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The Incredible Shrinking Netbook
Posted by marco chiappetta in Netbook PC | May. 11, 2009 12:00 PM
When viable netbooks first hit the scene a couple of years back, Sony's SVP of the company's Information Technology Products Division in the U.S. was quoted as saying netbooks represented a "race to the bottom". The point he was trying to get across was that smaller, less powerful, systems could potentially have a detrimental impact on the overall PC market, due to the somewhat degraded user experience offered by the machines in comparison to more powerful, full-blown notebooks.
Of course, the market has spoken since then, and netbooks are an undeniable success. But that's partly because the more prolific and nimble netbook manufactures took a detour on that supposed race to the bottom.
If you remember back to the release of the original Asus Eee PC, the machines had a miniscule amount of storage and small 7" screens. They were still quite popular as secondary or tertiary mobile PCs, but a funny thing happened once consumers got their hands on the tiny systems in mass quantities. Despite the relatively low prices a large contingent of users expected more, even though they many of them went into the purchase knowing full well that a netbook wouldn't offer the same kind of computing experience as a notebook. Netbook manufacturers seems to listen to consumers closely, however. Take Asus, for example. Over time, the Eee PC line expanded to the point where the most sought after models featured larger screens, faster processors, better keyboards, and standard mobile hard drives--just like more powerful notebooks.
Instead of racing to the bottom, netbooks have generally climbed up a few rungs on the evolutionary ladder. The market didn't become filled with smaller, cheaper, lighter netbooks, but rather the machines morphed into slightly larger, more sophisticated machines than their early predecessors. That's a great development, and one that I hope continues. As much as I can appreciate and understand the appeal of an inexpensive, ultra mobile netbook, I feel consumers are better served by the slightly larger more refined products available today. There is a point where a netbook become too small, and it hinders the experience. Where that point is will obviously differ from user to user, but I think the vast majority of us can agree that low resolution screens smaller than 8.9" - 10.1" and keyboards so small it's difficult for an adult to push a single key at a time are pushing the limits of usefulness.
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The size is really based on portability, meaning if it is small enough to carry in your pocket. If it is there is a strong market for a pocket laptop if it had a touch type keyboard. Anything larger where you would need a bag to carry it will be impacted by the screen size. Once you have to carry it what is the difference carrying a 10" to 17"? they all need a bag to carry.
If they made a Netbook with a size able to be carried in a large inside jacket pocket the mobility of it is more important than screen size as long as it has a real keyboard.
A 10.1" LCD is the smallest I'd consider. I think even 8.9 is too tight and 7" might as well be a damn smartphone screen!
Call me picky but I don't get the rage behind the ultra, ultra small stuff. It all needs to be functional too, otherwise what's the point, unless it's a kid's machine like an OLPC-targted product.
Dale, I feel the same way. In fact, if you check out my other posts, you'll see I dedicated one to notebook keyboard quality. (Enhancing the notebook computing experience)
At the time though, those 128K Macs were cutting edge--there was no "desktop publishing" otherwise.
It is not so much the screen size but having a good keyboard to me. I could easily use a computer with a small 4-6" screen but only if the keyboard enabled me to type good. A thumb keyboard or pen input is not what I want no matter how large the screen provided.
There has not been a really good pocket laptop and that is what I would like to see. A touch type keyboard netbook easy to type yet small enough to carry everywhere.
I think you raise an interesting point about how the computer market operates, I think many people knew before the Eee PC was released that they wanted something more basic from a laptop, the web browser for these people was the application they would use 95% of the time and would become the premise under which the Eee PC was probably developed. However smaller laptops before the Eee PC came at a premium price defeating the 'basic'ness people were looking for, Dell 15" Inspirons dominated the sub $500 scene at the time.
Your conclusion is accurate and the slightly larger netbooks offered now are welcome. If was to offer some criticism I would like to have seen some speculation on what you expect to happen to this trend, will these new bigger netbooks stay the same size? Or is the market still trying to find the sweet spot.
It amazes me that people put up with the 9" screens of the Macintosh 128K while they were doing the Desktop Publishing thing in the 1980s.