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Samsung NC10 14GBK 10 2 Inch Black Netbook 6 Cell Battery

Small and incredibly functional, the Samsung NC10-14GBK netbook is a stylish alternative larger laptops when you want to stay connected and keep working but need to travel light. Weighing only 2.8 pounds, the NC10 netbook gives you the freedom to do that and more wherever you are. It incorporates a stunning 10.2-inch WSVGA SuperBright anti-glare screen and normal-size, ergonomic notebook-style keyboard that makes it easy to compose long documents on the go. And the NC10’s ultra-durable Protect-o-Edge casing can easily withstand the stresses and strains of everyday life, making this netbook the ideal companion for a mobile lifestyle.

Designed especially for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry, which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy and gives you more time away from the wall outlet–up to 6 hours with the included 6-cell battery.

It boasts a range of advanced communications technologies, including an Atheros 54g wireless LAN (802.11b/g) for fast Internet access, a 10/100 Ethernet wired LAN and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR for connecting to peripherals such as your cell phone. It also includes an integrated digital motion camera, so it’s easy to stay in touch using video-conferencing or live messaging. Other features include 1 GB or RAM, a 3-in-1 memory card reader, VGA output for external monitors, and three USB ports.

It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.

Spec Check 10.2-inch LCD screen 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor 160 GB hard drive 1 GB RAM (2 GB maximum) 54g Wi-Fi (802.11b/g) Windows XP Home (SP3) Weighs 2.8 pounds

Processor
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power–less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor–for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).

Storage
This version of the Samsung NC10 comes with a 160 GB hard disk drive (5400 RPM), which offers enough to room to hold a an extra-large digital audio library of and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data–akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.

Memory
The 1 GB of installed RAM can be expanded to a maximum of 2 GB of RAM,

Input
You won’t have to make compromises to stay productive with the NC10 netbook. The 93-percent full-size keyboard makes it easy to type no matter where you are.

Screen, Video and Audio
The 10.2-inch screen has a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and has a 220nit brightness rating. It also has an anti-glare finish for great viewing angles in all lighting conditions. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 945, which uses shared video memory with the main memory.

This notebook includes an integrated audio card with Microsoft DirectSound compatibility, and it includes two stereo speakers (1.5 watts apiece for a total of 3 watts of power).

Connectivity
This Samsung NC10 notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Atheros) that’s compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks–great for surfing at home on the couch or connecting to the Internet at hotspots around town. The Bluetooth connectivity (version 2.0 + EDR) enables you to communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones. It has a multi-in-one card reader that’s compatible with three different types of memory cards–Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC), and MultiMediaCard (MMC)–for maximum flexibility. Here’s the full list of ports and external connections:

• 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals–from digital cameras to MP3 players
• Multi-in-one card reader supports SD, SDHC, MMC
• 1 VGA monitor port
• 1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
• RJ-45 port for 10/100 Fast Ethernet connection

DVD/CD Drive
Because of its size, the Samsung NC10 does not come with an integrated optical drive, but optional CD/DVD read/write drives can be connected to the laptop via one of the three USB ports, enabling you to create your music mixes, burn movies to DVD, and more.

What’s in the Box
This package contains the Samsung NC10 netbook PC, rechargeable 6-cell lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Awesome little netbook
Perfect graduation gift. It comes with us everywhere we go. VERY compact, great picture quality, sound is better than expected based on reviews. Perfect for note taking in class, surfing on trips where WiFi is available, etc.

5 Stars samsun NC10-14
I read all the other reviews before I bought and cannot say any more about it, except that all the 100+ reviews where right.Fantastic screen is on top of my list. Excellent, one limitation, but that not what I bought it for. I love to edit video and make slide shows. This is NOT the computer for that. The video card can’t keep up the show presentation. To many jumps, hesitations etc. But thats something I should have realized, since I spend top dollars to install a gamers video card on my home computer. Bottom line, the NC 10-14 is great.KAH

4 Stars Samsung NC10
Very, very nice netbook. My wife loves it. One problem which it, which apparently many people have (and I have too) is the wireless card. It is erratic and I have to restart and repair my wireless networks every so often. The problem I see with it is that if it is called a netbook, then why won’t it stay connected? One thing I did for problem was to apply all Microsoft updates and that seems to have cured the problem.

