Netbook Nirvana

29-10-2008

by Ralph Averbuch

Just a few months ago most of the mainstream laptop makers were still being, at best, cautious about the emergence of netbooks, heralded by Asus and their Eee PC range. Just some twelve months on we now have a rapidly expanding portfolio of simple machines, running either Linux or Windows XP. They focus on delivering a small, light package ideal for use on the move for simple tasks such as email and web browsing. But if companies were coy about jumping in, then the singular success of this newly created sub-sector of the laptop market has prompted lots of big names to get on the bandwagon. HP is essentially re-launching its own flavour (the HP Mini 1000) using the new Intel atom processor and optionally running XP, whilst Dell is already selling its version bundled with an airtime contract through Vodafone. And Samsung, which less than a year ago was saying its policy was one of watch and wait, has now launched what may be a real contender for the netbook crown with the NC-10. But what all this enthusiasm may suggest is that, despite looming recession fears, these units are really shifting. That may be partly a product of a very palatable price but it's also a recognition that people are starting to differentiate their computing needs depending on what they need to do. Who wants a hefty 15 inch laptop in tow if you can get away with a diminutive netbook for most of the tasks you need done whilst away from your office or home?