Traditionally, the editor of the first issue of a magazine is meant to welcome the new readers and tell you all about the grand vision and how this mag will be soooo much better than any other publication before it. And all that's true but it's not what I want to spend my first editorial telling you about.
I've been using computers that really were like netbooks before anyone came up with the name. My first ultra-portable computer was a Toshiba Libretto 70. With a massive 6" screen and a couple of gigs of storage it was a machine ahead of its time. That's where my fascination with all things tiny and computery began.
Since then I've searched far and wide for the perfect ultra-portable but until Asus tipped the notebook market on its head with the first Eee PC (I've got one of those too!) there wasn't a whole lot to look at. Now you can't even walk into a supermarket without having a netbook pop out from some shelf display.
Netbooks are a fact of life but there's precious little specialist coverage given to the fastest growing sector in the PC biz. Given the whole global financial crisis I'd suspect that the whole computer industry would be stagnant if not for these computing minnows.
So, what's a netbook? For Netbook Mojo any notebook-style computer with a 10" or smaller display will pretty much qualify. As well as covering the latest netbooks, Netbook Mojo will look at all sorts of accessories and give you advice on how to get the most from your netbook.
As for me - I've been a contributor to some of Australia's premiere tech publications. It's a great gig but I've always wanted to create a magazine where I could bring together the guys I most enjoy working with and whose work I like to read. When the opportunity to work with Nick and the Sproog team came along all the elements needed to make Netbook Mojo a reality fell into place.
The team that will bring Netbook Mojo to you will start with the cream of Australia's tech media. As the editor, it's up to me to make sure that the team delivers what you want. For that to happen I'll need you to provide your input. If there's something more you'd like to see or that you reckon we get wrong then I need to know.
Anthony Caruana
editor@netbookmojo.com
While Psion, at one time, laid claim to the word "netbook" and Asus is generally accepted as the pioneer that popularised the small form factor it's the OLPC, or One Laptop per Child, project that showed us what is possible when it comes to ultra-portable computers.
Firstly consider screen size, which also influences the size of the keyboard. Be wary of going below 10 inches unless you've got eagle eyes and tiny fingers. Check the screen resolution as well, as some opt for 1024x576 instead of 1024x600. It doesn't sound like much but you really notice the difference. Those extra 24 pixels mean less vertical scrolling through documents and menus. An LED backlit display offers a bright image whilst extending the battery life, but be wary of netbooks with high gloss displays. Such displays offer vivid pictures, but the trade off is often terrible screen glare. A matte display is better for working outdoors.
The M2010 comes in three colours: Fiery Red, Diamond Black and Pearl White. The 258 x 189 x 35 mm body weighs in at 1.3kg with the six-cell battery. Build quality was excellent with all the panels fitting together neatly although we question whether the plastic casing will stand up to a couple of years of use. While it didn't seem to scratch easily, it was a little soft. In particular we were concerned that an impact on the lid might damage the LCD.
At 1024 by 600, the M2010's display is good enough for most video and the VGA port can be used to either mirror or extend the in-built display. For those planning to use the M2010 as a portable presentation unit, that's very handy. However, to do that you'll need to install PowerPoint as ThinkFree's Show app doesn't have a presenter view.
When the display is perpendicular to the keyboard, it can be rotated 180 degrees and then folded down converting the T91 into a slate-style computer that makes it ideal for reading documents and scribbling notes on the go. The screen can be easily toggled between portrait and landscape modes by holding down a button on the bezel and there's a stylus that can be pulled from a slot on the T91's body for tapping on icons and writing on the screen. 
We did have a couple of complaints with the applications. The Widget program, which bears a resemblance to Apple's Dashboard function, doesn't work in portrait orientation. So, if it's invoked the screen toggles back to landscape mode. However when you come out, it does return to portrait mode.
Samsung's N120 walks the fine line between the two extremes, packaging everything you need for a solid netbook experience into a comfortable and stylish body that packs a good array of features.
In the netbook market, overall design and build quality are critical differentiators, and in this area the Samsung doesn't disappoint. The screen hinges are wide and sturdy, providing an overall solid feeling to the unit's design. Rubberised feet and an angled base mean the unit sits at an incline when placed on a table. Our only concern was the pearlescent white finish, which adds a bit of cachet to a unit like this but is more likely to show scratches than a darker colour would.
Because of this, I was looking for a more portable solution. Then Asus launched their original Eee PC and I decided to invest. On the surface, the Eee had everything I needed basic word processing, spreadsheet, diary and email (although I hated the interface of the mail client). It also has a swag of USB ports, WiFi, a usable, albeit small, keyboard, so-so screen and passable battery life of around two hours.
No matter what you do and how protective you are the screens on our cellphones, PCs and netbooks seem to attract grime and fingerprints. With your netbook, the oils on your fingertips transfer to the keys and end up on the screen when it's closed. Tegatech is an Austrlaian distributor of netbooks and other small form computers. When faced with this issue, fiunder Hugo Ortega took matters into his own hands and developed Clean Screen.
The Security Lock uses a four-digit combination to secure your netbook to a desk, post or some other heavy or immovable object. In order to keep the Security Lock portable, the cable is coiled so that it doesn't take up too much space and get tangled. At one is the lock and at the other is a loop.
If there's one thing that road warriors hate it's unnecessary cabling. Kensington's Wireless Mouse comes with a tiny RF radio receiver that plugs into a USB port. This is a great solution for netbooks that lack Bluetooth as the receiver only protrudes by about 6mm from the USB port.