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Where's Netbook's niche?

December 4, 2008, 12:50pm PST | Length: 00:03:15
ZDNet correspondent Sumi Das talks with Editor in Chief Larry Dignan about Netbooks, the "mini-me" of laptops. Dignan discusses the gadget's intended use vs. the everyday reality and how Netbook sales are shaping up this gloomy shopping season.

Transcript

Where's Netbook's niche?

>> Sumi: Hello, I'm Sumi Das for ZDNet, joining us now is our Editor in Chief Larry Digman, Larry thanks for being with us.

>> Larry: Anytime

>> Sumi: So there's been a bleak consumer spending holiday shopping outlook, it's all gloom and doom, right? But, there's a gadget that

had a really good cyber inaudible and has been selling rather well, you have it with you.

>> Larry: NetBooks, they're little baby laptops, essentially.

>> Sumi: It's cute.

>> Larry: Yeah, it is cute it's --

>> Sumi: So, what is it good for?

>> Larry: That's what I'm still trying to figure out. And what's scary is I actually bought one of these things --

>> Sumi: Yeah

>> Larry: and I own it and I'm still kind of thinking, okay, where does this fit in my arsenal of gadgets, so to speak. There are

tradeoffs and I think the biggest tradeoff for me is just the keyboard. I tried to do a blog post that didn't quite fly, my fingers

are just too fat for this thing. But for Web browsing it's pretty handy, but there are some serious tradeoffs here, and actually there

are ports for USB port for a keyboard and a port for a monitor.

>> Sumi: That's handy.

>> Larry: Chances are I'm probably gonna hook it up to a monitor and a regular keyboard and use it that way because it's just not --

it's not big enough.

>> Sumi: We've got a 10 inch screen here, right?

>> Larry: Yeah

>> Sumi: And so, that's a decent size.

>> Larry: Actually it's not it's a 9 inch.

>> Sumi: Okay, so 9 inches it's a decent size but at the same time I'm kind of with you if I'm not gonna use it as a -- it's not gonna

replace my Smartphone.

>> Larry: Yeah

>> Sumi: It's not gonna replace my laptop, so --

>> Larry: Why do I need it?

>> Sumi: when would I need it and why, yeah?

>> Larry: And that's what I'm still trying to figure out. Like, it has some key features like you have, ya know, Dell put a nice

dashboard on this where it's -- this is a Dell Mini, it's your Bunto phonetic, it's open source and, ya know, these little gadgets,

actually they're toys -- Toys R Us sells these things so they're almost toys, really.

>> Sumi: It looks like a toy; it looks like something I might give to a child.

>> Larry: And it kind of is, yeah, like my 6 year old looked at this but then she ran back to the MacBook. So I'm not sure --

>> Sumi: Even she rejected it.

>> Larry: Yeah, I'm not sure where the market is.

>> Sumi: But they're selling well?

>> Larry: They're selling well and I think the big question for me is just how they sell in the future. Like, I bought it as, ya know,

so I can have a laptop --

>> Sumi: curiosity

>> Larry: downstairs, I can check Fantasy scores, ya know, whatever.

>> Sumi: The important stuff.

>> Larry: Yeah, it's just a handy little thing to have lying around the kitchen. Some folks are gonna buy this thinking they're a

laptop replacement but they're not. So, I kind of wonder what happens in early 2009 when folks are looking at this and they're going,

alright, so, --

>> Sumi: It's not gonna take the place of my laptop.

>> Larry: Yeah, it's not gonna take the place of my Smartphone, so what do I do with this? Ya know, are we gonna have a bunch of

door-stops, or are they -- I mean my hunch is there is a market here and there is a need for something between a Smartphone and a

laptop but I'm looking forward to the, ya know, 2.0 version of these things because I think that'll be, ya know -- and maybe, you know --

>> Sumi: Do they need to be cheaper, I mean, what's the price point on something like this?

>> Larry: They run anywhere from like 250 to 500 bucks.

>> Sumi: Okay

>> Larry: So, ya know, it's -- the price is comparable to what you'd pay for a cell phone so I think it's gonna be interesting to see what the next version of these look like.

>> Sumi: Alright

>> Larry: I don't know if I'll run out and buy one next year or not, but.

>> Sumi: Okay Larry, thank you so much, we will keep an eye on the NetBook to see how it finds its way in the business. For more

you can go to Blogs.ZDNET.com.

