The widescreen LED-backlit 10.1-inch display, which has a 1024 by 600 resolution, is handsome enough, and the integrated graphics managed a collection of YouTube music videos with no difficulty. However, the integrated USB 2.0 Webcam was not that impressive, delivering images that looked grainy at maximum (640 by 480) resolution and washed out at all settings.
Toshiba's camera software doesn't help the experience: It runs by default as a hidden bar on the left side of the screen, and you access it by clicking on a barely visible edge. Clicking on the camera icon launches the Webcam, but you get very few settings to work with, and in fact I found tweaks only by running Skype's video settings controls. (Although the unit has a Skype sticker, Toshiba includes just a link to Skype--you're on your own for downloading and installing the software.) The built-in microphone was adequate, and the audio on the NB305-N600's stereo speakers was predictably tinny, but sounded fine played through the headphone jack.
Toshiba skimps a bit on ports and connectivity. There's no HDMI out, for example--just a standard PC display port--and the card reader accepts only SD cards. The ethernet is 10/100¸ but you don't really expect gigabit ethernet on a netbook. The Mini NB305-N600 does deliver one nice connectivity extra: One of its three USB 2.0 ports will charge your electronics when the notebook sleeps. You also get a Kensington lock slot. The 5400-rpm, 250GB hard disk is pretty much standard for current netbooks, as is the 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi.
As mentioned, Toshiba has an annoying tendency to preinstall all sorts of utilities you may or may not want or need. In addition to the Webcam software, these include a document and media organizer called Reeltime, password and "eco" utilities, a PC health monitor, and so on -- 19 in all. Third-party offerings are also fairly standard issue, including Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition, Wild Tangent game trials, Microsoft Live Essentials for e-mail, multimedia, and instant messaging, and a 30-day trial of .
Overall, the NB305-N600 seems a bit overpriced for what it delivers in a highly competitive netbook field. Good looks will only get you so far, especially when your rivals include a less expensive model from your own manufacturer.