Mini-laptop mania, Part 1

For reasons only a psychologist might understand, miniature things have always held an allure for me. As a kid, I collected Matchbox cars and foreign-language dictionaries no bigger than a half-eaten Fig Newton. I consider a hotel stay to be a dismal failure if I'm unable to load up on travel-sized toiletries. I love Tater Tots. And in case you're wondering: Yes, I drive a Mini Cooper.

But I'm not here to be psychoanalyzed. I'm here to discuss mini-notebooks, also known as "netbooks,'" "mobile Internet devices'" and my favorite, "laptots.'" These ultra-compact portables have become hot sellers since Asus introduced its first Eee PC last fall. This week: some background on the mini-notebook phenomenon and a guide to currently available models. Next week: the pros and cons of mini-notebooks.

The Back Story

The recent trend in mini-notebooks can be traced back to the One Laptop Per Child initiative. The high-profile XO laptop, in development for years and designed for schoolchildren in developing countries, is ultra-compact, rugged, low cost, and extremely cool. Originally it was touted as the "$100 laptop" but came in just under US$200. The XO was available commercially during the 2007 holiday season, and Amazon.com will sell the laptop this holiday season, beginning around Thanksgiving.

The One Laptop Per Child project's XO soon had competition from Intel's Classmate PC. Asus was first out with a commercially available mini-notebook for education markets and the general public. The Eee PC 4G, introduced in October 2007, sold briskly right from the start. The Eee PC 4G offered something not previously available to business users and consumers: an extremely lightweight (2 pounds) and low-cost ($400 at introduction) laptop.

Of the tiny Linux-based portable, with its 7-inch color screen and just 4GB of storage, Senior Editor Melissa J. Perenson wrote: "The Eee PC is no power system...However, [it] provides a high level of functionality at a highly affordable price."

Sign up for ITworld's Daily newsletter
Follow ITworld on Twitter @IT_world

• Email
• Print
• Share
  • Slashdot
  • Digg
  • Stumble
  • Reddit
  • Newsvine