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Qualcomm's smartbook play - do we need another device category?
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Yesterday Qualcomm called together a group of media to tell us that it isn't going to sit back and let the netbook craze pass it by. Instead, it has created a new category of devices called smartbooks that will conveniently use the company's highly touted Snapdragon chipset.
What exactly is the difference between a netbook and a smartbook? Qualcomm said a smartbook will combine the best of smartphones and netbooks by being always on, always connected, ultraportable, have a screen size between 10 and 12 inches, and a full keyboard. Sounds like a netbook, right?
According to Luis Pineda, senior vice president of marketing and product management for Qualcomm's CDMA Technologies, the difference between a netbook and a smartbook is the software. The smartbook will have "the user experience that we enjoy from a smartphone with a larger display device."
If the software and the user experience is the differentiator, I suspect consumers won't know the difference and perhaps it doesn't really matter. But do we really need another device category? And if a consumer decides to buy a smartbook, why would they need a smartphone too? Won't smartbooks just cannibalize the smartphone market? Pineda doesn't think so. Instead, he envisions the smartbook cannibalizing the netbook market. And he says that the smartbook will be a complimentary device to the notebook computer and to the smartphone. Further, the smartbook may or may not provide voice service. "Voice is an option. Snapdragon supports high-speed wireless data and voice so smartbooks have that option," Pineda said.
Smartbooks likely will be sold at retail outlets and carrier stores. The pricepoint for the smartbook is unclear because Qualcomm says that it depends upon whether carriers subsidize this category of devices. Qualcomm says that 15 device makers are using its Snapdragon chipset in their devices (some of which are smartbooks). Although Qualcomm wouldn't name a specific manufacturer, the company did say that it expects to see the first smartbook on the market by year-end.
I'm anxious to see how many more iterations of smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks, etc., that chipmakers and device manufacturers come up with. Remember the mobile Internet device, or MID? That was supposed to be the hot new device of 2009 but it suddenly was overshadowed by the netbook. Do consumers really need smartbooks or is this just another example of a device without a market? --Sue, @FierceWireless
Comments
Posted by Anon | May 29, 2009 - 2:31pm
A new category nomenclature was an essential part. Reason being, that by using the ARM processor architecture, there is no way that these devices will be able to run any Windows x86 OS's. Even if Microsoft decided to port XP or Windows 7 to ARM, all of the current and legacy Windows applications would each need to be painstakingly re-ported as well. That's not ever going to happen. Without all these familiar apps there is no point in using (paying for) Windows CE or Mobile when Linux has far more to offer on ARM.
Consumers need this new category in order to be able to divorce themselves from the idea that these are another form of mini notebooks, where it has been shown, by the utter failure of the various Linux versions to gain any real traction, that they expect them to be just smaller, easier to carry Windows Notebooks with the ability to run all of their current/customary software apps.
Therefore, the (smartbook) strategy is sound in that it places them as simply more convenient to use, specific use, "internet appliances" with no expectation on the consumers end to be able to run their current Windows software. Yet, they'll still having the option of using the entire Linux software base if they so desire , including the potential of running a full GNU/Linux desktop on these smartbooks.
For people who are currently happy with, and well served by GNU/Linux software, these smartbooks are a real treat if for no other reasons than the huge power savings of using ARM. It remains to be seen if the various interfaces of either Android, Moblin, or some custom Linux distro's remix can capture the hearts and minds of the general public, but if so, and the the manufacturers can avoid too much further interface fragmentation, all the apps users become used to using on them, will also be available to them on their regular desktops and notebooks. Even, for the most part, on their Windows machines because most of the good GNU/Linux software (Open Office etc.)are routinely ported to Windows current OS offerings as well.
As a result, overall GNU/Linux adoption "could" be well served by these smartbooks. Questions are: Can users be convinced to sit in front of any keyboard and monitor arrangement and not expect it to be running Windows? Will manufacturers be able to convince non technical consumers that these are really just cloud computing appliances? Can consumers be convinced to learn all the intricacies of yet another user interface? The price is right! The time much longer times between battery charges is a big plus as well!
