Skip to main content

Netbook PCs Popular as the Second Device


In November 2008 ABI Research carried out a survey of more than 1000 adult consumers in the United States, aimed at identifying their attitudes to netbook computers and mobile Internet devices (MIDs).

The results are summarized in a Research Brief that provides critical insights into consumer perceptions of these products.

Among many other results, the research found that only 11 percent would use a netbook as their primary computer, while a massive 79 percent view netbooks as a secondary device to be used in addition to a laptop or desktop computer.

Netbooks are smaller, so they're not as easy to use or as powerful as a PC or a laptop, and generally don't include built-in CD or DVD drives. However, the flip side is that the smaller size and weight of netbooks makes them much easier to tote around the home or on-the-go.

According to ABI principal analyst Philip Solis, "While their low price does cause some consumers to view netbooks as a replacement for a laptop given the current economic conditions, the majority view a netbook as being a secondary device."

Even as a device that is secondary to the PC, this has to cut into the laptop market somewhat. When considering another laptop as an additional device mostly for browsing the web and using other Internet-based communications applications, consumers will find netbooks to be an appropriate alternative.

Popular posts from this blog

Rise of Software-Defined LEO Satellites

From my vantage point, few areas are evolving as rapidly and with such profound implications as the space sector. For decades, satellites were essentially fixed hardware – powerful, expensive, but ultimately immutable once launched. That paradigm is undergoing a transition driven by Software-Defined Satellites (SDS). A recent market study by ABI Research underscores this transition, painting a picture of technological advancement and a fundamental reshaping of global connectivity, security, and national interests. LEO SDS Market Development The core concept behind SDS is deceptively simple yet revolutionary: decouple the satellite's capabilities from its physical hardware. Instead of launching a satellite designed for a single, fixed purpose (like broadcasting specific frequencies to a specific region), SDS allows operators to modify, upgrade, and reconfigure a satellite's functions after it's in orbit, primarily through software updates. The ABI Research report highlights ...