There's a difference between significance and buzz. Netbooks were refinements of the laptop at a better price point. I don't think either category is going away

There's a difference between significance and buzz. Netbooks were refinements of the laptop at a better price point. I don't think either category is going away anytime soon. Heck, given that even netbooks let you drive a desktop widescreen display, it's astonishing that desktop machines are still kicking around. I'm obviously not a member of the iPad's target audience -- they can have my keyboard when they can pry my cold dead fingers from it, etc. But I appreciate the appeal of computers that can be held in one hand. Over the years I've had several mini-laptops (anyone remember the Toshiba Librettos or the Sony Picturebooks?) In most respects the netbook has hit the sweet spot for me.