Verizon Expands Netbook Selection With $49 Model

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 7/8/2010

Basking Ridge, N.J. - Verizon Wireless expanded its selection of 3G-equipped netbooks to four models with the launch of a Samsung model priced at $49.99 after $100 mail-in rebate with new postpaid two-year contract.

The N140 is Samsung's first netbook available through Verizon Wireless.

The Samsung-branded N150 netbook is available for ordering at Verizon Communications Stores, but consumers who go to www.verizonwireless.com/netbooks can buy it for $29.99.

  The new netbook is Samsung's first netbook available through Verizon and the second netbook launched by the carrier in as many months. In May, the carrier launched the HP Mini 210-1076NR at $249 with a discount to $149 if purchased through Verizon's website. The HP Mini 210 replaced another HP model to leave the carrier's netbook selection at three at the time.

 The carrier's two other netbooks are the HP Mini 311-1037 and Gateway LT 2016U. The former is sold at $199, but the online price is $99.99. The Gateway is sold at $149 with an online price of $49.99.

All of the netbooks operate at 3G speeds in 115 countries, thanks to a dual-mode 3G embedded modem. The modem operates in 850/1900MHz  CDMA 1x EV-DO Rev. A mode in the U.S. and select other countries, but 3G data access expands to a total of 115 countries because the netbooks also operate in 850/1900/2100MHz HSPA mode. Data access at 2.5G speeds is available in more than 200 countries via quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE.

 The 2.73-pound N150 features include seven-hour battery life, Intel Atom N450 1.66 GHz processor, Windows 7 Starter, and a chargeable USB port that charges mobile devices even when the N150 is turned off. Other features include 93 percent full-size keyboard, up to 1GB memory, webcam, SD/SDHC/MMC card slot, 160GB hard drive, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR

To get the subsidized netbook price, users must subscribe to a Mobile Broadband pricing plan. One costs $39.99 per month for 250MB of data, with 10 cents/MB overage charges. A $59.99 plan allows for up to 5GB of monthly data, with 5 cents/MB overage charges. 

 Consumers who want to prepay for broadband service by the day, week or month pay an unsubsidized price of about $300 more. The prepaid plans charge $15 for 75MB of data for one day of use, $30 for 250MB for a week's use, and $50 for a month's use with 500MB of data.