• May 19, 2009

AT&T will begin offering mini laptops -- aka netbooks -- through all of its stores nationally and through its web site by this summer.

In April, AT&T began running a trial in some of its retail stores in Atlanta and Philadelphia. The program was successful enough to merit national expansion, according to the company. "It's clear there's a demand for mini laptops," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, in a statement.

"Our customers in the Atlanta and Philadelphia markets have responded well and the response isn't limited to a specific demographic. We're getting interest from tweens, teens, young adults, moms on the go and small business owners. Consumers and small business customers really seem to be attracted to the convenience and portability of this connected device." Pricing plans for the new netbooks will be announced at a later date. --Aaron Baar