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The HP Mini 311 is an 11.6 inch laptop with a 1366 x 768 pixel HD display, a low power 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, and NVIDIA ION graphics. Despite the slow CPU, this computer can handle 1080p video playback and 3D graphics acceleration for many modern video games.

The folks at NVIDIA sent me a demo unit to review recently and while I’m still putting the final touches on the review, I got tired of sitting on this piece of good news: NVIDIA has agreed to let me give the demo unit away to a reader once I’m finished testing it.

Here’s how to enter: First read the contest rules, and then leave a comment below telling us what you plan to do with your shiny new HP Mini 311. This contest is open to US residents only, as I have to foot the bill for shipping.

The HP Mini 311 featured in this contest has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and runs Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit. While the HP Mini 311 has a starting price of $399.99, a similarly configured model would cost $509.99 from HP.com.

This contest will run through 12:01AM on Tuesday, December 22nd. I can’t promise that the winner will receive the laptop in time for Christmas. In fact, I’m pretty sure you won’t. But we’ll call it a New Year’s present.

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321 replies on “Liliputing Holiday Giveaway: HP Mini 311 NVIDIA ION powered notebook”

  1. This is perfect for me. I am a young professional who wants to pursue masters degree through open university (distance learning).

  2. I’m typing this on my only computer. An old 1.7ghz Pentium 4. Almost as good as a netbook… but its a desktop. So…

  3. First, I am going to use this laptop to convince my friend who’s on the fence about his netbook purchase that this is the one to get. Second, I plan to use the laptop in every way I do not (“can not” is probably more accurate) use my big old Thinkpad.

  4. My best friend is taking care of her mother with Alzheimer’s and her aunt who had a stroke. She needs a computer to keep track of appointments, bills and wants to continue her schooling.

  6. I don’t know if this is selected or at random but I certainly hope that the people wanting a second machine or updating a year old netbook don’t win. Many people here are acting pretty selfishly, it’s sad.

  7. I will give it to my daughter, whose school work now requires computer work.

  8. I’m starting a Robotics Club for local middle school students. I would use this laptop to run the programming software in a nice, light and small platform.

  9. Seeing as how my Macbook just imploded, this would be really awesome to get me through the next semester.

  10. My son goes to a private school on scholarship; this would be a nice New Year’s gift for him. 🙂

  11. as my 50th birthday is coming around me,I would love someone to pick my entry! I would love to learn some computer skills and show the world my grandbabies.

  13. I would use the 9400M to program CUDA-based programs; I just finished a Bioinformatics class at the University of Florida (go gators!) and I’m figuring out a analysis & design for the Smith-Waterman algorithm in C (for CUDA).

  14. If I get it, I will send it to an orphanage in Mexico through my parents’ church.

  15. i would show it off to everyone I meet. a Powerhouse like this is waht Ntbooks are suppossed to be all about.

  16. Hi Brad, I plan on watching actual video posted online. I have an EeePC 701 4G. I love the little guy, but I needs me some mobile YouTube, Hulu, Rev3, etc. If I win I will turn the Eee over to my wife and point her to your site, scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

  17. Love to have this as my first laptop (I am way behind the technology curve)

  18. I’d love to be able to have something I can take anywhere with me–just toss into my shoulder bag and go! I’d take care of errands, look up useful things, steal glances at eBay, take care of emails…Not to mention do fun things like watch you tube on my lunch break! It would save me from lugging my 2 ton MacBook Pro which serves as my mostly stay at home main computer! And the HP mini seems the best of the lot!

  19. 300 reasons better than mine, good thing it is a random drawing. 😉

  20. If chosen, my HP Mini 311 will replace my unloved and unwanted Acer Aspire One AOA150 which, in light Acer’s horrendous customer service, has given me nothing but grief. My shiny new HP will mainly be used for on-the-go computing and web browsing, as a sexy e-book reader (when coupled with the even sexier open source application, Calibre), and as a portable mp3 jukebox. I also look forward to testing the graphic capabilities of this little hottie; I’m dying to see if it can run The Sims 3.

  21. I’m a student and I need a new laptop for school, as my previous one was stolen.

  22. That little Mini would first get a heart transplant (Linux/Unix only on this geek’s hardware), then it would accompany me to work, to Canada next Spring on my anniversary, and wherever else I don’t want to lug my older, more cumbersome 15″ laptop. I’d thank you once — maybe two or three times. But my back would thank you for years!

  23. I’m a student and I need a new laptop for school, as my previous one was stolen.

  24. I plan to take it on deployment this summer to watch videos and maybe play some games. Oh, and the regular web and email stuff I use my EEEPC 1000H for now.

  25. I would love to win this machine.
    I’ll do web surfing and communicating with friends.
    Yay…

  26. Been wanting to get this netbook for some time.
    I’ll be doing all that the computer will allow me: games, internet, skype, movies…
    Thank you sir for this contest.

  27. Hi.
    I need one to stay in touch with my family and friends (email, skype, facebook…).
    Listen to podcasts or music anywhere, inside and outside the house.
    Access internet anywhere, or almost…
    Plug it to the TV to watch movies.
    Thank you.

  29. I’m a grad student working in the engineering field, and I’d love to have something thin and light to carry to class and to use during lab work. I’d also use it to remote into my desktop so I can run simulations remotely (while on the quad hanging with all the good-looking coeds 😉 ).

  30. Were to win, I would do same thing I do with every computer—try to take over the world!

  31. would love this computer for school… just sold my archaic dell inspiron 17″ behemoth and need something ulta portable…thanks lilputing, this context has been forwarded to all my family and friends via twitter

  34. I’ll be using this coputer for cooking. Really. I’ll now be able to be in the kitchen and look at recepies from the internet. 🙂

  35. Being a single dad and not seeing my daughter often is very difficult for me. With this netbook I will be able to keep in touch with her.

  36. One of my coworkers just picked an HP up, it very well may be this one. It runs like a dream in 1080p. I’m very jealous and would love to have one.

  37. I’ll use this computer for gaming (not much) and communication with my loved ones.
    Much appreciated.

  38. Please help out a poor college student 🙂
    I’ll be playing games (lots) on this machine in addition to college homework and assignments.
    This computer will be my best friend.