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define niche
rui.hanazawa@... 17th Apr 2009
Somewhat late in the game but for some reason, this came up in my search for "netbook xampp" and I couldn't help but react.

It would seem that both the editor and correspondent have no idea what the word niche means, at least in reference to the question.

A quick google search gave the following as one of the definitions:
Marketing aimed at small groups which have limited or specialist needs.

Quite frankly, I'd say it's the smartphone+laptop crowd that's niche. How many people actually have smartphones and the corresponding $30+/mo data plan tacked on top of their regular service subscription (and no, the iPhone doesn't quite count)? Not that many. How many people actually need those Core i7 processors and GTX 280 video cards? Again, not that many.

For the general populace, all that's really needed is a device where they can check their email, surf the internet, do simple word processing, maybe check YouTube and chat. The netbook fills that role quite perfectly.
View in thread
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Re the netbook video
Janeil 5th Dec 2008
I bought a netbook for the portability. You do more than a smart phone, and better to carry than a laptop. I'd buy the next generation when it has discreet video processor strong enough for games. I tweaked my Asus EEEPC 1000H and it performs quite well enough just about everything with what a normal laptop can do. Better power consumption too, giving me up to 5 hours.

Janeil Arlegui
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
jross@... 5th Dec 2008
I have a Sony laptop with a huge display. I like it,
but it is heavy and BIG. I take it ONLY when I need
to run Windows based software.

I work at an airport that has free wifi, but our
company computers are so locked down, there are no web
sites I can get to, even ones that would benefit my
work.

I bought the Acer Aspire with the solid state drive
and Linux OS just to have a computer to get to the
web, do email and IM, and the odd document here and
there. It is the perfect solution for me.

The smart phones are nice, but the type is too small
for me to view easily. I get way to much email to
ever want it to be sent to a phone type device where I
pay by the byte.

So, I have a Razr for my phone, and my Netbook for
everything else. Perfect!
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Netbooks are fine, IF
Lerianis 8th Dec 2008
You are only going to be doing light tasks: downloading off the internet, surfing the internet, light watching of videos, etc.

If you are doing any hard-core photo editing or game playing..... get a better PC. Gateway has one that met all my expectations and THEN SOME, that only costs 1300 dollars.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
abarten 5th Dec 2008
I've been using the Asus 701 for about 6 months. The two things it does for me is boot up really fast and travel light.

My Windows laptops take FOREVER to boot up. If I want a quick look at my email, the Asus is the one I use.

If I want to use a laptop at one of those tiny coffee house or Barnes & Noble tables, Asus is my choice.

The 800 pixel width screen should be OK for most websites, but isn't. A slightly wider screen would be better.

I don't touch type, so the keyboard is no more of a problem to me than any keyboard. I did buy a foldup keyboard for my wife to use since she does touch type.

In general, I'm moderately pleased.

-- Barts
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Forever to boot up?
Lerianis 8th Dec 2008
I've got Windows PC's, and they take less than a minute to boot up to Windows, to the point where I can start doing the things I wish to do.
If your Windows laptops are taking longer than.... 3 minutes to boot up..... run a Disk Defragmenter like PerfectDisk. It will put EVERYTHING necessary for bootup (if you haven't cleared your pre-fetch logs) in the front of the drive, so it will boot up much faster.
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3 minutes s what out I mean
abarten 9th Dec 2008
I should have mentioned that my Asus has Linux installed. We're talking about 30 seconds vs. 3 minutes. ALL of our Win PCs take forever (3 minutes) to boot. They've ALL been defragged ad nauseum. Win machines come with or collect a lot of garbage.

-- Barts
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Long boot times.
Narg 8th Dec 2008
I purchased a Dell Mini 9, and found that the boot
partition on the Flash based hard drive was fully
compressed with Windows compression. ACK! After
uncompressing the whole drive, XP booted as fast as I
would expect any computer to boot XP. Not the fasted
boot ever, but not bad either.

I can see why they compressed the whole drive, it is
only 16 Gig in size, which is paltry compared to other
modern drives. But this step only saved about 1/2 of
a Gig of space. Not enough to put up with the slow
response of the OS. I did re-compress only the My
Documents folder, as that's where it makes the most
sense. But for the OS, compressing is murder on
speed.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
lynn.mcnally@... 5th Dec 2008
How about the K-12 market as a student device?
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How about the College Student, While We're at It?
drprodny 8th Dec 2008
Not as a main computer, certainly - but honestly, have you seen those monstrosity desktop replacements most college kids drag to class? For notetaking and writing term papers, a small, durable SSD drive Netbook would do more than well enough - anything they need to keep they can transfer via USB key to their main laptops.

