Mini-laptops sell faster during economic crisis

I think it has more to do with price and availability. Before this generation of 'netbooks', it cost a small fortune to get a tiny notebook. Now with light, portable (both being highly desirable features to a lot of people) 'netbooks' being the cheapest on the market, it makes sense that they're taking off.

I'm going to get one myself eventually, but haven't dove in yet. I want to get one with a good keyboard, and the Asus really isn't good enough. Haven't touched the Dell, MSI, or Aspire yet but I hope they're better.

As far as I'm aware this is the first economic crisis during which mini-notebooks have been available. I don't see how you can tease out the effect of the crisis from the other factors involved in their growing sales.

I just bought one, but I've been waiting for the Acer Aspirwe 6 cell to come out. Plus, Dell just released the new laptop which people have been waiting for for what, 6 months? It got tons of techie press coverage.

I think that while it is an interesting trend, the causation implied by the title is misleading. The crisis has nothing to do with why I bought my laptop, nor why three of my friends bought theirs. It's just the timing of it - Dell and Acer both came out with laptops people were waiting for just as the economy was slowing.

"but the economic crisis is contributing to softer growth in the U.S. market, according to Gartner"

This article doesn't point at any correlation between the economic crisis and mini-laptops.

Indeed, all it says is mini-laptop sales take up a slightly larger percent of mobile computing sales than last year, most likely because prices have fallen and publicity has risen.

Crisis is surely a factor, but I think it also counts that they are practical and easy to carry around, while being more powerful than just a PDA or a phone.

I'm considering getting one to replace the paper notebook I drag around to write my notes. I don't need a 17" screen for that, but a mobile interface is also not comfortable enough.