  39. Being a business man in my case equates to being on the road a lot.
    I’ll happily use this netbook for all my needs instead of having to travel with my much heavier laptop. This specific netbook is mighty fine.

  40. “On the road again…Better get on the road again…”
    Like the old song goes, I’m on the road many hours a day. I’d like to stay in touch with my daughter who lives across the country and this netbook will help me do just that. Oh yeah, I’d also stay in touch with my wife too… 🙂

  41. I’m a professional designer trying to start my own business.
    I will be using this netbook for presentations of my work to potential investors and customers.
    It’s increased graphical capabilities will help in viewing my more graphic intensive designs.
    Thank you.

  42. What will I do with this netbook if I win?
    What won’t I do is a better question.
    Since it has such great specifications it’ll take care of all my computer needs for the next few years like light gaming, writing my articles, connecting with family and friends and surfing the web.

  43. I would love to win this amazing netbook.
    I’ve had my eye on it for some time but the price is a bit high for me at the moment.
    I’m a university student trying to juggle between all the assignments. This netbook will help me a lot while not at home.
    Thank you liliputing for the contest.

  45. I would love this because my laptop just bit the dust and I need one to work. I plan to write articles on it.

  46. I’ll be doing the unenviable task of writing the system level documentation and IOPs that no one I work with seems to want to do… At least I can do it in style, when I inevitably win.

  47. I’m going back to school this year and really need a laptop
    zachsgran1 at yahoo dot com

  49. I’d use the laptop during my breaks at school (which are super long and insanely boring). usually i opt to just sleep in my car, but with a laptop i can maybe actually do something more productive than sleeping.

  50. my two laptops right now are a Dell Inspiron 700m ( six, or seven years old?) and an Inspiron 7500 (look it up)

  51. If I win, this would be the most powerful netbook/notebook I ever owned, and I will use it for a non-profit project.

  52. The HP Mini 311 looks like an excellent netbook. I would use it for genealogical research. It is easy to take to various libraries and county court houses. This will prove useful for entertainment by streaming video content taking advantage of the improved graphics. Thanks to Liliputing and HP for a nice contest.

  53. Just got out of the Army and my Acer Aspire One took a toll while in the service. Yes Infantryman can be clumsy and one guy knocked my AAO off a table. I had installed Bluetooth and a touchscreen panel. Well the BT stopped working and the LCD + touchscreen cracked. I replaced the LCD with one off eBay, but decided I wasn’t going to throw down the money for another touchscreen. Plus I didn’t have that much fun installing it (hinges reek havoc on those little wires).Ever since then there seems to be a short. I’ve lost the two right side USB ports (anything plugged in it delivers a “power surge on hub” message). The left port is intermittant due to over usage.I’ve killed two hard drives from off roading with it mounted inside my truck. I would swap out the OCZ Vertex SSD that I finally installed and put it in the 311. Since leaving the service I do a lot of off road work (http://www.bundyhilloffroad.com – webmaster). The AAO was used to create a map for that park (GPS tracking with Delorme Topo). I started my own forum (http://www.ih8pavement.com) and the Netbook setup generates a lot of buzz.Perhaps I should stop instant messenging while driving and stuff like this wouldn’t happen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VWmuCYergoJust kidding. The truck in front of me didn’t make it up either.
    Oh btw I’m giving away a free Netbook (tentatively a 311 also) as a contest on my forum. I wish I could win it and get rid of the AAO!

  54. “US residents only”? Screw that. I’ll pay the shipping to Canuckistan if I win. And if I do, I’ll use my HP Mini 311 to write angry comments on any blog that has contests that exclude us. Also, maybe watch some HD mkv videos or something. Angry comments don’t really stress the Ion, unless they’re REALLY angry.

  55. As a busy college student involved in many activities including blogging for the school paper, I am constantly burdened by my super heavy dell 15″ laptop. It physically hurts my back to haul it around campus all day. I am in love with the 311 for its size and impressive specs and I think it would be a great little netbook for a college student 🙂

  56. Oh, man. I so need a laptop so I can escape the kids and hide in my bathroom and type in peace and quiet. It’s the only place I get any privacy, and can be left alone, as long as I remember to lock the door. HELP ME FIND ME INNER ZEN, PLEASE!

  57. I’d put ChromeOS on it and take it to class. Also, I’d make it into a hat and wear it.

  58. I’d much prefer to do my ion-ing with this compared to the ironing on Sunday.

  59. I think it will make a good DVR usind the WMC interface connected to my HDTV via the HDMI 1080p and to a USB tuner with RC.
    I’ll also connect it to my network via Ethernet to access all my media libraries and internet media via the WMC.

  60. I wouldn’t use the mini 311 for anything special, but it’d replace my aging laptop and let me work without being tied to an outlet.

    Also, I’m interested in the Atom for asm optimization purposes, and the 9400M for CUDA.

  61. My computer crashes on me all the time, so I would use this as my home computer
    tmc480 at yahoo dot com

  63. From what I’ve read, the HP mini 311 appears to be quite a nice little computer. This would work out perfectly for me because I travel back and forth to work everyday with my computer, which is a couple years old and probably a couple pounds heavier. The enhanced graphics capability would also come in handy for me because I could watch videos on the train as I travel to work. This computer would find its niche in my life nicely.

  64. I’d use it for playing Hulu and Netflix for the kids on the big screen tv!

  65. Hubby and I are retired and we’re sharing one desktop computer. It’s usually not that big a deal but now that winter’s here, we both have extra in-the-house free time and there are many times we’d both like to be online at the same time.

    So, I’d use the mini and I’d use it to keep in touch with my son, who’s living on a USAF base in Turkey; to consult recipes when I’m in the kitchen (saving many trees by not printing out all those recipes) and for keeping up with my volunteer work.

  66. This system would be perfect to run my home automation software. The software is on an old Dell and that is all I can afford.

  67. E-book reading, it’s good size for reading. I’ve tried to read e-books on an 8.9 inch netbook but its a bit small, so for now just audiobooks on the mp3 player. I have cookbooks and books I’ve scanned into pdf form and would like to be able to read them comfortably.

