John Kessler asked:




Just when you thought the market is saturated enough, along comes a new netbook model that is poised to set a new standard in mini laptops. While the average netbook just looks like a laptop mini-me, the Sharp Mebius netbook is unique in having a touchpad LCD screen. In other netbooks, the touchpad would be used as a cursor (in lieu of a mouse).

But Sharp plans to put one edge over its competitors with its touchpad LCD screen. A pre-launch video of the product shows that you can make great greeting e-cards with it.

The LCD touch pad works just like an iPhone. It recognizes pinching and rotating gestures to zoom and rotate the display. Special software lets you configure and customize this nifty add-on to fit your needs. The touchpad is built with sensors that optically detect its stylus or your finger.

Apart from the LCD touchpad, everything else about the Mebius netbook is standard for a netbook: an Intel Atom 1.6Ghz processor, 1 or 2GB of memory, and 160GB of hard drive space. It has a 10.1 inch screen and comes in handy with a webcam, card reader, and BlueTooth and WiFi connectivity. Initially available in Japan, this netbook is expected to hit the international market soon after.

The tiny extra LCD screen of the Mebius really makes a bid difference to it. In most other netbooks, the touchpad is terrible and terribly small. By a 4-inch LCD in its place, Sharp is adding functionality to its mini laptop model. But how will it stack up against existing netbooks? Well, as soon as it hits the United States, we will know.

Kristen

Peter Strudwick asked:




Netbooks are the new, lightweight mini-laptops that go anywhere with you. A good netbook will do most of your basic computing – internet stuff like email, web browsing and downloading, run businessword applications and play music and video – without breaking your back or your bank balance. They’re cheap and they’re fun! Most netbooks come with Windows ready-installed and there are Linux-based mini-notebooks with their simple interface that’s very popular.

Although there’s a wide range of netbooks on the market, not all mini-notebooks are created equal. The people who design them have to juggle the problems of weight, size and performance and their compromises can cause problems for you, the netbook buyer.

Here are five factors you need to know when shopping for a netbook:

1: Will it do the job?

Most netbooks feature a snappy 1.6GHz Intel chip and although they give good, brisk performance in the jobs they’re designed for, remember that they’re not heavy-duty data crunchers. If you want to do some serious computing, you may need a laptop that’s got more grunt.

2: Is the keyboard big enough?

The keyboard is the main interface with your netbook and many early-model mini-laptops had mini keyboards. People who could easily touch-type on a full-size keyboard found themselves struggling on a netbook. In addition, some manufacturers save space by moving keys around or making them smaller. Test the keyboard before buying so you know you’ll be able to type comfortably.

3: Is the track-pad usable?

In the struggle to make netbooks ultra-portable the track-pad and its buttons often get the chop, too. Unless you want to carry a mouse, the trackpad is the other main interface with your computer. Check that the netbook’s trackpad is big enough to be usable and that the buttons are positioned well.

4: Is the display big enough?

Early-model netbooks also had smaller displays, and while they were more portable, 7 inch screens are not noted for their visibility. Currently, 8.9 inch screens seem to be about the smallest display for good readability, while the industry standard, the 10 inch screen, is a good compromise in terms of size and ease of viewing. Check that the laptop you’re considering won’t cause you eyestrain.

5: Does it have the features you need?

Most quality netbooks have the features we expect in a notebook computer: a good-sized hard disk, webcam, speakers and microphone, card reader, bluetooth and a wifi card. The only feature that netbooks lack is an optical drive – the DVD/CD drive has been sacrificed to keep size and weight to a minimum. When choosing your netbook, make sure it has all the features you want.

So there are five important things to consider when buying your netbook.

Although these mini-notebooks are cheaper than regular laptops, do your research before buying. The major manufacturers all have web sites with detailed specifications. Check them out at your local computer store and visit online netbook forums. If you buy online, don’t buy on impulse and buy from a seller with a good rep.

Crystal

Panah C Rad asked:




As people start to go mobile everyday, computer manufacturers are optimizing their designs and coming up with more portable computers that people can take with them on the go to create and consume content on the Internet. That’s how the netbook market has been born. These gadgets are highly portable and very easy to handle. No longer are we looking at 5-7 lbs laptops but rather 2-4 lbs portable machines.

There is a good reason why the netbook market is expanding so fast: these gadgets are so portable. They are designed for folks who live a mobile way of life. If you are a traveling businessman or a college student, you can get your work done on your machine without having to worry about the weight. The market is expanding so fast and more alternatives are becoming available to the customers.

