Netbooks on Their Way Out Already?

[Hooch Tan]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/04/27/the-netbook-she-is-dying/' target='_blank'>http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/04/2...k-she-is-dying/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Dear people who yelled at me when I said netbooks were garbage: I was right. IDC is reporting that sales of netbooks running the Atom platform are flat."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1272395970.usr20447.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>Putting aside the argument I have with the report says nothing about netbooks being garbage, or that is the reason why they are no longer selling as much, I do think it interesting to recognize the netbook.&nbsp; It arrived on the leading edge of a mobility push and it has changed our expectations of computers.&nbsp; We are seeing announcements with netbook class devices boasting 10+ hours of life!&nbsp; The writer suggests that netbooks are akin to useless computers and people are recognizing it.&nbsp; I think it is more a matter of competition.&nbsp; What may eventually remove all need of the netbook will be the continued rise of the smartphone.&nbsp; Especially as more companies and people better provide mobile websites and apps, people will turn to those as their primary, if not only computing device.&nbsp;</p>

[crimsonsky]

Smartphones replacing functions of netbooks? Not happening and the main reason is that they are just too darned small. As much as I appreciate my iPhone, I don't browse with it unless absolutely necessary. Viewing video? On a 3" screen? No thanks! Data input on that pop-up keyboard? Forget it for longer than a couple of sentences.

I think in these areas, Apple has pegged it with the iPad for those who don't want or need the functionality of a full computer. For me, personally, even the iPad is too limiting and I do prefer my netbook because it IS a full computer. It's the perfect adjunct to my desktop and for taking out and about when my 13" MacBook is more than I want to lug about.

If folks have issues with netbooks I suspect it's because they're expecting the performance of a "real" notebook and finding it isn't so. Well, duh! But for web surfing, email, even watching SD video or locally stored content, the netbook is just fine. Just don't expect it to work as well as a 15 inch notebook with twice the power. And smartphones - forget about it.

[John London]

i agree with the poster above. i bought the netbook when in a pinch, like traveling or using it with my D-SLR. my primary focus with the netbook has been to browse, email and some photo stuff. And no, Photoshop is not loaded on my netbook. It works well when I am out taking pictures with my D-SLR and can down load them onto the netbook to free the CF card. the netbook has a lot of functionality for me besides running huge apps. never was designed to be my primary computer and never will be, unless my laptop is stolen which the netbook will be a stop gap.

[The Yaz]

I think the netbook category correctly fills a need. As long as the product meets the those expectations, I do not see them going away.

I will be buying one for my daughter who is going into High School in the fall. A netbook will be perfect for her. The only programs that she will install that will tax the netbook will be Office Student Edition and iTunes. I will order it with a 6 or 9 cell battery, so it will easily get through the day on a single charge.

The best part will be getting her desktop back... Now I can finally get around to making a Windows Home Server Box :)

Steve

[c1oudrs]

This cycle has been frustrating to watch. The biggest problem is that there hasn't been much innovative released for netbooks for quite some time (comparatively speaking). The few released products that have been exciting have had an Achilles heel like poor speakers, poor performance, etc.

Consider that I bought an EEPC1000HE in March 2009 (That's 2009 over a year ago) as a gift for my Mom. # (1.66 GHz, FSB: 667MHz, 1 GB RAM
# 160 GB Hard Drive, 10 GB Eee Storage
# Microsoft Windows XP Home, 9.5 hours of battery life
# 10.1-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, 3 usb2 ports . . .

Over a year later . . . we get a slate from HP
CPU speed 1.60 Ghz, 1 GB RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium, 4hr?battery life expected, 1-2 usb2 ports? Sure its slightly smaller and a slate but this isn't much considering its a year later.

Its not just the netbook arena but the umpc/pad area also. For example, we see comparisons on UMPC portal 25April10 article comparing Archos 5 and Ipad . . . the Archos 5 came out August 19 2008? My point is that for whatever reason the whole industry isn't very exciting (except maybe the Ipad which I loath).


Intel is partly at fault in my opinion with their "netbook chips don't need to be faster," attitude. Microsoft is partly at fault I think in that windows7 isn't lending itself to a netbooks pricepoint and it isn't aggressive enough for touch applications (hence manufacturers are looking towards android alternatives). The manufacturers are definitely at fault for not being aggressive, not paying attention to competition, bungling with speakers or keyboards. The economy is partly at fault. In the meantime Apple is slurping up market share, and thinking outside the box. (While too many companies can't get out of last year).

