These companies will cut corners to get to those prices and then there won't really be any incentive for them to really keep improving technology if we are willing to settle for less. I don't really have any problem with people getting computers for cheap, just that there's nothing new about these netbooks, they aren't helping to move technology forward so I don't understand all this hype and talk of every company has to build one from these so called analysts and the technology community. They deserve kudos for helping to lower prices, nothing more, nothing less, they don't bring any other improvements technologically.
Actually, the Intel Atom was designed for the very purpose of being put into netbooks and other small devices. Without the netbook phenomena, Intel wouldn't have really had any need to build such a processor. It has a TDP of 4w. Now that's definitely technological advancement, especially in light of how much power it offers for those 4 watts.
Can you please explain then what new advances in technology the latest MacBook's have brought to the table? MacBook's are just notebooks, nothing that has not already been around for years. They use the same components as windows machines, they have a screen, they have a keyboard. The only difference is that they are more expensive.
I would think Adjei should be as concerned about cheap notebooks. Full-size notebooks with Pentium dual-core and Core Duo processors are available at the $400-500 price level. Core 2 Duo barely more. Why isn't he complaining that these things are cheaping out the market and that consumers are "willing to settle" for these at the expense of high-end laptops? Surely these systems aren't advancing the state of the art. Why doesn't he say there's nothing special about those cheap laptops but their prices?
Did anyone notice that in post 16 of this thread that maxijazz brought up, Adjei actually replied to and quoted himself? Who does that?
I would think Adjei should be as concerned about cheap notebooks. Full-size notebooks with Pentium dual-core and Core Duo processors are available at the $400-500 price level. Core 2 Duo barely more. Why isn't he complaining that these things are cheaping out the market and that consumers are "willing to settle" for these at the expense of high-end laptops? Surely these systems aren't advancing the state of the art. Why doesn't he say there's nothing special about those cheap laptops but their prices?
Did anyone notice that in post 16 of this thread that maxijazz brought up, Adjei actually replied to and quoted himself? Who does that?
Can you please explain then what new advances in technology the latest MacBook's have brought to the table? MacBook's are just notebooks, nothing that has not already been around for years. They use the same components as windows machines, they have a screen, they have a keyboard. The only difference is that they are more expensive.
At least they brought us Mac fans unibody construction, new trackpads, faster processors, better video cards, with netbooks I guess we will soon be introduced to our first 50 dollar laptop, that will be do technology a whole lot of good.
Me too. I get your point. You've made it a few times.
That's Microsoft's fault for making such a bloated OS as Vista.
I disagree. Most netbooks run much cooler than any other laptops within the last five years. That's a big improvement in my mind. You can actually use one on your lap for hours without discomfort. But anyway, there comes a time when computers are simply good enough. If you don't need to do any heavy lifting, a netbook is a good machine. And they'll only get better. I don't think you need to worry about netbooks stalling the advancement of technology.
I get your point, I think netbooks have helped driven prices down. I just don't get all this mass hysteria surrounding them when they have been around for awhile, just now the price has been reduced. We'll have to agree to disagree, if netbooks are for you, more power to you, I just don't see anything special about them.
At least they brought us Mac fans unibody construction, new trackpads, faster processors, better video cards, with netbooks I guess we will soon be introduced to our first 50 dollar laptop, that will be do technology a whole lot of good.
once again you make no sense...
I can get even faster....
processors
graphics etc.
in non apple laptops ..and cheaper too.
a $50 laptop may not do technology much good (arguable point) but in the bankrupt country in which you live and even the wider world it would be a very, very good thing.
a $50 laptop may not do technology much good (arguable point) but in the bankrupt country in which you live and even the wider world it would be a very, very good thing.
you need to get an education.... and a clue.
Hey look here, you don't have to come and insult me, some of you feel that because of the net you can just come and spew crap, you wouldn't be saying this nonsense to my face, the internet has given some of you the guts to spew garbage, I don't blame you.
Frankly I'm sick of all this netbook talk, what is so special about them besides being cheap?
There are other small and light laptops out there, the only thing a netbook has going for it is the price.
I have never seen anybody reply to and quote their own post before. I guess you really like agreeing with yourself.
The question remains, if you're complaining that netbooks have nothing going for them but price, why are you not complaining about low-cost regular notebooks? And why even complain about it to begin with? I don't want an AppleTV. Guess what? I don't read or post in the AppleTV threads.