Since the market is young, most of these gadgets have a lot of in common. That’s why you should pay extra attention to your netbook comparison process to find the one that is the best for you:

Power: mobile ATOM CPUs are powerful and energy efficient. Most models come with N270 CPU while N280 is used on the most recent models. Portability: you certainly don’t want to carry more than 3.5 lbs with these laptops. Battery Life: if you intend to use your laptop for too long, you should go for energy efficient netbooks that can go for 8 to 15 hours on a single charge. Display: the market started with smaller screens but now you can get screens as large as 12.1 inch (e.g. Dell Mini). Price: don’t overpay for these devices. The market was built to provide price sensitive customers with more alternatives. Don’t let manufacturers blur the lines between netbooks and high-end notebooks.

I suggest you start with Samsung, Asus, and HP machines and go from there. Come up with a list of 5 models that meet your criteria and try to narrow your choices from there. It may take you some time, but it’s well worth it.

Ted

Andrew Eisner asked:




According to a Gadgetology study, Apple had an uphill battle to win over existing PC users with the iPad price.

Making the iPhone more than just another Mac product and attracting non-Mac buyers, Apple turned in record sales numbers preceding the iPad announcement.

The study indicated that Apple had to put a rush on capturing a slice of the netbook market, because many consumers, both Mac and PC owners, had already bought a netbook or were planning on buying one.

In the Gadgetology study, a survey of online users conducted by an independent panel, these interesting insights into the Apple tablet were provided:

Before the official announcement, Apple had an easier time convincing Mac owners, because the price was rumored at $800. In the study, 68% of Mac owners said they would have paid more than $600 for a tablet. PC owners didn’t seem to have the same pain threshold as Mac owners, with only 36% of PC owners willing to pay more than $600.

Apple added the iBook store in iTunes and entered the e-Book market, putting the tablet up against Amazon’s Kindle.

At least for now, the iPad only dips into 6% of the portable PC market, but if netbooks don’t get creative, the iPad will continue to eat up netbook share. The iPad may also have to compete with small, thin laptops that are priced under $600, like the Lenovo G450.

The Gadgetology study indicated that 37% of Mac owners and 59% of iPhone owners already owned or had planned to buy a netbook in 2009.

To convert PC owners to Apple owners, Apple needed to consider a $600 price point for the tablet. It’s a good thing they introduced the iPad at $499. Like the iPhone, the iPad has a GPS, so Garmin had better watch their back.

Valerie

Tito King asked:




Ever since the Taiwanese company released the netbook computer, Eeepc, the popularity of netbooks has exploded. There are perhaps a dozen different companies selling netbooks to the consumer market. Bill Gates recently stated that the netbook is a revolutionary and innovative device that captures the social networking success of the internet at this current time and moment. With Bill Gates quotes, you can’t argue with the success of the netbook. Although they are less powerful than a laptop, it still has many useful features.

Here are five reasons you should buy a netbook today instead of an iPad:

You can lie down on your bed and comfortable type on it. It is small enough to fit around your lap and most of the computers do not produce excessive heat that could burn your skin if you place on your lap for too long. It is cheap. You can buy a good netbook for around $200. You don’t need to fork out thousands of dollars in buying a new computer. You can use the same programs on the desktop as you would with the netbook, as long you use the same operating system. Therefore, you don’t need to relearn how to use the program. It is small and lightweight. You can easily store it in your carry on luggage if you travel overseas. You don’t have to worry if you can’t fit on all your clothes in your luggage as the computer doesn’t take too much space. It can be used as a portable entertainment device. You can comfortably watch all your favorite movies on your computer or listen to your mp3 collection.

Justin

Troy Richards asked:




Apple products have always been known for their great design, solid construction and awesome style. The Apple iPad (16GB) is no different. Featuring a 9.7-inch capacitative touch screen the actual device measures around 8 inch by 10 inch, roughly the size of a standard magazine. In short, the iPad looks a lot like a larger iPhone. Super-slim and quite light at 1.5 pounds the tablet looks a lot nicer and more solid than other tablet computers in the same class with all the buttons, fittings and surfaces having a very high standard of quality.

As the entry-level offering the Apple iPad (16GB) is powered by an Apple A4 1GHZ processor and offers 16GB of flash memory. Instead of more common tablet operating systems the iPad adopts the same operating system as the iPhone. As such, the iPad starts up in a mere 18 seconds and is quite responsive. The iPad has a standard 30-pin dock connector along with integrated speakers but doesn’t have any integrated video camera. Other connections include 802.11n wireless wi-fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. It also has an integrated accelerometer, microphone, digital compass and mute switch. A 3G capable model with assisted GPS will be made available later in April 2010.