  68. My 10 year old daughter lives with her mother in Ohio, and she loves my NC10. She flies out to see me (solo!) in CT a few times a year, and I told her when I upgrade she’ll get it. She’s made the comment that she wanted some thing “a little” bigger though, and I think 11.6″ or 12.1″ is the next logical step. She loves to watch videos (mostly romance and comedy anime) and play games like The Sims 2. If I win this laptop, I’ll put a sticker from one of her favorite anime on it, load it with a couple of Steam/GOG games and give it to her.

  71. i would carry the Mini in my bag to all my class instead of the beast of a mac i have now. my doc told me to lighten the book bag but laptops are an integral part of my life. Lighter and longer battery life- i love the sound of that.
    thanks for the chance to win.

  72. I’m moving to New York City from the San Francisco Bay Area. I expect that I’ll be on the move and away from home a lot more, so a light, powerful netbook would be really useful for me.

  73. This would be a awsome product to share with my wife…
    Your web site is booked marked for go-to info about netbooks, thanks

  74. I have several firend that are “waiting” on an ION machine. It would be cool to get one before them.

  75. randomly choose me! Well, because I’d use this as the machine which gets beaten up traveling around with me every day. I bought a fancy-pansty fruit-denominated machine but I am afraid of taking it around… and I still don’t understand how it works 100% yet!

  77. If I happen to win I’ll foot the bill for the shipping! If I don’t win, I just want to say thanks so much for this great site. Happy Holidays!

  78. I love my Eee PC 901 but as a graphic designer I sometimes yearn for a little extra graphical power on the go and the HP Mini 311 will fit the bill nicely and allow me to work freelance much more easily. Being able to do some basic gaming would be nice too of course 😛

  79. I’d totally give it to my girlfriend – she’s been wanting one for a long time. Or maybe I’d pass on to her my 1000h…decisions, decisions. Thanks for all your work on the site – great writing.

  80. My 7-year-old son has taken over my HP laptop and infested it with Hot Wheels racing games and Oreo crumbs. I have been reduced to using an old Eee PC to keep up with my favorite geek feeds, but I would like to be able to play the occasional game too. Some NVIDIA ION goodness would be perfect. Maybe I could even stream those ST:U episodes which I didn’t get to watch because a certain young man deleted them off the TiVo in order to make room for more Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 episodes. That would awesome!

    1. SG:U, I mean. It’s been so long since I had unfettered access to the sci-fi channel that I can’t keep my franchises straight.

  81. I don’t have any notebook. I have desktop which is obviously not portable . I i win this netbook I want to use it as my portable notebook as its lightweight, I can use it in my travels. Its netbook but still powerful So i also want to use it for hi-def photos and video editing, playing hi-def video games, chatting etc.

  82. I’m a student and need a portable laptop to carry around between the library and classes.

  83. Well, i want a netbook to work and get fun (in other words: REAL GAMES!!!!!). My Lenovo S10e is good for work, but HP MINI 311 will be GREAT FOR ALL.
    By the way, i´m from Argentina and i´ll pay the bill for shipping 😉

  84. I would name it Lilputer and use it a lilbit here, and a lilbit there.

  86. Not sure what I’d do with it other than browse the web on the go! It would definitely come with me to Brazil next time I go. It sure would be a great replacement for my original Acer Aspire One which I really don’t like that much. The Aspire One would go to someone who needs it more.

  87. Well i’m a student so any type of netbook would be perfect for typing documents.

  88. I plan to use the 311 to surf the web, lite document use, and lite gaming. I would use my PC at home and use the 311 as a mobile solution. Take it with me to the office, traveling, and on vacation. It really is an ideal device for me and hope I get a chance to check out this cool Netbook and all of it’s features.

  89. Hi,

    I plan on retiring my msi wind u100 hackintosh that has developed the nasty habit of shutting down on its own. It would be great to get a replacement machine at that size, but I run a smaaaalll nonprofit and don’t get paid enough to afford a new computer (let alone a stipend much greater than my rent). Please help a fellow out.

  90. The first thing I plan on doing with my HP Mini 311 is to install Team Fortress 2 and finally see what all my friends have been playing for the past two years.

  91. I would give it to my sister-in-law, who – despite having 3 (totally awesome) kids herself under the age of 6 – is willing to surrogate our 1st child. If anyone needs and deserves a decent netbook to haul around the whole house, to school, to work, to the parents, and back again, it’s her 🙂

  92. I would love the HP Mini 311 for graduate school. I’m between laptops right now, and have been considering purchasing one about this size. I’ll be enrolling in a Ph.D. English program this fall, and this HP would be great to take research notes on in the library.

    Thanks for hosting this contest!

  93. I would give it to my wife so she can use it to stay in touch with our kids who are away in school.

  94. I need this computer for my son, cannt look at him when I’m using my Samsung NC10 and he stands behind and waits till I get off

  95. I’m a student on a budget with an old Dell laptop that is falling apart. Literally, screws have fallen out of it. So, I’m in desperate need for a new computer, and something like an HP Mini 311 would be perfect for me. The power and portability are something I need as I’m on the go and in class all the time, and I need a computer to do most all of my work.

    Thanks for the contest!

  96. If I had this nice little netbook, I’d be able to watch HiRes movies, it would also help in my studies, maybe it would also be my ebook reader (as it would be way better than my phone’s 2″ lcd), and probably I’d try out some newer (2-3 years old) games.

  97. I could use it as a travel machine. Also to replace the MSI Wind I had for a few months before my wife …umm…borrowed it… permanently.

  98. I would love to win this laptop! I am currently a stay at mom working toward my bachelor’s degree online. My current laptop is slowly dying and is getting slower and slower and older and older. I need a new laptop to finish school.

  99. I plan to takeit where ever life takes me. Want to me connected and free at the same time. So this thing rocks!!!

  100. I’d love this to replace my crappy Compaq laptop with the wonky display!

  102. I plan on using this laptop to bring to the library and write papers on it. I also plan on watching Hulu and Netflix videos.

  103. I would use HP Mini 311 to replace my 7-yr old laptop, and carry it around all day. I would use it for emails, Microsoft Office, and some other software like a few games – GTA 3 & Call of Duty 4.

  105. This would be perfect for my wife – as the standard netbook resolutions are something that drive her nuts (we tried both an Asus 1000H and an MSI Wind at one point and ended up with neither). She’d be extremely excited!