At least they brought us Mac fans unibody construction, .
Something that really annoys me is this apple fanboy thing about unibody construction. This is old technology, really old technology. It has been used in aviation and manufacturing since time immemorial. I am going to let you in on a secret. A dugout canoe is unibody technology. After all, what is unibody technology? A piece of material with its insides scraped out. Another thing I dislike is how Apple seem to be trying to sell what they are doing as new technology. Not even the methods used are new.
Many companies gave this method of construction up as it was expensive, produced heavier goods and meant that you couldn't replace parts of a unit but had to replace the whole item. It also meant that the technology was less environmentally friendly. Pressed metals were cheaper, less material heavy, and lighter.
Apple has taken a step backward by using unibody technology. There are advantages, and I "prefer" unibody technology, but I am not taken in by spin from Apple.
Something that really annoys me is this apple fanboy thing about unibody construction. This is old technology, really old technology. It has been used in aviation and manufacturing since time immemorial. I am going to let you in on a secret. A dugout canoe is unibody technology. After all, what is unibody technology? A piece of material with its insides scraped out. Another thing I dislike is how Apple seem to be trying to sell what they are doing as new technology. Not even the methods used are new.
Many companies gave this method of construction up as it was expensive, produced heavier goods and meant that you couldn't replace parts of a unit but had to replace the whole item. It also meant that the technology was less environmentally friendly. Pressed metals were cheaper, less material heavy, and lighter.
Why exactly are you comparing it to a canoe? Apple is comparing it to the previous NOTEBOOK COMPUTER manufacturing process in its class, which tend to produce weak, flimsy machines by comparison. These milled, unibody frames (since they do still use pressed bottom and top covers) are quite rigid. They have no welded or riveted parts that are firm in some areas and pliable in others.
Apple has also stated that the cost is higher right now that the previous construction. However, Apple is in a unique position as they sell so many Mac notebooks with a single frame that setting up the milling process can be more financially beneficial than other PC OEMs that don't do the same volume per model as Apple.
BTW, the new MB is a pound lighter than the previous model but the previous model was plastic. The MBP was aluminium before the design change and while it did increase weight barely by 45 grams, but it also gained a glass screen which may account for the additional weight.
Why exactly are you comparing it to a canoe? Apple is comparing it to the previous NOTEBOOK COMPUTER manufacturing process in its class, which tend to produce weak, flimsy machines by comparison. These milled, unibody frames (since they do still use pressed bottom and top covers) are quite rigid. They have no welded or riveted parts that are firm in some areas and pliable in others.
Apple has also stated that the cost is higher right now that the previous construction. However, Apple is in a unique position as they sell so many Mac notebooks with a single frame that setting up the milling process can be more financially beneficial than other PC OEMs that don't do the same volume per model as Apple.
BTW, the new MB is a pound lighter than the previous model but the previous model was plastic. The MBP was aluminium before the design change and while it did increase weight barely by 45 grams, but it also gained a glass screen which may account for the additional weight.
Evening Solipsism.
I am comparing the technology to a dug out canoe since many, many people, here and on other sites seem to think that Apple invented the technology. They didn't. Apologies if it confused the issue for you.
Milled computer systems are not new either. This technology was given up as it produced heavy products, used more metal than pressed construction etc. As for welding... welds are the strong point (if done properly). There is nothing wrong with welds, glues or other forms of join technology - if they work. Milled systems have been & continue to be used in areas where robust technology is necessary, whether it be computers, milspec radios, aviation, seismic exploration, sub sea technology or any of a million other needs. Milled systems are used in these cases as there is no requirement to requirement to expensively test welds/joins, nor is there a need to even be concerned about welds.
As I said. I like milled machines - but that comes from having needed systems as above, but also because I am old enough to remember original computer systems which had milled casings. They had milled casings as this was how things were done - tradition.
I am comparing the technology to a dug out canoe since many, many people, here and on other sites seem to think that Apple invented the technology. They didn't. Apologies if it confused the issue for you.
Any site that is claiming Apple invented this process is crap. AI certainly claimed that, and while it's true that milled notebooks have been prohibitively expensive, the real innovation from Apple seems to be that they have found a way to make a previously poor option for PC notebooks viable.
the real innovation from Apple seems to be that they have found a way to make a previously poor option for PC notebooks viable.
Sorry for cutting the rest of what you wrote. I agree. Apple succeed in being successful in this case for a few reasons (my thoughts).