While we're on the subject, how about long-haul truckers (like my kid brother)? All he needs is a Web browser, e-mail access and a spreadsheet template for logging trips that he can run as easily in OpenOffice as MS Office. A couple games and a legal way he can watch videos would also be nice...but not necessary....

The same goes for quite a few road warriors. Most of them don't really need much more than Web/e-mail access and a simple office suite, and some ways to entertain themselves during their downtime.

It seems to me that the first company to come up with a easy way to install games more sophisticated than Solitaire or Tux Chase, and a legal way to watch movies and television on a Netbook, will rake it in big....
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
vat1993@... 5th Dec 2008
It's totally a replacement for a laptop due to boot
speed and it's far more portable. Why we are using
smartphone and laptop or netbook in the same sentence
is unclear as I have never seen anyone holding a
laptop to they're ear and talking.?. What exactly does
a laptop do for the average user that a netbook won't
?
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
rayrock710 6th Dec 2008
Does she type on her smartphone? Couldn't believe that video. I have a Palm wifi with an infared keyboard. Practically useless. The price for both? About $75 cheaper than a good netbook. My thoughts about this video? Practically useless
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
rayrock710 6th Dec 2008
I have a Palm PDA with an infared keyboard. Practically useless. The combined cost? About $80 less than a decent netbook. My opinion of this video? Practically useless
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Why is everyone insisting on "niche".
TripleII-21189418044173169409978279405827 7th Dec 2008
For geeks, it is not a desktop replacement, however, 3 friends who have them now, it is their only computer. They IM, they listen to music, they search the web, they upload photos, etc. For now, the only drawback to it not being the primary machine for a very non "niche" portion of the population is the SSD sizes. (yes the windows versions come with HD drives, they are XP, they are not ideal).

With WallyWord offering 2 4 GIG SD cards for $20 online, prices will drop pretty quick. Anyway, I use it and my desktop (work) and the D620 is gathering dust. It even works for on site work great when you are actually in a noisy lab, lol.

I still ask though, why does it seem that industry keeps trying and hoping to make these into "niche" machines (well, I know the answer, $s rule, but customers will either use them all the time or they will die as a market).

For me, 10" 1024x758 and 32 gig SSD drive (probably mainstream sub $400 bu next June), you have an entirely capable laptop and desktop replacement for non geek users.

TripleII
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True, for a lot of people
Lerianis 8th Dec 2008
This is a good computer, that will meet all their necessaries (minus a DVD burner) and then some if they have the memory maxed.
However, for children, for adults who game (who are more of the market than you would think), for people who play even flash based online games...... these netbooks will not meet their needs.
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Actually, Lerianis, I think you're wrong there
drprodny 8th Dec 2008
Most of your notional "kids" (of whom my wife and I mentor several) prefer to game on a PlayStation 2, xBox 360, Wii or (for portability) DS rather than a PC - which the full-sized laptops they use couldn't really run games anyway. The lack of a DVD drive IS an issue, admittedly - but not an insuperable one, especially if the Netbook isn't their main PC to begin with.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
RaineS 8th Dec 2008
I have a desktop PC at work, a HUUUGGGEEE dell laptop at home, and an ASUS EEEE PC. I love the netbook. It is my travel PC, my go to meetings PC, my take it to class PC, my I need to check my email really quick PC. No, it will never replace my desktop, and I can't do "real" work on it, like coding, or drafting user docs, long reports, etc. But it is a useful, usable machine that fills the gaps in my computing world.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
jeff@... 8th Dec 2008
I rEALLY liked the six-year-old-rejected-it angle, but I think you guys have missed the point. For many (most?) people, these things are good enough to do everything you need, most of the time. Thaf fact thet they are mariginally less expensive than entry-level "real" laptops, and their portability makes them ideal for a significant # of people.

My personal perspective: I have a highish-end laptop that I spent a bit over a thousand dollars on six months ago. And I mostly use it as a terminal to log into my computer at the office. I'd love to carry something tiny, instead . . . all the other criteria are met.

