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Netbooks are everywhere, on buses, on trains, on planes… and in the classroom. It seems the little netbook has come out of nowhere to become extremely popular overnight.

What is a netbook actually?

Netbooks are laptops having screens that measure up to 10 inches or less. They run on Linux or Windows and usually have a price of $500 or less. The main function of a netbook is to simply let the owner connect to the Internet anytime they want without much hassle.

First introduced by Asustek when it launched the first Eee PC in the fall of 2007. But it was only in the last year when we saw the explosive growth of these so-called mini-laptops. Now we have many computer companies such as HP, Dell, Lenovo… all jumping on this craze for a small portable laptop. So much so, that netbooks now is the fastest growing segment of the laptop industry and is expected to reach 139 million units by 2013.

Portability is the key for the success of the netbook. People would always want a device that they can easily bring along all day so they can have Internet access anywhere. Many of us would always want to keep in touch with love ones and the Internet has become a primary medium for this, and in return it makes netbooks popular.

The next question you have to ask: why do netbooks make for great student laptops? If the above reasons aren’t enough, try the following:

Size - Students would have to carry along their school stuff, books, notebooks and many others, additional weight is a big deal for them. Having a very handy netbook along with the other school stuff will not be a burden at all.

Portability - As mentioned above because the netbook is so small and compact, it is very portable. A very mobile device that we can use to stay connected to the web and friends. Connectability is one of the main features - you are connected to the web at all times.

Sturdiness- Netbooks are mostly tough and sturdy. They are not easily threatened by careless handling. As we all know, students are not actually the gentlest people on earth, thus, they need a tough and sturdy machine to keep up with their aggressiveness.

Battery Life - The smaller form factor especially the small screen makes the netbook a real power-saver. It is perfect for students that will be in the campus all day with no time to charge their battery.

Performance - Despite its size, netbooks do have a very impressive and competitive front to be proud of. Some models have solid-state hard drives that are very durable. Most models make use of Windows XP, which is much recommended for smaller laptops as compared to Vista.

Storage - The storage capability of netbooks nowadays are gradually increasing, however since these are just mini laptops, you cannot always expect a wide storage capability as compared to regular laptops. Normally, netbooks can only reach up to 60 GB, which is only perfect for students.

Price - One of the many reasons why netbooks are great for students is because the price is very affordable. Most students do have limited budget and a laptop that has a price of $300-$500 makes a great deal for them.

As you can plainly see, the netbook does have many features to make it a perfect student laptop: small size, very portable, excellent connections, very sturdy, long battery life, good performance, adequate storage and most of all, a very affordable price almost any student can take advantage of. Overall, netbooks are well suited for the classroom and the student.