2012: The year that netbooks DIED
Netbooks – those compact, underpowered, inexpensive notebook PCs once hailed as the future of mobile computing – are set to disappear from retailer shelves in 2013, as the last remaining manufacturers of the devices prepare to exit the market. According to Taiwanese tech news site DigiTimes, Acer and Asus are the only two …
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Re: Diamonds?
Oh, you can get a diamond encrusted Air if you want something bling....
http://stuarthughes.com/newdawn/product_info.php?products_id=83
Re: If they do
What you are talking about was an overpriced DESKTOP monitor. It wasn't even terribly common.
This is LAPTOPS we're talking about here. They are different beasts for obvious reasons.
Some of us REMEMBER this stuff firsthand and don't have to grope Google for it.
Re: Ultrabooks with "premium specs"
> My Sun 3 in mid '80s had a 1152x900 monitor on it.
It also was generally not purchased by individuals and was more than an expensive car.
That was probably also just a Mono monitor.
You're not the only person that used SunOS in the 80s.
Re: Ultrabooks with "premium specs"
"Oranges, apples, etc..."
Thanks to Gio Ciampa for that, it saves me the bother of replying to Gordan's ranting.
Hint to Gordan, read the post before replying.
Re: Ultrabooks with "premium specs"
Think most people would class a Macbook Air as an ultra notebook style machine - heck it even runs Windows if you want.
Re: Ultrabooks with "premium specs"
For that size you may as well get a Macbook Pro Retina 13".
Re: Ultrabooks with "premium specs"
And "MacProBookAir" (or whatever they call it) isn't a marketing trademark?
Apple are just yet another PC OEM, and all PC manufacturers, Apple included, use trademarks to sell their products.
As for "bad copy", I disagree. The Apple Air's have crap specs too (e.g., Intel integrated graphics). Personally I prefer to have a powerful laptop like a Clevo for main use, and a lower cost portable with better battery life (what used to be called a netbook) for travelling, rather than a device that does a bad job of either. I'll also take the laptop without a tacky light up logo.
Re: Ultrabooks with "premium specs"
Heh, I'm the guy in the first few comments telling him to hack up a 10" tablet. Great minds, etc.
Screen resolution
As far as I'm concerned the screen resolution of netbooks is the problem - why can I buy a tablet with 7" 1280x800 screen but not a similarly specified netbook? Or a 10" netbook which has that ppi screen?
Re: Screen resolution
> but not a similarly specified netbook
That is really simple: Microsoft would remove loyalty discounts on all machines if netbooks weren't installed with XP or 7, and to use those OSes the specifications were laid down by Microsoft.
Do you think that the OEMs are free to make what they want, or what their customers want ?
Ultrabooks...
"Ultrabooks won't be a race to the bottom for manufacturers."
Snirk. Leaked a little beverage on that one. Nicely done.
I have one
I use it. It makes a nice combination of the features I want in a size that easy to carry, sacrificing power isn't an issue for when im on the road. The issue was people didn't understand the limits of this type of machine.
When I go to replace it in a few years, hopefully Ultrabooks will have filled my niche need as nicely.
VGA -> External monitor - Re: I have one
Samsung NC10 runs Debian Wheezy out the box no problems, 7:30 hours on the large battery, and can be plugged into a 1920 by 1080 no name monitor OR a data projector via the VGA cable (I know, ancient technology but still works). Decentish keyboard, spinning rust storage, cheap on ebay. Shove it in a bag and don't worry about scuffing the brushed aluminium.
I'll miss them.
Asus Eee's forever
Regarded by many as the first truly affordable mini laptop, they still have lots of life in them, especially as they're so cheap 2nd hand, even if they're not being made anymore and superseeded by 'ultrabooks' they still continue to chug along as useful devices.
My Eee count now resides at 6; my original 701 from the first batch that entered the UK which is still going strong along with another 701 which doesn't have a working touchpad but otherwise is fine, two 'dead' 900s that have failed onboard 4gb SSD's and missing screens (I broke 2 sceens by mistake so had to salvage), a fully working 900 (still very useful), and a 901 with a cracked screen I was given which has been upgraded to two SATA 2.5" drives with SATA connections (60mb/s read/write) to become a basic VNC controlled HTPC with a Microvison SHOWWX+ pico projector pointed at a 6 foot wide screen.
