Light and Cheap, Netbooks Are Poised to Reshape PC Industry

Dell sells a 2.28-pound netbook, the Inspiron Mini 9, left, which is smaller and less expensive than a traditional laptop. Tami Chappell for The New York Times

From The New York Times:

SAN FRANCISCO — Get ready for the next stage in the personal computer revolution: ultrathin and dirt cheap.

AT&T announced on Tuesday that customers in Atlanta could get a type of compact PC called a netbook for just $50 if they signed up for an Internet service plan — an offer the phone company may introduce elsewhere after a test period. This year, at least one wireless phone company in the United States will probably offer netbooks free with paid data plans, copying similar programs in Japan, according to industry experts.

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