Michael Arrington of TechCrunch writes about why Netbooks may not be good enough, at least in their current incarnation. He cites three factors specifically, too little power (e.g. processor speed), small screen size and keyboard. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype. Netbooks are small and look pretty cool next to their larger laptop cousins. Even being only a year old sales have already topped 5 million.
That said, will they eventually penetrate the mainstream market, or are these initial numbers based solely on early adopters and geeks in a buying frenzy? Only time will tell. Yet, with Intel contemplating the future of netbooks, perhaps IBM is on a better track with ultra-portable computers, like the X300, that actually qualify as laptops instead of its S10 models. Of course, the price point is definately something to consider. The S10 line comes in around $550 (CAN, before taxes) whereas the X300 series is a whopping $2000 (maybe more) last time a checked. If you’re shopping on price, it’s a no-brainer; S10 wins hands down.
Arrington is excatly right in his comments. Netbooks have yet to find their place in the market and may simply be a stop/gab for a better device to come along. That said, I’ll confess, I totally want a Netbook. I’m such a geek.
Bob Starr, code named Starbuck, is a geek with a passion for film journalism and technology. You can follow Bob on Twitter (
