shit...apples getting more and more left out of this segment.

urbanturban666

Wasn't Sony actually the first into this market 12 years ago with the Picturebook? (Toshiba Libretto doesn't count - its way too fat)

How could they possibly be so slow to reenter a market they pretty much created?

icntdrv

They will pioneer the $3,500+ market...

sfokevin

@Dearhaw:

Oops, I meant to post that as a response to urbanturban666.

Dearhaw

Don't get me wrong; I'm an Apple fan, and if Apple put out a netbook (Macbook nano?) for $399 I'd snatch it up so fast your eyes would burn out just by looking from the friction I cause.

With that said, I can't see how anybody can be a true winner in this niche because... well, it's not a niche anymore, for one. Every PC maker and their cats want to participate in it. Second, by the very nature of this segment, they have to compete at a ridiculous price point. Face it, we all bitch about a netbook that's more than $499. But the tech that needs to go in it is pretty demanding, the CPU notwithstanding; everything has to be miniaturized, and I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of those tiny LCDs aren't so much lower than, say, a 13in monitor because of the sheer volume of the latter that get manufactured. They have to maintain a decent battery life, have enough ports and slots and have a decent keyboard that's as close to full size as possible, and yet have to be small, lightweight, and don't forget, aesthetically pleasing as well.

With those kind of taxing demands, there's no way they can churn up huge profits when they have to sell the damn things for $399 or lower. Especially when everybody wants in.

So it just might be a smarter move for Apple to stay out of this niche.

Dearhaw

if a "netbook" is just for surfing the net, my iphone works just fine (albeit the lack of flash support) and it's even more portable. i still haven't gotten round to the concept of a "netbook", ><

kenleewrites

Yes, Sony will blaze trails in the market by coming up with a solution JUST like everyone else has, make it poorly, and price it at $1000 for the same specs you can get elsewhere for $400.

Yay Sony!

SMSDHubbard

The idea of the netbook, as I understand it, has basically failed. The netbook is primarily bought as a cheap notebook. It's like a Toyota Echo when done right (and that's a compliment). But what the industry needs is real innovation, like the Macbook Air (without its CPU problems) or one of those Japanese subnotebooks. They need to release a netbook that is cheaper, of course, but still offers something new and exciting. Not just the same Atom processor, dim display and tiny trackpad. Unfortunately, only Apple currently has the software and hardware expertise to pull off something like this within the next year (the rumored MacTouch). It would be nice to see others in the game. Sony would be at the top of my list for surprising us with something unique (like their UX).

peacefulpony

@kenleewrites:
there not just for surfing the net, i play open arena (quake 3 rip) on my 4g eeepc. the netbook name just stuck with em...most of the built in apps were kinda web centric (im, browser, email, skype) and most people got em just to do petty low resource intensive computing tasks on the road. and there initial lack of storage suggested that you would not be able to carry all your mp3s and movies on them (but newer hdd models with higher capacities means i can carry more data for more apps and movie marathons on the road).

@Dearhaw:
500$ is the price point that "pc" makers have to meet. apple can get prolly get away with 800$+ (asus did) and theyll prolly sell like crazy (mac book air sorta did and look at its rip off price)...dual core atoms would help em out. since they dont ship with xp they dont have to build to specific requirements like netbook makers that ship with xp do. having more than a gig of ram built in would be nice.

think of it like this... all apple has to do is take the common netbook platform (example an aspire one 120gig for 350$) add a gig more ram and a dual core atom and a sleeker case maybe even some newer chipsets (+150(guess) = 500) and slap on osx and some support (+300(?)= 800$ish).

if people can lap up the overpriced macbook air then a netbook that costs around the same as a high end asus netbook or low end kohjinsha might not seem that bad.

apple buyers dont seem to mind paying extra so let em.

urbanturban666

@icntdrv: Gotta agree. Sony was in this YEARS ago with the Picturebook. I own a C1X and a C1VPK, and am thrilled the rest of the world has finally caught on.

57talfourd

@icntdrv: My thoughts exactly... This is old for Sony, I guess it's cause "new" now that this fancy name and classification for a laptop with a 10" screen exists = (Netbook&ULPC) LOL

bello0110

I thought Sony called this market a "race to the bottom", one they wouldn't participate in, and thought was bad for the industry. Ooops.

Fuzz

@peacefulpony: I don't know if you can call them a failure, with millions sold.

elvisml2

@peacefulpony: This will eventually happen, but first the market needs to get flooded, margins will get sliced razor thin, and then the laptop makers will go back to midsized notebooks, but they will take some of the tech with them, primarily lighter weight and widespread use of LED displays.

ARP

I, for one, can't wait to see what Sony comes up with. Being that they've already publicy denounced the netbook craze, maybe they'll come up with something slightly newer? At the very least, I'm guessing it'll at least look good, seeing as how Sony seems to develop all their notebook designs in-house.

albtms

What do you guys think is pioneering about all these slow cheap computers. I don't get it. No CD drive and a turtle for a processor.

internetzlol

@internetzlol: If you have to ask...

Killjoy

The idea of the netbook would have been groundbreaking if we were still carrying around cell phones that could only make phone calls. I have to agree with peacefulpony on the point that the idea of the netbook has failed. Everytime I hear word netbook it makes me think of a kids leapfrog toy. Something that you would let a kid play with that doesn't cost as much as a notebook, but it will still entertain them.

I would not consider Macbook Air an innovation in the netbook area because all they did was gut the Macbook Pro and update the exterior.

The netbook is more of a toss up for me because on the one hand I can see how it would be effective and on the other hand the advancements in HCI is going to make the netbook look like a tinker-toy.

sekhmet2012