Pay for internet, netbook is free

Things will never be the same in Valletta. Once Renzo Pianos' plans are implemented, we will have a new capital that is 450 years old. The plans, images and videos are available from the website of the Office of the Prime Minister, which presents all the related information online at www.opm.gov.mt.

I-Tech did not check this out from the office, but from above City Gate, with the ruins of the Royal Opera House in front of us. We could do it with Go's latest offering, the Lenovo Ideapad netbook and 3G mobile broadband internet access through the USB internet key.

Go has just launched a new mobile internet data plan called Laptop Connect that frees internet users from their office or home internet. With 3G mobile internet access, users have good speed to surf and download. What they need with it is a small computer to carry around, not too heavy and yet capable of delivering a decent browsing experience.

Go managed come out with such solution and at an affordable price. For just €35.99 a month, users can get a free Lenovo Ideapad netbook and 3G internet access with a 10GB (gigabyte) monthly download capacity to go with it. Yes, users pay for the internet access and do not have to worry about buying a notebook or a netbook because it's provided free of charge.

I-Tech had the opportunity to test this Laptop Connect service not just in Valletta but also in other locations around Malta, including indoors. The service outdoors was very good where 3G access was available. We could attain speeds that enabled us to watch YouTube videos at leisure. Indoors the service is, understandably, not always that fast as it moves back to EDGE or even GPRS levels of access. However from the office we were able to have a long chat over Skype and check websites at the same time without any degradation to the sound or connection quality of Skype.

The Lenovo Ideapad S10 provided by Go in association with Smart Technologies has a 10.2" screen, the Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive, original Windows XP Home, and comes with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and webcam incorporated. It comes with a three-year warranty.

This model of the netbook is very suitable for people on the go who need quick and easy access to internet. The screen is ok, there's enough memory to work with a couple of open applications at the same time and the hard drive is very spacious.

However, the Ideapad S10 is not meant for heavy office-related work or a lot of typing. The keyboard is standard for a netbook, battery life is limited and the trackpad is small. Users interested in getting this service should bear in mind the advantages and disadvantages of such small notebooks.

As far as internet usage is concerned, the 10GB download limit is for local use only and roaming charges apply for use abroad. The unused quota for a month cannot be carried forward to the following month. The package us subject to the signing of a three-year agreement.

Go managed to pull off a solution that is a sure-winner for those who need quick internet access away from the office or home but on a decent screen and with some computer processing power and not over a mobile phone, smartphone or personal digital assistant.

Go is the only mobile company in Malta to provide EDGE which is not 3G but gives better speeds than GPRS. Furthermore, Go clients can avail themselves ofthe reduced international mobile roaming tariffs introduced a few weeks ago when they take the Lenovo netbook and internet key under the Laptop Connect plan when they travel within the EU.