• Window XP – Higher cost and more susceptible to virus’s, but also more like what they’ll use when they get older.
• Linux – A Linux laptop is cheaper, simple, and has almost no chance of getting a virus, but most likely not the operating system they’ll use when they get older.

Overall netbooks are a great choice for a child’s first laptop.  Like any piece of electronics they do require a certain level of maturity to have and the exact age your child will be ready for one depends on several factors that are outside the scope of this article.  I would suggest one of the Asus netbooks for your child’s first laptop.  You can purchase them from many online retailers and even your local Target.  Otherwise a few companies like Dell offer the mini notebook in a variety of colors which the kids will love.

Mini laptops are most notable for simply browsing the internet and creating documents on the go with most other abilities being forfeited to minimize size and weight maximize portability. The Asus Eee PC 4G priced at only $399 was one of the first devices to lead this category. Some complaints about the earlier models of MIDs are their low storage capacities (the above-mentioned Asus only has a 4GB hard drive) and that the keyboards are sometimes so small that it can be difficult for adults or for anyone with larger hands to type on. Some of the more recent models, such as the Micro-Star MSI Wind, have modified and magnified these elements (the Wind sports a 10 inch screen and an impressive 80GB hard drive) without sacrificing much as to the small size of the device as a whole.

Many of the best mini laptops are equipped with a larger, more vivid screens and a multifunction touchpads, which will allow the user to scroll, and click like a regular laptop as well as zoom in and out on a particular point with the use of finger combinations. The ultra thin, but a little on the larger scale, Apple MacBook Air makes good use of these functions. The HP 2133, intended for students and minor business use, is encased in a protective rugged metal, which is a much needed improvement from the toy-like plastic of other devices. This particular model also has an acclaimed keyboard that is large enough for the typical user and an 8.9-inch screen, but depending on specifications, it can cost from $500 up to $750, which places it into the realm of full-featured laptop PCs.

Pretty simple and limited in their abilities, mini laptops are not for everyone. If your browsing and computing needs are modest, cheap mini laptops may be just what you are looking for. There are very affordable models starting at a mere $400 and they fit perfectly right into your luggage, briefcase, or even a purse, without adding the weight or bulk of a laptop.

1. Cost – It’s at the top of everyones list when they look to purchase anything, not just a laptop. While price is often related to quality, some companies do offer superior products at a low cost, it’s just about putting in the time to find them. There average cost is around $250-$400 dollars.
2. OS – The operating system is almost as important as the hardware or brand that you choose. I won’t make you research or struggle through for this one. Get Windows XP. Windows Vista and Windows 7 look awesome, but require much better hardware to run efficiently. Windows XP does a great job and running quickly and without problem on these mini notebooks.
3. Processor – You don’t have a lot of choices when it comes to the processor on the mini notebook. You’ve got the tried and true Atom processor. Lately however the companies have been working on a new Atom processor called the Ion. If you can find a model with the new Ion processor it’s definitely worth spending a bit more to get it.
4. RAM – It’s best to get as much RAM as possible, especially with the decent decline in cost of RAM. Unfortunately most mini notebooks only allow for a maximum of 2GB’s of RAM so if you purchase a model with less, make sure you purchase some extra RAM and install it.
5. Hard Drive – You’ve got two choices for hard drives. A solid state drive or a standard laptop hard drive. You’re really looking at size versus durability. Pick the SSD if you want durability and pick the standard laptop hard drive if you need size.
6. Battery – All mini notebooks have a decent battery life, but some models, specifically the Asus 1005HA offer amazing battery life. Over 10 hours in fact. That lets you go almost an entire day before you need to search for a wall outlet to keep your laptop running.
7. Screen - You’ve got two big choices just like with the hard drive and it’s a pretty clear cut case. You’ve got a 9 and 10 inch screen to choose from. Go with the 10 inch screen. After owning both models it’s an easy choice, pick the 10 inch model.  It also might be worth looking into a touch tablet style screen.  Some of the newer Asus models have them and I was really impressed after using one.
8. Keyboard – The keyboard is directly attached to the screen size. The larger screen allows for a larger keyboard and the 10 inch keyboard is much better to type on than the 9 inch. The 10 inch screen and 10 inch keyboard go hand in hand in being to best choice for the ideal mini notebook.
9. Weight – Weight isn’t really a concern when choosing what mini notebook you want, mainly because they are all so small that they all fall into the light category. None of them exceed anywhere near 3 pounds.
10. Wireless – I don’t think you could find a mini notebook computer without wireless such as wifi, but I suppose they do exist. Instead look for the latest 802.11n models which offer a much faster and updated wireless experience compared to the now standard 802.11g which is what comes standard on most notebooks.

