I have no idea when it will be released and the price but what is interesting is that a software maker has just ventured into the hardware space thus making the classic step of competing with one’s clients. After all, what netbook manufacturer is now going to willingly offer Jolicloud (not that anyone was to begin with but you see the point).

More on the Jolibook netbook when I hear more.

What we at Netbook Era are wondering is whether the Apple MacBook Air 11” is a netbook or a conventional laptop. After all, it has features that are specific to notebooks such as weight and size but also has features that are typical of everyday laptops such as power and premium pricing (in everyday life though, Apple laptops are always more expensive and the flash drives inside the MacBook Airs push up the prices).

We really think that Apple ventured into the netbook era, a domain that it has vowed never to get into but decided to play their card differently. If you go check out the various benchmarks available all over the Internet, you will notice that the MacBook Air 11” is pretty powerful and leaves most netbooks in the dust but heck, it’s as light and small as the best of them even if normal netbooks are 10” or 8”.

So what’s the verdict?

Well, we really think that the 11” Apple MacBook Air is no netbook. It’s a really tiny notebook computer and those pundits whose favorite song is to say that netbooks are dying will use this Apple laptop as the ultimate example of how conventional laptops can be as light, portable and cheap as netbooks while having power for everyday computing.

That’s our take on the situation and now it’s your turn. Are we onto something or did we completely miss the boat? Express yourself in the comment box below!

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clanlife/5119808939/

Just in case, you’ve no idea of what Jolicloud is (I wrote about it in December 2008 “Introducing Jolicloud, Another Cloud Operating System Contender“), it’s an operating system for netbooks meaning that it is designed to work flawlessly with the portable, lightweight and not-so-powerful mini-laptops.

Now the question is: after almost three years of netbooks becoming mainstream and users getting used to Windows operating systems whether or not they work well on netbook computers, are current users ready for a revolutionary OS?

I guess that we will see but so far, the company’s Facebook Page has over 10 000 fans which is something for a company that’s been laying low all this time.

Recently though, there have been rumors of an 11″ version of the Apple MacBook Air. The problem with the 13″ version is that while ultra light, ultra portable and ultra cool it is also ultra big and uber expensive at $1500.

It should be noted that the low-end Apple laptop is the MacBook which retails at $1000. So, I am willing to bet that that the mini MacBook Air retail from $800 just over the retail price of the most expensive iPad.

All these are nothing but rumors though. But if you’ve been following Apple news you’ll know that most rumors tend to materialize than not. So, watch out for a MacBook Air netbook although Apple will never brand their mini computer as netbook!

See: Apple is reportedly readying a new MacBook Air

The answer just landed in my inbox courtesy of a representative of Hard Candy Cases who alerted me on the company’s cool cases for netbooks and select MacBooks.

They claim to be “The first company to design fashionable snap-on protective cases for the top-selling Asus and Acer netbook models” and whether that’s true or not (I don’t have the time nor inclination to  verify and legitimize the claim), the bubble shell netbook cases that they have for sale are kinda sexy and useful.

If you remember, in previous posts I once asked about the usefulness of netbook bags but I am more in favor of netbook cases because they accomplish two tasks beautifully: protect your baby and make it look hot!

About Hard Candy Cases:
Founded in 2009, Danville, CA-based Hard Candy Cases is a new company from computer accessory veteran, Tim Hickman, who started and ran Speck Products. The company merges fashion and function to distinguish and protect mobile computers from the wear and tear of daily use.  Additional information can be found at http://www.hardcandycases.com.

At long last the long awaited Windows 7 operating system has been unleashed. People all over the US have spent the night at retail stores waiting to be the first ones to snap up their copies. If you’re a netbook user, you way be wondering:

Is Windows 7 netbook friendly?

Yes it seems to be so far. Microsoft is not blind to the success of netbooks and knows that netbook users now account for a large number of computer users. The only problem though is that without a DVD drive, most netbooks will have trouble loading the new operating system.

Is this a trick from Microsoft to let netbook users out in the cold?

Nah…

You can apparently get Windows 7 via straight Internet download. At the time, I read about this, the link seemed down but keep checking it out and let us know how it turns out for you.

Who has Windows 7 for netbooks already working? How does it fare? Would you recommend it? Is the difference between XP and 7 like night and day? Come on, spill the beans already! [Microsoft allows Windows 7 via USB]

I don’t know how this piece of news went passed me (actually, I know… I was on holidays) but there’s a Nokia netbook that’s about to hit the market really soon. The question every interested person or party must be asking is wether the Nokia Booklet 3G stands a chance in the super competitive mini laptop industry that’s currently dominated by the Acer Aspire One.

I have a feeling that the Nokia Booklet 3G netbook will not have an easy ride and will have a hard time having an impact on the computer industry. Here are a few reasons:

1) A Nokia netbook does not make sense. Netbooks are small notebooks which are computers. Nokia is a mobile phone manufacturer. Yes, the Nokia Booklet 3G is a communication device but it’s not a mobile phone and the consumer will be rather stick with a netbook notebook made by a computer company

2) The first netbook notebook was launched in 1997 2007 (I meant to write), that’s two years ago. The Nokia Booklet 3G has just been announced and Lord knows when it will be released. Unless the Nokia netbook will have some features that will be worth the wait, it will be yet another netbook brand and model and will be barely noticed.

3) The Nokia Booklet 3G faces formidable competition from so many brands and models. And some of these competitors are not small players. Acer, HP, Dell, Apple (soon), Asus to name a few. If Dell and HP are having a hard time competing with the Acer Aspire One [See: Asus vs Acer: Why the Acer Aspire One Is the Most Popular Netbook] what chances does the forthcoming Nokia netbook have?

To survive this tough segment, the Nokia Booklet 3G netbook will have to have something so different à la Apple iPod revolutionizing the MP3 player market. If that does not happen, the Nokia netbook will make news when it is released and will never be heard of again or until it makes news that it is being discontinued.

What say you? Am I full of crap or is the Nokia netbook doomed before it’s even out?

Google has taken the first official jab at Microsoft by announcing the Google Chrome Operating System today. It will be customized for netbooks first, hence our interest, then the rest of the computing world.

What’s the future like for this Google Chrome Netbook Operating System? It will be an interesting battle to watch. Google is playing two powerful cards in the software wars: open and simple.

It’s offering the ultimate alternative to Microsoft OS that’s vulnerable to viruses and other security threats, closed and complex and not really optimized for netbooks, the fatest growing computer segment.

Google said that Google Chrome Operating System will be ready in mid-2010. That should get Microsoft enough time to counter this big threat by stealing the show as they announce a simpler, faster and more secure operating system for netbooks and computers at large.

