Comments on: Move Over Netbooks, Here Come Smartbooks

By: The VAR Guy

The VAR Guy — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:35:22 +0000

Tim: Thanks for the link. The VAR Guy will check it out.

By: tim

tim — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:46:05 +0000

"The VAR Guy wants to learn more — but he’s also a bit skeptical of Mobile Internet Devices." I'm skeptical too, but we'll see how it goes, I've been reading up at http://www.smartbook.asia with their news updates and I think you can find some other points to consider

By: rich

rich — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:34:06 +0000

I’m using the original Xandros eeePC 701. It is powered by an Intel Celeron processor. I’m typing this, holding my eeePC in my left hand, its cooling fan blowing hot air into the palm of my hand. Running cooler, with longer battery life, with always-on broadband, GPS, the ability to wake up the system from sleeo on the reception of a phone call, running Internet apps securely, such a device would be popular.

By: SwiftNet

SwiftNet — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:34:48 +0000

Netbooks have morphed into small laptops. This was pushed by MS and the typical computer user. Netbooks started with a 7″ screen, then a 8.9″ screen was used, these are truly netbooks. When the 10″ netbooks arrived the typical computer user started to purchase them, these people wanted a laptop that wasn’t heavy and would run their applications, such as MS Office, Outlook, games, etc.
This is where the idea of a netbook was killed. The 10″ units became underpowered Windows laptops. The lack of power was a huge disappointment for the majority of Windows users. Windows runs like molasses on a netbook, especially after 3 or 4 months of abuse. The screen size is also thought to be a little too small for Windows apps. So… the netbook is growing in size yet again. The new units will have a 11.5~12″ screen. They will have more power and more ram. They will also weigh more and will no longer fit into your cars glove box.
I use a 8.9″ netbook with a celeron processor. It runs Debian for the eeepc, which allows this machine to perform very well. My only complaint is battery life (2.5 hours). I also have a Nokia N800, which is OK, but the processing power was always a bit weak. If the smartbook can give me the portability of a sub 9″ netbook (or the N800) with the battery life of 6 or more hours, and enough power to truly multi-task (celeron600 level) that is something I will definitely purchase.
The netbook is dead…long live the smartbook.

By: windmonger

windmonger — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:01:15 +0000

The pricing of smartbooks will decide whether or not netbooks will move over.

By: Links 23/07/2009: KDE 4.3 Milestone; New Linux RC | Boycott Novell

Links 23/07/2009: KDE 4.3 Milestone; New Linux RC | Boycott Novell — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:40:14 +0000

[...] Move Over Netbooks, Here Come Smartbooks Now that everybody has jumped on the Netbook bandwagon, a new mobile device parade is pulling into town. Led by Qualcomm, so-called Smartbooks are slated to debut in late 2009. Expected to be slightly larger than the iPhone, Smartbooks are mobile Internet devices (MIDs) that run Windows, Google Android and a range of Linux alternatives. [...]

By: Rex Lee

Rex Lee — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:09:49 +0000

WHy is this “move over netbooks”?

It looks like a cross between a mobile phone and a PSP screen.

I want 4 things in a netbook when I buy one (3 in the house).

I want it to run Linux (or Moblin, Android, Chrome).
I want it to be cheap.
I want it to be MINIMUM 9in screen (a 10 on the same body is ideal)
I want a keyboard.

What you are talking about competes with an Iphone more than a netbook.

Im getting old and 25 years of 12hrs a day at a computer, the eyesight is starting to go.
I have a 58 inch TV and two 24in LCD for my desktop so I dont see myself staring at a 3-5 inch screen for any longer than it takes me to receive the odd SMS or two.

This format has been tried before and it seems like the only thing different is the buzzworthy name.
“Smart” is the new ‘green’. Smart phone, smart cars, smart drinks.
And ‘book’ gives that distinguished look that the Macbook associates with. Of course that only reminds us that Book=intelligent is like the dumb chick who wears glasses to look smarter. Plus ‘netbook’ is still very much in so you have that association working for it.

“Smart”book” is the new Mega-Lo-Mart. (for all you Hank Hill fans)

Of course, were we come from we call it ‘Putting lipstick on a pig.’

By: Floyd

Floyd — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:52:46 +0000

ah but don’t forget that the industry has been willing to eat their young in the past to toe the Microsoft line. Remember the Network Computer? Also known as the $300 computer and some of use saw the hardware vendors, most likely with some marketing program kick-backs from the OS vendor, drop the price on low end desktops quite quickly. They inched their way back up some but the market for the NC failed to materialize and the backers gave up. We’ve seen that same OS company threaten the sector and even try to rename it without concern for consumer value in that sector. They don’t care if it goes away and would probably like it to. If the ARM boys don’t get going, and fast, the wave might get missed and into the niche it will go.

By: Epicanis

Epicanis — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:11:19 +0000

Actually, I thought of the Nokia N700/N800-series portables, too. I think the main differentiating features of these new devices (in this form-factor) will be substantially more processor power than the older N800 systems coupled with substantially LOWER price.

Give me what essentially amounts to a fully hackable “low-end” computer that I can use as a portable GPS and basic web-browsing and email accessing device for less than, say, $150 and I’ll rush to buy one (or two, in case I accidentally drop one off a cliff or something…)

By: IGnatius T Foobar

IGnatius T Foobar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:26:05 +0000

Hopefully the “smartbook” generation of devices will become what netbooks were supposed to have been. Think “big PDA” — *not* “small laptop.” Asus was on the right track before Microsoft bullied the industry into larding up the specs on these devices so that they could (badly) run Windows XP.

Microsoft won that round. The next round will be substantially more difficult. As Lawrence D. pointed out, the ARM processor won’t run Windows, and even if it did, the *one* advantage of Windows — its large library of applications — still won’t run because they’re all compiled for x86. In fact, Microsoft would be foolish to even try because people would see “Windows” and then return the devices to the store when they find out they can’t load their favorite software.

Combine this with the battery life of a mobile phone (three to four times as much as a laptop) and you’ve got a killer platform.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, the technology will continue to commoditize, trending the prices further downward. When a Mobile Internet Device costs $99 or less — or perhaps even $0 when subsidized by a wireless carrier offering them free with a two-year data plan — Microsoft’s $100 operating system suddenly becomes a show stopper, no matter how much they discount it.

By: Topher

Topher — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:04:42 +0000

That looks remarkably like the Nokia n810, which, along with the 700 series, has been around for a long time. Is it new simply because someone else is making one now too?

By: The VAR Guy

The VAR Guy — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:43:35 +0000

Mace: The VAR Guy appreciates your list of three major selling points. Our resident blogger isn’t interested in a data plan, either, because he tends to use lots and lots of bandwidth. So free WiFi or flat-fee WiFi (for unlimited monthly use) remain The VAR Guy’s priorities.