SpiderShopper.co.uk

I bought this netbook as a replacement for my old laptop, and I was slightly worried that it would not be able to match up in terms of power and capability. It turns out my fears were completely unfounded. I am not a demanding computer user, but the netbook is able without any difficulty to surf the net, play youtube videos and itunes, and write up word documents, which is all I ever ask of it. I was really impressed that neither the speed nor the capabilities were compromised despite the cost being much lower than that of a laptop. Using Windows 7 doesn't feel at all like a step down, either. It's really nice and easy to use. My only problem with it is that it won't let you change the background, and that's probably not an issue for most people.

It is also very easy to carry around, very lightweight but also quite robust, perfect for taking on a train, in the car or to work.

My only quibble is that the stated battery life is very misleading. The site says... Read more

This netbook runs pretty well, has a quick start-up and was much as I expected it to be from reviews I'd read. Apart from one thing... the battery that every online review stated would last up to eight hours or so on light use (e.g. browsing the web) lasts about 2.5 hours (and states it will last that on startup at 100% life before opening any applications). Try to do something like play a game and it drains really fast.

Having to recharge it so often (or run it plugged in) isn't exactly ideal when you're looking for something portable. And that's after I've done everything possible to prolong the battery life.

Otherwise, the keyboard is pretty good. It's light and has a decent screen and does what you'd expect a simple netbook to do. In hindsight I should have gone for a different operating system but that's easy enough to fix!

This netbook seems good value, but I am very concerned about its warranty status. When I tried to register the product with Dell under their 'bought from a retailer' link, I found that Amazon.co.uk is not one of their registered UK retailers! When I checked the status of the warranty using the service code, I found that Dell thought the product had been sold by them in mid-March, not my mid-August purchase date, and hence 5 months of the warranty has already expired.
I immediately emailed Amazon to query this but, after two weeks of procrastination, I have just received a garbled reply which tells me that I need to contact Bulova (Who they? - I thought they made watches!)to get them to send their warranty card to the manufacturer who would stamp it!
This is most unsatisfactory, and I would warn anyone to steer clear until this matter is resolved.