The Asus Eee Pad Transformer is apparently cutting in on the company’s netbook sales, prompting Asus into cutting back on the production of Eee PC volumes, according to DigiTimes. And looks like its not only the netbook market that’s declining but the whole of notebook sales as tablet production continues to rise.

Also according to DigiTimes sources, the Transformer should reach 700,000 to 800,000 units in Q3 of 2011 for a total of 2 million units for the year. Asus is also rumored to be launching the Transformer 2 with a NVIDIA quad-core Tegra 3 processor, also called the super cool name (IMO, at least), Kal-El.

The current Asus Eee Pad Transformer has 10.1″ WSVGA (1280×800) IPS Capacitive LED Touchscreen, NVIDIA Tegra 2 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 SDRAM and 16 or 32GB of internal memory. The 16GB model is available for $394.99 while the 32GB model is $489.00, tablet only. The separate keyboard/docking station costs $159.99.

Graphics-intensive applications shouldn’t slow down this ASUS netbook, thanks to the Next-Generation NVIDIA Ion discrete graphics. The ASUS Eee PC VX6 netbook can even handle 3D games! Its HD screen is great for watching HD videos, and it has an HDMI port that will let you output 1080p videos to your HDTV.

The ASUS Eee PC VX6 also offers the latest in USB, Bluetooth and WLAN connectivity (USB 3.0, Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11 N, respectively), and it even comes with Windows 7 Home Premium OS rather than the pared down Windows 7 Starter edition. To top it all off, the ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 will turn heads with its stylish chassis and its unique, Lamborghini-inspired styling touches.

Our Netbook Ratings: 7/7
(Read about this score under our Netbook Ratings section)

Sounds like a netbook that might interest you? Read on for the full ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 netbook review.

TOP FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Superior speed and response

A combination of 3 things gives the Asus Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 its noteworthy speed and responsiveness.

First, the Eee PC VX6 runs on the Intel Atom D525, a 1.8 GHz dual-core processor. This may not be the fastest processor out there, but it’s arguably one of the fastest processors available on a netbook today.

In fact, PassMark gives it an Average CPU Mark of 725 (rating as of the 10^th of December, 2010), which is higher than the Average CPU Mark of other dual-core processors used in other netbooks (e.g. AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core L310 on the Ferrari One 200 and the Intel Atom N550 on the Aspire One D255).

So while you probably won’t be zipping on an ASUS Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 as you would on a dual-core desktop (or as you would on a real Lamborghini roadster for that matter), this netbook’s performance still exceeds typical netbook performance benchmarks.

Second, the Asus Eee PC Lamborghini also has DDR3 RAM, which essentially has double the processing power of the older DDR2 RAM. Add to that, the Asus Eee PC Lamborghini can have up to 4GB of RAM, so you have a greater amount of system memory to rely on for multitasking.

Third, the Eee PC VX6 comes with its own graphics processing unit or GPU – the Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics chip with dedicated video memory. This takes the burden of rendering graphics and images off your system so netbook performance is not negatively affected even when you’re using graphics-intensive applications.

• Superior graphics performance – 3D-game capable

As earlier mentioned, the ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 has the powerful Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics chip with dedicated video memory. How does this benefit you, exactly?

First, the dedicated graphics means this the ASUS Eee PC VX6 is a netbook you can use for graphics-intensive applications. Normally, you’ll be wary of using a netbook to play 3D games, right? Well, you can play a decent 3D game on the Asus Eee PC Automobili Lamborghini VX6. No, the Eee PC VX6 – for all its merits – is still not the best choice for 3D gaming, but it is capable of providing you with a decent 3D gaming experience.

That’s quite impressive; the ASUS Eee PC VX6 is still a netbook after all. There’s no doubt that the ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is one of the top netbooks when it comes to graphics performance.

Second, graphics-intensive tasks like HD video streaming/playback should not slow down the ASUS Eee PC VX6. For graphics-intensive applications, the ASUS Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 uses its own dedicated graphics processor and video memory to render/output images, leaving your system processor and your system RAM free to do other tasks.

• Seamless switching between integrated and discrete graphics

The next-generation NVIDIA Ion graphics card on the ASUS Eee PC VX6 comes with NVIDIA Optimus Technology, which automatically switches from discrete to integrated graphics (and vice versa) according to your graphics/visual demands. If you are using graphics-intensive applications, NVIDIA Optimus Technology will route graphics processing to the graphics processing unit and use the GPU’s dedicated video memory. For normal computing needs, however, it will switch to integrated graphics mode. This helps conserve netbook battery life because using the graphics processor consumes more power.

