I'd add the move from feature phones to smart phones and later tablets. Early adopters were getting them 2007/08, 5 years on from that the platform was well on its way to maturing and with a broader range of hardware and the software ecosystem was moving to target it too. Then there's the question of what form best suits the usage the tasks the netbook audience have, if you're doing the very basic browsing/comms tasks, why take a comparatively big slab when a 4-5" will do, and if you do need a portable PC why constrain yourself to a weak system, netbooks were in no-mans-land.
Yes, they seemed like a good idea - they were really cheap, and had decent battery life for the time - but the compromises were such that you really wouldn’t want to buy another netbook if you could. After the first few releases, the MacBook Air became what the non-cheapskate buyers of netbooks wanted.
> Netbooks didn’t need Microsoft’s help in dying. Nobody bought more than one of them, the experience was that bad.
If I remember correctly Microsoft put a limit on the HW specs for getting those cheap Windows copies while simultaneously making sure they all shipped with Windows which did not run that well on that low spec hardware. I think this is a huge part why this category died that quickly.
On the other hand there was also just general technological progress happening, "full size" notebooks were generally getting a lot more compact and lightweight so there was less need for that separate category.
i didn't even realized they are dead, was looking for a cheap one for running my calendar server and couldn't find a single one. I had one it was really handy
I was implying that the answer has to be nostalgia. Ewaste didn't stop being produced some time in the early 2010s. There's always newer ewaste to look at.
You can buy more modern laptops made as recently as 2020 that are at least an order of magnitude better in every single way (even including weight) on Amazon and eBay for about $150 USD. They're lightly used and all hardware is supported without any fuss including the touch screens, etc. They're even cheaper if you buy them in bulk. These are institutional selloffs (schools, offices, government, etc.).
> I really miss netbooks. They were an amazing moment for Linux. No surprise Microsoft killed them.
As far as cheap, low-spec, disposable laptops go, Chromebooks are the spiritual successor to netbooks.
I'd add the move from feature phones to smart phones and later tablets. Early adopters were getting them 2007/08, 5 years on from that the platform was well on its way to maturing and with a broader range of hardware and the software ecosystem was moving to target it too. Then there's the question of what form best suits the usage the tasks the netbook audience have, if you're doing the very basic browsing/comms tasks, why take a comparatively big slab when a 4-5" will do, and if you do need a portable PC why constrain yourself to a weak system, netbooks were in no-mans-land.
I am typing this comment from my GPD Pocket 4 with Fedora.
https://gpdstore.net/gpd-pocket-4/
Netbooks didn’t need Microsoft’s help in dying. Nobody bought more than one of them, the experience was that bad.
> Netbooks didn’t need Microsoft’s help in dying.
Amazing how many of Microsoft's competitors don't need the help, yet receive it.
> Nobody bought more than one of them, the experience was that bad.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/netbook-sales-exploded-i...
"The market for small and cheap laptops -- netbooks -- boomed in 2008, with almost 15 million of the things sold globally."
On the contrary, they were incredibly popular.
Yes, they seemed like a good idea - they were really cheap, and had decent battery life for the time - but the compromises were such that you really wouldn’t want to buy another netbook if you could. After the first few releases, the MacBook Air became what the non-cheapskate buyers of netbooks wanted.
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> Netbooks didn’t need Microsoft’s help in dying. Nobody bought more than one of them, the experience was that bad.
If I remember correctly Microsoft put a limit on the HW specs for getting those cheap Windows copies while simultaneously making sure they all shipped with Windows which did not run that well on that low spec hardware. I think this is a huge part why this category died that quickly.
On the other hand there was also just general technological progress happening, "full size" notebooks were generally getting a lot more compact and lightweight so there was less need for that separate category.
It’s much like today’s mobile experience.
Most people fall for marketing, do no deep research or consideration of their needs, and have a piss-poor time.
But some did the reading: Ubuntu on the Dell Mini 9, for example, was a dreamboat!, with or without touchscreen mod.
https://frame.work/fi/en/laptop12 is kinda close
The netbooks were for most a lot cheaper. I think a modern equivalent is a shitty Chromebook.
yikes that in a minimal configuration costs ~700 euros or whatever the currency is by default.
You could get a much more powerful system for a lot less.
Except for the price. Apart from portability and battery life a huge factor was them being (very) low cost.
And shipping with Linux installed.
i didn't even realized they are dead, was looking for a cheap one for running my calendar server and couldn't find a single one. I had one it was really handy
How are netbooks dead?
What's the meaningful difference between a netbook and a modern 11-inch laptop?
> What's the meaningful difference between a netbook and a modern 11-inch laptop?
Being cheap, commonly available, and shipping with Linux come readily to mind.
Sadly even back in the day mostly some very early models shipped with Linux as Microsoft promptly made sure they don't.
I was implying that the answer has to be nostalgia. Ewaste didn't stop being produced some time in the early 2010s. There's always newer ewaste to look at.
You can buy more modern laptops made as recently as 2020 that are at least an order of magnitude better in every single way (even including weight) on Amazon and eBay for about $150 USD. They're lightly used and all hardware is supported without any fuss including the touch screens, etc. They're even cheaper if you buy them in bulk. These are institutional selloffs (schools, offices, government, etc.).
You do have to install Linux yourself though.
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