Netbook Shipments Skyrocket, Apple Still Missing the Boat

The Register’s Tony Smith notes in a report that the last 12 months have been good for netbook makers, who cumulatively shipped 30.2 million of the mini laptops in that period. According to market watcher Strategy Analytics, that’s 79 percent more than they moved in 2008 and amounts to 50-60 percent of total portable PCs shipped and around 17-20 percent of PCs sold overall.

The researcher also forecasts further growth this year as netbook chips deliver more performance and ARM licensees take on Intel’s dominant Atom platform.

The iPad notwithstanding, I’m still convinced that Apple has fumbled the ball in not offering a netbook. If it can sell an iPad for $500, I deduce that a netbook with a clamshell form factor, a real keyboard and trackpad, plus ideally a low-powered Intel Core CPU, decent connectivity, and capability to run the real Mac OS, should be eminently possible at an entry-level price of $600-$650 — at which I contend it would be a strong seller. It’d certainly be a machine that would appeal to me much more than the iPad does in its announced configuration.

Chinese Knockoffs

A knockoff outfit in China is showing the way, having released a tantalizing example of the potential for a truly appealing Apple netbook, if Apple were inclined to play ball. The Chinese tech industry-watching blog M.I.C (ie: "Made-In-China") has posted a review of what it calls “the ultimate MacBook Air knockoff” — the best MacBook Air wannabe ever, featuring a real glowing Apple logo and a form factor almost as thin as the real MBA — which M.I.C. thinks is possibly the most beautiful product the Chinese knockoff makers have ever copied. I’m inclined to agree.

Of course it’s not really a Mac, and OS X is not supported. It is a PC netbook in ersatz Mac clothing, powered by the latest version of the ubiquitous 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 CPU with 1GB of RAM (upgradable to 2GB RAM at a modest additional cost of $180 RMB), a 160GB hard drive, a 13.3-inch (1280 x 800) LED-backlit display and a swappable 4-cell battery, plus 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, and, get this — selling for only $1,900 RMB (about $280). To say it’s much more affordable than Apple’s real MacBook Air is an extreme understatement.

The M.I.C. reviewers say typing is a pleasure on the MBA knockoff’s full-sized keyboard, and there’s a spacious trackpad too, although it doesn’t support multitouch technology.

Connectivity-wise, the knockoff netbook is somewhat less challenged than a real MacBook Air, with two USB 2.0 ports rather than the MBA’s one, a mini-HDMI port, and one headphone jack, but you also get an Ethernet port and a SD-card slot — not bad at all for a $280 laptop. There’s also a webcam along with an infrared detector beside it.

The downside cited is noise, with the fan reportedly running almost nonstop during basic operation, which would be tiresome, especially if you’re fan noise-averse like me.

As far as I can tell, these units aren’t likely to ever make it to North America as it’s a given that Apple Legal would have a lot to say about it. But if they were available, I don’t think I could resist. It looks like a great little inexpensive solution for taking on the road, and possibly running Ubuntu or Puppy Linux on instead of Windows.

How about you? Would a machine like this appeal? More pointedly, don’t you wish Apple would build a netbook Mac like this?

Best Gadgets for Your Car

Motoring gadgets come in various shapes and sizes from sophisticated integrated technology to portable vacuum cleaners. Many of these gadgets are less useful than a paper umbrella, but some are worth their weight in gold.

One such technological marvel is night vision. The system requires the vehicle to be fitted with a front mounted infra-red camera. This monitors the view ahead and displays the image on a screen. Roads appear brighter than reality and people/animals become particularly prominent. Clearly, this is impressive technology that could significantly reduce accidents.

A lane departure warning system may also make driving safer. This device uses a camera and speed sensors to determine when the vehicle deviates from its lane. If the driver drifts without first indicating, a buzzer sounds, the seat vibrates, or a warning light appears. The aim is to minimise the effect of accidental manoeuvres caused by fatigue or lack of concentration.

These camera systems are worthwhile but let's consider something for the kids. Headrest mounted screens play DVDs, music, and Freeview television. Some also support home-made media such as DVD+/- and DivX. This technology can be specified with new vehicles and retrofitted to older models. The main advantage is the kids are occupied leaving you time to admire the night vision.

Gadgets can be expensive and it is difficult to quantify how much value (if any) they add to a vehicle. However, cars featuring rare and useful technology are arguably more appealing than standard machinery. Gadgets may therefore give your vehicle a unique selling point that marginally increases its value.

By Stephen Turvil

Windows Phone 7: The Latest Sensation

When Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer unwrapped the new operating system on Monday at the present Mobile World Congress, it not only ended a much awaited ‘wanna-hear’ rumour, but it was a real feast for the drooling mouths of tech-world. We could even say, Windows Phone 7 operating system fogged the planet’s newly landed mobile phones at the event. This is an overhauled version of the before launched operating systems, which offers a better control over the hardware, with social hubs and so on.

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 Operating System comes with a remarkable touch-friendly interface. The animated, large tiles appear pleasing to the eyes, as well as they offer short-cuts to the most used applications. Any update happening in the apps will be displayed on the screen. This is highly beneficial, especially when you use social networking apps like Facebook. You can arrange the tiles at a drag or delete them at a touch. The whole navigation through the menu has been simplified much, just a swipe will do.

“Hubs” is a another interesting concept in Windows Phone 7. This brings together all the related contents from the web and display them as a single view. There are six hubs such as people, games, pictures, marketplace, office and music. When the people hub will allow the users to interact with the people in the contact list from all apps at a single click, the picture hub will allow the user to watch the updated photographs from all app at a single place. The office hub makes Windows Phone 7 an excellent business tool. It allows several applications like presentation, synchronization of documents between mobile phones and PC, note-taking, outlook mail and so on.

Windows Phone 7 has some boastful music and video features as well. The Zune PC software for managing music and the mobile version of Xbox Live games are the two prominent ones. The ability to track the gamers’ achievement and the probability to buy more game apps from marketplace; all make Windows Phone 7 an interesting OS.

Next addition of Windows Phone 7 OS is ‘Bing Maps Beta‘. With 3D graphics, directions, live updates and street-view, it will remind you about Google maps. With hardware buttons such as home, search and back and multi-touch capability, Microsoft Windows Phone 7 takes a little control over the hardware as well. Overall, it seems to be a strong player against Apple iPhone and the mobile phones with this operating system can be expected to hit stores by the end of 2010.