Handling the Apple iPad (16GB) is as easy as using the Apple iPhone or iPod Touch. The touchscreen is extremely responsive and accurate while the interface is very intuitive. Typing on the screen is possible but not nearly as comfortable as swiping and pinching your way through it. Since the tablet uses the iPhone operating system, you can only do one thing at time. The Apple iPad comes with a number of applications including those for leisure as well as work but you can download games and other applications from the Apple app store or iTunes.

While you can read eBooks on the Apple iPad (16GB) the reflective screen makes it almost unreadable in direct sunlight. At 1.5 pounds it definitely cannot be held one-handed as it becomes quite a strain after a time. The screen is more than enough for most movies and images with a 1024 x 768 pixel resolution but HD movies are out of the question. Battery life is about 10 to 12 hours based on what you’re using it for

All in all, the Apple iPad (16GB) finally offers users with the ultimate tablet computer. While it does really well with similar iPhone-like applications it doesn’t really do typing and editing very well nor is it going to replace any e-book readers anytime soon. It does on the other hand offer users with a very fast and very easy device to use to stay connected, however if you’re looking for a netbook, smart-phone or e-book reader replacement, this isn’t the device for you. If you can’t live without your Apple iPhone and adore your Apple iPod Touch, then chances are you’ll love the Apple iPad (16GB).

Louise

Troy Richards asked:




Personally, I think any personal tech gadgets are fashion accessory so it won’t hurt to pick a stylish one that best matches your personality. White laptops and netbooks have the rage for the past couple of years, more than any other colors due to the fact that they look modern, clean and just pure chic.

The Samsung N120-12GW netbook is currently one of the most stylish white netbooks in the market. Unlike many other 10.1-inch netbook models, this is an all-white model. The keyboard, mouse track pad, palm rest, sides, front, back and rear of this netbook is all white in color. It is very slim, measuring at 10.7 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches and weighing just 2.8 pounds.

The Samsung N120-12GW netbook also comes in black, but it doesn’t look nearly as good as white one. It has almost all the latest specs a netbook can have, like a 1.6Ghz processor, 1GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 3 USB Ports, Bluetooth and wi-fi capabilities. When it was first launched, this model was little more expensive than usual but now, it costs around $350 each. That’s about the average price of netbooks.

One of the highlights of the Samsung N120-12GW netbook would have to be its amazing keyboard. Samsung has managed to design the keyboard to feel very much like a full sized keyboard. It was very comfortable to type on. This model also comes with 2.1 speakers that is a major selling point for this model. The two main speakers are located on the sides. The sub-woofer is located on the left edge of the netbook. All in all, the Samsung N120-12GW netbook scores very well whether it is in the looks department or performance. It will make one of the best buys if you are looking for a stylish white netbook.

Darlene

Mika Staplesson asked:




Comparing the two categories may sound a bit forced to some people, but there is a system to the madness. Since most netbooks are cheaper than $499, the price of an iPad, it makes a lot of sense to put them against each other.

Netbooks have been around for quite a while now, 3 whole years actually, a lot of time to hone everything to perfection, which Asus has done apparently. In the other corner iPad is relatively lonely in its category, being the only real tablet that can be used without applying several hacks just to get through the day.

Netbooks have the distinctive benefit from the three years they’ve spent on the market without real contenders. When you buy a netbook you know exactly what it is you’re actually buying; a screen 10 or 12 inches big, a reasonable set of chips to get you through the daily tasks, and a keyboard to tell the computer what it needs to know.

On the other hand iPad, the tablet has a lot of proving to do. It has been on the shelves for a month, most parts of the world haven’t seen it sold through official channels either. There are lots of expectations to live up to and the hardware is very thin to do that. Maybe it’s the software that does the majority of the work?

On netbooks you can run basically any operating system the hardware can take, and the x86 architecture has seen a few decades go by. What it means is that it runs all versions of Windows including XP, Vista and 7, and I’m fairly confident to say that you could get a Windows 98 running if you were determined enough.

IPad runs its own variation of Apple’s operating system. It’s a far cousin of the OSX and basically the thing you see on an iPhone. Or iPod touch, to be more precise. The hardware is under seven locks, but it is supposedly an ARM based technology, which means there is not going to be a way to run anything you like.