I do have a 7" Nook Tablet which is a nice toy for media consumption but is not always substitute for a 'proper' computer - even an Eee, I dislike the fact that current computing technology is moving away from multitasking to singletasking by having programs (apps :P) running in fullscreen.
Re: Asus Eee's forever
If you haven't already done it then update* the BIOS to the newest version, the fan will be running a lot less.
My 900 boots Xubuntu to a fully working, wifi connected state in 38 secs.
*To save you searching :)
Rename 900-ASUS-1006.ROM to 900.ROM.
You need a USB stick less than 512MB formatted to FAT16.(make a partition if your stick is larger)
Copy 900.ROM to it and press Alt+F2 when booting up. The EZflash utility will do the rest.
If you have the BIOS "Boot Boost" option enabled then don't forget to also copy the 900.ROM file to the SSD "BIOS" partition.
I remember the whole matter differently
I see a little revisionist history in this article. From what I recall, it wasn't the low cost and minimal resources that made the netbook market dwindle, those two factors are what made netbooks so popular. It showed the PC manufacturers there was actually a huge market of people who wanted cheap, affordable devices to do things like check their email, write a letter, and listen to music. A lot of non-techie people simply didn't want or need a full blown laptop. I also recall back around 2008 when we all were coping a global economic downturn, it was the surge of netbook sales that helped keep a lot of computer manufacturers going.
Both Intel and Microsoft hated netbooks because the limited profit margin didn't fit in with their typical high-markup business models, and they also took steps to minimize netbook adoption (i.e. putting artificial caps on hardware specs). Despite the Intel/MS hate on the netbook line and the manufacturers odd choice to use only minimally functional Linux distros when much, much better options were available, netbooks were still quite popular, more in the EU than in America. In retrospect, netbooks did have their limitations but there was also a lot of bad marketing that helped confuse a lot of consumers by making netbooks out to be some kind of cheap laptop option when they clearly were not, by design they were NOT supposed to match the functionality of any typical 'laptop'. MS bullying the manufacturers to turn netbooks in Windows PCs (quite a mismatch) and Apple bringing out the iPad were two big factors in the death of netbooks. Hard to diminish the impact of tablet devices on the PC market as whole even.
Re: I remember the whole matter differently
Agreed. It's an odd article.
Also- "Underpowered Intel Atom processors made netbooks useless as number crunchers..."
Well, duh. The clue is in the name.
Netbooks died because the functionality 99% of people want is now standard in phones and tablets - even cheaper and more portable.
Certianly have a use...
...for professionals. I use them instead of lugging around something bigger on the field. They make excellent network troubleshooting devices. As long as I can get some small, light, with a long battery, no cdrom, some ports and cheap, call it whatever you like. I buy those. In retrospect, netbooks never existed. Nice small laptops did and continue to exist. I get the feeling that laptop and notebook have a more natural etymology, while netbook seems to be pure marketing goober.
Re: Certianly have a use...
Stopped carrying my laptop and have an HP-mini instead
Keyboard is almost fullsize and apart from the silly touchpad button placement it's great.
Going to pick up another one for when this dies.
My boss replaced his laptop with a new MS surface for only $1000 more, and I can run proper Office!
Re: Certianly have a use...
You Boss replaced his laptop with a Surface, and he is the BOSS?
Has your business gone bust yet?
Re: Certianly have a use...
Nah, his boss is just self-selecting for disemployment.
Re: Certianly have a use...
@LarsG
"Has your business gone bust yet?"
LOL :)))))))
@LarsG
You could walk into a job as a comedy writer with that kind of material. Sadly, only at BBC3.
Re: Certianly have a use...
Lets just say he is a bit of a MSFT fanboy - he did replace his iPhone with a WinPhone
On the plus side online managed Sharepoint everything really really works well for very little money.
Re: Certainly have a use...
I've been using an original HP mini for just this purpose (highly portable network troubleshooter / configuration tool) for several years now and it's been superb.
