Netbooks make people look ridiculous.

[FX120]

I've got a S10 that I use mainly in my car for maps, web and music, it's a great little machine, really hand to have on long drives and when I am sitting around waiting for a client to show up at a jobsite.

It's no replacement for my T500, but for what I need it to do it's hard to think of a better choice.

It's also handy to toss in the toolbag when I need to interface with a Protea or other rackmounted audio processor.

 

[zap2]

Meh, I had an Acer Aspire One for college, and the thing was garbage. I hated it. Horrible quality parts, awful trackpad, cramped keyboard, and it did look goofy. My Macbook Air is much better for carrying around without being crippled by garbage hardware, small screens, subpar battery life, and an overall poor user experience. Apple spoiled me to the point where using a netbook is actually a bad experience and one I will never return to, unless the quality of the products swings while keeping that 'zomg it was SOOO cheap' price.

Ick.

One product doesn't represent the whole market(not saying netbooks are for you)

The fact that anyone looks any way means they care about how they look. Think about it.

No, not at all...you can buy a laptop, and not care how it looks...and it will "look" like something to people

 

[niuniu]

I know why Apple doesn't want to make netbooks now--they make their users look goofy! I've never seen people using them at my campus until today. There was a girl in the dining hall using an Aspire One and she looked absolutely ridiculous hunched over the tiny computer trying to peck out an email. Right now, there's a guy sitting at a table across from me at the library using an Eee.. and he also looks totally nuts, like he's using a little toy.

Why would you use such a small thing just to save a couple pounds of weight? I mean, it might be useful to throw in a purse/man-bag, but that just seems like such a niche usage.

This is a really small minded post. They should sticky this as an example of pre-rational thought.

 

[coupdetat]

This is a really small minded post. They should sticky this as an example of pre-rational thought.

Yikes, why so personal?

 

[niuniu]

Yikes, why so personal?

Oh not having a dig at you, I really do mean that the post was an example of pre-rational thought and should be stickied

Don't take it personally, it's just a very good example of a post that ignores all the positive qualities of a thing and focuses on a feeling or impulse a person has and they go on a rant.

 

[.Andy]

Yikes, why so personal?

I'm surprised you have time to post in this thread again given how cool your MBA makes you look. I thought you'd be off continually having sex.

 

[SkyBell]

I've been considering selling my iBook G4 and picking up an HP Mini for a while. It would definitely fit me, the heaviest work I do on my iBook is a little audio editing with Audacity, I'm sure a netbook can handle that. All I need a laptop to do is surf the web, run iTunes and chat. Now that I have a functional desktop, I don't need my laptop to be my main machine anymore, and a netbook would work perfectly for me. It's a tough decision.

Netbooks have a use, otherwise people wouldn't be buying them.

 

[SteveMobs]

Idea for new thread: Fat people using netbooks, haha.

When I see fat people hunched over netbooks they remind me of the dad dude from the incredibles.

 

[danny_w]

I've been considering selling my iBook G4 and picking up an HP Mini for a while. It would definitely fit me, the heaviest work I do on my iBook is a little audio editing with Audacity, I'm sure a netbook can handle that. All I need a laptop to do is surf the web, run iTunes and chat. Now that I have a functional desktop, I don't need my laptop to be my main machine anymore, and a netbook would work perfectly for me. It's a tough decision.

Netbooks have a use, otherwise people wouldn't be buying them.

That is exactly why I got my netbook. I got tired of using a Macbook as a desktop; even though it was powerful enough there were all the attendant cables to hookup, if it froze (which it did occasionally) I had to open it to power cycle and then wait for it to boot before closing the screen, etc, etc, etc. I rarely used it as a laptop and realized that a netbook would suit me fine for the occasional time that I might need a laptop. So I sold the Macbook, and bought an iMac 24" and a netbook. I should have done this a long time ago.

 

[GroovyLinuxGuy]

I carry mine alot when I go out. Bored at work, head to a coffee shop and bang out some code there on my Acer Aspire One (Running Ubuntu, 1.5 GB Ram 8GB HD). If I need to read a pdf, or respond to an email...well , I don't have to pull out my MBP, wait for it to boot up while I reach around it to try and find my coffee. Plus, it fits in the helmet container of my scooter...so i don't have to strap it to my rack (great for rainy days!) Will it replace my Mac? nope, but it sure is a good addition heck...if I want to run OS X on it...I can just remote desktop/ssh into my mac from where ever i am...

I'm not concerned with needing to look cool, hip, whatever...I just want to get stuff done and enjoy my coffee...netbooks let me do that...

Cheers

 

[JNB]

I'd just like to see figures on how many netbook users are still using them three years later (assuming it still works, of course).

 

[dmmcintyre3]

I'd just like to see figures on how many netbook users are still using them three years later (assuming it still works, of course).

That would be good to know. I wonder how many people have gone through who have bought them in 3 years

 

[zap2]

I don't think "netbooks" have been around for three years(I'd say the first one "netbook"(as we're using it know) was the EEE PC 701, which shipped late 2007)

But I don't think these sales are going to go anyway anytime soon...they only seem to be getting better.

