Microsoft wants new term for 'netbooks,' unhappy with other 5 choices
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jun 3rd 2009 7:24AM
posted Jun 3rd 2009 7:24AM
Having just wrestled the word "netbook" free from the legal grasp of Psion, Microsoft now wants to change the name of these low-cost slabs of white plastic riding Intel's Atom processor. Oh joy. Apparently unhappy with the choices of netbook, smartbook, MID (NVIDIA's definition, not Intel's), thin-and-light, and ultra-portable, Microsoft's preference is, are you ready, "low cost small notebook PC." Man, that flows like a sonnet. The new name proposed by Steven Guggenheimer, general manager of Microsoft's Application Platform & Development Marketing Division, is meant to reflect netbooks that do more than Internet browsing. What Steve-o doesn't say is that by creating a new product division above netbooks, Microsoft can require beefier versions of its Windows OS installed for higher profits on higher margins -- especially now that they've dropped the three application limit from its entry-level Windows 7 Starter Edition. Hey Microsoft, if it's all the same to you, we're just fine with the term netbook thankyouverymuch. Given the near-universal positive press heaped on Windows 7 thus far, you'll be raking in the cash starting October 22nd, no need to shake us down, ok?
I still don't recommend people upgrade their current computers to a new operating system. Waste of money and you won't get the best experience at the start.
I wouldnt recommend anyone buy a small, cheap, underpowered computer either.
ShirkPower is an Apple fan so he recommends that you buy a small, EXPENSIVE, underpowered computer.
Certainly Ghen if you are an idiot who can't manage to install an OS and a few drivers you deserve to waste money on new hardware when your old PC can run all the basic web stuff perfectly fine.
You must be quite an expert with advice like that.......
You misunderstood the use of my word cheap.
But then again you dont look too bright so i guess ill leave it be..
Ghen I'm inclined to completely disagree with you based not only on my own experience (and I should point out, most of my collegues and friends experience) with the Release Client of 7. But also based on the fact that this kind of isn't a new operating system, it's the framework already laid down by Vista that was changed from XP, which has been re-worked, tweaked and improved a hell of a lot. So really, it's like buying a better, refined operating system. Or if you're a Mac person it's like buying 10.6 after 10.5 etc...
I'm an Apple fanboy and all...
But I would recommend Windows 7 to anyone with a decent PC. And especially over Vista. Microsoft got it right this time... they have done an excellent job at refining the OS. I use the beta on my Dell laptop (not the RC), and it is faster and functionally superior to Vista in just about every way. And, Microsoft has put several useful features in this OS not already present in *ahem* competing *ahem* operating systems.
This is why I'm an Apple fanboy. Because supporting them FORCES Microsoft to compete. Face it... without Apple knocking on the door, we would be waiting for 2 or 3 more years before seeing the successor to Vista (which would finally be good at SP3), and the successor would add eye candy and bloat like never before seen.
Not giving Apple the credit... just showing why I support them. (Besides, they make good products... like it or not.)
Well I don't think you get the best starting experience with a new PC either. My family just got a new Dell, and the very first thing I did was wipe the system and install 7 RC. And Dell's not even that bad with preinstalled software.
Jay6464: Release Candidate, not Client
Uh oh, a tide of negative Microsoft sentiment with this story...
ACTIVATE MICROSOFT DEFENSE FORCE!!!
Saad Rabia and Mark Anderson, where are you????
Oh, and remember when Microsoft tried to change the word "podcast" to something else of its choosing? I wonder how that turned out...
Microsoft: Ruling your desktop, and your dictionary, since 1981.
"This is why I'm an Apple fanboy. Because supporting them FORCES Microsoft to compete."
I call shenanigans.
@Quix
Right here thinking what a silly little wanker you are. Just like the rest of Engadget's readership apparently.
Anyway, this is stupid. What's wrong with netbook?
Unless you are running Vista of course..
But it would be cool if Apple coined the new term iNetbook...
It one more feeble-minded marketing fvck names a product with an "i" or "e" in front, I think I'll .... I will .... well lets just say I will be VERY disappointed.
mactard machines are always overpriced so it would never qualify for netbook
That is actually a cool name..
unlike netbook
So just adding an "i" in front of Netbook makes it cool!?!
Jesus... That doesn't even make sense. The original "i" meant "internet", which would be redundant on a Netbook since the "Net" means "Internet" anyways.
So, floydpink7 ... if they kept the 'i' and removed 'Net' (due to redundance) then they would have the iBook, which already preformed like a netbook and created in 1999. So theoretically Apple created the netbook craze.
!mumixam ot dleif noitrotsid ytilaeR
Erm.... yeah...
