The debut of portable computers was not a pretty one – they were essentially lower-than-average laptop computers with tiny screens, tinier keyboards, nameless software, and cheap prices (starting price of $300). All this was only two years ago.

Despite these faults, netbooks have been experiencing good business, they are being bought by the millions. It is predicted (Research Firm Display Search) that 20 percent of the laptop market will be dominated by netbooks this coming year, which is double the percentage of last year. However, the truth is that netbook consumers are for the most part not happy with the product. A survey conducted by the NPD Group shows that only 58 percent of consumers are satisfied with their netbooks. This is a notable contrast to the 70 percent of satisfied, standard laptop owners.

It is obvious that consumers were not happy with the low-quality specifications of early netbooks, as demonstrated by the statistics. Many would ask: Why is it so difficult to type? Why is the screen SO tiny? Why can’t I use it on the airplane for media purposes?

It is the same on other side – laptop makers aren’t into netbooks either. The profit margins are very low. The makers would be glad to revise the netbook models to have better processors, bigger screens, less-cramped keyboards, and longer lasting batteries, but the truth is that a higher price would follow such revisions. Now, laptop makers are looking to a new genre of “ultra-portable” laptops that would fall between the status of netbooks and standard laptops.

I had a chance to sample two of Hewlett-Packard’s netbooks: the HP Mini 110 netbook and the HP Pavilion DV2 ultra-portable. The starting price for the Mini 110 for the base model is $329 at the HP online store, while the DV2 sells for $569. However, the Mini 110 that I had was equipped with a number of upgrades that upped the price to $600 and the DV2’s price to $900.

Although they are both high quality products, I would most definitely choose the Mini 110 for traveling purposes. The reason is simply because the Mini 110 is a lot lighter. It is about half the weight of the Pavilion, at only two pounds. Those two pounds made all the difference while I was traveling. Additionally, the battery life of the two models was also quite different. For the Mini 110, I was given a six-cell rechargeable battery, which is actually an option that runs for $40. It provided a lot of power with little weight, which was exactly what I was looking for. Battery life was tested by running high quality videos (two episodes of “Battlestar Galactica”). After 96 minutes of streaming, the battery of the Mini 110 was still charged up to 40 percent, whereas the Pavilion six-cell battery had only 18 percent left.

This is most likely due to the fact that the Pavilion is simply a more powerful computer. The upgraded Pavilion that I received contained a dual-core processor from Advanced Micro Devices ($75 option), which has the power to deal with more demanding tasks compared to the Mini 110’s basic Intel Corp. Atom chip. Also, the Pavilion comes with extra memory and a separate video processor. In terms of the quality of the video, the Pavilion was smoother and sharper, while the Mini 110 displayed stuttered images every once and a while. The Pavilion also has a bigger screen at 12.1 inches, which is a substantial difference to the Mini 110’s 10.1 inches.

The early netbooks ran on a free Linux operating system that was clearly not user-friendly. It was originally used to keep the prices low, but it soon became obvious that consumers could not handle it. The Linux version of the Mini 110 is currently $279, but with only an extra $50, you can get Microsoft’s Window’s XP version of the Mini 110, which has a format familiar to many. However, if you want a Windows Vista version, you should just forget about buying the Mini or any other netbook. The reality is that no netbook has the horsepower to handle such software. Still, all Pavilions come equipped with the Vista.

When netbooks debuted, their use of flash memory versus the typical hard drive system brought about their popularity. Because flash memory is not affected by shock or vibration, it can function substantially faster than standard mechanical drives. The downside is that flash memory is a lot more expensive – it costs more per gigabyte and thus has very little storage. A Mini 110 has only 16 gigabytes of storage, but an extra $30 can purchase a hard drive that offers 160 gigabytes, ten times more storage.

The most common netbook flaw of tiny, awkward keyboards cannot be found on HP’s Mini 110. Its keyboard is basically the same size as its counterpart, the Pavilion. Although the actual keys on both models are a bit too flat, they are at least large enough for one to type comfortably. The Mini 100’s mouse is not as comfortable. The mouse buttons are situated on either side of the touchpad, rather that under it. It does save space, but truthfully, it’s quite annoying.

Both models do not offer a built-in optical drive, which makes it difficult to download music/movies, or to install new programs. However, there are other options available. For the Pavilion, you can purchase an external drive as an option or even an external Blu-ray movie player. Also, you can connect your netbook to another computer that has an optical drive if you want to copy files over the internet. I don’t think a missing optical drive is all that important, it’s just useless weight anyway.

