Just as we were beginning to think the term netbook was here to stay,
following the Microsoft - Psion agreement, Redmond spinners have chosen
to do what they do best, complicate matters even further.
Microsoft is now kindly asking the world plus dog to call these toys
Low Cost Small Notebook PCs, or LCSNPCs. Somehow we don't see this idea
catching on.
You might wonder why Microsoft is pushing for the new term, and so do
we. The company claims that some mini-notebooks feature more
capabilities than just Internet browsing, so the term netbook should be
dropped in lieu of Low Cost Small Notebook PCs.
Frankly, we're really not sure what these capabilities are. Thanks to
Microsoft and Intel, all netbooks, or Low Cost Small Notebook PCs, are
virtually the same, and they have been since they first appeared. Well,
actually, the first netbook, I mean LCSNPC, was based on a Celeron CPU,
which was, in fact, even faster than most Atoms used today.
However, Microsoft is apparently planning to use the new classification
for a more down to earth reason. Market watchers believe that once
Windows 7 appears, the software giant will basically require vendors to
use higher-end SKUs of Windows 7 on pricier LCSNPCs, formerly known as netbooks.
Depending on who you ask, major vendors currently pay anywhere from $15 to $32 for XP licenses for their Low Cost
Small Notebook PCs. It's obvious Microsoft is interested in cashing
in a bit more on this lucrative market segment once Windows 7 comes
along. Not that we mind, it's their OS, they can do as they please,
besides there's plenty of Linux and Android around for everyone.
Obviously, we will never use the term Low Cost Small Notebook PC or LCSNPC.
More
here.