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There are two things I should point out about this headline. First, it doesn’t really matter what Intel says, PC makers are free to set computer prices at will. And second, while Intel’s latest guideline may sound like good news for consumers interested in picking up cheap mini-laptops, Intel had originally suggested prices of $299 or less. But Fudzilla reports that the chip maker has acknowledged the fact that computer makers have been selling pricier netbooks for a while, and now suggests netbooks should be priced at $400 or less.

Intel’s other guidelines for what separates a netbook from a fuller featured notebook? If it has a screen between 7 and 12 inches, for instance, along with a low price, it’s a netbook. Intel would also probably prefer it if all netbooks used Intel Atom or Celeron processors, but I think it’s safe to say that any cheap mini-laptop with a low power Intel, VIA, or even AMD processor can probably be considered a netbook. If it looks like a duck and all that.

Of course, there are still plenty of netbooks with 10 inch or smaller screens that are going for more than $400, but most Intel Atom based systems sell for under $500.