Verizon Wireless to Offer HP Netbooks

Would you buy a computer from your phone company? Verizon Wireless has announced a deal to offer the HP Mini 1151NR netbook starting May 17.

There’s no doubt that netbooks are one of the hottest segments of the computing industry right now…but are they ready to become a hot segment of the mobile industry, as well? Verizon Wireless seems to think so, announcing today that it will begin offering the HP Mini 1151NR netbook in Verizon Wireless stores beginning May 17, for $199.99, after getting a $50 debit card in the mail by way of a rebate.

The HP MIni 1151NR weighs 2.4 pounds and runs Windows XP Home Edition on a 1.6 Ghz Intel Atom processor. The netbooks sports 1 GB of RAM, an 80 GB hard drive, 80211b/g Wi-Fi wireless networking, an SD media slot, two USB 2.0 ports. Mobile service plans for the netbook start at $39.99 a month, and can scale up to Internet and data service in more than 175 locations worldwide, with over 45 offering 3G access.

Whether users looking for a netbook computer will consider buying directly from a mobile service provider remains to be seen; savvy users seem more likely to consider something like Verizon’s recently-announced MiFi router offering with a netbook (or other notebook or portable device) that more closely meets their needs, but for folks looking for a simple, integrated mail-and-Web solution…maybe netbooks are ready to break out of the computer store.

Wireless operator AT&T began offering the Acer Aspire One netbook with 3G data plans last month in limited markets.