But netbooks have found a niche in the market and that market is rapidly growing. In fact, as we slowly leave the clutches of the global economic downturn, it is noteworthy that netbooks have more than withstood the recession. They dominated the laptop market.

Netbooks are bare counterparts of laptops and notebooks. They are very cheap but they cover the essentials like wireless connectivity and basic mobile computing features. Though they are not desktop replacement laptops nor gaming or video editing devices, the general public has found its values to be satisfactory.

The Asus Eee PC is largely credited as the pioneer in this niche. But, much has happened since the Eee PC invaded the market in 2007. Every significant manufacturer now has its own netbook to offer to the public. And, for this reason we came up with what we think are the top 5 netbooks for 2009.

5. Asus Eee PC 901

The Asus Eee PC 901 features a nice 8.9-inch display with 1024 x 600 resolution. A 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor is at its core and it has 1 GB of RAM (DDR2). The Eee PC 901 features 802.11n Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth. There are also three USB ports, integrated Ethernet, a webcam and stereo speakers.

The Asus Eee PC 901 offers snappy performance and great battery life. It is a budget notebook with features found in its more expensive counterparts. We certainly like its gesture-compatible mouse controls and the availability of 802.11n Wi-Fi.

4. The Acer Aspire One D150

The Acer Aspire One D150 is an improved version of the original Acer Aspire One. The D150 comes with a 10-inch screen – an improvement from the original 9-inch offering. It has the customary Intel Atom N270 processor at 1.6 GHz with 1 GB of RAM. Disk space is at 160 GB and operating system is Windows XP.

We like the Acer Aspire One D150 because it has the features offered by other netbooks at a relatively lower price. The build quality is good, the internal memory is expandable, the 10-inch screen is more than adequate for a netbook and the processing speed is faster than we had expected. There’s a reason why it is one of the best selling netbooks around – because it works well.

3. The Asus Eee PC 1000HE

The Asus Eee PC 1000HE is run by an Intel Atom 280 processor at 1.6 GHz, with 1 GB of RAM and a 160 GB of storage. A 6-cell battery keeps it on and running up to 9.5-hours. Keyboard is 92 percent near full size and it has a 10.5-inch LED-backlit display. Also offered are three USB ports, a webcam, a 4-in-1 card reader and Ethernet and WiFi connectivity.

What we like about the Asus Eee PC 1000HE is its price, its build quality and the ease by which it can be upgraded. The easy-access panels are well thought out and we love the Super Hybrid Engine feature, which allows one to choose combinations of speed and battery life. The 1000HE does not pretend to be what it’s not; it is still a netbook and a great one at that.

2. HP Mini-Note 2140

The HP Mini-Note 2140 is targeted for the business user. It is built around a solid aluminum/magnesium alloy chassis and is certainly built to withstand the regular abuse of mobile computing. Standard features include an Intel Atom 270 processor (1.6GHz), 1 GB of RAM (can be upgraded to 2 GB), a 160 GB of disk space, an 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and a 10.1-inch display. Keyboard is 92 percent of regular-sized keyboards.

The HP Mini-Note 2140 is in our list of top five netbooks for 2009 for a number of reasons. We like its durable yet tasteful design. The user would find the spill-resistant keyboard comfortable to work on. The HP Mini-Note 2140 also has an accelerometer that detects when the computer is in freefall and automatically shuts off the hard drive to prevent damage. The ExpressCard slot offers fantastic expansion possibilities and there are multiple configuration options. The well-built HP Mini-Note 2140, in our eyes, is a step ahead of most of its peers.

1. Lenovo IdeaPad S12

The Lenovo IdeaPad is blessed with a 12-inch brightly-lit screen, a full-sized keyboard, and an ExpressCard slot. This netbook comes pre-loaded with Windows XP and runs up to five hours on its six-cell battery. It runs on an Atom N270 processor at 1.6 GHz, has 1 GB of RAM and a storage capacity of 160 GB.

We rated the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 as our top choice for Netbook for 2009. It is one of the very few netbooks on the market that has bravely challenged our notion of what a netbook should be. The 12-inch screen, the better typing experience, the ExpressCard slot, and, on the whole, a well-packaged product that has won great reviews among its users, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is definitely a winner. And it definitely earns our nod as the top netbook for 2009.

Related posts:

1. Top 5 Netbooks.
2. Should You buy a Netbook?
3. Lenovo IdeaPad S10 – Netbook Review

In terms of design, The Lenovo IdeaPad S10 comes in various colors to choose from without compromising build quality. The construction is mostly plastic, definitely strong enough to handle being tossed around inside a book bag or a large purse. The IdeaPad S10 is perfectly solid for a netbook of this size and weight at 2.64 lbs.

The Lenovo Idea Pad S10 is a netbook that is extremely easy when it comes to upgradeability. Unlike other similar netbooks in the market, the Lenovo Idea Pad S10 includes a convenient access panel on the back of the laptop, which allows easier access for RAM or hard drive upgrades. Getting that performance boost is always an arm’s reach.

Though compact, the keyboard in the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 is certainly large and tactile enough, most definitely less crammed than other similar netbooks in the market, supporting its matte 10.2-inch screen featuring 1024×600 display in nice and vibrant rich colors and good contrast, rendering it cozy enough for movie watching, internet browsing, or getting some work done in between. The touchpad on the IdeaPad S10 is larger than what’s found on other netbooks, and there are proper left and right click keys, very convenient. The touchpad also offers a drag-to-scroll feature.

