The state of the netbook is apparently pretty strong. Not only are the tiny laptops taking over the Amazon Sales charts, and hitting the top 10 list at Notebook Review, but they’re generally selling like hotcakes. According to DigiTimes, Asus shipped 1.7 million netbooks in the third quarter of 2008, with 700,000 shipped in September alone.
There are a few things to keep in mind here. First, Asus was the first compay to release a consumer-oriented netbook which has helped the Eee PC lineup to become highly visible. I’m not sure if other companies are shipping anywhere near this number yet.
Second, Asus has flooded the market with roughly a bazillian Eee PC models, so there’s no shortage of options for netbook shoppers looking to pick one up.
And third, the holiday shopping season is still ahead of us. Asus could easily top its September shipments in October, November, and December. While consumer spending in general could drop due to the credit crisis in the US, netbooks are typically much cheaper than larger laptops, which could make them even more attractive purchases this year.
on the contrary, the sudden availability of cheap machines at a time of economic hardship is certainly a factor in the netbook success story. i have even been inclined to see this success as a sort of proof of recession. people today effectively need computers, for work and school. that can’t be comprised, any more than we can stop buying gas for our cars. what can be comprised is price: people obviously no longer feel the need to obey the old law of buying “the most” computer they can afford, as the trade magazines have always advised us we should. people are definitely cutting back.
Netbooks are the new laptops, the 13 and 14 inches portable devices are facing dead,
Te future maybe 15-19 inches desktop replacements or docks (monitor-keyboard-mouse burner, multimedia dock combo) and ultraportable devices.