Jeff Yablon
President & CEO
Virtual VIP
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9" too small, 10" or 11" would be perfect.
Narg 8th Dec 2008
I purchased a Dell Mini 9. I love the idea of an
ultra-portable, yet fully functional computer. The
new Intel processor is a dream, and all the required
features you'd expect on a notebook are actually
there. But after using it for a month, I've come to
the conclusion that 9" netbooks are too small. Not by
much, but still just a little too small.

First reason: They keyboard. I have normal sized
hands, and the 9" netbooks are just too small. I've
played with some of the newer 10" netbooks now
available, and wish I'd gone with that size instead.
The keyboards on a 10" network are much more standard
and much easier to type on. The non-standard keyboard
on the Mini 9 is just too off to be good for typing,
even the smallest amount of information.

Second reason: 1024x600 is not enough resolution.
Many reviews state the netbook is great for web
browsing, but since most web pages expect at least
1024x768, the 9" netbook is still too small for web
surfing. Even some of the pre-installed Dell
applications had problems fitting properly, as the
web-cam application did not show the "OK" button at
the bottom, because it didn't fit the screen. A
minimum of 1200x768, or even 1280x800 would be much
more usable and still able to keep quite small. But
you'd probably want at least 10" of screen real-estate
to view this slightly larger size.

If the netbook is going to fly, it has GOT to be a
fully operational computer. With these two seemingly
small, but still quite significant issues, it's just
not the right mix yet for everyday use and everybody
who would want something similar. The 9" models are
cute and tiny. But moving up just a single inch would
still keep it small, but make it 1000 times more
usable.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
jacobdrj@... 8th Dec 2008
Nobody who buys these as laptop replacements. Or smart phone replacements. These are for students who can't afford plans for smart phones, want full sized keyboards, don't need optical media. This is for reports and communication in WiFi enabled areas. That is all.

No there is another niche market: Adults with good eyes and bad backs.

There is 1 trade off that should not be however. The resolution of the net book is 200 pixels too short on the width. This is a problem for those who use Microsoft Word. You can't legibly see 2 pages of text on 600 pixels wide. You need 768 or better. That is the only reason my client opted for an ultra portable laptop over a net book.

My brother is overseas and needed a small laptop with wifi and a webcam. He got this with the Acer Aspire One. He couldn't be happier. He has a webcam, and a portable communication device. It isn't as annoying to use as a smartphone because of the keys being full sized. I have no idea what the guy in the video was talking about, as the keys ARE FULL SIZED. There are 2 buttons that are shortened, and they are rarely used.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
BrannenT 8th Dec 2008
A video/article about nothing.

Let me summarize:

So, what's this for? I don't know. I bought one. I think I'm going to wait for the 2nd gen. The end.
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An article about nothing. Waste of time.
BrannenT 8th Dec 2008
Q: What's this for?
A: I don't know. I bought one, though.
Q: What do you do with it?
A: Check fantasy football from the kitchen.
Q: What do you think?
A: I would wait for 2nd gen.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
htheninth Updated - 8th Dec 2008
This summer I bought one of the first netbooks, an Asus Eee 701 with XP and eschewed a smart phone. I fly about once a month so it's perfect for that. I find it very fast, agile on the Internet, and good enough to do most of what I need on the road. Early on I did overwhelm it by uninstalling Works and replacing it with some Office features. I eventually discovered with the help of the very responsive tech people at Asus that it is a good idea to turn off Auto Updates. That is what overwhelmed my tiny hard drive. Now I have Word and PowerPoint and it works quite well. I also switched to Thunderbird for email to take advantage of its trimness and added a large SD for bringing Docs and Pics from my regular computer. Now that we have gotten comfortable with one another, I'm very pleased with the machine.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
jduttonhart 8th Dec 2008
I'm a writer. My ASUS EEE PC is the perfect form factor for me--just whip it out of my purse, it boots up instantly and I can get to blogger or Google docs. No need for large hard drive storage as all my docs, photos and videos are now on server-based sites.

Three modifications I'd love to see in it:

a) Retractable headphones--i never want to detangle a cord from my purse again!

b) A retractable mini-light so I can see the keys in dim light

c) A way to expand the keyboard so it is truly full-size when I need it to be

d) a trackball mouse.
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It's hard to figure out the market...why?
TechinMN 8th Dec 2008
Why is it so hard to see the market for these devices? Students, kiosk-type terminals, a cheap, quick way to get on the net for the basics (email, chat, etc...why do you think they're called netbooks?), traveling, expansion terminals in the home, ...and that's just a few of the possible (and probable) uses.