4 Stars Few Questions
Samsung NC10-11GP 10.2-Inch Pink Netbook – 6 Cell Battery

Does this come with English/Korean keyboard like the picture?? Also does it have wirelessin it??

3 Stars Not that great for the price…
Our average is having 3-4 computers/laptops at a time because we need them for work. We have two old/1st generation macbooks (quite heavy) and needed something easy to carry around. We have a quite good knowledge about computers, read many reviews, and became fascinated about the NC-10, which is a kind of “mystery” computer that is not sold in electronics stores (at least around here).

The screen is the best but does not support full HD (as the HP), which is bad because we cannot connect it to our flat screen TV to watch movies from Netflix. The mouse pad is way to small!!! The keyboard is as hard as the mouse keys… Construction seems sturdy but it does not matter much because Amazon packing was a joke and is a miracle that the computer arrived working.

It seems that we have to pay 15% of restocking fee to return it then the solution is pray to God to make it worth $399 on a $329 worth netbook (same as the Accer).

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MSI Wind U120 001US 10 Inch Gray Netbook 6 Cell Battery

The Wind, an acronym for “Wi-Fi Network Device,” features a speedy and energy-efficient Intel Atom 1.6GHz Processor to provide longer operation hours and better mobile lifestyle. This notebook, or “netbook” is lightweight and ultra-portable, measuring about 7 inches wide by 10.23 inches long, and weighing just 2.6 pounds. Being small doesn’t mean ultra-small keyboard, the Wind features an ergonomically designed keyboard that is only 20% smaller than a full sized notebook keyboard, with keys spaced a comfortable 0.68 inches apart. The Wind comes equipped with a 10″ backlit LED screen that provides superior color quality and brightness giving you better comfort while reading reports, watching online videos and viewing photos. In addition, the 1024 x 600 screen resolution can fully display web pages, which makes it ideal for Internet browsing. With the 802.11b/g/n wireless built-in, you can enjoy the convenience of accessing the Internet anywhere and video chat with family and friends with the built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and microphone. With the Wind notebook weighting less than 3 pounds, makes it a great second computer to use at school, work and to take on vacations. 10 WSVGA (1024 x 600) LED Backlit Display Two internal Speakers Built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and Microphone Facial Recognition Software for Security Built-in 802.11b/g Wireless 10/100 Ethernet LAN 4-in-1 Card Reader – SD, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone out; Microphone-in, VGA, RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions – 10.23 (L) x 7.08 (D) x 1.24 (H) Approximate Unit Weight – 2.3 Pounds

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars MSI U120 wind
Seems to be a very nice little computer. I use it mostly for email and web surfing and it is fine for that. Note that the 1G memory is not expandable. The keyboard is large enough that it doesn’t feel cramped. The speakers are terrible, so if you want to listen to music (or anything else) plan to use earphones. It is a little difficult to open the lid, and when fully open the computer tends to be top-heavy – it’s easy to tip backward – a minor inconvenience, IMO.

4 Stars Great Value
Very happy with the size, style, and performance of the Wind. For the price, I believe it is the best deal out there.

Positives- Great display, Good spacing on the keyboard, very lightweight, seems to have 5 hours of battery life, comes with sleeve case, has attractive design, very fast boot up, comes with XP not Vista, built in camera with face recognition software (pretty cool)

Negatives- mousepad could be better (click tabs not the best and pad not the most responsive, tends to fall backward if not sat on level surface with screen in back position, can’t upgrade ram but don’t think you really need it anyway

Overall a great computer, have gotten many complements on it. If you’re looking for a cheap netbook that doesn’t seem cheap, this is it. Have and would recommend to friends.

2 Stars Bad battery and hard to set up wireless connections.
Bought this item to replace our Dell 700 (as a travel computer) and was very disappointed. It took us a long time to connect to our wireless at our own house. Then we brought it with us along with the Dell 700 to Europe for a three week trip. (the Dell was brought with us a gift to someone else). The battery worked for 5 days after that it was dead and refused to take a charge. It was almost impossible to get the wireless to work, while our old Dell was up and running in no time. Maybe we just got a bad unit, but it’s going back to Amazon for a refund.

4 Stars Sorta Good, Sorta Bad
Fan is making some loud noises, I guess this is common. Only solution is to return or void warranty to fix.

3g is suppose to be built in, I can’t seem to get it working.

