The Rise and Fall of Netbooks: A Look Back at the Lightweight Laptop Category

One of the most coveted laptops out there are also the most lightweight, with plenty of higher-end models weighing less than 3 pounds. However, did you know that not long ago a whole category of super lightweight laptops failed miserably after just a few years in the sun? They were commonly referred to as netbooks and often didn't weigh much more than just 2 pounds or about 1 kilogram. Although there was a trademarked product called the Scion Netbook that dates back to 1999, it was quite different from the more recent products that are currently on the market.

These netbooks showed up on the market around the time that we were starting to get used to the idea of computers being internet machines, where large numbers of tasks were being done through a web browser or through the cloud in general. Remember this is the same year that the original iPhone came out, by which time we already had Google Docs country-specific versions of YouTube and the ability to join Facebook even if you never went to college. Seeing as there was now a market for simpler PCS primarily designed for connecting to the internet and other basic uses like word processing, the netbook seemed poised to fill a seemingly large void in the computer Market.

One of the first notable netbooks was the Asus eeePC 700, which was only about 9 inches long featured a 7-inch screen and had a solid-state drive instead of a mechanical hard drive, which was uncommon for laptops at the time but useful for cutting down on weight and power consumption. Instead of Windows, the e700 ran a Linux distribution that emphasized ease of use and low resource requirements, so while it wasn't much appeal for power users its low $399 price tag made it a hit for folks who didn't need a laptop with Advanced features they didn't have much use for.

The success of the Asus eeePC 700 started a trend, other computer manufacturers began pumping out their own netbooks into the market and Asus released a huge number of other eeePC models, some of which featured Windows instead of Linux. Part of this growth was buoyed by Intel's 2008 launch of their Atom Processor line, which used very low voltages suitable for netbooks. However, if netbooks were so popular relatively recently why have they basically banished today?

We'll tell you right after we thank delete me for sponsoring this video online privacy isn't just personal it's a family matter because of that delete me is now offering seamless protection for your entire family with their family plans with individual data sheets tailored to each member their privacy first design ensures personalized removal of personal information from online databases from kids to adults everyone stays safe from unwanted exposure and scams and simplified management means peace of mind for all checko delete me at the link below and Safeguard your family's digital world today.

Ironically, even though the availability of Windows surely attracted users who otherwise may not have considered a netbook, Windows actually contributed to the netbooks' downfall. You see, although Microsoft didn't want to seeed the netbook space to Linux, they also wanted to make sure people weren't buying cheap netbooks instead of a more powerful Windows device if they could afford it. So, netbooks often shipped with stripped down versions of Windows that Microsoft would only provide to Netbook manufacturers if their machines fell below certain specifications for a long time.

Microsoft wouldn't license Windows to run on netbooks with more than 1 GB of RAM although netbooks eventually accounted for about 20% of the laptop Market at their Zenith in 2010. The problem for the netbook was that competing Technologies were cashing up, although their small size and low price point made netbooks convenient they were at the end of the day underpowered devices running stripped down software that you had to operate using a very cramped keyboard.

2010 was the year that both the iPhone 4 and the original iPad were released, and the public quickly got used to the idea that sleek devices like tablets and even some smartphones could replicate the functions of a netbook and perform them better. Especially as Netbook manufacturers were often trying to compete on price meaning they weren't exactly the best quality a lot of the time at the same time mainstream laptops were getting cheaper and lighter for example the 2012 Acer V5 had a full-on core i5 and only weighed about 3 lb but could be found for less than 500 bucks.