You get iPhone OS whether you like it or not. Not that it’s a bad thing; Apple has hit the nail on the head when it allowed iPad to run all iPhone applications. That means more than a hundred thousand different apps available through apple store, well done!

Netbooks get to have a physical QWERTY keyboard that comes really handy when you need to create content or answer a great deal of e-mails. The product from Apple puts a virtual keyboard in front of you that may seem like a great way to put in text, but once you are at the level of 70 words per minute, dropping back to 15 is not a great option.

Without accessories iPad is just a fancy way of updating your Facebook status, but netbooks are not the computing powerhouse some people would like to see them either.

Yolanda

Tim Pecunia asked:




Netbooks today come in a wide array of colors. Still, manufacturers tend to shy away from more adventurous shades such as purple, green and brown. Those of us who wish to decorate our netbooks with more unique colors would usually need to resolve to netbook skins that have to be purchased separately.

Toshiba’s late entry into the netbook market is marked by the release of the Toshiba Mini Netbook. It comes in 5 colors, namely black, white, pink blue and brown. Yes, Brown! You may think that it is a strange color for a netbook, but the Toshiba designers did a wonderful job in putting together a great-looking netbook.

The Toshiba Mini has an Intel Atom N280 processor, 1GB of RAM and a 160 GB hard drive. It has an impressive combination of some of the best specs and features in the market including an amazing 9 hours of battery life and the ability to charge USB enabled devices even when the machine is off.

The brown Toshiba mini has a matte external brown casing that is highlighted by a copper/gold hinge that gives it a really elegant look. It looks like something from the Louis Vuitton store. On the inside, the comfortable keyboard and the huge track pad is decorated in a shade of silver. The only two drawbacks in this model’s design is the thick frame around the screen and the protruding battery back on the back. Other than then, I personally think that the brown Toshiba looks slimmer and better than any other competing models in the market. It also helps to know that this model has been given the editor’s choice award by many prominent tech publications.

Andrea

Mark Barkow asked:




Here’s the true story behind the Apple iPad. Want to comprehend the beginning of the Apple iPad?

It was about ten years ago that Bill Gates made his way onto a podium at a computer show and had in the palm of his hand a computer completely alien to those in the audience. It had a flat shape, and amazingly, there was no keyboard to type on. He then started to tell everyone what appeared to be an almost entirely disbelieving audience that in a couple of years, this foreign looking computer would become a big hit.

The year was 2000. Bill Gates was showing the world to a device Microsoft called the Tablet PC. The company went to the electronics show the following year and showed it once again to a disbelieving audience.

Microsoft’s creation never became popular. For good reason, it was really just a netbookcomputer, and not something you would call particularly powerful! To make matters worst, it was lacking a keyboard.

Now Apple has come up with a similar version of Microsoft’s Tablet PC with the introduction of the iPad.

So why the big uproar?

So, what actually is the iPad?. Apple took a computer, eliminated a keyboard, and made it flat. It has respectable power with respect to its size with a central processing unit somewhere in between the power of the iPhone and a netbook computer, but way closer to the netbook. The iPad is on the thin side being only one half inch at its thickest surface. It can be considered as being light in weight, weighing just 1.5 lbs. It runs on an operating system that can be considered as a bit more efficient version as the version in the iPhone. Its displaying ability consists of an excellent touch screen that is super bright with awesome clarity which is amazing considering the screen is just 9.7 inches.

The iPad is very versatile, like being able to do web-browsing, e-mailing, photo storage, music and game playing, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and display e-books. Yes, other devices can do the same things, some even better.

The difference between the iPad and those devices it is similar to lies in what can be accomplished with the iPad and can’t with other devices.

To start with, it is very portable, meaning anyone can pick it up easily. It fits snuggly on your lap. You can give it to other people as if it were a book. You can easily rest it on a small coffee table. You can put it in a small bag. You can place it in one hand and read it on a train. I think by now, you get the picture.

So for what reason is the iPad such a big hit today compared to ten years ago when the Microsoft tablet was released? The answer can be found in Apple’s capabilities In regards to their version of the Tablet computer, Apple had the technology to make it great. It’s display technology cannot be matched by any other company. It has special expertise in low power electronic engineering that other companies are jealous of. One example is, the iPad can function for an staggering ten hours of web surfing with one charge. Besides all this, it has its patented multi-touch technology included inside the iPad. Other companies attempts to match this technology have always failed badly.

So, do you see now why the Apple iPad is such a massive success? Do you want to try out an Apple iPad?

Vincent