Netbooks are thin, light, cheap and less powerful laptops while ultrabooks are thin, light, expensive and powerful notebook computers. That’s the general difference in a nutshell.

Ultrabooks are meant to be premium notebooks while netbooks are meant to be low-cost laptop computers.

Therefore, a netbook and an ultrabook are two very distinct types of portable laptop PCs and when shopping for a brand new notebook, you should know the difference, which you do now.

For a guide to ultrabooks plus reviews, opinions, shopping guides and best price finder, check out Ultrabook Star.

That’s according to an opinion poll conducted by retail giant Buy.com who surveyed 1000 US adults to get answers.

At NetbookEra.com, we will of course agree given that we cover netbooks but if you really think about it, the fact that netbooks are so cheap yet so convenient make them the perfect gifts for dads everywhere.

Stuck for ideas on what to get for the fathers in your life? The netbook selection is quasi-endeless. First stop: Amazon…

It turns out that the Toshiba NB505-N508BL is the most coveted netbook on Amazon.com. So what perfect gift for dad this coming Father's Day than the toy in question?

Source: New Survey Shows More Than a Third of Americans Think Father’s Day Gets the Short End of the Stick

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

It goes without saying that as an editor of a netbook related blog, readers will be interested for my take on such a report.

The article says that conventional laptops are killing netbooks. But these conventional laptops are as small,  as light, as cheap BUT definitely more powerful than netbooks.

I have said times and times again that people buy netbooks because they are small, light and inexpensive versions of laptops. They don’t really care about the category name but are more interested in the benefits and features of the machine over the category name.

It’s only us tech pundits who notice that people are shopping for and buying ultra-light, small notebooks over netbooks. Consumers are just getting a light , small and inexpensive computer that also happen to be powerful. It happens to be called a (really small) laptop.

Get my logic?

What’s your take?

I read all 42 reasons and while I don’t want to spoil it for you, I have to say that for every argument there can be a counter-argument for the Apple tablet. Why don’t I let you check it out for yourself so that you can make up your own mind as to whether you agree or not?

Many months ago, tech pundits were predicting how the Apple tablet was going to make netbooks as obsolete as type writers. Now that the iPad is out and we’ve heard and read what it’s all about, we can safely say that the iPad is not killing netbooks anytime soon.

Here are a few reasons why:

1) The iPad is not a computer

Netbook buyers are computer users who want to do tasks such as web browsing, edit the odd word document, watch movies, listen to music and store data. The Apple iPad can do most of these tasks but it’s really limited. I kind of like the external keyboard accessory it comes with though!

2) Without Wifi or 3G Internet access, the iPad is just a bulky iPod.

An iPhone without a data plan can still make phone calls and send and receive text messages. An iPod without internet access can still play music, run applications and play videos. An iPad without an Internet connection is pretty useless as you could do everything you want to do with an iPod. Unless you strictly want to read a book or watch a movie.

As netbook uses his or her machine to perform tasks that a computer does with or without internet access.

3) The iPad is expensive.

The cheapest is $499. The best-selling netbook, the Acer Aspire One, can be purchased for $329. It’s still portable, capable and can be equipped with 3G for an always-on Internet connection.

Netbooks do what an iPad can do and even more and are cheaper.

I could go on and on but I am sure that you too have some points to add so let’s hear them in the comments section below.

Personally, I think that I will get the iPad eventually (two years from now or so) because I think that developers will come up with apps that will make the tablet very useful and different to a laptop.

So yes, I will be a geek with a Blackberry, a laptop and an iPad. What will be ditched are the iPod and iPhone.

I can’t wait to see people who will be hauling the iPad around listening to music on it as if it was an iPod. I am laughing out loud in advance!

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.

In the space of two years, they went from total oblivion to portable computer choices of a great majority of people worldwide. If anyone has to be thankful for the global recession, it’s the netbook industry (although in all seriousness while netbooks took off, the rest like desktop and laptop sales sank meaning that these companies lost some and won some too).

While the official 2009 figures are not out yet, the Acer Aspire One netbook was king of the hill for the most part of the year

Some computer companies such as Acer and Asus managed to become serious players in the computer industry thanks to netbooks. Heck even Apple is getting into the game in early January 2010 but it true form will disrupt the industry. While I am a 100% sure that the Apple netbook will be different than the average Acer or Dell netbook for instance, it will still sell like gangbusters because of the Apple hype. After all, the iPhone was a mobile device that was more expensive than the average phone and yet it cleaned up. Same thing with the iPod. Expect the Apple netbook to become a winner as long as it’s in the $600-800 price range.

Netbook accessories have been popping up left, right and center. They validate the fact that netbooks are no fads (yes, some people are still arguing that!) but that they are becoming as common as Facebook and Twitter. Netbook users are either basic computer users or desktop or laptop owners who need a secondary computer for portability.

By the way, if you have send me emails touting your latest products and offerings, I apologize profusely for not getting back to you. I have been so swamped with all the emails that I did not know where to begin in reviewing your goodies especially the cool netbook bags and sleeves!

What’s does 2010 look like for netbooks?

I am sorry to talk about the imminent Apple laptop again but the netbook industry will be greatly shaken by its arrival. Just look at history. But if anything, it will be yet another validation of the netbook concept.

And what if the economy recovers? Won’t people revert to buying expensive laptops?

I would say that price is only a factor in the considerations of netbooks by shoppers. I would say that portability is the key issue. You may have noticed that the best selling netbook is not necessarily the least expensive but the one that has a good combo between portability and practicality.

When the economy recovers, more flavors of netbooks will appear which will be more expensive and people will still bite as long as it’s within reasonable price ranges.

Will the Amazon Kindle kill the netbook?

LOL is my answer to that question and I will counter with this question: will Twitter kill Facebook? (No because while those two companies are fighting it out, they have to realize that they are two tools that serve different purposes and that eventually most people will use both services just as most people use a folk and a knife to eat and still live happily ever after).

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you dear reader for your support in 2009. You are the one that made Netbook Era, the leading netbook blog on the whole wide web! I send you many warm hugs!

Your turn… what do you think 2010 in netbooks will be like?

Two years ago no one knew what this netbook craze was all about. Today, they say that the trend towards netbook like laptops (laptops that are standard size aka 13-15″ but with netbook features) will ultimately demise these ultra portable computers that we love so much.

Truth of the matter is that netbooks are just getting started. Most computer users do two things with their laptops: check emails and surf the web. Most times all this is done from an Internet browser. Yes, they do listen to music and work on the odd document file but all those tasks can be handled by a netbook without out it going bezerk.

Add the small size and portability factor coupled with the low prices and you have a winning combination.

If you’re still sitting on the fence, go ahead and buy your netbook. It’s no fad. Happy shopping!

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?

A reader emailed me asking what powerful netbook I recommend. I kind of found such a question strange because in my opinion, the combination of powerful and netbook seems to create an oxymoron.

The way most people define a netbook is a device that is a small to medium sized, lightweight, low-cost, energy-efficient laptop, generally optimized for internet based services such as web browsing and e-mailing.

The reason I bring up this definition is because one needs to be aware that netbooks are basically computers that are intended for Internet and email use in great majority.

Now, suppose that you want a powerful netbook to play games, edit video or run applications that are processing-power hungry. At this time of writing with the current netbooks on the market, you will be out of luck.

While you can come across marketing offers promising a powerful netbook, don’t fall for the trap. You may instead want to look into conventional laptops that are slimmer, lighter and smaller but still pack a powerful processor to help you run your resource intensive applications.

I may be wrong so let’s turn this over to our dear readers: “Is there a powerful netbook out there that stands heads and shoulders above competing netbooks?”

As more brands and models emerge, it’s getting easier and easier to score a cheap netbook. Cheap as in low-price and not cheap as in low-quality. In other words, your cheap netbook notebook will be low priced and yet be of high quality.

Here are two more ways to get yourself a cheap netbook:

1) Shop for demos

Every electronics retail outlet has demos that the shopping public can use and see wether the device is for them or not. These cannot be resold as new but have to be sold somehow. This is your opportunity for a cheap netbook deal. You can simply ask the store wether they will sell you the demo at a discount.

