About Netbook Computers
Netbooks are a popular new kind of ultra-portable laptop computers that are designed for people who are always on the go. These wonderful machines are best suited for lightweight computing, especially for internet-focused tasks like sending emails and running web-based applications (hence the name netbook). Netbooks are small, portable, and inexpensive, making them ideal for business people, or for anyone else who needs to stay “connected” at all times, no matter where they happen to be.
A brief history of netbooks
Netbook computers first hit the market in the second half of 2007, when Asus unveiled the ASUS Eee PC. This early netboook was aimed at emerging markets and was designed as a “budget” laptop, but Asus soon realized that this new product range had far more potential than they first thought. Consumers loved the Eee PC’s small size and extreme portability, and they wanted more.
The popularity of netbook computers took manufacturers by surprise, because the average netbook is not very powerful, and only offers the computing power of mainstream PCs from 2001. This “step backwards” in computing technology was counterintuitive to computer producers, who always strive to offer the newest and greatest. But as far as consumers are concerned, the power offered by the average netbook is more than enough for everyday tasks.
By late 2008, netbooks were already taking market share away from standard laptop computers. Today, these cheap, portable computers are reinventing the PC industry. Even Microsoft gave a nod to the netbook when they recently decided to extend the life of Windows XP for two years so that it could be bundled with new netbook computers. Competition is helping keep quality high and prices low. While standard laptops still have their place in the computer world, it seems that netbooks are here to stay.
Netbook computer technology
Most netbooks on the market today are built around Intel Atom notebook processors – a series of CPUs designed for use in mobile devices. The computing power of Intel Atom processors pales in comparison to the high-end desktop processors on the market today, but their ultra low power consumption makes them perfect for use in netbook computers.
Netbooks offer small screens, usually around 10 or 11 inches. Memory typically ranges from 512MB up to 2GB, and hard drives are relatively small, usually under 200GB. The average netbook is not a powerful machine, and does not offer the drive space or hardware required to run heavy software and games. Instead, netbook users rely on internet-based applications for helping users complete basics tasks like word processing, communication, photo editing and sharing, and more. Check out our netbook reviews section for a list of best netbook computers.