You need a netbook and say that you know good value when you see it? Then the minibook of your choice will be the Lenovo IdeaPad S10. I’ll let you know why.

The right netbook for your preferences

Lenovo Idea Pad S10

You can get the IdeaPad S10 in different configurations and price points and can therefore choose exactly what you need and what fits your circumstances best. It always comes standard with the Intel 1.6GHz Atom CPU however, you can choose between the 512MB system which is less expensive or the 60GB hard drive and you also have the option go go for the high-end 1GB RAM model that has a 160GB drive. Either model weighs under 2 ½ lbs and is 10” wide x 7” deep x 1” high.

This leads to an almost unbeatable combination of high-portability and power. What you shouldn’t expect is a performance that equals a high end laptop – but that is not the goal of these units anyway. Instead they present a great alternative to carrying around a laptop of 6-8lbs when you only need basic functions.

IdeaPad applications

The IdeaPad S10 will allow you to use all those basic functions and all applications that you will need. You can run the Microsoft Office apps without any problem. You will find Windows XP pre-loaded on your netbook and you will soon find that running Excel and Word is just a breeze. If you are keener on having Linux and Open Office suit you can also load your unit with that.

No matter where you are apart from creating documents you still have access to the internet to get everything you need from there. Lenovo’s S10 includes a standard 802.11b/g wireless support. You will also have Bluetooth connectivity and a slot for an optional Express Card or mobile broadband card.

You might be worried how long you will be able to work with your IdeaPad, but there really is no need to worry! The default battery runs 2 to 3 hours depending on the screen brightness and the usage. If you need a longer battery life you can simply order a Total Micro Technologies Power Station battery with which you will be able to work for about 7 hours with full screen brightness.

Other important features: screen and keyboard

I am sure you will also be satisfied by the screen, which at over 10 inches is quite big for being the monitor of a netbook. All the icons and texts will appear sharp a clean at 1024 x 600 /WSVGA).

There are some netbooks nowadays that have keyboards similar to those of a standard sized laptop like the HP 2133 Mini-Note whose keyboard is at 92% of regular keyboards. At 85% of the normal size the IdeaPad S10 does a quite good job too and you will get used to it quickly. There is also a touchpad that features dedicated left and right mouse buttons and also supports other multi-touch features.

Pimp your IdeaPad

In case you find out that you need more memory or a larger drive after you have already bought a certain type of IdeaPad you can easily upgrade your Lenovo netbook. This is true for all netbooks, but upgrading goes better with some than with others. For some nebooks it is simply not worth the effort. With the S10 you simply have to remove the back cover and you will find that the memory and hard drive are easily accessible.

If you decide for the Leonovo IdeaPad S10 you will soon find that this tiny computer can offer you a lot.