BestBuy/FutureShop: Samsung 11.6" Chromebook $270, Acer 11.6" Chromebook $250 Availab

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If you live predominately in the cloud, you might be interested in the pre-orders for the Samsung and Acer Chromebooks currently live at Future Shop and Best Buy. While definitely a niche product, there's some value here for those that want to travel light, are always connected and don't need much in terms of computing power. Prices might rival those of netbooks currently available but these seem to be much thinner, lighter and offer the user a much different experience. Here's a look at the differences between the two:

Samsung XE303C12-A01CA 11.6" Chromebook - Silver - $269.99

• 11.6" Screen Size
• 1366 x 768 Resolution
• Samsung E5250 Processor
• 16 GB Solid State Hard Drive
• 2GB RAM
• Up to 6 Hours Battery Life
• Chrome OS
• 1.75 cm Closed, 1.1 kg

Acer C7 11.6" Chromebook - Grey - $249.99

• 11.6" Screen Size
• 1366 x 768 Resolution
• Intel B847 Processor
• 320 GB Hard Drive
• 2GB RAM
• Up to 4 Hours Battery Life
• Chrome OS
• 2.1 cm Closed, 1.38 kg

Though very similar, the extra $20 gets you a lighter and thinner package with a solid state drive versus a traditional hard drive. Again, these are very niche products and the Chrome OS is essentially just a browser. If you're fine with that, these should suit you well. If you need Windows, or an actual operating system, we might opt to put down a little more cash for a full fledged netbook or laptop.

The Chromebooks are available for pre-order now and shipping is free. Stock is expected to hit store shelves on April 5.