[Top photo: (clockwise from left) Asus Eee PC Seashell 1005PE, Asus Eee PC Seashell Karim Rashid Collection, Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t, MSI Wind U135]

By Adli Yashir

Low cost, energy-efficient and extremely portable devices have become the tools of choice for students, frequent fliers and anyone who wants a second notebook. Here is our pick of the netbook or mini notebook crop

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t
Show price: TBA* (usual price: $949)
Booth: 8358

Portability, style and cutting-edge technologies are not the only things this netbook offers. It is versatile too: Twist and turn the 10.1-inch display to use it as a tablet. Lenovo ships this hybrid device with DirectShare, which acts as a bridge between two notebooks allowing users to share or synchronise files. It also comes with QuickStart 2.0, an "instant on" tool that lets you hop right onto the Web without having to boot up the PC. This one is powered by an Intel Atom 1.66GHz processor, 1GB RAM and 250GB hard disk. It also offers wireless networking.

Asus Eee PC Seashell 1005PE
Price: $698
Booths: 8310 and 8405

Taiwanese notebook maker Asus ships the Eee PC with an ergonomic keyboard that makes typing more comfortable and a multi-touch pad for good cursor control. Mobile connectivity is excellent with the latest 802.11n high-speed wireless ability. To take you further along the Internet path, you can park another 500GB of data at the Asus WebStorage, an online vault, on top of a 250GB hard disk. Like most netbooks, this one is equipped with an Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard disk, 10.1-inch screen and wireless networking.

Asus Eee PC Seashell Karim Rashid Collection
Price: $798
Booths: 8310 and 8405

Award-winning, New York-based designer Karim Rashid has crafted this elegant netbook for lovers of techno-chic. There is a Hot Pink model for the fashion-conscious set and a Matte Coffee Brown version for those who want a different colour. Under the hood, the specifications are similar to the Eee PC 1005PE - an Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 250GB hard disk, 10.1-inch screen and wireless networking.

Freebie: Additional battery.

MSI Wind U135
Show price: TBA*
Booth: 6641

The Wind U135 takes advantage of the latest Atom processor - the Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz. Designed specially for netbooks, this processor is 60 per cent smaller than regular notebook processors. The netbook comes with a standard 10-inch LCD screen, 1GB RAM and 250GB hard disk.

A 1.3-megapixel webcam, multi-memory card reader, wireless LAN and Bluetooth round up the tech specs. Freebies: First-year limited international warranty and a free second-year extended local warranty. Plus, a notebook sleeve, optical mouse and LCD screen wiper with every purchase.

Sony Vaio W Series
Show price: TBA* (usual price: $899)
Booth: 3rd floor, The Concourse

This W series netbook features an Intel Atom 1.66GHz processor, a 10.1-inch screen and a 250GB hard drive.

The standard version comes in pink, brown or white.

For the eco-conscious consumer, Sony offers the limited-edition Mint White Eco Model ($999). It is built with recycled parts - the cover, palm rest and some parts are made of recycled plastic.

People who require wireless WAN and longer battery life of up to five hours using a six-cell battery can check out the Blue VPCW215AG/L ($1,099).

Acer Aspire one Slim AO532h
Price: $699 (usual price: $699)
Booths: 8105 and 8458

One of the trump cards of the Aspire One Slim is its redesigned power adapter. It is 30 per cent lighter than typical adapters and charges 30 per cent faster too. Another highlight: The larger multi-gestured touchpad button with microbead texture makes cursor control a lot easier.

The touchpad also allows you to flip through and zoom into Web pages with better navigation and control.

Tech specs are comparable to the rest of the pack: A 10.1-inch Acer Crystalbrite TFT LCD, the latest Intel Atom N450 processor, Windows 7 Starter, 1GB of RAM and 250GB hard disk. Available in silver, red and sapphire blue.

HP Mini 210
Price: Starts from $699
Booth: 8150

At 1.22kg (with hard disk drive), the HPMini 210 offers a generous bundle of software that enhances the multimedia experience and cloud computing. With HP Cloud Drive, for example, you can park your music, photos and documents in an online storage space.

With an Internet connection, you can access these files even if you are using another notebook. HP MediaStream gives you on-demand access to your media files. Like most netbooks, the Mini 210 sports an Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz processor. It also supports up to 2GB RAM and a large hard drive option of up to 320GB.

*TBA: To be announced