Tech Radar – 3/5 Stars

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/tablets/acer-iconia-tab-w500-936986/review

Windows 7 is great when using in the netbook configuration – but hard to use on the tablet touchscreen.

PC Pro – 3/5 Stars

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/laptops/366445/acer-iconia-tab-w500

Tablet screen throws the netbook of balance. The tablet by itself is also heavy.

IT Pro – 2/5 Stars

http://www.itpro.co.uk/632641/acer-iconia-tab-w500-review

Worst tablet they’ve seen. Expensive, short battery life and heavy. Windows 7 is hard to use in tablet mode.

In conclusion, steer well clear of this netbook. It seems to be a poor tablet bolted onto a poor keyboard.

On a separate note. If you ever need to buy or sell a used outboard, you could do worse than visiting our new outboard motor classifieds site. It’s free and always will be.

Simon

Google maps looks fantastic on this thing. Switch to street view and you can drag yourself virtually up any street – it really took our breath away.

We watched a Youtube video and checked out a few sites. The lack of flash doesn’t bode well for sites like Sky News that have loads of flash video – but it’s workable.

We still won’t be getting one though. Only being allowed to install Apple apps from the app store is too limiting. Imagine in Microsoft only allowed us to buy programs from 1 shop that have been pre-approved. Makes our blood boil the more we thing about it.

The Mini 1011 sports many of the same components as you’d expect from other netbook manufacturers. The almost obligatory 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280 processor is there, humming along with a brisk 667 MHz front-side bus, supporting a healthy 512K of L2 cache. It makes for a responsive web browsing experience, and the standard 1 GB of RAM handles all the normal tasks you’d expect in a reasonably speedy fashion. You can even expand your memory up to 2 GB, which would be a wise choice given the potential gains to be had considering how cheap RAM has gotten. On top of that, the spacious 160 GB hard drive lets you store a lot of data even for a power user.

While the keyboard is 92% the size of a full layout, it’s hardly something you’d notice, and the crisp 10.1″ screen is enough space to give you plenty of breathing room for multiple apps and windows to be open simultaneously. The Mini 1011 comes loaded with Windows 7, though any Linux distribution can be loaded easily if you prefer an open source alternative. Pound for pound, the Mini 1011 is amongst the best in its class and should make any computer user on the go quite happy in the long run.

The Toshiba T130 has 6 cell batteries by default, which give you up to 8 hours of work time, great for a netbook/notebook with such a comfortable screen to work on. The keyboard is titled at slight angle which makes it more ergonomic to use for long periods. It comes with a 13.3inch screen with full-width keyboard. All the keys are at the same place as we find in a normal key board.

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The keys in the keyboard have a slight lip, which we found comforting while touch typing. The touchpad is wide with good response and the strips below the touchpad are quite well placed.

The SU2700 processor saves a lot of energy because it comes with only single processing core. HD video plays without a problem on this netbook and its integrated Intel graphics card gives good results with 3D-intensive games. The speakers also are of good quality.

Its 13.3 inch screen comes with 1,366 x 768 pixel resolution which we found comfortable enough to use for long periods of video viewing. Its screen can slant back to 45°. It comes with an HDMI output to help you watching photos or video clips externally on  your HD TV.

Toshiba T130 netbook is a good portable mini laptop and is more than sufficient for day to day use. We’d even trade in our 15.6 inch lappy for this netbook.

Toshiba T130 netbook Specifications

• Intel Pentium SU2700 Processor
• 1.3GHz with 3 GB RAM (4 GB Max)
• 2 Memory slots
• 1.8kg in weight
• 13.3 inch screen with resolution of 1,366 x 768 pixels
• Intel GMA 4500M Graphics
• VGA, HDMI ports
• 250GB HDD
• No Optical drives
• 3 USB ports
• Bluetooth
• 1x 10/100 wired network
• Wireless networking supported
• Modem
• Supports Micro SD cards, Memory Stick Pro, MMC
• Carrying case

With such a small size and light weight, Acer Aspire 1810 is powered by Intel Pentium SU4100 processor which is based on Dual-Core technology with 1.3 GHz clock speed. When it comes to sheer processing performance, Intel processors are very dependable and reliable so they are the first choice of laptop manufacturers. The Intel Pentium SU4100 processor is an energy-proficient processor, supported by 3GB/4GB RAM which performs your daily tasks at good speed. You can even do video editing on this puppy!

