Milk, Bread, Cheese and a Netbook please?

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2008 will be remembered for many things. Obama, the credit crunch, the rise of cloud computing. However, looking at 2008 through a technology lens. One trend stands out more than anything else – The rise of the netbook.

I recently bumped into David Hughes at FOWA 2008 who was kind enough to give me an interview on why he thinks netbooks may just be the future of computing. David shares with us his excellent insights.

Ever since the buzz that surrounded Asus Eee PC, earlier this year, computer manufacturers have flooded the market with netbooks based around the Intel Atom processor. Demand for these little machines has been phenomenal. So much so, it is remarkable to see the major supermarkets now selling netbooks on their shelves. Also, industry insiders such as Steve, predict that this Christmas the most wanted gadget may very well be the humble netbook.

But why?

Most people today already own a desktop, a laptop computer or both. So, why the need/demand for a very small computer with conservative hardware requirements Netbooks, have created a niche market to themselves for a number of key reasons which include:

• They are cheap. Ranging from £170 – £300. Netbooks bring the cost of computing down to affordable levels for all
• They are extremely portable.  Netbooks can almost be taken anywhere. With Solid State Disks (SSD Flash memory), battery consumption can reach between 4-6 hours.
• 90% of average computer usage is within the browser.  The vast majority of people use their computers mostly for web based email, casual web surfing, online shopping or producing the odd document. Essentially, you do not need a computer with a big performance to carry out routine daily tasks

Netbooks make near perfect machines for "gifted amateurs”. Great for bloggers, podcasters and with many models featuring built in webcams, you can make Skype video calls too.

Netbooks, in my opinion have brought about a small revolution in computing trends in recent times. If you are in the market to buy another computer. I would highly recommend in looking at purchasing a netbook for you, or for your business.