First the cost of Apple products is higher than other computer manufacturers - therefore Apple can afford to spend more money on materials and manufacturing methods.
Second, Apple will have driven the cost of manufacturing cases as low as possible with their supplier.
Third, the current situation is on Apples side (as far as driving costs are concerned)
pple succeed in being successful in this case for a few reasons (my thoughts).
A fifth would be Apple's large unit sales per model type. While Dell and HP greatly outsell Macs, neither seems to be able to sell so many of one design type. the ones they probably sell the most of are most likely the cheap models that wouldn't qualify for aluminium milling.
Historically speaking, Apple will probably be using the same uni-frame milling process, save for a few minor changes, for the next 2.5 years. I think that comes to 10s of millions of MacBooks being cut pretty much the same way for 2.5 years.
I have never seen anybody reply to and quote their own post before. I guess you really like agreeing with yourself.
The question remains, if you're complaining that netbooks have nothing going for them but price, why are you not complaining about low-cost regular notebooks? And why even complain about it to begin with? I don't want an AppleTV. Guess what? I don't read or post in the AppleTV threads.
My Wind has a 120GB hard drive, and other models have 160GB. Why would someone need that much space if they're just going to surf the web, type a couple of documents, email and other light tasks? A computer is what you make of it. I don't carry my full arsenal of software tools and files with me on the go, but I definitely do more than the average person does even on his or her home PC. And there's where the choice of OS comes in. Being able to use the exact same apps I have at home means there's very little adaptation necessary. I have to use fewer palettes in some apps, but otherwise I can do whatever I do at home. I don't have to repurchase the same apps for XP and learn the differences. I get enough of that having to use XP, 2000 and Vista at work.
And actually, some people have not only installed OS X on their Winds, they've created dual-boot and even triple-boot systems with XP and Linux. Others have loaded Parallels and reinstalled XP to run as a virtual machine, which I may do. The name of the game is options.
Sure, but you are unlikely to edit videos (or even photos) on netbook... well, I am at least. However, space comes handy for storing data even without need for extended tools/applications.
Take my example: I shoot RAW and easily have 10GB per week of trip (well, some trips at least). And that is with 6MP DSLR. My next camera is likely to have 12 or more MP, thus I can expect up to 20GB per week. However, on netbook I only need Picasa or any other lightweight image browser - CPU is too week for doing Lightroom or Capture NX... and even if it was strong enough, I'd prefer to edit my photos on larger screen anyway.
I'd also reserve some space for video camera, though I don't do much video... but still. And again, I'd keep most simple software for viewing it, not for editing it (again, low CPU and small screen).
I'd also carry handful of DivX (or similar) movies for those rainy days, probably couple of gigabytes (or tens of gigabytes) of scanned comics, some music, some ebooks... however, for all of them all I require is VLC for movies, CDisplay for comics, Microsoft and Palm readers for ebooks... all very simple and small applications.
So for me, as long as system can run above mentioned programs (plus usual web/mail/... stuff) I'm happy as long as OS is not heavy on resources and is reliable. Of course it is great to have choice - all I'm saying is, that choice for me is much less important on netbook than it would be on desktop/full laptop.
Market for small, cheap laptops with limited memory and features predicted to withstand downturn this year - Mike Harvey in Las Vegas
Netbooks, small laptop computers with more limited memory and features, look likely to be big sellers this year as all the big manufacturers jump onto one of the only consumer electronics bandwagons still rolling.
Sony, Dell and Hewlett-Packard have watched while Acer and Asus have captured chunks of the computer notebook market. This week Acer and Asus have increased their predicted sales volumes for 2009 after experiencing strong sales of their netbook in the US in December.
Acer sold a half million Aspire one units in the US in December alone, and the company now expects to sell 12 to 13 million of the small, low-cost notebooks before the end of this year. Based in its strong sales of Eee PCs in late 2008, Asus now predicts it will ship over 7 million netbooks this year.
About one in five consumers who plan to purchase a new computer in the next year say they will spend less on their next PC in light of current economic conditions, according to November data from Forrester Research.
British manufacturer Elonex has also said it plans to sell its notebooks in M&S next month, hoping that its cheap, 'handbag size' laptop computers will appeal to women buyers. Nick Smith, the chief executive of Elonex, said there is a gap in the lower-end of the market waiting to be exploited.