The availability of laptops like these meant the netbook was getting squeezed from two directions until it didn't really have a role to fill in the marketplace anymore. By 2013, manufacturers had essentially ceased Netbook production, meaning the netbook didn't even last as long as the band N Sync's original run so it was bye-bye.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: ensome of the most coveted laptops out there are also the most lightweight with plenty of higher-end models weighing 3 lbs or less but did you know that not long ago a whole category of super lightweight laptops failed miserably after a few years in the sun they were commonly referred to as netbooks and they often didn't weigh much more than just 2 lbs or about 1 kilogram although there was a trademarked product called the Scion Netbook that dates back to 1999 it was quite different from the more recent products that Ed the term Netbook in more generic way these netbooks showed up on the market Circa 2007 around the time that we were starting to get used to the idea of computers being internet machines where large numbers of tasks were being done through a web browser or through the cloud in general remember this is the same year that the original iPhone came out by which time we already had Google Docs country specific versions of YouTube and the ability to join Facebook even if you never went to college seeing as there was now a market for simpler PCS primarily designed for connecting to the internet and other basic uses like word processing the netbook seemed poised to fill a seemingly large void in the computer Market one of the first notable netbooks was the Asus eepc 700 which was only about 9 in Long featured a 7-in screen and had a solid state drive instead of a mechanical hard drive uncommon for laptops at the time but useful for cutting down on weight and power consumption instead of Windows the e700 ran a Linux distribution that emphasized ease of use and low resource requirements so while they wasn't much appeal for power users its low $399 price tag made it a hit for folks who didn't need a laptop with Advanced features they didn't have much use for the success of the EPC started a trend other computer manufacturers started pumping out their own netbooks into the market and Asus released a huge number of other EPC models some of which featured Windows instead of Linux part of this growth was buoyed by Intel's 2008 launch of their Atom Processor line which used very low voltages suitable for netbooks but if netbooks were so popular relatively recently why have they basically banished today we'll tell you right after we thank delete me for sponsoring this video online privacy isn't just personal it's a family matter because of that delete me is now offering seamless protection for your entire family with their family plans with individual data sheets tailored to each member their privacy first design ensures personalized removal of personal information from online databases from kids to adults everyone stays safe from unwanted exposure and scams and simplified management means peace of mind for all checko delete me at the link below and Safeguard your family's digital world today ironically even though the availability of Windows surely attracted users who otherwise may not have considered a Netbook Windows actually contributed to the netbooks downfall you see although Microsoft didn't want to seeed the netbook space to Linux they also wanted to make sure people weren't buying cheap netbooks instead of a more powerful Windows device if they could afford it so netbooks often shipped with stripped down versions of Windows that Microsoft would only provide to Netbook manufacturers if their machines fell below certain specifications for a long time Microsoft wouldn't license Windows to run on netbooks with more than 1 GB of RAM although netbooks eventually accounted for about 20% of the laptop Market at their Zenith in 2010 the problem for the netbook was that competing Technologies were cashing up although their small size and low price point made netbooks convenient they were at the end of the day underpowered devices running stripped down software that you had to operate using a very cramped keyboard 2010 was the year that both the iPhone 4 and the original iPad were released and the public quickly got used to the idea that sleer devices like tablets and even some smartphones could replicate the functions of a netbook and perform them better especially as Netbook manufacturers were often trying to compete on price meaning they weren't exactly the best quality a lot of the time at the same time mainstream laptops were getting cheaper and lighter for example the 2012 Acer V5 had a full-on core i5 and only weighed about 3 lb but could be found for less than 500 bucks the availability of laptops like these meant the netbook was getting squeezed from two directions until it didn't really have a role to fill in the marketplace anymore by 2013 manufacturers had essentially ceased Netbook production meaning the netbook didn't even last as long as the band n sync's original run so it was bye bye bye all right thanks for watching guys if you like this video hit like hit subscribe hit us up in the comments with your suggestions for videos that we should cover in the futuresome of the most coveted laptops out there are also the most lightweight with plenty of higher-end models weighing 3 lbs or less but did you know that not long ago a whole category of super lightweight laptops failed miserably after a few years in the sun they were commonly referred to as netbooks and they often didn't weigh much more than just 2 lbs or about 1 kilogram although there was a trademarked product called the Scion Netbook that dates back to 1999 it was quite different from the more recent products that Ed the term Netbook in more generic way these netbooks showed up on the market Circa 2007 around the time that we were starting to get used to the idea of computers being internet machines where large numbers of tasks were being done through a web browser or through the cloud in general remember this is the same year that the original iPhone came out by which time we already had Google Docs country specific versions of YouTube and the ability to join Facebook even if you never went to college seeing as there was now a market for simpler PCS primarily designed for connecting to the internet and other basic uses like word processing the netbook seemed poised to fill a seemingly large void in the computer Market one of the first notable netbooks was the Asus eepc 700 which was only about 9 in Long featured a 7-in screen and had a solid state drive instead of a mechanical hard drive uncommon for laptops at the time but useful for cutting down on weight and power consumption instead of Windows the e700 ran a Linux distribution that emphasized ease of use and low resource requirements so while they wasn't much appeal for power users its low $399 price tag made it a hit for folks who didn't need a laptop with Advanced features they didn't have much use for the success of the EPC started a trend other computer manufacturers started pumping out their own netbooks into the market and Asus released a huge number of other EPC models some of which featured Windows instead of Linux part of this growth was buoyed by Intel's 2008 launch of their Atom Processor line which used very low voltages suitable for netbooks but if netbooks were so popular relatively recently why have they basically banished today we'll tell you right after we thank delete me for sponsoring this video online privacy isn't just personal it's a family matter because of that delete me is now offering seamless protection for your entire family with their family plans with individual data sheets tailored to each member their privacy first design ensures personalized removal of personal information from online databases from kids to adults everyone stays safe from unwanted exposure and scams and simplified management means peace of mind for all checko delete me at the link below and Safeguard your family's digital world today ironically even though the availability of Windows surely attracted users who otherwise may not have considered a Netbook Windows actually contributed to the netbooks downfall you see although Microsoft didn't want to seeed the netbook space to Linux they also wanted to make sure people weren't buying cheap netbooks instead of a more powerful Windows device if they could afford it so netbooks often shipped with stripped down versions of Windows that Microsoft would only provide to Netbook manufacturers if their machines fell below certain specifications for a long time Microsoft wouldn't license Windows to run on netbooks with more than 1 GB of RAM although netbooks eventually accounted for about 20% of the laptop Market at their Zenith in 2010 the problem for the netbook was that competing Technologies were cashing up although their small size and low price point made netbooks convenient they were at the end of the day underpowered devices running stripped down software that you had to operate using a very cramped keyboard 2010 was the year that both the iPhone 4 and the original iPad were released and the public quickly got used to the idea that sleer devices like tablets and even some smartphones could replicate the functions of a netbook and perform them better especially as Netbook manufacturers were often trying to compete on price meaning they weren't exactly the best quality a lot of the time at the same time mainstream laptops were getting cheaper and lighter for example the 2012 Acer V5 had a full-on core i5 and only weighed about 3 lb but could be found for less than 500 bucks the availability of laptops like these meant the netbook was getting squeezed from two directions until it didn't really have a role to fill in the marketplace anymore by 2013 manufacturers had essentially ceased Netbook production meaning the netbook didn't even last as long as the band n sync's original run so it was bye bye bye all right thanks for watching guys if you like this video hit like hit subscribe hit us up in the comments with your suggestions for videos that we should cover in the future\n"