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.

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