Then again, the original netbooks were also noted for their needless standard laptop qualities – comfortably sized keyboards, big screens, and Microsoft’s Window’s software. The netbook industry has surely learned its lesson and these mini-laptops are evidence of it.

In the computer world, the difference between netbooks and notebooks is relatively obvious – netbooks use atom central processing units, run on Windows XP and only 1 GB of memory, and have smaller screens at 10 inches or less. On the other hand, the average notebook has a distinctly larger screen, better processor, more memory at 2GB or more, and runs on Windows Vista. However, it seems that computer manufacturers are choosing not to keep these differences any longer. In the 12-inch display category, it is especially noticeable as it is getting more difficult to distinguish between so many similar computers.

The typical example is the Gateway LT3100, which is a 12-inch netbook. I first noticed it at Computex, but was later informed that Acer had it in stock even earlier. This Gateway model only recently debuted, but the truth is that it does not look any different from the average 12-inch netbook. It weighs a bit over three pounds, is less than an inch thick, and is sold in a variety of colors, but I was only able to see the black and cherry red. Although the outside of the Gateway LT3100 is nothing special, that inside is a completely different story. The very basic model of the Gateway LT3100 is built on these specifications at $400:

• 11.6-inch WXGA (1364×768) LED back-lit display
• 1.20GHz AMD Athlon 64 L110 processor
• 2GB of memory
• ATI Radeon X1270 integrated graphics
• 250GB hard drive
• Windows Vista Basic SP1

There are other netbook options that offer similar qualities and deviate from the “average” netbook –

1. The Acer Aspire One 751h: Although it has the same display size and resolution as the Gateway LT3100, its other specs follow the typical guidelines for a netbook – it has a 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Z520, 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of memory, 6-cell battery, and runs on Windows XP. All this is included for about $380.
2. The Dell Mini 12: It uses the same CPU as the Gateway LT3100 and has the same amount of memory (1 GB), but comes with an additional 40 GB hard drive, 12.1-inch screen display (1280×800), and runs on Ubuntu Linux; all for $400. If you want Windows XP instead of the Linux, it costs $100 more, but a larger hard drive is added to your purchase.
3. Asus S121: It is labeled as a notebook with a 12.1 inch display and an Atom Z-Series Chip – a better version of the Eee PC S101 netbook.

However, the big question is: Why are all these netbooks utilizing the Z520 than the Atom N270, which is more typical of smaller netbooks? Most computer manufacturers answer this question by claiming that the Z-series has better battery life, but the truth is that the performance is not even up to par with the N270. The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is a new netbook that has all the specs that are standard of a 12 inch netbook at $500 –an Atom N270 CPU, 160 GB hard drive, 12.1 inch screen (1280×800), 1 GB of memory, and the Windows XP system. This Lenovo model is simple to think about, but Lenovo thereafter released a different S12 with the GeForce 9400M GPU instead of the GMA950, and Nvidia’s Ion chipset. Although this particular S12 will be sold at a higher price with a less than average battery life, it will provide better performance.

The Gateway LT3100 was an unexpected surprise to computer critics because AMD had once expressed its plan to stay away from netbooks. The Athlon 64 L110 was not originally a part of the company’s roadmap, but was released with 512 KB of cache, a M690 chipset, and a 1.20 GHz single-core processor. However, AMD is primarily known for its Neo processor that that is used for cheaper, ultra-thin notebooks. Currently, the only computer that uses this processor is the HP Pavilion dv2z, a 12.1 inch laptop. At $599.99, it is equipped with a Radeon Xpress 1250 chipset, 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40, 250 GB hard drive, 1 GB of memory, and Windows Vista. However, the Pavilion dv2z is also available in two different, dual-core Neo processors:

1. The 1.6GHz Athlon Neo X2 L335: Contains 512K of L2 cache, functions with the MS780G with the Radeon HD 3410 with 512 MB graphics or the Xpress 1250 chipset.
2. The AMD Turion Neo X2 L625: Has 1MB of L2 cache, the same frequency as the Athlon, and functions with the MS780G and other, more powerful graphics.

In addition, AMD claims that the Neo X2 is a customized chip that is noticeably different from the “Conesus”  dual-core Neo processor, which is considered to be standard.  The “Conesus” version will be released with the Congo platform later this year. This platform is expected to debut more 12 inch laptops in the future.