2) Keep an open eye

I am surprised at how few people peruse circulars for cheap netbook offers. Depending on the season or intention of the retailer, a huge price slash can be made on netbooks for a limited time as a way to entice shoppers to flock over to the store. You should keep your eyes open for such great deals. They actually come by more often than believed because in any area, there are so many electronics store fighting for shoppers’ attention!

This brief note on how to score a cheap netbook is an extension to the initial article that I wrote entitled: “How to Find the Best and Cheapest Netbook Deals“. If you have not read it before, check it out and if you have already, re-read it to refresh your memory. Good luck on getting that low-price deal!

We all love deals right? After all, who likes to pay full price for an item that can be obtained elsewhere at a better price? Let’s talk about the $100 netbook notebooks you probably have come across many times.

Are you getting a deal or are you getting duped on these $100 netbook notebooks?

First, I should mention that there are two types of $100 netbooks:

1) The little-known compact laptop brands with niche operating systems such as Android or Linux that cost the manufacturer little to make that ultimately the customers gets a pretty cheap price.

In this category, I can think of the HiVision PW700B, a sub $100 netbook that runs Linux

2) Well known ultra portable netbooks such as Acer Aspire One or MSI Wind that are offered at less than $100 by retailers or phone operators as long as the customer agrees to get on a two year data plan.

Here, I can think of the $100 netbook notebooks offers made by RadioShack in the US and Vodafone in some parts of Europe if I recall correctly.

In the first case, the sub $100 is a gamble because the brand is obscure and hence the quality of these netbooks is everyone’s guess. Furthermore, you need to be comfortable with the niche operating systems. If you’re the conventional type who likes to stick to what you’re familiar with, I would think twice on these types of deals. On the other hand, if you’re a computer pro and know your stuff inside out, grab the deal and run with it!

Where things really get interesting is with the $100 netbook notebooks offered on condition of signing a two year data plan contract. As a consumer, this is where you really need to be well informed and know how the game is played otherwise you’re in for a little costly surprise.

Chances are that you probably a mobile phone and that you are on a contract. If you are not, you definitely know someone who is and you have heard her or his story. You get the phone for free or really cheap as long as you agree to a two year contract.

You get to use your minutes and in the case of $100 netbook notebooks, your data plan for two years and all is good.

But how often does the phone last for two years? The thing either breaks down before the end of the contract or you find yourself needing a new one for reasons that are unique to you. If you do it after one year, you spend money on a new device and you’re still under the commitment of the two year contract in which twelve months remain!

Some people are comfortable with this of course and I am no judge but personally, I never get a free to cheap phone just to find myself on a contractual obligation to the phone company.

That’s what all these $100 netbook notebooks type-deals are all about. They may be of good service to you or they can be terrible masters. For instance, if your $100 netbook breaks and it’s your fault, you will still have to pay your monthly fee while shelling out your cash for a replacement compact laptop.

It also goes without saying that in the case of the Radio Shack deal, the $100 netbook deal actually costs you $1500 over two years.

Now that you know what the real truth is on these $100 netbook notebooks offers that you see left, right and center go out there and shop wisely.

Good luck!

You have heard about netbooks and how they’re taking over the world. Not even a year ago, all the big tech executives were making fun of them and calling them fads but now everyone (except Apple, although they may have a surprise for us come January 2010) makes and sells them.

We are now experiencing the rise of smartbooks.

A smartbook is a tiny mobile computer that’s half notebook, half smartphone.

So basically we have: cellphone < smartphone < smartbook < netbook < notebook (aka the laptop) < desktop.

The netbook category caught on like a wildfire but how will the smartbook fare?

First, let’s look at what smartbooks are:

- They have an “always on” Internet connection via 3G mobile broadband and WiFi
- They are bigger than smartphones and a little smaller than netbooks (5” for example)
- They are even lighter than netbooks

- They have “all day” battery life.

- They have a more user friendly keyboard. You could type a few paragraphs easily but forget about using them to write your novel
- They do not make phone calls. In other words, they are not phones

- They will be primarily sold by mobile phone operators using traditional packages (free or discounted device after signing a two or three years contract)

Do smartbooks have a future?

In my humble opinion: oh yes!

Those devices are the true competitors of the Blackberry. Netbooks are Blackberries were different animals but the ability to be able to communicate faster and easier all day while being able to do basic productivity tasks and Internet surfing is something that most mobile professionals or very chatty people are going to fall in love with.

This will depend of course on the deals that mobile operators are going to offer.

I see a day when people will go back to having a basic phone and having a smartbook in their purse or pocket to communicate textually and be productive at the same time.

Just like smartphones are huge but still a small niche in mobile phones so will smartbooks be in the computer world (yes, they are computers).

Come smartbooks vs smartphones, RIM, the maker of the almighty Blackberry, should stop worrying about Google and closely monitoring this category and the fact that Nokia is jumping in with all their clothes on.

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…

Another week, another Acer vs Asus netbook battle analysis… 

It really has nothing to do with quality, performance, price or raving reviews. The simple reason why the Acer Aspire One is the most popular netbook over Asus’, its’ chief contender, is because Acer has one netbook in the race for market dominance while Asus has three or more netbooks.

Of course, there are some variations of the Acer Aspire One netbook out there but the model is pretty much the same. Also, in recent time, a new Aspire One was announced and rumour had it that the previous model would be phased out which in my opinion is a brilliant decision.

What happens if you use all your resources to market one product while your competitor uses more or less equal resources to market three or four? Well, it goes without saying that the most popular netbook will be the one that comes in one model.

Notice however that in the Acer vs Asus battle, no one ever tells us who has the most popular netbook brand. I am sure that numbers on this one, would be completely different.

Who in the world needs a netbook bag? That’s a question I have been asking myself as I get people asking me time and time again, where to spot the best bags for their netbooks. What’s even odd is when some people are willing to spend money on a netbook bag that ultimately is more expensive than the mini-laptop itself!

Forget a netbook bag, all you really need is a netbook sleeve so that you can throw your precious ultra compact notebook in your bag, purse, back pocket or jacket pocket. The whole point of owning a netbook is to save on space. I find that netbook bags do just the opposite. 

OK, so that’s my rant about netbook bags. Did not mean to offend anyone (Image:JelleS). Just exercising my freedom of speech I guess

Question: What are the major benefits of a netbook over a conventional laptop?

Answer: The short answer is: portability, mobility and price.

One of the benefits of a netbook is that you can throw it in your jacket’s pocket or your handbag and you’re good to go. No need to carry an extra laptop bag or anything like that.

Another netbook benefit is that do to its lightweight size, you don’t have to worry about your shoulder becoming all numb. If you have to lug around a heavy desktop replacement, you probably know what I mean. 

One of the most important benefits of a netbook the fact that you can use it, anywhere, anytime to do the most basic computing tasks. Tasks that you cannot not do with a smartphones and tasks that a super computer could do. (Photo courtesy: www.zieak.com)

Ultimately though, the biggest benefit of a netbook is the price. Today you can score a more than decent mini-laptop for about $150 (that’s the really motivated shopper) or at $100 but with a slight catch. Try getting such prices with full-sized notebooks!

Would I pick a netbook over a conventional laptop? Oh yes. It’s the ultimate computing choice for those times when you’re on the move. Of course there are other benefits of a netbook but the above are the most essential in my humble opinion.

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

Every smartphone that’s not an iPhone is being referred to a Blackberry even if it’s a device from Samsung. Psion will lose the trademark war and they could have just saved everyone the trouble by giving it up early in the first place.

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

Not surprisingly, the whole demand for PC has spiraled downwards except for netbooks that are seeing an explosion in demand. But this demand comes at a cost for companies such as Intel and Microsoft who would rather sell their expensive products in normal laptops than cheaper variations in netbooks.

In our own netbook coverage, here are some of the items that Netbook Era mentioned this past week:

- Plenty pics of the Aspire One 10″ netbook

- A cute pink MSI Wind U100 netbook that is a good valentine Day gift 

- A more functional version of Jolicloud, the netbook operating system.

As usual, please subscribe to the RSS feed if you have not done so already. See you next week!

