THE GREAT CHAEBOL of computing, Samsung Electronics, announced this mornin’ its hip new porta-laptop, the NC10.

You’ve probably guessed by now that it sports the same hardware you’ll find in most other netbooks on the market: the Atom CPU, a 10-inch 1024x600 LED screen, 80GB or 160GB HDD (we’re presuming, Samsung being what it is, SSDs are on the horizon), BT 2.0+EDR, 1.3mp webcam and 3-in-1 card reader. The NC10 does have some slight differences from the majority of netbooks. Take for example the GMA950 graphics (not as bad as the 945).

Shiny and tiny

What Samsung is touting, however, is the netbook’s ingenious design (although 'Going out in style' hardly means what they think it means). The NC10 measures just 1.19cm (less than 0.5 inches) in height and weighs in at 1.33Kg - the same as an EeePC 1000 – but the specs already include the 6-cell battery that Samsung claims will provide 8 hours worth of operation (if only).

Sammie also sprinkled some fairy silver dust on the keyboard to keep the bacteria away. It’s true. Using ‘Silver Nano Technology’ on the keyboard, Samsung promises to keep it healthy and hygienic. It also sports a hardened shell that should take some whacks and still look brilliant at the end of the day.

It’s mid-September though, and you might say Samsung is late, fashionably late, but it seems the NC10 is targeted at a more select customer and does bring something to the table: better battery life and a bit more hygiene. It’s running XP (and only XP), which may be the only downside to this proposal.

The machine will cost £329 exc. VAT when it reaches the UK in late October. µ