How would you change the netbook as we know it?

Netbooks, by definition, have been around for years now, and while the vast majority have left the 7- to 9-inch realm, hardly any have bothered to show up with a respectable 720p panel. Furthermore, hardly any have deviated from the strictly held hardware line, which generally consists of an Intel Atom N270 / N280 processor, GMA950 graphics, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, Windows XP and far too few USB sockets. Oh sure, we've seen an Ion-based machine trickle in every now and then, and AMD definitely has our interest piqued with Congo, but we're honestly exhausted by the torrent of netbooks that just seem to look exactly like one another internally. This week's question is dead simple: if you had the power to flip the netbook arena upside-down, how would you go about it?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 12th 2009 10:51PM]

Get the price back to $300, and make Linux the default.

[prevenge Posted Sep 13th 2009 12:50AM]

I have a Mini 10 with widescreen and 6-cell battery, and it's pretty much what I want:
-good keyboard.
-Doesn't bog down doing word processing/audio.
-High screen resolution. [1024x600 is such a dumb screen size. I mean, 1024x768, at least. My 10 has a 1366x768 screen, which is AWESOME.]
-Lots of battery life. [My 6-cell gets ~6 hours. I'd prefer something in the 10-12 hour range, though ... but oh well.]
-Slim profile. [6-cell batteries always jut out, making this not happen. Workable, but frustrating.]
-Cheap. [You can regularly get netbooks for under $300. Mine was $260. :P]
-Standardized parts that work in Linux. [The GMA 500 sucks.]
-Preferably SSD. [I have a HD in my current netbook ... but the space constraints of an SSD are a bit much. This should happen within the next 5-ish years, assuming netbooks are here to stay, which I think they are.]
Uh. So, yeah, if my Mini 10 kept the price but was more streamlined and added 4~6 hours of battery life ... that's all I want. [The GMA 500 thing is irritating but I can deal/would deal in perfect situation] There really isn't a device that hits that point yet. If I was rich I'd get HP's design, but it's about twice the cost because there isn't any really cheap HP Outlet thing.
The main thing is higher resolution. 1024x600 cuts off too much screen. It's usable, but extremely frustrating.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2009 1:56AM]

I dont think netbooks should be changed. There a netbook, thats their main purpose. Just basic internet, email needs, there a ultra portable. Why would you want bigger screens? if you want 12, 13 or even 14" screens, you'd basically have a normal notebook. Thats the whole concept for a netbook. There not designed with gaming and media in mind. If you want that but in a smaller package, get a smaller based notebook (13" models). Netbooks are designed to be small, cheap and low specs. There a low end travel computer not a gaming powerhouse. There are different levels of computers for different needs. If you need more hardware for more reasons, you should look at a different kind of notebook, but thats my opinion.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2009 4:05AM]

Dual-Core and A DVD BURNER.
also touchscreen would be sick but probs cost too much

[khanbm Posted Sep 13th 2009 7:28AM]

I would definitely want a better processor, better graphics card and a decent touch pad which doesn't have the buttons on the side of it. If it had these features I would buy one.

http://www.buildyourown-computer.com

[benjgvps Posted Sep 13th 2009 9:56AM]

Just allow me to play Counter Strike: Source and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on medium. I can play them both at this point, though bottomed out and in the case of CS:S, wave goodbye to official maps.

[gharris Posted Sep 13th 2009 11:33AM]

I recently bought a seashell, and its pretty slick. Ion would be nice, but I can easily live without it. The main thing I want, that no one offers, is a trackpoint. Trackpads suck. Tiny trackpads suck even more.

[worldspawn Posted Sep 13th 2009 1:02PM]

I'd like to see more of the original netbook.

-Something in the 10" and smaller screen size.
-Maybe even make the screen convertablie and touch.
-Flash memory under 32gb.
-A 90-ish% keyboard with less buttons*.
-Replace the Touchpad for a nice big trackpoint (eraserhead).


*Merge Esc and the F keys to the numbers row. Drop Caps Lock, start, l-Alt, l-Ctrl, l-Shift and l-shift keys. Give me fullsized arrow keys. Backspace and Delete, Enter and instert, Up Arrow and Pg Up, Down Arrow and PgDwn, etc, can share the same key.

