Hey, if you guys are thinking of starting your own netbook line — and why not, everyone else is doing it — take note that MSI has released the Wind U123 with a six-cell battery as the standard battery, while still keeping the machine under three pounds. Upgrading to a nine-cell battery only costs $30, too, and pushes the weight to a still-manageable 3.2 pounds.

The U123 comes in one of four colors: blue, gray, red, or white and features Intel’s newer Atom N280 CPU, which runs at 1.66GHz. Other specs include XP Home, 1GB of RAM, 10.2-inch 1024×600 screen, 160GB hard drive, Wi-Fi/webcam/Bluetooth, and pricing at $349 for the six-cell version and $379 for the nine-cell version. That nine-cell battery apparently lasts over eight hours, mind you.

The U123 models are now available at the following stores:

Amazon.com, Newegg.com, Buy.com, Mwave.com, Zipzoomfly.com, JR.com,
BHphotovideo.com, and www.msimobile.com.