Samsung Electronics has announced its own mini laptop, the Samsung NC10, claiming that it delivers longer battery life and a better user experience than rival models.

Available from October for £329, the NC10 has a 10.2in display and a normal-sized ergonomic notebook-style keyboard. It also ships with a six-cell battery that is claimed to offer up to eight hours of use.

Dinesh Chand, UK product manager for laptops at Samsung, explained that the firm had been watching the market for 'netbooks' for some time before developing its own model.

"Through our extensive R&D network, we have gained a true insight into consumers' frustrations with these products, such as small keyboards and short battery life, which has been very valuable and has allowed us to develop a product we feel fits our customers' needs," he said.

The NC10 is based on Intel's 1.6GHz Atom mobile processor with up to 1GB of memory and hard drive options from 80GB to 160GB.

It ships with Windows XP Home edition, supports 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and has three USB ports and a 3-in-1 reader slot for Flash storage cards.

Samsung claims that its SuperBright LED backlit screen uses less power than those in rival mini laptops, while being thinner and up to 33 per cent brighter.

The company also claims that the chassis is designed for greater reliability and durability.