[mykdinis Posted Sep 13th 2009 2:03PM]

I would add full calling features and a SideShow compatible exterior screen.

Instead of two separate (minimum) devices, 1 would suffice.


mmm...I would love that feature (without needing WinMo)

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 13th 2009 7:45PM]

The Atom processor is a nightmare, changing that-- adding more raw power would make me fall in love with the netbook. The netbook as it is cannot more useful than my iPhone O:. With more power it'll replace my laptop in general and be a superstar :3. I know it probably isn't meant to kill off the laptop but still I want more juice, and I want it NOW!!!

[tgswraith Posted Sep 13th 2009 8:08PM]

Go back to SSD like the first netbooks were and stop trying to make them bigger.

Netbooks aren't meant to be "cheap notebooks", they're meant to be small, light and portable.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2009 12:06AM]

Win7 or Ubuntu, ATSC tuner, a 4x3 1280x1024 capacitive touchscreen, which would leave room for a virtual keyboard / touchpad and still have full raster 720P HD, built in "N" wireless, 120GB SSHD, Bluetooth, pop up webcam w/ built in microphone. Call me when it's ready. doable for 300.00? I doubt it considering that's the price of an iphone. I'd pay 500 for one.

[Jsensation Posted Sep 13th 2009 10:48PM]

Make them cheaper. They often cost as much as low end laptops

[HGD Posted Sep 14th 2009 2:18AM]

WIRELESS CHARGING+ SOLAR PANEL

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2009 11:11AM]

Neural Interface

[ValhallaSky Posted Sep 14th 2009 1:31PM]

Seriously? What's up with everyone wanting a miniaturized laptop with tons of frills? Netbooks are for connecting to the cloud and doing minor tasks, not as media work horses or gaming machines. Netbooks are aimed at the on-the-go business person and anyone who just wants a very simple computer for writing papers, checking the news on the 'net or shooting off an e-mail.

Keep it simple!

Honestly, what I'd like to see in a netbook is the following features:

* 10" screen so you don't have to squint and the keyboard isn't too cramped
* a standard 16:10 resolution. 1280x800 would be perfect as it's still readable on such a small screen!
* a screen that can stand up to sunlight
* a long battery life. Kinda defeats the purpose of an ultra portable if you have to keep it plugged in half the time
* ditch the vga port and include a usb to vga adapter in the box. Most people don't even use the vga port!
* 3 usb ports. If you're using more than that, you should be using something more powerful than a netbook.
* built-in bluetooth. Primarily used for usb mice and VoIP calls with a headset
* built-in wifi b/g/n
* SDD hard drives! Honestly, these netbooks are getting bumped around all the time and standard HDDs don't tolerate abuse very well.
* 2GB of ram out of the box.
* Slightly better graphics or processor; just enough to get smooth flash for watch a movie during a flight.

Things that could be premiums available for extra cashy money:
* an operating system that allows users to join a domain! Cripes, these are used so often by business people that this is a must!
* an eSata port. Seriously, these things are gonna get popular. I'd be willing to spend a bit of extra money for it so I could hook up to an external HDD when I'm at home.
* unlocked 3G/CDMA/GSA/whatever so you always have a 'net connection

Granted, the proposed netbook would be a mite pricey, but it'd be what an ultra-portable is SUPPOSED to be!

[ValhallaSky Posted Sep 14th 2009 1:33PM]

Sorry, that should be SSD hard drives. Silly me.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 14th 2009 4:18PM]

TRACKPOINT (or eraser or nipple or trackstick or whatever you want to call it)
so much more effective, spatially as well

but if not moving the pad to somewhere else would be interesting, above the keyboard somewhere

[rapidrepair Posted Sep 14th 2009 7:45PM]

BTW, is there any way to change your commenting password to something you might actually remember?

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 16th 2009 1:50AM]

If I were to make a laptop, I'd like it to have the more then usual 3-4 hrs battery life. Something along the lines of 7 hrs, if possible, 11 hrs like the Nokia netbook. There would have to be a CD/DVD drive. Having to subtract battery life. Of course, there would have to be a decent video card, with maybe two modes. The notebook needs to be light as possible, about the size of a 13-15 inch Macbook Pro and strong to withstand the test of time.

