claims that the netbook can last up to 9 hours on one charge. The last time I used it without plugging in the power point, it lasted about 7 hours, which was pretty impressive. This netbook was quite speedy. The audio quality from its speakers was only mediocre. Despite its flaws, the Toshiba Mini NB205 netbook is all in all a pretty decent netbook and may prove to be a formidable competitor to other popular models in the market.

By: Troy Richards

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Best Mini Laptops Reviewed

Today most netbooks are the same in their basic setup, including the 1GB of RAM, and Windows XP. The only notable differences among netbook configurations are the drives – the solid-state drive and the large capacity spinning drive and the keyboard layout. Screen sizes are even becoming more standardized at 9-10inches. It seems the only one breaking the technology mold these days is the Asus N10.

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