Intel has a few of its own advancements in this category, such as the ultra low voltage or ULV processors. Intel has always sold low-voltage and ultra low-voltage chips, so this is not an area that it has not dealt with before. However, these low-voltage chips were only incorporated in premium laptops with displays that were 13 inches or less. The ULV processors can be now found in more standard laptops like the Acer Aspire 3810 Timeline and the MSI X340, which cost less than $1,000. Although most of these laptops are 13 inches, it is quite obvious that the ULV processors are meant to compete with AMD’s Neo processor. Both processors cost more, but offer a nice substitute to 12 inch netbooks.

In conclusion, I wanted to point out that the 12 inch laptop segment offers a large variety of options that cannot be compared to any other category. The recent 10 inch netbooks are clearly an attractive deal – they have comfortable keyboards, performance good enough to handle basic tasks, high portability, and a great price at around $300. Although notebooks have lowered in price, the truth is that it cannot match the cheap price of a netbook. But, if you feel that better performance is what you are looking for, then go ahead and buy the notebook – you’ll be better off spending more money on the real thing.

2. Acer Aspire One AOD150-1920 Acer revamped its older netbook into one that is even better. The display is larger and brighter, and the keyboard is pretty impressive considering its small size. In addition, the right shift key is located in its traditional spot, unlike other netbooks such as those manufactured by Asus or Lenovo. The mouse buttons are situated beneath the touchpad, instead of at the sides. Compared to the previous Acer netbook, it is a lot easier to add more RAM or replace the hard drive (without breaking apart the system or voiding the warranty). Quite honestly, the new Acer netbook has surpassed my expectations – it is essentially a better version of the original, an answer to the previous faults of its predecessor. Note: The screen is a bit glossy and the first batch of orders is going to include the larger 5900ma battery. Although it sticks out a little in the back, the battery life makes up for it. I can assure you that it has one of the longest battery lives out of all the netbooks out there, including the Asus 1000HE and the Samsung 10NC (which cost more). What a deal! In conclusion, the Acer Aspire One has an eye-catching design, a comfortable keyboard, and an HD screen – what more can you ask for?

3. Toshiba Mini NB205-N210 Weighing in at just below three pounds, and tiny enough to be carried around in a bag or purse, the 10.1 inch Toshiba mini NB205 offers a reasonably-priced, super-portable netbook that is built with a plethora of features to sweeten the package, including a full-sized keyboard and touchpad, a long, sustainable battery, USB Sleep-and-Charge ports, and a hard drive impact sensor to protect data from drops.  The battery life, in particular, has an amazing 9 hours of sustainable functioning on a full charge, which will easily allow you to power through the busiest day at school, the office, or wherever you might be that day. The long battery life is helped by the processor, an Intel 1.6 GHz Atom N280, which is designed with a hafnium-infused circuitry and an advanced structure that allows a reduction in electrical current leakage in transistors.  The less leakage, the more efficient and sustainable the battery will be.  The Intel 945GSE graphics chipset is also included, and allows basic usage, such as surfing the web, running common computer applications, and watching media online or offline, to run smoothly without draining the battery a great deal. Other than its accessory features, the Toshiba mini NB205 (NB205-N210) includes all the essential capabilities common amongst almost all netbooks, including a 160 GB hard disk drive, 1 GB of RAM (with a 2 GB upgrade option), a 54g Wi-Fi networking that utilizes 802.11b/g, an Ethernet port, and a card slot for Secure Digital memory.  The system also comes with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition pre-installed, and allows more advanced users the ability to utilize Windows Live features to enhance their everyday usage.  Among the Windows Live features is Windows Live Messenger for chatting through instant messaging and Windows Live Mail, which allows users to consolidate email account right on the desktop.

Netbooks have accumulated a large following in the electronics industry. Simply put, they are cheap and portable, qualities that many consumers are interested in. In 2008, over 14 million netbooks were sold, proving the potential of the netbook as a marketable product. At the CES that took place last week, there wasn’t a single major company that that did not debut a netbook, most likely due to its incredible popularity. The major netbooks that were introduced include: HP’s Mini Mii, Asus’s S121 (which comes with a 512 MB hard drive), and Sony’s Pocket P.

Some consumers could be quick to doubt the potential of small, low-powered computers, which is completely understandable. After attending the CES, we put together five reasons why you should consider using a netbook, and most importantly, what it can be used for.

