The netbook and MID (mobile internet device) markets are all the rage these days, and Intel is betting big on these markets with its Atom processor line. However, Intel doesn’t stop there – the company is even buying wireless networks. According to Intel’s CEO Paul Otellini, it’s all part of bringing the Internet to new places and people.
Otellini told the Associated Press that he isn’t afraid that these small netbooks are going to cannibalise sales of bigger, more powerful notebooks. “If a higher-priced notebook isn’t substantially better and doesn’t offer more utility, shame on us,” he said, “If there’s cannibalization, I’d rather be the cannibal than someone else.”
Intel is also investing a lot of money in rolling out WiMax networks in the US and Japan. “You won’t see Intel per se becoming a network operator. That’s not our competency,” Otellini explained, “But as a means to enable hundreds of millions of high-performance mobile devices that access the Internet – both notebooks and smart phones – I think it’s a good investment for us.”
In the process, Intel is also looking beyond its regular software partner Microsoft, opting to support Linux on these small devices, due to it being a cheaper and less resource-hungry alternative to Windows Vista. In addition, it will be around for a while, which Windows XP won’t be. “Vista has a larger memory footprint, a larger graphics requirement and a higher price point. This is all about low-cost computing,” Otellini said, “I see much of the activity in Mobile Internet Devices, sort of the evolution of the handset, being centered around Linux.”
From my own subjective experience, I can say that the netbook and MID markets – but the netbook market in particular – is roughly in the same position that the Macintosh was in about 3-4 years ago (at least, here in The Netherlands). Back then, I was one of only a very few Macintosh owners at my university, and the iBook was a head turner. People wanted to look at it, touch it, play with it, for the simple reason that it was different from what they were used to (and usually prettier, too). These days, Macs are abound, and nobody blinks twice at seeing a MacBook. However, as soon as I take out my small netbook, heads turn, people want to play with it, touch it. It’s the iBook all over again.
They’re different. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a few years from now, the netbook market will be about the same size as the portable Mac market is now.
Isn’t this old news? According to the article date, it’s posted in the end of May this year. I think the market is moving a bit faster than that =)
Whoops, my bad. Well, it’s interesting anyway. Discuss
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No worries
Keep up the good work!
I seem to remember that the talk about wireless networks this and that started already with Centrino and went nowhere since.
Actually it got worse.
So where are all the Atom powered MIDs? Apart from some demos on trade shows, I haven’t seen any. (Though rumor has it that you can actually buy some in China or Hong Kong.)
It’s funny that Intel has one netbook oriented Atom (N270), which is a big hit as practically all the netbooks use them and netbooks are showing up everywhere, and then they have almost half a dozen of device/MID oriented Atom (Z500-Z540) which seem to be going nowhere.
Here in the states, you can buy an Asus EEE with an Atom, and you can buy an Acer Aspire One with an Atom… and you can buy an MSI Wind with an Atom… and you can buy a Dell Inspiron Mini with an Atom…
and there are more, but maybe I’m misunderstanding your question?
Edit: Oh, are you not equating MID with Netbook? they’re pretty much synonymous in my mind
Edited 2008-10-30 14:56 UTC
Well, they’ll all switch to ARM soon anyway, right ?
But it won’t really frighten intel, they have ARM licences anyway
The world is well made, sometimes…
you mean go back to ARM? There have been ARM “netbooks” for ages ;P
They’ll never go back to ARM. Sure it might have some efficiency advantages, but x86 has the compatibility knockout. You can run the same software as on any other computer, and that is invaluable. Transforms these little MIDs from toys to useful computers for me.
true, but depending on what OS you are running, CPU arch is irrelevant.
With a *nix, half the time you just have to recompile.
I get what you mean though
I was just joking around.
Edited 2008-10-30 17:50 UTC
but if you’re running linux, who cares about compatibility?
http://www.pcworld.com/article/153040/intel_linux.html?tk=rss_news
as long as the hardware companies decide to use custom “distros” from suppliers that are into “tivolizing” the software stack.
Well, well…
After Apple says it’s going Arm in MIDs and Intel says it’s the Arm that slows down the iPhone/Ipod-Touch… Intel says that Linux will dominate MIDs! Ya riiiiiiiiight!
Intel’s been on a rampage of late! They must be in real trouble, just like the conservatives
KRR