SquareTrade divides notebooks into three categories based on price: netbooks (under $400), entry-level ($400 – $1000) and premium (over $1000) and, using data from the laptops they cover, show that over a year netbooks have a 20% higher malfunction rate than entry level and a 40% higher rate than premium laptops. They project that over three years, 25.1% of netbooks will malfunction while only 20.6% and 18.1% of entry-level and premium notebooks will.

Though this is not a complete surprise, it does make me wonder if netbooks have a steeper malfunction rate not just because they’re inexpensive and not as well made as premium notebooks, but also because people use and carry them around more. My netbook goes with me everywhere. And though I have a sleeve and I’m pretty careful, it gets jostled around far more than my laptop. It also gets used more on a daily basis than my laptop ever did.

When SquareTrade broke down which notebooks malfunctioned based on manufacturer, they found that Acer and Toshiba had the lower rate and HP, Gateway and Acer had the highest. It’s interesting, isn’t it, that the companies with higher market share make less reliable products? It’s also interesting that Gateway, which is owned by Acer, has almost exactly the same failure rate as its parent company. Sony, Apple and Dell don’t fare too badly, but we’re surprised to see Lenovo with so high a percentage.

This data also made me wonder if there was some correlation between good technical support and low rates of malfunction. I added the ratings from our recent Tech Support Showdown to the chart above (the letters in red) so you can see for yourself. Many of the lower-scoring manufacturers have higher failure rates, which is disappointing since apparently those users need that tech support more.

Does this data match up with your own experience? I’ve had an Acer laptop for going on three years and haven’t had it malfunction, so I guess I’m beating the odds so far. My first laptop, a Dell Inspiron tank of a machine, stood me in good stead for about 3 years before the The storage device that holds your OS, programs, and data.
Learn Morehard drive died, and then another 3 until I sold it. Anyone out there had a notebook for more than 3 years without a problem? What about netbooks? Anyone with an Eee PC 701 still kicking?

Image: “I could kill my laptop” by stuartpilbrow on Flickr

One of my favorite aspects of both these bags is the padded bit for the shoulder strap. JanSport makes them much longer than most bags I’ve used, which meant I didn’t have to reposition it much as I pulled the bag on and off. The strap’s large buckle regulates the length on one end of the strap only and isn’t meant for quick adjustments. But it’s sure to keep the strap at your optimal length no matter how much you tug on it.

Pockets and sections separate great bags from mediocre ones, and both the Rush Hour and Curbside have plenty of both. There’s a compartment on the front flap, a triangle-shaped compartment just below the flap with two pockets sewn in, and under the flap there’s another deep pocket (great for wallet, cell phone, and whathaveyou). Inside, both bags have multiple sections, the one at the front lined with at least half a dozen little pockets and zippered areas. At the back you’ll find the laptop compartment, complete with a strap to hold your computer in that can also be velcroed to the inside lining in case it’s not needed (or wanted).

Though I love many tiny pockets and compartments for everything, the Rush Hour and Curbside feel a bit over pocketed. They’re probably great for those who stay organized by having a very specific place for each item. But for those of us who are a bit less organized, it means many more places to hunt for your Metrocard when you can’t remember which pocket it went into…

Magnets in the flap and under the front panel make it easy to keep the bags securely closed. They’re pretty strong, and I always get a bit nervous carrying around computer equipment and memory cards or flash drives in something with magnets like that.

The back panel of the bags can be unzipped all the way for airport security checkpoints. This also makes getting to your computer a bit easier — you don’t have to raise the flap as you do on other messengers.

I did several test runs with each bag. First, I weighed them down with a notebook, netbook, two hardback books and all my assorted accessories and small items. The smaller Curbside did show a bit of bulge, but neither bag became uncomfortable when carrying it. That shoulder strap padding really worked to keep it from digging in during the rush hour crush where I have to stand for 100 blocks.

Next I loaded it with a more reasonable amount of stuff — notebook, paperback, magazines, and sundries — and walked 20 blocks to a subway station a bit farther up the line. Again, both bags stayed comfortable and the straps stayed at the optimal length so I could walk without having to constantly re-adjust.

Two aspects of the bags I don’t like: the bottom is slick and doesn’t have any rubber or other frictioned areas so when sitting them on slick plastic surfaces, the bags wouldn’t always stay upright. Also, instead of putting top handles on top of the bags, they’re positioned on the back of the bags near the top. It makes for awkward handling. If I owned the bag for longer I might get used to it, but having a handle right at the top is much more convenient and easily grabbable.

Final Verdict: JanSport’s Career Collection bags are definitely a hit. You may have to get used to some quirks and possibly make a cheat sheet for the pockets at first. If you’re in the market for a sturdy, roomy, organization-minded bag, the Curbside and Rush Hour are worth a look.

Best Gadget Gifts for Under $50 — my favorite gadget on this list is the USB Retro Wooden Speaker + MP3 Player Cube. The combination of old school-looking technology and modern convenience. It even comes with a little remote.

