The netbook is in fashion

Do you know where to access the Internet for free? Nowadays, it is not hard to find somewhere with free Wi-Fi connection. Many colleges, shopping malls, cafes and even sports clubs have free Wi-Fi as part of their facilities.

Sometimes you may notice someone sitting in a cafe when you first arrive at a shopping center, and later see them still sitting there after you have finished shopping, dining or watching a movie.

What keeps them riveted there? It is not simply the "free" things that make them stay, but also because they have the right equipment.

You may think twice about taking a 2.5-kilogram laptop to a cafe or mall, especially if you are planning to shop and later watch a movie. But what if your laptop weighed less than one kilo and you did not have to take along another bag? You would only need to put it in your bag or carry it in your hand. Welcome to the era of the netbook.

Now it has become part of people's lifestyle, and users are not just children. And its price is not much different from a notebook.

Its weight is one of its main selling points that makes everyone covet one.

Based on GfK data, 60 percent of netbooks sold in 2008 had 8.9-inch screens, which may take getting used to for some people.

Its size also means the keyboard is significantly smaller than a regular notebook. Some manufactures make the keyboard larger than regular netbook size so that you can type more comfortably.

But it seems that a larger keyboard is not enough to increase people's comfort level, and so a 10-inch screen is starting to replace the 8.9" screen. Of course, the improvement is not only to the screen size and keyboard.

A netbook with a 10" screen most likely uses the netbook-dedicated processor Intel Atom. The storage has also improved a lot since the first generation. Now there is no reason to worry about saving any file on your netbook. More than 10 brands offer netbooks with a storage capacity of over than 100Gb.

As a result, a netbook is more than enough to browse your favorite site, blog and chat. If you only need to work on basic office tasks, such as make a presentation or write an essay, then a netbook might be enough to meet your needs with its lighter weight.

However, some of you might think that a netbook is cheaper than a regular notebook, since it was initially intended to provide children with affordable computers.

Well, perhaps you had better think again if the main reason you are planning to buy netbook is because of its price.

Prices for netbooks and notebooks are similar, with the former selling for Rp 2.5 million to Rp 8 million, while the latter starts at Rp 4 million.

Let's take a look at the features of netbooks and notebooks in the same price range.
The average price for a netbook is around Rp 5.6 million, for which you could get one with a 10" inch screen with 1G RAM, and 160 Gb storage. For slightly less, or Rp 5.2 million, you could get a 12" notebook with dual core processor with a higher speed than a netbook, 1G RAM, and 160 Gb. So it ends up that netbook is not a cheap product, but it is rather another type of computer that meets other needs.

If you want a mobile computer, then you need to decide what is more important to you. Is it the size? Or the features? And what will you use it for? A netbook is sufficient for basic tasks, plus it is light and trendy.

Of course, replacing a bulkier notebook means a few inconveniences, such as compromising due to its limited size and losing some of ergonomic comfort offered by a larger notebook. Can't decide? Then have both, one for work and one for fun.

The netbook was originally designed to help children around the world gain access to the Internet, learn more and provide them with affordable computers.