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

- Intel officially launched the Classmate PC

- A seven hour lasting Viliv S7 netbook was announced

- Forrester, through numbers, showed that consumers mostly view netbooks as secondary computers

-  A portable media device manufacturer announced a netbook. Look out for Archos ultraportable notebooks at a store near you

It was a pretty quiet week that was mostly dominated by the Sony netbook and how beautiful but expensive it is. But as the week closed, there were reports of a cheap Sony Vaio netbook meaning that Sony would partake in the race for the small and cheap.

I wrote that Intel should not worry about 12″ netbooks and wondered why TV tuners were becoming popular features in netbooks.

And that’s how week III of 2009 ended up. Thanks for reading and remember to stay tuned by subscribing to the RSS feed. Thanks!

But I thought about those who live in developing nations who may use the netbook as a computer and a TV. In developing nations, most TV stations are free (unlike in the US or Canada where you can’t watch anything decent without having cable) so netbook owners in such countries may want to tune in. I would imagine that a university student who wants to take a break in his or her dorm could watch a sports match or TV drama mid-paper.

Do you find yourself needing a TV tuner on your netbook or laptop such as the Asus 280?

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.

The first bombshell of 2009 was hearing that there would be no Apple netbook as Netbook Era contrary to what hundreds of bloggers and pundits had predicted. It does not mean that Apple has nothing up their sleeves. It just means that it was not for now. 

On the other hand, we got to formally hear all about the Sony netbook aka Sony P-Series Lifestyle PC. Apparently, the Sony people don’t want us calling it a netbook but what do you call a 8″ mini laptop that’s ultra portable, thin and powered by Intel’s Atom? Just because it’s super expensive does not prevent it from being a netbook!

We also got acquainted with HP’s corporate netbook, the HP Mini 2140 which sports a slick aluminum design. Other netbooks announced at CES 2009 are: Samsung NC20, Elonex, Asus Eee 131, Coby, Gdium Liberty, Dell Adamo Mini 10, Velocity NoteMagix M10 , Fujitsu Tokidoki, Commodore, ViewSonic VieBook and many more other netbooks.

CES ’09 was truly all about netbooks and some people even noticed that most journalists used them as reporting tools! 

We also got wind of the news that Windows 7 would also be available in light form for netbooks, an official move by Microsoft to recognize the netbook craze and maybe pre-counter the possible Android attack.

With so many netbooks on the block, Netbook Era came to the conclusion that most would not see the end of 2009 due to intense competition and no real distinguishing features and specifications. We also advised Intel to chill and not worry about the 12″ netbooks threat.

With the tech shows over, 2009 can now be on its way and we can’t wait to see what it will be all about.

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

While a great selection ultimately benefits the netbook user aka the customer, too much choice is a turn off. I write about netbooks all day and of all people, i am having a hard time keeping up with the new netbooks that have been announced this week so far! All the manufacturers of these new mini notebooks obviously expect to sell millions of them and thus make money in this tough times.

The bad news is that only a few brands will fare well while the rest will sink as quickly as they surfaced. At this time of writing, I would not be lying if I said that there are probably more than 100 netbooks that a potential buyer would have to choose from if all the brands or models were put in front of her.

That’s just too much and it may turn against the netbook industry as a whole. What’s causing the recession in the first place? Excess is one of the culprit. 

Big brands such as HP, Lenovo, Dell and Sony will make money from netbooks because of their strong brands. But brands such as InTheMixx, Commodore and BenQ may find that their netbooks will not sell plenty.

The ultimate winner may be Acer with their Aspire One. That’s because the potential buyer will be so confused with the many netbooks available to her that she will just go with the popular choice which is Acer followed closely by Asus.

Everyone jumping on the netbook bandwagon shows that the netbook is a promising concept. The downside is that the confusion may turn off consumers and hurt many brands as a result.

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

Intel is in a situation. Sales of Atom, the netbook chip are going through the roof but unfortunately at the expense of their most lucrative powerful notebook chips. This has led to Intel refusing that laptop makers incorporate Atom into non-netbook computer for the simple reason that it would be losing money.

Of course, Intel does not present the information that way. The tech giant says that netbooks should not be over 8″ and so 10″ and 12″ computer that want to use Atom are out of line.

I think that Intel should just relax and let the marketplace do the work for. I believe that computer users buy netbooks because they’re cheap but also because they’re portable. They really do not have any motivation to purchase a 12″ netbook that is not a strong performer. With such a laptop, they probably want to do more than checking email and browsing the web.

If I were to advise Intel execs, I would tell them to let computer makers use the Atom chip as consumers would not buy them but rather pay a little bit more for a computer that has more power.

What do you think?

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

In an interview with CNet Asia, Mike Lazaridis, RIM’s founder, refers to his Blackberry Storm as a netbook. I am sure that by that he means that the smartphone can be used to browse the web and receive emails, two main features of netbooks. However, I don’t think that the Blackberry boss should be comparing his expensive phone device with low cost, mini laptops.

Netbooks are perceived to be cheap laptops while Blackberries are perceived to be premium phones. The Blackberry Storm is more expensive than the average netbook if you really want a proof. I really don’t think that it’s smart from the Mr Lazaridis to be trying to capitalize on the netbook craze by associating his high end product with netbook computers.

Anyway, just my opinion…

See: The Storm is a Netbook, says RIM’s founder

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

The biggest news this week was the fact that Sony is joining the netbook era and its netbook is more a pocketbook called Sony Vaio P Series. In the new year, we will see what it’s all about.

It turns out that at CES 2009, touchscreen netbooks will rule the show. Surprisingly, everyone seems to be off the Apple netbook bandwagon as people see little odds of Apple releasing a MacBook Mini.

Amazon had “the best ever” holiday season at the expense of offline retailers who saw sales declining in these difficult economic times. It probably is no surprise to you that netbooks sold like hot cakes.

Naughty Intel is refusing to play nice with NVdia’s chip that would make netbooks faster and better. Caught in the act, Intel defended itself but we all know what’s really going on: Intel does not want to share the netbook pie with no one!

Intel may get to taste its own medicine in the form of a law suit. Psion, a UK company, is going around sending legal letters to all businesses that use the term netbook, a protected trademark they own according to their C&Ds. I sincerely hope that they will not come after us bloggers they promised.

So end the last weekly digest of 2008. In 2009 the netbook will be mightier than Obama so stay tuned by subscribing to the RSS feed. 

I wish you a great 2009 and may you fare well in these hard times.

Cheeeeerssss…

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

Rumours of the Apple netbook just got crazier to the extent where everyone is expecting a MacBook Mini netbook in January at MacWorld but wondering why Steve Jobs will not be attending.

Acer may have eaten Asus’ lunch but Asus still had a top gong to its credit as Forbes Asia named the Asus Eee PC netbook, the product of the year. Acer had another trick up its sleeves though: it was announced that the Acer Aspire One would be selling at Walmart. If you’re aware of Walmart’s mammoth distribution channel, you know how big of a coup this is.

Some pundits bet that Linux would take over the whole world but the marketplace decided that after all, it was more comfortable with Windows powered netbooks. See also: Will Netbooks Destroy Microsoft in 2009?

And so, those were the highlights of the past week (14th-21st December 2008). Thanks for reading us, your number one netbook blog!

Happy holidays!

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

The craze over Apple having to launch a Mac netbook has reached new heights because of sales figures showing that in November Apple has lost market share.

All the analysts and pundits are screaming and shouting for a netbook and that’s why in January Apple will give them one.

In a recession, everyone’s sales suffer. Even Walmart is having hard times although logically it should do well given that in hard times more shoppers are likely to pay it a visit for its low prices.

It seems that Apple desktop sales have decreased. You can’t exactly blame the recession for this one. For the last years, laptops have been eclipsing desktops in sales and that’s a trend that’s likely to continue even if the economy recovers by tomorrow afternoon and every single shopper becomes a millionaire.

Apple notebook sales are down too. That’s because no one is immune to a recession. No one. You either lose or you win but nothing stays the same in a recession. The whole computer industry is in a crisis. Every single company has seen sales decrease or stay flat. Apple is not immune.

Apple decided to play the computer game like Sony. Stay in the super premium league. But Steve Jobs did not get where he is now by not having an extraordinary PR acumen. He surely knows that he can stand pat and eventually things will go back to normal once the global crisis ends (because it will eventually. The question is when?). But, he also knows that the media is yearning for a Mac netbook.

