Netbook deals @ ecost.com/circuit city.com

There are some pretty good deals at ecost.com and circuitcity.com Ecost has a $249 Lenovo S10 and Circuit City has an Acer bundle that includes a wireless mouse, optical drive and a carrying bag for $329. Feel free to check out both. I have ordered previously from both sites w/o issue.

Cheers and Happy Holidays.

State of the Netbook (Speculation and Fact)

Nice article from ZD addresses the smarmy conjecture juxtaposed with the cold, real and stunning data... Dead? Really? Also check out the last couple of paragraphs (I highlighted in YELLOW)...

Can the best-selling category of the PC market really be just a fad? A junky joke? A stunt to prop up the PC market created by Intel?

Jason Hiner at TechRepublic seems to think so. He proclaims:

Netbooks — those underpowered mini laptops with 7-inch screens and unusable little keyboards — are a dying fad. However, the legacy of the netbook will be that inexpensive notebook computers are here to stay, and they are lighter and thinner than ever.

Analysts and pundits will continue to use the term “netbook” but I’m going to argue that the device that we originally called the netbook is being phased out — and thankfully so.

I have a netbook. It’s small—9 inches—and it now belongs to my daughter. My hands are too big. The screen is too cramped. And I’m inclined to think that Jason’s right. The netbook is just a passing fancy.

And then I follow the numbers. Look at all the people buying netbooks. NPD’s DisplaySearch reckons that netbook sales surged 264 percent in the second quarter from a year ago. Revenue for the overall notebook market declined. Here’s the scorecard.

Meanwhile, check out Jason’s talkbacks. It’s a love affair—and they all couldn’t be sent by the netbook fan club.

The special thing about it that makes me happy is that it’s small and so handy. I don’t need to play games or do lots of complicated things on the street. But this one is just 100% what I need and I will never give it up.

And.

I bought a Dell Mini 9 in 2008 and have never regretted it. It’s small enough to carry in my purse, boots up quick, and maybe it’s because I have small fingers, but the size of the keyboard has never been an issue.

That said, it is not my main PC, nor would I ever try to make it such. I bought it to browse the internet and do some light word processing - the heaviest lifting I have ever asked it to do is stream movies across my wireless home network - and it has always performed flawlessly.

And.

I bought mine due to travel restrictions imposed by the airlines on a trip to Australia in 2008 and love it. I use a regular laptop/notebook as my main computer at home but it is too big and heavy to travel with. The Netbook allows me to use almost all my programs, some engineering, spreadsheets, topographic maps and GPS routings. I even use it at home with my wireless network, sometimes in bed at night while reading books on exploring Utah so I can see the topographic maps and the satellite pictures of the area. No it doesn’t replace the desktop notebook but darn near.

Are these people bonkers? Nope. Intel’s financial results—partially fueled by the Atom chip that powers these little devices—tell the tale.

Also see: All netbook reviews

Netbooks aren’t for me, but apparently there are a ton of allegedly confused consumers still buying them. Dell and Microsoft have downplayed the netbook to some degree, but what else are they going to do? After all, the netbook is a margin killer.

So what’s the future of the netbook? It’s way too predictable to envision lightweight notebooks replacing the netbooks. Netbook 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 are likely to have different form factors. Perhaps the Droid and the iPhone are really your netbooks. Perhaps Apple redefines the netbook category with a tablet. Perhaps people keep buying the current versions of netbooks. Netbooks will hang around and probably thrive because people like second and third computing devices. The form factor may change, but the market niche isn’t going anywhere.

Cheap Laptops at Wally-World

In the topsy-turvy craziness of cost/function/niche/netbook/laptop game, no stone is left unturned. Witness the Wal-Mart Special below:

To heck with netbooks. Walmart’s got plenty of retail weight to swing around, and that’s manifesting itself in the form of a $298 HP Pavilion G60 laptop.

With a 2.2GHz Intel Celeron 900 processor, the 15.6-inch WXGA laptop is no barnburner. But it comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, 3GB memory, 250GB storage, LightScribe DVD burner and Intel GMA 4500M integrated graphics.

It’s not a bad deal for someone who just needs the basics. (Or is it?)

This isn’t the first time the megaretailer has teamed up with HP. This summer, it offered a $298 Compaq laptop as a back-to-school special that flew off shelves faster than you can say “subsidy.”

