The recent launch of Google’s Nexus One may have injected new life into the smartphone wars. But a battle that’s just as compelling is the one between smartphones and netbooks themselves. Both appeal to those who want maximum portability in a device that allows them to stay connected wherever they roam, and both are potentially attractive to those who currently have neither. But before ever getting to the question of which smartphone or which netbook to buy, many have to decide whether a netbook or a smartphone makes more sense for their needs.
It’s not an easy decision to make — especially since both smartphones and netbooks help you accomplish many of the same tasks, and they’re both typically fighting for the attention of consumers that can afford one but not both. Here’s a rundown of where the netbook versus smartphone battle stands.
Portability
There’s no contest here: the smartphone wins by a hefty margin. While netbooks are the thinnest, lightest form of notebook computer that you can purchase today — many can be carried as easily as a small stack of papers — they are still computers, which means you’ll be tempted to haul a power supply and perhaps some accessories, which will only add to the bulk. Smartphones, by comparison, will slip neatly into your pocket. Portability is often the main reason why people get tipped toward the smartphone in the smartphone/netbook debate.
Battery Life
Here the nod goes to netbooks. Today, the best netbooks can squeeze nine hours of continuous use out of a single battery charge — long enough for those who use the device sporadically to go an entire week without recharging. Smartphone users, by contrast, must constantly keep an eye on remaining battery life.
Although smartphones might advertise as many as 14 hours of standby time, standing by is usually…