Scripting News - Latest Comments in What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Joy — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:30:27 -0000

A Netbook is a new type of laptop computer, defined by size, price, operating system(OS). They are light and portable, cheap, with
basic computer use, email, web and more. Easy anytime-anywhere internet access, built-in web cam plus stereo speakers.

Netbooks run either Windows XP or Linux.
1) Size, Netbooks have 9- or 10-inch screens, weigh from 2 to 3 pounds, and sport keyboards sized from 80 percent to 95 percent of normal. (80-85 keys)

2) Price, Netbooks start at about $330 for a Linux-based model and $350 for an XP-based machine.

3) Features, * Screen resolution 1024x600
* Intel Atom CPU running at 1.6-GHz
* Wi-Fi B and G
* Ethernet at 100Mbps
* A slot for a flash RAM memory card
* External VGA output jack
* Integrated graphics
* Two or three USB ports
* Built-in camera ****No bluetooth

What is difference between UMPX and Netbook? Click here to know: http://www.1010store.com/fo...

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Imran Naseem — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 08:26:19 -0000

Hummmm
If netbook doesnt have any dvd/cd drive even then you can connect your printer to your netbook
and you can install drivers of the printer using Flash Drive, Copy drivers of the printer from Uni computer into your data traveller, and install in your netbook

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Phil — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:37:05 -0000

If netbooks don't have a DVD/CD writer, can a printer be connected via USB and if so how is the printer driver/software installed?

Many thanks, Phil

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Toriam — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:50:01 -0000

It's not a half-bad operating system and its cheap and runs on cheap hardware. We like it!

This is what alot of people say about Linux too. And when you get into things like Ubuntu and Fedora, alot of newer things can be run. Saving bout $150 (at least) on a netbook is an added perk.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

spyguy — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:56:17 -0000

It will take quite a while for "Quebec" to actually hit the market (Win 7 is still along way off, no matter the MS hype) and even longer for Win XP embedded to disappear because of the lead times in the embedded market. As for the differences between the embedded version of Win XP and the commercial version of Win XP, there are none, except the system makers can choose to not implement some parts of embedded win XP, although in this case the system folks have chosen to implement the full OS. Basically it is a marketing subterfuge to allow the embedded systems folks the ability to use win XP and deny win XP to the commercial market. While the bits are exactly the same, MS just has many (many, many) different licenses and contracts designed to compartmentalize different products to different customer segments.

Intel has done the same thing. 486 processors were available to the embedded systems folks long after they were denied to the commercial system folks. Since it doesn't cost very much to keep a product around and milk it for more revenue, as long as their main market is"protected," there is no reason to kill a product that is bringing in "extra" money.

That being said, Atom is a new chip that was originally designed for the embedded market (cell phones and the like) and I suspect that Intel has mixed feeling about netbooks because while they are a nice revenue stream, they cannibalize sales from the much higher margin laptop business. Remember that while development costs for chips is very high, the actual daily production cost per chip is very low (approaching zero in some cases). Given that, which would you rather sell, a Core-duo for big bucks or a an Atom for a lot less, given that the production costs for both is similar?

Windows CE, Windows XP, Linux and MacOS are among the most popular operating systems in the embedded market these days, which means ont he OS side, the only real difference between the commercial market and the embedded market is just marketing spin. These days, for most embedded systems, there is no difference between commercial and embedded operating systems

The CPU makers differentiate between the commercial market and the embedded market a little more definitively. While Intel and Amd are the only commercial CPU vendors, there are lots of embedded CPU vendors in addition to Intel and AMD. Traditionally, the embedded CPU market was concerned more with cost than performance, so embedded CPUs tended to be commercial CPUs rebranded after their commercial life (8041, 486, etc). Recently though, several companies have designed CPUs specifically for the embedded market and the Intel Atom is one of these.

The bottom line is that for all practical purposes the commercial and embedded markets are the same from a technical perspective, but "different" from a licensing/marketing perspective.

So if an "embedded" design can be used to satisfy a "commercial" market need, so be it. The only "losers" will be the component vendors (MS and Intel in the case of netbooks) who will make less profit.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

nilchak — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:21:32 -0000

If definitions are to be considered - then going by the same logic - a laptop running windows is very good (and most people use it with windows), but running linux on it doesnt negate the fact that it still is a laptop.

Or does the device then fall under some category other than "Laptop" ?

Defining a hardware spec coupled with software which could be multiple choices is hardly a fitting definition.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

nilchak — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:17:25 -0000

Dave, I have a laptop which came with Windows.
I removed Windows and installed Linux.

Now if someone made a list like you do about the netbooks and says Windows as a requirement for laptops (since most laptops do come with windows), then does that make my laptop NOT a laptop any more since I removed windows and installed Linux ?

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Guest — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:03:20 -0000

I actually thought I owned Netbook (Lenovo X61) until I read this post. It's so very tiny but it's hella expensive and use a Core 2 chip instead of Atom proc. I just assumed I had a more expensive Netbook, but now I know. :-)

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Matt — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:20:12 -0000

I agree about XP over Vista, but I would still take the OS requirement off your definitive list--which I respect is yours to define. But a person could easily run Linux in XP's place and even run XP under virtualization if they wanted to. It's just a matter of personal preference.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

liza — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:55:36 -0000

this is such a really description that i am declaring it and using it as Writ Law
in my guerrilla publishing workshops.

thanks, Dave!

