Mini-Laptop: ASUS Eee PC 1001P

The mini-laptop (netbook) has saslick design, roomy keyboard, and long battery life.

At $299, not only is this netbook $50 to $100 less expensive than many mini-laptops (netbooks,) but it has stylish design and lasting more than 8 hours on a charge. For those on a tight budgets the 1001P is a very good choice.

Design
The Asus Eee PC 1001P look more expensive than its price suggests. The mini-laptop has a white lid (also available in black) with a textured checkerboard pattern of tiny concentric squares. This matte lid keep smudges at bay. The same pattern extends onto the keyboard deck, which is also white; the bezel is still a glossy black. The 10001P measures 10.3x7.0x1.4 inches and weighs at 2.8 pounds.

It has roomy keyboard and the right Shift key isn’t shrunken. The touchpad is white 2.5x1.4-inch, it has a matte surface that exhibited very little friction and also supports multitouch gestures.

Display
The Asus Eee PC 1001P’s 10.1-inch, 1024x600-pixel LED-backlit display, provides decent image quality.

Specs
The Asus Eee PC 1001P configured with the 1.66-Ghz Intel Atom N450 processor, 5,400rpm 160GB hard drive, and 1GB RAM (upgradable to 2GB). On the right side of the 1001P are a 3-in-1 memory card reader, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, and headphone and microphone jacks. On the left side are a USB 2.0 port, a VGA port, and a Kensington lock slot. A 0.3-mega pixel webcam, located above the display, provide clear- if grainy - images. If you wave hand quickly in front of the lens, you will notice little motion blur. The 1001P has an older 802.11b/g Wi-Fi card and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR. OS: Windows 7 Starter Edition.

Performance
PCMark05 = 1,384 - 82 points below of the mini-laptop category average.
Geek bench =908, which is 50 points higher than the netbooks average.

Graphics performance: 3DMark06 = 155, which falls about 70 points of the category average. But a downloaded high-definition 720p video clip played back smoothly with no hiccups.

Battery life
The 1001P’s 4400-mAh battery achieves 8 hours 23 minutes on battery test, that’s almost three hours longer than the category average.

Instant-On
ASUS’ instant-on OS, Express Gate, can be activated by pressing a button on the upper left-hand of the keyboard. On instant-on OS you have options for an instant-messaging client, online games, photos, Skype, and the Web. The 1001P booted to the OS in 8 seconds.
Softwares
ASUS provide some softwares and utilities. Most of apps are accessible through the EEE Docking bar, which is centered along the top of the desktop. There are four categories of Eee-branded software: Eee Amuse (contains entertainment options, such as game, magazine, music, TV stations, radio); Eee Sharing (contains a shortcut to E-Cam that launches comprehensive webcam software); Eee Xperience; and Eee Tools.

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Mini-Laptop: Samsung NB30

Specs. CPU: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450; RAM: 1GB (upgradable to 2GB); OS: Windows 7 Starter Edition; HDD: 160GB 5,400rpm; Display: 10.1-inch 1024x600 pixel; Graphics Card: Intel GMA 3150; Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g/n; Ports: Ethernet, headphone, Kensington Lock; microphone; VGA; 3 USB ports; 3-1 card reader; Size: 10.4x7.4x1.1 inches; Weight: 2.8 pounds.

Design. The 2.8-pound NB30 has textured surface. Aside from being easy to grip, the NB30 is also scratch-resistant. Its spill-resistant keyboard will keep liquid-induced disasters at bay. Samsung says the NB30 can withstand up to 50 ccs (about 1.7 ounces) of liquid if it is removed within 10 seconds. The 10.4 x 7.4 x 1.1 inches NB30 has island-style keyboard. It delivers a good typing experience with springy tactile feedback. The 2.5x1.6-inch touchpad is fairly large.

Performance. Samsung NB30 delivered a score of 1,313 on PCMark05, more than 100 points below the 1.440 category average. Its Geekbench score is 922 - above the netbook average (868). It took 1 minute and 14 seconds to boot into Windows 7 Starter. For graphics performance, its 3DMark06 score is 143. Compared to other Pine Trail netbooks, the graphics performance of the NB30 is only slightly below average.

Battery . The battery life of the NB30 is 6 hours and 22 minutes - only slightly above the six-cell category average. It took 2 hours and 10 minutes to fully charge the six-cell battery.

