In some cases, the new model can be conceived an advance, because it packs a newer OS and extra storage space. However there are some down sides too.

Windows 7 Starter Edition is a stripped down OS in many cases compared to Windows XP. And battery life looks to suffer under Windows 7 Starter Edition. While the netbook still gets better battery life than most netbooks on the market, tests seem to support that the same netbook will run longer under Windows XP than Windows 7.

The Toshiba NB205 has a classifiable design with a silver-gray plastic chassis and colorful, textured lid. The netbook is available with blue, brown, pink, and white tops. Each has a Toshiba logo and a diagonal stripe pattern on the lid.

the island-style keyboard is decent and large, the keys are nicely separated and generally very responsive. You can write nearly 109 word per minute on a typewriting test with this keyboard, which is one of the highest number you might have gotten using any computer, including models with 100% full sized keyboards.

The model featured in that review is a Toshiba NB205-N330BL. It’s a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU, 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard disc, 802.11b/g WiFi and Windows 7 Starter Edition. It’s available from Amazon for $420.