All this graphics switching takes place in the background so it won’t interfere with your work. All you’ll get is the best possible visuals and most optimal battery usage at all times.

• HD screen and HDMI port for HD video playback and HD video outputting

The ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 has a basic HD screen with a display resolution of 1366 x 768. This plus the fact that it has its own dedicated graphics chip means smooth, high-quality HD video playback.

Note, however, that several factors determine actual HD video playback performance of any netbook. When streaming HD videos, for instance, the type of web video player used will matter. Laptopmag in its review noted how the Asus Eee PC VX6 played a Flash 720p HD video better than it played a QuickTime 720p HD video. Apparently, the QuickTime player did not take advantage of the dedicated graphics card on the Lamborghini Eee PC.

The NVIDIA Ion graphics card on the ASUS Eee PC Lamborghini netbook also lets you output 1080p HD videos to your HDTV through HDMI. If the 12.1-inch screen on the ASUS Eee PC VX6 is too small for you, simply connect your big-screen HDTV to your netbook and you should be all set for HD entertainment.

Just remember that the native resolution of your own HDTV (and/or its own scaling engine) will also affect how clear and crisp your HD videos will appear on your TV screen.

• Fastest Data Transfer Possible through USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0

The Eee PC VX6 comes with two USB 3.0 ports (aside from one USB 2.0 port). With a signaling rate of 5 Gbps, USB 3.0 can transfer data approximately 10x faster than USB 2.0, which has a signaling rate of only 480 Mbps. With USB 3.0, it should take only seconds to copy entire directories from your netbook to a USB 3.0 external hard drive!

The ASUS Lamborghini Eee PC also comes with the latest Bluetooth version, Bluetooth 3.0, which can provide wireless data transfer rates of up to 24Mbps. Bluetooth 3.0 essentially gives you secure wireless connectivity at Wi-Fi speed.

• Better OS: Windows 7 Home Premium instead of Windows 7 Starter

The ASUS Eee PC VX6 comes with the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, which is more functional and more feature-rich than the Windows 7 Starter OS. Windows 7 Home Premium provides support for a wider variety of media formats, has more personalization/styling options and has no multiple program restrictions.

• Eye-Catching Design

The ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 (especially the pearlescent white version) is a head-turner. It’s not that the Eee PC VX6 is a “loud” netbook. It just looks so different from your run-of-the-mill netbook that you can’t help but notice it when you see it.

The Eee PC VX6 is inspired by the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 roadster.

In keeping with its design concept and the Lamborghini branding, the ASUS Eee PC VX6 netbook has simple yet bold lines. It also has distinctive styling touches (sparingly and tastefully applied, I might add) like the Automobili Lamborghini emblem on its lid, chrome hinges, chrome-colored detailing, rubberized or mirrored buttons and surfaces, and stylized air vents.

Overall, the ASUS Eee PC VX6 is both racy and elegant and it looks exactly what it is: a speedy, powerful and – of course – expensive netbook.

• Great sound, full keyboard size and large, high-resolution screen

With the Bang & Olufsen ICEpower audio system, the ASUS Eee PC VX6 provides loud, clear and sharp audio. It’s not the best audio on a mobile computer, mind you. Nevertheless, the Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 netbook provides better audio than the average netbook.

The 12.1-inch screen provides maximum viewing comfort, while the high-resolution display means there’s virtually no need for vertical and horizontal scrolling when viewing standard-size web pages. The large, adequately spaced-out keyboard keys, on the other hand, makes touch-typing easy. Notebook users will find it very easy to get accustomed to the ASUS Lamborghini Eee PC VX6′s keyboard.

DRAWBACKS AND THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

• Short battery life

For a netbook (and particularly for an ASUS netbook), the Eee PC VX6 has a relatively short battery life at a little over 5 hours. Since this netbook is geared towards performance, however, it naturally uses up a lot of power. Given the ASUS Eee PC VX6’s specs, a battery life of 5 hours is actually very reasonable (if not ideal).

• Stiff mouse button

This is no biggie, really, but it’s still worth noting that you might find the single mouse button a bit stiff. You should get used to it in no time, though.

• A bit pricey

With exclusivity comes a hefty fee, and the ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is no exception. The ASUS Eee PC VX6 is indeed expensive for a netbook. Yes, this ASUS netbook has remarkable features, impressive specs and an outstanding design, but is it worth $777 ? I say it is, but you decide.

Tip: You can get a toned-down version of the Asus Eee PC VX6 (sans the Bluetooth, USB 3.0, 1.3MP webcam, Express Gate, and the Lamborghini styling) and pay approximately $300 less by getting an Asus Eee PC 1215N.