The ultimate winner as usual will be the computer user. When a monopoly is threatened is stops resting on its laurels and actually bends backwards for the consumer. I can’t tell how this battle with turn out. These two giants have enough resources to go at each other (most start-ups who try to compete with Microsoft fail mostly because of lack of resources) and they have to diametrically opposed concepts just as democrats are to republicans and vice versa in the US political arena.

Needless to say that Netbook Era will closely monitor this battle and update you on all the juicy bits and details.

I find it ironic that a netbook for children is seeing the light of day in the Asus Disney Netpal. If I am not mistaken, netbooks were initially said to be kiddies’ laptops but adults in great majority worldwide voted other wise.

What’s the deal with Disney’s Asus Netpal? It’s really a netbook with a Disney logo on it to make all 6-12 year olds feel cool. Parents will have to cough up $350 for the privilege .

See: Disney teams up with ASUS to make a special netbook for kids! – NETPAL

However!

It’s interesting to note that all aluminum Apple laptops are now dubbed MacBook Pro computers. The old white plastic notebook is the only MacBook left. Industry observers are betting that yes, Apple netbooks are on the way and that the line will be called MacBook.

I don’t like to speculate or attempt to predict the future but the above MacBook netbook theory seems to make a great deal of sense to me. I am no expert in Apple’s business activities but one thing I know is that the Apple netbook waiting game is very, very far from over!

The HP Mini 110 netbook is said to be a consumer ultra portable laptop while the HP Mini 1101 netbook is for business users. In other words, the later is for serious stuff while the former is for light stuff.

What makes these two new netbooks different from their older siblings?

At first glance, more power. But there are more differences. See them for yourself…

You’ve probably read all over the tech news blogs that the Toshiba NB200 netbook is out. It’s the second mini-notebook from the  Japanese electronics giant (the first was the Toshiba NB100 netbook). The first netbook was released in September of last year. So, what makes the NB200 different?

For starters, it will be available in more than one colour. The Toshiba NB200 will be available in black, brown, pink and white. Secondly, the Toshiba NB200′s screen is bigger than the Toshiba NB100 netbook’s at 10″ versus 8″.  The NB200 mini-laptop is available with either the 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, or the newer 1.66GHz Atom N280 while the Toshiba NB100 is available with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor. Hard drive space on the NB200 mini laptop is 160GB while on the NB100 it’s 80GB.

That’s just for starters of course (battery life is another big difference at 9 hours for the new netbook in the fam), there will be a difference in pricing too with the Toshiba NB200 netbook obviously being the most expensive option given the nature of its features.

You can read about the launch of the Toshiba NB200 netbook.

Packard Bell Dot s is a 10″ model and the Packard Bell Dot M is a 11″ model and a quasi-replica of the Acer Aspire One netbook.

Why is Acer muddying up its image and releasing exact copies of its best-selling netbooks through Pack Bell? Well, the reason is simple. It’s a business tactic. It turns out that the Packard Bell computer brand is very strong in Europe and Acer wants to leverage that. Although this may seem logical, it’s not really smart as Acer should be trying to push its leadership worldwide by using one brand.

See: Packard Bell Releases Dot S and M Netbooks

Slowly but surely, the battle for netbook domination seems to centered around battery life and “sexiness”. Samsung is waging the battery-life battle in a fairly impressive manner as they announce the Samsung NC310 netbook which boasts an 11 hour battery life! Now, that’s something to pay serious attention to but of course we will have to wait for reviewers of netbooks to confirm if it’s true or a bunch of marketing cow dung.

What’s the deal with the Samsung NC310?

A pretty cute design if you ask me (it reminds me of the previous generation of the black MacBook), Intel® ATOM™ Processor N270 (1.60GHz, 533MHz, 512KB), Microsoft Windows® XP® Home (SP3), LCD: 1GB (DDR2 / 1GB x 1) , 10.1″ WSVGA (1024 x 600) SuperBright Gloss LED backlit, HDD: 160GB (5400 rpm) and more. Read all about it at: Samsung NC310 Claims 11 Hour Battery Life

“Pocket Yoga” seems to be such an example. It’s a Lenovo netbook concept that really looks gorgeous. This is the kind of device that will make netbooks, computers that ought to be taken seriously. Not many people seem to have a lot of details on the Lenovo Pocket  Yoga netbook but the pics are amazing.

Check out Lenovo’s Pocket Yoga netbook gallery and enjoy the show!

News spotted at Gizmodo: Shots Leak of Lenovo Pocket Yoga Netbook, Looks Like it Actually Fits In a Pocket

It seems that the crown goes to Asus, one of the leading netbook brands. The ultra small, thin, light Shell is its’ new offering. Officially called the Asus Eee PC 1008HA, this feather-like netbook is a sure sign of good things to come. After all, isn’t the point of netbooks to be light and thin so that they are ultraportable? Let’s just hope that it won’t come loaded with a high price tag which would be a “no, no” in netbook land.

Read: Super-slim Asus Eee PC “Shell” unveiled

Just like you have crossovers in motor vehicles, there are now crossovers in the notebook world. Such crossovers are a mix of laptops and netbooks which is basically a netbook with a laptop size or a laptop with netbook features. 

Samsung NC20 is such a notebook/netbook and features Via’s nano processor which allows it to run for six hours.

Read more: Samsung’s VIA-based NC20 netbook official

I first wrote about the rather dull Epson Endeavor Na01 netbook last November. Today, the word is that the Epson Endeavor Na01 netbook has been officially revisited from the original black to white. Nothing to get excited about until you learn that there’s also a price drop thrown into the mix too which is the newsworthy aspect of this post. 

See: Epson launches all-white Na01 netbook

Last time I checked, the Samsung Nc10 netbook was on its way out and the Samsung NC20 was on its way in. It seems that the NC10 is not going out without a vengeance. First we wrote about the O2+Samsung deal and now we learn that Amazon has had a special Samsung NC10 commissioned just for their online store. What makes this ultra portable notebook different to the standard one? Nothing much except for 6-cell 5,900mAh battery which delivers a nice 9.4 hours of computing life. Actually, that’s a big enough difference especially if you find yourself  on those long haul flights quite often.

See: Samsung NC10 goes special edition for Amazon

Mobile phone operator O2 and Samsung have teamed up to provide users with a mobile broadband + netbook deal. How it works is simple: you subscribe to a package and you get one of the two Samsung netbooks with 3G Internet and unlimited Wi-Fi access. You have the choice between the Samsung R510 or the Samsung NC10 netbooks. If you’re in the UK, you should do your maths and see if the deal is worth your while or if it’s yet another way to have you trapped into a lifelong contract.

See: O2 launches mobile broadband and laptop deals

Oh happy morning for those in the US who have been impatiently waiting for the 10″ Acer Aspire One netbook. It has just been announced that as from today, you can get your hands on the upgraded most popular netbook for only $350. You can find your Aspire One AOD150 netbook at any authorized reseller and retailer.