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Mini-Laptop: Asus Eee PC 1005PR

Design. The newest member of Asus’ Seashell line has the same rounded edges and slim chassis as its predecessor, 1005HA. The 1005PR is available in four colors - black, white, pink and dark blue. The 10.3x7x1.4 inches netbook adds a touch of style, making it fashionable. Compare to the average netbooks, the 1005PR is lighter, weighing just 2.4 pounds.  The 1005PR’s keyboard has island-style layout as on earlier Seashell models. Most of the keys are well-sized. The 2.5x1.5-inch pad touchpad is covered with small braille-like dots. The touchpad also supports multitouch gestures.

Display. The 10.1-inch, LED-backlit display has a resolution of 1366x768.

Performance. Powered with 1.66-GHz Atom N450 processor, the Windows 7 Starter Edition system scored 1,319 on PCMark05, more than 100 points below the category average (1.439). On Geekbench, the 1005PR scored 891 - a little higher than the netbook average (867). On 3DMark06, the score is 150. When compared to other Pine Trail systems, the 1005PR is not much difference from other systems such as Samsung N210 (153), Win U160 (163), and Del Inspiron Mini 10 (153).

Battery life. The battery is lasting for 8 hours and 45 minutes. It is better than Wind U160 (8:37), Dell Mini 10 (7:51), and six-cell category average (6:20)

Specs. CPU: Intel Atom N450 1.66-Ghz; RAM: 1GB (upgradable to 2GB); HDD: 250GB 5,400rpm; Display: 10.1-inch 1366x768 pixel; Size: 10.3x7.0x1.4 inches, 2.6 pounds; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n; Bluetooth 2.1; MS Windows 7 Starter Edition.

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MSI Ships Athlon-Powered Netbooks

Intel Atom is not the only processor for netbooks. MSI proof it by launching two netbook models - Wind 12 U230-033 and Wind 12 U230-040 - powered by AMD Athlon. Both netbooks boast 12.1 inch WXGA display capable of resolutions of up to 1,366x768 at a 16:9 aspect ratio; ATI Radion HD3200 Graphics; 2GB of RAM; 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi; three USB 2.0 ports; a 1.3MP webcam; an Ethernet port; VGA/HDMI out; audio in/out; a multicard reader and a six cell battery; and run Windows 7 Home Premium and weigh 3.3 pounds.


So what’s the difference? Wind 12 U230-033 is powered by an AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 processor and comes with a 250GB hard drive, while Wind 12 U230-040 is powered by an Athlon X2 L335 processor and a 320GB hard drive.

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Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t Tablet Netbook

Tablet; Multitouch Screen; 1.83-GHz Intel Atom N470; 2GB RAM; Instant-on OS

Design: The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t netbook weighs 2.8 pound (and measures 11x6.8x0.8-inch). By swiveling the 10.1-inch display in either direction and folding the screen back on top of the keyboard, the S10-3t become a tablet mode. Its keyboard is comfortably enough for typing. The Windows 7 netbook also offers an on-screen keyboard. The touchpad is so narrow and it had integrated buttons.

Performance: The score of PCMark05 is 1364 - slower than the netbook average although the S10-3t has 2GB of RAM (most netbooks have 1GB). You will also feel slow when interacting with touch applications. But on the plus side, the boot time was just one second longer than average at 60 seconds. On 3DMark06 test, the netbook got score of 164. It is below the average but better than S10-3 (147), Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (157) and Toshiba Mini NB305 (159).

Battery life: For continuous surfing over Wi-Fi, the 4-cell battery lasted 3 hours an 12 minutes, it is far below 8+ hours battery life of the netbook average. But you can buy the S10-3t with an 8-cell battery for $499. The 8-cell battery life is about 7 hours.

Screen: The S10-3t features 10.1-inch multitouch display (1024x600). The touchscreen accuracy improved once you use calibration tool. There is also an automatic display orientation feature. The display will change from landscape to portrait mode base on how you hold the device.

Specs: 1.83-GHz Intel Atom N470; 2GB RAM; 250GB/5,400rpm HDD; 10.1 screen; price: $649

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Mini-Laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3

Specs: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450, 1GB RAM, 160GB/5,400 rpm HDD, 10.1 inches/1024x600 display.

Price: US$ 369

Design: The Lenovo netbook has slick design with size of 10.6x6.6x1.4 inches, weighs 2.6 pounds - lighter than most netbooks. The S10-3 has an island-style keyboard and it is very comfortable. Its touchpad is fairly large (2.6x1.4 inches) but too sensitive and the buttons are somewhat stiff.