5 Stars The System that turns heads!
I am so proud of my new MSI Wind U120-024US (Black & Whie 2-toned color) model! I have see some complaints from others of a loud fan. Not on my unit. It sounds normal and when I use headphones for music and movies, the fan is unnoticeable. Some said it lacked a user-manual. Well, I’m all for saving trees and I hope a lot of us are. The walk-through on the 1st system boot up was easy & straigtforward. Then the User Manual had an icon right on the desktop. So those who had to visit the MSI website were just wasting time. However, I found the cam turn-on & set up confusing. But when I clicked the “help” button, the site it launched me to was helpful on the first try. The keyboard is comfortable, and everything works great as expected.

The faults I find on this system are common among most netbooks. Namely: the right and left mouse click buttons require a lot of pressure and don’t always respond right. That’s why I usually use a portable mouse. It ships with XP and 1 GB of memory (max) which is adequate for the uses it was made for.

I love this machine and recommend it to everyone shopping for a netbook!

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MSI Wind U100 001US 10 Inch Pink Netbook 6 Cell Battery

The Wind, an acronym for Wi-Fi Network Device,” features a speedy and energy-efficient Intel Atom 1.6GHz Processor to provide longer operation hours and better mobile lifestyle. This notebook is lightweight and ultra-portable, measuring about 7 inches wide by 10.23 inches long, and weighing just 2.6 pounds. Being small doesn’t mean ultra-small keyboard, the Wind features an ergonomically designed keyboard that is only 20% smaller than a full sized notebook keyboard, with keys spaced a comfortable 0.68 inches apart. The Wind comes equipped with a 10″ backlit LED screen that provides superior color quality and brightness giving you better comfort while reading reports, watching online videos and viewing photos. In addition, the 1024 x 600 screen resolution can fully display web pages, which makes it ideal for Internet browsing. With the 802.11b/g/n wireless built-in, you can enjoy the convenience of accessing the Internet anywhere and video chat with family and friends with the built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and microphone. Another wireless feature that comes with the Wind is Bluetooth, this enables you to wireless connect to headphones, or other Bluetooth devices making it more convenient by not carrying around a bunch of tangled cords. With the Wind notebook weighting less than 3 pounds, makes it a great second computer to use at school, work and to take on vacations. 10 Widescreen (1024 x 600) LED Backlit Display Built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and Microphone Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Two internal Speakers Built-in 802.11b/g/n Wireless 10/100 Ethernet LAN Integrated Bluetooth 4-in-1 Card Reader – SD, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro Ports – 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone out; Microphone-in, VGA, RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions – 10.23 (L) x 7.08 (D) x 1.24 (H) Approximate Unit Weight – 2.6 Pounds

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Cute litte web surfer
I bought this specifically for web browsing. Mostly use it to check my fav websites while watching evening tv, uploading/dowloading pictures and to and from work on the bus.

4 Stars MSI Wind U100 – decent little machine
First thing that I found when I opened the package is the itty bitty laptop and the additional memory that I ordered. I STRONGLY recommend spending the extra 15 to 20 bucks to get the extra memory – it makes a massive difference in the performance of any machine.

The issue I had with the memory is that the laptot doesn’t seem to have any place to install it. The documentation doesn’t show where it goes. I found a video on Youtube showing how and where to install it. The apparent terrible thing about upgrading the memory is that it requires removing the back cover. One of the screws is covered by a security tape that says “warranty is void if tampered”.

I contacted tech support. It took two calls. Both times they answered within 5 minutes. The first call, oops, they dropped the phone and accidentally hung up on me. I got the same tech that did this on the second call. The tech support agent said that it is alright to remove the sticker to get to the screw. They have reviewed their policy and it will not void the warranty. They have stopped placing the sticker on new systems. With the cover off, I removed the sticker altogether and got the residue off with goo gone.

The tech support agent said that nothing else is user or locally serviceable. Not even the hard drive.

Next, I backed up the hard drive as delivered using Norton Ghost.

I then replaced the operating system by installing Windows Vista Ultimate to test the capability. It ran just fine. The Vista Performance rating gave it a 1 for the graphics card – or lack of.

I installed XP Pro. Office 2007 Ultimate. Joined the laptot to the domain. It is truly not a desktop replacement, but my wife likes it a lot!

I don’t know why they don’t offer XP Professional as an option for these machines. XP home is simply a broken version.

