Photo gallery: Samsung N310Netbooks have been on the market for almost two years now, and the category is showing some signs of maturity. While the innards are pretty much identical we're starting to see some designs that are taking a step beyond the norm. It's been rumoured for a while that Apple would release its own version of the netbook, but the closest we are likely to ever get is this: the Samsung N310.
Upside
We had some hands-on time with this netbook and we must say we were impressed — from a design point of view it is stunning. It was designed by award-winning Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, and looks and feels like a pencil case. It comes in four different colours — black, light blue, dark blue, and orange — and features a rubberised cover with a large "Samsung" emblazoned on the top.
The keyboard is similar to the "raised" ones used on MacBooks and some Sony laptops and was easy to type on, and looks great as well. Though the laptop is a little heavier than most at 1.23kg its dimensions meant it felt compact and portable.
The N310 is yet to be announced here, but the specs on the overseas model include an Intel Atom N270 processor, a 10.1-inch 1024x600-pixel screen, three USB ports, 802.11g radio and SD card reader. For all you germophobes out there, the keyboard also features an antibacterial coating.
Downside
Considering all of the netbooks are essentially identical, the only differentiators are general usability and battery life. Back in the day when Samsung first sold laptops in Australia, it had a reputation for excellent battery life, but we're a little worried about the N310. We've seen some pretty low scores published on the web (about half that of competitors), and hope that this can be rectified by the time of its Aussie launch. There are two different batteries available for the Samsung — a four-cell and a six-cell — but it would be good to see it ship with the six-cell by default. There'd be a slight trade-off in terms of weight, but we think the extra battery life would be worth it.
The only other thing that could go against it is cost. While it's yet to be announced for Australia, the overseas price is quite high at US$700. We'd anticipate a price around AU$1000, and this is quite expensive for a 10-inch netbook. For example, the Dell Mini 10 is now available for AU$599.
Outlook
We're a bit sheepish when we say this — simply because it doesn't sound quite right — but this would have to be the sexiest netbook we've seen yet. The rubberised cover and comfortable keyboard are the best thing this side of anything Apple has ever produced. If the company can get the price and battery life right we think this will be a winner.
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