"This year all the big boys are clambering to get into this market, and undoubtedly it will flourish in the downturn, with people on a budget," he said. "Our netbooks are for people who want a better Blackberry, with a proper screen and keypad."
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week manufacturers will introduce a heap of devices of different shapes, sizes, and prices - everything from netbooks that cost less than $200, to high-end miniature machines that cost more than $1,000 and function as a phone, internet access device and media player.
At the cheap end, netbooks seem likely to get even cheaper. Mobile phone chipmaker Freescale has announced a set of semiconductors that could running sub-$200 netbooks by Christmas 2009.
Hewlett-Packard has a new netbook, the $499 HP Mini 2140, features a 10.1-inch screen and a keyboard that is 92 percent of the size of a full-size model. The 2140 weighs 2.6 pounds with a four-hour-plus battery. It will run on Intel Corp's low-power Atom processor.
HP was late to catch on to the netbook phenomenon and there is plenty of concern in the industry that netbooks will cannibalize the segment and pressure margins. HP spokesman Mike Hockey was clear that HP views the ultra-portable device as a "companion" PC, not a substitute for a larger computer.
The most eagerly anticipated netbook launch will be Sony's new Viao range Picturebook. But this will be aimed firmly at the higher end of the market. Reports indicate the new device will boast an impressive array of specs - 1.33GHz Atom Z520 processor, 2GB of RAM, a standard HDD with optional SSD, GPS, and a 3G card, and will launch at around £600.
Manufacturers also plan to introduce touchscreen models, creating a potential alternative to tablet PCs, which, despite numerous predictions, have never really taken off.
Intel and its manufacturing partners is set to announce its first attempt at touchscreen netbooks and Asus has just unveiled the Asus T91 netbook. Just 2lbs in weight, it features an 8.9" convertible touchscreen display and Atom processor. There are no pricing or availability details yet.
There have also been rumours that Apple is working on a touchscreen notebook, based on the success of the iPod Touch and the iPhone. But nothing is expected to launch until much later this year.
Comments
These companies will cut corners to get to those prices and then there won't really be any incentive for them to really keep improving technology if we are willing to settle for less. I don't really have any problem with people getting computers for cheap, just that there's nothing new about these netbooks, they aren't helping to move technology forward so I don't understand all this hype and talk of every company has to build one from these so called analysts and the technology community. They deserve kudos for helping to lower prices, nothing more, nothing less, they don't bring any other improvements technologically.
Actually, the Intel Atom was designed for the very purpose of being put into netbooks and other small devices. Without the netbook phenomena, Intel wouldn't have really had any need to build such a processor. It has a TDP of 4w. Now that's definitely technological advancement, especially in light of how much power it offers for those 4 watts.
Can you please explain then what new advances in technology the latest MacBook's have brought to the table? MacBook's are just notebooks, nothing that has not already been around for years. They use the same components as windows machines, they have a screen, they have a keyboard. The only difference is that they are more expensive.
I would think Adjei should be as concerned about cheap notebooks. Full-size notebooks with Pentium dual-core and Core Duo processors are available at the $400-500 price level. Core 2 Duo barely more. Why isn't he complaining that these things are cheaping out the market and that consumers are "willing to settle" for these at the expense of high-end laptops? Surely these systems aren't advancing the state of the art. Why doesn't he say there's nothing special about those cheap laptops but their prices?
Did anyone notice that in post 16 of this thread that maxijazz brought up, Adjei actually replied to and quoted himself? Who does that?
I would think Adjei should be as concerned about cheap notebooks. Full-size notebooks with Pentium dual-core and Core Duo processors are available at the $400-500 price level. Core 2 Duo barely more. Why isn't he complaining that these things are cheaping out the market and that consumers are "willing to settle" for these at the expense of high-end laptops? Surely these systems aren't advancing the state of the art. Why doesn't he say there's nothing special about those cheap laptops but their prices?
Did anyone notice that in post 16 of this thread that maxijazz brought up, Adjei actually replied to and quoted himself? Who does that?
What the heck are you talking about?
Can you please explain then what new advances in technology the latest MacBook's have brought to the table? MacBook's are just notebooks, nothing that has not already been around for years. They use the same components as windows machines, they have a screen, they have a keyboard. The only difference is that they are more expensive.
At least they brought us Mac fans unibody construction, new trackpads, faster processors, better video cards, with netbooks I guess we will soon be introduced to our first 50 dollar laptop, that will be do technology a whole lot of good.