See the press release: Next Generation Acer Aspire One Netbook Now Available for U.S. Customers

You can now get 3G Internet with your new expensive Sony Lifestyle P-Series PC netbook if you sign a contract with Verizon. No, you do not get the netbook free of charge à la mobile phone. 

See: Sony Vaio P on Verizon- $200 rebate

Asus, the mini laptop pioneer, has announced the availability of the Eee 1000HE which is an actual upgrade of the existing models. What’s different about the Asus Eee 1000HE? For one, longer battery life at 9.5 hours. Secondly, the Intel N280 Atom CPU, a first in netbooks. The Asus ultra portable notebook is now available for pre-order at $399.

See: ASUS Unveils Upgraded Eee 1000HE

Netbooks are low priced portable computers by definition (see: What is a Netbook?). What’s cool is when there’s a good deal on one. This Dell Mini 9 netbook example is a pretty good price. Yes it’s a refurb but you remembered what I wrote about refurbished netbooks right? Don’t just sit there! Hurry along and see whether you can score the deal or not!

For some computer shoppers, the lack of DVD drives on netbook is what stops them from buying a netbook. If that’s you, fear no more as Mouse Computer’s LB-F1500W netbook sports an optical drive, a seemingly first in the industry.

What you need to know about DVD drives in netbooks is that netbooks end up being heavier, consume more power and to a certain extent end up being more pricey (in this case US$729!). I would recommend just purchasing an external DVD drive as it would be a cheaper and more mobile solution (when you don’t need it, you just unplug it and leave it at home).

View: This Netbook has an onboard DVD burner

Jolicloud, the netbook operating system that I wrote about a few months ago, has improved since like you can see on the pic above. I like the fact that the developers brought a different yet familiar approach.

While it’s being praised by the top tech bloggers, there’s only one hurdle that Jolicloud faces and it’s not a small one: Microsoft’s operating systems like the forthcoming Windows 7. I really don’t think that this giant corporation will just let anyone fiddle with its lunch money!

See: Jolicloud’s Beautifully Designed Netbook Linux OS

Acer has decided to drop the 8″ netbook version and only market the 10″. I really think that it’s a good idea because 8″ netbooks are really small compared to the 10″ and yet the 10″ are still portable, light and you can actually type on the keyboard without finding it awkward and browse the net like you would on a laptop.

I have written before that 10″ netbooks are the future. For Acer to drop the 8.9″ sometimes this year allows it to market one model only and retain it’s sales leadership over Asus. It would be hard to sell two different versions that do not seem to have any differences.

I hope that all netbook manufacturers are paying attention and will follow lead.

Yes, some enterprising company had to do it… again! Last holiday season, red MSI netbooks were the perfect gifts. Why not for Valentine’s day? After all, most people cherish their significant other more than other family members!  The romantic pink MSI Wind U100 netbook is the perfect gift for your girl. It’s only a matter of days before more red or pink Valentine’s day netbooks pop up. 

See: Valentine Edition MSI Wind U100 laptop

See more pics: 10-inch Acer Aspire One breaks cover: Photo Gallery

At first Asus made netbooks. Then pretty much every single computer manufacturer (except Apple. Yes, I will keep on bringing this up until I see a MacBook Mini ). And lately, every single consumer electronics manufacturer seems to be on the netbook wagon. Who knows if car companies won’t get on it too as a tactic to save their collapsing industry? 

Anyway, this smartass rant was to announce that Archos, the portable media player has launched, you guessed it… a netbook! Just like the many netbook providers though, they simply slapped their badge on an existing device and are hoping that their brand recognition will help in selling the mini laptop.

You can read all about it by reading: Expanding into Computers with Archos 10 Netbook

It means that consumers are just fine with netbooks being able to do basic computing tasks as long as they’re portable and affordable. That means that those manufacturers who are venturing out with bigger (more than 10″), more powerful (hence more expensive) netbooks should watch out because they will be stuck in the middle.

That middle ground is when consumers say: “Instead of buying a big expensive “weak” netbook, why not purchase a normal sized cheap but powerful laptop?”

See: Forrester: 33% of consumers interested in Netbooks as second PC

See: Viliv S7 joins the Tablet Netbook fray

After announcing the portable student laptop many months ago, Intel has at last launched the Classmate PC  which has seen a redesign in the process. While it is targeted at pupils in developing nations, this netbook could be a hit with mainstream computer users around the world. The only caveat is the price tag. At $549, Classmate PC is not the cheapest option on the market at the moment but some people are saying that it may be the ultraportable notebook to own.

Another day at CES ’09, another netbook announcement. ViewSonic, one of the leading manufacturer of visual technology has announced the ViewSonic VieBook netbook which has a 10″ display. The first reaction is to wonder if the screen is anything special given that it’s from a visual technology company but from the first word, there’s nothing to be excited about. The VieBook will be priced at $ 429 when it’s made available for sale in February.

See: ViewSonic announces VieBook netbook PC, VPC100 ViePC and attachable Link PC desktops

The Commodore F Series netbooks are targeted at consumers while the Commodore J Series are targeted to business professionals. Now, I have no idea why Commodore did not just try to figure out a way to make one great netbook instead of offering two choices in this market that’s getting overcrowded really fast.

See: CES ’09: Commodore Makes Appearance with New Goods

See: SanDisk Launches Fast SSDs for Netbook Market

Everyone is getting jumping into netbooks except Apple and sony it seems. Velocity Micro the high end laptop maker has joined in by announcing the NoteMagix M10 netbook. Nothing really exceptional except maybe the 160GB hard drive. I don’t know if it needs cash flow or if it’s just joining the bandwagon but Velocity Micro has no business being into laptops and should have maybe stuck to their guns à la Apple.

See: Velocity Micro Announces 10-inch Netbook at CES

The trendy for luxury netbooks continues. This time it’s Dell with the Adamo netbook that was launched today at the CES 2009. There’s not much detail yet but all is known is that it’s ultra thin, 10″, has GPS and will probably be more expensive than the average netbook given that’s it’s a premium product. More details as Netbook Era gets them so stay tuned by subscribing to the RSS feed.

See: Dell shows ultra-thin laptop and 10-inch netbook at CES

I first read about the Gdium Liberty netbook last month and I thought that the concept behind it was rather dumb. This netbook has no hard drive but instead it has an external USB drive. The whole point is said to be able to share the netbook between different people with each person having her or his own bootable USB key.

I am not so sold on this Gdium Liberty netbook but the market for these mini computers has shown all of us that we cannot predict what it will be in the mood for or not.

