More Power, Scotty!

At this point, manufacturers are attempting to blur the lines between netbooks and notebook computers in several ways. First, Intel has continuously re-engineered the Atom CPU to run faster, do more work per clock cycle and consume less power. The previous generation N280 was the first to receive Intel’s HyperThreading technology which basically tells Windows there are 2 processors even though there is physically one. In other words, it helped with multitasking navigation. Now there is even more horsepower in their latest processors which not only have HyperThreading, but are now dual-core powered. What this means is that the newest Atom-powered netbooks will have 2 physical CPUs but Windows will see 4 CPUs which amplifies the netbook’s muscle. However, you should still determine your computing needs so you don’t find out the hard way that you need something bigger, that has faster performance and more RAM plus a bigger hard drive.

E-Atkins Diet

You’ll also notice that netbooks are starting to get thinner and lighter. Thanks to Apple’s ultraportable laptop, the MacBook Air, manufacturers are not only pushing the continued thin & portable design, but also integrate some of Apple’s aesthetic looks such as viagra directions the chiclet keyboard, brushed aluminum/plastic look and blending the mouse trackpad and its buttons into the palm rest area. Some mouse trackpads even support multi-gesture touch similar to Apple’s.

Endurance Mode!

In addition, earlier generation netbooks had 3-4 cell lithium-ion batteries which saved on costs. Now, manufacturers are bundling longer-lasting 6-cell batteries so you can expect an average of 8-10 hours of power cord-free computing.

Multimedia Horsepower

Addressing complaints with graphics-intensive tasks like flash (YouTube videos); Intel has decided to integrate the graphics card into its next-generation Atom CPU. Because the CPU and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) are in the same place and work together, streaming video and movies on your netbook will be more enjoyable. AMD is also jumping in and getting more aggressive with their next-generation Fusion (code-named Brazos) processors which have been shown in benchmark tests to be more than a match for Intel’s Atom (with nVidia’s Ion) processors.

The Brands

One fundamental consideration on netbooks (and other technology) is that they’re all built in China by a handful of ODM (Original Design Manufacturers). So pick your favorite computer brand, HP, Apple, Dell, MSI, etc., these OEM’s (Original Equipment Manufacturers) contract with ODM’s such as Quanta, Compal and Foxconn to mass-produce the OEM’s products. Since they all roll out of the same factories, the argument that one netbook is better than another based on build quality doesn’t hold much weight. However, consumer preference and brand image are strong influences when customers ask their friends and family for advice. For example, many people fancy Apple’s elegant brushed aluminum look on their notebooks. Others prefer ASUS’s unique styling and their innovation considering they blazed the trail for the netbook genre.

In addition to consumer preference/styling, there are a couple of other elements to consider when deciding on brand. Does the brand(s) offer a reasonable warranty? Sure it may come with 1 year parts coverage but some brands offer only 90 days labor so you’ll be billed for labor performed if your netbook has to be repaired 6 months after purchasing it. Second, you can ask the salesperson or on-duty technician which brand(s) of netbooks that have a consistent pattern of being returned or brought in for repairs. If you’re shopping online, most retailers offer customer reviews where you can view previous customer purchases (both good and bad) which can help gain some insight on the brand’s performance.

What to Look For

For your next netbook, you should make sure the CPU is at least an Intel Atom 450. In other words, ask the salesperson if the netbook in question has HyperThreading (they’ll know what this means). This equates to quicker switching between multiple programs and better overall system performance. If you’re looking for extra horsepower, ask the salesperson for a Dual-Core netbook (i.e. Intel Atom N550 CPU)

Most netbooks now come with Windows 7 Starter edition. Keep in mind that there is a reason why it’s called “Starter” edition. This flavor of Win 7 has reduced functionality in exchange for running leaner and eating up less system resources during operation. For example, you’re not allowed to change the default Windows blue logo background wallpaper. Not that it should be a dealbreaker on a netbook purchase but netbook makers were shooting for the computing essential which is why Win 7 is the familiar operating system of choice.

Most current netbooks are fast enough with 1 GB RAM (max is 2 GB) so you might see a significant price increase for 2 GB RAM (or 2 GB upgrade). In addition, the standard 160-250 GB hard drive remains mainstream since many users have their netbooks as a supplemental computer for quick tasks.

Also keep in mind that by default, netbooks do not have Microsoft Office installed unless it comes pre-installed from the factory. They also don’t have optical drives (DVD/DVD+/-RW drives) so if you wanted to install your own copy of MS Office, you would need to buy an external DVD drive. Another crucial heads-up is that some netbooks have a copy of MS Office STARTER version installed. These are 90-day use programs and can be unlocked to unlimited time but you must purchase a license. Of course, you’re welcome to purchase a netbook with MS Office pre-installed but the usual increase in the netbook’s purchase price is about $150-$299. (The cost of MS Office)

Office Starter is Microsoft's replacement for Microsoft Works.  Like Works, Office Starter comes with Word & Excel but with limited usage.  It does not include Outlook and PowerPoint but it does not have a license that needs to be renewed.  This version has built-in advertisements that take care of the license fees.

Most netbooks have a 10.1” LCD monitor but you’re welcome to opt for a larger 11.6” screen and more premium features like nVidia’s Ion graphics which help improve multimedia applications. Just remember that these extra features will increase the cost of a netbook such that it approaches $380-$450 which is the starting cost of normal-sized (and full-featured) 14-16” notebook computers.

If you need additional connectivity, you can opt for a netbook with Bluetooth which is perfect if you find yourself somewhere without local internet access like free coffee shop Wi-Fi. Bluetooth allows you to tether your cell phone (if you have a tethering data plan) and also supports other devices like Bluetooth mice and printers, etc.

