Reading the Overclock review of Asus EEE-PC 1005HA Netbook, the author clearly falls firmly in the pro-Netbook camp, dismissing any suggestion that Netbooks will soon be obsolete (if they’re not already).
The problem with his logic though, is that he waxes poetic about why a factor, such as battery life, would make his beloved Netbook superior to a laptop without explaining why someone would want one in the first place. Just because you can use it for more hours than you can use a laptop, doesn’t mean you necessarily want to.
He is probably right in saying that the iPad won’t be the demise of Netbooks. Based on current consumer sentiment, it looks like the iPad may only manage to bring about its own demise. But neither the iPad nor Netbooks pack the same performance power as a laptop, giving both a ticking clock.
So, why would your average consumer want one? If you need an application-driven device while you’re on the go, you need something bigger with a laptop. If you need it only to operate web-based services, a smart-phone can do that while still fitting in your pocket. And if you’re looking for low-cost, although they seem like a lower cost option, Netbooks offer the least value dollar-for-dollar.
There are certainly reasons to use one, and in some circumstances they are preferable. Take for example the author’s trip to a bookstore cafe. I would want one too in that case–if I wanted a computer in that situation in the first place, that is. And, they are much easier to schlep around a college campus than a laptop, while being better suited to taking lecture notes on than an iPhone.
But the problem that I see that these pro-Netbook articles do not address is that you would still need a “real” computer back at home or in your dorm room to store your files and run more complex programs. And despite the flutters of gadget excitement that usually flare up right before the holidays and dissipate again in spring, the average American consumer has little need or desire to spend a few hundred dollars on something with such minimal practical value.
If the manufacturers can drop the prices while simultaneously increasing usability, they might talk Grandma into needing one. Until then, despite what this reviewer had to say, they are nifty toys that will indeed become obsolete.