They easily replace smart phones for FAR less cost, both acquiring it and long-term TCO. The only thing you miss out on is the extreme portability. But you know, many, many people only want a simple voice phone, or at most with just a couple of extras like camera, text and maybe music playing. In other words, use your phone to talk; use the netbook for everything else--for the cost of either a) your average smart phone; or, b) three months or less of an 'everything' data plan for a phone, you could own a netbook and use free or already-paid-for wifi (with faster speeds and a bigger screen).

Kind of a no-brainer if you ask me.

And why do folks keep bringing up 'it's not good enough for games'? No shi...umm, no duh. That's like saying a Toyota Carolla has no market because it can't drive offroad for crap; or, a Chevy Malibu is useless because it can't compete in the Indy 500. Let's get real here--it's a tool, and as such, it should get used for its intended purpose. You wanna play games, get a game rig.

For my self, my next two computer purchases will be a cheap desktop (need something 'modern' that I can tweak), followed by a net book probably next year. What will I do with it? Take it down to the coffee shop, or out to the park by my work; on my next road trip, for maps, weather, mail and general writing; as a terminal to do basic CAD (love Delta CAD) as I sit down by the local lake and brainstorm my next boat design, listening to my ripped MP3's...

But yeah, I guess there must not be a discernible market for these devices.
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The point is, that you missed
Lerianis 8th Dec 2008
That many of these people are getting these things thinking that they will be able to play games.
Even if that isn't the case to start, pretty soon they stumble across DragonFable or MechQuest, and realize "Hey, wait a second? The graphics chip in this thing is CRAP!" Personally, that was my experience with a 'netbook' from Toshiba: great everything else.... crappy graphics chip from........ INTEL!

Really, to be honest.... I wish they would BAN Intel graphics chips. They don't even do well compared to the same strength Nvidia chip from YEARS ago.
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Lerianis - Are You Angling for an AlienWare Netbook, Then?
drprodny Updated - 8th Dec 2008
You seem REALLY hung up on heavy-duty gaming - which I couldn't even do on my old XP mobile desktop w/a full Pentium 4 processor inside!
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
mwagner@... 8th Dec 2008
A smartphone with a contract costs under $200 and can reach the Internet from pretty much anywhere and a laptop can be purchased for under $500 these days so I have to agree with Larry -- it's hard to figure out where this device fits in.
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Not entirely correct.
TechinMN 8th Dec 2008
Sure, with a 2-yr contract you can get them for $200-$300 give or take, but the real cost is usually $399 and up ($349 for the low-end, barely-smart phone, smart phones), plus $100 a month (give or take a bit) data plan.

That being the case, the market would be: those people who don't want to pay (at least) $1,400 for a year of basic (and extremely slow) internet--or $1,600/yr if they don't want to be locked in to a provider.
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How about a digital photo frame with wifi connectivity
marees 9th Dec 2008
or as a surface computer in coffeeshops, libraries and cafes? I think we have a great oppurtinity here for the next wave of internet revolution...
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I use mine all the time
jeantet74210 8th Dec 2008
As a college prof, I find carrying my 2-lb Acer Aspire a lot more pleasant than lugging around a 6-lb laptop. I use it for PowerPoint lectures, to take notes in meetings, and to check e-mail using WiFi. When I travel over Xmas break I'll use it to offload photos (the 120GB HD is sufficiently large to allow this) and to stay in touch through Skype and e-mail.
The screen is smallish (8.9") but nice and sharp, and the keyboard is perfectly usable even though I have large hands.
I have a desktop in my office and a powerful desktop at home; I really don't need to duplicate their full functionalities in a portable machine. This netbook does everything I ask of it, and does it well.
The video reminds me how clueless experts can be. Just look at the auto industry that as late as last month at the LA Auto Show was promoting muscle cars and SUVs. If they promoted high-quality small cars (like the MINI) instead of pickup trucks and SUVs, I'm sure the customers would be delighted to purchase a really good small car.
In the computer world, the experts seem to think that we all need quad-core 17-inch laptops.
It ain't so.
I do worry about netbook bloat; as the screens grow in size in the new generation of machines, we're going to end up with a bunch of small laptops instead of highly portable netbooks. Let's hope that the manufacturers remember this: two pounds, 1 inch thick. If you can squeeze in a 10" frameless screen, great. But if you can't, remember to keep making some very small and light models for those of us who value portability.
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Well said...
bljarv 8th Dec 2008
I also own the Aspire One and love it. Your comments
capture my feelings perfectly.
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I agree
rayrock710 8th Dec 2008
I don't own a netbook (yet), but I can see the many uses. I do have a WiFi PDA with mini keyboard (absolutely useless as the keyboard is pretty non-responsive). I also have a powerful and huge laptop that I hate lugging around, which after 7 months of use has only about 50+ files. Instead of a "What's the Niche" effort, I think it would be better to take a look at how users are maximizing their netbooks for little or no cost. By reading the responses here, I'm getting a lot of good information on how to maximize use of the netbook (i.e. add a block of memory, get a usb optical drive, get a 2gb SD card, map your Desktop hard drive, etc.). That would make a great article.
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I strongly disagree
bljarv 8th Dec 2008
Interesting (negative) review of a product that is
selling like crazy. The "not a notebook" argument is
very weak - what is the average person doing with
their laptop that a netbook can't do? What's a 2.0
version going to bring that would change Larry's
opinion - a bigger screen or larger keyboard (then
you'd have something called a "notebook").

