If you’re going places, you’ll want the HP Mini 210 along with you. Weighing in at just over 3 pounds but fully loaded for social media on the move, the HP Mini 210 is a perfect gift this June for dads who travel on business or graduates starting on new adventures.
What amazes me is that HP fit into such a portable size–proving good things come in small packages. My favorite features are the nearly full-sized keyboard, the 10″ screen, and the 10 hours of battery life. The keyboard is especially wonderful. The surface of the individual keys is actually larger than my full-sized laptop and the “island” layout (with space separating the keys) makes typing very easy.
I would prefer a more matte screen but that is really a small issue with a computer that gets so much right at such a great price point. At $329.99, the HP Mini 210 is an affordable way to stay in touch with family.
The built-in webcam and instant access via a special splashtop “QuickWeb” to Skype and social networks will appeal to recent graduates and may even encourage them to touch base with home more often. And you can switch to the Windows operating system at any time. My husband would have loved to have had the HP Mini 210 along when he was deployed to Iraq to facilitate video chatting with me (and our new little baby).
And, as a blogger and freelance educational writer and consultant, this is the perfect computer for me to take on the road. An Intel Atom N455 processor powers this mini, with an upgrade option if you need more. You have 1GB DDR3 system memory, or upgrade to 2GB if you select Windows 7 Home Premium, and a 250GB3 hard drive for storing data, or upgrade to 320GB. I can also access my files anywhere by streaming from HP Cloud Drive and use the Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition to meet deadlines.
Eco-hip young adults will also appreciate the Energy Star rating and HP’s recycling programs. You can buy a coordinating sleeve and wireless mouse and fit the whole thing (about the size of a composition book) in your backpack, purse, satchel or briefcase.
Plus, it looks real cute in a palette of fun color options because you know what they say about all work and no play…
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WANT IT: The HP Mini 210 starts at $299.99, with the “quick ship” package priced at $329.99.
