Lenovo's IdeaPad is a netbook computer.
The term "notebook" is used interchangeably with the term "laptop" to describe folding portable computers that use rechargeable batteries for portability. Laptop computers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The smallest of these are often referred to as netbook computers. Netbook computers are smaller, less powerful and more portable than most other laptops.
Size
Netbooks are significantly smaller and lighter than traditional laptop computers. They usually feature a 10.1-inch screen and a compact keyboard. Typical laptops often have screens between 13 inches and 17 inches with full keyboards. Netbooks lack internal disc drives due to the extra space and weight that they require. Conventional laptops almost always have some form of internal disc drive. Netbooks are specifically designed for portability while many laptops, particularly "desktop-replacements," are too heavy to carry regularly.
Hardware
To facilitate increased battery life and lower cost, netbooks are under-powered compared to laptop computers. Netbooks usually have 1 gigabyte of RAM and a 1.1-1.6 gigahertz single or double core processors. Laptop computers usually have hardware that mirrors the hardware that is available in desktop computers, including multiple gigabytes of RAM and 2.0-3.2 gigahertz multi-core processors. Laptops also tend to have larger internal hard drives than netbooks, allowing them to store more data. The hardware available in a laptop varies depending on its price and the year it was built. As of March, 2011, the majority of netbooks cost between $250 and $400. Laptops can cost anywhere between $600 and upwards of $2000.
Connectivity
Most portable computers include internal Wi-Fi cards. These cards allow portable computers to connect to wireless networks to transfer files with other computers and access the Internet. These cards vary in speed with 802.11b being the slowest, 802.11g in the middle and 802.11n as the fastest as of March, 2011. In order to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi, a portable computer must be near a wireless router. Some netbooks avoid this problem with internal 3G wireless cards. These cards connect to cellular data networks to provide Internet service anywhere a 3G data signal is available.
Usage
Netbooks can not run the same software as most laptop computers due to their diminished hardware. Laptop computers that may be specialized for media processing, video gaming, computer programming or advanced multi-tasking need powerful processors and specialized hardware. Netbooks with their simple hardware are adept at basic tasks like Web browsing or word processing. Most netbooks also lack the ability to run advanced operating systems or multiple programs at the same time. Several operating systems, such as Windows 7 Starter Edition, are designed to use fewer system resources and to limit the number of running programs for maximum compatibility with netbooks.
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