Netbook

A netbook is a small-sized and inexpensive laptop; the term was used throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, designed mostly as a means of accessing the Internet and being significantly less expensive than full-sized laptops with lower or cut-down specifications. At their inception in late 2007, as smaller-than-typical laptop computers optimized for low weight and low cost, netbooks began appearing without certain then-standard laptop features (such as an optical drive), and with less computing power than in full-sized laptops. They ranged in size from about 5" screen diagonal to 12", with a typical weight of about 1 kg (2.2 pounds), and were often significantly less expensive than other laptops. Soon after their appearance, netbooks grew in size and features, and converged with smaller laptops and subnotebooks until the specifications were so similar that there was little distinction between the devices. At their peak, the low cost gave them a significant portion of the laptop computer market. The earliest netbook class devices were sold with Linux operating systems, but manufacturers quickly switched to Windows XP when Microsoft postponed the end of licensing it for new devices specially to cater to netbooks. When Windows 7 released, Microsoft did eventually end the licensing of Windows XP for all new devices, so netbook manufacturers had to increase specifications in order for their devices to be able to run at least Windows 7 Starter Edition. This pushed netbooks into a market niche where they had few distinctive advantages over traditional laptops. With these constraints and the increasing popularity of tablet computers in 2011, it led to declining sales of netbooks. By the end of 2012, few new laptops were marketed as "netbooks", and the term disappeared from common usage.