There you have it, ten tips to help you find the perfect mini notebook. If you find something that fits these requirements you’ll definitely be happy with your final purchase. Just remember to take your time and find the perfect model for you.

• Buy an external CD-ROM – An external CD-ROM drive is the exact same drive you would have in a desktop computer or regular laptop, but it’s put inside an external enclosure and connects to your mini computer with a USB cable.  They range in price from $30.00 – $60.00 depending on if you want it to play DVD’s, burn CD’s, etc.  It’s a small investment when you consider the convenience of having one, but along with that convenience comes the annoyance of having to carry around one more thing in your bag.  Remember we are going for portability here.  So what is your other option?

• USB Flash Drive – Now I know you are thinking; how is a flash drive going to play CD’s?  Well it’s obviously not going to, but it’s going to be an amazing substitute.  90% of the software you are going to install on your mini notebook will be downloaded from the internet.  Even Microsoft Office comes preinstalled; you just need to purchase the key.  The few times you need to install something from a CD what you can do is put the CD is any computer and plug in your flash drive, then copy the CD over quick.  Flash drives are very cheap and it can double as a backup drive.  I know it sounds like a lot of extra work, but it’s worth it to maintain the portability and save a few bucks.  In my case specifically I’m always around another computer the few times I’ve purchased something that has a CD to install so there is another computer that is very accessible.

You do always have the option of buying the external CD ROM drive and just leaving it at home because that’s when you’ll most likely need it.  That’s all there is to it!  Not having a CD ROM really isn’t that big of a problem.  It’s just something you need to be aware of so it doesn’t catch you off guard when you buy your first mini notebook.

9-inch Mini Notebook Pro’s

• Smaller – Making it much easier to throw in your bag and carry around.  1-inch doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s 1-inch bigger, which gives a larger footprint and more weight to carry around.  If you are looking for the smallest possible netbook, then the 9-inch is for you.
• Cheaper – Since the introduction of so many new 10-inch netbooks the price in the 9 inch ones has dropped.

9-inch Mini Notebook Con’s

• Keyboard Size – The keyboard on the 9-inch mini notebooks is very hard to type on.  I purchased a 9-inch when they first came out and learned to deal with the very small keyboard.  It wasn’t until I typed on a 10-inch that I really say how nice it was.
• Screen Size – The resolution is the same on both the 9 and 10-inch mini notebook computers, but the extra inch really is nice when viewing things on the 10-inch.  For those of you who are curious about resolution here is a quick visual.  Both screen sizes have a 1024×600 resolution, but the 10-inch has the extra inch to show the same exact size, which means everything will be larger in size and easier to read.

10-inch Mini Notebook Pro’s

• Keyboard – Most 10-inch netbooks now have a 92% keyboard.  That means it’s only slightly smaller that your average laptop.  I want to say the 9-inch that I have has a 83% keyboard and it’s horrible to type on.  For reference I’m 5’7” and 150lbs so I’m not a big guy and the keyboard is cramped even for me.
• Screen Size – After owning and using both the 9 and 10-inch I can honestly say that the extra 1-inch really does make a difference in the screen size.

10-inch Mini Notebook Con’s

• Price – There isn’t much getting around it, you are going to pay more for the 10-inch.  If money is really tight this is a place to save some.
• A Little Larger – While still being extremely portable, the 10-inch is a little bigger and doesn’t quite fit in those amazingly small spaces like the 9-inch can.

Hopefully this gave you some good insight into the key differences between the 9 and 10-inch netbook.  It really comes down to preference and mine ended up being the 10-inch.  Mainly because of how much easier I could type on the keyboard.   All of the  mini laptops have positives and negatives you have to personally weigh out.