Netbooks: A cure for Internet Addiction

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I thought I had uncovered the mother of all typos when I was recently perusing the computer section of the Best Buy website and eyed a heading for “Netbooks”. Silly Best Buy web editor, I thought, it’s Notebooks not Netbooks!

Wrong. Netbooks do exist.

‘Netbook’ is a neologism that identifies a new breed of computers. The term is obviously a

combination of the words ‘internet’ and ‘notebook’. A Netbook is a mini laptop used primarily for internet browsing. These lightweight PCs are small in size, making them convenient for portable use. The average screen size of a netbook is 7 to 8 inches. However, the size of hard drive space (an average of 1GB) pales in comparison to that of average laptops and desktops.

Critics of the Netbook cite that the keyboards can be awkward to type on, screen resolution is low and some models are slower than the average computer.

Despite negative reviews, Netbook sales are projected to climb in 2009. Dell®, HP®, Acer® and Sony® have already launched first generation models. So if you are in search of a small computer, and the internet is just as important to you as oxygen, consider buying a Netbook.

Contributed by Laine Beyerl