The name netbook has been diluted and in 12 months it will be hard to define what constitutes as a netbook, especially when some have begun packing 12 inch displays, 6 cell batteries, 2.5 inch drives and will soon be powered by Ion and dual core 2Ghz Atom which might possibly be of 64-bit flavour. So my question is, what's a netbook??
What the hell gives Microsoft the right to decide the choice of name. Linux community needs to get there act together and try to push MS out to the side lines if this is shape of things to come.
LOOL i jizzed in my pants with your comment hahaha
i wish that could happen but it'll probably never will
The idea is not to push Microsoft out, but 'match them' in terms of products! If you completely replaced MS with Linux stuff, we'd be right back where we were. We need competition to encourage both sides to improve!
Wow, CreepinJesus, wow... you must have absolutely no idea what linux is.
"The idea is not to push Microsoft out, but 'match them' in terms of products! If you completely replaced MS with Linux stuff, we'd be right back where we were. We need competition to encourage both sides to improve!"
I'd like to vote this the most ignorant statement on the Internet (for at least today...)
@Andir 3.0 - no, it's not ignorant at all. By failing to understand that competition encourages innovation, it is you who looks ignorant. Lack of competition stifles development... look at IE6 for an obvious example.
The point they were trying to make is there are many different styles of linux that are constantly competing for the best pieces of the whole pie. The two biggest that I know of are Red Hat and Debian (which is the parent of Ubuntu). Extremely different products with a similar core of stuff they agree upon. There's always fighting and competition inside the linux world with fanboys behind every flavor of each distro. Plenty of enough variation to harness the amount of competition needed to innovate once linux gets the market share.
Goes to show how many people there are that don't understand that Linux is not owned or controlled by any one company.
Dude, this is the same shit Microsoft has been pulling for as long as I can remember. They are NEVER happy when a product or market isn't defined in MicrosoftSpeak with proprietary MicrosoftExtensions. If it were up to them there would be no openness at all -- they've fought tooth and nail to make absolutely everything computer- and internet-related to exist only in the ShinyMicrosoftWorld.
And I'm sure somebody rabid enough to be on Microsoft's payroll will point out that Apple wants the same thing-- they'll HAVE to point it out to me, because the mere existence of an Apple logo in my avatar means I think Apple can do no wrong, right? So for those idiots I say yeah, you're probably right. But Microsoft's always been a lot closer to gettting away with it than Apple ever has.
Fortunately in the past 5 years Microsoft's been so marginalized that people pay little attention to their attention-whoring attempts to define the world the way Microsoft wants them to, but I sure remember when it was a serious threat.
GOD. Microsoft needs to get off their high horse and find something better to do than create new words.
word
+1 - Netbook is a term that the manufacturers and users came up with. I love how MS would like to tell companies what they should call the machine said company built.
"GOD. Microsoft needs to get off their high horse and find something better to do than create new words."
Be happy they didnt suggest the name Apple did.
"crappy"
And I dont recall any outrage when Apple stated that, but MS desiring a name change?
HOW DARE THEY!!!!!!!!!
They're not trying to create new words, they're trying to define the computer specs that will qualify OEMs for Win 7 Starter Edition pricing.
How about - "BING-Machine!"...
On a side note - tried out Bing, and it really seems like a re-branded 'Live'. Is this their new product strategy - renaming?
What happened to 'subnotebook'?
subnotebook = really expensive small laptop, netbook = really cheap small laptop...
"low cost small notebook PC."? and I thought "MacBook Pro" was a terrible name!
How about "affordable subnote" as opposed to "subnote's" which are expensive. Truth be told I'd prefer to have a subnote.
Microsoft are getting craftier and craftier, trying new ways to extract cash from peoples wallets.
Splitting its product into 6 or more variations, limiting its product, and now trying to create new markets that nobody else wants.
Windows 7 is good, but the praise is mostly undeserved. Heres hoping that Windows 8, which is meant to be the REAL Windows overhaul deserves its praise and doesnt have any nasty surprises like 3 app limits (even though it has been dropped by 7)
It just roles off the tongue...
...semen
Just like the Sony P, they're trying to convince people that what they're buying isn't as underpowered as they believe. This is all kinds of shady, and the sad part is, we the geek crowd represent the minority of the netbook buyers (I imagine) and the rest will buy it hook, line, and sinker. My only hope is that people aren't as gullible as Microsoft thinks they are; it is hard to change a perception of a product for an entire country.
The marketing department at MS is absolutely the worst...nuff said..Q
Microsoft is getting more and more like the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
Did you bing that? bing.com, the new Google! Spread the word. Marketing department my....
Well.. I Googled Bing. does that help?