
The time is ripe for a rip by netbook PC - gibsonf1
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/29/BU3E14BCHU.DTL
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gibsonf1
_"With more services offered through the Internet "cloud," a growing number of
consumers are content to just browse, use social networking sites, e-mail and
consume their favorite media on their laptop"_

~~~
RossM
Through a poxy little screen. That's still the biggest turn-off for me.

~~~
blasdel
There have been small high-quality screens available for some time -- the
Fujitsu P-series laptops had extremely nice 10.2" 1280x768 screens (I had a
P2120).

At least the netbook vendors stopped trying to use $8 DVD Player screens (7"
800x480), and moved to 9" & 10" 1024x600 screens. There are a few netbooks out
with 1280x800 screens.

My biggest problem is the shitty style of keyboards that are so popular in
east asia -- my Fujitsu had one, the EEE keyboards are a perfect example:
Irregular keyshapes, odd staggering, arrow keys that displace the right-shift,
too-big/no F-keys, shitty keyfeel, flexy support, etc.

The only netbooks I've seen with good keyboards have been the Acer/HP models,
though they have the odd touchpads.

~~~
electromagnetic
My problem is that they're largely inferior to a small regular laptop, yet
cost more.

It's like getting a MacBook vs Air. I'm sorry, the Air is nice and is exactly
what I need it for, but for $1000 fucking dollars I'll take the extra 2 lbs of
weight. I mean jesus christ, the appeal is for people traveling and overweight
charges on airlines aren't _that_ expensive.

~~~
silencio
I like to view netbooks as a supplement to my iPhone and MacBook rather than
as a replacement.

Sometimes the iPhone doesn't cut it (coding and typing lots in general, and
this isn't a virtual keyboard thing it's a smartphone thumbboard thing and
generally keyboards for mobile phones aren't terribly great either) and the
MacBook isn't something I can stuff in my purse in the morning and not worry
about the additional weight and possible theft and things like that. I'll just
take the iPhone alone when I _need_ to, I'll take the MacBook when I _need_
to, but for the average case a netbook will work for what I want to do on-the-
go in a very small and light form factor.

I know they're inferior to a small regular laptop..but if I wanted a "small"
regular laptop I'd take the MacBook. The netbooks on the market now are half
the cost of the MacBook. Under no circumstances do I really want an Air since
it's too thin, way expensive and underpowered for my needs vs. the cost. et
cetera.

