Gateway and Verizon tempt with their $150 Netbook

by Stevie Smith - Oct 1 2009, 15:30

It’s been a while (more than 24 hours) since we’ve had the opportunity to tease your pocket and test your patience by gabbing about yet another Web-centric Netbook, so thanks go out to hardware manufacturer Gateway as we direct your attention towards the snappily named LT2016u.

Set to arrive through network carrier Verizon Wireless, the latest Netbook offering from Gateway offers up high-speed 3G broadband connectivity and is powered by Microsoft’s stalwart Windows XP operating system.

In terms of core technical attributes, the unsurprising inclusion of Intel’s Atom N270 processor (1.6GHz), a single gigabyte of DDR2 RAM (533MHz) and a 160GB hard disk drive means the LT2016u doesn’t exactly push hard against the Netbook envelope.

That being said, it certainly holds its own in the Netbook arena thanks to a 10.1-inch WSVGA LED-backlit display screen (1024 x 600), 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, a multi-format memory card reader (SD, XD and Memory Stick), and up to six hours of mobile operation on a single battery charge,  

While the available configuration is clearly middle-of-the-road, one potential tipping point in the LT2016u’s favour is its glistening price point, which will see the Netbook offered up for just $149.99 USD when it arrives on October 04.

We’d perhaps recommend approaching with caution however, as Gateway’s ultra portable platform comes tethered to a two-year service contract (it is Verizon Wireless after all), and its notably low price is reliant on a mail-in rebate of $100 USD.

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