Disney and Asus announce netbooks for kids

June 17, 1:49 AMGadgets ExaminerDan Appleman

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Disney's Netpal series from Asus comes in pink and blue

Disney Corporation and Asus have announced two new netbook computers designed for children 6-12 called the Disney Netpals.

From a hardware perspective, a netbook is such an obvious idea for kids it’s a wonder we haven’t seen more targeted at that audience. These machines, based on the standard Asus Eee PC lines are light at under three pounds, and with a rated battery life of five hours, allow kids to make substantial use of the machines without having to worry about recharging them (a task that might be left for parents in some cases). The smaller keyboards, annoying to adults, are a natural fit for younger hands. And the relatively low cost – a suggested retail price of $349, makes possible loss or breakage not quite as traumatic as it would be for a larger and more expensive laptop.

The machines design is obviously targeted at the younger set, with pink and blue models available.

From a software perspective, the XP-Home based machines are described as including an easy to use interface along with a selection of applications (including some new Disney themed applications) and extensive parental controls