We’ve been wondering lately whether the market for netbooks and smartbooks will lean more toward the consumer or the business person. The answer, according to our informal survey, appears to be that it will appeal to both segments. A lot seems to depend on whether users are willing to live with the tradeoffs. Take a look…
Independent marketing/communications manager
I have a love-hate relationship with it. I love that it’s compact and mobile, the solid-state hard drive and it’s a great e-mail/browsing appliance. I hate the small SSD drive (16GB), and that the keyboard is too small. I don’t use it to create office-type documents but I view documents or create them online with Google Docs. The laptop has actually been relegated to the role of digital picture frame and jukebox, and the netbook has become an extended tool to my mobile phone.
Owner, small consulting firm
I got one for my 9-year old daughter. I can’t imagine using one personally but for a kid they’re perfect.
IT security project manager, small networking company
I have an Eee PC 901go and find it very useful. It’s small, lightweight and always has an Internet connection.
Senior IT project coordinator, large trucking company
I love my netbook! It has a super USB drive, express PCI card, almost-full keyboard and built-in camera. Processing speed is ok, not enough for intense applications like games. What else can I ask for in a little computer that fits in my purse?
Independent IT consultant
Netbooks are suitable as a second laptop, not a primary. So I lowered my expectations for netbooks and wound up being satisfied. But I wouldn’t recommend Windows Vista on netbooks. It’s too slow and resource-demanding.
Computer support specialist, student
I picked up a cheap Asus netbook, with no webcam and a 4GB SSD drive. I intensely disliked the bundled OS, so I put Ubuntu on an 8GB SD card and set it to back up my data to the SSD so that when the SD card inevitably dies I can swap cards, reinstall the OS restore from the SSD and continue on my merry way. I’m a student, so weight was a major factor. It weighs less than almost any textbook.
Director project management, small consultancy
We checked out a variety of netbooks and all were cheap, poor quality, lower processing power and only slightly cheaper than an entry-level laptop. I ended up with the entry-point MacBook Pro. I know there are people who will love netbooks for their portability but the argument for lightweight, underpowered, throwaway plastic just doesn’t resonate with me.
Senior Programmer, large IT staffing company
Netbooks are a great alternative to a Blackberry or even (gasp!) an iPhone. It is not as powerful as a large laptop or desktop but it’s much easier to carry around especially at airports.
Owner, small managed services company
Some things I hate about netbooks: never enough processing power, never ergonomic. They’re unusable for me. I ditched it for a PDA and desktop.
Independent Consultant
I use a very basic netbook with an SSD drive, Linux OS and Open Office. I have traveled extensively with this and find that the light weight and robust character allow me to take this with me everywhere. I retain its big brother computer at the office with some programs that are not on the netbook.
Worldwide Marketing Manager, large technology company
I love my little netbook. I bought a Lenovo for my daughter, but it ends up getting passed around the household to look up something quick on Google, or to update a Facebook entry. It complements my iPhone when I want to see something on a larger screen. Plus, the netbook is much more practical for true word processing. The netbook overrode my potential purchase of a desktop or the reallocation of an older desktop.
Chief Security Officer, small software company
Netbooks are great for portability. They’re easy to hold in one hand while typing with the other. They have great battery life and even run well with an encrypted hard drive. However, I ended up switching off to a real laptop because the netbook could not play flash and videos well and VMWare/VirtualBox ran horribly on it.
Technical Lead, large technology company
Netbooks are not meant for professionals. In the US where most households already have two or more computers, a consumer will buy a new one for upgrade or some special needs. If you ask my kid, who got one last year, she loves it. She enjoys sending e-mail, playing Webkins and practicing typing.
Lisa
