Let’s talk about netbooks, the small form, low-cost mini-laptop phenomenon that Asus kicked off a few years back with its Eee PC. As CNet reported this summer:
Netbooks are projected to grab a 20 percent share of the worldwide market for 2009, according to a report released Monday by researcher DisplaySearch
I have to admit it, I jumped in way too early in this category – ordering, in late 2007, one of the first Eee PCs (a 2GB Surf). I loved the idea behind it, but in practice found the keyboard too small for my fingers, and was no fan of the Linux OS it shipped with. It had a 7” screen that seemed like it was getting bullied by the speakers on either side.
Also, uh, let’s just say I thought I was getting a dark blue one, and instead a light aqua one arrived, and that the CEDIA dealers who saw me using this to write blog updates from tradeshows were particularly ruthless in their mockery.
Above: My manly 2 GB surf….
The category has come a long way since that time. I spent some time at a big box retailer recently trying out the variety of netbooks now available. Keyboards and screens have gotten larger, but for the most part, they are still coming in under 3 lbs. And, I find I still love the idea.
Mostly, I like the idea of a very portable tool I can take with me when my travels won’t involve video editing or photo manipulation. I like how easily it moves around the house – next to the reading chair or on my night stand.
The new era of netbooks that add Nvidia’s Ion graphics processor to the mix suggests a whole new reason to like the idea: the netbook: as another element of the Media Center ecosystem in my house.
A search on TGB shows folks have been toying with Media Center/netbook scenarios since they first launched, but I’ve not found anyone posting to the site about their experiences running a netbook with the Ion processor and Win7 Home Premium.
So while my use case is not entirely media-focused (for example, I don’t envision watching live TV on it), I do like the idea that I can add it to my HomeGroup and watch our backlog of recorded TV, or access our music collection and pictures. When my kiddos are home sick from school, I can bring it into their room and let them watch recorded TV, stream movies from Netflix or play Cartoon Network games on it.
Nvidia’s website shows three models currently available – HP’s Mini 311, Lenovo Ideapad S12 and a Samsung N510 with the Ion included. Of these, I could only find the HP and Lenovo actually for sale, and I should note that these beefed up specs mean a beefed up price – pushing the low-cost netbook into laptop-pricing territory.
I’m leaning toward the HP at the moment. Of the three, it is the only one offering any significant customization options, including Wireless-N, which I would have thought would be a no-brainer for a device whose primary purpose is Internet connectivity. Other than the cost, there’s really only one thing holding me back: They only come with these swirly-circle designs on them:
Above: Do I have to?
Have any of you jumped on an Ion netbook yet, or planning to? Have you integrated a netbook into your Media Center ecosystems? What were your results? What advice can share? If necessary, talk me off the edge before I drop five bills, peeps.