Regardless of what you’re looking for in a netbook, the big picture is to know the computing reasons for your netbook purchase so you know what to look for and avoid what you don’t need and end up overpaying or being disappointed.

Netbooks, laptop computers and ultra-portables, oh my! With the rush of all these new devices, deciding which type of computer would fit your lifestyle and computing needs can be confusing. However, this guide was created to explain and clarify the details, misconceptions and trends of netbooks and some of the cheap netbooks that have emerged.

This is the first part of the netbook buyer’s guide which starts off with some history and clears up several confusing aspects of netbooks.

What are Netbooks?

Right around 2007, Asus realized that some consumers use their desktop PC for just quick and easy emailing, web browsing and Microsoft Word. Obviously, technology has advanced considerably since the creation of email, web browsing and MS Word, so Asus found an opportunity to create the Eee PC. Thus, the netbook category was born!

There are several crucial points that should be made with netbooks which distinguish them from standard notebooks:

• They are designed for quick email checking, casual web browsing and light typing
• They are engineered for minimal power consumption because of the above reasons
• They are built to complement (not replace) full-size notebooks
• Because of their limited utility, their components are relatively cheaper and therefore have a lower purchase price ($280 – $500) than traditional notebooks
• They are designed to be highly portable and have significantly longer battery life because of their low-power consumption

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Problems and Purpose

While Asus was praised for its netbook innovation, there were several issues that surfaced since the introduction of their Eee PC. First, retailers were pushing netbooks sales on the premise of its low cost and small footprint. The result was that consumers became misinformed and started to return their netbooks because they became frustrated attempting to do more tasks than what the netbook was designed for.

Second, there is a misconception that netbooks are just as fast as their standard notebook counterparts. So a 1.66 Ghz Intel Atom N450 may run literally as fast as a 1.6 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, but the Core 2 Duo was engineered as a performance chip with more horsepower per clock cycle so it will outperform the Intel Atom CPU on all applications.

(Kind of like how a Ford F150 (2011) and a Lexus IS-F (2011) are both rated at 400+ hp but would have significantly different 0-60 mph and quarter-mile times.)

Some complained that other performance issues included having difficulty ALT-Tabbing between Word, Excel, FireFox and Outlook. Again, netbooks were NOT designed with considerable multi-tasking in mind. They are designed for a person who wants to quickly check an email at a coffee shop, or a writer trying to post a quick blog or a student who wants to put the finishing touches on his/her term paper. Consumers were even complaining that netbooks struggled to stream YouTube videos successfully. Of course they would because a netbook’s video chipset was designed to eat up as little power as possible, not run web videos.

In an attempt to minimize production costs and keep the purchase price low, netbook makers had to cut several corners in order to still make a profit. For example, early netbooks featured Linux operating system instead of Windows so manufacturers wouldn’t have to pay licensing fees to Microsoft. Also, first-generation netbooks had small 4-8 GB SSD (solid-state drives) hard drives and the RAM (and HDD) would be soldered onto the motherboard which all contributed to a lower cost.

One other conflicting issue with netbooks is its selling cost.  Originally, ASUS wanted a $199 price point but was forced to increase it to $299-$350  in order to sustain profitability after confirming the hardware for mass production.  Second, current netbook prices range from $299 all the way up to $500-$600.  Many speculate that instead of spending $299-$350 for a netbook, you can spend another $30-$50 for a full-featured (and bigger-screen) full-size notebook computer which offers a more-bang-for-your-buck mobile computing solution.

Netbooks vs. Ultra Portables

There is also an apparent confusion between the netbook and ultra portable notebook categories. First, ultra portable laptops have been around for a while. If you examine Sony and Dell’s older ultra-portable laptops, you’ll see a pattern of their tiny notebooks having the following specs:

1. 10-13” LCD screen
2. A mainstream CPU (i.e. Intel Pentium M, Core 2 Duo, etc.)
3. 2-4GB RAM
4. 320-500GB Hard Drive
5. An extended battery for longer run times
6. A significantly higher price tag (i.e. $600-$2500)

These specs are the basis for the ultra-portable category. Examples include the Dell Latitude X300, Fujitsu Lifebook P5000, Panasonic Toughbook W-2, Alienware M11x and the Toshiba Portege R700-S1330. The idea is to provide virtually the same (or near the same) computing horsepower as a normal-sized laptop in a highly portable size with an extended run time. So with that being said, the misconception that Apple’s Macbook Air is a netbook is false. Considering the requirements to qualify for a netbook, the Macbook Air is Apple’s ultra-portable laptop.

Netbook Hardware trends

A netbook’s specifications will be considerably lower than a full-size notebook because one of the fundamental premises of netbooks is extended (or also called all-day) battery life. Hence, netbooks will have the following specs in common:

1. Low-voltage CPU (i.e. Intel Atom which is designed for minimal power consumption)
2. Usually 1GB RAM – Enough to run Windows comfortably and 1-2 applications but that’s it
3. 160-250GB Hard Drive – Hard drive size price-per-storage has become very cost-effective for PC makers so a 250GB hard drive in a $300-$350 netbook is common
4. 8-11” LCD Screen – netbooks feature extreme portability and a very small footprint
5. No DVD-CD Drive – In order to reduce size and increase battery life, netbooks don’t have optical drives. In addition, manufacturers realized that casual web browsing & email checking do not require a DVD drive.
6. Webcam + Wi-Fi + 1-2 USB ports – These are the basic amenities that come standard with both notebooks and netbooks

If you’re in the market for a new computer and can’t decide between a netbook, notebook and ultra-portable, you should examine the reason(s) for your upcoming computer purchase and determine whether you need something for quick emailing, something with moderate horsepower & size or a power-hungry monster desktop-replacement if you’re looking to camp out at your local coffee shop.