Rhombus
When Asus revealed the Eee PC for the first time, we were shocked at the form factor. The concept of a netbook was completely novel and it was great to think that we could have a laptop-like experience in a smaller package. The lower price point, relatively speaking, made for quite the enticing proposition too.
Unfortunately for all the netbook companies out there, the market has changed and the very concept of a netbook may soon be going the way of the dinosaur. Kaput. Kaboom. Goodbye.
This isn't the first time that I've approached this subject. Early last year, I asked if netbooks were already obsolete. At the time, I concluded that they may still have a place in the market and there are reasons why you should buy a netbook, but I think the market has shifted significantly in the last little while.
Three trends that seem to be spelling the demise of the netbook? Let me count the ways.
The Emergence of Cheap Laptops
When netbooks first hit the scene, there really wasn't such a thing as a $400 or $500 notebook. That has changed. Walk into any Future Shop and you'll be hit by a range of laptops in this price range, coming from all kinds of major companies like HP and Gateway. They're not as powerful as their most expensive counterparts, but they will outperform a typical netbook.
Yes, a 15-inch notebook isn't quite as compact as a 10-inch netbook, but it's still portable enough for most people. With that in mind, why would you spend $300 or so on an Acer Aspire One netbook when you can spend just a hair more and get a "real" laptop?
The Increased Popularity of Smartphones
Do you have an iPhone? BlackBerry? Android device? Guess what? You effectively have a lot of the functionality of a netbook in your pocket. No, these smartphones aren't quite the same as having a real laptop, but you can do a lot with these pocket-friendly handhelds that nullify many of the benefits of a netbook.
From checking email to updating Twitter, watching YouTube to browsing RSS feeds, smartphones can do that. And in the always-there 3G connectivity and always-there portability, having a netbook just doesn't seem as inviting anymore.
The Arrival of the Tablet Device
And this just might be the nail in the coffin. Again, the iPad isn't quite the same as having a real computer in front of you, but it can do a lot that you may have otherwise wanted to do on a netbook. Watch movies, surf the web, play games, and do whatever else.
Even the original netbook evangelists, Asus, seem to be shifting in this direction. The Taiwanese company says that netbook sales are down and that they're going to top up their profits with the upcoming Eee Pad tablet instead. The market is shifting and the netbook is dying.
What say you? Do you have a netbook? Why or why not?
