PC Nextday Fizzbook review

The Fizzbook is essentially Intel's Classmate PC, which - unlike all the other machines here- is aimed squarely at children, with an emphasis on ruggedness and practicality rather than svelte lines.

In fact, it measures 42mm from top to bottom, around 1cm thicker than most other netbooks here, but this is to help protect components if and when it's maltreated. It's also been drop tested to a height of 60cm, while the integrated handle makes it easy for children to carry from room to room. This makes the Fizzbook reminiscent of the "first laptops" you find in toy shops, but make no mistake - this is a fully fledged PC.

It's powered by the same 1.6GHz Intel Atom found in most netbooks, and with Windows XP Home installed and a 30GB hard disk in place it can cope with any mainstream task. Wireless is the standard 802.11bg offering, while battery life is a respectable 3hrs 57mins.

The keyboard is arguably less vital in achild-targeted netbook, but even very small fingers will have trouble hunting and pecking due to the size of the keys - it's a shame the Fizzbook doesn't take advantage of the chassis' full width.

At least the trackpad is nice and large, while the 8.9in screen is bright and vibrant. It's also alittle grainy, like most netbooks, but that didn't cause us problems while web browsing.

In many ways, the Fizzbook is an adult PC dressed up in child's clothing, and at £255 exc VAT it's a little overpriced. If you're intending to buy for children, though, its added robustness still makes it a sensible choice.

Author: Tim Danton