In January, he will announce a Mac netbook not because it will boost the sales of Mac products but to appease the media and analysts. You know that the day after the keynote, the stock will go down if there’s no Apple ultraportable notebook. To prevent that from happening, Mr. Jobs will appease the crowd and do what’s smart from a PR perspective.

I personally think that a Mac netbook is not a bad idea. It will not re-ignite sales but it will do the job that the Mac Mini was supposed to do. The Mac Mini did not become a hit because for once Apple made a strategic mistake. It launched an affordable product in a dying category.

Like I mentioned earlier, desktops are slowly but surely on their way out. I am betting that in the near future, desktops will be used only by businesses. Even schools are going all laptops and soon netbooks. Do you still remember who called 2003 the year of the laptop?  Launching the Mac Mini was a smart and a dumb move at the same time. 

Smart because it was aimed at letting people experience the Mac touch for a low price and dumb because it was with desktops.

A MacBook Mini netbook will be a good product not to boost sales but to get all these iPhone and iPod users who are no Mac users to try out the Mac experience. The number one objection for non Mac users is: “It’s cool but it’s expensive!”.

The MacBook Mini netbook solves that problem. In marketing speak, it’s called a loss leader.

I have written before that with netbooks going all cloud, operating systems are going to become the least consideration when buying ultraportables.  Apple will do things right and create an OS that’s actually made for netbooks instead of taking Mac OSX and trying to make it work with netbooks. Imagine MobileMe coupled with other innovative things that are Apple’s trademark.

Apple netbooks will become a hit with the consumer. They will be the ultimate halo effect creator that everyone said that iPhones and iPods would be. That’s because netbooks are actual computers and these new users are more likely to try out Mac computers when they feel the need for more powerful machines. 

The MacBook Mini that will be announced in January will not save Apple in the short-term except for the stock price. In the long-term however, it will the tool that will convert Windows users to Mac en masse. 

And what about that famous quote: “We don’t know how to make a $500 computer that’s not a piece of junk”?

Well, he then spoke of “interesting ideas” and another thing. At $500.o1, it’s no longer a piece of junk, right?

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!

Speaking of Acer, it was announced that they would release a new Gateway LT1001G netbook. Just in case you did not know, Acer bought out Gateway last year and so it’s normal that the Gateway LT1001G netbook has a striking resemblance to the Acer Aspire one netbooks.

A new way to get your hands on the Acer Aspire one mini laptop was unveiled. The deal is that you could get the ultraportable notebook for $99 but there was a catch. The deal, that is a Radio Shack offer, may actually not be that much of a bad idea (See: Why The Radioshack 3G Acer Aspire One Netbook Deal Almost Sucks).

An interesting netbook bag by Voltaic that also recharges your mini notebook was mentioned while we also heard of Jolicloud, a netbook operating system from Netvibes’ founder. The race for netbook operating systems is on and it’s no wonder that it was reported that Google’s Android could be seen in netbooks.

The Android operating system is usually found in smartphones but netbooks sell more than the iPhone according to figures that were released. Maybe that’s why Google is so interested in mini portable PCs. Netbook Era was rather annoyed at those “netbooks vs iPhone” reports because they were comparing two unrelated things.

The New York Times wrote a handy guide to SSD and how they relate to netbooks. One of the things they do is improve battery life. But it seems that an  Asus Eee PC 901 netbook  powered by a 10-cell battery was another way to extend battery life.

Naturally, a few predictions were made notably the fact that netbooks were going corporate in 2009 and that the future of these ultraportable notebooks was in 10″ models as the smaller sizes are just too impractical with their tiny screens and keyboards.

Quite a few netbook reviews were documented: Zepto A12, MSI Wind U100-483JP, Asus N10Jc-A1, Fujitsu Amilo Mini Ui 3520, ASUS N10J, Gigabyte M192 and the  Averatec 1000 netbooks.

Also, quite a few new netbooks or wannabe netbooks were written about: Alpha 400 MIPS, Gateway LT1001G, Axioo PICO DJM 616, Sony VAIO VGN-TT15GNR, Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 and the XDA Flint.

More handy guides were written on how to buy the best DJ netbook and about the best netbook ever. 

As usual, the deals were  in full prominence: HP Mini 1000, Acer Aspire One, LG X110, Lenovo IdeaPad S10, and the Dell Mini 9 netbooks.

And so, those were the highlights of the past week (7th-14th December 2008). Thanks for reading us, your number one netbook blog!

Anything smaller makes net browsing and keyboard typing (especially if you have large fingers) cumbersome and beside there’s no real portability difference between a 7″ and an 10″ netbook. There seem to be no major price differences either. Gizmodo Australia ran a survey and the majority of respondents thinks that 10″ netbooks is the way to go.

See: Are Netbooks Too Small?

I have been asked “what is the best netbook?” type questions so many times by email that I have to write something again (see:How to Pick and Shop for The Best Netbook) about it.

In a previous article from the buyer’s guides to netbooks, I explained how to figure out the best netbook brand. But what about a specific model?

I still maintain that there’s no way to objectively declare one of the hundreds of netbooks on the market, the best. That’s because each computer user has specific needs and wants.

For instance, anyone whose primary concern is looks would go with the Vivienne Tam HP Mini 1000 special edition. Anyone concerned with portability would consider a 7” netbook over a 10”. Finally, if you are a student on a tight budget, the best netbook is the cheapest one!

Personally though, I would go with a netbook from a reputable brand (Asus, HP, Acer, Dell, Lenovo, MSI) as opposed to an obscure one such as Indamixx the so called DJ netbook. For instance, at this time of writing, the Acer Aspire One is the best selling netbook over the Asus and other  brand’s models combined.

It could be said that it’s the best netbook because if so many people are buying it, it must be good and not a piece of junk. (On the other hand, you can also argue that in the computer business, it’s the best marketed product that becomes popular and not the best in quality per se.)

What is the best netbook period? No clear answer to this I am afraid. It depends on what you need. 

What is the best netbook ever for you dear reader? Your comments are so very welcome! Help me out on this please! Thanks in advance

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)

Netbooks are no fad. I have said it many times (Are Netbooks a Fad?). This new category is just a niche that may one day overtake the full-fledged notebook category.

One of the proofs (another one being corporate adoption. See: Prediction: Why Netbooks Are Going Corporate in 2009) that the netbook movement is going to really explode in 2009 and beyond is the fact that there are now many offers that promise a netbook for a really low price in exchange for a subscription to a mobile broadband plan just like it’s done in the mobile phone industry.

While this concept is still new, it’s not very difficult to figure out if it’s worth it from a buyer’s perspective. It’s just a matter of looking at the mobile phone situation.

The first of such deals include a netbook for about $99 and a commitment to sign-up for a two year contract. In Australia, some offers actually give away the netbook for free! (See: At Last, One Way to Get a Free Dell Netbook. Yes, There’s a Catch)

Is it worth it?

Like most things in life, it depends.

People are saying that in the case of the Radio Schack deal (where you get a $99 Acer Aspire One netbook with integrated 3G wireless technology if you sign-up for a two-year plan AT&T mobile broadband plan that start at $60/month), ultimately the netbook will cost $1540. (See: How to Buy an Acer Aspire for only $100. But there’s a “But!”)

Such observers say that you will be spending $1540 while you could get the Acer Aspire One netbook for around $300. In their opinion, it’s a total rip-off.

While it may look so, it’s really not because at the end of the day, it’s not as if you’re not using your mobile broadband. In other words, you are getting an Internet service on top of a mini-laptop.

If you’re always on the move and want Internet access everywhere and are comfortable with owning a computer for two years without needing an upgrade or replacement, this deal is worth considering.

On the other hand, if you find yourself changing computers like you change, err, socks and you really don’t need mobile broadband because everywhere you go there’s a Wi-Fi signal that you can tap into, these types of deals are not worth your consideration.

In my case for instance, I know that 2009 will be the year of the netbook where new faster models will be introduced that feature longer battery life, better design, better prices (ie: cheaper than what’s found today) and with more hard drive space.

As a computer user, I replace my machines every year. I am also lucky to live in a city where there’s free Wi-Fi almost everywhere I find myself daily so while I am on the move, I can always stay connected.

So, the thought of being stuck in a contract with an Acer Aspire one netbook or other ultraportable notebook that I got for a “deal” in exchange of a two year marriage, does not appeal to me at all.

