Retail store Best Buy is Hewlett-Packard's Compaq Mini 110c-1040DX netbook, which has a 10-inch screen, for $0.99, but with a two-year mobile broadband contract from wireless carrier Sprint.

The contract limits subscribers to 5GB of Internet data usage per month, with extra fees if the limit is exceeded. Sprint's 3G mobile broadband plans start at around $60 a month. HP's netbook is available without a contract for $389.99.

Consumer electronics store RadioShack is offering an Acer Aspire One with an 8.9-inch screen for free with a two-year AT&T mobile broadband contract, according to the . AT&T's 3G mobile broadband plans start at $60 a month.

RadioShack's offering goes on "while supplies last." The netbook is priced at $349.99 without the contract.

Both netbooks have basic configurations, making them good for word processing and Web surfing, but weak on graphics capabilities.