Users around the world disappointed by the lack of Ubuntu preloading on Inspiron Mini 9 netbooks outside the US now have another choice, thanks to Toshiba.

The notebook giant has just announced it is dipping its toe into the netbook waters with the release of the NB100 however, there’s nothing exciting amongst the specs that, as some reports have already suggested, read like almost every other netbook on the market.

Intel’s 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor plus either 512MB for the Ubuntu version or 1GB for Windows XP cover the engine block although given the sharp shortage of N270 chips, it remains to be seen whether Toshiba will actually get this one out “next month” as its release suggested.

In fact the most interesting feature of the NB100 is the fact that it will come with Ubuntu 8.04 if you want it to – something Dell seems to not want to do outside of the US so it would seem.

The screen is based on the standard 8.9-inch 1024×600-pixel unit used by just about every other netbook at the moment. The unit also comes with a 640×480-pixel webcam plus WiFi (802.11g) in a range of three colours – champagne gold, silver and black.

The rather bulky-looking battery on the rear suggests it could be a six-cell model, which would account for the claims of battery life beyond 3hrs30mins.

All up, the basic specs appear to be the same as the Acer Aspire One, Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 and Asus’ Eee PC 900-series.

In terms of screen size, the MSI Wind and Asus Eee PC 1000-series with their 10-inch widescreen display are the largest of the netbooks currently available.

The NB100 is expected to be priced at Std260, which could well be $5squillion by the time it’s released in Australia at the rate the Aussie dollar has been falling recently, however, there’s no word on its release in Australia at the moment.

I just hope if it does arrive here that Toshiba doesn’t do a “Dell” and release it as a Windows XP-only model.

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