Samsung and The New York Times have teamed to offer Times readers a deal on the Samsung Go netbook.
The Times announced on Nov. 24 that readers who order a one-year subscription to the Times Reader 2.0, for $179.40, will receive $100 off a Samsung Go Special Edition, which comes with the Reader preinstalled and is available exclusively through J&R Music and Computer World stores.
The Reader is an application compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux devices that enables Times readers to take the news with them to read later, even where an Internet connection isn’t available. Readers can search the paper and browse by section, or even by photos, and an interactive version of the Times’ crossword puzzle is included. When an Internet connection is available, the latest news is downloaded at a pace determined by the reader.
“Times Reader is an exceptional way for a growing segment of our audience to read The New York Times,” said Yasmin Namini, The New York Times’ senior vice president, marketing and circulation, in a statement. “Offering Times Reader with the Samsung Go makes it possible to enjoy our next-generation news reader application on a sleek, premium netbook. This is a great value for consumers, especially with the holiday season approaching.”
The Samsung Go weighs 2.8 pounds, measures 10.3 by 7.3 by 1.1 inches and offers up to 10 hours of battery life. It pairs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, an Intel GMA 950 graphics chip and a 160GB hard drive with smooth corners, a soft texture and an LED-backlit, 10.1-inch borderless glass WSVGA display with a resolution of 1,024 by 600 pixels. Samsung describes the keyboard, which has very distinct keys, as “pebble-style.”
The Go runs Microsoft’s Windows XP Home SP3 operating system and can connect to 802.11b/g wireless networks. Additional features include Bluetooth 2.1; a 1.3-megapixel camera; three USB 2.0 ports; a VGA port; headphone and microphone ports; a three-in-one card slot for SD, SDHC and MMC cards; and an Ethernet port.
AT&T offers two connectivity plans for the netbook-a 200MB plan for $35 a month or a 5GB plan for $60-which was first introduced Nov. 16.
The Go Special Edition comes in Jet Black and was designed by award-winning designer Naoto Fukasawa.
The Times’ offer is available only to new subscribers to the Times Reader 2.0 and will be available through March 2010.