Screen: The 10.1-inch display and its resolution of 1024x600 is fine for reading text and playing video.

Instant-On: The S10-3 run version 2.0 of the SplashTop instant-on operating system.

Performance: According to LaptopMag.com, on PCMark05 performance test, its score of 1,193 is more than 270 points lower than the netbook category average. But on Geekbench test, its score of 880 is about 30 points higher than the average.

On 3DMark06 test, its score is 147, about 10 points less than similarly netbooks equipped with Intel GMA 3150 graphics card.

Battery: Its six-cell battery lasts 6 hours 55 minutes, 40 minutes longer than the netbook average for six-cell batteries.

Operating System: Windows 7 Starter Edition

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If You Plan to Buy A Netbook or Mini-Laptop

Netbooks, especially launched this year, have identical hardware specs. The netbook is powered by an Intel Atom N450 1.66-GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive, Intel's GMA 3150 graphics card, a 10.1-inch screen, three USB ports, connector for an external monitor, networking, audio, a flash card reader, and a webcam.

But if you want to buy a netbook, the things you should take into consideration are:

• The size of the keyboard and touchpad - the larger, the more comfortable.
• The battery, 3-cell or 6-cell for longer life.
• The sharpness and brightness of the screen.
• Mobile broadband connectivity; it would be more flexible if you choose USB mobile broadband modem.
• Bluetooth; this feature is important if you have some Bluetooth devices (headset, cellular phone, etc.).

The latest netbooks also come with Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition. With the version of Windows 7 you can’t share an Internet connection, connect to a domain or use any of the machines as a network bridge. You can’t change your desktop image, and it doesn’t support multiple monitors. It also doesn’t come with Windows Media Center for watching TV with an external tuner. But with the operating system you will be able to finish your work using your netbook.

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Latest Netbooks Powered by Atom N450

Many of the latest netbooks or mini-laptops are powered by Intel’s Atom N450 processor. According to testing conducted by Computerworld.com, the processor has 28% better performance compared with its predecessor, Atom N270.

The Atom N450 has 123 million transistors - more than twice the N270 - and can take advantage of 667 MHz of RAM, versus 533 MHz for N270 systems.

The processor delivers extending battery life. According to Intel, the N450 consumes 7 watts of power -- less than half the N270’s 16 watts. This not only extends battery life but also reduces the need to cool the processor.

The processor and Intel’s chipset take up 60% less space than the N270 and its chipset. This allows the N450 to be squeezed into smaller places and could lead to more creative and thinner hardware designs. According to Intel the processor will be used by 80 different devices by summertime.

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Mini-Laptop: Toshiba Mini N305-N410

Specs: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450 processor; 1GB RAM (upgradable to 2GB); 250GB, 5,400rpm HDD; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, MS Windows 7 Starter Edition; 10.5x7.6x1.2 inches, 2.8 pounds.

Port: As the other netbooks or mini-laptops, the Toshiba netbook has standard ports. The ports on the left side are VGA, Ethernet, USB, and a three-in-one memory card reader. The two more USB ports, as well as headphone and mic ports, and a lock slot, are on the right. The USB port on the left also features USB Sleep-and-Charge technology, so users can recharge connected accessories even if the system is turned off.

Design: Sleeker design than predecessor. The keyboard is sturdy and comfortable, but the function keys are quite small. The 3.1x1.6 inches of touchpad is large, easy to navigate the desktop. The right and left mouse buttons are large and easy to press.

Display: 10.1 inches, 1024x600.

Web cam: Toshiba includes a Web Camera Application for its 0.3-megapixel webcam. The utility can record video, snap still shots (in resolutions from 160x120 to 640x480), and add visual effects that border the image.

Performance: On PCMark05, the Toshiba mini N305-N410 scored 1,383. On Geekbench, it scored 925, 85 points higher than average. While its 3DMark06 score of 159 is about 70 point the netbook average. The system boot Windows 7 Starter Edition in 1 minutes and 9 seconds, which is 10 seconds longer than average.

Battery life: 8 hours and 37 minutes.

Software:

• Trialware: 60 days for Microsoft Office 2007, Norton Internet Security
• Microsoft Works, Skype
• ReelTime lets you scroll back in time to find previously opened documents and files.
• Bulletin Board lets you place photos and notes on black board in the middle of the screen.
• Toshiba’s PC Health Monitor and Eco Utility helps you manage the power consumption of your system.

