Netbook

A netbook is a class of laptop that is light-weight, economical, energy-efficient and optimised for wireless communication and Internet access[17][18]. Hence the name netbook (as "the device excels in web-based computing performance")[19] rather than notebook which pertains to size[20].

Primarily designed for web browsing and e-mailing, netbooks "rely heavily on the Internet for remote access to web-based applications"[19] and are targeted increasingly at cloud computing users who rely on servers and require a less powerful client computer.[21]. While the devices range in size from below 5 inches[22] to over 12[23], most are between 7 and 11 inches and weigh between 2 and 3 pounds[19].

Netbooks have a wide range of light-weight operating systems including Linux and Windows XP[19] rather than more resource-intensive operating systems like Windows Vista as they have less processing power than traditional laptops[24].