Any time the media says, "you don't want one of these"
and consumer behavior is running in the opposite
direction, I think it hurts credibility.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
julie@... 8th Dec 2008
I just bought the Samsung NC10 and so far LOVE IT. 10" screen, adequate processing speed even without the memory upgrade. The keyboard size is fine for me; nice touch and feel when pressing the keys.
I bought it so I can work while commuting without breaking my back and having to lug a huge bag. I would then sync back my changes to my desktop.
A small "laptop" is ideal for that use. I used to lug my regular laptop around and was totally annoyed by the weight, the battery life or lack thereof, and the time it takes to boot up. Then it died and was replaced by my little NC10; this one boots up in no time, has a nice battery life - enough for a couple of ferry trips - and does the job for what I need. Among other things, I develop websites and loaded Dreamweaver, XAMPP Apache, MySQL and PHP, and other tools and it all works out fine.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
cheryleaapc 8th Dec 2008
I think the netbook has a market you are overlooking. My family purchased one for my mother-in-law so we can send pics and quick emails. She also wants to buy sewing materials and other stuff on line. She knows NOTHING about computers and this is her first. Small, compact and cheap for her uses. Just perfect for a novice user.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
donmak0427 8th Dec 2008
Do any of the netbook users here know if these units are capable of doing a bit of light video editing? I'm planning to go on a "cycle across America" trip, and would like to post short videos to my blog. A super-lightweight netbook would certainly help keep my overall load weight down for the trip. When you're hauling everything under your own muscle power, ounces count! Do you think it's possible to connect an external drive to hold video files and even applications? Would a netbook processor and video card be up to the challenge? Thanks for any info you can impart.

:~Don Saito, Oakland, CA
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Flip Mino + Netbook?
ruprick_z 8th Dec 2008
You might try the Flip Mino if you are only talking "YouTube" like short videos and almost instant uploads - the software is on the camera and should work with the XP version of the netbooks simply and easily.

http://review.zdnet.com/product/digital-camcorders/flip-video-minohd-black/33392113
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What smart phone?
mswift@... 8th Dec 2008
My Aspire One + Skype is my smart phone. Where I live we don't get cell service. I can't run VNC on a cell phone and do remote support. Transferring files doesn't work so well on a phone either. Since I got this Acer, my 17 inch laptop has not been used much and has not traveled at all. I tethered my basic phone for use where there is no Wi-Fi but I have never had to use it yet.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
phillfri 8th Dec 2008
Ditto for my Asus 1000H. I am an attorney working in a corporate environment. I do a lot of work at home and on the road, and the 1000H fits my needs to a T. Of course, you do need to make sure you get a decent speed on your hard drive if you want video like YouTube to perform reasonably.

In reality, we Americans are just as much power hungry computer junkies as we were power hungry car junkies. What most users "need" for daily computer use is in reality far less than what most users "want" in their laptop (We can thank marketing hype for that). Outside of the few users (percentage-wise) who really are intensive video/cad/graphics application users (and they know who they are), there isn't much need for more than an atom processor.

