Comments on: Are Smartbooks off to the Wrong Start Already?

By: Mike Cane

Mike Cane — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:47:05 +0000

>>>it offers a touch-typable keyboard,

For you, maybe. Too shallow keypress for me.

Smartbooks are d-e-d already. 2010 will be Tablet Year.

By: Charbax

Charbax — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:47:55 +0000

ARM laptops will take close to 100% of the laptop and desktop market soon.

ARM Laptops are half the price, less than half the power consumption with or without Pixel Qi screens, half the weight and much more optimized.

I just filmed an 80 dollar Android smartbook http://techvideoblog.com/reviews/80-android-laptop-menq-easypc-e790/

By: gman

gman — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:31:03 +0000

The evidence is already out there about the future of smartbooks. Remember the first netbooks? Like 7-8.9 inches right? Well what happened to those? Pretty hard to find those in any best seller lists anywhere. In fact, who still makes that size netbook? Nobody. Reason? People want bigger keyboard and bigger screens. So, essentially the “in between” size that smartbook is attempting, has already been and passed. The reality is in the history. Been there done that. People said, no thanks. People don’t want to go less than 10 inches, and if they do, they have no need for typing, which is why they would get a smartphone instead. Pwned!

By: turn.self.off

turn.self.off — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:21:37 +0000

look up the redfly articles…

By: Blak

Blak — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:19:43 +0000

while the form factor is right, what about navigation? Android/WebOS (Jon has not ruled out a smartbook) were not made with mouse in mind, they require touch. JK/Kev have been bashing touch in a notebook form factor for years, but in this case i think it could work. it was more about UI than form factor, Windows is no good for notebook touch but webOS/Android could be.

although it would be nice if the screens swiveled around as well. but face it, your not going to swivel between slate/notebook every time you need to enter text. so there will almost have to be a touch screen on the notebook form factor.

By: turn.self.off

turn.self.off — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:04:24 +0000

i cant help wonder if the X86′s availability of existing windows and accompanying software is what doomed to to become just a small, under-powered laptop…

By: Luscious

Luscious — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:26:15 +0000

As I said yesterday, the HP Jornada/Psion 5mx design would fit the bill. It’s somewhat smaller than the Vaio P, but the Sony is a much more modern/thinner design on that very concept.

It’s evident that the size gap between smartphones and netbooks has yet to be conquered. In order for smartbooks to be truly useful (dare I say functional) manufacturers will need to cram the best features of smartphones/netbooks into this unique footprint. I would even go so far as to work on a rechargeable docking station to offer extra ports/jacks/juice.

Kevin is dead on regarding display size – it needs to be smaller than a 16:9 8″ screen, otherwise you’re getting right back to the netbook footprint. My recommendation? Do a 5 inch and a 7 inch version, or somewhere between. Sacrificing vertical screen real estate is not such a big deal either. The HD2 works at 800×480, most netbooks 1024×600, and the Vaio P 1600×768. I think 1280×600 or 1024×480 in a 5-7 inch smartbook would hit the bullseye.

Pricing it though is going to be difficult considering the best smartphones cost within $100 of netbooks. $300-plus for a HD2 is going to be a tough sell if the more functional smartbook is selling for $200. In my opinion, the sweetspot for pricing should be $200/$300/$400 for smartphone/smartbook/netbook respectively.

That’s my $0.02 ;)

By: alpo

alpo — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:43:29 +0000

The ultimate near-term answer to the features that Kevin wants is a smartphone w/ external wireless kbd and display. We are almost there w/ bluetooth to think outside kbd. We just need a display.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:40:40 +0000

Kevin and James (and everyone else) are right about the Vaio P form factor being a necessity. I am, however, going to remember Kevin’s quote describing a netbook as being “thick and heavy” ;)

By: James Kendrick

James Kendrick — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:03:43 +0000

I think Kevin is spot on, and I would add that the VAIO P form is what the smartbook needs to be. There’s no point making a netbook size, and yet a smartbook still needs a usable keyboard.

Without the keyboard, then a smartphone is good enough. Saves you from needing another device, and one with dedicated 3G connectivity to boot.