All the connectivity you could want, very, very good keyboard (the trackpad buttons looked like they might be a problem but actually have been fine), high-res screen, plenty of RAM and all encased with a nice solid metal top (which has gathered quite a few dents over the years.) The only downside is the somewhat glacial C3 CPU.
Sadly it recently got semi-immersed in neat coolant / anti-freeze which has made the Ethernet port unreliable, though with a proper cleaning (that stuff is incredibly difficult to dry out with normal amounts of heat) I'm hopeful it will come back to life.
Re: Certainly have a use...
I used my Asus 1000HE yesterday to go and sort out a network that was causing problems.
It is quite a handy piece of equipment that cannot be replaced easily with a tablet without add-ons, which IMO defeat any advantage they may have..
Mine has a faster larger hard drive than the original, is slightly overclocked and has 2GB of RAM.
It has Debian, Backtrack and XP Pro on it making it pretty flexible for field work.
It is not suited to replace a desktop, full spec. laptop or a media centre, but for me a lot of the time it fills a niche that the others do not.
If mine was to die today, I guess I'd probably replace it with a small screen laptop.
Netbooks are the perfect travel device
My household has three units, two Toshiba NB-550D and an Acer netbook (only because we couldn't get the Toshiba).
For travel they absolutely ideal. With the Toshibas at least you can plug the unit into your hotel HDMI screen and watch movies in full HD 1080p. Add a small wireless mouse and they are perfect for just about any task (the keyboard is fine even for my big fingers).
We all have larger older laptops but wouldn't dream of taking them on any trips. Tablets are not an option because the screen is all you get. No expansion to a monitor.
I think the main appeal of the tablet is the touch interface. Wouldn't it have been so much easier to release a version of a nettop with integral touch-screen?
Re: Netbooks are the perfect travel device
Yup, they are starting to do that. Probably the next computing device I buy will be one of those or a new (smart???)phone.
Re: Netbooks are the perfect travel device
There are tablets that can drive an external TV/Monitor available now. The Kindle Fire HD is just one.
I use mine for exactly this purpose when I'm on the road.
Re: Netbooks are the perfect travel device
Nobody? Well, I am in the minority. I traveled to Asia with THREE laptops: two 17" and one 15" the 15" being the newest. I use them for CAD mostly, and when I do word processing of long documents, the 17" screens are more useful than the 15". But, in full disclosure, I actually only regularly used ONE, the 15", but one 17" stayed bagged up for months. The other 17" only got fired up to check some old files I had not transferred.
The WEIGHT is the biggest drag. And, the accessories for each weigh in second. Planes are tighter now than I seem to recall 8 years ago, and the Air Canada 767 tightness nixed my use of even my 15". Another thing that nixed my using my 15" was that my mouse is bluetooth. Verbotten in-flight are bluetooth and wifi. :-( My Galaxy Tab was low on juice, and so I charged it via the back-of-headrest 3-pole outlet, and then watched The Bourne Legacy and then slept the rest of the way.
I saw people on the plane using iPads and Galay or other tablets, and they preferred those to the "in-flight entertainment".
If 15" and 17" laptops could in the next 3 years stay at their current pricing, but go thinner, lighter, and sport longer-lived batteries, it might slow the uptake of tablets for some users.
Re: Netbooks are the perfect travel device
"Tablets are not an option because the screen is all you get. No expansion to a monitor."
Unless I've misunderstood you I have an 18 month old ASUS TF-101 tablet, it's now old by today's standards but it's got a standard mini-HDMI output socket on the side.
Re: Netbooks are the perfect travel device
"Nobody? Well, I am in the minority"
Damn right you are, why not buy a more powerful laptop to start with and, if really required, either dual boot or carry a spare bootable HD.
Why on gods earth you feel the need to carry 3 lappies is beyond me.....
"but one 17" stayed bagged up for months" which proves my point...
Re: Netbooks are the perfect travel device
You can even get Dual screen laptops if your CAD requires the extra real estate.
Re: Netbooks are the perfect travel device
I already partly explained that.
Also, it should be obvious if you really are a computer user of more than a few years that when doing CAD, it is wholly convenient to be able to open multiple instances of an app not just on one machine, but on as many as you have a license for if the need is to use a machine as a reference. Also, some apps are not worth actually reacquiring a license for, but the contenet generated in them is. Hence, again, a reference machine. Any new machine can bugger up and die, and it has happened to me at least twice. It is a crippling event to have working drives, but a dead machine.
