Verizon hp mini Netbook

I got to test out the Verizon hp mini Netbook for a couple of weeks. If you want a nice little video review from an in-the-know techie type, check out this WSJ video. Here's the deal. It's a little laptop with a built in cellular modem. What does that mean? It means that you can get online just about anywhere. For reals, yo. You can have all of your favorite programs and software and whatever else you use on your laptop or PC. If you are near a wireless network, a wifi hotspot at McD's or Chick Fil A or Starbucks or whatever, you can use your Netbook to get online through that connection. No wifi available? That's ok! You've got the Verizon network behind you- just like in the commercials! I used the Netbook with a wifi connection and also with the Verizon connection. No issues either way. No huge waits for pages to load, no issues watching videos with a good connection. I live blogged from a party and was able to post pics on Facebook and a blog with minimal issues. The only frustration I had was watching any kind of video or streaming video on the Verizon connection in a place where the connection wasn't as strong. Could easily use Pandora (online radio) but had issues with Hulu, for example. And to give you an idea of how the Netbook looks in comparison to a regular sized laptop and how user friendly it is... some pics!

See? Regular laptop and the Netbook. Teagan? What are you doing? Oh! Checking your e-mail! It's exactly Zachy's size! (seriously- couldn't he be a total poster boy??) Big Bird? Gone all internet style? Sah-weet! More size comparison... the Netbook and my iron. The Netbook and my toilet.The Netbook and a tortilla chipWhat's this? What is hanging out next to the Netbook? Could it be?? Well, I'll be darned! You little vixen... it's my long lost love, the enV Touch! What's that? You AREN'T leaving me? You couldn't bear to break my heart? YIPPEE! Happy Birthday to MEEE! To be fair, I don't really have a use for the Netbook. I've got my enV Touch (yayayayayay!!!) that keeps me nicely connected. I have my laptop at home, my PC at work. I have easy access to the internet almost anytime I want or need it. But if I traveled frequently, I would want a Netbook. If I was on the move for my job during the day, I would want a Netbook. If I was a paid blogger whose job it was to attend events and functions and visit tourist spots around Indy (ahem, ahem... this thing on??), a Netbook would be remarkably handy. If I was a student, off to college, not wanting or needing to lug my laptop around from class to class to study group to dorm room, this is perfect because it would fit so easily into a backpack or large purse or messenger bag.

The only concern I would have is how quickly you could eat through your allowed data in a month before you start getting hit with charges for each additional... byte or whatever (sorry- soooo not a techie). Mine came with some of the allotment already eaten up and I zoomed through it and wasn't even using it every day.

So definitely a great product for someone in the market for this type of connectivity!!