The Next Sexy Accessory: Netbooks?

The ASUS eee PC line starts at $250

Is it just my imagination or are tiny notebooks taking over the technology market this holiday season? Everywhere I look stores, online retailers and home shopping networks are selling these stylish mini notebook computers that come in every color imaginable with most of the power and functionality of a standard notebook computer. On top of that, nearly every major notebook manufacturer is selling at least one model of these ultra portable, ultra connectible netbooks (the new term for the sub-notebook/ compact laptop/ mini pc- referring to their configuration as a device optimized for internet usage). These little machines might be half the size of a “fully functional” notebook and half the price, but they certainly aren’t half the machine. With 1 GB of memory, 1.3 to 1.6 GHz processors, up to 160 GB hard drives, a weight of less than 3 lbs, and a battery life of up to 8 hours, these netbooks are sub nothing- these are some serious specs.

Dell’s Inspiron Mini starts at $399

Even the fact that you lose out on a DVD drive doesn’t really seem so bad when you think about the mobility of these machines. They have internal wireless 802.11 b/g/n connectivity as well as Bluetooth capabilities, and with mobility like that who needs the ability to burn or watch a DVD? This is the age of email and wireless downloading via iTunes after all. Who needs a physical DVD when you can download movies and music to your machine wirelessly? Who stores files on backup disks when you can use an external USB hard drive or send your files to an online storage solution in the clouds? And who needs to distribute materials via disks or use DVDs to share presentations when email is so efficient and USB flash drives so convenient?

This new wave of mobile computing is nothing new of course. For years companies have been fighting to find the perfect blend of size and functionality for ultra portable laptops to serve the business class. Of course one of the most notable examples of the ultra portable notebook is the Macbook Air, which was announced by Apple earlier this year boasting its record as the world’s thinnest full size notebook computer. Of course in order to achieve this delicate juxtaposition of slim and full sized, concessions were made: they removed the DVD drive and the hard drive was cut down, although the price of the notebook increased dramatically.

It’s actually pretty ironic that Apple began the crusade supporting the lack of a DVD drive for the Macbook Air and even came out with MobileMe to provide alternative backup solutions for mobile computer users and yet they are still on the full sized, full priced models, while other manufacturers are cutting the same corners and creating more portable and more affordable machines. The Macbook Air is wonderful and all with its thin design and near weightlessness, and even the full size keyboard seems like a must, but all that seems useless when you want a notebook that can fit into your handbag and that 13.3 inch screen just doesn’t make the cut! The prices of these little machines are also unbeatable, with some models starting at as low as $250! Of course the cheap price tag produces allegations that these netbooks might also be cheaply made, but so far no major problems or defects have come to fruition.

Of course, just because most of these netbooks are relatively inexpensive does not mean that there are not a few companies maximizing profits with special models. HP for example has come out with what they are calling the “first digital clutch.” This HP Mini series notebook, styled by renowned fashion designer Vivienne Tam, hit the runway this summer as a fashion accessory. Of course this model has a higher price point than the standard Mini series machine and it is a number closer to something you would expect on a full sized, full function notebook computer, but that’s the price of fashion as they say!

Whatever the make or model, these little netbooks certainly seem to be the next wave of mobile computing technology that has taken over the market. I project that after the New Year we will be seeing much more of these little computers popping up all over the place. College campuses, coffee houses, on flights and trains all across the globe, I have a feeling these little computers are going to make a big splash!

{Prices listed for models are in some cases approximations based on internet prices and are therefore not guaranteed to be accurate or reflect the price of the exact model shown.}
{This has been reposted from blackalligator.blogspot.com}