Leading netbook manufacturers and suppliers on Wednesday dismissed the idea that interest in the small-form PCs will dissipate as the economy improves, suggesting instead that consumers will embrace them as complimentary devices.
Economic troubles has spurred consumers to purchase netbooks, but as consumers emerge from the recession, they will likely purchase both – a notebook for the home, for example, but a netbook for the children or to take on business, Todd Bouman, director of product marketing and development for mobile computing at Samsung, said at the Consumer Electronics Association’s New York line show.
Netbooks will likely be a third of the business by the end of the quarter, he said.
Sarah Bussell, senor manager of product marketing for business notebooks at Hewlett-Packard, also saw netbooks as companion devices. But in her experience, the price point of netbooks also appeals to people without a notebook or mobile device, people who need them for on-the-go business needs, and those in emerging markets.
“Business typically takes longer to evaluate new technologies, but the opportunities have surprised us,” she said.
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