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The Acer 1810 comes with varying hard drive sizes from 160Gb up to a wopping 500Gb. We don’t now why you’d need a 500Gb on a netbook though – we most store everything online.

Windows 7 is much faster than Windows Vista as it has all the features which Vista was missing. Acer Aspire 1810 netbook is fast to boot up and can perform complex tasks like photo editing without breaking a sweat. Windows 7 is also very user friendly and secure.

Most netbooks are superior in battery life. The Acer Aspire 1810 is from the Acer Timeline series which is well-known for its exceptional battery life. When fully charged, the Aspire 1810 gives up to 8 hours of performance depending on the complexity of the applications you’re running. You may not get 8 hours of video watching or game play from the machine.

Acer Aspire 1810 has 11.6 inches HD screen with resolution of 1366 x 768 pixel. It is a Widescreen TFT display with LED-Backlit which is great for watching games and playing games.

Acer Aspire 1810 is a professional performer with budget pricing. It has all the features like a full spec laptop. With a Dual core processor, it also has 8 hours battery life. It also has some excellent wireless connectivity features. All these features are packed into a stunningly slim and sexy case that would look good in any coffee shop in the country.

Acer Aspire 1810 Net book Specifications:

• Intel Pentium Dual-Core SU4100 processor
• 1.3GHz, 800Mhz, 2MB Cache
• 3GB RAM
• 250GB HDD
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
• 11.6″ HD Display with 1366 x 768 pixel resolution.
• LED-backlit widescreen TFT LCD
• Integrated Webcam
• Wireless enabled
• DVD-RW Optical Drive
• HDMI port HDCP supported
• External VGA port
• 3 USB ports
• 1.4kg Weight
• Up to 8 hours of battery life

On cursory examination the N510 doesn’t appear to be a massive departure from Samsung’s earlier efforts the NC10 and N110. The Samsung N510 sports a solid finish, with a straightfoward slimline chasis and a nice touch of detail with a chrome finish that runs around the edge of the case. But it is under-the-hood where the Samsung N510 really comes into its own.

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Compared to other netbooks on the market, the N510 is a powerhouse of computing power which is an essentialy purchase for anyone who wants their netbook to do a bit more than run office applications and send email.

Nividia’s Ion LE is not going to set the world alight when compared to hardcore desktop gaming rigs but the graphical oomph it delivers for such a small machine is truly impressive. To be clear you are not going to get full detailed anti-aliased light shows from the latest processor-hungry first-person-shooters however with some tweaking of in game settings you should be able to get a playable experience and older, less resource heavy games should run like a dream.

Another bonus for the leisure user is that the N510 packs another processor muscle to decode 1080p video – using a media player that supports hardware acceleration. And if the quality 11.6 inch display is not big enough for you, then the N510 allows you to hook it up to HDTV or project via the onboard HDMI port.

Along with all the bells and whistles the N150 does all the basics you would expect from Samsung’s range of quality netbooks. The 11.6in screen supports an impressive 1,366 x 768 resolution and has a matte finish to reduce screen glare in bright conditions. Ergonomically, the netbook is comfortable to use and has a good quality responsive keyboard and the N150′s battery clocks in at very respectable 8 hours away from the socket.

Conclusion
If you want a little more muscle from your netbook and would like to be able to play games while on-the-move then the N510 is the netbook for you. Gifted with the high quality finish and specifications you would expect from Samsung, the N510 marks a significant leap forward for the netbook market and is probably an essential purchase for gamers and gear-heads who want a little more bang for their buck.

Compare prices for the Samsung N510

Similar to the popular NC10, it features a good-looking matt-finish anti-glare screen and stylish chrome-effect edging that adds a touch of class to the netbook chasis.

However, in every other aspect the N140 is a marked improvement on its predecessor. Compared to the NC10′s 533MHz RAM the N140 sports 800MHz DDR2 RAM and its wireless card has been updated and is now 802.11n compatible.

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As well as a solid spec the N140 is also a very comfortable netbook – the keyboard is as responsive as earlier Samsung’s netbooks and while packed into a compact space is still pretty easy-on-the-fingers over prolonged use.

