This site is completely dedicated to Netbooks, but before one can create a whole site about Netbooks one must define what a Netbook actually is.
Netbook is a new word used to describe mini laptops (or ultra portables) I haven’t been able to find the origin of the term logic says that it grew out of the words internet and notebook but when a new word evolves there is no rock solid definition of what a netbook has to be.
So what really makes a Netbook a Netbook?
ZDnet: A subnotebook computer that costs less than US$400 and incorporates an Intel Atom microprocessor
Information Week: Mini-notebooks, which are also called “netbooks,” are defined as sub-$500 systems with screen sizes of 10 inches or less
CNET: A Netbook is a new type of laptop computer, defined by size, price, horsepower, and operating system. They are small, cheap, under-powered, and run either an old or unfamiliar operating system.
Best Buy: Netbooks may look like laptops, but they don’t have the full capabilities of a computer. Instead, a netbook specializes in mobility and the Web, so it’s great for travel or as a supplement to your main PC.
Wikipediea: A netbook is a small to medium sized, light-weight, low-cost, energy-efficient laptop, generally optimized for internet based services such as web browsing and e-mailing.
If we ignore ZDnet trying to restrict a netbook to being a $400 Intel device and we look at the common traits a netbook is kind of small, kind of mobile and kind of cheap.
I think that’s a good place to start.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:14 am
I think you’ll find the market will define what’s called a netbook and what isn’t.
Or the company with the biggest marketing budget will
November 23rd, 2008 at 12:17 am
[...] people trying to pigeon hole them into certain criteria. In my first post I deliberately kept my definition of a Netbook reasonably brief. The reason was that it should be what the market decides is a netbook, sure [...]