Today one can get full-size dual-core laptops or atom based net books for around $400 US if you shop around. For the majority of business and home users these machines are more than sufficient - especially if you already have a desktop at home also. In my honest opinion, if you're spending $1,300 on a laptop (as another comment indicated), you're buying the hype (unless you really are a power laptop user).
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
wGrahamT 8th Dec 2008
As you may know, the market for mobile phones (cell phones) in the UK is fiercely competitive, due in part to the fact that the caller pays (and the receiver doesn't) for calls on voice, video, SMS text and MMS. Typically, if you sign up for longer contracts, you can get great mobile phones for no (visible) added costs.

This aggressive market has now moved to mobile broadband - initially, just USB modem sticks with a data plan to plug into your laptop... but now if you sign up for a contract plan you can frequently get a free laptop too - sometimes this is a "proper" laptop, but increasingly it's a netbook.
Mobile broadband is also positioned as a competitor for ADSL/cable wireless modems.
See this site for examples http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/types/broadband_free_laptop/
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
wGrahamT 8th Dec 2008
As you may be aware the UK market for mobile phones (cell phones) is very aggressive ? due in part to the fact that the caller pays for the call (and not the receiver) on voice, video, SMS Text and MMS. And if you sign up to longer term deals you can get impressive mobile phone technology for no (visible) additional costs.

Data downloads and web browsing are paid for by the receiver, but the aggressive market pricing has spread to that.

This market started with deals on mobile data USB modems to plug into your laptop to get Internet access anywhere you can get a mobile phone signal. However, just as with phones, then signing up for a longer contract period will get you technology ? in the form of a PC ? some are laptops, but increasingly they are Netbooks ? the Solid State drives can give much longer life for Internet browsing and music playback and they get an Internet connection wherever you get a decent mobile phone signal. They are even being marketed in competition with ADSL/cable wireless modems and home ISP services.
See here for some examples http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/types/broadband_free_laptop/
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Yes, but Are the UK Deals Available Here In the US?
Seamus O'Brog 8th Dec 2008
We all know that cell rates overseas are a pittance compared to the US. Are any of these deals available here in the Good Old US of A?



In other words, can I get a UK plan that allows roaming rates in the US at a lower price that my US home plan?



Wine Arbitrage
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
chromeronin 8th Dec 2008
For me the key is mobility, battery life and full support for citrix clients and a full web browser.
My home desktop is a Mac Mini with a 24" widescreen, my work desktop is an Acer with multiple 19" screens, and an Acer AspireOne with 512MB RAM and 7GB flash drive and I added the larger battery pack taking runtime over 5 hrs. I have never run out yet during a working day.) If I bought another one today it would be the windows one with 120GB drive and 1GB RAM, but I would still throw away XP and reload Ubuntu. It just rocks for what I do.
For my job I am constantly remote controlling multiple servers on our campus network, working on basic office documents and thanks to citrix, I can do just about anything other than poke a power button from anywhere on the planet when I have an internet connection and a full firefox browser.
With a softphone loaded I can also make calls through the offices IP phone network, and I have gizmo Project for personal calls 8)
I just wish it had cellular wifi, 3G or GPRS etc or Vodafone in NZ supported Linux with their vodems. Then I could use it anywhere.

To me my netbook really is just for using the net and some minor local apps, but as Ubuntu Linux is fully loaded from the ground up to be an internet ready operating system it has everything I need. SSH clients, FTP clients, mount windows SMB and unix NFS shares, print, edit documents and is immune to windows viruses 8). It also boots in 40 seconds. 8)
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
jgimeneziii@... 8th Dec 2008
This was one of the worst pieces of "journalism." Ever.

Instead of finding out why this was one of the hottest sellers for Cyber Monday and relaying that information to us, the editor seems content in pontificating that because the keyboard is too small for his fat fingers it should be dismissed entirely as a category.

And the ZDNet "correspondent" rides along, lobbing softballs at the guest, saying where does it fit between the smart phone and lap top? Lame as well.

I'll tell you this. I don't need to lug a 6 pound piece of equipment around airports if a 2-pounder will give me the capability to look at the web, create powerpoints and then present them for a client, and if can write emails or review documents, in Word or PDF. What about those capabilities? Does the Netbook have them?

