Toshiba's NB205 Netbooks start at $350, have sleep-and-charge port

The Toshiba NB250-310 Netbook can charge USB gadgets all the time.

(Credit: Toshiba)

The Netbook arena keeps growing, but it's a good thing new features sprout up once in a while to keep our attention going. Toshiba's NB205 line of Netbooks are on their way to the U.S., in two different form-factor flavors: one for lovers of flat-keyboarded black machines, and a slightly slicker model with raised keys and bright colors.

What makes them truly notable notebooks, however, is their inclusion of a sleep-and-charge USB port. Available on other Toshiba models of laptops, the port can charge USB devices even when the Netbook is turned off. This is a great idea: it turns your dormant Netbook into a makeshift backup battery for your travel gear. It's a good thing, then, that the NB205 comes with a six-cell battery standard instead of a three-cell, because if you're like we are at an airport, you're going to use that sleep-and-charge quite a bit.

The NB205's specs are otherwise Netbook-standard: an Intel N280 processor (slightly faster than the more common N270), 1GB DDR2 RAM expandable to 2GB, 160GB HD, Windows XP, a 10.1-inch TruBrite LED-backlit LCD, and 802.11 b/g wireless. There's also a 2-in-1 memory card slot and an RGB port for display connection. Packed with a six-cell battery, the NB205 weighs 2.9 pounds. There's also a built-in hard-drive impact sensor included in all models.

For a difference of 50 dollars, two configurations are available, with Bluetooth available in the NB205-310, but otherwise identical internal specs. The NB205-210, priced at $350, only comes in black and has a full flat keyboard. The NB205-310 is $400, but has a metallic finish, comes in four different colors (Sable Brown, Frost White, Posh Pink, and Indigo Blue), and has a raised "chiclet" keyboard in the style of the MacBook. The touchpads in both models promise to be "laptop-size," and from the photos, they look more than ample.

The NB205 line is Energy Star 5.0 compliant.

Toshiba NB205

[murrayw76]

Is this netbook the NB250 or NB205? Both names seem to be used interchangeably in the article, but either way this seems like a netbook worth keeping an eye on. It's too bad more manufacturers aren't using an HDMI port instead of an RGB port, though.

[gconnery]

This is a great idea, regardless of how its implemented. Not enough of a differentiator to matter I don't think, unlike a lower price, better keyboard, faster SSD, etc. But still a feature you'd enjoy using once you bought something, and which might make you more likely to buy that brand again in the future.

I'd have to live with the feature for a while to decide, but does seem like the kind of thing you might want a little switch to disable. In the absence of that, just a BIOS or Control Panel setting would do the job. On most laptops, and netbooks especially, there are so few USB ports having one you never connect anything to that won't draw your battery down to nothing overnight might not always be a good idea...

[Firehazel]

i still wish it had a expresscard slot

[jamal_aus]

Have they arrived in Australia?