Verizon Preps Compaq Mini, The First LTE-Enabled Netbook

Have you been itching some Verizon 4G love in a package that’s just a hair more portable than their also-just-announced HP Pavilion dm1? I know I haven’t, but Verizon has just announced their first 4G capable netbook, the Compaq Mini CQ10-688nr all the same.

The Mini packs a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom processor, a 250GB hard drive, and 1 GB of DDR3 RAM into its svelte-ish frame. It’s set to ship on Thursday, August 4th at $449.99 with a 2-year contract agreement and Verizon’s standard complement of 4G mobile broadband plans. You probably know them all by heart, but here they are for the 4G-uninitiated: $30 nets you 2 GB of monthly data usage, while $50 grants 5 GB, and $80 scores you 10GB.

All things considered, it’s not too shabby for such a tiny package, but it seems a bit underwhelming compared to its HP counterpart. It’s only less than half a pound lighter, and the Pavilion manages to squeeze a feistier processor, and a larger screen and hard drive into a package that isn’t that much bigger. I’m sure that true road warriors will appreciate the Compaq Mini’s extra portability, but my (admittedly poor) internal economist likes the idea of more power at a slightly higher price tag sans contract.