I wonder what OS these laptot manufacturers will begin shipping when Microsoft finally discontinues XP.

5 Stars great – love it!
I love this laptop! It has everything I need to surf the web and the battery has a long life. I’m especially impressed withthe keyboard, which is large for such a small computer. The heart design is very subtle.

5 Stars Great little machine!!
Originally leaning towards an HP mini I decided to go with this little one after discovering all its great features and tons of great reviews. It’s light, fast, has a great screen, the keyboard rocks, I have no problem with the mouse bar and I just love it! I drag it all over the place with me, it into the kitchen rather than printing a recipe and it worked like a charm, into the family room to surf, outside to work, everywhere – battery lasts forever and it doesn’t get hot like my Thinkpad I use for work.

5 Stars Portable Wind Netbook from MSI
Excellent product very happy with it, bought it for my wife, delighted with the product

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MSI Wind U100 451US 10 Inch White Netbook 3 Cell Battery

The Wind, an acronym for “Wi-Fi Network Device,” features a speedy and energy-efficient Intel Atom 1.6GHz Processor to provide longer operation hours and better mobile lifestyle. This notebook, or “netbook” is lightweight and ultra-portable, measuring about 7 inches wide by 10.23 inches long, and weighing just 2.6 pounds. Being small doesn’t mean ultra-small keyboard, the Wind features an ergonomically designed keyboard that is only 20% smaller than a full sized notebook keyboard, with keys spaced a comfortable 0.68 inches apart. The Wind comes equipped with a 10″ backlit LED screen that provides superior color quality and brightness giving you better comfort while reading reports, watching online videos and viewing photos. In addition, the 1024 x 600 screen resolution can fully display web pages, which makes it ideal for Internet browsing. With the 802.11b/g/n wireless built-in, you can enjoy the convenience of accessing the Internet anywhere and video chat with family and friends with the built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and microphone. With the Wind notebook weighting less than 3 pounds, makes it a great second computer to use at school, work and to take on vacations. 10 WSVGA (1024 x 600) LED Backlit Display Two internal Speakers Built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and Microphone Built-in 802.11b/g Wireless 10/100 Ethernet LAN 4-in-1 Card Reader – SD, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone out; Microphone-in, VGA, RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions – 10.23 (L) x 7.08 (D) x 1.24 (H) Approximate Unit Weight – 2.3 Pounds

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Review of MSI Wind Netbook
I ordered the MSI Wind because of recommendations from Leo Laporte on TWIT. I sold my Dell Laptop with Vista installed. MSI come with XP installed because Vista is too much of a hog to run in a netbook. I loaded the new Windows 7 into it and it runs great. The MSI Wind Netbook is a good choice for a small computer

5 Stars A small wonder
This little netbook has every thing I want. Hook it up with regular size keyboard, mouse, stereo receiver system, external DVD burner and a 19″ monitor running on AC, it becomes a very useful desktop. It even shares a same xD card with my Fuji camera via the 4-in-1 card reader. It gets every function of FFD drive and more. The built-in 10″ LCD is bright and vivid if one does not mind its small size. The built-in webcam works well with internet phone; Skype. The steaming video is smooth and the audio is clear throughout the call. 24% over clock is stable, but I don’t have a need for that at the moment. CPU and hard drive are running cool, and I can barely hear the fan noise. Bought it from J&R with free shipping and tax at a bargain price. J&R’s online specification of this netbook mis-states the hard drive size as 120 MB instead of 160 MB. I cannot open the back cover of the netbook myself without voiding the warranty. This is the only con I can think of.

5 Stars I’m Stoked !!!!
I haven’t had a new computer in 9 years, so I bought a regular laptop to replace the old one and I bought this NETBOOK so I could be more mobile.

WOW, I just love all the new technology and this little computer has it all. I just recently started using WIFI and I just love it..I can also do some SKYPE-ING with friends in Bangkok and all over the world !! Is technology fabulous or what?

It has plenty of juice for my needs and I can run my astrological software easily and the few other software programs I use. There is plenty of space for all my needs and the screen is crystal clear…It is light as a feather and I can carry it around with me everywhere.

I can’t imagine a better system or a better buy. I highly recommend it for all your mobile needs…

5 Stars Best price and high quality
This is a great little netbook. I would recommend to all. I ended up using this for more than just checking email. If you are running high graphics programs or the like, get the ram upgrade (just like any other computer).

