VERIZON AND AT&T TO OFFER TOSHIBA NB205 SUBSIDIZED

The 3G enabled Toshiba NB205 is now available subsidized from US wireless carriers Verizon and AT&T. Neither Verizon nor AT&T list NB205 on their websites at the moment, but Best Buy has advertised that the notebook can be purchased at a discounted price if you sign up for a 2-year service contract with Verizon or AT&T.

The Toshiba NB205 starts at $399. It can be bought for $299.99 with an HSPA modem and an AT&T contract for 2 years. For $229.99, you can get the Verizon or Sprint version of the notebook with an integrated EVDO modem. The 3G service contract may cost $40 to $60 per month. That means you will have to spend nearly $1500 over the next two years and you will save around $100 today.

Of course with the service contract you also get a 3G modem worth around $100. This particular model of NB205 ships with Windows XP OS and not Windows 7.

HP MINI 311 (VERIZON WIRELESS) NETBOOK REVIEW

HP Mini 311 is now available subsidized from US wireless carrier Verizon. Sign up for a 2 year wireless broadband plan and you will be able to buy the netbook for $199. Of course you have to spend $60/month for the broadband service.

HP Mini 311 is famous for being the first netbook to have NVIDIA ION graphics. Like the regular HP Mini 311, the Verizon model too has an 11.6 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels resolution. It is powered by an Intel Atom processor with NVIDIA ION Light Edition graphics. The Verizon model has 2GB of RAM and built-in 3G module. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium. The XP model comes with 1GB of RAM.

Design
In many aspects, the Mini 311 looks similar to HP’s larger notebooks. The lid is available in both black and white and bears HP’s Swirl pattern. The Mini 311 is almost the same size as the MSI Wind U210 and Acer Aspire 1410. The notebook measures around 3.2 pounds.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The HP Mini 311 comes with slightly intended square silver keys. The keys are comfortable to type on and you will be able to reach your normal tying speed almost immediately. The touchpad buttons are a bit stiff. The touchpad surface also shows some friction.

Ports and Slots
The HP Mini 311 has the regular array of ports. There are 3 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, VGA, headphone/mic and 5-in-1 memory card reader. There is also an HDMI port for transferring video to an external monitor.

Performance
The biggest strength of this netbook is its NVIDIA ION graphics processor. Performance is excellent. In graphics performance tests, the HP Mini 311 delivers better performance than other netbooks with integrated Intel graphics. The machine can play most recent games with ease. It can also handle multitasking. But when it comes to CPU intensive tasks, the Mini 311 isn’t particularly better than other netbooks with Atom N270 processor.

Battery life
The Verizon version runs Windows 7 and it doesn’t give as much battery life as the version running Windows XP. You may get less than 5 hours if you are on WiFi and 3.5 hours on 3G.

Pros
Good graphics performance
Attractive design
Built-in 3G for wireless broadband access
Good keyboard

Cons
Shorter battery life than the version running Windows XP

HP MINI 311 AND 110 AVAILABLE SUBSIDIZED FROM VERIZON

The HP Mini 311 and 110 are now available subsidized from Verizon. Purchase the devices along with a wireless contract from Verizon and you will definitely save some money.

The HP Mini 311 is famous for being the first Atom netbook with a Nvidia ION graphics. The machine is quite powerful and can handle 1080p HD video content with minimal efforts. It runs on Intel Atom N270 with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard disk drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. Verizon offers the notebook for $249.99 when purchased along with a contract.

The Mini 110 isn’t as powerful as the Mini 311. It comes pre-installed with Windows XP and has the regular netbook specifications. Unlike Mini 311, the Mini 110 doesn’t have ION graphics. The 10.1 inch netbook will be available from Verizon for $199.99 when purchased with a wireless contract.

The Mini 311 is now available at the subsidized price. The Mini 110 is expected to be available from mid-November.

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC ALL SET TO GIVE UNLIMITED CALLING OFFER

Verizon Communications Inc is beginning at present an unrestricted wireless calling examination endeavored at diminutive businesses, to assist battle with AT&T over business clients. The arrangement comprises limitless calls to up to 5 landline numerals, and a permanent monthly cost per wireless procession of $4.99. The party is at present the No. 2 US wireless delivery service, but is inching its way in the direction of thumping AT&T off the pinnacle slot. Some in the diligence have concerned over a probable penalty war sandwiched between the 2, ever since Verizon revealed a $99-a-month unrestricted calling table for customers in February.