1. Netbooks claim that they are portable and cheap: It’s the Truth

Although traditional laptop prices have decreased over the years, the truth is that a netbook is still a lot cheaper. For only a few hundred dollars, you can buy a highly portable computer that can only enhance your current computer setup. If the netbook ceases to function, you can replace it without emptying your entire wallet.

In terms of traveling, netbook users need not deal with special luggage or accessories that are used along with regular laptops. Netbooks are portable enough to be carried in handbags, backpacks, and purses without much fuss.

It is highly unlikely that you will need to use the netbook for any long-term work, especially when you have a laptop. Therefore, there is little need to worry over battery life. A fully charged netbook will probably last you an entire meeting or school day.

Finally, netbooks are known to have a “cute” look, as embarrassing as that sounds. Netbooks seem to appeal to not only those in the business sector, but also to the general population. Its ownership appeal attracts even soccer moms and grandparents. Anyone who is looking for a sleek, portable computer will thoroughly enjoy a netbook.

2. Netbooks can connect to a variety of sources

Like a laptop, a netbook can connect to a number of secondary devices by means of an Ethernet connection or standard USB. Essentially, you can dock your netbook at your home to use as a supplementary system. Netbooks are indeed bound by technological limitations such as processor speed, but in the office, the netbook has the capability to fulfill its full potential.

If you are bothered by the small screen, simply use a bigger one. Most netbooks can easily drive an external monitor, thus providing a better resolution. Also, you can construct an expanded desktop that spans across the internal monitor and the external monitor – resulting in larger workspace.

If you prefer a larger keyboard, you can opt for a full-sized external USB keyboard and mouse, in place of the netbook’s built-in keyboard. You don’t have to settle for a lesser typing experience when you’re on a desk. If you would like more disk space, then connect to an external hard drive, which is readily available at reasonable prices. Also, it is possible to connect the netbook to your main computer in order to share printers, scanners, and miscellaneous resources. As you can see, netbook users have access to a variety of ways to enhance their netbook experience. With just a few steps, a netbook can be as useful as a traditional desktop!

3. Netbooks are not meant to take over your primary computer

When you purchase a netbook, you need to realize that it is not meant to be your only computer. In other words, netbooks can be labeled as secondary computers. Netbooks are extremely portable for a reason – they allow consumers to travel as much as they want, with the least amount of computing hardware possible. Netbooks are equipped with specific hardware that is not dependent on what type of platform is used, thus making high portability a reality.

In addition, by means of exchange-like servers, web-hosted applications, and revolutionary syncing methods, it does not matter whether you utilize a PC, laptop, or a netbook. A netbook will no doubt provide the most flexibility at the workplace. For example, it would especially prove to be useful for minor computing tasks during meetings. Netbooks are the midway option between a smart phone and laptop – it’s more advanced than a smartphone, but not as overwhelming as a laptop. A netbook supplements your main laptop; it does not replace it.

4. Netbooks are on the verge of a connectivity revolution

Netbooks are likely to make way for new technology relating to built-in connectivity, although it is still in the early stages. Some netbooks come with 3G modems that are already built in to the netbook. Most of these models are available outside of the U.S. Additionally, these connectivity plans are quite expensive, which would interfere with the relatively cheap prices of netbooks.

In the United States, the Aspire One netbook is offered for $99 at Radio Shack. However, the $99 deal must also include a 3G data contract that costs $60 a month. A two-year contract would mean a total price of $1540, including the actual hardware. On the other hand, the iPhone offers a more reasonable option at $70 a month for a voice package and 3G data ($60 a month for a grandfathered plan). The offer made by Radio Shack is the beginning of a new realm of netbook connectivity. In time, it is likely that this business will become huge, if handled in the right way.

Currently, most netbooks users connect to the internet by means of tethering (connecting to a smart phone’s internet), instead of purchasing an actual netbook data plan. The act of tethering is not exactly legal, since most phone contracts and conditions do not specifically list tethering as being appropriate. Also, tethering requires the usage of two devices, which is quite inconvenient. One would have to take into account the battery usage on both devices. Tethering causes the phone’s battery to drain even faster than usual, which also poses another inconvenience.

As mentioned before, the netbook’s main advantage is its superior portability. In time, advanced built-in connectivity will enable netbook users to use their systems practically anywhere, thanks to the flexibility of network-based applications. Users will be able to use the internet in the car or at any location that offers WiFi. If this were all to come true, it would truly be revolutionary.

