Fujitsu hops on Netbook bandwagon
(Credit:
Fujitsu)
The potential of the Netbook market is turning even the skeptics into believers these days.
On Tuesday, Fujitsu is expected to announce its first Netbook-class laptop for the North American market. It's called the Fujitsu M2010, though the company prefers to describe it as a "mini-notebook" instead of a Netbook. Regardless, it's the first Fujitsu notebook with an Intel Atom processor inside for buyers on this continent.
The M2010 is your standard Netbook/mini-note, with Windows XP, a 160GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, and three-cell battery for $449. It's nothing all that different from the rest of the crowd, unless you count that it's only available in Ruby Red.
Fujitsu has sold another Netbook, a 9-inch model sold only in Europe, which Fujitsu's senior product director Paul Moore said wasn't suitable for the U.S.
"We didn't bring it to North America because it was an 8.9-inch screen. At that time the feedback we were getting was 8.9 was too small," he said.
The M2010 has a 10-inch screen, which is quickly becoming the standard size for Netbooks--on Monday Dell canned its 9-inch Netbook in favor of two models of its 10-inch Netbooks. And Asus and Acer have also been increasing their focus on the 10-inch category.
Toshiba, the fifth-largest PC maker in the world, had also resisted selling a Netbook in North America--until Monday, that is. The NB205 was announced Monday.
It's easy to see why those who have resisted are now jumping on board: Netbook shipments are expected to double to 20 million units this year, from the 10 million shipped last year, according to data collected by IDC. In a tough economy, they're selling because of their relatively inexpensive price points, and increased portability.
Click here for CNET's full review of the M2010.
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Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica. 
Cody
- by krylosY June 18, 2009 12:04 PM PDT
- There are always 2 sides to every story, same here. The reason the netbooks are popular is because people want something light and powerful to take on the go. But this is not really the answer that everyone wants. The quick global move to the 10" screen in itself speaks for that.
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(4 Comments)This segment is growing because it is NEW and that is the main reason it is the growing. Many people are TRADING their larger notebooks for these cuddly little PCs. But how many will stay with them in the long run? Many will switch back even sooner when they experience the cramped keyboards and eyestrain, especially those of us "few" baby boomers over 40.
When larger screened notebooks reach the same "weildiness" level as a netbook, where even a fair-maiden can handle one, many will switch back to their beloved 17" and larger counterparts.
As for me, and other Ogres over 40, being 6'2" at 200 lbs, It's not even an option. (I am still waiting impatiently for the 20" behemoths to become practical so I can lumber onto the plane with a full size shift key on Both sides of my Compaq keyboard and see a full web page at once magnified for my deteriorating vision. For instance, with my eyes closed I can barely discern the difference between holding my 17" Compaq and a piece of paper. Jokes aside, you get my point. Some of us can carry the weight effortlessly, for others, that day is still yet to come. But I suspect, we many remain ever hopeful.)