As anyone that has a netbook knows sometimes you need a dvd player to load software, This is a great piece of kit that is ultra lightweight and feels robust enough to be able to be placed in your bag when you are on the move. Out of the box I just connected up and Windows 7 found the drivers needed. The usb connector lead supplied is very short (it fits under the unit for storage). I tested loading a programme from a dvd and it worked fine. I then tested a movie dvd. I had to select a region code and then it played the movie perfectly. So overall if you do not need a cd/dvd rewriter this will be ideal. The only thing you might want is a longer usd lead if you are not able to place the unit right next to your netbook. A small pouch to put the unit in when on the move would be an idea just to protect the surface from scratching.