A) I want to be able to replace my netbook without being forced to pay for the older one B) I am not that much in a hurry to be needing mobile broadband (another consideration: the more popular data plans get, the cheaper they will get).

Should you seriously consider the Radio Shack type deals?

Yes if you’re comfy with using a netbook for two years and if you really need the mobile broadband and find the prices fair.

No if you don’t need mobile broadband after all and if you want the freedom to change netbooks whenever you want.

“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

Mobile Tech Moment reviews the Averatec 1000 netbook and report their experiences with the mini-laptop. Read about what they liked and what they disliked and if you wonder wether you could install and run  Office 2007, Skype, google Chrome, AVG antivirus, Windows Live Writer, Sling Player, EvDO software, and iTunes on a Averatec 1000 netbook, you will have some clear answers. - Averetec My Buddy Netbook Review

Tech Report got their hands on the Gigabyte M192 netbook or nettablet and reviewed it. What conclusions did they come up with? How much did they really dislike it? Well, find out for yourself: Gigabyte’s M192 nettablet: Turning the netbook on its, er, screen

The New York Times comes to rescue thankfully and breaks it down in an easy to understand format. Computing Without a Whirring Drive

The Gateway LT1001G netbook that I wrote about a few days ago now has its own product page and pic. Click on photo above for more.

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

These types of headlines* are starting to annoy me. iPhone is a brand name and netbook is a category name. Why not compare netbooks to smartphones or the iPhone to the Aspire One (the best selling netbook in Q3 2008?)

Then we can really make real comparisons.

* Netbooks Now More Popular Than iPhone 

More “niche” netbooks sold in 3Q2008 than iPhones

Netbooks sell more than iPhones this summer

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.”

What did Trusted Reviews think? The answer will probably not surprise you.

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.

For instance, we may talk about the Apple Mac Air which is not a netbook but pretty light, small and portable. It’s just the price tag that’s so different because it has some pretty advanced and powerful specs.

We have to highlight the Sony VAIO VGN-TT15GNR, a smooth and sexy ultraportable laptop. It could be dubbed a super netbook because of its price and power specs. It really looks cute and dangerous, a combo that men all over the world caveat. For more see: Sony VAIO VGNTT15GNR review

Now we wonder how Sony is going to make netbooks (see: A Sony Netbook After All?) and price them cheaper.

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.

Even if you’re not interested in this model, you will see how netbooks gets reviewed. I will keep a permanent bookmark on Tech Report and hotlink to their next reviews. So what was the verdict on the Asus N10Jc-A1 netbook? Find out: So what happens when you apply a GeForce to an Atom? 

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

I keep forgetting that unlike me, some shoppers actually prefer buying stuff in real life retail stores as opposed to sitting in front of their screens with their credit card in hand. If you want to touch your netbook before you buy it or in other words, if you would rather shop offline, here are a few retailers that you should pay a visit in order to score the best deal on a cool netbook. 

1) Walmart

I am impressed. I would have thought that Walmart would take some unknown netbooks and sell them as cheap as possible. Nope, they actually stock reputable netboooks such as the Acer Aspire One! Pay them a visit and see what “everyday low prices” they have on netbooks

2) Costco

Costco is one of the best stores for treasure hunters. You will never know what they have in stock at any given time so that’s why you should pay them a visit very often. For instance, I went to visit the one next to my place and I did not find anything. A few weeks later, I went shopping with a family member to a Costco close to her area and the Acer Aspire One netbooks that I saw there almost drove me nuts! I wanted to buy them all! 

3) Best Buy

The king of electronics retailing. Your shopping should start here if you want to compare a few netbooks and if you want options. Just watch out for those sales peeps because they know how to get you to purchase something “better” and hence more expensive. They say that they’re not on commission but they are still there to sell. It’s their job description!

4) Dollar Store type retailers

Those super discounters usually have quite a few cool netbooks that they sell for super cheap. Don’t expect miracles when you pay them a visit though. Just go there with an open mind and keep checking their flyers to see what they have on offer.

I think that, that’s it for the moment. There are more stores where you can get netbooks but hey, they’re cheap enough for you to waste your time and petrol trying to save $50. If there’s a store that you think I should absolutely share with everyone, please by all means include it in the comments section below and I will update the list accordingly. Thanks.

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.

“The Asus Eee PC 1002HA is a strong netbook entry that improves on its predecessor (the very good 1000HA) in a number of ways. It’s slimmer, lighter, offers improved battery life, and looks great, too. Two months ago, we would have crowned this king among 10-inch netbooks, but the recent arrival of the Samsung NC10 puts the 1002HA in a very close second-place position behind the Samsung” - Asus Eee PC 1002HA review

"Netbooks" by Dell (from left), Asus, Acer, MSI and Lenovo. (By Rob Pegoraro -- The Washington Post)

This cool pic was taken from a Washing Post article on netbooks. It answers two questions: How little laptop is enough? And how few dollars will it cost you? 

There are so many glowing reviews of the Toshiba NB100 out there that one is left wondering if Toshiba is paying bloggers and journalists for the positive word. PC World Australia also gets into review mode and share their opinion.

Maybe the Toshiba NB100 netbook is a cool computer after all…

See what PC World had to say: Toshiba NB100 review

All the tech bloggers and journalists can spend all of their days praising netbooks or proclaiming their uselessness as much as they want but the final rests with people who actually shelled out their hard earned money and are actively using their netbooks. That’s where the buck should stop and all the experts should just hush and lend a listening ear. 

Jeff Atwood is a software developer who decided to purchase a (pink) Acer Aspire One netbook for his wife. He played around with it and wrote about his experience hence the quote above. 

He is pretty impressed with the netbook and is hopeful about their future as they get more powerful and yet become cheaper.

Are any of the pundits, manufacturers or other industry experts paying attention to users who publicly declare their love for netbooks? Jeff Atwood has a large following. At this time of writing, there are hundreds of comments to the post.

When manufacturers released netbooks they had one thing in mind. But it turned out that the marketplace adopted them for different reasons.

I actually see a day when all web designers may be forced to create versions of their sites that are netbook friendly because these babies are selling like crazy!

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

You’ve read all about refurbished netbooks (See: Why Refurbished Netbooks Are the Best Cheapest Deals Ever) and why they’re the best cheapest deals ever and now your hunt for your mini-laptop begins. Where to shop? Who is reliable? Am I really getting the best deals on the refurbished netbook?

Netbook Era has all the answers to your refurbished netbook shopping related questions in this simple guide to the Top 10 places to snatch up the best deal possible.

I am first going to assume that you are in the USA. I am then going to assume that you know which netbook model you wish to buy or that you know what specs you wish for or better yet, that you have a budget figured out. You will come across quite a few deals on refurbished netbooks and the last thing you want to happen is be paralyzed by the many options that you miss out on the deal because some faster shopper snapped it away from you!

1) Dell.com

Head over to Dell.com if you’re after refurbished Dell netbooks obviously. Tracking down the refurbs at Dell.com can be tricky because they obviously want you to buy the new, more expensive Inspiron Mini 9 first before selling you the cheaper deal. Just head over to the outlet section and if you don’t find anything, do a search just to make sure that you did not miss any deal.

By the way, you way want to do the same at HP, Lenovo, Acer, Toshiba and so forth if you’re after a certain brand of refurbished mini-laptop.

2) Amazon

Personally, I start all my shopping at Amazon.com. Not only do I trust this retailer with all my credit cards, a safe shipment, good aka cheap prices, fast delivery and a reputable name but I also trust that if there’s a place to spot a refurbished netbook, it will be at Amazon because they really have quite a selection of everything.

On Amazon, I never bother shopping following categories. I just use their fantastic search tool and the site will usually make suggestions and reveal stuff that I would have not even found on my own.

3) eBay 

If you really, really, really are looking for the best steals ever on refurbished netbooks (as if the refurb was not a steal by itself!), don’t just sit there reading this article but click yourself to eBay and start browsing the categories or using the search tool (if you’re lazy like me). You will find all sorts of deals on netbook refurbs. Some will downright look to good to be legit and I recommend that you treat them as such.

