MIDs and netbooks - half the size, half the experience - Solomon type design

I'm not a big fan of MIDs (mobile Internet devices) or netbooks. They are underpowered and under-sized and underwhelming.

They do a good job of combining all the disadvantages of a PDA/smartphone and a notebook. Half-the size of a notebook, and half the PC experience - it adds up to some kind of King Solomon designed device.

The manufacturers say that these devices aren't meant to provide the richness of a PC experience, they should only be used for browsing the Internet. But even here they fall down, especially in watching streaming video without stuttering constantly.

And it will get worse. With AJAX, and HTML 5 coming, the Internet experience will require ever more power. And there are plenty of sophisticated online apps coming that will require quite a bit of computing power.

Intel's Atom chip is what's powering a lot of Netbooks and although it's a fine chip Intel has painted itself into a corner by saying Atom is not designed to provide a full PC experience. And it is clear why, it doesn't want to cannibalize sales of its more expensive mobile chips.

So how will Intel's Atom roadmap deal with the promise of a great web experience if the web platform will require ever more powerful chips?

By deliberately handicapping Atom Intel opens itself up to potential competitors that aren't trying to keep the power of their chips in check.

For example, graphics chips can provide a lot of power for MIDS/Netbook type devices especially for web browsing applications. And if you don't need to be X86 compatible to run a Microsoft OS, and you can run say, a low-overhead operating system such as Google OS, then that opens up a large door of opportunity (forget abut the window(s).)

Then you can build cheap and powerful MIDs/Netbooks that might actually deliver on their promise of a great Internet experience. Meanwhile Intel is forced to limit the power of its Atom chip.

While it is understandable that Intel doesn't want to beef up Atom so that it cannibalizes sales of its more expensive chips, it might do well to remember the words of Intel co-founder Andrew Grove when he said don't be afraid to eat your children. Because if you don't someone else will. Pass the ketchup.