See: Gdium Liberty Netbook Uses USB Key for a Hard Drive

Last month, the computer blogosphere went crazy with the piece of news that Coby was releasing netbooks that would be priced under $100. $99 was the exact amount if you really want to be precise. Less than a few hours later, the bubble burst as Coby Electronics told us that it was a bunch of hogwash and that there was nothing to fuss about.

At CES 2009, it turns out that Coby netbooks have been spotted. Maybe the publicity craze motivated the manufacturer to get onto the netbook ball? These mini notebooks are not $99 though. They are said to be under $200 which probably means $199.99. Those who have played around with them say that they feel rather cheap.

See: Coby’s sub-$200 netbooks handled at CES via Gotta Be Mobile

Microsoft has just insured that it does not lose the netbook OS battle by confirming to CNET UK that it will offer a Windows 7 netbook edition. Netbooks have come out of nowhere to become heavily used computers but their low processing power require a minimal operating system. XP has been the choice so far beating Linux senseless and there a lot of players wanting in including Google (a few days ago, some people successfully ran Android on a netbook).

To learn more about the Windows 7 netbook edition, see: Confirmed: Windows 7 ‘netbook edition’

Update: What’s going on? I think we were either fed the wrong information or someone is backing away from original claims. See: Microsoft: We haven’t announced a netbook version of Windows 7

Update 2: Laptop Mag was able to load Windows 7 on a Samsung NC10 netbook. See: Windows 7 Beta Runs on Samsung NC10 for how it turned out.

At long last the Sony netbook has seen the light of day. Like many, I will say that although it looks like a netbook, the Sony P-series Lifestyle PC is actually a really tiny but powerful laptop. Why? Well, this ultraportable computer has some amazing technology such as GPS, 3G and even runs Vista! The styling is also something really exceptional which is meant to appeal to people for whom style is a must. It’s also dubbed as the lightest 8″ portable and it’s said that it can be slipped into a jacket’s pocket. But all these goodies come with a catch.

The Sony Lifestyle netbook/notebook is pretty expensive at $900. Expensive compared to other netbooks of course but in my opinion, all the extra features and specs justify the price.

This Sony netbook should do really well and it has just started a trend towards high-end ultra powerful netbooks.

See: The Sony P-series Lifestyle PC: Just don’t call it a Netbook

- Super cheap netbooks by Elonex will be sold in popular UK stores

- Asus introduced the Eee 131 that features a 512GB drive and Windows 7

- The forthcoming Sony netbook seems to be the most anticipated computer after Apple’s failure to excite us at Macworld

- Android powered netbooks will surely be showcased

More details to be added as they come in…

Will the corporate world embrace the netbook? I think so and so does HP as they plan to unveil a business netbook at the CES. The HP Mini 2140 netbook is targeted at the businesses and differentiates itself from other ultraportable notebooks by having an aluminum design and a slightly higher price tag among many features.

Seee:CES: Hewlett-Packard unveils the Mini 2140 Netbook

There’s an interesting twist to the story though… It’s said that Yukon, AMD’s new chip, is aimed at the ultraportable notebook computer market and not netbooks. (Update Jan 11th: the official name of the chip is Neo) I am betting that it’s just a semantics game and that very soon, netbooks will be sporting Yukon chips.

See: AMD launches Yukon platform for ultraportable computers

I have to hand it to Mike Arrington for ending our year with the juiciest netbook rumor ever. Apparently, in Autumn 2009, Apple will release a larger iPod Touch that will be the MacBook Mini netbook that we all have written about countless times saying that it would be announced in January at MacWorld.

Short of swearing on his mother’s head, Mr Arrington not only tells us that his sources are reliable and that one actually touched the device but he also teases us by saying that he will have more details soon.

I was probably one of the first Techcrunch readers. As time has gone by, I have come to trust this web 2.0 turned tech blog because all crazy rumors that it throws out into the blogosphere usually turn out to be solid stuff. So I guess that Apple figured out how to make a netbook the smart way by sticking to its trademark touchscreen no keyboards approach that made the iPod Touch and the iPhone hits. 

Yes, people will cry over the lack of a keyboard but will get over it just like they did with the iPhones and iPod Touches.

I am betting that this iPod Touch will sell for about $550 or $600 and that like the iPhone, it will be more than a super hit: it will completely take over the market. That’s if this global recession gives us all a break.

Wow, this iPod Touch “Magnum” is really going to change the netbook game. I can’t wait!

See: Large Form iPod Touch To Launch in Fall ‘09

I am no expert but even I can spot a marketing disaster when I see one. The Asus S121 netbook is such a blunder. It’s a netbook with laptop features: size and costs. It has a 12’1 inch display (hence the name I guess) and is priced at around $800. Asus calls the S121 netbook, a luxury netbook but I am betting that the market will call it an overpriced and oversized laptop. Besides, when thinking luxury, computer shoppers don’t even think about Asus but are more likely to think Apple, Sony and even Dell.

Netbooks are supposed to small and cheap. A big and expensive netbook is called a laptop. And nowadays, laptops are even priced lower than $800. Good luck with the S121 netbook Asus!

When I first read about the MSI Wind U115 hybrid netbook in late November, I wondered what hybrid implied: environment friendly or a mix of two different portable computer categories?

It turns out that I was wrong on both counts. The MSI Wind U115 netbook has to hard drives. One to improve performance and the other to store data. This world’s first is a pretty neat concept as it also improves battery life. Today, it has been made official by MSI.

See: MSI Wind U115 Is a Hybrid: Packs SSD and HDD and MSI Officially Intros the U115 Hybrid Netbook

I still have not received such an email but if one day you click over here and the Netbook Era has disappeared, know that something is up. May the forces be with us all!

See: Netbook enthusiast web sites getting C & D using term “netbook”

Acer is on a roll wanting to keep the pole position in netbook sales. The latest deal on the Acer Aspire One netbook is $299.99 for a few days. That’s an enticing sales promotion that will have people rush to Best Buy to grab their own mini laptop but like everything in life, it seems that there’s a catch.

See: Acer, Best Buy Slash XP Netbook Price to $299

I also suspect that netbooks are playing a big role in the demise of desktops. Why? Because Acer managed to have a record quarter and we also know that the Acer Aspire One became the best-selling netbook so it’s a simple matter of putting the two together.

Are netbooks killing desktops? 

It seems like it.

See: Notebook PCs Outsell Desktops, First Time Ever

See: Samsung NC20 12.1-inch netbook expected February 2009

Well it was a matter of time! After hating on netbooks for so many months, Sony has indicated that it will enter the mini laptop market according to the Manila Bulletin Online. 

It’s never too late. After seeing the netbook craze, Sony has smartned up and will be offering mini Vaios sometimes in early 2009. I wish that I could say that I never saw this coming but I can’t. The netbook movement is hard to ignore and it seems that those who chose to will be left behind and their sales and stock prices will be punished as a result.