NETBOOK RATINGS: 7/7

• Price and value for money: 0.5
• Speed and performance: 1.0
• Screen: 1.0
• Keyboard and usability: 1.0
• Portability and battery life: 0.5
• Looks and design: 1.0
• Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0

**Bonus points:

• Speed and performance: 1.0 – This netbook – again, the ASUS Eee PC VX6 is a netbook – can handle 3D games. This, in my book, makes the VX6 netbook deserving of a bonus point.

NETBOOK SPECIFICATIONS

Processor: Dual-core Intel Atom D525 (1.8GHz, 1MB L2 Cache)
Display: 12.1-inch LED-backlit WXGA (16:9 aspect ratio) HD Screen (1366×768 resolution)
Chipset: Intel NM10 Express Chipset
Graphics: Discrete graphics; Next-Generation NVIDIA Ion with NVIDIA Optimus Technology
Operating System: Dual; Windows7 Home Premium and Express Gate
RAM: DDR3 SO-DIMM 1GB / 2GB/ 4GB (max)
Storage: 250GB or 320GB hard disk drive + 500GB ASUS WebStorage
WLAN: 802.11b/g/n or 802.11 b/g @2.4GHz
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0
Features: HD video outputting, HD Audio Codec, integrated digital mic, integrated stereo speakers, Bang & Olufsen ICEPower audio system, multi-gesture touchpad, full keyboard size
USB Ports: 3 USB ports (2 USB 3.0 ports plus 1 USB 2.0 port)
Card Reader: MMC/SD(SDXC)
Other Jacks / Ports: HDMI port, VGA port, headphone/speaker/line-out jack, microphone jack, Ethernet LAN port
Battery: 6-cell Li-ion (2.6Ah, 57.72Wh) battery with approximately 5+ hours of battery life
Dimensions: 11.69 x 8.03 x 1.12 inches, 3.3 lbs with a 6-cell battery
Color: Two color options; Pearlescent White and Piano Black

RECOMMENDATION AND OUR TAKE

The ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is undoubtedly one of the best-performing and best-looking netbooks available at the moment. I recommend getting the Pearlescent white ASUS Eee PC VX6;IMHO, it looks better than the Piano Black ASUS Eee PC VX6.

Is the ASUS Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 a great buy? Heck, yes! It has some of the best specifications, the most advanced features and a stunning style to boot. Is it worth its hefty price tag? That’s a yes, too!

Should you get this netbook? It depends. If you own a Lamborghini or are a fan of Lamborghinis, that is reason enough to buy this Lamborghini-branded netbook.

If you’re in the market for a netbook that delivers superior performance – and looks it – then the Asus Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 is also definitely for you. If it’s performance you want but looks don’t matter much, you should consider getting the ASUS Eee PC 1215N instead; just note that the ASUS Eee PC 1215N is missing some of the features of the ASUS Eee PC VX6.

Finally, if you’re looking for a netbook to give a loved one this Holiday Season, the Asus Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6 should be an excellent choice. Whoever receives the ASUS Eee PC VX6 netbook as a gift for the Holidays will love it. How could anyone resist falling for such a gorgeous, first-rate netbook?

So if you’re stumped on what to get your loved ones (or yourself) this HolidaySeason, get the Asus Automobili Lamborghini Eee PC VX6!

[Rating:6.5/7] Here’s why.

Features and Drawbacks

• Elegant design – Yes. It’s been blessed with the same beautiful lines of every Seashell netbook which makes it familiar and comfortable. It has a matte plastic chassis. The lid color extends all the way to the palm rest below the chiclet-style keys. What I like about the Asus design is that the battery is nearly flush with the machine and doesn’t stick out the way other netbook battery does.

• Very good matte screen – The Asus Eee PC 1015PEM has a 10.1″, 1024 x 600 pixel matte display. The colors remain sharp and vibrant even if you move the screen around. Pics and videos show clear details.

• Good keyboard if too small keys The netbook has a chiclet-style keyboard which is pretty comfortable and solid to type on except that the keys are a little smaller than usual. The right Shift key is positively tiny. Definitely needs a little getting used to but not bad to use. The touchpad is better, a spacious 3.0″ x 1.6″ space with the same finish as the palm rest. It was also responsive and accurate. The mouse button bar is a long silver bar underneath the touchpad.

• Speakers are good too. – Not great. You won’t expect to hear theater-quality sound but the speakers on the 1015PEM is pretty good. You can play music at full volume without the sound cracking. And you don’t have to use full volume to be able to hear the music from across the room.

