Tablets are to 2010 as netbooks are to 2009; you don’t see many people lusting after mini computers as much as they covet a sleek tablet of their own. However, the number of quality tablets on the market is rather limited, and not all of them come at prices people can afford. On the other hand, netbooks still make pretty useful devices for students and writers on the go, and feature improved battery life and performance. Here are three great netbooks that will make your loved one squeal with delight when he or she unwraps it on Christmas.
The compact Toshiba Mini NB255 netbook is a stylish, portable companion with comfort-driven features. Featuring an Atom processor, 8-hour battery life, and high speed connectivity, this netbook lets you enjoy the benefits of a digital world as you move from place to place. And though it’s small enough to place in a purse or bag, you won’t have a hard time reading and viewing media on the 10.2-inch LED display, and the full-size keyboard will prevent you from making typographical errors. It’s also one of the more affordable netbooks at $279.99 on Amazon.
Acer Aspire AO533-23571 is another great choice at a great price. It’s powered by a 1.83 GHz Intel Atom N475 processor, has a 160GB SATA hard drive, and 1GB of installed DDR3 RAM. The 6-cell battery can give you up to eight hours of Internet connectivity and mobile computing, as well as long video conversations through its Crystal Eye webcam and built-in mic. Other features include a multi-gesture touchpad, the 84-key Acer Fine Tip Keyboard, and WiFi connectivity. All this for $279.99 on Amazon.
The Asus Eee PC T91SA seems like a great netbook for students. It’s got a useful feature most netbooks do not have – a screen that rotates 180 degrees into tablet mode, which can be used for presentations and viewing photos. The device is powered by an energy efficient Intel Atom Z520 processor, a touch-optimized software suite, and provides complete wireless connectivity via WiFi and Bluetooth. Battery life is a little on the short side at just 5 hours but the portable size and features make it a good investment despite this limitation. Available for $343.30 on Amazon.