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The Asus Netbook - Eee PC 1005PE - Powered by New Atom N450

Asus Eee PC 1005PE ($379) is the first netbook or mini-laptop powered by Intel’s new Atom N450 1.66-GHz processor to hit the market. Code named Pine Trail, the processor promises a 20 percent decrease in average power consumption. The new Asus netbook’s battery lasts over 10.5 hours on a charge.

• CPU: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N450; RAM: 1GB (expandable to 2GB); HDD: 250GB, 5,400 rpm; Graphics/Video Memory: Intel GMA 3150/128MB shared; Display: 10.1-inch, 1024x600-pixel LED-backlit display.
• OS: Windows 7 Starter Edition.
• Ports: On the left side, there are a USB and VGA ports, and on the right side are a-3-in-1 memory card reader, an Ethernet port, two USB ports, headphone and microphone jacks. Above the display is 1.3-mega pixel webcam.
• Performance: On PCMark05 test, the new Asus netbook score is 1.410, which is about 90 points below the category average. On Geekbench, the score is 918, which is 85 points higher than the netbook average. The score on 3DMark06 is 155, which is in line with the category average. The Intel GMA 3150 integrated graphics chip play back high-definition 720p video clip smoothly with no hiccups.
• Design: Better keyboard, easy and comfortable to type on. The touchpad measures 2.5x1.5-inch with a single mouse button, supports multitouch gestures. The 1005PE is one of the member of ASUS’ Seashell family. It measures 10.2x6.9x1.4 inches, 2.8-pound.

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The Best (Buy) Netbooks or Mini-Laptops

If you plan to buy a netbook or mini-laptop, whether for gift or yourself, here are the best netbooks listed by LaptopMag.com, CNet.com, and PCWorld.com.


LaptopMag.com has listed the five best netbooks:

1. Toshiba NB205-N330BL (best designed netbook, 250GB hard drive, nearly 9 hours battery life, Windows 7)

2. HP Mini 311 (nVidia Ion graphics card, 3G wireless, Windows 7)

3. HP Mini 5101 (attractive design, good performance)

4. Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (12-inch netbook, excellent keyboard, 6 hours battery life)

5. Asus Eee PC 1005HA (nine hours battery life, Windows XP)


CNet.com have selected the best five netbooks:

1. Asus Eee PC 1005HA

2. HP Mini 5101

3. HP Mini 311

4. Dell Inspiron Mini 10v

5. Samsung Go N310


PCWorld.com has 10 best netbooks:

1. Toshiba NB205-310 (fantastic features, long battery life)

2. Samsung Go (stylish, potentially kid-friendly)

3. Samsung N120 (better keys, better performance)

4. Asus Eee PC 1005HA (slim, good price)

5. Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (larger than average netbook)

6. HP Mini 5101 (business netbook)

7. Asus Eee PC 1008HA (smart design, great battery life)

8. Acer Aspire One 751h (good-sized netbook, miserable mouse button)

9. Samsung NP-NC20 1000MHz (wider screen, goog battery life)

10. Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (decent design)

As you see on the lists above, HP Mini 5101 and Asus Eee PC 1005HA are on the three lists. Mean while, Toshiba NB205 (LaptopMag.com and PCWorld.com, each has different type), HP Mini 311, and Lenovo IdeaPad S12 are on the two lists.

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Mini-Laptop: Samsung N140

Specs: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280, 1GB (expandable to 2GB) RAM, 250GB/5,400 rpm HDD.

Design: . The keyboard of the 10.3x7.3x1.2 inches NC140 is 93 percent of full size, it’s comfortable enough to type on. The 2.5x1.4-inch touchpad is wide enough. And a single mouse bar sits below the touchpad.

Battery: The six-cell battery lasted 6 hours and 32 minutes.

Screen: The NC140’s screen size is 10.1-inch, with resolution of 1024x600-pixel WSVGA.

Ports: The ports on the left side are Ethernet VGA, headphone, mic, and an USB. The USB is provided with power - you can charge a device on it even when the N140 is off. Users can deactivate the feature. The 3-in-1 memory card reader is located at the front of the unit. On the right side you’ll find 2 USB ports and a power port.

Performance: On Geekbench test, the N140 delivered a score of 887. This is 50 points above the average mini-laptop. Its boot time is 54 seconds, which is 3 seconds faster than the mini-laptop average.

Software: The N140 run Windows 7 Starter Edition. Applications and utilities: CyberLink You Cam (create special effect for videos and images/photos); Chargeable USB (deactivate power on one of USB ports); management utilities for resolution, display, networks, and power profiles. There are also sharewares or trialwares such as McAfee Internet Security, FailSafe, Microsoft Office 2007, and AnyPC (for remote access).