• Above average performance – The Asus Eee PC 1015PEM is one of the first dual-core N550 netbooks and looks like it’s one of the best attempts too. Benchmark scores are high, and shows significant improvement over single-core netbooks. As a matter of fact, it scored better than another dual-core netbook, the Acer Aspire D255. The processor is faster than the average netbook, with transfer speeds even better than the Eee PC 1215N. That goes to show that the Eee PC 1015PEM can handle all your computing needs pretty much at the same time without suffering a stroke.

• Found the graphics a little lacking – While the screen shows great colors and the sounds are fine, the graphics chip isn’t as impressive. HD YouTube vids didn’t play very well, and hitched every now and then. Looks like the dual-core processor doesn’t really help the Intel GMA 3150 graphics chip.

• Impressive battery – Battery life lasted as long as 8 hours on a single charge. It’s a 6-cell battery which averages at 6 hours, 30 minutes.

Rating – 6.5/7

Value for Money – 1
Speed and Performance – 1
Screen – 1
Keyboard – 1
Portability & Battery Life – 1
Looks and Design – 1
Extensibility & connectivity – 0.5

Technical Specifications

• Intel Atom Dual Core N550 processor
• 1GB DDR3 RAM, 1 SODIMM Slot, 2GB Max
• Intel GMA 3150 graphics
• 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM) + 500GB Free Web Storage
• 10.1″ 1024X600 WSVGA Matte Finish LED Display
• 802.11 b/g/n; Bluetooth 3.0
• 13 Hours of Battery Life
• Windows 7 Starter Operating System (32 bit)
• 0.3MP Webcam; Chiclet Keyboard

Bottomline
Good choice, good choice, good choice. And did I say that the Asus Eee PC 1015PEM is a good choice? It comes with a dual-core processor, good looks and a long battery life. Only drawbacks are the smaller than usual keys and less than stellar video playback, but it performs very well for a very long time. And for $368.59, it’s definitely a good choice. Available in black, blue, red and white.

[Rating:5/7]

Features and Drawbacks

• Beautiful design, no fingerprint smudges – I don’t know about you, but I like my netbooks neat and smudge-free. It definitely is smudge-free with the black, textured lid. It has a black keyboard over a gunmetal gray strip. It also has all its ports tucked neatly on the sides.

• Full-sized keyboard, tiny touchpad. – The keyboard on this ultraportable is a joy to use. It was easy to get on normal typing speed, and the Shift and Enter keys were large and easy to find. The touchpad was a bit too small, but then I’d still rather use a mouse anyway. However, the left and right buttons were responsive and easy to use.

• Has one of the best screens ever put on a netbook – The Acer Aspire One 721 has an 11.6″ screen with 1366 x 768 screen resolution, and the pictures are bright and crisp. Details on videos were also very clear especially HD videos. Audio quality is also very good, although you have to put it on a flat surface. The speakers can be found underneath the front part of the chassis. Of course sound gets muffled if you put the netbook on your lap or on top of a pillow.

• Faster than a speeding netbook – Well, not really. It has a single-core AMD Athlon Neo processor and 2GB RAM, and it IS faster than you typical Atom-powered netbook. Of course, dual core netbooks are coming up and about so you can expect the Acer Aspire One 721 to go lower in the food chain as time goes by, but for now, this one works just fine. It doesn’t choke up on most tasks such as multiple tabs on Firefox with iTunes running, a document open and Plants vs Zombies waiting in the background. Of course, adding other tasks such as watching a video or streaming music adds to the strain and makes it slow down a little.

• Speaking of videos… – This baby has an ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics cards which is why you can actually get some decent game time with World of Warcraft in it if you have a mind to. Again, of course, there are other netbooks with Nvidia Ion 2 graphics than can easily outplay the Acer Aspire One 721 but still, you can’t just push this one aside. Streaming videos at 720p isn’t a problem, but you might get a little stutter with a 1080p. Playback wouldn’t be a problem if you download the vid first.

• Aweful battery life – With other netbooks lasting for a whopping 9 hours on a single charge, the 3 hour battery life of the Aspire One 721′s six-cell battery is pathetic, making it not nearly as portable enough as it should be. You will definitely need to bring along the adaptor and be sure to sit near a power outlet if you’re using it out and about.