Who‘s next? 

See: Sony unleashes new IT products, bares plan to enter netbook mart

One of the reasons netbooks are not even cheaper is because their hard drives are pretty expensive. The cheaper a component, the cheaper the netbook overall. 

Today’s good news is that Seagate, Western Digital and Hitachi, three leading hard drive manufacturers are working on new 2.5 inch low cost HDD made specifically for netbooks.

Intel did their bit with Atom and I see other component makers producing specific low cost parts for netbooks. I just hope that the quality will be as good but I should not worry much because if any given component manufacturer makes a lousy component, there are always competing products to choose from instead.

The days of a $100 netbook seem to be closer than we all thought!

See: Hard Drives for Netbooks Getting Cheaper, Pushing overall Prices Down

You hear that Sony and Apple? Your other computer products will not be cannibalized. 

See: Acer and Asustek gain more than they lose from netbooks, says Digitimes Research

The eye-catching piece of news this morning is that netbooks preloaded with Windows are outselling, sorry killing, those with Linux. That’s according to Asus (and later on by Acer and Toshiba: 90% of netbooks sold use Windows XP say Acer & Toshiba). See: Asus confirms Linux netbooks market decline

My reaction to this is that it’s pretty normal given the fact that early netbooks were only used by so called geeks who were comfortable with complex Linux as opposed to friendlier Linux OS à la Ubuntu Remix. The mainstream tried its teeth at Linux and failed returning the netbooks en masse. Another good reason is simply that most users are familiar with Windows anyway so naturally, they will gravitate towards it. After all, when laptops became the rage, Linux did not take over then either.

But with the rise of cloud operating systems, Windows should enjoy the top spot while it lasts because ultimetly, netbooks will run on something completely new and different.

For fun, read a prediction that now seems improbable: Will Netbooks Destroy Microsoft in 2009?  or better yet 100 Million Netbooks to Be Sold in 2009?

Obviously, Clevo netbooks are no joke and are bound to capture some serious attention thanks to the remarkable specs. The only question is wether entering the netbook race at that late stage will not be too late. I guess we’ll see six months from now.

See: Clevo intros netbook tablet, other new notebooks

There’s something I seem to be missing though… How come that the following video below was taken in 2008′s CeBIT? Is the above news release a year old?

If you can shed some light please do so in the comments section below. Thanks!

One of the biggest nightmares with netbooks is about to be solved thanks to Nvidia the graphics making company that’s decided to join the netbook era. The future Ion platform will make web surfing of rich media sites easier (and video watching) as it will play nice with Intel’s netbook processor: Atom.

Everyday, more powerful players join the netbook fray giving more credibility to the category and opening up more opportunities. 2009 is looking good for netbooks. Welcome aboard Nvdia!

See: Nvidia’s Ion platform will super-charge Intel’s Atom for netbooks

Asus netbooks have won all sorts of awards as of late but not the one that really matters: the best selling netbook. Nevertheless, it’s a good day for Asus, the company that took a chance on an unproven category and made it huge. 

See: Eee PC™ Is Forbes Asia’s Product of the Year for 2008

Netbooks are positioned as cheap laptops so naturally Walmart and other discounters are going to start selling them. It’s a good deal for Acer as the more Aspire Ones are sold, the cheaper they will get and the more popular they will get in return and so on. Eventually, the Acer Aspire one netbook can be king with the mere fact that most people tend to buy a best selling/cheap item.

See more: Acer Aspire One Mini laptop at Wal-Mart for $419.00

What do you think?

Read more at: IBM Lotus Strategist Sees Linux on Netbooks Making Inroads vs. Windows in 2009

One of my favourite pastime at Netbook Era is to try to run OSX into them and see how the “Mac” netbook turns out. The pros at Wired seem to be better  at this that I am and have managed to pull it off on a Samsung NC10 netbook. I should say pulled it off again because they previously did the same with an MSI Wind.

If you’re interested in running Mac OSX on a netbook because you’re growing impatient that there will be no Apple Mac netbook in January, you can read Wired’s handy guide and go nuts. There are some minor issues you will need to be aware of so make sure that you have read them before going all Mac with your Samsung. Good luck!

This deal is actually appealing if you were already considering buying a Dell computer. The Mini netbook can be a mobile unit or a cool present to a loved one. For more, see: Dell Jumps into the $99 Netbook Game, Too (Sort Of)

“The reasoning is given that netbooks can do the bulk of what the enterprises need their workers to do and given the low cost compared to alternatives they seriously want to bring netbooks in the door.”, explains JkOTR. Read more at: Surprise: enterprises pushing for netbooks

Nevertheless, you now have an extra $50 to play around with if you’d considered buying the HP Mini 1000 or offering it as a holiday present.

See: Lenovo follows HP, drops netbook prices by $50

The fun part is how it is pitched as: “An intelligently flexible tool. Either use the powerful Xda Flint like a normal touchscreen phone, or like a ‘miniature laptop’ by attaching the QWERTY keyboard.”

The race for the de facto standard operating system is on and all developers with interesting ideas should get into it. I can say that none of the big boys such as Microsoft, Google even Ubuntu will win it because they will try to customize their already existing offering to netbooks while smaller hence more flexible will totally create something new from scratch that takes into consideration the mini laptops’ features.

Jolicloud (Mr Krim’s latest venture) and Good OS are the two cloud operating systems that are garnering attention but in the next months, we can all expect to see new players and in about two years, one will dominate à la Google becoming king and making most of the money.

Now some smartasses are going to say things in the lines of: “Why would I buy it if I live in the North Pole and I only get sunshine half an hour a day?”. Well, for the same reasons that the Swiss Navy has five submarines.

Is this a good or a bad deal btw? It depends really. If you plan on using and owning the netbook for more than two years then it makes sense. If you replace your netbook each six month, you may have a little situation in your hands.

The Axioo PICO DJM 616 netbook seems to be a copy of the MSI Wind. It really is except for the bluetooth and logo. It sports a 10″ screen and an Intel Atom N270 processor. Read more about the Axioo PICO DJM 616 Netbook.

Netbook Era will sure update you with some pics and reviews when they surface. In the meantime, I am just going to say that it’s another step that shows that netbooks are becoming more and more important for manufacturers to ignore.

Oh by the way just in case you did not know, Gateway got acquired by Acer last year so it’s no wonder that netbooks and notebooks released under these two brands are going to start looking the same and priced alike too.

For now, Acer has a powerful marketing weapon as the company can go out there yelling: “We’re the most popular netbook on the market”, a bragging right that consumers seem to seriously consider during the shopping process. 