Why do you assume that I have whatever runes or magical powers you might have? Great for you, and I do applaud you if you have that band with and can cast spells or draw upon deep powers of recollection. Some of us do not, and it is justt not an option to leave a machine 6,000 miles behind, or even to buy a new one at the destination.
Also, some VERSIONS of the apps I run won't run on the new machine, and are not worth the hassle to try to virtualize in the cramped disk space I have. Plus, I tend to do some amount of troubleshooting for some maritime related apps, and if I can avoid corrupting or changing the OS or other versioon underneath them, then my comments to developers are not moving the goal posts or changing the environment on them. And, haven't you experienced the frustration with having to too many times Alt+Tab just to look at something? Sometimes, it is easier to just run two laptops side-by-side. Before my trip, I had 3 side-by-side, and planned on a much longer-than-8-months trip, and figured on replicating my before-travel workbench environment. It just happened to turn out that my main laptop is still working just fine, was not stolen, and that all the files i DID transfer were good enough. But, in IT, in documentation, in CAD, what are we if we do not plan for redundancy or disaster?
(I guess now had I written all that out, i could have averted the down vote, but then again, had I included it, I'd have gotten one for being too lengthy. Or, for bringing up fully-fledged laptops, despite others broaching non-Netbooks. Not trying to spar with you, mind you... )
Netbooks are great -- for those who need them. They are great for some of my Korean friends who are highly accustomed to carrying LIGHTWEIGHT devices. One was aghast in 2008 when he saw my 17" Gateway, referring to it as "nanjango", or "refrigerator" in Korean. But, after I pointed out that I was editing multiple docs, doing how-tos, and using multiple CAD or CAD-like systems, he didn't laugh as much anymore. Another Korean friend had one Netbook stolen from him when his car was broken into. He went out and replaced it with yet another Netbook, for cost , size, weight, and battery charge duration reasons. But, whenever I had to help him with his papers, it was murder on me because for me Netbooks FEEL too small, and some of the keys are in confusing locations... It is bad enough dealing with full-sized laptops never having keys consistently in the same place...
Segue here: (one reason why one laptop is less used, but 17" Gateway display aspect ration is too square, the battery is shot, and RAM is maxed at 2GB. The 17" HP has a NICE aspect ratio, but the keys are too slick and snag on my sleeves, and snag my wrist hair (very little, but it hurts like a bitch when that laptop snags my arm hair), and the screen is too reflectiive, it is as noisy as a racing engine, and is almost 8lbs, but both STILL are useful as reference machines for drawings that cannot be or are best not transferred, and/or because I need to preserve their state based on the limitations of the machines and the versions of the software versions....). End Segue
... So, sometimes, when time was not an issue, I had him micro-usb me a file, then we'd edit it on my machine, then put it back on his. I cannot type quickly enough on a Netbook (well, not his at least). But, it was quite enviable to see how LONG his netbook lasted. I know: smaller screeen, fewer energy vampires, tightly-integrated MS-battery vendor algorithms....)
I really do hope you understand now why I had taken three machines. If you still cannot, then so be it. We probably just are using machines in different contexts.
Cheers!
A narrow definition of "netbook"
So a netbook needs to have an x86 processor in it? Chinese makers are churning out 7" ARM based devices running Android for around $60US. How are those not netbooks?
Re: A narrow definition of "netbook"
I believe they should be classed as netbooks (Assuming you means the ARM devices with a dedicated keyboard attached)
Tablets with keyboards
Just to clarify, how easy is it to knock out an email on a tablet with keyboard while standing on a train and thus holding the device in your off-hand? That's the kind of thing netbooks were good for in my experience. I have a bad feeling the tablet equivalent wouldn't be as easy to set up on something other than a flat surface.
Re: Tablets with keyboards
Depends how strong the clips are, seen some of our work smaller notebooks hinges took a beating (Although staff lugging holding them by the screen >_> didnt help and using the keyboard and screen bit as a file-o-fax), to me they dont look that strong.