  106. I am in my 30’s and have decided to go back to school to work on a college degree I started when I was younger. I used to have an old laptop but it was stolen this year after I loaned it to a friend. I work hard at my job, but I can barely make ends meet so buying a laptop or netbook is not really an option for me right now as far as budget goes. So, I would use the netbook for internet access things such as email and research, but also for working on papers and projects between classes.

    I may also use it to work on a new not for profit website I’ve just recently gotten online, which has been a dream of mine for many years.

  109. I would give this netbook to my older brother, who cannot afford to buy it on his own.

  110. This would make my daughters chistmas. Wanted to get her a new on e for christmas but couldn’t swing it.

  113. Since the contest ends on my birthday, I would bask in my good fortune and celebrate! My Averatec will be handed down to my neice and all will be right with the world, two wins for the price of one.

  114. Well I would give this one to my best friend, Cindy she has been wanting a netbook for a while and I know how much she would appreciate it. I wanted to buy her one for Christmas but just couldn’t swing it so this would make my wish also come true if I could win this and give it to her. She would be so shock if I would show up at the front door with this in my hands.

  115. With this I could give my wife my Vostro A90 and do my writing on something a little larger. A win-win situation for my household.

  116. I would use the HP Mini 311 to allow me to be work and be productive when I commute on public transportation.

  118. I love the idea of doing my computing outside when the weather is nice.

  121. I currently use a first-gen Wind, but need something with a little bit higher resolution to run the software I need to use to study for the upcoming bar exam. Since I volunteer at a poverty nonprofit (rather than working a paying job) right now, the only way it’s going to happen is if I win!

  122. I would play lots and lots of slightly aged 3D first person shooters to ring in the new year! The ION would not go unused! 😀

  123. Wow, this contest is great.
    I’m searching for my first netbook and the HP mini 311 is a great all around netbook which will be just right for my needs.
    I’m a Ph.D. student in electronics engineering and need a netbook for class notes. Of course who can live with a netbook only for notes right? So I’m thinking that the ability to play some games on this machine after long hours of studying will be just what the doctor (Ph.D….got it? Ha Ha) ordered. In addition, I’ll be visiting my family abroad and this netbook will be my best friend while on the flight and during some dead time (inevitable right?) when I’m there.
    What are the odds of me winning? Let’s see, so far 1/192. A long shot but I’m keeping my fingers crossed….hands AND feet.

  124. I’d build worlds with it, itty bitty little ION powered worlds.

  125. I’d love an HP Mini 311 for gaming. I’d also like start working for myself doing web design and the mini would help a lot. I have an ASUS EEE PC 1000HE right now and it serves me well for my meager community college needs but if I got the 311 I’d give the EEE to my mother. I’d love to win this contest and I never win anything haha. Great site btw.

  126. Will use it as a PC that I can type papers in word without having to use my desktop. Ion would let me kick back and enjoy some HD vids 😀

  127. It will be great step in my mobile computing experience. HP Mini will help me in my work and add enjoy to my everyday life.

  128. I plan on traveling for a year or two and would use it to keep in touch with family on the way.

  129. Give it to my cousin, that could really use a low-weight laptop/netbook for school.

  130. I would love to get it so I could give it to my friend who is going to grad school and doesn’t have a laptop since his old one died.

  132. I will use it for an NGO I volunteer that helps people to manage their illness with emotional intelligence

  137. Hi Brad,

    I’ve been looking at netbooks because they seem like the perfect productivity tool for my hour-long train commute — the 11.6″ size in particular seems like the sweet spot in the usability-to-weight ratio. I’d use this Mini 311 to catch up on email and other writing while on the train.

    Thanks!

  139. I am in such horrible need for a new netbook for school and work.

    I’ve had my eye on the Mini 311 for months, but the money I saved for it had to be spent on bills.

  140. I will promise to start a new blog on Jan 1, 2010…. because the world needs more blogs!

  141. To be honest, I wouldn’t need one.. but it would certainly beat having to sit at home researching, typing up reports, and entertaining myself when I could be doing this at a more comfortable location. What I need is to be broken from my chains-to-the-desktop and go mobile for once!

    Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone. ^^

  142. I’d use the HP Mini 311 to watch HD videos on my HDTV and play games on the go.

  143. My kids have taken over my Mini-9, which had too small a keyboard for me anyway.

    This Mini 311 would be a great substitute.

  144. I’d love to check liliputing.com daily on an awesome netbook like the HP 311

  145. Oh man. I would definitely use this for everything. I would take it over to friends’ and family’s houses when they need tech support. I would take it to class on a regular basis because it is so mobile. I would love to throw some TF2 on there or something to help during slow periods too. I could totally see myself with this, using it daily too.

  146. i’ll finally replace my old, clunky, heavy, thigh scorching toshiba.

  148. Nothing special or exotic–it would become my laptop for things that need high resolution, essentially my desktop replacement, a niche now occupied by a 6 pound Lenovo laptop.

  150. I’d soup it up with nlite’d XP Pro, load up some games and pass it on to my little bro!

  151. I would try to figure out how ALPS enabled multi-touch on the trackpad, and then see if I could get multi-touch working on two other trackpads. Of course I love the ION chipset, GPU, and 64-bit capable Atom 330 CPU!

  152. I would love to win this beautiful little machine. I’d loan it to my girlfriend so she can finish her screenplay and make a million bucks. I’d take my ten percent, of course.

  153. The most current computer i have ever owner is a 2003 dell desktop, it was the on sale for 349 dollars, and i got it for xmas… which worked well for about as long as the 6 month norton antivirus lasted and then well that was that, i’ve never owned my own personal computer, that Dell although a gift to me was still the “family” computer, and i have always wanted a computer for my own…..

    ….and i’ll reimburse you on the shipping 😀

  154. An 11″ netbook is the perfect size. I would take and use this everywhere.

  155. The question would be what wouldn’t I do with it? This ultra-portable computer would open many doors for me. I would no longer have to be tied to my desktop in order to get anything done! From blogging to IM to productivity, school, or even some gaming, this Mini 311 would be the ultimate shortly-after-Christmas gift!

