The evolution of the Netbook-Technology news.

It's getting harder to tell the difference between a Netbook and a notebook. Except when you look at the bottom line of the companies making them. Though initially thought of as a way to sell cheaper, less powerful companion devices to notebooks, Netbooks are beginning to lose their distinction, as evidenced by the new Netbooks unveiled at CES 2009. While it's good for consumers, the blurring of lines between the two could potentially be destroying the business models of PC manufacturers.

Sony's Vaio P is dwarfed by HP's Mini 1000 Netbook.(Credit: CNET)

That lack of distinction between a Netbook and a notebook will become more clear as soon as Windows 7 arrives on the scene, likely in the next nine to 12 months. Microsoft's new operating system is designed to work on Netbooks and actually may provide a good experience for users on relatively low-powered devices, unlike Vista. That calls into question the value proposition of the Netbook category if the same OS is available on what are supposed to be two different kinds of machines, according to Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for the NPD Group.For the past year, when a laptop had a screen smaller than 10 inches, an Atom processor, and cost below $400, we'd call it a Netbook. Starting from essentially zero market penetration in late 2007, by the end of last year, roughly 10 million Netbooks have shipped, according to IDC. They now account for 7 percent of all portable PCs, an extraordinary growth rate in a short time. But exactly how the category is growing is the big question mark.

Netbooks – follow our advice and you'll be blogging in no time

What is a Netbook?
At first there appeared to be a semblance of agreement on what made a Netbook different, and its own category of computer. Intel launched the category with its Atom processor, which promised less computing power, but for far less cost. One Laptop Per Child and Intel led the way with low-cost notebooks intended for developing nations. But Asus broke the category open for consumers in late 2007 with its Eee PC, at first equipped with a tiny 7-inch screen, little chiclet keys, solid-state memory, and Linux instead of Windows. Much has changed since then. A year later we have almost as many interpretations of a Netbook as we do manufacturers. Dell defines Netbook differently than Sony, who sees the market in a way that Acer and Hewlett-Packard do not. (And Toshiba refuses to see any Netbook market at all--at least in the U.S.) Acer and Asus essentially agree on what a Netbook is: a low-power notebook with a 9-inch screen with a price point between $300 and $400. They're not meant for much beyond connecting to the Web. Those two Taiwanese manufacturers were first to market and have been rewarded handsomely for their efforts, capturing the majority of Netbook market share early on. Acer has done particularly well in Europe. Dell, the largest PC maker in the U.S. and the second largest worldwide, threw its hat into the ring, apparently to defend its territory. The Dell Inspiron Mini 9 was a normal Netbook, but the subsequent Mini 12 was puzzling. By grouping it with the Mini line it's being sold as a Netbook, but the 12-inch screen size is bumping up dangerously close to smaller traditional notebooks. At just under $600, it also appears to compete with the $699 Dell Inspiron 15.

Each PC vendor is trying to mold the Netbook trend in a way that fits with their own product line.By each company tweaking their Netbooks a little here and a little there in the name of differentiating and adding more features that consumers want or expect, they're basically creating something that looks like yet another notebook PC.

5 things you need to consider before buying a netbook

Now though, things have got completely out of hand. Netbooks, as every mug now calls them, have become more ubiquitous than a Geldof daughter clattering into the papprazzi of a Tuesday night. Confused? Don’t be. Take us by the hand and we’ll tell you everything you need to know before you buy a netbook.

Solid State or Hard Disk?
You could argue the whole point of a netbook is that you can sling it about without fear of it ending up in gadget hospital. But while solid state drives can take a battering, they’re expensive and won’t store much. HDDs can’t stand as much of a battering but will look after your docs. If you want SSD, then the Eee PC 901 is where it’s at. HDD? The 120GB Acer Aspire One should
do the trick.

9in or 10in screen?
This is more about the keyboard than the screen itself. Buy a 10in netbook and you’ll have a full–size pad on which to tap out disparaging blog posts and tiresome tweets. Get a 9in and you’ll have a (far more) portable machine that’s a darn sight harder to type on. Of course, you can always compromise with the Asus Eee PC 904HD.

Eee PC or not Eee PC?
As the folks who started this whole cheap laptops shebang, Asus know a thing or two about netbooks. The Eee PC 901, with its seemingly endless battery life, affordable price tag and SSD is a winner. But newbies by Acer and Lenovo are cheaper and look the part. We’re sticking with Asus for now, but as more players saturate the market, that could change very soon.

Big price or cut price?
It’s definitely true that the more you pay for a netbook, the better quality it is. The HP Mini-note is fantastic machine, but at £410, it encroaches on proper laptop territory. At £199, the Acer Aspire One is cheaper than a night out with Danielle Lloyd, but build quality is suspect. If you’re skint and just want a lappie for getting online, then go with the latter. If you’ve got more money in the bank, spend it on something with more durability.


Buy now or hang on?
A tough one this – the Eee PCs, the Acer Aspire One and MSI Wind are all great netbooks. But the Lenovo Ideapad S9 and Dell E–series won’t be rearing their heads until later this year. The latter will most likely be a warhorse, well worth the apparently infinite delays.

Source : CNet stuff.tv