Netbook

The iPad is not
a laptop. Unlike other tablets, Apple's new iPad just isn't even
trying to do all the things another computer might. Yes, you can use
the iPad to write up documents, play music or podcasts, and enjoy
games of all kinds. However, you may do these things only through the applications that are
purchasable in the app store. While a great many different apps are
certainly available (with more to come each day), you should not
expect the software you are used to using to be available on the
iPad.

This
is not to say that the iPad isn't a great device on its own merits. Yet, you should not purchase it thinking that it will do the same job
as another tablet might. Most specialized needs new laptop purchasers
have--whether it be for real estate, tax preparation, or even
business presentations--cannot readily be had with the iPad. This is
because specialized needs are usually run by specialized programs,
which generally are available only on specific platforms. In the
future, the app store may start offering programs suited to high-end
professional needs, but until then, the iPad just isn't capable of
doing everything your laptop can.

Unlike
a laptop computer, which allows you to do whatever computing need you
require on the go, the iPad is geared more toward light computing of
a different kind. The iPad will go places your laptop never would,
and will allow you to do many things in many places that you never
could do with your old laptop. But this is no substitute for a good
laptop computer. Typing for extended periods on a non-tactile screen
just isn't the same as having a full-size keyboard, and even if you
use the keyboard attachment, it still doesn't quite live up to what
you need when doing serious work. The iPad is geared more toward
casual usage, and any true business use will be optimized only in
places where you need an absolute minimum of computing power and a
maximum of portability.

With
all that said, most computer experts and enthusiasts have fallen for the iPad
fever. If you're familiar with the iPhone/iPod Touch interface, then
you'll already be well aware of how the iPad handles, and of how it
differs from a typical tablet computer. The iPad is an ingenious
device that creates its own market space, rather than competing
against other laptops for the same share of the market. If you're not
already familiar with using an iPhone or iPod Touch, I highly
recommend you try out the iPad before rushing out and purchasing one. If you are unable to imagine life before your iPhone,
then the iPad is probably for you. It will then only take a few test runs of book-reading and game-playing
before you also partake of the Apple iPad Kool-Aid. Just remember
that it isn't a laptop, and is definitely not a substitute for doing
real work on the go.

If there is one thing that is apparent with the latest netbook from Asus, it is that it is a looker. The Eee PC 10001P will be the company's flagship product in the netbook market, and the look alone warranted a dedicated article.

It features an impressive design while sporting the carbon fiber look (something that I personally enjoy seeing). Then, of course, it has all the other features a netbook would have.

It features a 10-inch screen, an Intel Atom N450 CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a slew of other goodies that will empower you to compute while on the move.

A 3G version there will be, and — interestingly enough — there is also talk of a 4G version by Asus. O la la!

Want one? You just got to wait 'til May of this year, and you can have one. It will be available for $299 with Windows 7 Starter edition and $279 with Windows XP, so it won't break the bank either.

[via Engadget]

It's interesting: netbooks would appear to be a fairly niche product — the are small, slow, and weak but highly portable. For years, people have always wanted more power with more mobility. But the netbook merely substitutes power for portability. As underpowered as they may be, people are still buying them.

Some have projected that 2009 was the climax for netbook sales, and that 2010 and beyond will be all down hill from there. But now others are predicting growth in 2010.

Needless to say, this is more complex than first thought.

As we previously covered, IDC predicted that netbook sales would slow down, and that 2009 was the "climax" of netbook sales.

But do not tell that to DisplaySearch: this leading firm for display marketing research. They are predicting that sales for netbooks will actually increase in 2010.

From 2009's 33.3 million netbook sales, DisplaySearch believes that 2010 could bring 39.7 million netbook sales — a substantial increase, although these numbers hint at a slowdown in growth.

The report also notes that netbook pricing will influence these numbers heavily:

The low prices of mini-notes [netbooks] make these products attractive to buyers seeking a secondary PC for the home, as well as making them more affordable for first-time PC buyers in emerging markets, who are less likely to require all the features available on a larger mainstream notebook PC. The relatively low ASPs also make mini-notes attractive to wireless service providers that hope to add to their revenue by offering subsidized mini-notes with data plan contracts.