5. Netbooks have sufficient power for their purposes

Laptops are meant to handle applications or programs that require a lot of power, but without much trouble. However, netbooks are forced to compromise certain aspects of a traditional laptop in order to achieve their level of portability. For instance, the chips aren’t as fast, the screens are relatively small, and the keyboards can feel cramped at times. Therefore, when considering a netbook, you need to think about it in the context of what it is going to be used for – web surfing, sending email, chatting, and using basic multimedia.

Netbooks fulfill these basic tasks at a satisfying level, much more than any smart phone that is out on the market today. Even the smallest available netbook has a keyboard that is more comfortable and efficient than that of a smart phone. Even the ones with pull-out keyboards cannot compete with a netbook. The same applies to screens. Even the best of smart phones have very limited screen space, about a quarter of the size of the average netbook. As for performance, netbooks generally utilize the Intel Atom processor, which is more than enough to handle basic computing tasks.

Netbook vs Laptop

For a lot of people, there is an inherent confusion as to what exactly a netbook is and how it compares to a laptop. Each one has been around for well over a decade and brings with it certain positives and negatives. It really depends on what you need a portable computer for in the first place. A netbook is a lot smaller than a laptop so will have a lot of benefits that a laptop simply won’t have. Let’s take a look at the key differences between a netbook and a laptop.

Size

The most significant difference between a netbook and a laptop is size. While a laptop can have screens up to 17 inches diagonally, netbooks are usually 8-10 inches diagonally. This makes them much more portable. You can put them into a purse or small backpack much more comfortably than a laptop. This makes them less prone to theft also because everyone knows what a laptop bag looks like. The smaller size also makes them much more power efficient. You can use a netbook about 3 times longer than your average laptop.

Price

Netbooks cost between $200-$500 depending on how fancy you want it and what you are using it for. The cheapest laptops start at around $400. With a low end netbook, you can get on the Internet, type and edit documents, and play some games that don’t need a lot of graphics to run smoothly. The higher end models offer more storage, more RAM, and more features.

Use

Netbooks have been traditionally used for school and business use. Their small size and low price make them perfect for taking notes and writing papers in school or preparing documents and presentations for the office. Today, netbooks have become more powerful and have become an amazing device to take on trips as you can watch movies, play games, and chat with friends and family over a wireless connection almost anywhere.

Basically, a netbook is the smaller cousin of the laptop but definitely has its place. Many people don’t need everything a laptop comes with and would much rather save that money for something else. A netbook is the perfect choice for a small, portable computer that does it’s job perfectly. If you are a hardcore video game player, a netbook might not be a good option but for everyone else, it’s a great choice.

There was a time when a personal computer meant a big tower and monitor in one area of your home that probably had a huge mess of tangled wires dangling from the back. This hasn’t changed that much in the past 25 years if you think about it. Sure monitors are thinner and towers are slim-lined but it’s still a pain to move that mess of wires around. A major breakthrough happened when the first laptop computers appeared on the market but they were pretty cost prohibitive for most people. Laptops are affordable now but many people don’t really have a need for what a typical laptop has to offer. Most laptops on the market are pretty large and come with accessories like DVD burners, accelerated graphics, and other features that not everyone needs. Business people and casual computer users don’t have a use for giant amounts of memory and processing power but instead want a personal device that combines the functionality of a laptop in a much smaller, more convenient unit. This is where the netbook shines.

A netbook is usually around ½ the size of your average laptop and weighs about ½ as much. Netbooks are amazing for business use and utilizing Internet applications which makes them the preferred choice for those who want the power of of a computer that can fit easily into their handbag or even glove compartment. Netbooks don’t have all the features of a laptop and usually will rely on a few USB ports to handle most of their data transfer. Let’s face it, CDs are going the way of the cassette tape anyway so by eliminating that extra hardware, netbooks can afford to be very small, cheaper, and not sacrifice any of their power.

Like other types of computer, netbooks come with a wide array of options available. A standard netbook will usually cost around $300 and have an 8.9 inch screen. They come in assorted colors which makes them appeal to both women and men who want something that not only functions well but looks great too. The cheaper models will typically have about 1GB of RAM and over 100GB of storage on their hard drive. More expensive models offer more power, bigger screens, and more storage space. The more features are added however, the less battery life you will have. A standard model will usually last about 5 hours before needing to be plugged in.