Which is better for those who work on the move — a netbook or a smartphone? We take a closer look at what is slowly but surely developing into a mobile computing war

It is one of the most engrossing face-offs in the world of tech. And it has been slowly building up. Just about every major brand is involved in it and the target is the general consumer who not only needs to walk when he or she talks, but work as well. We are talking of the battle for the throne of the best mobile computing option. A few years ago, most people thought that an ultraportable notebook was the best (if rather expensive) option for those who needed to work on the move. Smartphones were handy for keeping tabs on e-mails and, well, one could make calls on them, but when it came to real work (read “composing and editing documents, working on presentations and doing heavy duty surfing”), notebooks stood alone, thanks to their larger screens, better keyboards and superior computing muscle. Yes, they cost more, but they delivered so much more too.

Cut to 2010 and the battle lines have been pretty much redrawn. Ultraportable notebooks cost a fraction of what they once did, thanks to the netbook phenomenon, while smartphones have moved up several notches in usability and affordability.

THE SMARTPHONE COMETH…

The last two years have seen smartphones move up from the status of ’umble mobile e-mail receivers to being the real computingon-the-move deal. Of course, hardcore mobile users will point out that one could have done a lot of stuff besides e-mailing on a smartphone even earlier — the Nokia Communicator and the Palm Treo series were particularly good examples — but the stark fact is that it is only in the last couple of years that phones have come into their own as viable computing options. And, just like in the case of computers, it is that company from Cupertino that set things rolling. The iPhone did not start off as a smartphone, but by serving up a large viewing screen, terrific internet browsing and an easy e-mail set-up and use feature — that users usually associated with smartphones — it suddenly changed the benchmark for smartphones. Before we knew it, phone screens that used to generally be around a couple of inches, were stretching into three and even four-inch territory, making viewing documents, emails and web pages so much easier.

Another Apple innovation that boosted smartphones in general was the evolution of the App Store, allowing users access to thousands of applications for their devices, ranging from office suites and social networking utilities to e-mail clients. Other manufacturers were quick to follow suit and the result is that today smartphone users have stacks of applications to choose from and are no longer largely restricted to what is already installed on their phones. Combine that with increased storage, more powerful cameras, always-on connectivity, the ability to make calls, and best of all, dipping prices — the Nokia E72 (arguably the best smartphone around) costs approximately Rs 20,000, Acer’s Windows Mobile 6.5 range starts at Rs 10,000, and you can get a BlackBerry Flip for Rs 11,000 — and you can see why many people are actually leaving their laptops behind and lugging their smartphones on their trips.

…THE NETBOOKS RESIST…

But that is not to say that laptops are out of the mobile computing equation. The arrival of netbooks — ultraportable, if low-powered, notebooks with great battery life and low prices (starting at Rs 14,000) — has breathed new life into the laptop segment. While computing purists sniff at the relatively limited processing power of netbooks — most run on single core Intel Atom processors with speeds of around 1.6 Ghz — there can be no denying the fact that they are a lot more convenient to use and carry for those used to working on computers than smartphones. Even the most cramped netbook keyboard is better for typing out long documents and mails than the ‘thumbs only’ QWERTY layouts on most smartphones. Similarly, even the smallest netbook will have a larger screen and more storage than the largest smartphone, making it much better for viewing and storing large documents, files and especially video. And if you have the right data card installed, you can even make phone calls from them — mind you, making calls from smartphones is a darned sight easier. Best of all, most netbooks run Windows XP and are capable of running most of the applications on your computer and also work smoothly with accessories like printers, USB storage devices and scanners — areas that smartphones are remarkably deficient in.
Even the alleged deficiency in processing prowess is only when compared to conventional notebooks and desktops — the least powerful netbook has more processor muscle on paper than the most powerful smartphone. And with newer models coming with better processors, better graphics and larger screens — all without adding significantly to the weight or price of the devices — netbooks remain an excellent option for those who like to work on the move, especially if the work involves stacks of video, large documents and the need to plug in accessories.

…AND THE MOBILE WORKER RULES!

In the end, as in most cases, it all boils down to what the user needs. And the choice remains a tough one. Smartphones are expected to get a feature boost with still larger screens, better processors and yet more applications, while netbooks are expected to get a boost from Google’s Chrome OS, which will make them faster than ever without increasing costs. Ebook readers could join the battle — Archos and Barnes and Noble have come out with devices mainly meant for reading books, but which can also handle a few other tasks such as reading documents and with some tweaking, even access mail. Of course, there’s Apple, waiting to merrily muddy the waters again with a tablet that many say will be a blend of the Macbook and the iPhone. The mobile worker never had it better!

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 3rd, 2010 at 11:07 am and is filed under Ajatus. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.