Still, Google's package of e-mail, word processing, calendar, spreadsheet and presentation software does have some advantages.

FORBES: Office Killers

That package includes online e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets and document sharing, much like Microsoft's cash cow Office suite.

FORBES: Google Digs Deeper Into Business

And once the past was saved, Bell put in place mechanisms to archive new data--indeed every letter, voice mail, word processing document and e-mail.

FORBES: How To Be A Pack Rat

Application by application, basic enterprise programs like word processing, e-mail and spreadsheets are moving to the Web.

FORBES: Magazine Article

It's a handheld digital recorder and organizer that works in conjunction with various desktop word processing and e-mail products.

CNN: Speech tech comes to TV, handhelds

Do Assistant includes modules for project planning, contact management, time and billing, faxing, e-mail, scheduling, telephone control, and word processing.

CNN: Look, Ma, no keyboard

It is certainly powerful enough to run office suite applications such as word processing, spreadsheets and presentations, e-mail, instant messaging, Internet access for surfing and blogging, playing a few tunes and watching a DVD in flight (the battery will get you across America, if not an ocean).

FORBES: Apple's Powerful Mini-Me

For this amount you get a whole bag of goodies, like word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, calendar and e-mail.

FORBES: There's A Big Thing Missing From Microsoft's Office 365

But because a lot of things that people do with computers, such as e-mail, writing and web browsing, do not require fancy graphics or lots of processing power, netbooks can still be extremely useful.

ECONOMIST: Rational consumer

The two 50-minute online test sessions assessed "the old spreadsheet, word-processing and presentation applications which I was teaching 15 years ago, plus a bit of e-mail".

BBC: NEWS | UK | Education | School test 'should be optional'