Do Netbooks Really Need QWERTY keyboards?

The current iteration of netbooks are inspired by attempts (the OLPC, the original Asus Eee pC concept) to produce an affordable Internet device for the so-called 2nd billion market – those in 3rd world countries and the budget-constrained consumers in the developed world. Given then that a significant majority, specifically those in the 3rd world countries, have never used a computer (or a typewriter) before but instead are adept at using cellphone keypads, is the inclusion of the QWERTY keyboard necessary? Moreover, in a lot of 3rd world countries, their languages do not necessarily use the alphabet but instead use radicals (Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindu, etc.) whose input are better facilitated by a stylus.

While it is true website domain names are spelled out in English even when surfing in other languages, a significant number of iPhone 3G users have discovered that user experience is not necessarily downgraded by the lack of a physical keyboard.

Without a physical keyboard, what then would be the desired form factor for a netbook? The current minimum standard for netbooks is a 7” LCD surrounded by a liberal amount of bezel, the aggregate width being stretched to match the width of the QWERTY keyboard. If we are to retain the 7” size, the Asus Eee PC 701 form factor can be reduced by roughly 2 inches. Remove the keyboard part and we are looking at a tablet form. Add a touch screen to accommodate the stylus and I think we are looking at the next “standard” form factor for netbooks that will do a lot of work as ebook readers, too.