IDF 09 - Netbooks vs MIDs

Uploaded by minipcpro -

Atom MID sells for $57, reader ahead

From TG Daily -

The Taipei Times has reported that Taiwanese telco FarEasTone is selling an Atom-based MID made by BenQ for a mere $57. The catch is that is comes with a three year service.

FarEasTone will also offer other MIDs as well as Android phones as e-book readers using 3.5G technology.

Details here.

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.

First Centrino Atom MID launched in Japan

Again, from a ClubEee thread -

Wellcom has launched the first Atom-based MID in Japan. You can get more details here.

Intel explains: MID vs. UMPC

From Engadget, a short Intel explanation on the differences between MIDs and UMPCs.




UMPC

• Business-class device for enterprise users
  
• Runs a "heavy" OS like Vista
• Optimized for office-use applications like Excel, Word, etc.
  

MID

• Consumer-class lifestyle device
• Runs a 'lightweight" OS with quick startup like Linux
• Optimized for things like media playback and web surfing
• In 2009 (or so) Moorestown-based devices will be classed as MIDs only

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Hmm. So how do we classify the Asus Eee PC again?