The Lenovo Idea Pad S10 also comes with an ExpressCard slot for additional expansion alongside its 2 USB ports, which gives any user the option to add extra port or features anytime, such a standout.

The Lenovo Idea Pad S10 is available at 3-cell or 6-cell Lithium-Ion batteries. Under normal use, backlight at 50 percent and using wireless for web browsing and listening to streaming audio at normal volume levels, the new 6-cell battery can deliver up to six hours of battery life.

With its built-in Bluetooth capability, its bright screen design, ports advantage, and usability ease, the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 is a highly recommended netbook with superior features than netbooks of similar size and weight. Many users also stress on the fact of the portability option and the decent screen size along with its firm built structure and its power to run most daily tasks make it a special netbook worthy of purchase. A winning combination of mobile technology and exceptional engineering at a fantastic price. All at your fingertips.

Related posts:

1. Should You buy a Netbook?
2. Dell Vostro A860 – Netbook Review
3. Lenovo Laptops

Male with a Pink Laptop – Don’t drop your teaspoon in the pantry. He just might want to run a virus scan on you! Or he is an out right rebel, challenging everything and everyone around him.

Chick with a Pink Laptop – Should not be common in the work place as colored laptops may be considered unprofessional by some. With the pink laptop she basically communicating the following.

1. I am deliberatly down tuning the perception that I am clever to raise my bimbo factor

2. I don’t care about tech nor understand it. I just want a pretty Laptop.

3. I am fun and take life lightly.

Toshiba Laptop – Someone that seeks no thrils nor thuses. He just want to het the job done. I have seen countless auditors with Toshibas. They love them because Toshibas are just as predictable as they are. For example Toshiba Satellite P500-S8945.

Apple Mac Laptop -If you have a Mac you are most probably a Designer,Photographer or publisher of some type. Or you like offbeat stuff and swimming against the stream. Mac Users are usually trendy folks, the type of guy that can pull of a Yellow Suit at a funeral. Macsters will almost always have some other Apple electronics like the iPod. Mac users are always very passionate about Macs and will not tolerate anyone talking down on there aluminum cased babies. Example Apple 13″ MacBook Pro

HP Laptops – You are from an older generation, still placing trust in the trusty HP calculators of back in the day. You like quality and are willing to take out some extra cash to get it. You are most likely in some kind of a profession and most probably male. Example HP Envy 15.

Sony VAIO - You completely diregard the value for money optimization excersize and go staight for the best by dishing out your hard earned cash. You have money and you want to show it. You most likely drive a luxury sedan and chances are good it is a black one.

Dell Inspiron – You are after style but like most people of your generation you are a bit cash strapped and cant go for anything over R10k. So you go for, in my opinion the best value for money on the market. ( If you optimize for style ). Example Dell Inspiron Mini 10.

Netbooks – Difficult to say at the moment. Initially developed for developing countries Netbook manufacturesrs soon found out that their biggest market is the First world. So the market is still very new and not even the big computer companies are sure with all there market research dollors at their disposal. One thing I can say about netbook users is that they are cool. Like me with my Lenevo Ideapad S10.

Again, please add some more profiles in the comments below.

No related posts.

How do I identify a Netbook?

Look at the price and specs. If you see a laptop that costs a fraction of a regular laptop and is about half the size. Chances are good you are looking at a “Netty”

Processor

Netbooks usually run on the Intel Atom processor, a processor designed for low powered mobile electronics like Mobile Phones and Netbooks. Don’t try and compare performance of the Intel Atom with regular processors from Intel, you will be disappointed. Some benchmark tests reported that the Atom takes up to 3 times longer to perform the same spreadsheet calculations as the bigger Intel CPU’s.

The Atom has 2 major advantages over the Bigger Intel processors and that is it’s energy requirements. A Netbook running on the Atom wil l on average have a battery life 2 to 2.5 times that of a laptop, which makes it excellent for mobile computing.

Screen Size

Netbook screen sizes range between 7 and 12 inches and has a resultion in the area of 1024×600 wich is not to bad but don’t try hooking it up to your LCD TV or flat screen monitor.

Other Hardware

Due to the space constraints of the Netbook you wil not find all the regular stuff from a laptop. No optical drive and limited ports, again just drives home the fact that Netbooks are maschinines that is designed for the Web. All Netbooks however comes out standard with WLAN adapters. Some Netbooks even has embedded 3G but be prepared to fork out a little more for this nice feature.

Operating System

Netbooks run on Windows XP, Linux and Windows Vista but XP has proven to be the best steward of these mobile machines. The reason being that Vista’s system requirements are to heavy for the little guys and Linux just scares the daylight out of the average computer user like me.

Is the Netbook Right for you?

What makes the notebook atractive is its portability and price but I am afraid if you like 3d Games, Photo Editing or Engeneering aplications the Netbook might not be right for you, on the other hand if you just like surfing the web, chilling on Facebook and chatting on Skype, the Netbook might just be the right fit for you.

The vid below has more info on the differences between a Notebook and a Netbook.

By the way, I edited and posted this blog from my Lenovo Ideapad S10. Also check out the Lenovo Ideapad S12

Related posts:

1. Lenovo IdeaPad S10 – Netbook Review