Turns out that three is indeed a magic number — three hundred, that is.

Again, I don't think the competitive aspect is in play here. A cheap, heavier, bulkier and marginal laptop does not a netbook slayer make. The price is the ONLY comparison here and I don't believe it plays to the same buyer.

THOUGHTS???

eBay and Netbooks

Long time, no speak my friends. Great video from CNBC. John Donahoe from eBay mentions netbooks SEVERAL times in this interview. Yes he is riding the "buzz word" train to some degree but the fact that THE LARGEST E-COMMERCE SITE is pitching netbooks can only help. I have embedded the video below and look forward to hearing your thoughts.


We'll see how Q4 goes in terms of sales numbers but my take is that the netbook market share will jump again as Netbook 2.0 is coming along with more options to address the micromarket feature sets.

Embedded Wi-Max chips in Netbooks

According to an article from embedded.com, the wi-max adoption is also being pushed by hardware manufacturers (see below). This can only lead to more variety as Netbook 2.0 starts pushing adoption rates even further. With the embedded chip, Wi-Max sures up its adoption and a crucial piece of the netbook, wi-max, cloud convergence. Interesting times and exciting news...

Mobile WiMAX has emerged as a leading choice for 4G cellular technology, and now meets the requirements of new smart phones, Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and notebook PCs. It provides efficient broadband connectivity for multiple services such as data, VoIP and video streaming with carrier-class QoS, supporting the needs of mobile broadband now and for years to come.

Adding WiMAX connectivity to mobile products delivers broadband speeds greater than 1Mbit/s for all these services, while maintaining the form factor and battery life of existing 3G devices. Broadband speeds are opening a number of new categories of devices such as MIDs, ultramobile PCs (UMPCs) and netbooks. WiMAX subsystems packaged in self-contained modules simplify the integration of this wireless technology.

As nationwide WiMAX networks are built and costs continue to decline, even more possibilities become practical. Consumer products ranging from automobiles to appliances could benefit from the use of WiMAX ()Figure 1, below). Several of the existing choices include notebooks, handsets, netbooks, UMPCs, and MIDs.

Figure 1: A Mobile WiMAX module must include a WiMAX baseband PHY device, media access control (MAC) chip, RF devices and power amplifiers.

Notebooks, handsets
The basic form factors for introducing Mobile WiMAX subscriber products were USB adapters and PC cards aimed primarily at notebook PC users. These products have worked well with the first WiMAX base stations in large cities and metro areas, where mobile users wanted broader access than Wi-Fi hotspots could provide.

Since the first USB adapters and PC cards, the mobile wireless market has shifted its focus to mobile handsets and other devices smaller than notebooks. Although there are no standard definitions for various types of mobile handsets, a couple of terms have gained acceptance in the industry: smart phones and VoIP handsets.

Smart phones support e-mail and Internet access in addition to the capability of a basic handset. By including multimode capability— 3G and WiMAX—these phones give customers seamless voice and data service as the WiMAX network is being built out.

At the other end of the handset spectrum is the low-cost VoIP handset, where traditional voice communication is the primary application. WiMAX is the only viable wireless technology for wide-area connectivity and in some cases, these handsets may include a few other basic functions such as messaging or very simple data transfers. The primary market for VoIP handsets is emerging countries, where the wired infrastructure is poor, and most people need voice service before any other application.

Netbooks, UMPCs
Netbooks are small notebooks with 7-inch to 10-inch LCD screens that provide mobile Internet and e-mail access. Typically, they use Windows or Linux OS and can support applications similar to those on notebooks at lower performance levels. Wi-Fi and other connectivity is standard today, and future netbooks will add WiMAX.

Developed by Microsoft and Intel, UMPCs are mini-tablet PCs with touchscreen displays measuring 4inches to 8inches. Most run Windows XP Tablet OS and cost less than $1,000. UMPCs are found in vertical markets such as medical and hospitality.

MIDs
Introduced by Intel, this small portable device is bigger than a smart phone yet smaller than a netbook or UMPC. The goal is to offer the best mobile platform for accessing the Internet and e-mail as well as supporting multimedia applications. Although technically interesting, these devices have yet to reveal whether consumers are willing to carry a third device in addition to a smart phone and notebook PC.