Best Gadgets Gifts for Under $100 — Verizon Wireless’ MiFi 2200 portable hotspot is the perfect gift for someone who needs the convenience of wireless access anywhere but doesn’t live in an area where free wireless hotspots are easy to find. Connect multiple devices to one hotspot for one monthly data charge.

Best Gadget Gifts Under $200 — eReaders are hot this holiday but aren’t always wallet-friendly. Sony’s Pocket Edition Reader has a great e-ink screen that, while smaller than the average eReader, still provides more lines of text than an iPhone or iPod touch.

We did our best to test every one of the dozens of notebooks and netbooks released, and after all those months of work we’re ready to reveal the laptops we’ve deemed the Best Notebooks of the Year. We chose a winner and finalist that represent the best in class in seven categories:

• Thin-and-Light
• Budget
• Netbook
• Ultraportable
• Business
• Gaming
• Touch

The laptops that made our list not only embody new innovations in hardware and software, but surround them with designs that are attractive and comfortable to use for extended periods. It’s this combination of cutting-edge components, aesthetics, and ergonomics that separates the best of the best from the also-rans.

Click here to see which notebooks won the day in their respective categories. Did your favorite make the list?

We’re giving away a 10 or 15-inch Isis Dei Riviera Noir Notebook Bag to one lucky winner this week. Get a stylish companion to your mobile life or win it for a loved one who needs a bit of flair. Contest ends November 23, 2009 at 11:59AM ET. Click here to enter.

The Mini 311 still has the NVIDIA Ion LE Graphics chips are responsible for processing all images sent to your computer?s display.
Learn Moregraphics chip and 1.6-GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, but comes with 2GB of RAM instead of just 1. It’s also not hampered by Starter Edition as HP thankfully opted to load it up with Home Premium. While overall performance didn’t blow us away, graphics performance scores went up.

Click here for the full benchmark scores and our impression of the 311’s 3G capabilities. It may be worth shelling the $59.99/month for some users, but others aren’t going to look too kindly on spending over $1,000 for a netbook over time, even one that approaches notebook performance.

“They configure the phones to have multiple easily hit keystrokes to launch ‘Get it now’ or ‘Mobile Web’—usually a single key like an arrow key. [...] We cancel these unintended requests as fast as we can hit the End key, but it doesn’t matter; they’ve told me that ANY data–even one kilobyte–is billed as 1MB. The damage is done.”

The Verizon employee says that everyone at the company is aware of this problem but won’t do anything about it because it generates hundreds of millions in revenue. Even customers who have data blocked are still hit with the fee when they accidentally hit these phone keys. They’re charged for receiving the message that data has been blocked.

We asked a Verizon Wireless representative to respond to these accusations. Here’s the response:

Our phones have had many different user interfaces, buttons, keypad/boards and designs over the years. We’re constantly working to update and improve the phones with a goal of making them easier for customers to use. We also try to help customers understand the various options — Internet, apps, etc. — available to them on these phones. We know it’s important we get this issue right, regardless of how many customers it impacts (which appears to be very few), and we’ll always work with customers to credit any incorrect charges they may find on their bills.

It’s good to know that Verizon will refund customers in this instance, but if these charges appear every month for some users, how much time will they spend getting them removed?

Have you noticed $1.99 accidental data charges on your Verizon Wireless bill? If yes, and if you’ve called the billing department to have them removed, what was your experience? How often do these charges appear on your bill?

Pogue reports that at least one AT&T customer has also noticed $2 data charges appearing on the monthly bill. Anyone with Sprint or T-Mobile seeing the same?

Portable Media Players: Discerning audiophiles always crave the best sound quality even as they settle for the convenience of an MP3 player. With the Sony Walkman X Series ($284.77) they won’t have to compromise. Outstanding audio, beautiful touchscreen display, and integrated Wi-Fi put it at the head of the pack. In the market for an iPod shuffle contender? Look no further than the Sansa Clip+, which one-ups the tiny iPod by adding a tiny screen.

Speaker Docks: You’ve seen iPod docks, you’ve seen iPod alarm clocks, but have you seen a dock alarm clock that comes with a bed shaker? Try snoozing through that!

Smartbooks are interstitial devices between smartphones and netbooks, utilizing Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chip (currently found in phones) but a netbook’s form factor. Not only will the hardware be a blend of the two categories, but also the software. Snapdragon is ARM-based, which means these new devices won’t run Windows XP or 7.

No word on what OS this smartbook will run or even what the device might cost. More details will be available in January at CES.

Notebook Accessories — When I’m on the road and need some power, it’s usually not just for my laptop, but also my phone or PMP or any number of USB-powered devices. This is why I love the idea behind the Tripp Lite Traveler3USB. Power all of your devices without having to turn your laptop on.

Notebook Bags — There are a ton of cases and sleeves for every size on that list, but the coolest bag is the Booq Python Blur. A compartment for everything from a 17-inch laptop to your DSLR and lenses, this bag will see you through all your travels.

We’ve got more great gift ideas in this year’s Gadget Gift Guide.