> Computers tend to cost a bit more in the UK than the US.

Don't we know it. :(

I've been looking for a netbook since the EeePC 700/701 appeared. First, I fell in love with the Wind. But the loss of the Synaptics touch pad and the complete absence of 6-cell models in the UK brought my Wind lust to a speedy end.

Then there was the S10. I loved the design, especially that mesh. Somehow it even made that hideous red color look sexy. But since the device has yet to launch in the UK, and given the mess Lenovo have made of the release elsewhere, I've pretty much given up hope of getting one this side of the next millennium.

I'm getting a good feeling about the NC10 though. Could this be the one? It certainly ticks all of the right boxes. Bluetooth onboard, 6 cell battery as standard (!), keyboard with no apparent annoying features... and it's already available to pre-order. If Lenovo can drop the cost to £299 (everywhere I checked is still offering it at £329.99), they stand a good chance of convincing me to part with my money.

So many of those posting comments seem to expect a perfect, high-performance, future-proof machine for a few sheckels!

I know that whatever I buy there´ll be a faster, sleeker, better model out in just a few months. Indecision is fine, but at some point you just have to take the plunge and be happy with what you go for.

I wasn´t even sure what my priorites were in a netbook when they began to hit the market. I just knew that I could use one but had always been dissuaded by the prohibitive price. However, after looking at a few models in the flesh, my intial desire for THE smallest, lightest model were overridden by the need to be relatively comfortable working for hours at a time in a library.

I realised that I needed a 10" screen, considering how much I´ll probably use the machine, and a fair sized keyboard, even though I'm not a touchtypist.

The idea of working outside cafés (I live in Barcelona) appeals, so I need a matt screen, even indoors some screen can be a pain. Ultrabrite is great for watching movies in the dark but it can be intrusive in many other situations.

Finally, I want decent autonomy, so I need a machine with six cells.

I´m not going to be using 3G or GSP in even the distant future and on the rare occasions I need good sound I´ll just plug in headphones or use portable speakers.

I´d also prefer a minimum of 120GB, preferably 160GB as I consult a lot of personal files and not needing to carry an additional hard drive maintains the basic arguments of portabiliy and convenience.

To be honest, many of the component features in these machine a very similar but upon reflection the Samsung NC10 looks like the first that ticks all my boxes and is reasonably priced. The design even looks good and the casing is sleek. I may just have to finally take the plunge.

p.s. Of course, if they could also bring it in a under 1kg I'd be in heaven but what are the chances of that anytime soon with a six-cell battery!!

I wouldn't say everyone "expects" the perfect netbook, but there is no harm in dreaming. :)

My must-have list is as follows:
- A screen that isn't too small (about 10", 1024+ pixels wide)
- Good battery life (5 hours or more)
- A nice keyboard (not 700/701 tiny) with a full set of function keys (F1-F12)
- Bluetooth (so I can use my cell phone as a HSPDA modem)
- Support for a 2.5" HDD and 2GB of RAM (I don't mind what it ships with as long as I can replace it)
- GMA950 or better video accelerator (for the odd DirectX7-compliant digital distraction)
- Good Linux support for hardware
- Must be available!

Wow, I'm picky. :)

Every other netbook I have considered has fallen down in one or more area. For example, the Wind was fine until they changed the touchpad hardware (Linux support). The S10 is perfect, but it probably won't be available to buy in the UK for months - if the NC10 is delayed it will be a race between them. 6-cell Aspire Ones are impossible to locate in the UK. And I don't like the design of the Eees. (Heresy!)

At the moment, the NC10 appears to meet all of my requirements. I'll need to double check Linux support and the upgrade options before committing, but assuming there are no availability issues, this looks like it could be the one.

I too like the NC10 a lot so far. I think the keyboard will be better than that of the Lenovo S10. The NC10 is about 8 oz heavier (including 6 cell battery) and a half-inch wider, but that may be a small price to pay for a better keyboard and other possible extras.

I think it and Lenovo are about the closest thing you can get to a matte black netbook among the newer ones, and this is on my desirable spec list.

Here are some more pics (at bottom of page) and info:

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-16742-Sams...

It's available all over Europe and Asia, but, alas, no mention is made of the Americas.