Notes on Netbooks

Image Credit: HP 2133 Mini-Note PC

Over the last few weeks I have been curiously studying the rise of netbooks - which could become this year's breakout category. As of this writing, six of the top ten laptops on Amazon's bestseller list are netbooks.

Since February I have been a dedicated Macbook Air user. I love the weight of the machine but have issues, particularly with the loud fan and heat. A chronic craver of all things new and shiny, I have been resitsting the emotional pull of netbooks, but I still may get one anyway. Hugh's account of the Dell Mini 9 didn't help. So far, I am resisting. (Note: Edelman, my employer, represents HP - a netbook manufacturer.)

When I can, I increasingly try to look at these technology trends in a more detached way without emotion and with greater reasoning. I am wondering if the netbook truly is a breakout category that's here to stay or something that's a stopgap. Is the category going to stick or is it just that smartphones are unsuitable for certain tasks and traditional notebooks are now serving the role desktops once did? Or is it that rising use of web applications reducing our day-to-day needs for a powerful computer? Further, then there's the recession. Why buy a laptop when you can get 90% of what you need from a $500 netbook and keep your old computer running a few more years?

Ultimately, what holds me back from jumping into the netbook fray is the size of the keyboard and screen. Jeff Atwood calls netbooks portable web browsers. However, I fear that the limited resolution may give rise to an entire new class of web sites much like the iPhone did when it launched last year.

What's your view of the netbook craze? Have you jumped in? Weigh in with a comment.

Comments

[bryanl]

Netbooks are awesome. Sure the screens are small, but most have an external vga port, so you can plug into something larger if you wish. I love my Asus.

[Dave Zatz]

If you pick up something like an MSi Wind or Dell Inspiron Mini 9, there's an OS X build floating around that will (mostly) work on it. Depending on Wing model you may need to swap out the WiFi card for example. Not as sexy as the MacBook Air, but cute and economical. (I'd also buy a copy of Leopard to cover the P2P build.)

Personally, a netbook is fine for more passive activities, such as reading the web. But I find it a bit too cramped for "real" work.

[JamesSpratt.org]

Most importantly, which one or two are best value for money right now? Discuss...

[Jeff]

I'm interested in netbooks as alternatives to single-function e-book readers. Having to choose between a netbook or a kindle, I have to choose the netbook since I also need a portable, easy way to read PDFs, web pages, AND e-books.

[James Kendrick]

I know we'll soon see you with a netbook, Steve. Once you start thinking about gadgets too much...

[Eric Holter]

I'm also on the fence about buying a netbook. I've had my eye on the MSI Wind. Kevin James (http://www.jkontherun.com/mininotebooks/index.html) has been following all the new models and does a great job of reviewing them (keyboard size and layout is one of the things he carefully evaluates). Battery life is one of the more important factors for me--the Wind made it close to five hours under Kevin's "all on" stress test.

[Claire Giordano]

The iPhone is fabulous, but I can't be as productive on it as I can on my laptop. What I need is something in between: bigger screen, more functional keyboard than on an iPhone, but small enough and light enough to fit in a big purse. Oh, and get rid of the administrative overhead, and make it as beautiful and easy to use as the iPhone. Is that a netbook of the present, or the future?

[John]

I really want one. But I'm pretty sure I want it the same way as I wanted a Nintendo DS and PSP, both of which are gathering dust.

[Nitin Badjatia]

I bought the original Asus Eee PC when it came out. It was fun to use, but the keyboard was too cramped, so I eBayed it. Right now I'm a MacBook Air (Gen 1) user, and mostly happy with it from a productivity perspective. Spending on a smaller screen isn't a priority, but I did find a built in sales model for netbooks....moms (and other casual PC users).

The netbook, running a simplified Linux (Firefox OS), is great for people who just casually surf the web. The netbook is small enough that my mom can carry it with her on her travels and not worry about hard drive problems due to the solid state drive. Linux is great too, since it doesn't require the overhead to manage that Windows XP does.

[Debbie Weil]

I like the Wikipedia def of netbooks that you link to. Curiously, my non-techie husband has been calling his old Mac laptop "an email machine" for several years.

Strikes me you should own one of each, Steve!

[Jennifer]

I love my Acer Aspire, running Linux. I still keep my other machines for heavy lifting, but the acer is perfect for notetaking at meetings, web browsing, email - everyday things. And it hardly weighs anything. I use it everyday.

[Susan]

Somewhere along the way I forgot about netbooks. Indulge me, if you work for a corporation, you know that you won't get the company to buy you one. If you buy one for yourself, and can log on to your e-mail remotely with a SecureId, is the netbook a good way to go for meetings, travel, etc.?

[Shel Holtz]

I got my wife an MSI Wind earlier this month for her birthday. When she's on the road, she needs the web, email, and maybe a word processor. This machine rocks for that kind of use; Michele loves it. For people who don't need more, why spend more?

As for the MacBook Air, my Sony VAIO VGN-TZ fits in an envelope just like the Air, but has three USB ports, an ethernet port, a firewire port, an SD card slot, upgradable memory, a replaceable battery that has gotten more than 7 hours on a charge, and is short enough that I can keep it open when the person sitting in front of me on a plane decides to recline his seat back into my lap. In case you haven't seen Mitch Joel's video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyHu9-IUB4k

[marek]

Well, I am a happy EEE user (1000H). The size of the keyboard is acceptable (90+%), it actually became the only thing I use for working/browsing at home. The biggest advantage (other than size)is the battery life, excellent for travels and outdoor sessions.

The price of these thingies is so low that I'd recommend everybody gives it a try. Unless of course, you go for air, vayo and other posh stuff.

[Aden Davies]

I have had a Samsung NC 10 for about a week now and it is brilliant. Only used my desktop once in that time (to burn a DVD). Battery life excellent well over 5 hours with normal use. only grip is the track pad is a bit fiddly. Tried OSX on it needs a few tweaks though and a different wifi card.

[Patrick McHugh]

I don't know. It makes sense to have something you can whip out to reference something quickly. However size is an issue. With graphics and content becoming ever more dramatic, you have to ask are the users needs and aspirations contrary to the concept of a netbook?

[Natalie]

I can't wait to get my hands on the mini Dell! As I'm not working at the moment, I cannot justify it to myself financially but I am starting a new job next week and I know what I will buy with my first, well maybe second, pay check :-)

[Cole]

We are starting to investigate them for use in higher education here at Penn State. Our data indicates that nearly 90% of our 93,000 students have laptops, but less than 20% actually carry them to class -- they cite size, weight, power, and cost as factors why they leave them behind. We are curious with the rise of our U-wide blogging platform being promoted as a note taking application, would netbooks be the right form factor. As we start to see the answer I'll share results.

[Young Che]

Netbooks will be little saviors in the Hood