Nice review. Toshiba makes some stylish netbooks but their higher prices (though not too high) and "me too!" hardware kind of make it difficult to pay that extra $30 over the competition. I guess including Windows XP isn't all that bad when compared to Windows 7 Starter. I don't know why manufacturers insist on using one of the two operating systems as netbooks (even the older ones with the dreaded Z5xx line of Atom processors and Intel GMA 500 graphics) are more than capable of running Windows 7 Home Premium with Aero. What is the point of using Windows 7 if they are going to take away Aero, how the OS handles RAM, and essentially "gimp" the operating system all around?
That Toshiba netbook looks pretty good though. It is probably a smart bet to buy the XP version and then pay for 7 Home Premium, that would bring it up to around the same cost as the 7 Starter edition. Too bad Toshiba didn't include a Broacom Crystal HD chip or the Nvidia ION platform, that would have put this netbook above and beyond the competition. The lack of a "true" HD screen is also a little disappointing. 1024X600 (and around there) has been the 9" and 10" screen resolution standard for a few years now. I think it is time that manfuacturers start moving beyond that and make 1366X768 the default resolution for 10"-11.6" screens. That large track pad almost makes that ~$30 price "premium" worth it but the ability to play HD videos, along with having a higher resolution screen, would have really made the Mini a must have netbook.
One thing I have to ask: was that large track pad multi-touch capable? It would be a shame if Toshiba didn't throw in a multi-touch track pad as that is really an ideal size for multi-touch netbook use.
|
Linear Mode
