What is a netbook?
Another thing to consider is: what is a netbook and what will it be? It seems to be generally accepted that ten inches is the maximum screen size that could still qualify as a netbook and these days they're pretty much defined as having an Intel Atom as their CPU (although Via, with its Nano processor, might have something to say about that).
But screen sizes and resolutions have been growing, features and weight added and prices increased. The line between netbooks and notebooks has been blurring ever more. Surely for us to conclude that netbooks are the future we have to be able to identify what they are first of all.
The debate over the future of the netbook and the PC industry has much in common with the old ‘one converged device versus several specialised devices' debate. You could view the netbook as a convergence of the smartphone and the notebook.
Here's a table summarising some pros and cons of the netbook:
|
Pros |
Cons |
|
Portable |
Still has to be carried in a bag |
|
Cheap |
Not much cheaper than an entry level notebook |
|
Long battery life |
Not much longer than full sized notebooks |
|
Cool, trendy |
Fads are transient. Apple is better at cool |
|
Low power |
Low performance |
As is the norm with converged devices, every benefit can be offset with a drawback. And this was bound to be the case; you can't just suddenly chop a hundred quid of the price of a notebook and make it more portable without there being some sacrifices. What remains to be seen is whether, in the long term, the mass market will find the pros outweigh the cons.
A look at the recent forum posts on HEXUS stories linked to earlier in this piece shows that there are those who think netbooks are a panacea and those who don't like their compromises. This will always be the case.
Ultimately it oversimplifies the market to say "the future is netbooks", but their popularity certainly puts pressure on the other form factors to justify their existence. To finish we leave you with a vision of what the netbook might evolve into if Huang gets his way. "I want a MacBook Air with battery life that lasts forever for $199," said the NVIDIA boss.