 

[michael.lauden]

I don't think "netbooks" have been around for three years(I'd say the first one "netbook"(as we're using it know) was the EEE PC 701, which shipped late 2007)

But I don't think these sales are going to go anyway anytime soon...they only seem to be getting better.

i mean it's hard not to buy a computer for the price of an iPod. i do think people look a little ridiculous but if and when i get my Dell mini 9 and drop OS X on to it... i will love it.

i am on 2-3 planes a month and go for 10 hour+ car rides every 4-6 weeks... so while having a MacBook is very nice, sometimes, i'd rather have something crappier, that still has Coda, Safari, iChat, iCal and Mail on it

 

[JNB]

I don't think "netbooks" have been around for three years(I'd say the first one "netbook"(as we're using it know) was the EEE PC 701, which shipped late 2007)

But I don't think these sales are going to go anyway anytime soon...they only seem to be getting better.

I didn't say they were three years old, I said I'd like to see who's still using them three years later. As in, three years from date of purchase. My belief is that the majority will not be in use, either from equipment failure (small but larger than comparative notebook percentage) or lack of the machine to live up to expectations or actual needs (greater percentage).

There will likely always be a subset of the population for whom the netbook is the perfect fit. For the majority jumping on the low price/form factor bandwagon however, I'd bet a dollar to a donut that they're going to find them to be of little to no use for what they intended, like the much-heralded tablet craze that flamed out rather spectacularly.

 

[flopticalcube]

I've been shopping for one but the ones that look the sturdiest are really more umpc's and are priced accordingly. I'm am slowly beginning to thing Steve might be right on this one.

 

[localoid]

Interestingly enough, about the time when Steve Jobs made his statement about netbooks ("not a lot of them... getting sold") 5.6 million netbooks were sold, while only 4.7 million iPhones were shipped during the same period (Q3 2008). Source

 

[zap2]

I didn't say they were three years old, I said I'd like to see who's still using them three years later. As in, three years from date of purchase

I know....my point was, we aren't there quite yet(at a three year point)

My belief is that the majority will not be in use, either from equipment failure (small but larger than comparative notebook percentage) or lack of the machine to live up to expectations or actual needs (greater percentage).

I don't know of any stats to back that up(personally)...but I would defly be interested in data speaking to those ideas

There will likely always be a subset of the population for whom the netbook is the perfect fit. For the majority jumping on the low price/form factor bandwagon however, I'd bet a dollar to a donut that they're going to find them to be of little to no use for what they intended, like the much-heralded tablet craze that flamed out rather spectacularly.

Well until we have data to support that claim, it will remain a fairly baseless assumption.

 

[JNB]

I know....my point was, we aren't there quite yet(at a three year point)

I don't know of any stats to back that up(personally)...but I would defly be interested in data speaking to those ideas

Well until we have data to support that claim, it will remain a fairly baseless assumption.

I didn't stutter.

I never made a claim subject to or claiming a quantitative basis or validity. I stated an interest in seeing future data, and two personal beliefs regarding the state of the market (as in opinions). No assumptions, hypotheses, or theories. Nothing more, nothing less. Unlike many posters in the wild, I actually pick my words carefully and specifically. Please do the same in reading them.

 

[dsnort]

Am I the only that finds it slightly ironic that this thread was probably started on a computer with a glowing half eaten piece of fruit on the back of it?

 

[zap2]

I didn't stutter.

I never made a claim subject to or claiming a quantitative basis or validity. I stated an interest in seeing future data, and two personal beliefs regarding the state of the market (as in opinions). No assumptions, hypotheses, or theories. Nothing more, nothing less. Unlike many posters in the wild, I actually pick my words carefully and specifically. Please do the same in reading them.

Well I don't know why you'd have a personal belief based off no real evidence...I would call that an "assumption".

I'm eager to see data too, but I'll hold back and avoid wagering based on my gut.

(I never talked about you having "hypotheses or theories", so I'm not sure why you brought those up terms up, perhaps you should spend a little less time questioning my reading skills )

 

[Eidorian]

The HP dv2 now comes with a dual core option for a few dollars more. The price dropped to $599 stock as well.

 

[RumorHasIt....]

What a crock!

Meh, I had an Acer Aspire One for college, and the thing was garbage. I hated it. Horrible quality parts, awful trackpad, cramped keyboard, and it did look goofy. My Macbook Air is much better for carrying around without being crippled by garbage hardware, small screens, subpar battery life, and an overall poor user experience. Apple spoiled me to the point where using a netbook is actually a bad experience and one I will never return to, unless the quality of the products swings while keeping that 'zomg it was SOOO cheap' price.

Ick.

I bought my sister an Aspire One and it is a very solid netbook. The build is strong and the screen is better than my 1st gen macbook. It's a very snappy performer.

To the OP, I'm sorry you're so concerned with how you look to other people (believe me, you are lucky that you can't read their minds!). Also, since netbooks are so popular, you might want to try one. Maybe, just maybe, someone might compliment you.

Sorry to break the news, but no one thinks you're cool because you have a mac!

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I can see Netbook usage and how they are useful for some people.

I used to think weight and size did not matter much to me then I learned what it was like to carry around a heavy backpack all day running from class to class. Dropping 1-2 lb made a huge difference to me. So in a laptop I would say just dropping the weight makes a big difference

Now is a netbook for me. Hell no. For personal use I would hate them. I like the 13-15 in screens. Hell the MBA is to under power for my taste.

In the end it is a balancing act between weight and what you want. For me I willing to add extra weight and little extra size for a larger screen, more HD space and an optical drive. but that is just me.

 

[windywoo]

ike the much-heralded tablet craze that flamed out rather spectacularly.

Tablets may have had a lot of hype, but they never had sales. Netbooks have those sales, and didn't have the hype. The success of the eePC was what caused all the other manufacturers to play catch up. The hype came after the success.