The Snapdragon Smartbook that Qualcomm is readying for mass distribution has me excited, I must admit. The early looks we’ve gotten of these new mobile devices show a great deal of promise for the mobile worker who needs a light but capable tool for working on the run. Having a good premise is not a guarantee of success in the mobile world, as we’ve seen time and again, so here are my thoughts on what Qualcomm and their partners must do to ensure Smartbooks make the jump from good idea to successful product.
To understand what Smartbooks must offer, you first must understand what they are. I like the term Smartbook to describe the product — it’s new and differentiates it from netbooks. The Smartbook is a companion device that is not intended to replace a main computer. It is a highly mobile notebook-like device that has a totally different hardware base that can work in a mobile environment much better than conventional netbooks. The Snapdragon engine is similar to that in high-end smartphones in that it is basically always on, yet is designed to run for long periods due to a good standby mode. It is the first notebook engine that has a real shot at all-day use without having a massive, heavy battery inside. The Snapdragon-powered Smartbook can easily have thoroughly integrated communication functions, making these true mobile workstations that need nothing else to be connected to our online life.
The communication ability of Smartbooks is, thus, key to making them have a shot at succeeding in areas where even netbooks fail. They can be a true highly mobile notebook that can be opened and on the web in just a few seconds. This is the primary area that Qualcomm must perfect to give Smartbooks a real chance at success. This means that, no matter what OS is used to run the Smartbook, the online experience must be bullet-proof and free of compromises compared with other devices already available.
Key to this communication function — the Smartbook browser must be as good as those found on the desktop. Firefox would be the obvious way to go, but it must be the full desktop version, complete with the ability to handle all add-ons. This is critical to make sure that the Smartbook can be a full mobile tool for getting online. I have seen many mobile devices that fail in this area, and it is a real killer as a result. The online experience of the Smartbook must be as robust as that on the desktop, and it shouldn’t be that hard to do, given the tools are already available today. The online environment should be fully integrated with the major social networks, Twitter, Facebook, and the like. People need to see the Smartbook as just like their phone, only more capable.
The basic operating environment of the Smartbook is also important to how well it will be received. It doesn’t need Windows compatibility, as far as programs are concerned, but it does need a solid package that provides all of the common functions that consumers need from a notebook. This package should allow light document work out of the box, word processing, spreadsheet and presentations at a bare minimum. Microsoft Office compatibility is crucial in this regard, so users can take the Smartbook out of the box and get stuff done.
While Linux is a solid platform that can provide these necessary duties, for the Smartbook to succeed, the OS must be fully self-contained and ready to roll from first boot. Techies will certainly be adding features and programs to the Smartbook, as they do with every device they use, but regular consumers need it to be fully functional from the get-go. It must be “power and play” for mainstream acceptance, and I can’t stress strongly enough how important this is. Users should be able to get fully productive in just minutes of getting a Smartbook turned on, and they shouldn’t need to do anything else to get there.

NEC Handheld PC
This analysis is by no means complete; it’s intended to put forth what I feel is the bare minimum a Smartbook must offer to have a chance in the market. You have to remember that this type of gadget is actually nothing new — the old Microsoft Handheld PC of years past had a similar form factor and attempted to do the same things the Smartbook will try to do. Where the Handheld PC failed was in the platform shortcomings. Windows CE was not robust enough back then to do what users needed to do, and the devices were too expensive considering they were less than full computers.
That brings me to the final thing that Smartbooks must offer to have a chance — low price. I’m talking in the $200 range, as netbooks are already approaching that low price point and consumers will be making that comparison. Should they buy a netbook which is a full computer, or should they take a chance on a new type of device like the Smartbook? A low price is vital for making them take a good, hard look at the Smartbook over the netbook. Once you have them hooked on value, you can make the case for the advantages.
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