  156. Can’t tell if your connet integration is broken but:

    Anyways I’ve got a couple of siblings who could use this since thier computers are on fritz. Otherwise my netbook suits me fine :).

  157. i have been borrowing a laptop and have started blogging and entering giveaways….It has become addicting and hate to have to give this computer back soon

  158. I’d plan on taking this with me on the road (and air) and be able to edit photos and update my small company’s website/blog as we go around the country and world… My Dell M1210 has been a faithful companion, but it’s gotten too big, slow, and clunky. Dell’s kinda missed the ultraportable/netbook boat, whereas HP seems to have a good thing going.

  159. This computer would be perfect for keeping up with my freelance work while flying around the country for medical school interviews. Multitasking FTW!

  160. I would replace my ten year old laptop that is so heavy they called it a desktop replacement. At 11+ pounds I think it is a desk top. With 256 MB and a 50 GB harddrive, it’s giving up. It numbs your legs if you use it as a laptop.

  161. I’d love to use one of these while I’m traveling.

    Thanks for keeping us all up to speed on the goings on in the world of compact computing.

  162. What i’d do with the thing? Why hackintosh it, what else? 🙂

    This thing should kick serious butt under OSX, thanks to the geforce 9400m.

    I’d also test out a number of applications on this thing.

  163. Evening Brad,

    If I am lucky enough to be chosen I plan on using the mini 311 in much the same manner that I am currently using my mini 1031nr. As an active duty Marine I am frequenly on the move and the mini will allow me to maintain a high level of prodcutivity (and a little fun) wether I am in the office, at home or any where else that my duties and travels may take me. For example I purchased my mini 1031 just prior to my recent deployment to Afghanistan and it was a true life saver. However, I completely underestimated how much I was going to use my 1031 and realize now that I need a more robust mini. I know an oxy moron but I think that you understand where I am coming from.

    Thank you for the oppurtunity and I wish everyone luck.

    Respectfully,
    GySgt T. M. Rumans

  164. I would use the 311 to FINALLY be able to stream high-quality Flash videos on a computer I own!

  166. Here’s what I will do – get a subscription to the new Star Trek Online, and then use this little netbook to play constantly.

  168. I’m an architect and planner, but also an OLPC enthusiast (inspiration for the whole netbook genre). Believe it or not my other computer is an original clamshell iBook with a processor even slower than the OLPC, so I’m ready to try something a bit more contemporary.

    I’d see whether I could manage to install Google ChromeOS to really explore cloud computing…

  169. This netbook would be perfect to take with me to my internship at my research lab.

  170. I would give the laptop to my sister, even though mine is horrible. Enter me for the HP Mini 311! Thank you and good luck to all!

  171. I am a scientist in nutrition working in the food industry. My personal goal is to create continuing education courses for health professionals in the area of nutrition and weight loss, diabetes, cognition and longevity. The opportunity is in my daily 60 minute+ each way train commute. The missing element is a computer that is small and light enough to fit with normal work gear in the backpack. Thank you for holding the contest.

  172. Wow what an awesome giveaway. I would use the puter for my daily tasks only difference I wouldn’t be ripping my hair out in frustration at the slowness. What a nice change that would be.

  173. If I win I will finally be able to sofa surf and watch TV at the same time.

    Thanks Brad.

  174. I plan on using this new laptop to organize my household if I win it. First off, i’d like to catalog and organize all of the gluten-free recipes I’ve collected, then I’d like to archive all of my bank statements and other household records in a retrievable organization.

  177. Oh, I’d have to see how many games it could handle. Considering just how old most of my games are, it might be a fair lot of them… Anyone up for some Descent?

  178. Hi,

    I’m looking something more powerful than my toshiba nb200… this would be great!

  179. Hi

    I’m looking for something a little more powerful than my toshiba nb200… this would be great!

  180. I would use this to replace my 1GHz HP 2133. Believe it or not, I’ve been using my VIA C7-based slug for vector illustration from time to time, and it’s a little on the painful side. While the 311 isn’t really designed for this sort of task, it would still be a marked improvement. Merry Christmas!

  181. Thanks for the contest! I plan on using this laptop for my online MPH degree work as well as for streaming video to our guest room (since we canceled cable).

  182. I’m looking to use this in all of my spring classes (18 credits) and I need something that is both powerful and can get me through my day. My Inspiron 1520 has lasted since Freshman year, but its battery has been wearing down of late. Ion would be extremely useful for my 3D design and animation class, along with everything else I need.

  183. Brad, don’t you think it is unfair to limit nearly all your giveaways to US residents only?

    After all, you have got a strong global audience. If you want to run a contest, you have to be fair and also foot the postage to anywhere in the world. Or you could even pass the postage cost to the winner.

    No point having contest just for US residents. Like that, you might as well put a big notice on your webpage that it is not for the world and just for US people to read.

  184. I would mostly end up using it for schoolwork. It’s getting to the point where it’s just expected that people at the university have their own laptops.

  185. I don’t have a netbook, still a big old Dell Latitude C800 (but with an PATA SSD in it now). I have wanted one. Didn’t pull the trigger on any yet, OLPC XO-1 (almost bought but specs were too weak for normal use), Asus (almost but keyboard early on was too small), all the rest screens were 1024×600 and I need to display at least presentations at 1024×768 (too hard to edit at 1024×600), Did get my mom a HP 2140 (before that a 2133 that we sent back as the unit with SuSE had too slow SSD and we had wait state issues with it, so, upgraded that one). Nope no netbook yet. OH – did get a Nokia N—- but returned that as no flash at the time. So, looking for perfection, long battery, etc. I really would want a system with a Pixel Qi Screen with 20 hours battery and AA battery, touch screen, HD screen (not 1024×600), RunCore SSD (very fast), etc… SO, a 311 while I wait for perfection, would be ok. Sign me up.

  187. I don’t have a netbook, still a big old Dell Latitude C800 (but with an PATA SSD in it now). I have wanted one. Didn’t pull the trigger on any yet, OLPC XO-1 (almost bought but specs were too weak for normal use), Asus (almost but keyboard early on was too small), all the rest screens were 1024×600 and I need to display at least presentations at 1024×768 (too hard to edit at 1024×600), Did get my mom a HP 2140 (before that a 2133 that we sent back as the unit with SuSE had too slow SSD and we had wait state issues with it, so, upgraded that one). Nope no netbook yet. OH – did get a Nokia N—- but returned that as no flash at the time. So, looking for perfection, long battery, etc. I really would want a system with a Pixel Qi Screen with 20 hours battery and AA battery, touch screen, HD screen (not 1024×600), RunCore SSD (very fast), etc… SO, a 311 while I wait for perfection, would be ok. Sign me up.