See how everyone else such as Dell and HP fared: Acer beats arch-rival Asus in Q3 netbook match

Another week, another cheap netbook alert… Today, we read about $189.95 that’s good enough to do what netbooks are meant to be: Internet related use.The Alpha 400 MIPS netbook runs Linux and has 1 GB of flash memory for storage and a mere 128 MB of system RAM. Read more about it: Alpha MIPS netbook just $190

I can’t tell if it’s the holiday spirit or an effort to boost spending in this economic crisis but HP has decided to shave $40 off the Mini 1000. See: HP Mini 1000 to get $40 price cut

If such a deal is a sign of better deals to come, I am pretty chuffed because the holiday gift buying will be less stressful on my bank balance!

We first spoke about the cool Dell netbooks and now the HP Mini 1000 netbook gets really pretty. Vivienne Tam got her hands on one and did a splendid job. I hope that more fashion designer/manufacturers alliances are on the way and that each one of us will be able to have a netbook that reflects his style or personality.

HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam edition netbook now available

“Netbooks  are defined as clamshell notebooks with 7in to 10.2in screens, “purpose built for internet use“. – Read more: Intel Explains MID, Netbook Definitions

Read the whole news piece: New touchscreen kit for netbooks available

Recently, Netbook Era was pretty excited about the HP Mini 1000 netbook having a secret 3G modem. We asked you if you had spotted one on yours (assuming that you own a Mini 1000). jk On The Run followed up and just discovered yes indeed you can get mobile broadband with the HP netbook but it’s going to cost some serious beans (HP adds $199 integrated 3G option to Mini 1000 netbook).

If money is no issue or use your netbook for business use, the costs are justified but for the rest of us, we shall stick to chasing after free WiFi signals and hope that the connection is fast enough.

Now if laptop and desktop sales were going through the roof and the netbook curve was south bound then I would jump of the Netbook Era ship.

So, no reason to panic, netbook sales are down but not out. I would even bet that in the whole computer sector, netbooks are actually the best selling category!

Source: Intel Estimates Coming Down As Notebook Demand Sags

To keep up with Asus, HP and all other mini-laptop brands, word is that Acer is planning a 10″ netbook that’s a bigger brother or sister to the best selling Acer Aspire One that’s 8.9″.

Why the larger screen? It’s not only because the competitors are offering them but surfing the net with a 10″ still allows the user to go browse a site without scrolling from left to right. That’s on bit that seems to annoy current owners of smaller netbooks.

No has any pics yet but the minute Netbook Era spots some, you will be among to check them out.

Source: Acer to deliver 10.2-inch model 

Previous coverage: 10″ Acer Aspire One to Be Available in Feb 2009, Acer Aspire One’s Bigger Bro Coming in 2009

“Coby Electronics, a leading international manufacturer and distributor of electronics consumer-packaged goods for discount stores, plans to introduce the first under-$100 laptop by March 2009. Well, it’s $99.95, if you call that “under $100.” You’ll find Coby in dollar stores, drugstores, etc” - Forget Cyber Monday: COBY Plans “Moore’s Law” MIDGET PC for $100 in March

I don’t know what to make of such a cheap netbook. And I bet you that some retailers may even price it lower than the original price! As portable computers become commodities, I would not be surprised if this mini-mini laptop sold like gangbusters.

Update: The PoqetMate-7 and PoqetMate-9 will have 7-inch and 9-inch displays, respectively, and be based on the Chinese Loongson processor with a keyboardroughly the same size as the original Eee PC (Sub-$100 Coby netbook coming to discount stores March 2009)

Product Reviews alerts us on the Acer Aspire One A150-1672 pink netbook. I will admit that them saying that it makes a perfect gift for this holiday season is a pretty good idea that I will cheer on.

“the main features on this cute netbook include Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz, 1GB, 160 GB (5400 RPM) SATA Hard Drive, 8.9″ WSVGA display, 802.11b/g, Webcam, Multi-in-one card reader, Microsoft XP Home, 1024 MB DDR2 (PC2-4200) RAM, 3 x USB 2.0,...” Acer Aspire One A150-1672 Netbook in Pink

Full news: Nokia N97 to be a social media PC

I kept wondering where the Cyber Monday netbook deals were happening but it turns out everyone was fighting out at Amazon. If you check out the best-selling lists at Amazon, netbooks dominate the charts so to speak.

“Netbooks took seven of the top 10 spots on Amazon.com’s computer bestseller list by the end of the day Monday, with a few high-definition LCD monitors from Samsung and an Apple MacBook taking the remaining three spots.”, writes PC World via the IDG News Service. For more details, read: Netbooks Dominate Cyber Monday on Amazon

“Simmtronics Semiconductors, a provider of memory modules, motherboards and graphics cards, has shifted its focus to netbooks”. Read more at: Simmtronics Forays into Netbook Market

If you’re in India and end up purchasing a Simmtronics netbook, please let us know how it measures up. Thanks!

Wired writes: “Mary Lou Jepsen, designer of nonprofit One Laptop Per Child’sfamous green-and-white XO netbook, has plans to ship energy-efficient screens for laptops and e-books in the second half of 2009″. See more at: Notebooks Could Run 40 Hours With Power-Saving Displays

Battery life is the biggest concern for most netbook and laptop owners and companies are racing for the longest running mobile computer unit. I personally am looking forward to the day when I can travel from the East Coast to my relatives in Brisbane on a single battery charge!

Remember the report that Sony was confused by netbooks and was not too keen (Sony Staying Put on the Netbook Craze)? Well, forget about it. It seems that it has something under its’ sleeves.

“The above image may or may not be a netbook-type computer from Sony. According to some mysterious FCC documents (which, conveniently, I can’t find anywhere) there are two separate model number” says CrunchGear. See the image in question at: Is this Sony’s upcoming netbook?

Update from jkOnTheRun: That Sony “netbook” might not exactly be a netbook

“Dell is offering the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Netbook for only $299; the normal price was $349 which means you will get an instant saving of $50.” - Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Netbook

“Acer, the world’s third largest PC vendor, is planning to launch a netbook next year with a 10.2-inch screen, the largest netbook screen from Acer so far, a company representative confirmed” - Acer Plans Netbook With 10.2-inch Screen

“Toshiba have broken the mould and gone for a TV bundling promotion of their own — no more consoles, it’s netbooks for everybody!” - Free netbook with your LCD television

This is the start of many good things to come. While netbooks are cheap, they have a high perceived value. I have written before that they are fast becoming the best promotional items of choice for those two reasons (See:How to get a Free Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Netbook If You’re in the UK). Feel free to be inspired by Toshiba by considering offering netbooks to your loved ones. You will be hailed as the best father/mother/brother/sister/boyfriend/girlfriend/son/daughter/friend and so on, on earth (See why netbooks make great gifts)!

