Will netbooks go away?

CNET News is reporting that after having previously dismissed the netbook market, AMD is now predicting that netbooks will eventually go away. Per AMD CEO Dirk Meyer, "the distinction between what is a netbook and what is a notebook is going to go away...upcoming inexpensive ultra-thin notebooks will meet the need for a small, thin, lightweight laptop that is more powerful than a netbook."

While this view is ironically shared by Intel, the bottom line will really be a matter of semantics in terms of how a netbook is and will be defined. Will the maximum screen size of a netbook extend to 12" since for some users a 12" unit will still be very portable. Then again, for other users a lightweight model, no matter the size, would function as a netbook.

Then again, as prices of components eventually come down, netbooks may also gain a lot in terms of features without substantial price increases. At that point, will they still be referred to as netbooks? And what about the forthcoming wave of cheap netbooks with embedded OS and lightweight features? Will they also be considered netbooks or sub-netbooks?

So it all really depends on how netbooks are eventually regarded. As of now, by default, netbooks are distinguished by their small sizes and weights, "limited" features, low prices, and of course, Internet connectivity and their name implies. But as netbooks evolve, the upper limits are constantly being stretched. Though conceived as a unit without a conventional drive, some models now include hard drives as large as 160GB. Newer models will feature discrete graphics as well. Similarly, the price barrier is constantly increasing with some users now considering some Kohjinsha models as netbooks, too.

But what is not arguable is that the introduction of low-cost netbooks, as pioneered by Asus, has permanently altered the notebook (and netbook) markets. How these will eventually evolve, morph or merge is anyone's guess. After all, netbooks are essentially hardware that is dictated by several factors including functionality, software, and ergonomics. For all we know, netbooks might eventually morph into touch-screen tablets with an embedded OS. Do we still call them netbooks at that point?