Is it time to buy a netbook for your business?

As the economic downturn as pushes PC sales through the floor, one category stands tall: netbooks. This emergent class of mini computer boasts two obvious appeals in the form of portability and affordability. With typical price points well below $600 per unit, a slick netbook is practically an impulse buy for those tech enthusiasts who still have a little change in their pockets. But are these cheap, slim systems right for your business? Let's see.

There can be little doubt that hardcore road warriors need more than a smart phone to really get things done. And sometimes a full-blown laptop just isn't practical for quick work. (Anyone who's had to perch their drink on their laptop's palm rest while reviewing PowerPoint presentations in a cramped coach airplane seat knows exactly what I mean.) So it can be incredibly handy to carry a tiny, 2-pound computer to handle small, simple tasks that don't require a whole lot of typing or processing power.

Of course, netbooks come with some pretty serious drawbacks, which make them a poor stand-in for a real laptop when you need to get serious work done. As someone who does a tremendous amount of typing, I can hardly see myself ditching my 15-inch laptop altogether. For that matter, I still try to do most of my keyboard-intensive work at my desk, if only to cut down the bodily wear and tear that inevitably results from haphazard ergonomics. (If you don't think carpal tunnel syndrome is a threat to productivity, think again.)

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