Needless to say, Christmas season, as usual, will be a maker or breaker for these netbooks. Although, it is interesting to note that the netbook market is finally starting to bring quality netbooks to market.

It appears that 10-inch netbooks and larger are the most desired (and are the only ones I'm even able to type on, if barely). If we see a 10-inch netbook at around $200 for the 2010 holiday's, it will be quite a nice year for netbooks.

Back-to-school season is also a nice time for netbook makers to market their ultra-portable machines for students on the move.

Regardless, I still maintain a general distaste for netbook computers. Sure, they are ultra-portable, but they take away far too many features to make them worth it, and they still cost much more for the same power and performance you could receive in a 13-inch or larger notebook. I'm just not seeing the valuable.

If you want something very portable, purchase a smart phone or an MID — otherwise, why not stick with the tried and true notebook?

Jolicloud is an operating system based on Linux that is designed to run on netbooks, but while most operating systems are fairly generic, Jolicloud immediately stands out from the rest. It is a unique, efficient, and fun operating system that everyone with a netbook should experience.

The idea for Jolicloud came from former Netvibes CEO and founder Tariq Krim. Leaving his web portal creation behind, Mr. Krim had the dream to create an operating system that worked better than current alternatives for people who work on the Web. After plenty of time and resources were invested, Jolicloud is what went from dream to reality.

The first thing you notice after installing Jolicloud is the boot-up time: it is very fast. Soon after, you are presented with the login screen, and then, after logging in, you are presented with an interface that allows you to launch applications and manage your operating system. It is simple, and surely a kid could figure it out. Before soon, however, you are asked to sign up for or sign into My Jolicloud.

With My Jolicloud, you are able to easily install new and manage existing applications for your computer. After being installed, these applications show up in the main interface, and this allows easy access for launching the application — think of it as the Apple AppStore, except this is specifically designed for the Jolicloud OS. This means there is no more having to install applications from source or awkward package management systems, which is common in Linux distributions; it is contained within a single store.

It is also worth mentioning that many of the applications available are site-specific browsers (i.e. Web pages that act as their own dedicated application). However, there are a few traditional applications included, like VLC, so it is not all entirely Web-based software with Jolicloud. If you want to watch a 720p (or even 1080p) video on Jolicloud, it can be done.

All in all, the interface is very nicely done. It is simple but efficient, and while it won't impress most Mac OS X or Windows 7 users, it looks pretty good to me.

The functionality is excellent as well. This is a very well-rounded operating system for something that isn't even technically in beta. It was very reliable for me, and if I would be willing to use it on any netbook out there today.

As far as availability goes, Jolicloud works with a myriad of netbook devices, and the entire list of compatible hardware can be viewed on their Web site. However — in theory — you should be able to install Jolicloud to any computer with a downloadable ISO image, or you can install it along side with a Windows XP or Windows 7 system.

Give Jolicloud it a whirl (it's free!), and see what you think about this impressive cloud-focused operating system.

Remember Microsoft, the company that has its Windows operating system on nearly all the computers in the world? It would seem they would be doing well with netbook computers selling like hot-cakes these days, but, unfortunately for Microsoft, they haven't been able to capitalize on those sales.

As one would imagine, that is quite odd. After all, wasn't the news that computer sales were on the rise always good for Microsoft in the past? Yes, indeed it was. But, with competition on the rise, this is no longer the case.

Windows is no longer the automatic choice for the operating system in netbooks — they have Linux distributions to worry about now. And these are no pushovers. Some heavy hitters in the industry, like Intel, have started to support linux distributions, like Moblin, to compete with closed-source counterparts like Windows.

Interestingly, 30 percent of all netbooks are shipping with Linux, and this isn't good news for the boys in Redmond.

Less operating system sales and Office sales is bad enough in the short-term, but it also hurts them in the long-term as well: Microsoft's services, in general, will easily be overlooked for Web-based alternatives (like Google's products). Put simply, Microsoft has no control over this if their operating system isn't on the machine, and the long-term damage is growing as Microsoft's influence diminishes.