The sorry editor never addresses those basic questions and only takes swipes at it saying his daughter used it, it's similar to a toy, and then she went back to her Mac. What kind of garbage analysis is that? Kids aren't viewing your reviews, Mr. Dignan. Business people are. Maybe business people with thin fingers. Maybe you should get out of your hole and address some basic journalistic questions like "Why was the Netbook a big seller on Cyber Monday?" How about the obvious answer that a smart phone just doesn't get the job done if a Netbook can provide at least some minimal level of computing power that's less than a laptop but more than a smart phone? That's why I'd consider a Netbook, particularly for travel.

But alas, after spending three minutes viewing your video, I still don't know if the Netbook can do that (load PowerPoint, Word and Outlook). It was a wasted three minutes. No wonder companies like Tribune are going out of business. Good journalists that ask basic questions outside their little holes are nowhere to be found.

Sincerely,
Joe
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what can the netbook do ?
jeantet74210 8th Dec 2008
On my Acer Aspire One running XP, I've got the Open Office suite installed, as well as Dreamweaver, an older version of Photoshop and a slew of other programs, all of which run fine. I can use QuickTime, create pdf files and pps presentations, view YouTube videos, Skype. etc.

You ought to keep in mind that these little machines, running XP with 1GB of RAM and a 1.6 GHz processor, are as powerful as your run-of-the-mill laptop of just two years ago.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
kurtpochert 8th Dec 2008
I'm a retired electronic technician, not a power user as such, not a game player finatic, and I love my Acer Aspire One w/6 cell 5+ hour battery!
An AMD64 Vista desktop, P4 older laptop, and now the Aspire One in hand, suits me just fine where ever I go. The Aspire One does Skype phone calls just great and IE and Hotmail is all I need. Movies on a plane from a thumb drive work great too! (Getting your movies on the thumb drive easily is another subject) Not a screamer - it just works.
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
chromeronin Updated - 8th Dec 2008
deleted
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RE: Where's Netbook's niche?
chromeronin 8th Dec 2008
But they are cheap. If you want a fast hi powered GPU, get a desktop or a full sized notebook.
Where you can use a net book: Buy a much faster desktop for all your gaming and video editing needs, then use the netbook when you need to be mobile.
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The Confusion is Due to Netbook's Loss of Its Vision
daengbo 8th Dec 2008
When netbooks came out, they had several notable qualities:
1. They were cheap ($299)
2. They had SSDs, allowing you to bang them around or throw them in any old bag.
3. They were light and extremely portable.

I think the confusion about what a netbook is good for comes from the migration away from these qualities. New netbooks are 9-10", heavier, and have hard disks which need to be looked after. This is due to customer demand, I realize, but that's because the customer wanted to use netbooks like a notebook, so they've migrated to near-notebook specs. Is it a surprise that people are wondering whether to get a netbook or a low-powered notebook when they're virtually identical?

I'm personally all for the small, light, and durable aspect of them. In fact, I'd prefer a powerful smart phone with a dock like an OLO or RedFly.

Oh, yeah, and the new ARM and MIPS netbooks coming out should really shake up the power and battery life balance.
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Not ALL of Them, Daengbo
drprodny 8th Dec 2008
I have a 9" EEE PC 901 with a 20 GB SSD drive running Xandros under an easy-to-use shell - and that seems like the sweet spot for me. The screen's big enough that I can JUST read posts w/out putting on my reading lenses, the keys are small but not so small I can't type on them, and the solid state drive is more durable than a spinning hard drive which suits me for something I toss in my knapsack most of the time.

I agree with you on this - but ::sigh:: a lot of people will sacrifice durability for the bigger hard drive, which does make it more like a full-on laptop than the portable Web and basic office device it is....
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define niche
rui.hanazawa@... 17th Apr 2009
Somewhat late in the game but for some reason, this came up in my search for "netbook xampp" and I couldn't help but react.

It would seem that both the editor and correspondent have no idea what the word niche means, at least in reference to the question.

A quick google search gave the following as one of the definitions:
Marketing aimed at small groups which have limited or specialist needs.

Quite frankly, I'd say it's the smartphone+laptop crowd that's niche. How many people actually have smartphones and the corresponding $30+/mo data plan tacked on top of their regular service subscription (and no, the iPhone doesn't quite count)? Not that many. How many people actually need those Core i7 processors and GTX 280 video cards? Again, not that many.

For the general populace, all that's really needed is a device where they can check their email, surf the internet, do simple word processing, maybe check YouTube and chat. The netbook fills that role quite perfectly.

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