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Mini-Laptop: Acer Ferrari One 200

Is it a mini-laptop? The Acer Ferrari One 200 is not powering by Intel processor. Instead, the cool design product is using AMD Athlon X2 L310 (dual-core, 1.2GHz) processor. It specs are “higher” than most of the mini-laptops. But, indeed, the Ferrari One 200 is a mini-laptop. Acer groups it as a mini-laptop. Here are the differences (comparing to “mainstream mini-laptops“):


- Display: 11.6 inches, 1366x768 pixels (the most of mini-laptops have 1024x600 resolution).

- Graphics card: ATI Radeon HD 3200

- RAM: 4GB (DDR, 4GB max)

- HDD: 320GB

- Ports: ATI XGP connector, HDMI

- Sound system: Dolby Sound, 3G Dolby Home Theatre, stereo speaker

As the other mainstream mini-laptops, the Ferrari also features 6-cell battery, 0.3 mega pixel webcam, 3x USB ports, 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and operates Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

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Mini-Laptop-like Devices Will Run Chrome OS Next Year

• Google immediately released the Chrome OS code to the public under an open source license.
• The Chrome OS supports HTML 5 standards and accelerated JavaScript engine
• Chrome OS is based on the Linux kernel.
• Chrome OS is browser-based computing. A computer running the OS will have no local applications. User documents and other data will be saved on Web-based cloud storage. Every application is a Web application.
• Since Chrome OS applications will be Web-based, users will not need to install or maintain any software. The applications will launch more quickly.
• The Chrome OS will be more secure - according to Google - because the latest software updates and security patches would be installed automatically over the Web.
• Storing data on the Internet has advantages, users will be able to move from device to device, or even to share devices.
• According to Google, Chrome OS machine will be able to boot quickly, it takes about seven seconds.
• The Chrome OS will come preinstalled on new, mini-laptop-like devices. Google is working closely with hardware partners to produce Chrome OS-based products.
• The products will support solid-state drives (SSD) for reducing power consumption and contribute to fast startup times.
• According to Google, the devices will cost less than current Windows and Linux-based mini-laptops.

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Mini-Laptop: Nokia Booklet 3G

Pros: Great battery life, excellent design, seamless 3G connection.
Cons: Sluggish performance, expensive.

•  Specs: Intel Atom Z530 1.6GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 120GB hard drive 4,200-rpm; OS: Windows 7 Starter Edition.
• Design: Attractive design with aluminum-covered body.
• Dimension: 10.4x7.3x0.8 inches, 2.8 pounds.
• Keyboard: Keys are small and a bit stiff. But the touchpad is accurate and comfortable to use. It supports the multitouch pinch gesture for zooming in and out.
• Display: 10.1-inch and its native resolution is 1280x720. It is higher than a typical netbook’s 1024x600 screen.
• Port: 3 USB, SD card reader, SIM card slot (on the right side), 3.5-inch audio in/out jack, HDMI-out.
• Web cam: 1.3 mega pixel.
• Performance: Geekbench performace benchmark scored 787, which is about 50 points below the netbook average (101 points below the HP Mini 311). It takes 55 seconds to boot (displaying the Windows 7 Starter Edition desktop) and takes another 27 seconds to load most of the tray icons.
• Battery: 16-cell; it lasted 8 hours and 24 minutes for Web surfing via Wi-Fi (3 hours longer than the netbook average).
• Price: $599

 

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Why do you plan to buy a mini-laptop?

- You need basic computing: email, browse Internet, simple document editing/creating.
- You want to be connected (to the Net)
- You need both above anytime and anywhere.

Which mini-laptop do you need?

A. Basic configuration: Intel Atom 1.6GHz N270 processor, 1GB memory, 160GB hard disk drive, 10.1-inch screen, 802.11g Wi-Fi, Windows XP.

B. Higher-end configuration: Intel Atom 1.66GHz N280 processor, 1GB memory, 160GB 7200rpm HDD, 10.1-inch screen, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Windows 7

C. Newer configuration:

• Model 1 (better graphics performance): Intel Atom 1.66GHz N280 processor, 1GB memory, 160 hard disk drive, 11.6-inch wide screen, nVidia ION LE graphics card, 802.11g/n Wi-Fi, Windows XP. (HP Mini 311)
• Model 2 (more speed and battery life): Intel Atom N280 processor, 10.1-inch display, 160GB hard disk drive, 2MB memory, 10.5 hours battery life.
• Model 3 (more RAM and hard disk capacities): Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz, 2GB memory, 320GB hard disk drive, HDMI port, Windows 7 (iiView A2)

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Install Windows 7 on Mini-Laptop

Do you want to install Windows 7 on your mini laptop? Fortunately, Microsoft has released a utility for the installation.