But it gets worse.

Of those netbooks that do ship with Microsoft products, Windows 7 Starter Edition is typically what comes pre-installed, but this also isn't particularly encouraging because Microsoft makes drastically less on sales on Starter Edition than they do Windows 7 Home Premium and Ultimate editions. As a result, if netbooks were selling well with only Microsoft products being installed on the systems, the profit margins would still be drastically less than they were in the past — Microsoft relies on desktop and laptop sales to generate the big bucks.

Honestly though, Windows 7 is no longer necessary on netbooks. This holds true for any particular operating system, especially with the Internet's constant expansion. The typical consumer will probably use the browser more than any other application on a computer. Once the browser is started, the operating system almost becomes invisible to the user.

This presents us with a vital question: if the operating system no longer matter, what happens to Microsoft?

But all hope is not lost. IDC has reported that they expect a resurgence in traditional laptop sales as consumers hopefully realize that there are better deals to be found with full-fledged laptop computers instead of their netbook counterparts. If true, then Microsoft should do well. After all, Windows 7 is a drastic improvement over Windows Vista (and the differences between Mac OS and Windows are practically nil).

Unfortunately, while short-term gains may return for the company in 2010, the long-term outlook is still somewhat grim.

The once highly visible Microsoft has been lacking in innovation. While the Windows Phone and Microsoft Courier look promising (the Windows Phone in particular), the company still needs to get its act together in the realm of cloud-based services. That, as I previously noted, is not going to be an easy task. Along with a lack of innovation, that is what could (and most likely would) spell the end of Microsoft in the future. But they can still turn it around.

A few years ago, the word netbook didn't really mean anything. But look at what it now represents: it is the savior of PC sales around the globe. These stripped down notebook computers trade power for mobility, but it is obviously a change that consumers haven't worried about. But guess what? All that is coming to an end, and I couldn't be happier!

As you might have figured already, there are some qualms I have with netbooks.

One big issue is that the pricing of these devices is highly inconsistent. Some of these netbook computers cost twice as much as regular notebooks with several times more power, speed, and features. Logically, that makes no sense whatsoever. But, quite ridiculously, consumers paid for them in 2009 anyways. However, analyzing the stupidity of consumeristic behavior is another blog in of itself. Still, paying more for less doesn't make sense, and consumers will eventually come around to realize that.

There is also the problem of size — these things are too small! I know I don't have the smallest hands in the world, but when friends of mine with ridiculously small hands can't type on these things, it makes wonder who these netbooks were created for. If a company is going to create a product, it might as well be usable from, if anything, an input perspective. These things can only get but so small before they become a pain to work with. And don't get me started on the screen sizes either. Yeah, size matters.

Today's netbooks simply are not the solution. They are overpriced pieces of hardware with yesteryear's performance. It feels like we are taking one step forward and two steps back.

But those are only a few of the issues I have with netbooks — there are many more where that came from, but I'll spare you the details.

However, it is understandable as to why people want netbooks: we like simple things. Many people fire up a computer and go directly to the browser and nothing else, which is why Google's Chrome OS is so interesting. But even I have my reservations about that.

The eWeek staff sums up the whole situation best with their coverage of the IDC PC Market Prediction for 2010:

The loser is the mininotebook, or netbook. The research firm says 2009 was the climax for netbook market growth and share, pointing to falling prices of portable PCs and lack of differentiation when stacked up against a fully loaded PC.

They even go on to say that desktops will possibly make a comeback, which certainly is the much better value. But I'm thinking more powerful yet affordable laptops from manufacturers like Asus, Toshiba, and HP will be making a big impact in 2010. Then again, there are also those tablet computers.

While this isn't as dramatic as the tablet vs. laptop debate, I think the end the netbook is on its way. Sure, sales will continue, and perhaps, miraculously, they might even improve in 2010, but eventually consumers will realize that netbooks in their current forms are a poor investment. At least, I hope they will.