Keeping It Light

THE netbook could be considered the Honda Fit of computing: manageable in size, light of weight, handsome in an understated way, efficient and affordable.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 and 12 models come in a variety of colors and with designs by Tristan Eaton.

As far as performance goes ... well, again, light of weight.

The netbook — also known as a mini-notebook, a mobile Internet device or, as someone put it, a “laptot” — is only in its infancy this holiday season; just about a year old. Already, though, the market is crowded with these “lifestyle” companions that provide portable on-the-go communications and limited computing functionality for $500 or less. A basic laptop starts about that price, and some models can cost thousands.

Netbooks fit into the technology spectrum between pocket-sized devices like the and BlackBerry and full-size laptops or notebooks with their larger screens, more powerful processors and other features. They lack the electronic chops of their bigger siblings: forget Photoshop, gameplay or any serious video editing on a netbook. Web browsing and e-mail are their strengths, at least in these early stages.

And they are far easier to carry. is trying to push this as a totally new category, but real people see it as a way to upgrade a notebook,” said Bob O’Donnell, an analyst with IDC, a technology research company based in Framingham, Mass. “For these times, these devices are cheap. People are saying, I just use my notebook for e-mail; why don’t I just buy one of these little guys?”

Some companies have already leapt into the fray, including, Lenovo, Asus, MSI, Samsung, Sylvania and Acer. is expected to introduce a model at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

Virtually all netbooks are built around Intel’s Atom processor, a 1.6 -gigahertz chip, and use one gigabyte of RAM, or memory. MSI reportedly will introduce a netbook next year with a new processor, the Intel Atom Z530, which the company says uses less power. Nearly all have built-in U.S.B. ports, a Webcam and integrated speakers, and some can connect to a Wi-Fi network. None of the models have CD or DVD drives.

But there are differences. Some netbooks use a hard disk for storage; others use flash memory. Some support 802.11n, the latest version of Wi-Fi, while others rely on older versions of the network format. Screen size varies in these clamshell models, generally from 8.9 inches diagonal to 10 inches. And battery life differs, as do weight and other factors, among the netbooks currently for sale.