Netvertibles Overview:
"Netvertibles" are a unique branch of the small, inexpensive netbook type of laptops. They share many of the same features as other netbooks -- high portability but low-powered processors -- with one major difference: netvertibles are also tablet PCs, making their screens responsive to touch and/or stylus input. These miniature tablets have screens that rotate to lie flat, transforming them into slate tablets.
Background and Examples:
Netbook tablets have been around since late 2008 when Intel unveiled the Classmate, but netvertibles (yes, terribly named) only became more robust early in 2010, as more feature-rich convertible tablet netbooks like the Asus Eee PC T101MT, Lenovo Ideapad s10-3t (reviewed here), and Viliv S10 Blade were introduced.
Netvertible Features:
Netvertibles share with non-touchscreen netbooks similar specs, including:
- 10.1" display (the Asus T101MT and the Ideapad s10-3t have the typical 1024 x 600 resolution, but the Viliv S10 has a higher-res 1366 x 768 screen)
- Battery weight <3 lbs.
- 1GB of memory, upgradeable to 2GB (except for the Viliv S10 -- RAM is 1GB max)
- 160GB to 250GB hard drive (Viliv S10 also offers solid state drives)
- Integrated graphics cards
- Windows 7 Starter OS (Windows 7 Home Premium also an option)
The netvertibles cost more (from $500 to over $1200), however, than standard netbooks due to the premium touchscreens.
Benefits of Touchscreens on Netbooks
The convertible multi-touch screens on netvertibles offer several benefits:
- Better input method: Navigating by touching a screen is much more natural, immediate, and easier than using a mouse or the difficult-to-use trackpads on typical netbooks. Multi-touch capable screens also make using on-screen keyboards easier and allow for using "pinch and zoom" and other gestures that improve interactivity and make working on a computer actually faster.
- Better viewing angles: Because the screens on netvertibles can rotate 180 degrees and fold flat, they can be positioned optimally for the best viewing angle. This makes for more comfortable computing no matter how your netbook is situated (on your lap or desk or beside you, etc.)
- More display options: You can rotate the netvertible screen to view a document or website in portrait mode (good for reading e-books) as well as the typical landscape mode.
Unfortunately, mobile users who are fond of handwriting recognition and accurate inking on more standard tablet PCs may be disappointed to find that taking notes or drawing on netvertibles isn't the same experience. Netvertibles lack the active digitizer that's needed for handwriting recognition -- the component in mainstream tablet PCs that drive up their costs.
For some, the higher cost of netvertibles isn't worth the benefits, especially since netbooks are expected to be very cheap. For others who've experienced the greater input ease and display flexibility, it's netvertibles or nothing.