[whydidnt]

I think there are two reasons that Netbook sales have flattened. The first being that the market has become somewhat saturated. Those that want a Netbook already have one. The second is that Netbooks have not evolved in the last couple of years, as C1oudrs points out, so no reason for current Netbook owners to upgrade.

I think Intel has purposely crippled the platform in a poor attempt to protect it's higher priced/margin chips. Of course as always happens in situations like this all that does is drive customers to your competitors, hence the rise of ARM based tablets (and soon "smart books").

Finally, if you take a look around the internet, it's not too hard to find a relatively small, better powered notebook for nearly the same price as most Netbooks today.

[crimsonsky]

Finally, if you take a look around the internet, it's not too hard to find a relatively small, better powered notebook for nearly the same price as most Netbooks today.

Yep. I noticed this when I was thinking about getting a notebook. I've seen decently spec'ed notebooks for as low as $350, which is right in netbook range.

But the other big advantage of a netbook for me is the size. I have a 13" Macbook that I almost never carry around because of its size and weight. Most PC notebooks seem to have settled on a 15" size (although 13" can be found). I don't want anything that big if I can help it. The ideal size for me would be 12" but the notebooks I've found at that size (and there aren't that many) are too expensive. Netbooks that have 12" screens cost as much as a larger notebook, so what's the point?

Yes, netbooks have stagnated, but at their price points, I don't really see how they can do much more and maintain that price.

[Felix Torres]

Yeah, right...:rolleyes:
Netbooks are fading. They only add up to 20% of the portable computer market.

All that's happened is that instead of trying to sell underpowered $500-800 "premium" netbooks, the likes of Sony and Samsung are selling ULV Core-powered thin and lights in that price range. Take out the overpriced sales to the brand conscious and you'll find that the true netbook market is sice and stable.

True netbooks are defined by 4 traits: light weight, long battery life, low price, and access to the full-PC software catalog. A netbook buyer needs all four; otherwise a cheap 5 pounder or a hhigher-priced thin-n-light would get the sale.

Much as some might wish it, Netbooks are with us to stay.

[Hooch Tan]

I agree that smartphones cannot fully replace the functionality of a netbook, what I can see happening is that smartphones will be good enough to fulfill the needs of a typical consumer that they may not need another computing device.

For any real work, I agree that a smartphone is lacking. I am still amazed how much email crunching some people can do with a blackberry. A 10-13" device seems just about right for portability and size and netbooks are just about right. Being someone who needs productivity more than consumption, I hope netbooks and slates stay around for a long time. I just think that consumer focused devices will start to replace more all around devices in time.

[Joel Crane]

I hope they aren't gone before I can get one! I've been wanting a netbook ever since the first EeePC was introduced.

[Jason Dunn]

I've never understood the hate-on that some people have for netbooks. It's like they don't get the whole reasons netbooks sold in such huge numbers: they're "good enough". They're good enough for Web tasks, good enough for basic email programs (even Outlook), good enough for typing up a document on, etc. People try to use them for crazy things like gaming, which they all tend to suck at unless it's an Ion-based system, but hey, if they bought it, they can use it for whatever they want.

My wife has a 10.6" netbook and a desktop computer with a 22" monitor. She uses the netbook 90% of the time, because it's good enough for checking her email, browsing the Web, etc. She uses her desktop the other 10% of the time when she needs the bigger monitor.

The "good enough" inflection point is at the heart of nearly all huge shifts in the consumer electronics space; remember all the people decrying MP3s because they "sounded like garbage"? Well, guess what, highly-compressed MP3s sounded good enough to nearly tear down the whole music industry. Blu-ray? The reason it has a glacial pace of adoption is because DVDs are good enough for most people - Blu-ray doesn't bring enough improvements to the table.

Netbooks are what they are; a technology that's perfect for some people, good enough for others, and not powerful enough for a very small minority.

[Hooch Tan]

I hope they aren't gone before I can get one! I've been wanting a netbook ever since the first EeePC was introduced.

Oh, I doubt that netbooks will disappear anytime soon. As many have mentioned, there is a large number of people who do find them useful. There is a lot of momentum behind traditional forms of computing, and alternate forms, like smartphones and the iPad (which I think of something like a hybrid) will need a long time to truly finish any other form factor, and even then, I'm sure they'll be available. Just not as common.