3 Stars Good laptop, back touchpad scrolling
Over all I like the build quality and the value I get for the price.

The biggest thing I disliked, and no one has mentioned here is the touch pad scrolling. MSI didn’t want to license the right side scroll on the touchpad from Synaptics, so they chose a different touchpad vendor, who implements the scrolling differently, by assigning two areas on top right and bottom right corners to scroll up and down. These two areas are basically like two buttons, you don’t actually drag your finger on the touchpad, you just touch the scroll areas to scroll, and hold it for continuous (kinda choppy) scroll. It’s no where near as intuitive, predictable, and responsive as Synaptics touchpad’s side scroll, where one can control the scroll speed/amount pretty accurately by varying the scrolling gesture. I ended up using arrows more often, and having to move back and forth between the touchpad and the arrow keys, while not a big inconvenience, is definitely much more tedious.

Given the small screen and especially the small height of a netbook screen, scrolling up/down is needed a lot, I think MSI really made a bad cost saving choice here. There is also no horizontal scroll on the MSI touch pad, but it’s not a big deal for me.

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MSI Wind U100 432US 10 Inch Netbook 1 6 GHz Intel Atom Processor 1 GB RAM 160 GB Hard Drive XP Home 6 Cell Battery Black

The Wind, an acronym for Wi-Fi Network Device,” features a speedy and energy-efficient Intel Atom 1.6GHz Processor to provide longer operation hours and better mobile lifestyle. This notebook is lightweight and ultra-portable, measuring about 7 inches wide by 10.23 inches long, and weighing just 2.6 pounds. Being small doesn’t mean ultra-small keyboard, the Wind features an ergonomically designed keyboard that is only 20% smaller than a full sized notebook keyboard, with keys spaced a comfortable 0.68 inches apart. The Wind comes equipped with a 10″ backlit LED screen that provides superior color quality and brightness giving you better comfort while reading reports, watching online videos and viewing photos. In addition, the 1024 x 600 screen resolution can fully display web pages, which makes it ideal for Internet browsing. With the 802.11b/g/n wireless built-in, you can enjoy the convenience of accessing the Internet anywhere and video chat with family and friends with the built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and microphone. Another wireless feature that comes with the Wind is Bluetooth, this enables you to wireless connect to headphones, or other Bluetooth devices making it more convenient by not carrying around a bunch of tangled cords. With the Wind notebook weighting less than 3 pounds, makes it a great second computer to use at school, work and to take on vacations. 10 WSVGA (1024 x 600) LED Backlit Display Two internal Speakers Built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and Microphone Built-in 802.11b/g/n Wireless 10/100 Ethernet LAN Integrated Bluetooth 4-in-1 Card Reader – SD, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone out; Microphone-in, VGA, RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions – 10.23 (L) x 7.08 (D) x 1.24 (H) Approximate Unit Weight – 2.6 Pounds

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great Netbook
Hadn’t thought about something this small until a friend bought one. Decided this was what we needed to save our marriage (wife was always on my laptop). So, she now has this “cute laptop” (her words, not mine).

Haven’t really found any negatives to it. Added a Logitech TrackMan Wheel for her to use. Plan to add Office 2003 to it so it can be more versatile. And the best part is it doesn’t run on Vista!!

We recently took an 8 hour trip and it kept her and another friend occupied playing Spider Solitaire on it (significantly reducing the number of driver corrections need). Plan on loading a GPS program on it eliminating the need for a separate system in the car.

5 Stars Best bet!
I am not a computer Maven but have just loved this little computer. My daughter is very computer savy and I have to fight her off to get my MSI wind from her. Her laptop is loaded and very heavy so she loves to grab mine to catch up on e-mails, facebook and shopping. This is perfect for the casual computer person. The extra ram is really nice, it is a tad slow with just 1GM of Ram but nothing you can’t live with.

I have chubby fingers and don’t really have a problem with the keyboard, very user friendly. I also have bifocals and like the smaller screen. 8 inches would be too small but 10 is great.

I chose this one because it was upgradeable. It does have the sticker over the screw you need to use to add the RAM so it cancels the warrantee. But worth it to me . Not a minutes problem with this computer at all. LOVE IT!!

