Intel is betting on Moblin and the MID

Per jkOnTheRun, Intel is considers MIDs as a big focal point of their strategy and that they fully expect them to take off soon, with a lot of new MIDs at the CES in January. Intel is also expecting netbooks to continue to be the hot sellers next year, which seems contrary to previously announcements the company is rethinking its position in this market, having deemed it incremental (see Intel rethinks Netbooks - and why).

In addition, to help clear up the constant confusion between netbooks, MIDs and UMPCs, Intel has also provided their internal definitions - netbooks are clamshell notebooks with a 7 - 10.2-inch screen that is "purpose built for Internet use." MIDs are pocketable devices with a 4 to 7-inch screen that take a clamshell, slider or tablet form and are custom built for "Internet-based targeted usages" such as productivity, entertainment, information or communications. MIDs will focus on one of these usage scenarios in a given device and be sold as a consumer product in stores.

With those definitions, I am not sure how Intel would categorize the expected new wave of super-cheap clamshells with embedded OS, SSD, QWERTY keyboard, 7" screens, and non-Intel processors (actually morphed PDAs) that will likely be sold in drugstores, chain stores like Target, WalMart, etc as consumer devices?

The point is regardless of how Intel categorizes them, whether as netbooks or MIDs, these will surely eat into Intel's projected market. It would be interesting to see Intel's position on MIDs down the line once the trickle turns into a flood of ultra-cheap MIDs and netbooks, all using non-Intel processors.