Mobile Devices Dominate Cyber Monday

That headline summarizes many of the headlines from yesterday, Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year. Netbooks topped the purchasing lists for many online shoppers. New mobile devices from companies like Nokia were also highly discussed. While the global economy may have some uncertainty, one thing is certain: digital nomads will have their pick of new devices to use in 2009.

Netbooks are essentially mini-laptops with screens that range from around seven to ten inches, weighing in at about three pounds or less, and carrying starting costs of anywhere from $200 to $500, depending on your configuration and the manufacturer.

There are many lightweight systems that have been discussed on this blog and elsewhere that have some element of the three key factors (screen size, weight and cost) but not all. In my mind, that doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy systems but they’re not netbooks. Dell’s own Latitude E4200, while certainly lightweight, doesn’t quite meet the three main attributes of a netbook. Apple’s MacBook Air has its devotees, but with a starting price of $1,799, it can’t reasonably be considered a netbook.

One system that certainly is a netbook, or ‘Mobile Internet Device’ as we call it, is the Inspiron Mini 9, launched this year and recently reviewed quite favorably by Hugh MacLeod at Gaping Void, a contributor to this blog and one of the most digitally nomadic people I know. The Mini 9 also was part of a discussion in yesterday’s edition of The New York Times, in addition to systems from Acer, Asus and HP.

The big brother to the Mini 9, the Inspiron Mini 12, is really more of a hybrid-type system in that it is characterized by the weight and cost but at 12 inches, it’s pushing the limits on screen size. Gizmodo recently called it “the most gargantuan netbook on the block.”

We’re also seeing an increasing number of phones introduced that continue to blur the lines between a traditional laptop and a traditional phone. Nokia’s N97 mobile computer, just introduced today and also reviewed by Robert Scoble as the “ultimate Facebook device”, is one such phone. The Apple 3G iPhone is another.

All this is good for digital nomads — more options, more choices and a plethora of devices from which to choose. Want that in pink? You got it. Prefer a phone, you can have that too.

Happy holidays and happy shopping all!