The utility, Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, can create a copy of .iso file to a USB flash drive or DVD. The tool can create a bootable USB flash drive or DVD. The .exe file is 947KB, and can be downloaded from Microsoft online store.

To install Windows 7, insert the flash drive into your mini-laptop and run setup.exe from the root of the drive. But before the installation, you need to configure your mini-laptop's BIOS, so that the flash drive is on first list of boot order.

If your mini-laptop currently runs Windows XP, then you should do "clean" installation. It means, you need to back up your applications and data. And after installing the Windows 7, restore the applications and data.

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Acer AS1410: Full-fledged Laptop But at Mini-Laptop’s Price and Size

Do you plan to buy a mini-laptop? Wait and consider a latest model: Acer AS1410. It is a full-fledged laptop but with both size and price of a mini-laptop. Acer delivers it in a sleek and stylish design. According to Acer, it has relatively long battery life: six hours.

• Notice its specs: Intel Celeron SU2300 1.2Ghz processor (with a 1MB L2 cache and an 800MHz FSB); 11.4-inch widescreen (16:9; 1366x768 resolution); 2GB DDR2 memory (upgradeable to 4GB); 160GB 5400rpm (up to 250GB) hard drive; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD; HDMI out; 802.11a/b/g/n, 3 USB 2.0 ports; 6-cell battery 4400 mAh; Windows 7; one-inch-thin and 3.08 pounds; card reader; webcam; two built-in stereo speakers.
• The trackpad supports multi-touch and the keyboard is full-sized. Three color options: Diamond Black, Sapphire Blue, and Ruby Red.
• Its price starting at only $400.
• Amazon.com is displaying the model but with slightly different specs: Acer Aspire AS1410-8913 11.6-Inch Notebook. It started available on October 20th.

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Mini-Laptop: Hewlett-Packard Mini 311

HP Mini 311 is the first mini-laptop using nVidia ION LE graphics card. Mini 311 is for you who can only afford a netbook but want to play and edit high definition videos. HDMI-Out is supported natively because of the nVidia graphics card. You can plug a larger display with 1,920x1,080 resolutions. There are also VGA Out, three USB ports, nVidia's Ethernet, and 5-in-1 card reader.

- Graphics performance: On 3DMark06 (which measures graphics performance), the score is 1,386, more than 1,280 points above mini-laptop average. Mini 311 runs 720p and 1080i (24fps) movie clips well, but not 1080p (24fps) clips - there is noticeable lag. Most high end games are uplayable on the Mini 311. High-end 3D games are still best played on full-fledged laptops.

- System performance: On PCMark05, tested by LaptopMag.com, which measure overall system performance, the score was 1,917. That is almost 500 points above of the current mini-laptops average of 1,423. Boot time was 1 minute 44 seconds, it is very slow (for mini-laptop, 55 seconds is the average).

- Screen: 11.6-inch widescreen, 1,366x768 pixel

- Keyboard size 92% (of full-sized keyboard), and the touchpad is unsually wide (3.3x1.5 inches) and responsive, while the mouse buttons made these loud clicking noises.

- Connectivity: 802.11n Wi-Fi (most mini-laptop have just 802.11g) and embedded mobile broadband (will cost you extra $125).

- Battery life: 5 hours 29 minutes (MobileMark 2007 test).

- Specs: Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, 160GB/5,400 rpm HDD, 1GB RAM (upgradable to 3GB), Windows XP Home.

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Acer Offers Android Mini-Laptop

Acer announced its new mini-laptop that runs Google’s Android operating system. Actually the new mini-laptop also runs Microsoft Windows. According to Acer, users will be able to switch between the two operating systems.

The mini-laptop has been available. You can order it at Amazon.com, listed at $349.9.

The Aspire One with Android powered by Intel Atom N280 microprocessor, 1GB of DDR2 DRAM and a 160GB hard disk drive. It has a 10.1-inch screen and 6-cell battery. The mini-laptop can be booted in either Android or Windows XP Home. The Android OS takes 18 second to boot-up and shuts down in 3 second.

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