Netbooks have taken the PC world by storm, as indicated by big sales numbers. The genre grew from a single ground-breaking (not wallet-busting) model, the EEE PC, to the dozens of models shipping today. There have been discussions claiming that netbooks are stealing notebook sales, and others addressing the opposite point of view. Recent sales numbers show a slowing of netbook shipments and Dwight Silverman of Techblog recently pointed out that this slowdown could portend the end of the netbook fad.
Dwight is a personal friend and he really knows his stuff, so when he says something I am prone to listen. The possible fall of the mighty little netbook is not something I think we'[re beginning to see but, Dwight makes some good points toward that possibility.
He gives himself some wiggle room by pointing out that the poor economy may be to blame for the falling netbook sales. I believe that has everything to do with them and it’s only prudent of Dwight to give himself an out if netbooks resurge.
Is the honeymoon that netbooks have enjoyed with new users over? The article puts forth that possibility, and rightly so; some folks I’ve spoken with were originally enamored with the little notebooks but quickly got tired of the compromises they bring to the table. I don’t find them overly compromised but as we often see that is in the eyes of the beholder, and what one sees as a “feature” another will call a “deal breaker.”
Dwight goes on to point out that “regular” notebooks are coming down in price and consumers often can pick up a “full” notebook for just a bit more than a netbook. This is certainly true but has been for a while, so I’m not so sure this would cause fascination with netbooks to diminish. Me, I think it’s the economy that has sales slowing down. Sales are slumping in just about every high-dollar industry and this is no exception. It’s good food for thought, though.
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