The rest of the article can be viewed via the link above. Thoughts??

2nd Net-b - Asus 1000HE

So round one of my netbook experience was with an ill fated Lenovo S10. First the HD/Motherboard failure now the screen cracked and Lenovo informed me it is considered "user generated" which equals "voids warranty work". So to get the S10 mobile - $149 USD out of pocket. Hmmm, the economics don't really make a lot of sense - brand new S10 - $299 or $149 for new screen... Basically, my experience with Lenovo has been about a 6 - 7 out of 10. The S10 has not run nearly as well once it came back from the HD/Motherboard debacle and I would have to agree the construction is marginal. But I digress...

As I have now retired the S10 to the kids/desktop replacement machine, I needed a new and BETTER net-b. Enter the Asus 1000HE. I purchased this machine gently used about a week ago and I have to say, Lenovo - you've been served. The 1000HE is genetically similar under the hood - Atom N270, 10.1, 1 Gig RAM, 160GB HD, WinXP but that is where the similarity ends. The Asus has a much better build quality so far. The case is shiny not flat. It feels sturdier the 6 Cell battery slightly elevates the back like a regular keyboard so it is neither bulky nor uncomfortable. The keyboard it self has better tactile feedback. The touchpad is usable but no touchpads are what I consider "good". The fan is noticeable but not overbearing. Battery life is solid. Will probably look at a Win7 Upgrade at some point but so far, so good.

More to come.

Netbook/ULV/Ultrathin/Apple - Debate continues

And the battle continues - ULV/Ultrathin laptops vs netbooks. I think this homogenized view of the small laptop/netbook space generally misses the simple fact that they are niche markets.

• Some people want small/lightweight/long battery life/web based apps/inexpensive = netbook.
• Some want small/powerful (native app intensive)/inexpensive = Low priced laptop
• Some want super thin/super light weight/better performance/not price sensitive = Ultrathin
• Some want longer battery life/mix of cloud & native apps/small/lightweight/cost conscious = ULV
• Some want an Apple - Touch driven??? = TBD
  

But just for kicks - the debate continues from ZD:

Are netbooks too portable, inexpensive and popular to beat?

Brooke Crothers writes on his CNET blog that the netbook’s popularity is perhaps too great to overcome by the burgeoning ultrathin laptop market, and takes Apple COO Tim Cook to task for bashing netbooks in April for being too cheap, “junky” and slow for the upmarket Apple brand.

That Apple’s got a tablet PC in the pipeline is hardly a question at this point. But Crothers wonders: with lots of reliable, polished netbook models on store shelves, will a lack of a netbook take a bite out of ultrathins — and Apple?

He writes:

There is just too much marketing momentum now behind Netbooks at large PC makers–and in retail. Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Toshiba, Sony, and Acer all are pushing Netbooks. And in Japan, easily one the largest PC markets in the world, the Netbook is a hit–despite initial resistance from Japanese PC makers–for all of the same reasons cited above: small, light, inexpensive–and add fashionable.

Why the popularity? The same argument netbook proponents have made since the very beginning: though some may be disappointed by netbook performance, they’re sufficient for most consumers - home, educational or business — to accomplish basic, mostly web-based tasks.

Of course, no one’s more happy about that than Intel, which has a near-monopoly over the category thanks to its Atom processor. And since the $500 to $1,000 ultrathin, ultra-low voltage laptop segment hasn’t quite distinguished itself from traditional notebooks and netbooks (confused yet?), it’s hardly a threat to the diminutive netbook.

Meanwhile, it’s Apple’s loss, Crothers writes:

Apple’s products and marketing are good but not infallible. And the lack of a Netbook may come back to bite Apple at some point. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not next month. But maybe next year. One of the Best Buy customers eying a Netbook made a comment that was a powerful counterpoint to all the Apple Mac-PC ads. To paraphrase: “You have to pay an arm and a leg for Apple (pointing to the Apple corner), I’m trying to make a practical business decision here.”

The way I see it, there’s value in both a small form factor and a thin profile. In other words: I believe netbooks will remain reasonably popular and ultrathins will grow in popularity. Traditional laptops, on the other hand, will (for all but performance applications) be phased out of the market.