Posted by Michael in Dallas | May 29, 2009 - 3:22pm
There's only one point QC made out there I'd say solid, that's to set the right expectations on this 'new' category, like 'just don't treat this as a smaller laptop and expect a lot of softwares and applications, it isn't. But it's a better 'smartphone' with bigger screen and at least a full OS.'Different sides of the same coin to me. As a end user, I don't care what kind of label people put on it, I just care about what the device could help me with my mobile entertaining and productivity boost. To really do that in a competitive level, you need a strong platform aka ecosystem that centered around a robust, streamlined OS and a very extensive developer community. Hardware don't even matter here, Snapdragon who? QC never learns from its arrogance and thinking out of their 'beautiful marketing' box. Hopeless.
Posted by Josh Holbrook | June 1, 2009 - 8:58am
This is the most absurd announcement I've read in years. I truly mean that. Let's face it - it's a netbook.
1) Since when is the smartphone OS the preferred choice for consumers? With the exception of the iPhone, smartphone OSs are not user friendly.
2) Anon's argument above is from the perspective of a savvy technologist not the average consumer. What percent of consumer's have any idea what Unix or Linux means? How many people walk into Best Buy and ask, "I would like to buy a Linux based netbook? The answer is pretty close to 0%
3) How much money does Luis Peneda (Qualcomm SVP)think people have? He sees this a compliment to smartphones and notebooks? This on top of the smartphone data plan, wireless BB card, Xbox Live membership, cable modem subscription...shall I go on?
This type of marketing nonsense drive me crazy.
Posted by PC user | June 4, 2009 - 7:33am
I do see some merit here. The ARM players are trying to set the expectation of a different kind of device...more phone like. If they set the expectation of a Netbook, people would immediately be surprised when they found no Windows OS, no way to run existing Windows/x86 applications, and so forth. So, instead they set user expectation to always on connectivity and mobile web applications through an apps store instead of loading programs from a CD/DVD drive. I'm not sure how popular it will be, but at least the strategy seems sound.
Posted by Bill Schachter | June 11, 2009 - 4:21pm
Smartbook, Netbook... who cares what they call it? If it does the 'Net , my email, my Linus
"Office suite", and some photo-music editing, and it
s half the price of a netbook, and one third the price of a cheap notebook, I say let's have it! MSFT is about 10 years behind the times, anyway.
Bring it on!
Posted by David Doherty | July 31, 2009 - 11:43am
If it's all getting blurred for you, borrow my motto: If it rings it's a phone
Posted by Anonymous | August 4, 2009 - 11:09pm
". Remember the mobile Internet device, or MID? That was supposed to be the hot new device of 2009 but it suddenly was overshadowed by the netbook."
The smartbook is getting into position to grab some of the profit generated in the netbook market so this will definitely help steer towards mainstream acceptance. Came here from smartbook.asia, they take keep up on all the news, you'd like it
Posted by Anonymous | October 28, 2009 - 11:56am
Fact #1: ARM processors are quickly surpassing Intel-based processors in terms of performance per Watt, and are now capable of handling all notebook and (arguably) desktop workloads. Indeed, ARM devices are anywhere from 10 to 100 times more power efficient than Intel designs. Soon, with the Cortex-A9 multi-core architecture, ARM can even be expected to reach the workstation/server markets. They are truly beginning the green revolution of computing. Prepare to say goodbye to the fan and heatsinc in your laptop.
Fact #2: Microsoft has had a monopoly on computing for so long, that users have become completely familiarized (stupified?) with MS software to such an extent that they do not want to 'learn' anything new or different (and most probably better). In other words, Microsoft monopolizes on familiarity, and has not monopolized on 'good software' for over a decade.
As a result of the above two facts, mainstream acceptance of ARM processors for general purpose computing relies on Microsoft's lazy engineering staff. They need to get around to making Windows a portable operating system, so that it will run on non-x86 platforms (windows mobile does not count because... well... it sucks).
Having said all of that, Qualcomm is doing some first-class work with the ARM-powered smartbook. Actually, most other manufacturers (Texas Instruments, Motorola/FreeScale, Nvidia, etc, etc) are doing the same. So for any one of you who are complaining about the 'smartbook' category, you should really be thanking these companies for sparing your precious battery life, and redirecting your problems to Microsoft for not providing you with your OS of choice.
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