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September 19, 2008
Netbook – Not a Notebook
Dear Larry,
Recently, a business colleague of mine mentioned that he
was thinking of purchasing a netbook. At the time, I assumed he said “notebook”
but as it turns out, he was really speaking about a netbook. What is that—some
new brand of computer?
V. J.
Dear V. J.,
A netbook is not a new brand of computer, but rather a new
type of computer that’s recently been introduced by Intel. It represents a
laptop computer significantly smaller than what’s considered a typical
“ultraportable.” For example, Dell’s smallest notebook computer is roughly 9” x
13”, has a 13” screen, and weighs 4 pounds. In comparison, their netbook is
about 7” x 9”, comes with a 9” screen and weighs in at 2-1/4 pounds. Simply put,
a netbook is a notebook on Weight Watchers!
Netbooks are targeted at people on the go who need Internet
and e-mail access or want to dash off a quick Word document. They usually cost
anywhere between $300 and $500! But before you jump at that price and grab one
of these little guys, be aware of the pitfalls.
In order to keep the size down, compromises have to be made in
the design of the keyboard. Depending on the brand and model, that might mean
smaller keys, tighter spacing, and/or unusual key placement. So if you’re a
touch typist, you’ll be hunting and pecking in no time.
Furthermore, there’s only so much power that can be squeezed
into a package this small. Don’t expect a fast processor, a lot of memory, or a
sizable disk drive. Typical is a machine containing a gigabyte of memory (vs.
2-4 in a regular laptop) and 8 gigabytes of solid-state storage space (unlike
the 200+ you can expect in a regular computer). No doubt Windows and your
application programs will eat up much of that space so plan to plug in a
roomy16-32 gigabyte USB drive for your documents, music, and pictures.
What you do get is the ultimate in portability in a machine
with a quasi-normal keyboard and screen. You can also expect a handful of USB
ports, wired and wireless Internet connectivity (with mobile broadband in rare
cases), and maybe even a webcam for Skyping with friends and family.
This is Larry Schneider, logging off.
