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Netbooks are niche products quickly gaining mainstream popularity. See laptop pictures to compare.
Computer manufacturers are constantly tweaking their laptop designs to grab the attention of consumers. For years, these companies have been making portable computers smaller, lighter, and more powerful -- and they've been particularly successful with a new category of ultra-portable PCs called netbooks.
Netbooks are tiny laptop computers. Or are they just a larger version of a smartphone? They resemble miniature laptops, with small displays and keyboards, but they don't have some of the features that come standard on full-blown laptops. They're not made to help you communicate via voice, as with a smartphone, but they can help you complete many of the same on-the-go tasks.
Regardless of the comparisons you choose to make, netbooks are, quite simply, a hot item. As of this writing, they account for more than 20 percent of all new portable computer sales, and most pundits predict those numbers will only grow stronger [source: Schonfeld].
The sagging global economy means consumers and their corporate employers have less cash to blow on technology, so full-blown and pricey desktop-replacement laptops topping $2,000 suddenly seem more expensive than ever. And with portability and efficiency always top of mind, big laptops can be awfully unwieldy, anyway.
The extreme cost-effectiveness of netbooks (roughly $300 to $500) means they're cheaper than almost any brand-new laptop you'll find at retail outlets. Popular models that start around $300 include the ASUS Eee, Toshiba Mini, Acer Aspire One and HP Mini. Their portability means you can throw them into a small carry bag and take your work with you anywhere you go.
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As their name implies, netbooks primarily help you connect and complete work on the Internet. In a nutshell, this probably explains why netbooks are catching on with so many people. No one really wants to use a tiny smartphone's keypad or touchscreen to compose a lengthy e-mail or write a business report. But few people want to blow a month's salary on a powerhouse laptop brimming with features they don't need.
Read on to see more about the specs that constitute a netbook and how these nifty niche PCs are beginning to revolutionize the world's digital workflow.