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2009 11:18AM]

DEFINATELY ADD WINDOWS 7!!

BUT forget this dual-core, ion, better graphics, hdmi non-sense!

Keeps to the roots of what netbooks are:
-Cheap
-small (no bigger than 10")
-light
-good battery life
-stylish

Powerful fancy netbooks are really sub notebooks without a cd drive!!

I Don't know why everyone complains about the speed of netbooks anyway. Mine has the usual specs and can manage perfectly browsing the internet, playing music, wordprocessing and streaming video all at the same time! What more are people expecting to do on them??!

I say keep the low spec internals and just improve style and build quality. That will make them even cheaper as the price of parts goes down!

(People who are actually after a mini gaming machine will disagree i know)

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 15th 2009 4:32PM]

1280x720 (or greater) OLED
Video at least as good as GMA X3000
ARM CPU
2GB RAM
(mini)DisplayPort only
SSD (OCZ Vertex or Intel)
HSPA+LTE
USB3
Linux

It is a little early for this, but give it a year.

[shadowdepository Posted Sep 16th 2009 1:00PM]

Let's keep in mind that netbooks were originally meant to be under 200 dollars....thats about...140 euros.
So that didn't work out as planned, But I am willing to pay 400 euros on a netbook, maybe even 450, but it would at least have to be specced like this:
- 1.8+ Ghz dualcore Atom
- 2 GB of RAM(or more)
- 250 GB HDD or 64 SSD + 80/120 GB HDD
- 1280x800 screen resolution(1366x768 is fine as well)
- 10.8" screen(I hear lots of people complaining 11.6" is too big and 10.1 is too small...so I think this would be a great comprimise)
- 8 hours of battery at the very least
- ION
- VGA + HDMI, but no DVI as that would only add unneccesary cost
- UMTS/HSDPA
- at least 3 USB ports and 1 firewire 400 port

That would be pretty ideal...don't you think?

And then...something I would like to call "Project Unite"
If the specs I just listed were to become the new minimum "genericbook" standard(like atom 270/280, 1GB, 160 GB, 1024x600 GMA 950 is now) it would open up a new possibility: hardware optimalisation.
It's something game consoles make heavy use of; by making sure a game always operates under the (more or less) exact same hardware it's performance can be greatly improved.
for instance: the PS3's video card is only a slightly modified GeForce 7800, ION's 9400 is certainly faster, it's processor(while innovative) is just a 2.somethingish ghz powerpc core with a couple of specified cores for things like physics around it...yet the PS3 pumps out incredible graphics all because of hardware optimalisation.

So with this new netbook standard in place denvelopers could do the exact same thing for netbooks; imagine playing Dirt 2 in full glory on a netbook.
That might seem a little out of reach, but it can be done!, with a specified OS specially for this new netbook standard much like the OS'es behind the XBOX 360 or the PS3.(along with it's more controlled environment, largely preventing piracy)
You don't need print servers there...or firewalls...or logitech setpoint drivers sucking up 60MB's of memory, you don't need java or windows explorer sitting in the background all the time sucking up resources.
So it would be like a fifth platform(adding to Wii, PS3, X360 and PC) for which you would buy games

So in an ideal situation 400 euros (550 dollars?) would buy you:
- A very light and portable netbook with enough power and juice for you to handle all your normal computing tasks in Windows 7 for the better part of 10 hours.
- A full fledged and extremely portable gameconsole that is (almost) as powerful as the PS3 or Xbox 360 and thus has (almost) equivalent graphics

It's really the best of both worlds!
Also:
- Software pirating might form a considerably lesser problem because games would run a LOT better with the hardware optimalisation and the specified OS than they would in normal windows environments
- Games could also be played under Windows without the optimalisations, thus creating a HUGE library of games(all games ever for pc + games for Unite)
- Software could also be optimised in lesser extend for windows, maybe leading to special versions of popular programs that are optimised for netbooks

Think about it!

[(Unverified) Posted Sep 22nd 2009 6:51PM]

One word: GPU.