Rating – 5.5/7

Value for Money – 0.5
Speed and Performance – 1
Screen – 1
Keyboard – 1
Portability & Battery Life – 0.0
Looks and Design – 1
Extensibility & connectivity – 1

Technical Specifications

• 11.6-inch LED-backlit screen (1366 x 768 resolution)
• 1.7 GHz AMD Athlon II Neo single-core processor K125 (2 MB L2 cache
• ATI Radeon HD 4225 graphics card
• 250 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
• 1 GB of installed DDR3 RAM
• Multi-Gesture Touchpad
• 84-key, full-sized Acer FineTip keyboard
• 1.3-megapixel Crystal Eye webcam
• Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking capability, Bluetooth 3.0

Bottomline
I’d love the low price and the screen and the awesome keyboard, I think the low battery life of this netbook will definitely discourage people from choosing it over some other more expensive machine, because there are definitely better options out there. Newer machines are coming out with faster CPUs and longer battery life which can give a user the same, if not better, performance than the Acer Aspire One 721, especially if we’re going to stay within the sub-$500 price range. You might want to look elsewhere, for example the at the ASUS Eee PC 1201PN? Or the newer Asus Eee PC 1215N? The extra cash you’d fork out will definitely be worth it in the long run.

Speaking of battery life, one Toshiba netbook achieved the longest battery life among the 10.1-inch models we tested, lasting 9.5 hours.

That would be the Toshiba Mini NB205 they’re talking about there. I’m surprised the Toshiba has better battery life than some of Asus’ netbooks that taut battery lives of over 10 hours, namely the 10″ Eee PC 1005HA and the 11.6″ Eee PC 1101HA.

Other netbook trends: Hard drives are getting larger, with several 10.1-inch models sporting 250GB hard drives—equal to or not much smaller than many laptops. Weights for 10.1-inch netbooks range generally from 2.4 to 2.9 pounds.

This is true. Gone are the days when most netbooks came with SSD storage options. Nowadays, netbooks are beginning to resemble notebooks albeit with less powerful processors. Many netbooks still comes with 160GB HDD options, but with Windows 7 becoming more widespreed, more netbooks are coming with 250GB HDD.

Most 10″ netbooks weigh between 2.4 – 2.9lbs, a stark contrast to the scene 6-9 months ago when netbooks like the Asus 1000HE weighed 3lbs. For more on weight, check out our list of the Lightest 10″ Netbooks (with Windows 7).

You might notice netbooks are getting bigger, infringing on laptop territory.

I still remember when the Dell Mini 9 was the most popular netbook – but that was before netbooks became uber mainstream. 12″netbooks seem to be on the rise – especially as people are becoming more price conscious and opting for netbooks over notebooks. I haven’t seen many 12″ netbooks with Windows 7… but nVidia ION seems to be a common flavor for the larger form factor.

That’s all for now. Check back in the next few weeks for our next state-of-netbooks post.

• Netbook suggested as Word of the Year by the New American Oxford Dictionary. Netbook didn’t make it, and was ousted by unfriend. Looks like cloud networking (Facebook) beats hardware in popular words :)

• Blogger calls netbooks ‘disposable’ – I lol-ed. An otherwise uninteresting post, it talks about netbooks being so portable and cheap, you can just pick one more up if it breaks. Just like the razors you pack along for your business trips!

• Netbooks don’t last as long as Notebooks – I mean, duh. Square Trade conducted a study on 30,000 new laptop covered by their security package – apparently 1 in 3 laptops fails in 3 years (whoa, my last 2 PCs are totally guilty of this) and netbooks are 20% more likely to fail.

• Asus & Toshiba netbooks are the sturdies – and don’t have as many hardware failures as most laptops. Explains why both netbooks are top sellers on Amazon. (same study as above)

• Surprisingly, HP netbooks are more likely to malfunction than among the other well-known netbook brands.

• Laptop accidents increase as the years go by – Okay, everyone know this, but it’s cool to see it in a somewhat quantified format (see below)

*Graphs from Square Trade

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s the end of Quarter 3 and Display Search has a lovely report on netbook & notebook shipments and forecasts filled with insights just waiting to be analyzed.

Key takeaway from this report: from a business standpoint, making low prices of the USP was instrumental in giving the new market the boost it needed to reach the mainstream electronics market. However increased competition and the ability to offer more for less is crucifying not only the netbook market but also for the notebook market – in terms of revenue.

ThePC market could have very well been the cash cows for manufacturers… they would up their brand image by infusing every home with say Asus Eee PC netbooks. But at the end of the day it up-ed their  street cred when it came to 14″ notebooks and above, which give them higher profit margins.

Now however, we find ourselves at a point where notebook sales are on a severe decline:

In Q2’09, the value of the total notebook PC market (including netbooks) was $26.4 billion, up 10% Q/Q but down 5% Y/Y. [Down from $27.9 billion in Q2'08]

Notebook PCs (excluding netbooks) saw a decline of 14% Y/Y. The market was worth $27 billion in Q208 and is now worth $23 billion.