  188. If I win this netbook, I want to give it to my mom for her birthday. She really wants a netbook very badly and this netbook is perfect for her!

  189. I plan to use a netbook to log my travels around North America next spring and summer. This would be a great choice.

  192. I am going to use it when I teach my students at a junior high school. I usually use powerpoint from a server, but connection to the server isn’t reliable so sometimes I have to go back to the whiteboard to write the things that I’ve prepared the day before at home. By doing this I can use video clips / powerpoint presentations to help the students understand the lesson.

    By having a laptop, I can go from one class to another without having any worries whether I’ll be able to connect to the server when I teach

  193. I’ve been looking for the perfect netbook for my girlfriend, and HP 311 seems to be the one so far. If I ever get one, I will give it to her even though I wanted a netbook as well..but she needed it more then I do for her school.

  195. Why am I not winning the contest here in liliputing? I need to win this HP Mini 311 because I love HP — all my exes were HPs.

  196. I still have my trusty EEE PC 1000H and instead of keeping the Mini311 to myself, I would give it to my younger brother who is going to college next year.

  197. I do IT support all over the city for a living. This would obviously be a boon to my mobility. I’d trade in my full-size laptop in a second if I could. I’m tired of lugging a full laptop bag around the city all day and can’t really afford the premium for an ultra-portable.

  198. I pastor a small country church and rely on my laptop for all my study, sermons, music for powerpoint, showing DVD’s…the whole church depends on it!!! It is now old and really heavy…I even bike to church with it on my back…I would love to have a netbook to do all this on and a computer that won’t break my back any more!

  199. My netbook recently started experiencing hardware issues. It would be a great thing to have a replacement!

  200. That’s too bad, I would totally pay the shipping to Canada. Oh, well… your other contests are more than enough. Thanks for running all of them!

  201. I’ve sold my MSI Wind U100 and now need something new to play with. A Mini 311 would fit the bill nicely! It’d be great for travel and stuff on-the-go.

  202. I’d probably use it as an extra box to run Windows on, since my main PC is a painfully underpowered Inspiron 1525 from last year (in fact, will be 1yr old on Xmas day) that, fortunately, can run and is now running OS X Snow Leopard. Plus, the NVIDIA ION in that little guy is probably more powerful than the X3100 in my rig.

  203. If I get this HP Mini 311, first thing I will do is to format the hdd, erase anything with M$ logo, install and multibook Ubuntu, Moblin and Chrome OS…. With the linux OS, I will then install openarena and Urban Terror and even Aquaria [ since they are giving free for linux now]

    https://www.sglnx.com

  204. I will hug and cherish it and use it for all my 720p and 1080p content. Install the Adobe Flash beta for streaming high def media.

  205. Hello people of liliputing. My grandmother is traveling minister who could really use a portable computer thats not to small and I think this would be perfect for her. If I win I would give this to her.

  206. my current laptop is approximately 10 years old and it has a whopping 64 mb of ram and an astonishing 7.5 gb harddrive. it takes around 20 minutes to fully turn on and about the same to open firefox. needless to say, i desperately need a new computer. this netbook is perfect. it’s not too much, but it’s definitely good enough to power what i need it for. i NEED a change in computing, and i’d love to have this netbook. I hope you feel my pain and will graciously award me this desperately needed change in technology.

  207. You are great. I have been using my old IBM r50 for about the last five years and I’ve been searching for a replacement and the 311 fits the bill. This would really make my winter wonderful. I hope I win, thanks

  208. To be honest, I think I would give it to my neighbor. As much as I would LOVE this for myself, she’s in her third year of college and her laptop is so old she can’t even really fit Microsoft Office on it (ancient Thinkpad). This would make a pretty fab christmas present.

  210. I would use the mini 311 as my primary mobile computer. I would type documents, read emails, read blogs on google reader, and maybe play a few games. I hope that I win. Thanks liliputing!

  211. Over the last 10 years or so I have bought 2 laptops from HP that cost over $2,000 each and both failed many times. Having sent them both in for several problems and coming back with only some problems fixed I have lost faith in HP and don’t buy there products anymore. Is this was a good product it would restore my faith in HP.I do have an older netbook that some one else might benifit from if this does indeed work better. Would be a nice surprise! Oregon U.S.

  212. i’m in my 4th year of uni, would like having a long battery life computer to take notes and ish.

  213. My mom’s caretaker has bee wanting a laptop for a while now, and I wanted to give it to her since she has done so much for my mother since she has fallen ill. Although a free laptop isn’t much in comparison to all she has done for my mom, it would make me feel better to give something back. I, personally, am a tech. person and I know A LOT about both hardware and software parts of the computer. Although the chances are slim, it would be amazing if I could win this.

    Thanks NVIDIA for this opportunity for this, and thank you Brad as well! Merry Christmas! Hope I win =)

  214. I’ve needed some sort of notebook or netbook for school and for my writing, but i haven’t been able to afford one. I would love one for my studies.

  216. I will use this laptop to meet girls in coffee shops who can’t get over how “cute” it looks… And I will also probably try to install Mac OS X on it!

  217. First thing I would do (After I jump for joy for about an hour) is put one of the 10.1 flash betas on there so I can finally watch HD YouTube videos :D!

  218. I wanted to buy this of my little brother, so I’d love to win this.

  219. Hello! Love what you do! Personally I would use this 311 to play some games and use my 3G modem to keep up do date and surf the net while at work and on the go. The firewalls at work block SO many sites and all downloads that it actually interferes with actually DOING my work. Having this hand would help is so many ways!

    Thanks again for what you do.

    Kevin

  221. I’d use the 311 to play old school emulators like SNES and the Sega Genesis on the go, along with taking notes on Onenote during my lecture classes

  223. I would use the 311 to keep in touch with my family. Greater availability to be connected would be a fantastic gift to receive.
    I would truly be grateful.

