Netbooks are all the rage nowadays. They are cheap, accessible, and seemingly everywhere

However, until the release of Windows 7, most of these devices have come with Windows XP based on the heavy resource requirements if Windows Vista™.

Well, now there is Windows 7.

In January 2009, I received an HP Mini 1000 Mie Edition for review as part of a social media program run by Ivy Worldwide (formerly known as BuzzCorps).

This was the least-powered version of the  Mini 1000 series. It was equipped with a 1 GHz  Intel Atom processor, integrated graphics, 1 GB of RAM, and a 16 GB SSD (solid state disk). The unit came with a customized Ubuntu Linux.

To be fair, I decided to give Linux a go. I used Ubuntu for a few weeks until driver issues forced me to return to the Light. Of Windows, that is.

Since that time, Windows 7, from Beta 1 to RC to RTM has been installed on the unit.

The Windows 7 Review
For the RTM or gold version of Windows 7, I  decided to perform a clean install.

I reformatted the SSD, and proceeded to install Windows 7 Ultimate.

Windows 7 Ultimate Edition, x86 (32-bit) version installed in approximately 27 minutes. This was on the same 1 GHz Atom CPU.

Surprisingly, the OS installed onto a 16 GB SSD leaving me with 7.14 GB of free space after the install.

That said, I proceeded to install an 8 Gb Verbatim Tough-‘n’-Tiny usb flash drive as a secondary hard drive on the system. Slipping it into the recessed USB bay was easy, and the minute flash drive has been the d: drive for this netbook since then.

I proceeded to install Microsoft Office 2010 Technical Preview on the system, as well as Microsoft Windows Live Essentials. I also connected to a Live Mesh account with 1.5 GB of information.

Using Windows 7 Ultimate on a netbook
Windows 7 on this netbook is snappier than Windows XP on the same device.

It is a lot easier to navigate the controls, and users are immediately useful on the netbook, a personal requirement.

I have been using the Mini 1000 since the RTM of Windows 7 as my everyday carryall computer, and I have not regretted the decision.

The HP Mini 1000 is well suited as a notebook companion, or as a device tasked with delivering either a resource-light LOB (line-of-business) application, or desktop productivity applications.

I have used it in all three usage scenarios, and see the Mini Mie perform admirably.

I have used the Mini 1000 as my primary system on day trips to clients, as a backup to either my HP tx2 Tablet PC or dv2 laptop on longer trips. I have used the Mini 1000 as the system I connect via VPN to our data center, and I have run our MSP applications on it as well

USB connectivity is effortless, and it runs all Microsoft Office productivity applications with nary a fuss.

Conclusions
The HP Mini 1000 Mie Edition is one capable netbook.

If you don’t ever forget that you are using what is essentially a $289 USD computer for your tasks, you will come to appreciate the netbook, and the more powerful computing that Windows 7 allows the Mini 1000 to deliver to you.

For this, the HP Mini 1000Mie Edition running Windows 7 has been awarded the SmallBizWindows Business Ready award.

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