Microsoft Killed the Netbook – not the Tablet
What we have here is a case of the victors writing the history book. We learned recently that Dell decided to discontinue selling Netbooks. Netbooks? You remember them – the small, inexpensive notebook-like computers with a lightweight operating system. They came in a few different flavors of Windows and Linux. They were the rage a […]
When Innovation Backfires. MSI’s Dual-screen eSomething
I love innovation – just not innovation for the sake of innovation. It should be useful – and when I look at MSI’s dual-screen eReader – Netbook – Whatever, I seriously question the usability. Multipurpose devices do make sense, especially when it comes to the one-little-thing you carry in your pocket: it’s great not having […]
Bought a Netbook or Super-slim Notebook? The “Free” Windows 7 Upgrade May Cost You a Bunch.
It’s back-to-school time, and there are some amazing bargains if you’re looking for new laptops: following Walmart, just about all major retailers offer at least one sub $300 model – a bit underpowered, if you ask me, but for $100 more you can get fairly powerful computers, still below the $500 treshold. Netbooks are no […]
The New Lenovo: Nice Hardware, Dumb Support
Lenovo, home of the (formerly IBM) Thinkpad’s is not exactly known as a price leader: those Thinkpads have a great reputation and a matching price-tag. But times are changing, and Lenovo is becoming budget-friendly: the recently announced Ideapad U series, the G550, and the all-in-one Ideacentre are all “cool” computers with an attractive price. For […]
Intel Relaxes Rules on NetBook Resolution. Next Obstacle is Screen Size
I often spoke up against idiotic screen size / resolution limits that render Netbooks close to useless, yet the de facto industry standard appears to be 1024 x 600. What’s wrong with that? Well, nothing, unless you plan to browse, or in fact interact with web sites, since websites today are designed at a resolution […]
Confessions of a Gen X-er – Screen Size Matters
It pains me to say it but I’m a Gen X-er – admittedly I’m towards the younger end of Gen X but I’m there nonetheless. As such I’m no doubt seen as prehistoric, decrepit and pretty much due for the scrap heap. Despite all of this I’m fairly certain I’ve got a couple of years […]
Thinkfree Releases Netbook Edition For All Major Operating Systems
Thinkfree is taking a multi-pronged approach to establish themselves as a credible alternative to Microsoft Office. They have an online edition, they have a desktop suite, they have an Android version, they have a MID version, they have a standard server edition, they even have an enterprise server edition with powerful collaboration features and they […]
Microsoft Bans Netbook Use When the Sun is Shining, the Sky is Blue and on Weekends
Which is about now… so in compliance, I am typing this on a desktop. Joke apart, the latest Decree From The Monopolist: hybrid netbooks (both SSD and harddisk) are banned from sale with Windows XP Home edition. No kidding. Nothing new, of course, just another attempt in a series of blows by Microsoft to try […]
LCSNPC – So Much More Friendly than Netbook. Thank You, Microsoft
(This is an image-only post, sorry if it did not properly come through in your feed reader) Related posts: Microsoft to use a new term for netbook Microsoft Wants to Rebrand Netbooks ‘Low-Cost Small Notebook PCs’ MS redefines “netbook” to push up Win 7 price Microsoft Says That The Term ‘Netbook’ Should Be Abandoned Microsoft: […]
Screen Size: The Next Plan to Cripple Netbooks in Order to Protect a Dying Market
The proliferation of affordable netbooks is good for everyone – consumers, that is. Computer manufacturers loath it (high volume, low margin business) and so does Microsoft: they can’t exactly sell $100+ worth of software on a $200 machine. So they come up with all sorts of evil plans. First there was the Windows 7 plan: […]
Microsoft’s About-Face on Windows 7: Three-App Limit on Netbooks (Perhaps) Removed
A few months ago I predicted Microsoft would be facing lawsuits due to the 3-app limitation of Windows 7 Starter Edition, or more precisely due to less than full disclosure on sales of netbooks crippled by Win7. The Wall Street Journal did not go as far as lawsuits, but it called it a big gamble: […]
How Many Computers Does The World Really Need? There Are Two Answers.
Legendary IBM Chairman & CEO Thomas Watson declared in 1943: I think there is a world market for maybe five computers. The fact the famous quote is likely incorrectly attributed to him is immaterial. 80 or years later the World may just prove him (or whoever said this) right. According to Microsoft research chief Rick […]
How Google Made Me a Netbook Expert
I’m amazed at the traffic we’re getting to an earlier post of mine: Netbook or Notebook? It’s Not Only About Size. Yes, I am quite passionate about the subject, but am by far not the ultimate expert. But God’s Google’s Mysterious Ways can produce unpredictable results: For some reason my old post comes up on […]
Don’t Bury Desktops Just Yet
As laptops dominate, desktop PCs face obsolescence – reports Reuters: The age of the desktop PC appears to be over as its more portable cousin, the laptop, surges ahead with consumers clamoring for light-weight computers in funky designs for use at home, in cafes and on the train to work. Not a single desktop model […]
Alert: Your Computers Are Slowly Killing Themselves
How old is your work computer? – asks the Wall Street Journal. Mine is a year-and-a half old. The dual-core former screamer (obviously not the one the the pic to the right) has become an average slow machine now that quad-core is the standard, but I could not care less. I don’t need a faster, […]
