Netbook vs smartphone. You decide!
In a workplace that is becoming evermore mobile and a society that craves to be connected 24/7, there’s a need for business devices to match these requirements. People working in small-to-medium size businesses (SMEs) looking to invest in devices that meet these needs face the ongoing debate about what to spend their money on: functional netbooks or ultra-portable smartphones?
Netbook vs smartphone pocket photo courtesy renaissancechambara/Flickr
For people who travel a great deal, carrying around the confidential information required to run a business can be a big challenge unless you resort to the use of a companion device, such as a netbook or smartphone. Although these two communication devices have very different physical appearances their actual use is quite similar, and opinions are varied as to which device has the advantage over the other.
QWERTY convenience
Netbooks appear to have hit a sweet spot for both the consumer and the business user. Their low price, almost full-size QWERTY keyboards that approach (if not quite match) standard notebook arrangements, and built-in applications mean that many people can leave their heavier notebook behind. Their batteries can last longer than bigger and more powerful notebooks, they are easier to carry around and they can run the same operating system already in use on most desktop computers.
Smartphones are also hugely appealing. Smaller in size, they can easily fit in your pocket and carry out the basic functions of a normal PC, using necessary applications. In fact, smartphones, have offered much of the same promise of netbooks for years now, including tasks such as mobile document editing, email and web browsing. But in many ways, smartphones haven’t fully reached their potential—and many users will never get past the small screens, slower processing speed and small keyboards.
[Next: What to consider when deciding between a netbook and a smartphone]