Netbook Pros And Cons

More than likely, you've wondered just exactly what a netbook is and how it's different than a laptop. Here's the lowdown. A netbook (also called a mini-laptop, sub-notebook, or mobile Internet device) has these key features:
- Compact size and light weight: Netbooks are lighter, usually below or right around 3 pounds, and come in a smaller case than a conventional laptop. The smaller size is achieved with a smaller screen (typically 10 inches or less) and a smaller keyboard that doesn't have full-size keys. See for the image for a size comparison between a laptop and a netbook.

- Internet ready: As the name suggests, a netbook is ready to connect to the Internet. Netbooks have 802.11 wireless cards and an Ethernet jack for wired connections.

- Minimal hardware features: Unlike a full-size laptop, you won't find a DVD drive, internal modem, FireWire port, PC card slot, or more than two or three USB ports on a netbook. Netbooks also have slower processors compared to full-size laptops. All of this helps keep the costs down, which is a nice segue into the next bullet.

- Affordable: Netbooks are currently priced between $250 and $600. Many are under $400, with the average price falling on a regular basis.
When you see a netbook for the first time, you may be surprised by its size. However, don't let the toy-like appearance of the mini-laptop fool you. This is a real computer, and for the most part, it can do just about anything a normal PC can — with a few exceptions that I discuss coming up.

A netbook isn't just a cheap laptop. Its diminutive size allows you to carry it around more often and take it places where carrying a full-size laptop would be a hassle.

I want to emphasize that a netbook isn't really designed to be your primary com¬puter. Its purpose is to be a highly mobile, convenient laptop you can take just about anywhere. It's great for browsing the Web, sending e-mail, using Skype (a service for making phone calls over the Net), and other Internet-centric activities. It's also suitable for basic word processing and spreadsheet work. However, the under-powered processor (and small screen and reduced-size keyboard on some models) limits its usefulness for certain tasks, such as playing graphics-intensive games, desktop publishing, or running computationally intensive programs