[xstefanx]

Looking for a netbook for my Mother. Thanks!

[reflex]

The "Home" side of the Dell Outlet (Dell's official refurb site) has some for under $250 right now, and if you subscribe to the email list and wait a couple days, new Outlet coupons should be available. Coupon codes are also frequently available from the official Dell Outlet Twitter feed: Dell Outlet (DellOutlet) on Twitter.

The newest Dell netbook is the new Mini 10 (model 1012). The Mini 10v (model 1011) is an older model very popular with people who run Mac OSX. The old Mini 10 (model 1010) is a different older model. I don't like the 1010, but it does have a few interesting features.

The Mini 9 is what I have (and love). It's similar to the 10v, but the 9 only uses expensive, small SSDs. I wouldn't recommend a 9 from the Outlet, 'cause they seem to be overpriced. Even if they drop the prices, the small SSDs aren't for everyone.

The "Small Business" side of the Outlet has two netbooks. The Vostro A90 is the same as the Mini 9. I haven't seen any Vostros lately, they might gone forever from the Outlet. The Latitude 2100 is similar to the Mini 10v, but the Latitude does have some unique features.

All of these models can be had for around your budget, but I'd probably recommend the new Mini 10 (model 1012).

If you think your Mom will be using it away from a wall outlet frequently, try to find a 1012 with the bigger battery (the 6 cell). It can be hard to find what your looking for the Outlet, though. For example, there's no way to search for units with the big battery, you can only click on "View Details" and hope.

If you want help finding a deal on a new netbook, or a different brand than Dell, consult slickdeals. It's one of my favorite sites on the web.

Good luck.