Tablet plus bluetooth keyboard is the way forward as you get the best of both worlds. Netbooks were cheap and if we are being honest pretty nasty - slow and these days if you need that level of portability you would be better off with something like a Macbook Air / ultra notebook which at least is fast enough. If you do not need the portability you may as well get one of the (many) normal notebooks.
> these days if you need that level of portability you would be better off with something like a Macbook Air / ultra notebook
For the price of a netbook, though? You're more likely to find yourself with a box of spuds.
I'm all for it, if it has an x86 processor and at least 768 vertical resolution, if not, it's basically a big broken phone. I want choices in my "computer replacement" and a non-x86 CPU limits my choices of not only OS but of Apps compiled to run on it. Give me a Surface tablet with an x86 CPU, the cool little folding keyboard, and the ability to load whatever OS I want on it, and I'm sold, otherwise its just a big awkward broken phone.
Recreate the netbook?
Are people still self-assembling laptops at the start of meetings? By the time you've got the iPad, psu, keyboard, mouse, stand, iphone, out of the backpack and plugged everything together so you can use cut down "App" versions of your desktop/laptop programs, wouldn't it have been easier to just open a small laptop?
Rather than netbooks, or ultrabooks, or pads with add ons (or high end desktop replacements), I'm sure there's still a market for a small, full function laptop focused on portability at a reasonable price. Can we just get back to that please, rather than continually trying to stretch the laptop away from it's sweet spot.
I truely hope
you're not trying to insinuate that fanbois are in any way stupid or gullible enough to fall for that old trick..
Oh, hang on, being a fanbois proves just how gullible they already are...
Icon 'cos i am.....
My four Lenovo S10 are ideal for travel -- and around-the-house
My main Lenovo S10 is perfect for travel. Small, light, and dare I say - disposable - (easily replaced if stolen or seized by customs). Its new SSD makes it run beautifully fast . Its new USB3 expresscard makes it really fast to external mass storage. Another S10 is used to monitor the IP-based security system around our house. One is currently used to log output from battery chargers and miscellaneous test equipment. They are reliable, and perfectly capable of acting as functional backup to my quad-core desktops. If I need a better monitor or keyboard, I have only to connect them to the S10 I/O... But I don't use them for writing books...
An Ultrabook? With a Core 3? what does that offer me?
Oh - the S10 all are running Windoze XP. I initially equipped them with a dual-boot to Linux, but ended up rarely using that capability... And now I suppose you are going to tell me that a decades worth of XP app development is going to instantly vanish in 2014 ???
Perfect Net Books
I've an Asus eEe along with a standard notebook and a variety of desktops. The netbook gets used on bus or train journies so it's been subject to quite a bit of battering. It mainly gets used for word processing whilst on the use and I don't notice the lack of power re games (rather boringly, I don't generally play them :-/).
I've used it to play streamed TV shows and radios and while the speakers are awful, the sound itself is actually quite good (through earphones). Given the fact that even CD/DVD installations are quite rare these days, the lack of a DVD player hasn't been a problem.
Re: Perfect Net Books
Yes, still using my perfect Netbook daily, a Dell Mini 10v with the 1366x768 HD screen option, now running Win 7 Pro, full Aero with a 120GB SS disk. And built in DVB TV. The only addition has been a bluetooth mouse. Runs Office 2000 perfectly well and has a good keyboard. What more can be asked?. I'm sure I'll keep it forever!
Sure the Asus EEE PC girl should have made an appearance on this article... I am disgusted!
Definitely a retrospective article on Asus EEE girls* is needed!
* girls in the plural - if I remember rightly there was the original blonde beach girl and later on the brunette.
NetBooks are dead! Long live the netBook!
As posted by others, these are great devices if you have the right one and the 'limitations' are the reasons why you bought one. I have an HP2140 - near full size keyboard; it's quick enough (max RAM + Xubuntu); excellant for light internet use on the go/writing emails (much easier to write larger emails with a keyboard); watch films whilst on holiday (useful to have ability to link t a larger monitor albeit VGA); decent batery life (4-6hrs depending on task). I would never use or carry a laptop and an ultrabook is too over-specced/xpensive for my needs. The netBook is a perfect smartphone companion when travelling
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