For larger notebook PCs, revenue in every category was down Y/Y, and only the portable category (those with displays from 13” to 16”) posted Q/Q growth.

On the other hand, netbooks are doing extremely well and have posted a 264% increase in revenue Y/Y (up 37% Q/Q). The netbook market has mature from $0.8 billion in Q2’08 and is now worth $3 billion. Not bad, considering they’re about a third/a quarter the price of most notebooks.

John Jacobs, Director of Notebook Market Research points that netbooks have boosted volume performance of the portabel PC market, but are having a deep impact on overall revenue.He adds:

“For 2009, we expect continued ASP erosion across all portable computer categories, leading to the first Y/Y decline of portable computer revenue.”

The poor PC industry. They have a stellar product that is wildly successful – projected volume of sales of netbooks are 21.5% for 2010. But a product that brings in the least revenue – estimated 10.9% of overall portable computer market for 2010.

The recession doesn’t make it easier for anyone, with less people able to shell out large bucks for notebooks, and more spending on netbooks instead. Maybe it’s time for a huge internal reflection for netbook manufacturers. Time for them to streamline the manufacturing process to reduce their internal cost/netbook. And time to stop hacking away the prices of netbooks.

Not sure the latter is possible at this point – don’t all tech products have to cut prices to survive (think the price of DVD players back in the day and now). So they’ll have to go for the former.

Thoughts?

More reading on Netbook Future, Statistics & Trends:

Our analysis of netbook sales as of Display Search’s Quarter 2 2009 report

Our analysis of Netbook Future Trends based on Inte IDF Internal Research

*

Price of netbooks is going down

Very well known fact, prices have been dropping and you’re getting more for your buck in most cases (Asus 1005-ha for instance). I like this graph because it compares price fluctuations (read drop) by geography. Things that stand out:

• highest netbooks prices were seen in China during late summer 2008 (isn’t that where they’re made anyways :-P )
• Japan saw a jump in prices right about when the economy tanked (prices may have gone up with the release of premium netbooks such a the Sony Vaio P)
• netbooks are cheaper now in USA than they are in APAC & China (developing countries)

*

Netbook-mania hit Western Europe big time in July 09

This would be easy to explain if the time period were September 09 since a lot of netbooks are being launched in Western Europe first, especially the ones with the goodies, and since everyone everywhere else is (probably) awaiting Windows 7 bearing netbooks. Then again, July marks the back to school season. This could reflect that less US students bought new laptops, or that less US students bought netbooks, or that the netbook craze finally hit Western Europe in July 09… anything really.

It would help to see the percentage by region over time to like the above graph.

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Netbooks won’t take over the world in 2012

I don’t see 19% as being a HUGE slice of the pie. it’s a decent slice of the pie, I’ll give you that. It isn’t even a real pie though, it’s a projected pie. 19%… nearly 1 in 5 devices will be a netbook… That’s a big deal, but far from equivalent to everyone owning an iPod.

I wonder if this projected number acknowledges CULVs.

*

Size matters, but not too much

Another easily visible trend -  people prefer 10″ netbooks over 8.9″ ones. I’m surprised the forecast for 2012 doesn’t include a visible share of 12″ devices. The graph is based on a Q109 report, well before the onset of 12″ machines. While that explains why they aren’t on the graph, it says either (a) we can’t even predict trends for the next 9 months let alone 36 months or (b) 12″ netbooks were taken into consideration and won’t be successful (this is corroborated by a Digitimes post saying LCD panel makers expect a drop in 11.6″ netbook demands).

*

Hmm, the first two factual graphs seem far more relevant than the last two projections. Expect another analysis on netbook stats after figures become available on Windows 7 sales. That post will surely make a great read – it’ll shed light on whether Windows 7 sales actually meet the hype.

[Graphs courtesy of eeepcnews.]

Simple Use of Our Netbook Ratings System

Instead of using all 7 factors, you can choose the factors that you think are the most important and come up with an overall score that reflects your personal preferences. Let’s suppose that a netbook has the following scores:

• Price and value for money: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Speed and performance: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Screen: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Keyboard and usability: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Portability and battery life: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Looks and design: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0 (or 1 star)

As you can see, the netbook has an overall score of 5.5  stars, which is not a perfect score using our standard ratings system. However, let’s suppose that you actually care only for Speed and Performance, Keyboard and Usability, Portability and Battery Life, and Extensibility and Connectivity and do not care for the rest of the factors.

