ANOTHER category: NetNote

Sometimes it's useful to coin a new phrase, develop a new terminology, for a new segment in the IT market. Sometimes marketing peeps in companies just like to come up with new words. When I first saw the title of VIA's Press Release, "VIA Unviels SurfBoard Platforms and Turnkey Systems for New NetNote Category" I thought ... "Oh no! Here we go again! What is it this time? Smaller than a netbook? I thought that was a smartbook!?" But actually, there may be a plausible reason for the new NetNote term. Whether or not it'll become a mainstream term is far less likely, however.

Have you ever taken the back off a notebook or netbook? Underneath you'll find an odd shaped motherboard that has the graphics and processor embedded on it. For a quick and easy way for manufacturers to make a netbook, VIA launched the SurfBoard platform in March this year. It paired the then quite new VX855 media system processor with a C7-M. Today VIA has improved the specs by offering the Nano as an option as well, plus support for an HDMI port and 3G module options.


Rather than decreasing the size of the platform they're targetting, the NetNote SurfBoard platform is aimed at notebooks which are 10.1" - 12.1" and crucially, supporting 1080p HD video. They must also be ultra-portable (fat and heavy designs need not apply) and cheap (sorry, not a good marketing word, but that's the cold hard fact). So it's in those four factors where the distinction lies for VIA between a notebook and a NetNote: medium size screen, supports 1080p playback, light and thin, and affordable. That's not to say that there aren't notebooks that fit that description already, but they may not be VIA-based, so I guess there's the fifth distinction!


The Press Release goes on to highlight VIA’s GMB Alliance, which sees VIA working closely with Chinese manufacturers. VIA are holding another GMB event in China, Friday week, where they’ll be demonstrating the NetNote turnkey solution.