What is the difference between notebooks, netbooks and UMPCs?

At the beginning of 2008, the scene of the laptops was dominated by laptops. There were few alternatives to traditional notebooks, tablet PCs, PDAs and advanced to a few smartphones that could perform many of the basic computing tasks. But the laptop its way to mobile computing - companies offered some laptops that were as powerful as desktop computers (desktops).

A year later, notebooks traditional face competition in the mobile computing market. It can be confusing for consumers because there are a number of new terms and categories in relation to the purchase of a laptop. There are laptops, notebooks, netbooks and UMPCs (Ultra Mobile Personal Computers).

But what is the difference? These terms are the same? Are well defined?

The answer is very personal. A person can call a particular PC netbook, while another will insist that it is a notebook.

There are some general characteristics that can be considered. Laptops, notebooks and netbooks use the same physical basis, the first difference is size. This physical basis is a computer with two main parts: a display and a particular frame. In general, the netbooks are smaller and lighter than notebooks, meanwhile, are smaller and lighter than laptops. But there is no specific classifications of size or weight to highlight what kind of laptop we have before us. So, for example, if the computer has a 11-inch screen is a notebook or netbook? This is where conflicts arise and confusion.

Some terms used laptops and notebooks alike, since many of the recently built laptops on the market are smaller and lighter than notebooks. As the technology evolves laptops, manufacturers are able to put more power into smaller devices. The notebook format is changing, "the norm."

There are some laptops that are too large to be considered notebooks. The Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds has a screen of 17 inches (43.2 cm diagonal) and a secondary display retrátil 10 inches (25.4 cm diagonal). It weighs about 5 kg and is 5.3 cm wide.

Gaming laptops can also be in the large group - the Qosmio X305, Toshiba, weighs 4kg and has a 17-inch screen. Although these computers are laptops, probably will not want to be moving them often.