There are millions of people selling their wares on eBay. There are thousands of independent retailers who use eBay as store front for their super cheap refurbished netbooks. But again, you have to be very comfortable with eBay shopping as it’s a kind of wild west there! Personally, I never bid. I just find deals that allow me to pay right away and I am good to go. Yes, I do miss out by not participating in auctions but like I said, I am the lazy type

4) Newegg

I remember when Newegg was the online retailer for geeks and anyone who built their own computer and took pleasure in that. No more… Newegg has become a place for everyone including hunters of refurbished netbooks.

Millions of Internet shoppers like the no nonsense approach of Newegg.com. You buy your stuff, pay for it and it’s delivered. No sketchy upsells and if they do not have it, they will tell you right away. No wonder they are becoming the first name in computer retailing.

5) Tiger Direct

Before Newegg went mainstream and hence made more sense to me, Tiger Direct was my number one stop for all my tech needs (desires to be correct). They have good prices and above all, I like their large selection of refurbished electronics.

You owe it to yourself to pay them a visit, see what refurbished netbook they’re offering and I am sure that you will spot something that you will want to have delivered to your house.

6) CDW

I am going to admit never having bought anything from CDW but I know of them and I heard good things that I can safely recommend them as a good source for refurbished netbooks.

CDW is one of the leading computer retailer on the Internet and I am sure that if millions find what they are looking at that site, you will too. Include CDW in your refurb netbook deal hunt.

7) Staples

You know of Staples because you’ve to their stores. But one thing you learn very quickly is that just because they have a certain item in the store does not mean that they have it online or that they sell if for the same price and vice versa.

So, one could say that Staples.com and the Staples retail stores are different entities with the same brand name. You won’t find many refurbished netbook deals at Staples but you have to pay them a visit because it can be your lucky day. My online shopping motto is: “If I do not check on it, I def won’t get a deal on it”.

8 ) Office Depot

Here’s a small confession: I always used to think that Staples and Office Depot were the same retailers but operating under different names. It turns out that many years ago, they almost joined forces so that’s maybe why I got confused in the first place. 

Honestly, Office Depot’s online selection is the same as Staples’. If it’s your lucky day, you will be lucky and score a wonderful deal on netbook refurbs. It does not hurt to see what they have on offer.

9) Overstock

I really like the Overstock concept. They took something that works in the fashion industry and adapted it to everyday items. They explain what they’re all about better: “Overstock.com has established partnerships with many leading brand-name companies. Due to these relationships, we are able to buy products at significant discounts, which then allows us to pass these incredible savings on to you.”

That’s why I recommend that you check out what deals they may have because you can find yourself with a dope refurbished netbook.

10) eCost 

eCost is the self-proclaimed super online discounter. That’s kind amusing because Internet retailing is a price game and no one can really claim to have the lowest prices because in a matter of seconds another retailer will drop his’ or her’s.

But do check out eCost for netbook deals on refurbs. Just make sure that you do not get distracted (like me) and find yourself filling up your shopping car with everything but the refurbished netbook that you intended to purchase when you paid them a visit!

11) Google

My top 10 choices on places to find the best refurbished netbooks is not obviously the best. I just shared my personal opinion and experience with refurb netbook shopping. Never, ever forget to do a Google search on your netbook refurb of choice. There are hundreds of thousands of retailers offering different deals everyday so make sure that you use Google Product Search (called Froogle back in the days) as well as the “normal” Google search. You will find stuff that even I will not come across.

To quote the famous president’s quote: “Now, Go out there and shop!”.

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

PC Pro reviews the Toshiba NB100-11R netbook and likes it overall: “A superb choice of operating system and great-looking 8.9in screen, but the price needs to drop for Toshiba’s first netbook to make a big impression.”. Read the rest of the Toshiba NB100-11R netbook review

“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)

If you’re sold on Dell netbooks and want to buy one, this guide will tell you where to purchase your desired mini laptop.

Buying Dell netbooks is relatively simple for a good reason: Dell sells its products including the netbook range directly to its customers via the telephone or its website. It does not matter where you are in the world (United States, Canada, UK, France, Australia and wherever you are). That’s on the Internet at Dell.com.

Offline aka in the real world, Dells has no stores like the Apple stores and so to shop for Dell netbooks, you have to go to the retailers that are authorized to sell Dell computers. You will come across some authorized stores that will try to sell you a Dell netbook but stay away. Yes, the price may be cheaper but what happens if your computer goes bust? You can’t take it to the retailer to fix because they cannot send it to Dell! But you may come across some stores that will offer their own warranties. (See: How to Find the Best and Cheapest Netbook Deals or our buying guide How to Buy a Netbook)

At this time of writing and if I am not mistaken, in the US (and most probably Canada), you can find Dell netbooks at Walmart, Best Buy and Staples if you are into offline shopping.

You can also find Dell netbooks online without going to Dell.com. You can for instance go eBay where you have individuals selling off their netbooks. In most cases, they will be used and sometimes you will find never opened boxes that probably “fell off the truck” and you can get them for a good deal. It’s a moral decision to make (buying suspicious stuff from eBay) and usually you usually are on your own when it comes to warranty.

If you head over to Amazon.com, you will see that there’s a small selection of Dell netbooks. That’s pretty normal because there aren’t many Dell netbook models anyway as I write this, there is only the Dell Mini 9 netbook. But you will also notice that Dell and not Amazon may sell these netbooks. That’s because anyone can sell stuff on Amazon including corporations just like people do on eBay. In that case, you’re better off going to Dell directly.

That’s about it. I can’t think of any other options. Sometimes you can find independent online or offline retailers who sell customized Dell netbooks. These computers will obviously be more expensive due to the extra touch. But if you really want a laptop that’s different from the one that comes out of the processing plant, this may be the way to go.

Are you aware of any other ways to score the best Dell netbook deals? Please share them in the section below. In the meantime, happy shopping!

In this article, I will attempt to explain what it’s all about while leaving the jargon nonsense out.

Simply put, a cloud OS is an Internet based operating system. It means that the applications that you use to perform the different computing tasks that you need to do are Internet based instead of being on your desktop.

An example that will make it easy for anyone to grasp the whole cloud OS concept is email.

Most of us have a Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail personal email account while at work we have an Outlook or other desktop based email client. You could say that Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail are email cloud applications because the software (email client) and the data (the actual email messages) are stored on a cloud* (a metaphor used for the Internet) instead of your desktop.

With cloud operating system, other computing tasks beyond email such as document writing and file storing can be done over the Internet and so Microsoft Word in your computer is not needed nor is an external hard drive to store your data.

What does all this mean?

Well it means that your computer does not have to be that powerful and that you do not have to store everything on a physical hard drive because everything is stored on a server somewhere.

It’s the same principle when you upload your photos to Facebook or Flickr. While most people upload their pictures to such sites to share them with friends, some (me included) store them there because they would rather keep there than on a computer. In that case, they are always accessible no matter the computer used.

Cloud operating systems help out a lot because what you are doing is being on the Internet all the time. The only software that you load up from your desktop is your browser that you need to connect to the Internet to access all your web based applications such as email, photos, music, video and yes word editing (Google Writely or Spreadsheets or Google Calendar to name a few).

Cloud OS benefit netbooks because the netbooks do not need that much power to run the browser that controls the web applications. That’s why netbook manufacturers are adopting them en masse.

They can still include slow processors as long as they can run the browsers that run the cloud applications.

I hope that this makes sense for now. If you have questions, please feel free to drop me a line at the usual contact email address. 

*Photo: notsogood [in malaysia nov18-dec4th]

GigaOm put together an article showcasing some applications that can get any job done but do not require great processing power. Check it out at: 10 Ways To Trick Out Your Netbook for Free

A Forbes article by Brian Caulfield entitled “Why Nokia Could Kill The Netbook” explains how the new Nokia N97 smartphone is going to stop the low cost laptop craze.

The Nokia N97 and no other smartphone for that matter will be no netbook killer. Mr. Caulfield provides arguments that seem logical to someone obsessed with gadgets but in reality have nothing to do with the average person, the ultimate user of the Nokia N97 or any netbook computer.

1) Mr. Caulfield writes: “After all, the Nokia N97 and even Apple’s iPod Touch promise to do everything a netbook does with one key difference: You can actually slip these suckers into your pocket.”