4 Stars Save the Wind, Dump the XP
An impressively well built device. Being a fan of the Panasonic ToughBook approach to notebooks I was surprised and favorably taken by the QC claimed to have gone into the manufacturing process. Time will tell.

LED backlit LCD screen is marvelously sharp, even for astigmatic eyes like mine.

Keyboard is solid, well thought out. Only problem I have is the Home and End keys seem to need something extra to get them to work, haven’t figured that out yet. Otherwise, you will not fatfinger too much once you get the hang. F and J key guides could have been a bit more pronounced, however. Which reminds me, most of the detailed instruction guides are not included in the box. Gotta go online and beyond the PDF file to really get the whole story.

Basic info: If you have to run XP Home in this then it will initially go online and start updating to sp3 and forward. Once that’s done with, most of the spiffy quickness you noticed out of the box summarily be lost. XP will suck up the resources of only 1 gig’s worth of RAM. Even after I inserted another gig the Intel Atom strains a bit. And that’s after optimizing XP to some degree.

So, gotta add another gig of RAM, or switch to Ubuntu. Or both. Otherwise, be content with a convenient and pretty damn good little unit hobbled with a piggy OS.

1 Star MSI NETBOOK RETURNED
I RETURNED THE MSI NETBOOK BECAUSE I COULD NOT LINK IT TO MY DSL WIRELESS MODEM. I FOUND THAT THE DOCUMENTATION SUPPLIED WITH THE MSI NETBOOK WERE SO GENERAL THAT THEY WAS NO HELP. WEB SUPPORT FOR THE MSI NETBOOK WAS UNRESPONSIVE. I THEREFOR, RETURNED THE MACHINE. AMAZON MADE THE RETURN VERY EASY.

4 Stars Good value, excellent functionality….some nitpicks
I’ve had high regard for MSI’s motherboards in home-built PC builds for many years. With many options in the current netbook market, quality of the motherboard is an obvious key ingredient in the longterm overall quality of a netbook.

While shopping, I considered the cheaper Linux/SSD netbook offerings. In the end, a houseful of Windows machines drove me to the familiarity of XP and the generous 160 GB capacity of this machine’s standard 2.5″ magnetic hard drive.

First: others have commented about the keyboard. It’s about 80% the size of the one on most laptops. If you have big fingers or marginal touch typing skills…well, then prepare for some typos. This is not a negative; it’s a simple fact of life with a small form factor such as this. My only two issues with the keyboard ergonomics are these:

(1) the period , comma and question mark keys are half the size of the other keys, which takes some getting used to in an already crowded keyboard space.

(2) the “Page Down” key requires use of the “Fn” key…also takes some getting used to if you use it a lot (and I do).

The rest of the following are forgivable in view of the obvious bang for the buck on this machine, but worth being aware of:

-The MSI Wind U100has a built-in web cam, but the bundled software isn not very robust. You can save .jpg files easily enough, but (as my machine shipped) the included Windows Movie Maker locked up each time I attempted to capture moving video. MSI should have included better software for webcam video capture.

Not related to the machine itself is the difficult navigation on MSI’s support sites. Bad English, complex navigation, and the requirement to both identify the machine serial number AND mail in a form to begin warranty coverage is simply uncalled for. On the other hand, there is an active community of MSI Wind users in web forums hosted by MSI. Lots of hard core geeks running multiple operating systems and helping each other with warranty-voiding overclocking mods on their machines:-)

I added additional 1 GB RAM chip to this machine on arrival. Very easy upgrade (loosen nine screws, snap off the bottom cover, insert the RAM). It was immediately recognized at the next start up)…it’s very snappy. The shortcomings in the web site navigation above were mitigated by a rapid response (approximately 24 hours) to a web request I made. I confessed to to adding the RAM and removing the “do not tamper” screw cover sticker. They said: “Replacement of sticker is not necessary warranty will not be affected you can completely remove it if you do not like how it looks.”. Aren’t they nice!

The included .pdf user guide isn’t very useful; it’s mostly warnings and explanations of the LEDs and connectors.

When I bought this netbook, I also purchased an 8X DVDrw Ext USB Drive Red (mostly to be able to load software from CD or DVD sources).

This machine is light, fast and very capable with long battery life. The important hardware (processor, memory and hard drive) is robust. The minor issues above keep this from being a “5″…but buy with confidence once you are aware of them.

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