Me too. I get your point. You've made it a few times.
That's Microsoft's fault for making such a bloated OS as Vista.
I disagree. Most netbooks run much cooler than any other laptops within the last five years. That's a big improvement in my mind. You can actually use one on your lap for hours without discomfort. But anyway, there comes a time when computers are simply good enough. If you don't need to do any heavy lifting, a netbook is a good machine. And they'll only get better. I don't think you need to worry about netbooks stalling the advancement of technology.
I get your point, I think netbooks have helped driven prices down. I just don't get all this mass hysteria surrounding them when they have been around for awhile, just now the price has been reduced. We'll have to agree to disagree, if netbooks are for you, more power to you, I just don't see anything special about them.
At least they brought us Mac fans unibody construction, new trackpads, faster processors, better video cards, with netbooks I guess we will soon be introduced to our first 50 dollar laptop, that will be do technology a whole lot of good.
once again you make no sense...
I can get even faster....
processors
graphics etc.
in non apple laptops ..and cheaper too.
a $50 laptop may not do technology much good (arguable point) but in the bankrupt country in which you live and even the wider world it would be a very, very good thing.
you need to get an education.... and a clue.
once again you make no sense...
I can get even faster....
processors
graphics etc.
in non apple laptops ..and cheaper too.
a $50 laptop may not do technology much good (arguable point) but in the bankrupt country in which you live and even the wider world it would be a very, very good thing.
you need to get an education.... and a clue.
Hey look here, you don't have to come and insult me, some of you feel that because of the net you can just come and spew crap, you wouldn't be saying this nonsense to my face, the internet has given some of you the guts to spew garbage, I don't blame you.
What the heck are you talking about?
Maybe this?
Frankly I'm sick of all this netbook talk, what is so special about them besides being cheap?
There are other small and light laptops out there, the only thing a netbook has going for it is the price.
I have never seen anybody reply to and quote their own post before. I guess you really like agreeing with yourself.
The question remains, if you're complaining that netbooks have nothing going for them but price, why are you not complaining about low-cost regular notebooks? And why even complain about it to begin with? I don't want an AppleTV. Guess what? I don't read or post in the AppleTV threads.
At least they brought us Mac fans unibody construction, .
Something that really annoys me is this apple fanboy thing about unibody construction. This is old technology, really old technology. It has been used in aviation and manufacturing since time immemorial. I am going to let you in on a secret. A dugout canoe is unibody technology. After all, what is unibody technology? A piece of material with its insides scraped out. Another thing I dislike is how Apple seem to be trying to sell what they are doing as new technology. Not even the methods used are new.
Many companies gave this method of construction up as it was expensive, produced heavier goods and meant that you couldn't replace parts of a unit but had to replace the whole item. It also meant that the technology was less environmentally friendly. Pressed metals were cheaper, less material heavy, and lighter.
Apple has taken a step backward by using unibody technology. There are advantages, and I "prefer" unibody technology, but I am not taken in by spin from Apple.
I do apologize for being annoyed, I really do.
Hval
Something that really annoys me is this apple fanboy thing about unibody construction. This is old technology, really old technology. It has been used in aviation and manufacturing since time immemorial. I am going to let you in on a secret. A dugout canoe is unibody technology. After all, what is unibody technology? A piece of material with its insides scraped out. Another thing I dislike is how Apple seem to be trying to sell what they are doing as new technology. Not even the methods used are new.
Many companies gave this method of construction up as it was expensive, produced heavier goods and meant that you couldn't replace parts of a unit but had to replace the whole item. It also meant that the technology was less environmentally friendly. Pressed metals were cheaper, less material heavy, and lighter.
Why exactly are you comparing it to a canoe? Apple is comparing it to the previous NOTEBOOK COMPUTER manufacturing process in its class, which tend to produce weak, flimsy machines by comparison. These milled, unibody frames (since they do still use pressed bottom and top covers) are quite rigid. They have no welded or riveted parts that are firm in some areas and pliable in others.
Apple has also stated that the cost is higher right now that the previous construction. However, Apple is in a unique position as they sell so many Mac notebooks with a single frame that setting up the milling process can be more financially beneficial than other PC OEMs that don't do the same volume per model as Apple.
BTW, the new MB is a pound lighter than the previous model but the previous model was plastic. The MBP was aluminium before the design change and while it did increase weight barely by 45 grams, but it also gained a glass screen which may account for the additional weight.
