One of the better 10″ netbooks is now heavily discounted at NewEgg.com.  It is the Toshiba NB205, which received Editors’ Choice awards from both PC Magazine and Laptop Magazine – an impressive feat.

This netbook that has been my travel companion for the last 7 months.  The keyboard is very good for this class of netbook and the screen is bright and sharp.  I especially like the built-in Bluetooth radio.  It lets me use a variety of wireless peripherals (mouse, stereo headset, cell phone headset) without a USB dongle.  It also lets me wirelessly tether my cell phone for web access when there is no Wi-Fi available.  But my favorite feature is its six-cell battery that provides up to nine hours of run time on a charge.

Why the large price drop?  Toshiba introduced an updated model with Windows 7 Starter Edition.  The model discounted by NewEgg has Windows XP Home, which I have found to run well on this hardware in my frequent trips between Florida and Michigan to argue appellate cases.  With the long battery life, I can work at the airport while waiting to board, again on the plane (especially with several carriers now offering in-flight Wi-Fi), and also after I land – all without looking for an electrical outlet.

Using my NB205 with Microsoft’s free Live Mesh sync/backup service has been great.  Anytime I can get on-line with my netbook, I have access to the most recent versions of all my client files.  Changes I make to files and documents while traveling automatically sync with my primary desktop computer back home via the web.  If I create new documents while on the road, they are waiting for me on my desktop PC when I return.  For details on my use of Live Mesh, see my prior posts.