Netbook

As a netbook class of notebooks will be referred to, which are especially designed for mobility and a low price, and enter into it in the performance and features significant compromises; although they are especially designed as mobile Internet clients, have only a few models with an integrated cellular modem ( UMTS).

• 3.1 Software
• 3.2 Hardware 3.2.1 processor
• 3.2.2 Data Storage
• 3.2.3 communication

Concept

Netbooks are designed to surf with browser functions in intranet or on the web or to use web applications. They are less powerful than conventional notebooks and subnotebooks, such as with small hard drives and weaker processors. This could price advantages compared to the more expensive ultraportables, which have a similar display size, can be achieved.

The display has a diagonal screen size of netbooks 18-30 cm (7 to 11.6 inches ), an optical drive is in principle not generally integrated. In contrast to the UMPC netbooks rarely have a touchscreen, but a full QWERTY keyboard and touchpad.

The operating system originally came various Linux distributions and later Microsoft Windows XP to use, because the computing power was not sufficient in most netbooks for Windows Vista. With the cessation of sales of Windows XP on 22 October 2010 and the delivery of new netbooks with XP was no longer possible, so that from now on Netbooks are mainly equipped with the relatively resource-saving Windows 7 Starter.

However, since the netbook was simply perceived and used by most customers only as a budget laptop, there was soon a trend towards stronger components to meet customer expectations. With this new device class the border blurs into the sub-notebooks.

With newer, more powerful models with more than 2 GB of RAM and a high-resolution 12.1 "display also uses Windows 7 Home Premium.

History

In the second half of the 1990s notebooks were referred to below as the default size " mini-laptops " (see, eg c't 15/1998: "Movement in the mini- notebook market "). The first -known in Germany was the type of Toshiba Libretto, which cost about $ 5000 for publication. In East Asia, there were 1998/99, a trend towards mini notebooks; they could not prevail in Europe. The category then disappeared - except for some Acer, Toshiba and Sony models - for several years from the market. Today, this device category is still expensive and powerful, marketed by the price and performance definition as a subnotebook.

The idea of ​​offering a very small and equipped with only limited power notebook, it was long before today's netbooks, but such devices on the market played only a subordinate role. An example is a manufacturer Psion device from the year 2000, which the term " netbook " used for the first time.

Further in relation to their small size and limited power with today's netbooks comparable units were Intel's Classmate PC and OLPC XO -1. Both devices are initially intended as a cheap and rugged notebooks for use by students in emerging markets; a sale to private customers was not initially provided. The devices are now but also in Europe and the USA available; However, sometimes only on the condition to donate another.

On a very similar basis, but intended for adult consumers, finally emerged today known as netbook devices. The first netbook of this kind was the Asus Eee PC 700, which was introduced in October 2007 in Taiwan and from January 2008 is available in Germany. The manufacturer had initially struggling due to high demand with availability problems. Meanwhile, similar devices have been introduced by various suppliers. In the first half of 2009 about 13.5 million units have been sold worldwide.

Dispute between Intel and Psion

The term netbook was used by chip maker Intel in February 2008, although Psion be " Psion Netbook " marketed since the year 2000. In addition, there is a German word mark registration on 2 October 2008. Psion Teklogix claims the term " netbook " for themselves. In a letter to websites and portals that use the term in their coverage, the company reported on this in future be omitted, - the right to the trademark would be with them. Beginning of February 2009 procured Psion blocking of the term in Google AdWords. Dell and Intel had brought an action for cancellation of the term netbook as a brand, as it is their opinion, is a generic term. On 1 June 2009, Psion announced on its website that it is any company allowed to use the term netbook. The company had " agreed peacefully " in litigation with Intel, said in the statement.

Market development

According to a study by market research provider Gartner netbooks made ​​in the second quarter of 2008 3 % of the global PC market before many of the major suppliers offered at all such devices. In the third quarter of 2008, this proportion increased in the economic region Europe, Middle East and Africa ( EMEA) together at 10%, in the U.S. at 5%. Another study reported by 7.7% for EMEA and called with 2.2 million units for the first time concrete numbers.

From analysts, the netbook concept was seen as a challenge for the market-dominating position of the operating system manufacturer Microsoft, because by focusing on basic functions and Internet use, the operating system could be less important, and thus could also be the development of more user-friendly Linux systems from a broader commercial interest. This was evident for example in the efforts of Intel 's Moblin to the project. This vision, however, has not materialized until 2012: originally a Linux-only domain, increased with the netbook sold with pre-installed operating system Windows percentage to be available on Windows XP as an option in 2008, by 2009 over 90%. Netbooks with pre-installed Linux distributions had to struggle with disproportionate return and exchange quotas by the buyer.

After the introduction of tablet PCs, the sales volume for netbooks fell way short of the expectations of the manufacturers. Microsoft has taken a 40 % drop in netbook sales in the first quarter of 2011 and compared to the same quarter last year.

Equipment

Software

The choice of operating system for netbooks is significantly different from the other PCs because the power is limited and relatively more license costs fall into the weight.

