Has the work "notebook" become an oxymoron?

[jdhurst]

From Information Week today (9/4/07):
"The trend toward these supersized portables is already clear in notebooks like the Acer 9810 (17.1 pounds), the Dell XPS M2010 (18.3 pounds), and the HP Pavilion HDX (15.5 pounds). "

... JDH

[pianowizard]

notebooks like the Acer 9810 (17.1 pounds), the Dell XPS M2010 (18.3 pounds), and the HP Pavilion HDX (15.5 pounds). "

I've read somewhere that the word "notebook" refers to smaller and lighter laptop computers, and "laptop" refers to bigger and heavier ones. These supersized machines should definitely be called "laptops", not "notebooks".

[lophiomys]

or maybe
liftbook: the laptop for wrestlers and weightlifters.
featuring built in theft protection - klonk.

[qviri]

From Information Week today (9/4/07):
"The trend toward these supersized portables is already clear in notebooks like the Acer 9810 (17.1 pounds), the Dell XPS M2010 (18.3 pounds), and the HP Pavilion HDX (15.5 pounds). "

... JDH

Gaming machine. A 20 pound laptop is easier to take to a LAN than a 20 pound tower, an LCD, a keyboard, and a mouse. Manufacturers love it because they can get higher profit margins on "gaming" gear.

[GomJabbar]

We seem to be going back to the days of the semi-portable. Won't be long before we're using monochrome displays again at this rate.

The Compaq Portable was the first completely IBM-compatible PC. Its rugged construction and "luggability" made it a huge success.

[mgo]

From Information Week today (9/4/07):
"The trend toward these supersized portables is already clear in notebooks like the Acer 9810 (17.1 pounds), the Dell XPS M2010 (18.3 pounds), and the HP Pavilion HDX (15.5 pounds). "

... JDH

I think those old Osbournes & others back in the old days were called "luggables", weren't they? Maybe it's time to revive that term. -and find a friendly chiropractor who will help out after too much heavy lifting...

[SHoTTa35]

there is another word for them that most people don't use:

Desknotes

That's the word that was coined for machines with Desktop processors (not meant to be portable at all) but in the form of a laptop. Those 17" systems are what i consider "Desknotes" now even if they have a mobile CPU in them. 20 minutes of battery life doesn't mean mobile.

[rkawakami]

I'd like to know why some people refer to portable computers as "labtops". I see it quite often in eBay listings, both in the title and description (currently there's 89 listings). Most of the time they seem to also specify "laptop" along with "labtop" so my guess is that they are trying to raise their item's profile by purposely including the misspelling. Or maybe the system they are selling is so big it would fit over a lab (as in Labrador Retriever).

edit: Another term used in the past to describe 15-20 pound non-desktop computers was "transportable".

[mattbiernat]

Won't be long before we're using monochrome displays again at this rate.

as long as it is widescreen nobody will see the difference.

[qviri]

I'd like to know why people are so up in arms about this. Do you [censored] and whine because not everyone buys Mercedeses, instead, some dare to purchase a Dodge Caravan?

[GomJabbar]

Well, our beloved 14.1" 4:3 display is becoming as rare as a steak in a sushi bar.

From the same InformationWeek article quoted by JD Hurst.

The most noticeable change in notebooks over the past couple of years has been the move to wide screens. The classic notebook screen for a long time was a14-inch diagonal display in VGA format -- a width-to-height ratio of 1.33 to 1 (or 4:3) TV-screen dimensions.

Super VGA and XGA added resolution, but kept the same ratio. However, TV is changing over the next couple of years to high-definition displays with a panoramic screen: HDTV uses a 1.78:1 screen, and PC displays are following suit. WXGA displays have standardized at 1366 x 768-pixel resolution, a 1.78:1 ratio.

At the same time, screen sizes have narrowed slightly to keep notebooks about the same width; the result is that the 12.1-inch widescreen display will be the mainstream standard for notebooks over the next year.

This will not affect notebook width and height, which will stay about 8.5 x by 11 (the size of a paper notebook), constrained by the ergonomics of keyboards and screens.

So now for the same size notebook, we get a 12.1" widescreen.

[mattbiernat]

gotta love the wasted space with plastic instead of LCD.

[mattbiernat]

Gaming machine. A 20 pound laptop is easier to take to a LAN than a 20 pound tower, an LCD, a keyboard, and a mouse. Manufacturers love it because they can get higher profit margins on "gaming" gear.

actually i wouldn't mind to have a 20 pound laptop as a desktop replacement. too bad lenovo didn't make their Z series into such a laptop. but instead they converted their Z series into a T series. hehehe.

[anthean]

gotta love the wasted space with plastic instead of LCD.

How true ! What happened to the narrow edges on the LCD ?

[wearetheborg]

I would noty mind these 20 pounders if they had a WQXGA screen.

[mattbiernat]

of course its a must have for a 17" notebook.. I mean laptop.

[pianowizard]

I would noty mind these 20 pounders if they had a WQXGA screen.

I totally agree!

[crashnburn]

I would noty mind these 20 pounders if they had a WQXGA screen.

EDIT: I'd love that resolution. NOTE - I think they should also add the ability to use the Screen like an external monitor so that one could attach their smaller notebooks - directly or via docking stations and use the screen as and when needed.
>> I would definitely buy it if that happened.

DeskBook is the term.

I think these have a great purpose and place.

Over the last few years more and more people are getting laptops/ notebooks (which I think are one & the same) for personal use due to:
1. Convenience
2. Personal Usage
3. Portability etc.

I think the DeskBook is pretty much THE REAL DESKTOP REPLACEMENT.

In all honesty, I hate how Desktop PCs have to have the following:
- Huge number of cables going through the back
- Clean the dust around the back
- If one cable gets unplugged or pulled the wrong way you have to go trying to figure out what went wrong
- It gets worse when you have to move a desktop from one location in the house to another (unplug everything.. yada yada)

In all senses it as a DeskTop without the Cables and other hassles.

To make it really like a desktop each of them did one of the right things

1. Dell added the detachable Bluetooth Keyboard
2. The Dell media remote can be used as a mouse pointer
3. HP added the detachable mini-remote for media

I think if Dell or HP realized the PROS of their competitors products they would combine 1, 2, 3.

I'd get one of those for my home / study - For the use of my dad, mom & family members - basic users - who would not care for a personal laptop.

Plus, it would be easier to move & clean around due to lack of cables.

[pianowizard]

DeskBook is the term.

I like that term.

I'd get one of those for my home / study - For the use of my dad, mom & family members - basic users - who would not care for a personal laptop.

Plus, it would be easier to move & clean around due to lack of cables.

Did you know how prohibitively expensive they are? Around $3,000. You would rather get that than a $500 desktop computer with the same or even better specs?