Who said that the average netbook user wants a mobile computing device that is that small?

I really think that everyone who writes about the netbook craze should first put his or her ear to the ground and figure out why people buy netbooks. 

People buy netbooks because they are cheap and portable versions of laptops. I will get into the price issue later but let’s talk about the portability now. A netbook is a mini-notebook. That’s what the average consumer is buying. He or she wants to do the basic computing tasks. Notice that I say computing. In his and her mind, a Nokia N97 is a phone with smart functions while a netbook is a computer that can do the basic tasks and still be portable. 

2)  “If you own a smart phone, however, you will use it every day”, also writes the Forbes columnist. That’s a supportive argument to what the Intel executive said: “If you’ve ever used a netbook, it’s fine for an hour,” Stu Pann, vice president of sales and marketing at Intel, told investors at a Raymond James IT supply chain conference. “It’s not something you’re going to use day in and day out.”  (See: Intel Thinking Of Bailing Out of Netbooks)

Let’s make one thing clear. Mr Stu Pann meant that the netbook is not a computer that you can use all day, meaning that you can you could not for instance write a whole novel on a netbook as you would need a bigger and more comfortable keyboard and a wider screen.

All netbook owners are aware of this. If you had to run a poll, you will find that they do not use their low cost ultra portable laptops for intervals longer than an hour anyway. I still have to hear of netbook owners who do. And those who do, won’t mind anyway because they’re comfortable with it.

Saying that people would use the Nokia N97 is a little bit deceiving. Yes, they would have it in their pocket 24/7. But it’s not as if they will be actively doing even minor computing tasks like checking out Facebook (Robert Scoble dubs the Nokia N97, the ultimate Facebook device).

Does Mr. Caulfield really want to convince anyone that for example, a Nokia N97 user will spend all day crafting motivation letters to send to prospective employers? But, it’s more likely that the same person would do the same thing on a netbook.

3) Mr. Caulfield writes: “Putting the smarts of a computer, together with the Internet, into a pocket-sized device is the multibillion-unit market that Intel is scrambling toward. For Intel, netbooks are just a waypoint on that journey”.

If I understood correctly, he is saying that what computers can do so can smartphones (at least in the months or years to come).

Just because a smartphone can run a productivity application just like a netbook does not mean that people will want to write their autobios from their phones. What will happen and what is happening instead is that there are different types of apps being developed for the different devices.

For instance, I was reading the other day that in London, one of the bets selling iPhone app was an advanced police trap finder. Why would anyone want to use that on a laptop no matter how small?

4) The last quote from the article is: “And both Apple’s iPhone and Nokia’s smart phones boast hours of battery life.”

It depends. If you are going to watch movies on your iPhone mid-Atlantic flight, I doubt that you will make it to the other side with your device still on. I know that you could not really do the same with a netbook.

On the other hand, with some netbooks you can take notes from some university lectures all day and never need to be on the lookout of a power plug.

My point is that battery life in itself does not mean anything. It depends on what you need it for. You need long battery life on phones so that you can be reached all the time. You just need long netbook battery life to get you through what you need to do for short period of times (3-4 hours).

5) One think that tech insiders seem to forget is that netbooks and smartphones are different categories and the consumer (the person who actually dishes out his and her hard earn money) sees it as such.

To the consumer, a netbook is a cheap and portable laptop computer while a smartphone is a high end mobile phone.

A netbook is more of a necessity while a smartphone is a luxury.

I find that comparing netbooks and smartphones is like comparing buying a car to buying a bicycle.

The Nokia N97 is the Rolls Royce of mobile phones while netbooks are the cheapest and/or more portable brands of computers.

You can get some super expensive bicycles such as the ones used to ride the Tour de France and you can still get super cheap automobiles such as the Tata’s $2000 car.

A real smartphone user (such as the president-elect) is not carrying around a Blackberry, iPhone or Nokia N97 because they want an ultra portable computer. A real netbook user wants to save money on a computer and/or wants a computer that is ultra portable.

Saying that the Nokia N97 will kill netbooks is like saying that a Hyundai will kill the $20 000 bicycle because the Hyundai is cheaper.

The netbook will be killed by a cheaper/more portable and yet more powerful netbook or laptop. The Nokia N97’s job is to kill the iPhone and the Blackberrys and that’s will be quite a daunting tasks in its own as Nokia has been trying with all the N Series.

Top Tech News reviews the Acer Aspire One A110 netbook and concludes: “Overall, the A110 will meet the needs of users who want a quick Internet access device. It is not really meant to be your primary workstation, but if you need to use the A110 extensively for more than one hour, it would be good to install Windows XP. “. Read the rest of the Aspire One A110 Netbook review

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

“One of the biggest changes in the Mini 1035NR is the use of the ubiquitous Intel Atom N270 processor compared to the slower VIA C7-M. This gives it a significant boost of performance over the older 2133 Mini-Note and is more on par with similar 10-inch netbook offerings.”, writes About.com in the HP Mini 1035NR netbook review.

Read the full HP Mini 1035NR Netbook Laptop PC review

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!

“Setting up the Eee to be a good companion to my Mac systems proved to be trivially easy. I simply downloaded Apple’s MobileMe control panel for Windows, which enabled me to synchronize my address book contacts and calendar information to the Eee. I also configured the Windows Mail client to connect to my MobileMe e-mail account via IMAP, so all of my mail settings are the same between systems.” - Hands on with an Eee PC netbook

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

“Asus calls its N10Jc mini-notebook a “corporate netbook”–which presumably has better connotations than “corporate slaptop.” The question is: When does a jumbo mini-notebook officially become an ultraportable laptop?” - Review Asus N10JC Mini-Notebook

“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

1) Netbooks are cheap

You can but netbooks from $200 dollars if you really pay attention. Netbooks are cheaper versions of laptops because they are smaller, do not require expensive processors to boost performance and they run on an earlier operating system. In plain English, this means that they are designed to do the job without going all out and using all the bells and whistles that mankind has ever created.

2) Netbooks have a high-perceived value

You cannot even begin to imagine the joy of the person to whom you will offer the netbook. “You got me a computer! You’re the best!”.  Computers may have come down in prices after these many years but they still have a perceived value because of what they are able to do. If you really want to win favors from a particular person, offer her or him a netbook and watch them hold you in higher esteem!

Netbooks make better gifts than boxes of candles for instance*

 3) Netbooks are practical

How many holiday presents have you received that are still sitting where you dropped them off after receiving them last holiday season? Exactly… netbooks are practical gifts. People actually will use them and be productive. If the person accomplishes much with it, he or she will credit you for helping in their achievement. Buying a netbook for a precious person this holiday is a sure bet because you know that they’re going to like it and put it to good use right away. (See: 7 Good Reasons to Buy a Netbook over a Laptop Computer)

4) Netbooks are universal pleasers

I could not find the right word to describe what I mean. But to get to my point: everyone knows of somebody for whom it’s difficult to buy a present for. Alternatively, sometimes you don’t know what the person wants or needs. Everyone will benefit from owning a netbook. If they commute to work or school, they will be in heaven. If they have to fight with siblings to use the communal computer, they will be in heaven. If they’re sick and tired of hauling around their heavy laptop, they will be in heaven. And so on. You can buy a netbook for someone who traditionally is hard to please.

5) Netbooks are REALLY cheap

I am no repeating myself. Not only are netbooks naturally cheap (compared to laptops), you can still track them down for way cheaper if you shop around. I wrote about this in two articles that you should get your eyes on right away (How to Find the Best and Cheapest Netbook Deals and Why Refurbished Netbooks Are the Best Cheapest Deals Ever ). You can get really good deals on netbooks and laugh at those who paid the MSRP!

Are you sold on to why netbooks make the best holiday gifts? I sure do hope so. I admit that you can buy one or two before the expenses start accumulating but those who will receive them will love you and suck up to you forever. If you act on this idea and actually do offer a netbook to your loved one, please share their excitement with all of us! 

To get your holiday mini-laptop shopping started, head over to: How to Buy a Netbook

* Photo:  Saquan Stimpson/monstershaq200 0

“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)!

