Netbooks are the Next Gaming Platform

Some people hear netbook and they think notebook. That is not entirely accurate. A netbook is basically a small, ultra-portable laptop or notebook with a low price point.

Unfortunately, there is no absolute hardware definition for a netbook. They run regular computer operating systems (OS) and software. They are not mobile devices like an iPhone or a Blackberry that must use a specialized OS. Their core functionality is general Internet use, email, web browsing, office productivity software, and other tasks for which portability is a major asset.

They tend to weigh about 2 pounds, have 4 or more hours of battery life, and feature built in options for internet access - usually some or all of the following: wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi.

For an in depth comparison of netbooks and laptops, I recommend this article: Netbooks vs. Laptops.

click to enlarge

Netbooks matter because they represent one of the fastest sectors of the computer hardware market. Over 14 million Netbooks were sold in 2008, and that is just the beginning. As recently reported by Reuters:

Global shipments of personal computer processors fell more than 11 percent in the fourth quarter but netbook sales are expected to more than double this year to about 35 million units, according to analysts.

Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, expects to sell at least 50 percent more of its Atom chips for netbooks and other mobile Internet devices this year than it did in 2008

For more information on Intel's take on the netbook: Netbook vs. Notebook - from Intel's Perspective.

Early on, many if not most netbooks shipped with a version of Linux called Ubuntu. This choice was made for two major reasons: (1) Lower system requirements needed to run the OS, (2) Ubuntu is free. Linux was well suited to the netbook since it helped keep costs down and could run on the generally weaker hardware common in netbooks.

When netbooks started to pick up in popularity, Intel and Microsoft made moves that changed things dramatically. Intel ramped up its development of the Atom processor (mentioned above), and Microsoft began licensing copies of Windows XP for a lower than usual price on netbooks. Microsoft wisely saw the potential threat of 14-35 million new Linux users. By the end of 2008, it is estimated that 80% of netbooks were running Windows XP.