The NB305-310 also looks ridiculousy cheap even though it is a very durable machine. The glossiness factor is overdone on the outside of the machine.

If you end up buying this on Amazon and make the same mistake I did, it is an expensive return.

The bads:

* The power cord: A touch was all that was necessary to make it come undone. Not sure if the defect was particular to the netbook that we received.

* Graphic performance: Sub-par, I guess this is the case with most netbooks. It was unable to even handle 480p high quality video from YouTube/Netflix/Hulu. The video stuttered (jittery) at lot to the point of being unusable. I figured that Windows 7 was the cause of the performance issue and switched to natively installed Jollycloud, but that didn’t help either. Not sure if it was because of the PineTrail processor or despite it.

* Lack of installation CDs: C’mon Toshiba, pack then with the netbook. These do not come with DVD writers, and I do not have DVD writers lying around to create a repair DVD set.

Otherwise, the display is good, the size is great, and the battery life is as described. It’s a great way to browse the web and check email on the road or at play.

- Paul

([...])

As I am typing this, it is really hard to type because of the silver keys, they are shiny and spaced strange. You also have to press down on them really HARD and it gets annoying and uncomfortable after typing for a long period of time when you keep missing letters. The whole purpose of this netbook was to have something to take to school to type papers but the keyboard is unacceptible! I might as well lug around my larger laptop than this thing!

I’m not sure if this applies for other models, but the one I have does not have drivers or is even displaying the Realtek Ethernet port. I found the Windows 7 drivers on Toshiba’s support site and installed them. I believe this probably has something to do with Windows 7 STARTER (With emphasis on Starter Edition), which in itself is a terrible operating system. I don’t have Windows 7, but luring potential buyers with the newest version of Windows was a sly thing. I was surprised to learn that it had the lamest version of Windows, and I know this doesn’t have to do with functionality but you can’t even customize your background or color of windows, or especially run programs in other compatibility modes, among other things. So I’m kind of ashamed of showing off this laptop if my wallpaper makes me look like Some Microsoft Windows lackey. I don’t hate windows, I actually tried Windows 7 Home Premium, and that was nice! When I have the chance I will downgrade to Windows XP, Windows 7 is just too slow for this netbook. Of course I could always buy more ram but what’s the point of spending money on something that doesn’t even work all the way. If a product has an ethernet port, then by all means the port should work, and it doesn’t. That is pretty sad that you have to search the internet for drivers for something that should have come installed. When I was trying to help my dad buy a small laptop or netbook for work I saw the specs for this computer at the store and compared to other netbooks it seemed the best. I am glad my dad did not end up buying this model, because someone who isn’t familiar with computers would be left in the dark on how to fix the ethernet issue. Who knows what else is wrong with this computer, only further use will tell. I have nothing but HP computers, and while they also have their flaws, I feel more comfortable looking for driver updates and support on their site. The site layout makes more sense to me.

Another thing I hate is all the company’s pre-installed software that comes on computers these days. I know some of them are for support but they get bothersome on startup, and just make the computer run slow. All the extra Toshiba junk I felt that I didn’t need, I just uninstalled it.

If you are looking for a better netbook, I must recommend the Acer One series. I have friends who have them and they have not had issues with them. You could try your luck with HPs line of netbooks, they seem okay but I don’t have one yet. I love HP.

Oh man the keyboard on this bothers me so much…

The Toshiba NB305 is a more slender and attractive upgrade from its predecessor and many netbooks on the market. I was a Mac guy for years, before they became mainstream and when they were focused on quality and customers. I was tired of spending thousands of dollars for a macbook that would be practically obsolete and depreciate rapidly within a year, thus, I began to look into other options. Both Nokia’s mini and Toshiba’s mini, fit the style and boldness that I ounce admired in Macs, though I’m sure they took their blueprint from Mac and ran with it.

The Toshiba NB305 along with Windows 7, is a better choice for me personally, than buying a new Mac laptop. It costs a fraction of the cost of a Mac laptop and it looks just as good as a Mac. I only use it for my small business, versus using it for creative endeavors that I think a Mac is far superior for. I initially bought 2gb of ram to upgrade the netbook, but didn’t really need it for what I am doing now. The netbook does most task with ease, with just 1gb of RAM. There isn’t a problem playing videos on Youtube or streaming video. All of my programs load really fast and I have no complaints, as far as performance, with just 1gb RAM. I’m not saying that it is without flaws with only 1gb of ram, but it isn’t a big deal. If you are on a budget, save the additional $50 on upgrading the Ram until you test it out for yourself with just the 1gb of RAM, it might not be that big of a deal. The battery life is as stated. The screen is bright, colorful and vibrant. The speaker’s sound isn’t as low as some make it out to be, I can watch and listen to a video online at a comfortable level. I adjusted the volume to its peak and have no problem hearing.

The keyboard is the only thing that I have to get use to. On one hand, the keyboard is just like typing on a full size laptop, as a matter of fact, my whole experience on the NB305 is comparable to working on a full size laptop; sure the screen is smaller, but the display’s brightness, vividness and text ratio make it a comfortable experience, so I forget that I am typing and using a smaller machine. But, although the keyboard is full size and has a nice touch, it is set up, somewhat awkward, in my opinion. I can’t put my finger on what’s off, but it occasionally throws off my typing, as some other reviewers have mentioned. But, I think it is something that I can get use to.

I didn’t have a problem with an over sensitive touchpad, as some others have mentioned, I actually had the contrary experience, in which my touchpad wouldn’t respond well to gestures and movements. But, if you have a problem either way, you can make ALOT of adjustments to your touchpad. I think many that have mentioned these problems, have overlooked that there is a more detailed adjustment program beyond the standard Control Panel mouse standard settings. There are settings within the touchpad software, “Synaptics,” which settings are within the Control Panel mouse settings, that give you very precise settings for your touchpad to get it working the way you want.

Toshiba also has their own software loaded, with some useful applications. They also have an option to create a recovery disk, so I’m not sure if this is the missing recovery disks that some reported missing from this netbook?

As far as Windows 7 starter, I was at first reluctant a few months ago to buy any netbook, because of the misinformation about Windows 7 starter. Aside from not being able to change the desktop and a few codecs missing for DVD playback, both of which you can search the internet and get around these issues, if you need to, otherwise there isn’t any hindrance or major limitation with Windows 7 starter. Most of the other added features in the full version are for faster processors and not netbooks. I am able to open many windows and programs simultaneously, without limitations. I think there is more of a psychological block that many have, knowing that Microsoft is trying to be greedy and they feel restricted and cheated. My way of thinking is, I am content with what I have and will not give in to their psychological agenda and the need to feel that I have to upgrade to fit in. Trust me, the program is fine as it is, for basic and intermediate duties.

Overall, I am pleased with my new Toshiba NB305 and believe that it is a netbook that can stand the test of time, with its upgradeability, style and solid build.