I shared a story recently to someone and I realized it illustrates the netbook vs tablet debate quite cleary. I have a hard time breaking free from my netbook bias, but hopefully I present this debate honestly.

I walked into a local cafe and noticed a guy with his tablet, which was propped up on that adjustable angle tablet cover case. Next was the wireless keyboard. I don’t recall if I saw a mouse with his setup, but I assume it also included a mouse. After seeing this tablet setup, I looked over to see another fellow with his netbook. So the debate might become tablet vs netbook, which is the best one to buy?

See, here is my thoughts. First the guy with the tablet probably thought he was pretty darn cool. I mean heck it must have been an iPad afterall. But thinking about this I realized isn’t that setup a lot of work? I mean compare that to the guy with the netbook. Netbook guy want to setup? He unzips, flips the lid, and turns on. Tablet guy? He has to break out the accessories, setup the tablet cover to the correct degree for viewing and bring out the keyboard etc. The breakdown? Well, netbook guy pushes a button, closes lid, zips up and goes. The tablet guy in comparison has a whole breakdown process. Not only that, but unless that keyboard folds, I’m sure he case is bigger and bulkier than netbook guy. See where this netbook vs tablet debate is going?

I’m suggesting this. In terms of evolution, which came first? The netbook slash laptop of the tablet? I pose this question because doesn’t the netbook offer up somewhat evolutionary features? A screen that can be adjusted easily. It tilts! It doesn’t need some engineering feat type of case to get a viewing angle. The netbook seems evolutionary to me. How about the keyboard being attached to the screen? That seems more sensible to me than having to pack a seperate component. The trackpad on the netbook seems a lot more revolutionary than having to carry around a mouse.

So this netbook vs tablet debate for me, comes down to practicality. It for me comes down to what’s sensible and what’s less convenient. In my mind the netbook concept is the evolution of the tablet. If you want a tablet as a tablet, then buy a tablet. If you want a tablet to be a netbook, then I think you are better off buying the netbook. Sure you can get tablet keyboard docks which make the tablet a netbook, but at that cost, what’s the point of making the tablet something that it is not. Why would you not buy a netbook instead of the tablet?

I have the answer and it comes down to my initial story. Tablet guy in the cafe thought that he was pretty cool. The fact is, cool, or the appearance of trendy is not long lasting. Lose that, “hey look at me!” coolness factor, then the reality hits home. That’s when a lot of people will realize that convenience (netbook) far surpassed the tablet that’s trying to be a netbook.

I’m not saying tablets are horrible. I’m saying that they are in fact touch devices and the OS for tablets is optimized for touch. Trying to create a netbook like experience with a tablet is either very expensive or it’s very inconvenient.