Techcrunch editor Michael Arrington writes: “I’ve had a chance to test many of the units, though, and I can say that the promise is much bigger than the payoff. ” Read more: Three Reasons Why Netbooks Just Aren’t Good Enough

He basically does not like the little horsepower, the small screen and the uncomfortable keyboards. Like I wrote before (Intel Thinking Of Bailing Out of Netbooks), netbook owners should be surveyed and asked how they use their ultra portable notebooks. I seriously doubt that they mind the compromise that comes with the price or size.

In other words, those who got a netbook for its very low price are not dumb and knew that there would be sacrifices to make in the computing experience. Those who bought it for its portability (size, weight and battery life) probably have a notebook or desktop at home and use a netbook as a laptop replacement.

Mr Arrington puts it well by writing: “The problem with Netbooks is they are trying to address two markets at once: emerging markets where price is very important, and developed markets where people want a second computer.

The emerging markets don’t care about size, they just want it at a low cost – so offer them something that’s bigger and works better at the same price (remember, bigger = cheaper for most computer parts except the screen). Developed markets don’t care about price as much as performance, and Netbooks cut too many corners.

Perhaps that’s why Netbook screens are starting to inch up to 10 and 11 inches. Which doesn’t really make them much different from normal laptops (and the prices are about the same).“

We just mentioned how Intel was rethinking its’ netbook involvement (Intel Thinking Of Bailing Out of Netbooks). On the other hand, BenQ is refocusing its corporate strategy to netbooks where it sees more opportunity.

“Still reeling from its disappointing acquisition of Siemens’ mobile-phone business in 2005, BenQ Corp said yesterday that its new corporate strategy would focus on low-cost notebooks, or netbooks. “To capitalize on the overwhelming consumer adaptation of mobile technologies, BenQ’s future will lie in netbooks,” Hank Horng, president of business operations of BenQ Taiwan and China, told reporters at a briefing. ” - BenQ refocuses corporate strategy on netbooks

“The Netbook, take two: When Advanced Micro Devices said it wasn’t going to focus on Netbooks (See: AMD on Netbooks: “No Thanks, We’re Not Interested!”), as Intel and its partners defined them, maybe it was on to something. Intel is re-evaluating the Netbook market as possibly not The Next Big Thing. This from the company that makes the Atom processor and accompanying silicon that go into most of the Netbooks sold today.” - Intel rethinks Netbooks: ‘Fine for an hour’ but…

The Intel exec said something interesting: “If you’ve ever used a Netbook and used a 10-inch screen size–it’s fine for an hour. It’s not something you’re going to use day in and day out.” Why aren’t companies paying attention to who’s using netbooks? Do they ever ask these netbook owners if they spend all day on them? Do they ask if they have desktops or laptops as primary computers?

Just because companies thought netbooks were going a certain place and it went another does not mean that they have to make rushed conclusions. Netbooks are not for kids it turns out but for people wanting to be extremely mobile or who don’t want to spend a fortune for a laptop. In both cases, you can bet that these types of computer users are not intending to spend all day in front of a netbook.

“External graphics solutions for notebook systems aren’t entirely new technology, but they’re rarely found readily available. One of the very first to hit retail, says Fujitsu Siemens, is its AMILO GraphicBooster.” - Fujitsu Siemens’ AMILO GraphicBooster ready to hit the market

My question is: why would anyone get an external graphics solution to use at home (given that it would not be practical to carry it around while on the move)? Why not get a full sized laptop that offers better graphics, power and screen size? And in the end, I bet that it would be a cheaper option.

““The NetPC market is still at an early stage,” Nicolas Barendson, head of the VAIO Business Unit at Sony UK, told PC Retail. “Even if significant quantities are currently sold, many people are still confused about the real added value of such products, since a netbook isn’t really a PC, and does a lot of things a phone can do. We are careful looking at this market, but at this stage we have nothing to announce.” “ - Sony claims growing netbook market is ‘confusing

Sony is making a mistake not to jump into the netbook market. It can either chose to join in and offer products to consumers because although the market is uncertain, we’ll never know what will happen in the future. If it blows up, Sony will be a Johnny-Came-So-Late that it will be a laggard.

On the other hand, Sony could just chose not to get into that market and focus on more powerful laptops because that market is not going anywhere.

Standing still and watching what happens is pretty dangerous in my opinion. It’s like making a decision to cross a busy street. If you decide not to cross, stand clear off the road. If you decide to cross, make your sprint. Whatever you do, don’t stand in the middle of the street undecided!

Update: It now seems that Sony may have changed its mind (A Sony Netbook After All?)

I personally think that Google would have been better off getting into the laptop and netbook markets instead of the smartphone one. But I don’t blame them. Before less than a year ago, no one ever thought that the netbook era would arrive in full force. So everyone is trying to figure out how the netbook will play out and is jumping into the boat because it’s better to do so now even if it’s an unknown territory than to jump in later when everyone has a market strong hold.

“Dell netbooks to be sold like mobile phone: this 3G netbook bundle offers the Inspiron Mini 9 at $0 upfront with 5GB of data for $70 (Australian dollars) per month over a two-year contract.” - SCOOP! Dell netbook to be sold for $0 like mobile phone

It was bound to happen. This marketing experiment conducted Down Under will surely be rolled out all over the world if it proves to be successful. So netbooks have gone the way of mobile phones making it hard on laptops (See:What’s The Future Like for Netbooks?) and surely making smartphone makers rather nervous.

Update 28/11/2009: A day later, it seems that a few operators may be joining the fray: Plus in Poland and Orange in Portugal so far.

The Original Eee Surf Netbook

“Asustek Computer plans to unveil a new Eee PC netbook that costs just US$200 in the first quarter of next year, a company representative said Thursday.” - Asustek to Unveil US$200 Eee PC Netbook Next Year

“Netbooks already make great presents during an economic downturn because they’re generally cheaper than full sized laptop computers. But at least a few computer makers and retailers are planning on slashing prices a bit further for Black Friday” - Black Friday netbook deals

“Newegg has revealed a list of their Black Friday deals. Guess what, there is a discount on the 8.9″ Acer Aspire One Netbook from Newegg. The price has been dropped to $249.99 from the usual $299.00.” - Newegg: Black Friday netbook deals

“Its still really hard to believe how far the netbook scene has come in such a short time. Only a year like 2008 would have allowed a product genre to come from just being formed late the year before, to expand to gigantic proportions. Well if there was any doubt still lingering that netbooks are serious market contenders and are here to stay the ‘Netbook World Summit‘ is now being held in Paris on December 1st.” - Netbook World Summit 1st December

“If you’re a big audiophile and are in the market for a netbook, we might just have something for you that fits the bill.” - Indamixx Studio offers Linux-based netbook configured for music

[Note from Jay: Cool concept but oh, what a really lousy name!]

