Netbook gotchas: What you need to know before Black Friday

As you know, Black Friday is starting early this year to give consumers more opportunities to find great deals online and in stores, but one item guaranteed to fly off shelves this season is the netbook. I'm loving the Aspire One more than you can imagine because with the Hava player it doubles as a TV, and it's is so portable, I take it with me to the coffee shop, school, and work. On the downside, the keyboard is cramped, and the screen is too small.

Mike Elgan wrote a great article full of tips to help you score a netbook this holiday season. He says netbooks will be in great demand on Black Friday because they're cheap, high in value, and everybody wants one even if they already have a computer. I have to agree with him here, especially now that more companies are slashing netbook prices due to the fierce competition.

But before you buy one on Black Friday, read these tips below. Mike says there are a few 'gotchas' you should know about and avoid even if you're dying to buy that crazy cheap netbook. Here are a few:

1.) Remember that supplies don't last long on Black Friday. Stores usually advertise only a small number of units, and those are usually snapped up by people who line up the day before. I suggest you do your homework, and decide if it's worth camping out overnight to save an extra $50. You might want to call the store, and find out how may units will be sold at a low price too, otherwise you might as well forget about showing up even at 5 AM.

2.) Watch out for scams. As always read the fine print on those ads before heading out. Make sure you check for any required purchases you have to make in order to get the discounted netbook.

3.) Watch out for refurbished netbooks. You should always check for any broken tape, or open boxes before walking out the store with an item. If you're buying refurbished, at least make sure it still has a warranty, check return policies, and always save the receipt.

4.) Ask about the operating system. If the netbook is super cheap, chances are it has Linux. I don't have anything against the Linux-based operating system, but I love having a Windows OS because more programs are compatible with XP which equals to more functionality. I would also recommend checking the amount of storage. Some netbooks have a paltry 4GB of storage, while others have up to 80GB for the same price.

5.) Do your research. As Mike says, the Big Three Netbook 'Gotchas' are screen-size, keyboard size, and battery life. I recommend you stop by an electronics store and compare keyboard and screen-sizes. As I wrote earlier, the Acer Aspire has a cramped keyboard and small screen which makes it virtually impossible to spend more than an hour doing actual work.

If you're looking for a netbook with a big screen, check out the Asus EEE PC 1000, Dell Inspiron Mini 12 (12-inch display), and the MSI Wind. Dell's Mini 9, Samsung's NC10, and HP's Mini Note have better keyboards.

Check out his other five tips here. If you don't know what the pros and cons of buying a netbook are, check out Chris Null's post. Like Mike mentions in the article,  Dell plans to offer the Mini 9 Linux version for $299, and Best Buy the MSI Wind for $350 on Black Friday.

Related:

The pros and cons of netbooks