Today we’re taking a close look at Toshiba’s 10 inch netbook the NB505 which comes with a rather fetching blue lid (other colours are available). It has all the usual specs expected on a netbook, 10 inch backlit display, wireless-n connectivity and a N455 Atom processor. And that’s the problem, it really has nothing to show that says ‘Pick me!’ when compared to all the other netbooks out there. Read on if you want to find out more ….

Toshiba NB505-N508BL 10.1-Inch Netbook (Blue)

Price: $349.99

(395 customer reviews)

12 used & new available from $239.99

Toshiba NB505 specifications

* Intel Atom processor N455 1.66 GHz, 512KB L2 Cache
* 1GB DDR2 (works at 667MHz, max 2GB)
* 250GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive
* 10.1 inch display, 1024 x 600 native resolution (WSVGA), 16:9 aspect ratio and LED backlite
* Genuine Windows 7 Starter 32-bit
* 6 cell/48Wh Lithium Ion battery pack
* Battery Life 8 hours 21 minutes
* 10.3 x 7.5 x 1.4 inches
* 2.9 pounds
* Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 video processor
* Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking capabilities
* 3 x USB ports
* VGA video output
* Microphone and headphone jacks
* Secure Digital (SD) memory card reader
* Fast Ethernet (10/100)

Toshiba NB505 reviews

LaptopMag – 4 out of 5
PCWorld – 3 out of 5
Qubok – 4 out of 5
Amazon – 4.5 out of 5

Pros – multiple colors, long battery life, runs cool, full-size keyboard
Cons – oversensitive touchpad, Skype issues, slow performer

So the Toshiba NB505 netbook averages a touch under 4 out of 5 which isn’t too bad for a netbook that doesn’t really stand out in the netbook crowd. We’re going to give it a thumbs up, but check out any deals on other similar netbooks as the Toshiba NB505 is not really a standout unit.

Toshiba’s NB550D netbook is an AMD Fusion powered model, the processor being clocking in at a 1GHz C50 CPU and supported graphically with a Radeon HD 6250 GPU. This allows the NB550D to handle HD video and the netbook also sports an HDMI output port. There a gig of memory and a 250GB hard drive. Here are the full details of the Toshiba NB550D netbook

* AMD Dual-Core Processor C50 with AMD Radeon™ HD 6250M Graphics

* Genuine Windows® 7 Starter 32-bit

* 1 GB DDR3 RAM (1,066 MHz)

* 250 GB spinning at 5,400 rpm

* 10. inch WSVGA TFT High Brightness display with LED backlighting and 16 : 9 aspect ratio, resolution 1024 x 600

* Integrated VGA web camera with in-built mic

* Outputs – headphones, HDMI

* 3 x USB 2.0

* SD card reader

* 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity

* Fast Ethernet LAN

* Lithium-ion battry up to 9 hours 30 mins

* 262.0 x 190.0 x 16.6 (front) / 35.5 (rear) mm

* 1.32 kg

We tracked down a few online reviews of the Toshiba NB550D and here’s what they say

PC Advisor – sturdy, HD output, good precessor, low battery life

CNet – 8.5 out of 10  – decent visual design, good overall performance, excellent graphics performance for a netbook-style computer, low battery life at maximum performance, memory allocation is low

PC World – 3.75 out of 5 – good overall performance and better-than-usual multimedia features for a netbook, good sound from speakers, low battery life, less glossy screen and a slightly smoother touchpad

PC Pro – 4 out of 5

The low battery life seems a common theme, but overall most reviewers seemed impressed with the Toshiba NB550D, the AMD Fusion processor seems to cope and the HD output option is well received.

Today we’ll take a look at the Toshiba Mini NB305 netbook, which sports a 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 resolution display, 250 GB of storage and a 1.5 GHz Intel Atom processor. The Mini MB305 also has a manufacturer’s estimated battery life of 8 hours and 21 minutes from its 6 cell 48Wh Lithium Ion pack which is pretty impressive and your $348 also gets you Windows 7 32-bit Starter as an OS for the netbook. Here’s a bit of marketing blurb on the Toshiba Mini NB305

Enjoy the lighter, brighter side of mobility with the affordable, super-compact Toshiba Mini NB305-N600, which weighs less than 3 pounds, is small enough to throw in a purse or bag, and has a brightly colorful 10.1-inch LED-backlit screen. Offering a durable textured finish and cover in Royal Blue, it features a full-size keyboard for comfortable typing and a larger touchpad with multi-touch control, which enables you to navigate documents, web pages, and images more easily.

Sounds impressive eh? Well let’s see what others on the web have to say about the Toshiba Mini NB305 netbook

Amazon customer reviews – 4.5 out of 5
PCMag – 3.5 out of 5
Reviewsor – 7 out of 10

And here’s a round up of the pros and cons for the NB305

Pros – Fast dual-core Atom CPU, good keyboard, price
Cons – Could have higher res, battery life not that great

Well, it’s not exactly wow-ing people out there but it’s not being dismissed either, so whilst it may a possible netbook option the Toshiba Mini NB305 is unlikely to be the model you finally purchase.