Samsung netbooks offer great aesthetics but they are priced way too high. I am a firm believer that $399 should be the maximum price for netbooks as they are companion PCs. Most everyone who is purchasing a netbook already has a primary notebook or desktop unit and just want a secondary, inexpensive computer for portable internet usage.
The Nvidia ION platform will be nice when it comes out here in the next few months but it is going to be priced way too high. Just to give you an idea, Lenovo has a 12" netbook with an Atom N270 processor and GMA 950 that is going for $449. No one knows how much the ION option is going to cost but it will more than likely be another $100 tacked onto the price.
Either way, expect early ION netbooks to carry a high price since the technology will be new (it won't really be new due to it basically be a re-branded Nvidia 9400M). It may take a full year before ION netbooks come down to the $300-$400 price range.
I think it is strange that netbooks are taking steps back in terms of price. There was a time when every netbook manufacturer was aiming to release $250-$300 models. Now it seems that $399 is the average price for new models from Gateway, Acer, Asus, Dell, Toshiba, HP, and Samsung.
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