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PC Nextday Zoostorm Fizzbook Spin review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £369
inc VAT

Specifications

8.9 in 1,024×600 display, 1.3kg, 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, 1.00GB RAM, 60GB disk, Windows XP Home Edition

http://www.pcnextday.co.uk

PC Nextday’s Zoostorm Fizzbook Spin is one of two tablet netbooks here, with a touchscreen that can be swivelled round to lay flat on the keyboard.

It can then be used like a notepad and controlled using a stylus instead of the keyboard and touchpad. Like the previous Fizzbook, this model is designed for use by children so it has a robust design. It can be carried using the integrated handle, and its weight of 1.3kg isn’t too heavy for a child to carry around.

Using the touchscreen to control Windows XP felt accurate and responsive. A basic handwriting-recognition program is included, but it’s not as quick or as accurate as Vista’s built-in handwriting recognition. ArtRage painting software is also included, which is fun to use for sketching diagrams and drawings. Although the 8.9in screen is bright, its 1,024×600 pixel resolution will limit your drawing space. The image was also slightly grainy and the screen has tight viewing angles.

The 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor and 1GB of RAM had no trouble handling ArtRage as well as tasks such as web browsing and word processing, but we wouldn’t recommend running more demanding graphics programs. The 60GB hard disk is cramped and will soon fill up if burdened with lots of programs and media files. The battery lasted an impressive four hours, 45 minutes in our light-usage test.

The small keyboard is designed for children’s fingers, so adults will find touch-typing difficult. The touchpad is accurate and reasonably large, although the buttons don’t give enough feedback when pressed. There are only two USB ports, while the memory card reader can only recognise SDHC and MMC cards. There’s no integrated 3G modem, but Draft-N wireless networking is built in.

If you want a netbook with a touchscreen, the Fizzbook is the one to get thanks to its long battery life. Still, we’re not convinced it’s worth the high price since you’ll have to put up with a cramped keyboard and small hard disk.

Basic Specifications

Rating ***
Processor Intel Atom N270
Processor clock speed 1.6GHz
Memory 1.00GB
Memory slots 2
Memory slots free 1
Maximum memory 2GB
Size 41x240x215mm
Weight 1.3kg
Sound Realtek High Definition Audio
Pointing device touchpad, touchscreen, stylus
Power consumption standby 1W
Power consumption idle 11W
Power consumption active 17W

Display

Viewable size 8.9 in
Native resolution 1,024×600
Graphics Processor Intel GMA 950
Graphics/video ports VGA
Graphics Memory 64MB

Storage

Total storage capacity 60GB
Optical drive model none
Optical drive type N/A

Ports and Expansion

USB ports 2
Bluetooth no
Wired network ports 1x 10/100
Wireless networking support 802.11n
PC Card slots none
Modem No
Supported memory cards SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick Pro/Duo
Other ports none

Miscellaneous

Carrying case No
Operating system Windows XP Home Edition
Operating system restore option restore partition
Software included Ability Office 5, ArtRage 2, Intel Quick Launcher 2
Optional extras none

Buying Information

Warranty one year RTB
Price £369
Details www.pcnextday.co.uk
Supplier http://www.pcnextday.co.uk

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