Smartbook computers are portable mobile internet devices that fall between smartphones and netbooks in terms of functionality. Smartbook laptops are smaller than netbooks, but with full size keyboards, and smartphone features. Smartbook computers have sufficient battery power to be left on all day, and they offer 3G connectivity and GPS. Smartbook laptops rely heavily on internet applications, so are like cell phones in the respect that if they are on, then they automatically connect to a network. Accordingly, retailers tend to be mobile network operators. The smartbook laptops have a full size keyboard for ease of use and are sold with a wireless data plan. This is good because you do not need to be near a wireless internet signal in order to use your smartbook laptop.
There are several differences between the new smartbook computers and the old netbooks. On the technical side, smartbook laptops use a variant of the ARM chip architecture rather than Intel’s Atom chip as their main engine. The different processor requires less battery power, which results in a significantly increased battery life. Non-technies won’t notice the new processor as much as they will the lower price tag on the smartbook computers. Smartbook laptops cost as little as $199, while netbooks start in the neighborhood of $300. Notably, smartbook computers have much better battery lives than the netbooks – eight hours compared to only two hours. This means you can lave a smartbook computer on all day, consulting it as often as you have the time to check your email, do a little work, or browse the net.
The significantly increased battery life of the smartbook computers required some advanced technical engineering. The ARM chip that the smartbook laptops are equipped with does not have the same processing power of the old Intel chip. The smartbook laptop manufacturers have found a workaround, though, so that a user’s computing experience will be just as enjoyable as ever, if not more so. In order to maximize use of the lower-powered ARM chip, the applications used on smartbook laptops are stored on the internet instead of the hard drive. Users do not even notice the difference, though, and have found their computing experience to be easier and more enjoyable than in the past.
