Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 Gets Slim

The computer manufacturer can see which way the prevailing wind is blowing by making the move to slim down the netbook and decrease the weight. The IdeaPad S10-2 netbook tips the scales at a little more than two pounds and is packed into a profile that's less than an inch thick.

The Lenovo 10.1-inch IdeaPad S10-2 netbook will be available at the end of May with models starting at $349.

The netbook also addresses a common complaint from users: the size of the keyboard. Computer manufacturers are constantly walking a fine line between shrinking the form factor of netbooks while still offering a keyboard that's big enough to use. Some of the early generations of netbooks didn't measure more than 9 inches, which created a cramped keyboard.

Because the IdeaPad S10-2 measures a full 10.1-inches, it gives Lenovo more room for making typing comfortable. To that end, the keyboard on the netbook is 90 percent the size of a notebook. The touchpad on the S10-2 also is larger than previous iterations, and there are shift keys on each side of the keyboard.

The S10-2 is powered by an Intel Atom 270 processor and comes standard with 1 GB of DDR2 memory. The netbook boasts 160 GB of storage and integrated graphics. Windows XP Home comes preloaded on the Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 and connectivity is taken care of with an 802.11b/g card.