In this case, you can create your own index by summing up only the scores on these 4 factors you believe to be important.  After that, you can compare your prospective netbooks’ new overall scores as usual.  Under this new system, you can readily see that the netbook in the above example is actually perfect for your needs for it rates 1.0 in every one of your priority factors, and has a perfect score under your personalized netbook ratings system:

• Speed and performance: 1.0
• Keyboard and usability: 1.0
• Portability and battery life: 1.0
• Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0

Advanced Use of our Netbook Ratings System

You can also use our netbook ratings system in even more specialized ways. You can weight the individual scores so you can arrive at a final score that will reflect the relative importance that you assign to each of the 7 factors.

To do this, rank each of the 7 factors according to its importance in your netbook buying decision, give each of the factors a corresponding weighting coefficient, multiply the netbook’s score for each factor (0.0, 0.5 or 1.0) with that factor’s weighting coefficient, then add up the resulting weighted scores to get a new overall total.

The weighting coefficients are random numbers but they must reflect the relative importance of the factors.  In other words, the higher the coefficient for a factor, the more important that factor is.  Furthermore, if you give a factor a coefficient of 2 and another factor a coefficient of 1, that’s saying that you deem the first factor twice as important as the second factor.

To illustrate, let’s use the actual scores of our hypothetical netbook above:

• Price and value for money: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Speed and performance: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Screen: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Keyboard and usability: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Portability and battery life: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Looks and design: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0 (or 1 star)

First, let’s rank the factors from the most important to the least important. Let’s suppose, that this is the way you want them ordered:

1. Speed and performance: 1.0 (or 1 star)
2. Price and value for money: 0.5 (or ½ star)
3. Portability and battery life: 1.0 (or 1 star)
4. Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0 (or 1 star)
5. Keyboard and usability: 1.0 (or 1 star)
6. Screen: 0.5 (or ½ star)
7. Looks and design: 0.5 (or ½ star)

Second, let’s assign random but relative weighting coefficients to each factor (the coefficients are the rightmost numbers):

1. Speed and performance: 1.0 (or 1 star) —- 3.0
2. Price and value for money: 0.5 (or ½ star) —- 2.5
3. Portability and battery life: 1.0 (or 1 star) —- 2.0
4. Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0 (or 1 star) —- 2.0
5. Keyboard and usability: 1.0 (or 1 star) —- 1.0
6. Screen: 0.5 (or ½ star) —- 0.5
7. Looks and design: 0.5 (or ½ star) —- 0.0

Again, the coefficients must be relative. In the above example, you have assigned Speed and Performance a coefficient of 3.0; this means that a netbook’s Speed and Performance rating is thrice as important to you as its Keyboard and Usability rating, which you have given a coefficient of 1.0.

Your coefficients also show that you don’t assign any importance at all to the Looks and Design rating (0.0 coefficient) and only wants half of the actual score to reflect for the Screen factor (0.5 coefficient). You can also give two equally important factors the same weighting coefficients to reflect equal importance; the example above shows that you give the Portability and Battery Life factor and Extensibility and Connectivity factor equal weight.

Third, let’s multiply the actual scores with their weighting coefficients. The weighted scores for each of the factors will look like this:

1. Speed and performance: 1.0*3.0 = 3.0
2. Price and value for money: 0.5*2.5 = 1.25
3. Portability and battery life: 1.0*2.0 = 2.0
4. Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0*2.0 = 2.0
5. Keyboard and usability: 1.0*1.0 = 1.0
6. Screen: 0.5*0.5 = 0.25
7. Looks and design: 0.5*0.0 = 0.0

Fourth, let’s add the weighted scores:

Overall weighted score: 9.5

The overall weighted score is your new index or netbook rating score.

Important Note:

The weighted scores are truly meaningful only if you are comparing netbooks. Thus, you should come up with a shortlist of the netbooks you are considering, perform the weighted score calculation for each of the netbooks in your shortlist, then compare the weighted scores of your shortlisted netbooks. The netbook with the highest overall weighted score will be your obvious choice.

Through weighting therefore, there will be no dithering or indecision – the netbook with the highest overall weighted score will always be the perfect netbook for you; after all, you have modified the ratings system so it reflects your personal preferences.

So that’s it for now.  I hope this post makes our new standard netbook review format even clearer.

What this means to you

Our netbook ratings will give you an easy index for rating and comparing different netbooks.  Each netbook that we review from now on will have a score from 1 to 7 stars. By looking at how many stars a netbook gets, you can see at one glance how the netbook rates against our netbook ratings criteria (see below). By comparing the score of different netbooks, you can easily gauge which are the better products.