Why exactly are you comparing it to a canoe? Apple is comparing it to the previous NOTEBOOK COMPUTER manufacturing process in its class, which tend to produce weak, flimsy machines by comparison. These milled, unibody frames (since they do still use pressed bottom and top covers) are quite rigid. They have no welded or riveted parts that are firm in some areas and pliable in others.
Apple has also stated that the cost is higher right now that the previous construction. However, Apple is in a unique position as they sell so many Mac notebooks with a single frame that setting up the milling process can be more financially beneficial than other PC OEMs that don't do the same volume per model as Apple.
BTW, the new MB is a pound lighter than the previous model but the previous model was plastic. The MBP was aluminium before the design change and while it did increase weight barely by 45 grams, but it also gained a glass screen which may account for the additional weight.
Evening Solipsism.
I am comparing the technology to a dug out canoe since many, many people, here and on other sites seem to think that Apple invented the technology. They didn't. Apologies if it confused the issue for you.
Milled computer systems are not new either. This technology was given up as it produced heavy products, used more metal than pressed construction etc. As for welding... welds are the strong point (if done properly). There is nothing wrong with welds, glues or other forms of join technology - if they work. Milled systems have been & continue to be used in areas where robust technology is necessary, whether it be computers, milspec radios, aviation, seismic exploration, sub sea technology or any of a million other needs. Milled systems are used in these cases as there is no requirement to requirement to expensively test welds/joins, nor is there a need to even be concerned about welds.
As I said. I like milled machines - but that comes from having needed systems as above, but also because I am old enough to remember original computer systems which had milled casings. They had milled casings as this was how things were done - tradition.
Hval.
I am comparing the technology to a dug out canoe since many, many people, here and on other sites seem to think that Apple invented the technology. They didn't. Apologies if it confused the issue for you.
Any site that is claiming Apple invented this process is crap. AI certainly claimed that, and while it's true that milled notebooks have been prohibitively expensive, the real innovation from Apple seems to be that they have found a way to make a previously poor option for PC notebooks viable.
the real innovation from Apple seems to be that they have found a way to make a previously poor option for PC notebooks viable.
Sorry for cutting the rest of what you wrote. I agree. Apple succeed in being successful in this case for a few reasons (my thoughts).
First the cost of Apple products is higher than other computer manufacturers - therefore Apple can afford to spend more money on materials and manufacturing methods.
Second, Apple will have driven the cost of manufacturing cases as low as possible with their supplier.
Third, the current situation is on Apples side (as far as driving costs are concerned)
Fourth cost of CNC milling centres has dropped.
Hval
Sorry for cutting the rest of what you wrote.
I find trimming posts preferable.
pple succeed in being successful in this case for a few reasons (my thoughts).
A fifth would be Apple's large unit sales per model type. While Dell and HP greatly outsell Macs, neither seems to be able to sell so many of one design type. the ones they probably sell the most of are most likely the cheap models that wouldn't qualify for aluminium milling.
Historically speaking, Apple will probably be using the same uni-frame milling process, save for a few minor changes, for the next 2.5 years. I think that comes to 10s of millions of MacBooks being cut pretty much the same way for 2.5 years.
Maybe this?
I have never seen anybody reply to and quote their own post before. I guess you really like agreeing with yourself.
The question remains, if you're complaining that netbooks have nothing going for them but price, why are you not complaining about low-cost regular notebooks? And why even complain about it to begin with? I don't want an AppleTV. Guess what? I don't read or post in the AppleTV threads.
My bad, I didn't realize I actually did that.
My Wind has a 120GB hard drive, and other models have 160GB. Why would someone need that much space if they're just going to surf the web, type a couple of documents, email and other light tasks? A computer is what you make of it. I don't carry my full arsenal of software tools and files with me on the go, but I definitely do more than the average person does even on his or her home PC. And there's where the choice of OS comes in. Being able to use the exact same apps I have at home means there's very little adaptation necessary. I have to use fewer palettes in some apps, but otherwise I can do whatever I do at home. I don't have to repurchase the same apps for XP and learn the differences. I get enough of that having to use XP, 2000 and Vista at work.
And actually, some people have not only installed OS X on their Winds, they've created dual-boot and even triple-boot systems with XP and Linux. Others have loaded Parallels and reinstalled XP to run as a virtual machine, which I may do. The name of the game is options.