  224. Portable Home Theatre PC. That’d be AWESOME!
    … also, it’d help with school work, occasionally.

    okay, often.

    But don’t tell my adviser, or I’ll have to be the default note-taker at meetings!

  225. I will be using this as my mobile computer. I’ll be leaving my Macbook at home.

  226. Great contest! My wife has seen my netbook and my son’s, and is getting netbook envy. This would get her off my back, I mean ensure domestic bliss!

  227. I would first see if I can run OS X on it effectively. (Just for fun. I loved my Dell Mini 9 running OS X.) Then I would probably give it to my brother, or one of my sister in laws.

  228. I’d love to win this laptop, my wife is in desperate need of a new pc. She has been running an old dell loaded with ubuntu and it barely starts half the time. She’d be stoked to get this.

  229. I would use the HP Mini 311 on the road during business travel. A good netbook is ideal for many business travelers who don’t need to do heavy computing but want to be able to edit documents and check things on the web.

  230. I would love to win this! I am a super busy Mom of two sons and am constantly on the go. This computer would be portable enough to take with me where ever I go!

  232. I plan on sitting in a busy coffee shop and not having to worry about fighting my through all the people for a wall outlet as I work on papers and other school work, unlike what happens when I bring my Asmobile S96-minutes of battery life on a good day-S.

  234. Give it to my mother to replace her 10 year-old (and 10 pound) Dell laptop.

  235. I would see what photoshop can do on a small netbook with a 1366 x 768 display.

  238. Wow! Winning this giveaway would make my life so much easier! I have NEVER had a laptop. I am starting a small family based design company and this would open up all sorts of new ways of communicating with in town clients.
    Thanks for all of the hard work that goes into your blog!

  240. I would use it for college and to hook it up to the tv so my folks and I could enjoy some classy internet entertainment

  241. If I win, I think I’ll be giving this to my girlfriend, who has been drooling over this for a while.

  243. I will share this with my wife for kid free computing. We are always having to kick the kids off the two pc’s to get some time for ourselves.

  244. I have been using the ASUS 1000HA for the past 14 months and really like netbooks. I have had my eye on the HP 311 and would love to use it for watching videos/movies because of the higher screen resolution and NVIDIA ION GPU. Please ship it to me in Florida.

  245. The first thing i will do with my shiny new mini 311 is install steam and play team fortress 2, its been too long. Then i will catch up on my tv shows by streaming them to my HDTV thru the HDMI output. Lastly i will probably see how comfortable it will be typing on it, since this is what i would need it for mostly, schoolwork!

  248. Thanks for the chance here, if I win I would let my aging 900 16G rest when it comes to watching videos, but still adore for the on-the-go portability 🙂 Cheers, and Merry Xmas!

  250. As a writer and journalist, I would use the HP Mini to replace my dieing (and falling apart) iBook. I love the portability of netbooks, the Mini would be perfect for me!

  251. I will give this shiny new puppy to my girlfriend, who has a five year old Toshiba laptop as big as THE House and as slow as the Senate. She will be very happy.

  252. I will give this HP Mini as a gift to my dad. He came to attend my wedding and is travelling in US right now. He is using the ASUS laptop we lent him but he complains about its battery life and weight since he uses it on the road a lot. My dad is retired right now but is living an active life. He counsels a lot of people in his community in China. He also plans to write two books: one for his former profession (GeoChemistry) and one for the game of Sudoko which he loves very much. My dad is not rich but is passionate about life and helping out others. I like to give him this gift to help him fulfill his goals. Thanks for offering this opportunity. I very apprecaite it. May God bless you.

  253. I’d use it to replace my aging NC10. For the most part I need a higher resolution screen and something that would be a little more appropriate for playing quake live on the go!

  256. Been looking to get a netbook and this one looks to be a winner, thanks for a chance to win one!

  257. I plan on using it as a remote terminal for my monster desktop. With the Mini 311, I will be able to execute my plan for global domination from the ski lodge of my choice!

    Bwa-hahahah-ah-Choo! (Durned cold)

  258. With that size drive and specifications it looks like it might be an ideal candidate to re-partition in order to use as a test bed for some of the new distros. Dual or triple boot into Win7, Ubuntu 10.04, and possibly Chromium.

  259. It would be a great gift for my daughter as she enters her last year of high school.

  261. My wife has been wanting a laptop for awhile now, but, as a retiree and limited income I am unable to get her one. Something like this would be a great New Year’s gift, her Birthday is January 8th.

  262. I work in film and travel back and forth between all sorts locations and offices. I have a HUGE MacPro but obviously, that has to stay at my home office, so this would be a life saver for my current job. Being able to play back HD Dailies and Video on set with ION would be… epic.

  264. oooooo my Eee 901 is starting to get cranky, this is by far my favorite netbook on the market right now. Sleek, sexy, and ION? What is not to love?

  265. I would use this to browse and check email in the living room instead of being stuck in front of my regular desktop computer in the den! I think an 11.6″ laptop is the perfect size (10.1″ is too small and 13″ is really too big). With this baby on my lap, I can truly multitask!

  267. I’ll be heading to Ireland from the US soon, to do some research in international communications for my masters. My current laptop, a 12 inch 867mhz powerbook, is a great size but is getting too old for even day to day web browsing. A netbook with ION would small but still powerful enough to watch HD youtube vids.

  268. I run kayak fishing events here in Texas. Obviously, we can’t lug around enough water to create a livewell to keep our fish in for a live weigh-in so instead, we do CPR (catch, photo, and release). This entails A LOT of pic downloading/viewing/speardsheets in remote areas to judge the angler’s catch. Netbooks are ideal for this process due to their light weight and long battery life. I could definitely put the HP Mini to the test and see if it’s up to the task. BTW- I just found Liliputing recently, great site!

  269. I am retired and camping in my van. I am in Arizona now following the sun. If I had this I would use it to send pictures to all of my friends of me sitting beside lakes and rivers drinking wine and enjoying life.

  271. I need a replacement for my Libretto 110. Waiting 10 minutes for it to boot XP isn’t bad. Its the frisking I get from TSA when traveling with my homemade external battery that is the kicker.