The biggest selling feature of the N140 is its massive 11 hour battery life which makes it an ideal travelling companion for long-haul journeys and can manage a full working day away from the socket.

Samsung N140 Specifications
1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
Microsoft Windows XP Home SP3
10.1in (1024×600) 16:9 matt LCD display
160GB 2.5in SATA HDD
1GB DDR2-800 SDRAM

Conclusion
You might be disappointed if you were looking to Samsung for a massive leap forward in the design and finish of their netbook range – but the refinements they have delivered in terms of technical specification and battery life make the N140 hard to ignore. The N140 is a high-quality utilitarian netbook that we have no reservations in recommending and is sure ot be another hit from Samsung’s already solid range of netbooks.

>> Compare prices on the Samsung N140

The netbook market at the moment is swamped by netbook manufacturers trying to claim the middle ground of the netbook market by releasing cheap netbooks with 10.1 inch screens, with 1Gb of RAM and a 160Gb of hard drive space. The only place where manufacturers are pushing boundaries in this segment of the netbook market are on the ergonomics of the keyboard, battery life and case design. Asus have tackled all three of these areas with the 1005HA.

Ergonomics
Firstly Asus have wisely used the full width of the case for the keyboard. This makes typing quicker and more comfortable for long periods. Touch-typers will love this keyboard. Underneath the keyboard is an innovative touchpad. The pad allows you to control scolling down long web pages just by dragging two fingers down the interface. It also allows pinch movements to zoom in and out of websites – much as you can with modern smartphones like the iPhone.

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See all prices for the Asus 1005HA >>

Battery Life
The 1005HA comes with 3 different types of battery – each with different usage times – so you’d best check what you’re getting before you buy. On the Asus website they quote the following battery life:

3-Cell 23Wh Li-ion Battery : 4 hours battery life
6-Cell 48Wh Li-ion Battery: 8.5 hours battery life
6-Cell 63Wh Li-ion Battery : 10.5 hours battery life

As you can see from this page. They test battery life with the screen brightness turned down and Wi-Fi off, so you can knock a couple of hours off these headline figures, but you’ll still get a decent chunk of use out of this netbook before the battery goes. We’d recommend the 6 cell version although you’ll be paying a bit more and it adds a few grams to the overall weight of the netbook.

The battery is removable, so even if you can only find a 3 cell battery version, you can always buy a 6 cell battery from Amazon later and easily slap it in – then you’ll have a backup battery.

Case Design
Asus realise that netbooks are meant to be taken out and about and to bastardise a Nick Cage line in Leaving Las Vegas “This is a netbook! And for me it’s a symbol of my individuality, and my belief… in personal freedom”. They need to look good and the Asus 1005HA fits the bill. It’s not as sleek and sexy has it’s sister the 1008HA but it has the same seashell inspired curved case, it’s very very shiny and it comes in white, black, pin and blue. As an aside pink netbooks tend to be cheaper. We wonder why…

Conclusion
We like this netbook a lot. It stands out from the crowd with its long battery life and clamshell design. We’d gladly sacrifice the size and weight to have a netbook that just keeps on working when we’re on the road. We love that fact that we can just hook this baby up via bluetooth to our mobile and tap away in the park over the 3G netbook.

Official website: http://eeepc.asus.com/global/product1005ha.html

The main differences to the basic Aspire One 531 model are:

• 64Gb solid state drive
• 2Gb of RAM
• Upgrade to Windows XP Pro

You’ll pay an extra couple of hundred pounds over the price of the regular Acer 531 for these business bells and whistles.

Compare prices on the Aspire One 531 Pro here

Get prices for the regular Acer 531 netbook

All the figures below come from manufacturers websites and have to be taken with a pinch of salt. Everyone tests battery life in different ways – usually with the screen set in dim and with webcams and bluetooth turned off. This doesn’t reflect how you’ll use the netbook – so you can knock 30 mins to an hour off most of these figures. It will give you some indication however. We’ve also added weight and screen size to the tabel below. We hope this helps you make your decision.

Most netbooks come with a 3 cell or a 6 cell battery. If you want a particular netbook because of its feature set – but the battery life sucks – you may be able to get yourself a bigger 6 cell battery. Check out Amazon or eBay.