Our Netbook Ratings Criteria

Our ratings system is very simple. In it, we incorporate the 7 factors that netbook buyers usually consider when choosing a netbook or comparing netbooks:

• Price and value for money
• Speed and performance
• Screen
• Keyboard and usability
• Portability and battery life
• Looks and design
• Extensibility and connectivity

How do we determine what score to give a netbook for each of the individual factors mentioned above? The following explains how we rate each netbook on each factor.

Price and value for money

We won’t look at price alone. Naturally, cheaper is better; however, we will also consider a netbook’s value for money. In other words, netbooks that give as much bang for the buck as possible (i.e. performers or feature-rich at a low price) will get a high score on this one.

Speed and performance

For this factor, we will rate netbooks according to published and actual specs that impact netbook speed and performance. The primary indicators pertain to the netbook processor, RAM, hard drive, graphics card, operating system, and actual speed and performance. Basically, the top score will go to netbooks that can run multiple resource-intensive programs without getting sluggish.

Screen

Screen size, display resolution, backlighting, and glare are a few of the things we will look at before giving a netbook its score on the Screen factor.  As a general rule, netbooks with a big and backlit screen, a high display resolution and the least amount of glare will score highly on this one. In a nutshell, the screen that will strain your eye the least and return sharp and crisp images will get the high score.

Keyboard and usability

We will consider several things when rating a netbook for Keyboard and Usability. Specifically, we will look at the keyboard layout (the placement of the individual keys and the mousepad), the keyboard size, the keys’ feel and texture, and the trackpad/joystick’s responsiveness. Generally, netbooks that offer big keys, great texture/feedback and a layout that closely resembles the standard laptop keyboard configuration will rate highly on this factor.

Portability and battery life

For this factor, we will score netbooks according to how portable they are and how long they can be used unplugged. We will look at three specific indicators: size (or physical dimensions), weight and battery life. Naturally, the lighter and smaller a netbook and the longer its battery life, the higher will be its score on this factor.

Looks and design

The proverbial eye candy will get top score on this factor. We will look at color choices, finish and overall visual impact. Netbooks that look like an unattractive lump of plastic will not get a good score on this one; netbooks that look classy, sleek, elegant, and professional will get top marks on the Looks and Design category.

Extensibility and connectivity

Under this factor, we will look at a netbook’s connectivity and upgrade options. Under extensibility, we will consider RAM upgradeability, the number of USB ports, the availability of express card and memory card slots, plus all other input and output options. Under connectivity, we will consider a netbook’s internet connectivity options (3G, Wi-Fi protocols, LAN/dial-up modem ports, etc) as well as peer-to-peer connectivity options (e.g. Bluetooth, infrared). The more abundant a netbook’s extensibility and connectivity options, the better the netbook will rate under the Extensibility and Connectivity factor.

How it works

So, how do we arrive at an overall score (e.g. 6 stars) for each of the netbooks that we review? First, we will rate each netbook on every one of the 7 factors outlined above. For each factor, a netbook will get one of 3 possible scores:

• 0.0
• 0.5
• 1.0

The individual scores for each of the 7 factors will then be added to come up with a netbook’s overall score. Generally, a netbook will get from 1 to 7 stars.

To illustrate, let’s suppose that a certain netbook gets the following scores for each of the 7 factors outlined above:

• Price and value for money: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Speed and performance: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Screen: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Keyboard and usability: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Portability and battery life: 1.0 (or 1 star)
• Looks and design: 0.5 (or ½ star)
• Extensibility and connectivity: 1.0 (or 1 star)

In this case, the netbook’s overall score is 5.5 stars, which is simply a sum of its individual scores.

Important Note: Sometimes, a netbook will get a bonus star for standing out in one of the factors or for excelling in a special factor that is not included in our ratings criteria. For instance, a netbook that has a battery life of 10 hours surely deserves a bonus star for an exceptionally long battery life. In another instance, I believe you’ll agree that a netbook that has black diamonds spelling your name on the cover deserves at least a ½ star bonus for an out-of-this-world design.

Implications:

• A netbook that is not perfect (i.e. does not score 1.0 on all 7 factors) can still get a score of 7 stars overall if it gets a bonus star for a chart-breaking specification.
• A netbook that is already perfect by our netbook ratings standard (i.e. scores 1.0 for each of the 7 factors) can get a score of 8 stars overall if it gets a bonus star for a chart-breaking specification.

So this is how we score netbooks in our netbook reviews.  Our netbook ratings system is quite flexible, so you can use it to come up with your personalized netbook ratings system.