“ But the ability to do some casual gaming makes the Asus N10J an almost irresistible travel companion if you’re a PC game addict and can live with the limitations of a very low screen resolution and the low-power CPU. ” - Asus N10J A1 – Atom N270 1.6 GHz – 10.2

“The LenovoIdeaPad S10enetbook is reportedly shipping in Germany with a new, higher-capacity six-cell battery, according to a Wednesday report. In comparison, US versions make do with a three-cell battery. Furthermore, with a price of 329 Euros (about $425) for the Linux model, the netbook is the least costly 10.2-inch model of any brand with an Intel Atom chip and six-cell battery.” - Lenovo IdeaPad S10e to get six-cell battery? 

I have written about it before. Not only are netbooks super cheaper but they also make great gifts.( See: 7 Good Reasons to Buy a Netbook over a Laptop Computer) You can buy quite a few of them and you will have the ultimate Christmas presents for your loved ones. Try and see if you can’t negotiate a bulk discount!

“Lenovo has finally launched its IdeaPad S10e netbook (see the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 Netbook Video Review) in the UK. Available from the end of November directly from Lenovo and its resellers, the IdeaPad S10e will cost from £299 inc VAT, with a choice of Windows XP or Linux operating systems” - Lenovo IdeaPad S10e netbook available in November for £299

That seems to make sense. After all, netbooks are mostly purchased by people who are on the move and we all know how a casual game can make those idle and boring times more bearable. I can think of those who spend a good 30 minutes in the underground train with no Internet access whatsoever, using their netbooks to play games. Obviously due to netbooks’ low performance, the heavy duty games are out of question!

“We have been reporting for most of this week the stores that are now showing their Black Friday deals, and Sams Club is the latest to show what they will have on offer. The one day deal which happens one day after Thanksgiving is for their members only.” - Unveiled: Sam’s Club Black Friday Sale

“Some good and some bad news for fans of Dell’s netbook, the Mini 9 . We’ve just been told that for now there are no plans to introduce the 32GB SSD option that became available in Japan earlier this month and hit the States yesterday. But, just to ensure European customers don’t feel too left out, Dell will be throwing us the sweetener of a white colour option to add to the current black offering.” - Exclusive: White Dell Mini 9 is Europe bound

Update: the link to the above news report is broken.

Gentlepeople, start your rumor mills!

“Shop online, surf the web and chat on IM with ease. Weighing only 2.8lbs. the SAMSUNG NC10 netbook gives you the freedom to do that and more wherever you are. You’ll accomplish everything with 1GB of RAM and enjoy images filled with bold, vibrant colors on an LCD screen with 1024×600 resolution. The NC10 netbook is an affordable mobile solution ideal for all your online needs.”, according to Samsung’s official sales pitch.

“The Hello Kitty C1 features an Atom N270 CPU (1.60 GHZ), 1GB of RAM, a 120GB HDD, a 10.1″ TFT display (resolution: 1,024×600), a web cam, a QWERTY keyboard (layout: Japanese/US) and three USB 2.0 ports. Windows XP (SP 3) and a Hello Kitty wallpaper are pre-installed.”, report Crunch Gear in Onkyo/Sotec releases Hello Kitty netbook

MSI Wind U120 gets spotted, examined in the wild

It’s touchscreen too!

Ever heard of the Dospara brand? Is it any good? Your comments are welcome 

“According to Toshiba, the netbook is targeted at schoolchildren, senior citizens, and mobile workers who “do not require the processor power or range of functions of a full-sized laptop”.”

Are netbooks getting the attention of all computer makers or what?

Although I am pretty happy for the shopper about all these new netbooks surfacing, I fear that ultimately, too much choice will become confusing because these mini-laptops seem to have no difference except for the brand name. (What is the Best Netbook Brand? Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, HP, MSI, Samsung?)

Oh well, the fact that the netbook retailers will end up waging a price war to sell them is only good for the consumer right?

Thanks for Trusted Reviews for the photo. You should check out more pics and their thorough review of of the Toshiba Satellite NB100.

“There’s a certain glamour to the netbook. They come in bright, flighty colors and offer the promise of fun, of computing on the go. Nobody ever thinks of slipping a netbook into a briefcase. Its natural home is a purse or a manbag.

But now Epson, the glitz-free printer maker, is in on the game. The Endeavor Na01 might sound like a Star Trek spaceship, but it’s all dull grey plastic, all of the time. Internally it differs not a jot from the standard netbook — 1.6GHz Atom processor, triple USB ports, 10.2 inch screen, 160GB HDD and XP home. You know the rest.”

That’s a good point given that one of the argument in the case for netbooks over laptops is the design aspect of these mini-notebooks. 

The dot is an 8.9-inch netbook which Packard Bell says is the first that’s apparently specially designed for mainstream consumers. That’s a pretty bold claim to make, but Packard Bell is late to the netbook party currently controlled by Asus with its hugely successful Eee PC line” - Packard Bell enters netbook market

The more players enter the netbook market, the merrier especially for the shopper who now has more brands and models to choose from. It’s also a sign that netbooks are no fad. These companies want a piece of the pie because they know how well the mini-notebooks are selling.

In the news report, it’s also said that the Packard Bell netbook only comes with a Windows operating system leaving Linux out in the cold. It’s not a bad idea as Linux has proved to be a pain with customers not familiar with it. I wonder if they considered Ubuntu Remix though?

Anyway, let’s see if Packard Bell can make a comeback as a serious computer contender in this race to netbook supremacy.

Microsoft launched in the U.S. this week its online software store and is touting it as one way for netbook PC users who don’t have optical drives to more easily obtain software. - Microsoft touts new online store as a netbook complement

Netbooks’ operating systems may be eating through MS profits but it’s sure is not losing any opportunities to make some side cash.

Is it just me or is this all-in-one a look alike to earlier iMacs? Nevertheless, it looks good and I like its portability aspect. Did I mention that it’s a touch screen too?

Update: these types of computers, seem to belong to a category called all-in-one nettop! So the Eee Top is no netbook but an all-in-one nettop (the larger versions are called all-in-one PCs such as the iMac or the Dell XPS One).

Mobile phone chip designer ARM has announced an alliance with the makers of the Ubuntu the open source Debian derived Linux-based operating system software.

The deal will produce a version of the operating system for netbooks (small and medium sized, light-weight, low-cost, energy-efficient laptops) with the potential to have the long battery life enjoyed by users of mobile phones. - Ubuntu and chip maker Arm form netbook alliance

This sounds promising. Let’s hope that the all day notebook that every single road warrior is wishing upon will be born from this matrimony.

Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Well let’s hope that this is a wise move. Fine the market may not be lucrative but if it represents the future, AMD may find itself left in the cold.