For those that are in the market for a new laptop for the kids to use at home or on vacation look no farther than the new Disney Netpal netbook computer. Made by Asus, the Netpal is available both in Princess Pink and Magic Blue color schemes. This $350 netbook computer packs more than enough features and power for most common kid tasks plus also features some serious parental controls to keep them on task and away from questionable materials and does it all with a Disney themed interface that is skinned on top of the Windows XP operating system.
Other nice additions that make this laptop more kid friendly include a spill-proof keyboard, built in webcam, slightly more rugged construction, and a claimed 5 hour battery life. Whether that estimation holds up in the real world depends on the way the netbook is being used. Remember that netbooks generally do not have built in CD-Rom drives, and the Netpal is no exception. Loading third party software onto the Netpal will require the use of an external CD or DVD drive that normally costs around $50-$80 depending on the model.
What's Under The Hood?
In terms of hardware the Disney Netpal is roughly comparable to the popular Asus Eee PC 1005HA. Both have the same basic hardware including a 160gb hard drive but the Netpal has a smaller 8 inch screen. The strange thing about the Netpal is that in none of the online literature does it say what kind of wireless connectivity the netbook has. One would assume that it is standard 802.11g WiFi but be sure to check for sure before purchasing one. The 1005HA is only slightly faster than the Netpal, and sells for roughly the same price meaning that it does not appear that Asus is gouging too much in terms of making people pay for the Disney brand. The Disney Netpal netbook by Asus is scheduled to be available starting in September 2009 from the Disney Store and Amazon.com.
