The addition of integrated 3G allows for connectivity wherever you can get mobile phone signal, not yet available on competing models such as the HP Compaq mini 700 or Samsung NC10. The Acer Aspire One family has grown to include the new D150 10 inch netbook. We've decided to merge the two for the sake of rankings. The price range for new model is similarly good value to its smaller brother, significantly cheaper than the £300 odd you'd expect to pay for the very latest netbook. Despite the addition to the range, the Acer has slipped slightly down the rankings as newer and better models enter the Top Ten Mini Laptops rankings. The Asus Eee PC 901 is a truly complete netbook. It replaced Asus' earlier 9 inch models, the Eee PC 900 series introducing 6-cell batteries and Intel Atom processors as standard. Now available for FREE on contract with Orange in a variety of colours the options are vast. We consider it the best 9 inch portable mini laptop. At the time of writing, the Asus Eee PC is available for around £25 per month on Orange Pay Month Mobile Broadband.
4 in our Top Ten Mini Laptops rankings - a new entry. Overall: 4 stars - previous ranking February 09: New ranking! Samsungs low-key entry into the netbook world has been met with overwhelming sales success. The keyboard, crafted to make the letter keys larger and the number keys smaller to help with typing is almost a match for an HP netbook. Recently, O2 have partnered up with Samsung to offer a range of laptops on mobile broadband contract including the NC10. O2 offers one of the better networks, with it being the sole provider for the infamous Apple iPhone in the UK. As well as providing an excellent network, they also offer free Home Broadband for mobile broadband customers. Samsungs confidence in netbooks has become overwhelming, with the larger Samsung NC20 now available and more models unveiled and waiting in the pipeline. Not shifting from last months Top Ten Mini Laptops is the HP Compaq mini 700 which boasts the best keyboard in the netbooking world. You'd think it obvious to stretch it right to the edges woudn't you, but few mini laptops do so.
Although it does leave the trackpad a tad on the slim side, it's a much better interface than other competing models. Keeping it high in the rankings is it's price which has dropped significantly over the last few months to around £250-260, far less than the Samsung NC10. The HP Compaq mini 700 is also available on mobile broadband contract, with Orange and 3, although all in we don't find it as good value on contract as the providers other offerings. For example, on Orange you pay a fiver extra for the Compaq over the Asus Eee PC 901 for the same service - so it'll cost an extra £120 over the duration of the contract. The new Sony VAIO P Series mini laptop was unveiled at CES. Sony's new 8 inch, £849 "lifestyle pc" (Sony are vary wary to avoid the term "netbook") is less than 2cm thick and only slightly larger than an office envelope. It comes with a world of features including 3G Mobile Broadband, inbuilt GPS, Windows Vista, battery life of up to 8 hours, SSD storage of up to 128GB and amazingly weighs less than 640g!
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