I was eventually going to write fully about this issue (I have mentioned it quickly in a previous article that I cannot locate) but now I don’t have to because the very nice people at Life Hacker Australia did a splendid job

“Dell and Vodafone have joined forces to sell the Inspiron Mini netbook like a phone, allowing you to purchase a 3G broadband-equipped device for a fixed monthly fee over 24 months. Is the future of computer purchasing, or just a good way of wasting money?”

Read more on: Is Paying On A Contract The Best Way To Get A 3G Netbook?

For reasons beyond my comprehension very few consumers are not aware of refurbished netbook deals. It’s without a doubt, the best way possible to land a good deal on netbooks without the fear of them being sketchy.

If you already know what refurbished netbooks are and just want to know where to spot the killer and best deals, check out: Top 10 Places to Find Killer Deals on Refurbished Netbooks

I wrote about other ways to buying good and cheap netbooks but you either have to wait or scout the Internet and sometimes you may be getting an item that’s defective but the dishonest retailer won’t mention that!

Refurbished netbooks are what I recommend to most ultra portable mini computer shoppers out there. I recommend such deals not only because they’re cheap but because the netbooks have been thoroughly inspected to make sure that it works fine and dandy.

What is a refurbished netbook?

If you don’t know what a refurbished item is, here’s a quick explaination: sometimes items are returned and the manufacturer or retailer re-inspects them and fixes them if need be. By the time, the item hits the shelves again it’s good as new but for legal reasons cannot be marketed as such hence the refurbished label.

I say better than new because the netbook in our case will have been examined that it’s guaranteed to be in mint conditions. I remember buying a new computer many years ago and the hard drive was defective. I fought with the retailer before he issued me with a new one.

That’s because not all brand new products are checked at the assembly chain as it would be too expensive. Manufacturers do random tests on every thousand netbook or so. If your netbook was the 90^th and it’s broken, you’re in trouble if you cannot convincingly prove to the retailer that the mini-laptop was dead on arrival.

At least with refurbished netbooks, you know that they’re working fine and you still get a good guarantee that you won’t get if you buy a used netbook from an individual whose warranty has expired.

Where do you spot deals on refurbished netbooks?

The first place to visit is the manufacturer’s and retailer’s website. If a netbook is refurbished they will say so. The low price will be a giveaway anyway. I would also keep an eye on price comparisons websites and investigate the really cheap netbook prices. Chances are that they may be refurbished mini notebooks.

The best way is probably to hit Google and start your search with brand and model plus refurbished and see what comes up. If you find a good deal, jump on it! They fly out fast. I am always on the look out for deals at the Apple store and I have never been able to score an iPod deal because within seconds, they are over!

Now that you know all about refurbished netbooks, go out there and start the shopping process. Please share your experience in the comments’ section below if you have already bought a refurbished netbook and we’d like to hear your experiences good or bad.

There are many ways to buy a really good but cheap netbook computer. When I say cheap, please don’t think that you will also be getting a low quality ultra portable notebook. Nope, you will be getting the real deal!

Battle of the brands

The first way to get a netbook for really cheap is to stay clear from the big brands such as Dell, HP, Apple and Toshiba to name a few. I once wrote that basically all netbooks are the same (How to Pick and Shop for The Best Netbook) it’s just the badge that is different meaning that a manufacturer can charge higher or lower to stay in line with the image of his brand. For instance an Apple will be more expensive than a Dell. Of course, this example is extreme because Apple really insists on design and experience.

But in other cases, you will find that an Asus is generally cheaper than a Dell or Toshiba. Don’t be fooled into believing that just because a netbook brand such as Toshiba or Samsung are globally recognized names, that they’re better than the obscure MSI Wind or Sotec.

If you have no brand loyalty, go with the cheapest brand on the block assuming that the specifications and features of the netbook in question meet your needs.

Spot the deals aka the netbook sales

A second way to get the best netbook possible for really cheap is to watch out for a good deal. The only catch is that it requires time, effort and patience.

You will have to spend hours searching for retailers, deals and conditions. The payoff is that you will pay less of course. You can use websites that track down the latest deals or sales from various retailers or you can go to all the netbook manufacturers and check out the closeout page for the deals. If you want to shop offline, you simply need to keep an eye on the circulars or better yet pay a visit to all the leading retailers and see what they’re clearing out.

Don’t forget the back to school specials or the mothers of all sales: Black Friday and Boxing Day!

It’s work but like I said, you can save some serious money and still land with the best netbook while those who never bothered will pay full price.

New releases

Every computer has a beginning and an end. That means that something faster and more powerful will eventually replace each model. That does not mean that the current netbook is now obsolete. It just means that there’s something new.

The best time to buy a new netbook for really cheap is when the store is trying to make room for new stock by almost giving away the current inventory. It’s like how smart shoppers deal with fashion. The best time to buy that expensive jacket is when the season is ending and the store is selling it for really cheap to make room for spring clothing.

That’s it for now, you have more than enough ammunition to get you on your way. You will find the best netbook using all the tips shared above. If you still want another powerful way to buy a really cheap netbook, see: Why Refurbished Netbooks Are the Best Cheapest Deals Ever. Do you have any other tips of scoring good netbook deals? Please share them with us in the comments section below. Thanks!

“HP’s second-gen netbook makes a serious stab at the mainstream consumer market, but this polished package falls short in a few key areas.” - First Aussie review: HP Mini 1000 netbook

“This is absolutely fascinating stuff. We have had these two new gaming platforms burst onto the scene and instantly steal the limelight. Both are obviously going to be far bigger than some of the existing mainstream gaming platforms. In fact they are bringing a revolution to gaming. But which will be the biggest?” - iPhone vs. Netbook: Which Will Be the Biggest Gaming Machine?

Update: Battle of the Platforms: iPhones vs. Netbooks (Part II)

- What All This Fuss About Netbooks Is Really About

These two opinion pieces give their take on comments made by Intel executive (Intel Thinking Of Bailing Out of Netbooks) and Michael Arrington, editor of Techcrunch (Michael Arrington on Why Netbooks Just Aren’t Good Enough). 

While they are right to disagree with the Intel representative, I think that they did not fully read Mr Arrington’s article. Check it out for yourself and then make up your mind.

“Dell’s latest netbook blurs the line between these pint-sized portable PCs and their larger, more conventional cousins. The Inspiron Mini 12 has most of what we like about netbooks: a modest price tag (AU$749), light weight (1.2 kilograms) and most noticeably, a slim sylph-like profile that tapers from 2.5 centimetres to 1.8 centimetres at its thinnest.” - Review: Inspiron Mini 12

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?)

“For the past week I’ve been working on an Acer Aspire One running Linux and I have to say that it hits most of the right notes.” - Acer’s impressive One

It’s amazing how the Australian media is on the $0 Dell Inspiron Mini 9 netbook case. Everyone is on the ball: Sydney Morning Herald, Smart House, The Australian, iTWire, Gizmodo Australia and many more that I don’t have the time to list.

In all fairness, it’s a world’s first so it’s normal that this concept is getting a lot of media attention. I just wonder how it’s going to play out. What happens if the user wants to upgrade after one year (the contract is two years if I remember correctly)?

Anyway, we’ll wait and see.

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

“Besides the less-than-catchy name, this ultra-portable laptop from Gigabyte features a touch screen display (with LED backlighting) that can rotate 180 degrees to transform from a traditional notebook form factor to a tablet PC. The M912V packs a 1.6GHZ Intel Atom processor, 1GB of DDR2 memory, and a 2.5-inch SATA hard disk drive offering up to 250GB of storage. ” - Gigabyte unveils 8.9-inch touch screen laptop

“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? 

“Analysts and experts at Wharton agree that netbooks will be disruptive to the PC industry, but it’s not clear in what way. Will netbooks poach sales of laptops? Are netbooks replacements for smartphones?” - The Net Impact of Netbooks? It Depends on Who Uses Them for What

Everyone can’t help but wonder what role netbooks will play. Some think that they’re a fad (Are Netbooks a Fad?), others think that they will kill full sized laptops (7 Good Reasons to Buy a Netbook over a Laptop Computer) while other think that just like the smartphone they will be niche electronic products meaning that only a select group of users will purchase them.

I tend to believe that netbooks, laptops and smartphones will live happily together. Full size laptops will still lead in usage but I am not sure who will come up on top between netbooks and smartphones. I am willing to bet that netbooks will in the end. I will write a full length article on why soon.