  272. My laptop recently died and for what I use PCs for these days I don’t need a full blown laptop or desktop. A nettop is the ideal computer for taking my work (legislative consulting) back and forth from work.

  273. This would be an excellent upgrade from my Asus 901 Eee, and would handle World of Warcraft a whole lot better. Of course, I’d have to get an SSD for it – those things have spoiled me. 🙂

  275. I’d definitely use it for some mobile programming. Take it to user groups and conferences for notes and whatnot.

  278. I have to be honest with you, if I win this netbook I will keep it. However, I think I have a good case as to why I would be doing ‘good’ in doing that. If I win I will give my current netbook to my nephew and my sister. If I won another netbook I could easily give them my old netbook without them feeling like I was giving them too much. It would be a ‘pay it forward’ deal in other words. My sister is my best friend and she could really use my netbook.

  279. If I win, I’ll give it to my 8 year old son as a Xmas present. He wants his own computer very badly and this is going to be a cool one for him. Pls count me in. Thanks and keep up the great job.

  280. I would use it to teach my kid computer and programming(via scratch and nxt). It’d also be used to store and play family photos and videos (ion + 1080i = good).

  281. Man,

    I would watch online videos until ION begs for mercy, I am really interesting to see how SlingBox Player will perform on it.

    Thanks!

  282. I would use the computer to run modeling simulations at work and school. The processor is a tad on the slow side, but I’ve played with 2 Ion systems now and I know that the software we’re using here will render everything correctly on that platform thanks to CUDA and the size, weight, and battery on this 311 are all ideal for what I need a laptop for.

  283. A new Mini 311 would not only satisfy my urge for a mobile computing platform, it would save my wife from listening to me compare netbooks whenever we visit a coffee shop.

  284. I don’t have one of these-only a 10 year old HP laptop that is slowly dying. I would really love to be able to do work, without time restraints, away from germy people in the library (where I go because computers are quicker than mine!)

  286. I would use it to program applications on the go. My current laptop is far too bulky; I could use this to write and test the applications. Especially for low-spec and Windows 7 compatibility.

  287. I’m an astronomer and If I win this netbook, I’ll load fedora linux and use it for data reduction when at the telescope.

  288. Since I just canceled my Lenovo s12 order, they cant seem to ship after 45 days. I would love to have some Christmas cheer!

  293. I’m moving to China in February. The poor little laptop wants to go back to where it came from. If I get it, I’ll give it that opportunity. I’ll take it to see the Great Wall, and the Forbidden City, and maybe even to the local dumpling house for lunches.
    Here’s hoping I win!

  294. Crossing my fingers, and as much as I would love to keep it myself, it would have to go to my wife. It would serve to replace her three year old MacBook that has a faulty logic board that causes the screen to flicker every few seconds. Please, please, please.

  295. Thanks for making this available to us, Brad and NVIDIA! If I win, I will let my daughter use it for her student teaching work.

  296. I need a netbook to replace my dying, 9 yr/old Pismo Powerbook and the HP Mini 311 looks rocking. I will use it to write the rough draft of my next novel and do all my social networking. Also, I need a new machine for streaming Netflix and football games on CBS.com.

    Thanks!

  297. My shoulder has what feels like an inch-depression from carrying around a four-year old, six plus pound laptop. I could definitely use something lighter. I’d pay for one, but I don’t have a job right now.

  298. I am about to start a three country nature survey, documenting species of birds that may be endangered, and would love to bring a light PC along as a companion for note taking and offloading my digital photos.

  299. I’d use this notebook to store my college-related material (projects, notes and such). Besides that I’d use it to view trailers in 720p off the net and for some light gaming. It’d also be used for MATLAB and LabVIEW that are vital to my line of study.

  301. I have an aunt-in-law who is retired and trying to run a home-based business on an old Pentium 1 system. I have been looking for a (pretty much no-cost) replacement for her and if I won this, I would pass it along to her and give her old PC a decent burial.

  302. I’d love to snag a nice little ION machine to play with new Versions of Boxee on…this could be a valuable little media machine…

  303. I would put my slow 900ha away and play some WOW on my new netbook.

  304. As someone who has a consulting business, and runs around NYC with a 4 year old 8 pound Dell Inspiron E1505, not only would this help my business……it would help my back!!!!

  305. A NVIDIOA ION netbook would be very useful for me. I’m planning to watch lots of my 1080p videos connected to my LCD.

  307. My laptop is dying a little more each day and this would be a great replacement. Thank you!

  308. I would replace my old IBM Thinkpad T21 PIII Coppermine with 384mb of RAM running Windows 2000. Although, I would miss it’s ability to double as a flamethrower from it’s exhaust heat.

  309. I am an architect and an amateur electric guitar player. I currently carry a gateway 17″ monster to the office and gigs. Finally there is a 11″ netbook powerful enough to run the programs I use with relative ease (I know its no GTX but still…). I also own an LT31 but with no double core it struggles to keep up…. I would LOVE this netbook for Sketchup and Guitar Pro! BTW did I mention I am a computer geek (I guess we all are!).

  311. NVIDIA ION Rocks! My 9-year-old daughter is asking for her own computer, this would be great for her and it looks cool (which unfortunately is already very important even at that age). While she likes to play some games (mostly flash-based online) they use an online math website extensively at school and she also has been writing fiction over the past year by hand. This would get her into the 21st century.

  312. I’d use this netbook to replace my Acer which has really slow Intel GMA 500 graphics.

  313. I need a notebook for school badly!

    I’m in my second year, studying Medical Laboratory Science, and have no computer at the moment in my dorm room, outside what I can use in the campus computers labs.

    First year wasn’t so bad without a computer. But this year has become a total hell. The amount of labs we do has tripled and I find myself writing a report almost every other night.

    It looks like I’ll be passing by the skin of my teeth.

    Second semester would rock if I had something I could use in my own room! And maybe I’ll even have something I can just relax with and watch a streaming movie or two on, without having to worry about how long I have left on the machine.

  314. Hi, I’m already thinking to upgrade my nc10 to something bigger with ion. I’m going to Asia next summer for an internship right after my college graduation. If I win this machine, I will take it with me to Asia. It will be useful and easy to travel around with for business meetings.

    Thanks. Hope I win.

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