DellM101zThe other day I wondered what a good name might be for the tablet/netbook hybrid computers that are hitting the market from a number of manufacturers. Now Engadget’s Joanna Stern is getting into the naming game, though this time taking aim at a slightly different netbook-related segment—computers that have the form factor and approximate price of a netbook but pack much better specs under the hood, such as the Dell M101z pictured at left. These, she posits, should be called “notbooks”—because their manufacturers are quick to insist that the devices are “not netbooks.”

Intel, Stern explains, has so closely associated its Atom netbook processor with minimal levels of performance that the term “netbook” simply shouldn’t apply anymore to this type of sub-notebook.

Intel’s message has been clear: netbooks are meant for light productivity and web based activities, and if you want more power in a portable form factor, save up and buy a more expensive ULV-powered thin-and-light or an ultraportable. If you’re just looking for power at an affordable price, Intel’s answer has been buy an inexpensive, chunky 15.4-inch laptop for about $500.

But people want more performance than that out of their portable computers, and so these new devices are starting to offer that level of performance in a netbook-sized packet at only slightly higher prices.

To a certain extent, the idea of coming up with new names for new product categories is rather silly, and I’ve thought so ever since I heard of manufacturers taking the average of “smartphones” and “netbooks” to create “smartbooks”—woefully underpowered netbooks that you would be smart to stay away from. But on the other hand, different names do help you differentiate capabilities. I certainly wouldn’t be inclined to buy a smartbook, but a “notbook” could be quite desirable.

We at TeleRead have long opined that the netbook form factor could make a great choice for using as a compromise e-reader—light enough to tote around, and if a bit awkward to hold, at least more capable than a tablet for computing operations that call for a lot of typing. By adding additional power under the hood, the “notbook” (assuming the silly name sticks) could present an even better option.

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