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

KevinCTofel — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:26:52 -0000

spyguy, netbook vendors are not shipping any netbook that I know of with Windows XP embedded. They're shipped with full XP SP3, Vista, or Linux distros. If you think XP embedded is going to be around quite a while, then you missed the news in October: "Quebec", the next version of Windows embedded is based on Windows 7, which in turn is based on Vista. http://www.microsoft.com/pr...

Don't get me wrong: an embedded OS for a netbook isn't a bad idea and I've called for one ages ago. However, it's not an idea that's implemented yet in mainstream netbooks. Additionally, there are plenty of standard notebooks that have embedded processors, so I'm not sure how or why you're making a distinction here.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

spyguy — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:59:30 -0000

Technically what the netbook vendors are shipping is MS Windows XP EMBEDDED, which I think will be around for quite a while since Win Vista will be much harder to redesign for the embedded system market. Also technically a netbook can be considered an embedded system because it is using an embedded system processor (Intel Atom), just like cell phones use embedded processors.

As for Apple, the only difference I can find between Apple hardware and PC hardware is the BIOS/Firmware. Apple uses a very customized version of a standard Intel BIOS/Firmware which I suspect can not be reverse engineered without violating tons of Apple patents and copyrights. So in theory, since Asus makes some of Apple's laptops, Apple could have a netbook to sell without too much trouble. Just redesign the Asus EEE PC case a little and viola, an Apple netbook. Note that Apple already has an embedded version of OSX/Darwin. It currently is complied to run on an ARM processor, but I would expect a quick recompile and they would be good to go.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

dave — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:01:46 -0000

Not much, just learning and having a place to test stuff on Linux.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

dave — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:59:44 -0000

Actually i think the Wikipedia definiiton is very close to what I have. I've just added the specifics. You're right it is a snapshot in time, but it's not my preferences, it really is the feature set the market has settled on. Go have a look at what people are buying. I'm sure it's the features listed in 1-9. It may change, or maybe the category will go away. It's a very fast thing, came up quickly, it could go back down just as quickly. I have nothing vested in it except I love the products and I'm glad it's happening.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

dave — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:58:00 -0000

I changed it. Thanks for noticing.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Jeremy — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:53:40 -0000

Just curious, what do you run in Linux (under VMWare)? I don't think I've read you mention this on the blog.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Anon — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 23:39:38 -0000

Should you have made the National Lampoon cover available under a Creative Commons license on Flickr? Poor dog.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

michael — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:55:31 -0000

I think your list is not what makes a netbook a netbook but rather what makes a netbook good for you in the current market. Next month a new low power processor could come out and your Atom specification will look silly. In the future Linux apps could become more available and negate your need for windows.

I think a basic definitiion is a lot simpler. A netbook imo is a laptop that you use almost exclusively for connecting to the *net. It has all the capabilities a normal laptop would if it was used for only connecting to the *net, looses all the added laptop features that aren't needed and gains features that make it more portable (such as size, weight, battery life and cost).

I think the wikipedia definition is pretty close to that too: "A netbook is a light-weight, low-cost, energy-efficient, highly portable laptop suitable for web browsing, email and general purpose applications"

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Karl Bastian — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:37:07 -0000

I have a MacBook Air and it is a dream machine and can do much, especially w/ MobileMe which gives you complete access and control of all your other machines, data, drives, etc. and how you can mirror data so whatever I di on Air is updated on all other Macs, its a whole lot more than just thin

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

ryantate — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:27:50 -0000

Thanks!

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

dave — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:17:27 -0000

I use plenty of non-web apps. I use the OPML Editor for writing and programming, I use a graphics program to edit photos (different on each platform). I use VLC to play movies and iTunes for music. Skype for phone calls. Remote Desktop Connection to manage servers. VMWare for Windows (on Mac) or Linux (on Windows). And on and on.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

ryantate — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:04:13 -0000

Regarding your point on vendor lock-in, is there any, with OS X or XP or anything else? -- aren't all the key apps you use on one of these things Web apps? So as long as there's Firefox or whatever browser you like, you're good to go.

Or if not what are they key desktop apps you tend to use. I ask because I don't own a netbook and am curious about why the OS is important if I do buy one.

(On my laptop I use the Web for my mail and rss apps, and would gladly switch for music (if I didnt have so many DRMed itunes tracks) and image editing (but I need blur) and video editing (not yet a Web thing, but who does that on a netbook). And Web post writing (ecto).)

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

Don McArthur — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:38:48 -0000

The purpose of Vista is Digital Rights Management (DRM). Until the relationship between MS and the RIAA and the MPAA is made clear, any decisions Redmond might make regarding XP are going to be the opposite of transparent.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

teradome — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:29:33 -0000

Well, I used to lust after the Atari Portfolio, so I've been waiting for small, cheap computing for a long time, and it probably why I've stuck with Nokia Maemo for so long. They're more like the new category than I think netbooks are, but what I like about netbooks is that they prove that there are certain basic use-cases out there that computers (and subsequently services) can focus on and provide value to most people without having to be expensive or overpowered in ways users don't need. My problem with Apple is that they take all those items that we should freely be able to edit and modify on the fly and shove them into locked boxes.

Re: What is a netbook? (Scripting News)

ampressman — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:44:51 -0000

I think I get what you're getting at but aren't you being perhaps just a tad too specific with some of these required specs. So no SD reader and it's not a netbook? Only two USB ports and it's not good enough? So HP's Mini-note isn't a netbook because it has 2 USb ports and an Expresscard reader instead of SD? And what about HP's newer Mini 1000 and Lenovo's Ideapad S10 - only 2 USB ports. Or the Toshiba NB100 - no SD reader? Also I'd add having a fixed keyboard and a web cam...