Steve Jobs has famously dissed netbooks. But on the surface at least, the new 11.6-inch MacBook Air ultraportable looks like a netbook--albeit an extremely sexy one.
Asus, Dell, HP, and others have introduced netbooks with 11-inch and, in a few cases, 12-inch screens. These netbooks typically weigh about 2.5 to 3.5 pounds; the MacBook Air 11-incher weighs 2.3 pounds. Netbooks have long battery life, often up to 7 or 8 hours; Apple's 11-inch ultraportable reportedly gets up to 5 hours (says Apple).
This is where the comparisons mostly end. For instance, most netbooks use hard drives for storage and cost $300 to $600. Apple's new MacBook Air laptops use flash drives for storage. Prices start at $999 and go up to $1199 or more for the 11-inch models.
Ultimately, the MacBook Air's similarities to netbooks are superficial at their deepest.
More to the point, the 11-inch MacBook Air presents Apple fans who are frequent travelers with a new quandry: Travel with an iPad (and perhaps a physical keyboard) or an 11-inch MacBook Air? I suspect the answer for many Apple fanboys and girls will be: Both. And I can't say I'd blame them.
I'm at the SMX conference this week in New York, taking notes in sessions on an iPad with the Apple iPad keyboard dock.
Apparently I'm also causing iPad envy, according to several of my fellow attendees.
I've seen a dozen or more people toting iPads instead of netbooks and laptops at the conference. But I've only seen one other person using an iPad in combination with a physical keyboard to take notes during sessions.
I think it's because most people don't yet trust their iPad to do what a netbook or laptop does. I was skeptical, too, about leaving my MacBook Air at home. Actually, I was downright nervous about it. But I'm really I'm glad I did. Here's why.
* The wireless network at the Javits center, the conference site, has been a challenge to use. Most attendees, including me, have not had much luck getting onto the Javitz Wi-Fi network. Fortunately, my iPad's 3G connection is working just fine.
* Oddly enough, the wireless network at my hotel (the Pod) hasn't been working properly either. Again, not something I've had to worry about, because of my 3G iPad.
* I suspected there wouldn't be power ports available to most attendees in the Javits conference rooms. Sadly, I was right. My MacBook Air laptop's battery conks out after about 2.5 hours. But it's nearly 5 p.m. Eastern time as I write this. I've been taking notes since this morning. And my iPad battery is still 46 percent charged.
The main downside I've experienced so far: The majority of rows in the conference rooms don't have tables. So when I've arrived late to a crowded session, I've had to type notes directly on my iPad, because, well, my lap isn't stable enough to balance the iPad and the keyboard dock. And typing notes quickly on an iPad isn't a great experience.
So the next time you attend a conference, consider leaving the netbook or laptop at home. You might inspire iPad envy. More importantly, you'll travel lightly (the iPad and keyboard dock together weigh just under 3 pounds). You'll be able to keep typing without a power outlet. And you might even have a more reliable Internet connection. (Who knew an AT&T 3G connection would be more reliable than Wi-Fi?)
Like sex, conflict sells. Which helps explain recent stories in print and online posing the question, 'Is the iPad a netbook killer?,' and such.
Many bloggers and journalists love to pit one entity against another: Apple vs. Adobe, Google vs. Microsoft, Windows vs. Mac, and so on. Why? Because readers love conflict. They want to see who wins and how they win. Conflict creates friction, drama, intrigue.
But the iPad vs. the netbook? I don't think so.
Fortune and others have pointed out that netbook sales dipped as the iPad became available.
But I'm with Renee Oricchio, who writes for Inc.: "Netbooks are here to stay. Clearly, so is the iPad. One will not supplant the other."
I own both an iPad and a Samsung netbook. And as much as I loves me some iPad, I have serious reservations about traveling with it in lieu of a netbook or laptop. The iPad is bound by too many limitations at this point. Working with Google Docs, for instance, is difficult at best, and I'm increasingly working in Google Docs with colleagues and clients. Plus, you can't prop an iPad and a Bluetooth keyboard in your lap to get some serious work done while waiting for a flight. And you probably can't get away using a Bluetooth keyboard connected to your iPad during a flight--most airlines won't allow you to use Bluetooth devices in the air.
The iPad would make a great vacation computer--giving you access to email, the Internet, and streaming Netflix movies, while making it difficult to be productive. But for those times when I need to work on the road, I'll continue to take a netbook.
Last Sunday, I attended TWTRCON SF 09 in San Francisco, the first conference focused on Twitter. It was a long day. But I'm happy to report the Samsung N120 netbook I took lasted longer than I did.
Though power plugs were available to attendees in the Hotel Nikko conference room, I decided to push the netbook's battery as long as possible. Despite having Wi-Fi wireless networking on, the screen's brightness jacked all the way up, and frequent hard drive saves, the N120's 6-cell battery went for about 5 hours before I received a warning that only 10% of the battery's juice was left. Add that to what's probably the best netbook keyboard yet, and we have a winner, ladies and gentlemen.
My next stress test will be to play a video downloaded from iTunes. Video is a weak spot for many, but not all, netbooks. So far, the netbook that's performed the best in my video tests is the Asus Eee PC 1000HE.
As for the Twitter conference? Lots of interesting stuff. But I can't get the words of one analyst out of my mind: "Three years from now," he said during an on-stage panel discussion, "we'll laugh at ourselves for attending a Twitter conference."
Samsung has become the Octomom of netbook makers, dropping new models out every five minutes or so.
Just got my hands on the Samsung N120, which is getting kudos for having what's said to be the largest netbook keyboard yet. Truth be told, I don't know that the keyboard is physically any larger than those found on HP's Mini 1000 and Mini 2140 netbooks. But the N120 keyboard feels somehow a bit more spacious--just a bit. I do find it comfortable to type on.
Anyhow, of the netbooks I've tested so far, I'm liking the N120 the best. The screen is bright (and glossy, yes, but not obnoxiously so), and the speakers put out decent audio (for a netbook). A big bonus: You get a 6-cell battery, which should last you about five hours or so, maybe more, depending upon how you use it. But the battery doesn't protrude much; at least, not like the 6-cell batteries I've seen on other netbooks, like the HP Mini models.
I've seen the N120 for about $410 online at JR.com. That's a little pricey, but I think it's worth it. I've only had the Samsung in my greedy clutches for 2 days now, so take that into account.
Tip: If you buy a Samsung N120, get it from JR.com, because they have a 30 days return policy but don't charge you a restocking fee if you return it because you don't like it. The majority of online retailers, however, will hit you with a 15% restocking fee, unless the merchandise you're returning is defective or was shipped in error by the seller.
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