Netbook Sales Continue to Crash

[Michael Knutson]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://blog.laptopmag.com/ipad-sales-skyrocket-while-netbook-sales-sink' target='_blank'>http://blog.laptopmag.com/ipad-sale...book-sales-sink</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"According to recently released numbers from DisplaySearch, the iPad is taking over, and netbook sales continue to crash. From the second quarter of 2009 to Q2 of 2010, sales of clamshell mini-notes with 10-inch displays were down 8 percent to 6.5 million units."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/lpt/auto/1285912463.usr17748.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>The graph is a bit confusing, but the bottom line is that the iPad appears to be drawing buyers away from netbooks. According to DisplaySearch, from Q2 of 2009 to Q2 of 2010, netbook (clamshell netbooks with 10-inch displays) sales dropped eight (8) percent to 6.5 million units sold. The article states that over the same time period Apple sold 3.3 million iPads. A slight problem in the statistics, since the iPad wasn't available until April 2010. But the underlying meaning is clear, buyers are looking for something portable. DisplaySearch predicts tablet growth "as much as 41 percent" from this year to next. Even though I own an iPad, I won't replace my "business netbook" with a tablet until I can get one that runs MS Excel and Word. I guess that means that I wait for a Windows 7 tablet ... Come on HP!</p>

[Fritzly]

I always found Netbook underpowered so I never considered them; as for "Tablet" I used them since 2002 when I replaced my regular laptop for a "Convertible Tablet"; since then I never considered another regular Laptop as well as I do not see an Ipad or similar devices like something that could replace my "Convertible Tablet". The latter gives me much more flexibility in the way I can interact with the device; just the lack of hand-writing would be enough not to consider it.

[Joel Crane]

I hope netbooks don't disappear. I prefer the portability and economy of a netbook to a laptop. The Eee 1005HA that I'm typing this on right now is my one and only laptop. It cost me $270 shipped, it has 8 hours of battery life, and it does everything I need a computer to do except run Portal.

iPads are really cool, but they aren't low-cost laptops like netbooks are.