For the launch of the current netbooks at this time Microsoft Windows Vista resigned as operating system, since the performance of typical netbook was only slightly above the minimum requirements of the system and especially the license cost the equipment should have been much more expensive. In Europe, most devices were equipped for any length of time with the actually set predecessor Microsoft Windows XP, its availability was first specially extended for Ultra Low Cost PCs for two years until June 2010. The license was further reduced price depending on the performance of the system and however limited the permissible equipment up. Maximum 1 GB of memory were permitted; above should be used by Microsoft Windows Vista ideas. De facto, this limitation is, however, either ignored or not available systems with more than 1GB of memory with Windows. Netbooks were allowed to be pre-installed by OEMs only to 22 October 2010, Windows XP, hereafter the newer operating system Microsoft Windows 7 Starter has been licensed.

Many netbooks shipped with various Linux versions; For example, the Eee PC with a customized version of Xandros Linux distribution, Furthermore, were also used Fedora derivative Linpus (on Acer Aspire One) and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 from Novell. The devices from Dell and Toshiba used a customized version of Ubuntu. In connection with the introduction of the Intel Atom processor taught under the name of Moblin, when a developer portal and placed Linux kernel patches available that enable the power saving features on the platform longer battery life.

Another linux based operating system that Google previously used in mobile phones and tablet PCs Android, was announced in February 2009 by Google for use in netbooks.

Hardware

The hardware equipment of various netbooks differs only slightly. A very slow compared to normal laptops processor is connected to an older Notebook chipset with integrated graphics unit. For data storage, 2.5 "hard drives come partially solid state disks, but most of which are used. The displays used usually have a ( rather unusual ) resolution of 1024 × 600 pixels; some netbooks have HD-ready display.

Netbooks, which are offered by mobile operators subsidize contract generally include a built-in cellular modem with the appropriate SIM card. Usual remain partially Bluetooth and an integrated wireless modem.

Processor

The Asus Eee 700 or 701 was based on a Celeron ULV processor, which is slowed down from the original 800 or 900 MHz again by about 1 /3, so as to reduce energy consumption. Later models then use processors that are specifically designed for these devices and the requirements are very similar UMPCs.

Most netbooks use this Intel Atom processors, which have since been improved several times. Some of these are combined due to the very low performance of the integrated graphics unit with Nvidia ION graphics cores.

From AMD netbooks were initially likely to be rejected, were occasionally used the obsolete Geode processors or AMD Neo various versions. Since early 2011, however, is with AMD Fusion is a particularly suitable for this area architecture available that also spreads in the market.

Some vendors, including Hewlett -Packard, also rely on a VIA C7 processor, which is regarded as cheaper, but significantly slower than the Intel CPUs. As followers appeared here the pin-compatible VIA Nano, which should at least catch up with Intel. To those around VIA and Nvidia have developed a complete platform for netbooks and UMPCs.

Also located netbooks on the market that use a special power-saving x86 SoC. At the same time find themselves in particularly favorable devices and processors that use the MIPS architecture. Is also under development to a ported to the ARM architecture version of Ubuntu Linux, which is to be used with the appropriate processors. ARM expects a significant advantage in power consumption than Intel. According to Intel, but this is not due to the architecture itself, but on the previous implementations. Intel plans to launch in the future x86 CPUs on the market that do not consume more power than ARM CPUs.

Data storage

By optimizing for low power consumption, low price and compact design standard notebook hard drives for netbooks appear partially oversized. For this reason, possessed the first devices of this class exclusively on Solid-State Drives (SSD ) with a capacity of a few gigabytes. Hard drives are no longer offered in these sizes, and would consume significantly more space in the devices. Disks " but conventional 2.5 are increasingly " With the advent of larger netbooks with screen sizes 9-10 built - usually with 160, 250, 320 or 500 GB - that some of the benefits of solid- state drives, such as the better shock no longer offer, but offer much more data storage for the same price.

Communication

Designed for mobile use, the WLAN standard. Also Bluetooth modules are installed relatively frequently. Rarely (example: Samsung NC10 BH) can however be found integrated UMTS modules that are required for mobile Internet access outside of hot spots. Through the built-in UMTS module no USB interface for a UMTS stick is needed.

Nettop

The term nettop is used for comparably equipped desktop PCs, as they are now offered eg in the form of the Asus EeeBox B202 or the MSI Wind PC. Nettops can be purchased either as a complete system or as individual parts. Motherboard for Nettops are usually available with soldered processor and already mounted condenser in ITX format.

The devices are based, depending on the case and motherboard, often known from notebooks and netbooks components such as 2.5 "hard drives, optical drives in a slim format or SODIMM memory modules, as well as different versions of the Intel Atom and Celeron M processor. Many companies such as Intel offer ITX motherboards are equipped with a permanently soldered Atom processor.

Nettops are usually limited upgradeable (hard disk, RAM) and have as netbooks only have sufficient power. But this they are very inexpensive (from 200 euros upwards) and are characterized by a very low power consumption.

For new models, the power consumption could be reduced further by the development of the chipset. A fully equipped nettop, based on the Intel motherboard D510MO, which is equipped with the Atom D510 processor, required even under load only 27 watts. Nettops with the widespread predecessor (Intel Atom 330 ) required on average, but 35 watts under load.

Further work nettops very quietly or passively cooled components in combination with a solid- state drive even completely silent. For example, causes the EeeBox B202 Asus under full load only a noise level of 26 dB. In addition, these devices specialized packages with a volume of up to two liters are at market rates. Some variants can even be mounted on the rear wall of a monitor or integrated directly into the monitor case.