Sure, but you are unlikely to edit videos (or even photos) on netbook... well, I am at least. However, space comes handy for storing data even without need for extended tools/applications.
Take my example: I shoot RAW and easily have 10GB per week of trip (well, some trips at least). And that is with 6MP DSLR. My next camera is likely to have 12 or more MP, thus I can expect up to 20GB per week. However, on netbook I only need Picasa or any other lightweight image browser - CPU is too week for doing Lightroom or Capture NX... and even if it was strong enough, I'd prefer to edit my photos on larger screen anyway.
I'd also reserve some space for video camera, though I don't do much video... but still. And again, I'd keep most simple software for viewing it, not for editing it (again, low CPU and small screen).
I'd also carry handful of DivX (or similar) movies for those rainy days, probably couple of gigabytes (or tens of gigabytes) of scanned comics, some music, some ebooks... however, for all of them all I require is VLC for movies, CDisplay for comics, Microsoft and Palm readers for ebooks... all very simple and small applications.
So for me, as long as system can run above mentioned programs (plus usual web/mail/... stuff) I'm happy as long as OS is not heavy on resources and is reliable. Of course it is great to have choice - all I'm saying is, that choice for me is much less important on netbook than it would be on desktop/full laptop.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/to...cle5469308.ece
Market for small, cheap laptops with limited memory and features predicted to withstand downturn this year - Mike Harvey in Las Vegas
Netbooks, small laptop computers with more limited memory and features, look likely to be big sellers this year as all the big manufacturers jump onto one of the only consumer electronics bandwagons still rolling.
Sony, Dell and Hewlett-Packard have watched while Acer and Asus have captured chunks of the computer notebook market. This week Acer and Asus have increased their predicted sales volumes for 2009 after experiencing strong sales of their netbook in the US in December.
Acer sold a half million Aspire one units in the US in December alone, and the company now expects to sell 12 to 13 million of the small, low-cost notebooks before the end of this year. Based in its strong sales of Eee PCs in late 2008, Asus now predicts it will ship over 7 million netbooks this year.
About one in five consumers who plan to purchase a new computer in the next year say they will spend less on their next PC in light of current economic conditions, according to November data from Forrester Research.
British manufacturer Elonex has also said it plans to sell its notebooks in M&S next month, hoping that its cheap, 'handbag size' laptop computers will appeal to women buyers. Nick Smith, the chief executive of Elonex, said there is a gap in the lower-end of the market waiting to be exploited.
"This year all the big boys are clambering to get into this market, and undoubtedly it will flourish in the downturn, with people on a budget," he said. "Our netbooks are for people who want a better Blackberry, with a proper screen and keypad."
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week manufacturers will introduce a heap of devices of different shapes, sizes, and prices - everything from netbooks that cost less than $200, to high-end miniature machines that cost more than $1,000 and function as a phone, internet access device and media player.
At the cheap end, netbooks seem likely to get even cheaper. Mobile phone chipmaker Freescale has announced a set of semiconductors that could running sub-$200 netbooks by Christmas 2009.
Hewlett-Packard has a new netbook, the $499 HP Mini 2140, features a 10.1-inch screen and a keyboard that is 92 percent of the size of a full-size model. The 2140 weighs 2.6 pounds with a four-hour-plus battery. It will run on Intel Corp's low-power Atom processor.
HP was late to catch on to the netbook phenomenon and there is plenty of concern in the industry that netbooks will cannibalize the segment and pressure margins. HP spokesman Mike Hockey was clear that HP views the ultra-portable device as a "companion" PC, not a substitute for a larger computer.
The most eagerly anticipated netbook launch will be Sony's new Viao range Picturebook. But this will be aimed firmly at the higher end of the market. Reports indicate the new device will boast an impressive array of specs - 1.33GHz Atom Z520 processor, 2GB of RAM, a standard HDD with optional SSD, GPS, and a 3G card, and will launch at around £600.
Manufacturers also plan to introduce touchscreen models, creating a potential alternative to tablet PCs, which, despite numerous predictions, have never really taken off.
Intel and its manufacturing partners is set to announce its first attempt at touchscreen netbooks and Asus has just unveiled the Asus T91 netbook. Just 2lbs in weight, it features an 8.9" convertible touchscreen display and Atom processor. There are no pricing or availability details yet.
There have also been rumours that Apple is working on a touchscreen notebook, based on the success of the iPod Touch and the iPhone. But nothing is expected to launch until much later this year.