• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Custom Netbooks...a venture

S

shrewsrule11

n00b
Joined
Nov 18, 2012
Messages
12
So, before you immediately tell me that netbooks are dead, replaced by tablets, let me say that I do not believe that a tablet can replace a netbook. As of now, there are no inexpensive tablets that can run a full suite of desktop software. Those may come, but I love my physical keyboard and the computer expandability.
Also, the products discussed here are intended mainly for intense business usage and casual usage that demands performance with no lag. This isn't a machine for gaming or 20 tabs in Chrome and four Word docs, but rather one that provides consistent performance in tasks that the netbooks of a few years ago would wheeze through.
So, on to the main body, please don't argue about the above. Consider it an abstract.
Anyways.
I'm beginning to germinate the ideas for a small computer…venture. I don't want to call it a business because it will never reach those heights. I'd like to get some feedback from an educated community, though your opinions may or may not impact my final decision.
I'm thinking to build-to-order and sell pre-configured, performance…netbooks.
Yes, those same machines which have been declared dead many times over, and that have ceased production. Yes, those same machines that cost $400 for 16GB of storage, 1 GB of RAM and a poor, poor processor. The cramped screens and keyboards, the poor touch pads. Do I sound like an apple exec from a few years ago yet?
However, my love for netbooks has never dwindled. I still think there is a small market for them, and I intend to cater to that market. Think of it as a Macbook Air 11", except for the masses. And don't say ultra books fill this area, as they are not in the sub 10" market yet. I am set in my ways.
I plan to begin marketing these in the 9-11" size and the 2.2 and less pound area. I'm thinking that 4GB of RAM is a good start, as is a 64 GB SSD. A low-power i3 would be ideal for the higher end models, but I'm thinking an older intel chip for the entry level ones. USB 2.0/3.0, HDMI and maybe ethernet ports are a must, no optical drive here though. SD Card slot would be nice for field photographers.
I'm thinking to ship them with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS or maybe CentOS, and have the option for Windows 7 and Mac OSX.
This is really the part I need help with, though (though hardware suggestions are much appreciated). Will there be a market for these? If someone told you that for $250 dollars you could get a computer that conforms to my standards above, would you go for it? Why or why not? Would you order a custom netbook, or would you rather see a group of pre-done models for purchase?

Any and all feedback is welcomed, please no flame. Thanks.
 
I'm a netbook owner. I don't think you can build them for 250, and take returns. Have you thought about custom laptops? Modify otherwise good laptops that people have. For instance, replace 5400 rpm drives with fast sad, or change batteries to longer life ones, or up the ram with faster and more ram. They send you their laptop, you customize and send them back.
 
jimh425 said:
I'm a netbook owner. I don't think you can build them for 250, and take returns. Have you thought about custom laptops? Modify otherwise good laptops that people have. For instance, replace 5400 rpm drives with fast sad, or change batteries to longer life ones, or up the ram with faster and more ram. They send you their laptop, you customize and send them back.
Click to expand...

Maybe $250 was a low estimate, but the point here is not to turn a massive profit, rather make just enough on the side to fund my own personal endeavors. I have considered laptop customization, but I think there are too many people already offering to do that, and it doesn't excite me. It is a good suggestion though.
 
To me its not a netbook if it doesnt have atom, if it has an i3, even a low powered one then its just a laptop. Or some would call it a sleekbook =]

Netbooks are still out there on the low price so what does yours offer that others do not? Full sized laptops have come so far down in weight they have encrouched on the netbook crowd, basically netbooks are getting hit from every angle. Talets are hitting them for size and weight, ultra books and now whole laptops sit around the $300 mark.

The one thing I thought netbooks always missed was for someone to make a big heavy one, lol, basically you take the atom CPU, drop it in a whatever sized screen and then strap a real 6 cell battery on it that would run like 24 hours.
 
heatlesssun said:
You won't be able to ship anything with OS X.
Click to expand...
I know that, that portion of the venture will be more informal and more under-the-table.

rudy said:
To me its not a netbook if it doesnt have atom, if it has an i3, even a low powered one then its just a laptop. Or some would call it a sleekbook =]

Netbooks are still out there on the low price so what does yours offer that others do not? Full sized laptops have come so far down in weight they have encrouched on the netbook crowd, basically netbooks are getting hit from every angle. Talets are hitting them for size and weight, ultra books and now whole laptops sit around the $300 mark.

The one thing I thought netbooks always missed was for someone to make a big heavy one, lol, basically you take the atom CPU, drop it in a whatever sized screen and then strap a real 6 cell battery on it that would run like 24 hours.
Click to expand...

Mine offers newer hardware that is more efficient and faster in a smaller package. As to your point on battery, i think a 10 hour battery would be a good start for the netbooks, that is another thing that really hampered the original lines.
 
Your phrase "Macbook Air for the masses" made me think of the Thinkpad X100e, X120e, and X130e.

Lenovo doesn't like to brand them as netbooks, but they are 11.6" in size and fairly inexpensive. The x100e had some serious heating issues if I recall, and the x130e is "school proofed" in that it's bulky for extra protection, but the x120e would have perfectly hit the spot for me had I needed a netbook at the time it came out.

I currently have an x230. At 12.5" I don't consider it a netbook, especially as it is as fully featured as most large laptops.

But yeah -- check out the x120e. What they did with it and how they did it might give you some ideas? It was exactly what I'd want in a netbook. Maybe it'd even be possible for it to be done in the 9-10" form factor, I just don't know.
 
What netbook has a screen that is even modestly appealing to field photographers?
 
Can't think of a netbook with a wonderful/fantastic screen, but both the Macbook Air 11 (11.6") and Thinkpad X220/X230 (12.5") screen have small form factors and fantastic screens. Resolution might not be fantastic but IPS makes for brilliant colors.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top