Netbooks : The Missing Manual

Netbooks are the hot new thing in personal computers, but you may not know how to pick one out let alone use one. Not to worry: This book walks you through choosing and buying a netbook, setting one up, and all the common tasks you'll likely want to perform on your cool new toy. There's info about everything from collaborating with others online and sharing photos to playing music and games. You'll also learn about connecting speakers, printers, keyboards and other hardware to your netbook. And as this book explains, you can save big bucks by using free software and Internet-based programs with your netbook. According to IDC, 10 million netbooks were sold in 2008 and that number should double to 20 million in 2009. Originally created for developing world (and the "One Laptop Per Child" campaign), netbooks have caught on with U.S. consumers due to their $300-$400 price range. Also appealing is the user's ability to rely on sophisticated web-based word-processing and spreadsheet programs to perform tasks, and online storage systems to keep data.