Fast food Apple Pies and Why Netbooks Suck and engagement with the mobile internet

Very interesting take on why mobile smartphones will own the mobile internet as opposed to netbooks. Probably one of the most cogent analyses of why it’ll be smartphones and laptops until another form factor comes around.

Basically, the argument amounts to netbooks being a watered down laptop experience while smartphones are a totally different experience, so in consumers minds, its a matter of what people will want. Excellent.

It is interesting though as the fundamental size of keyboards and screens start facing the realities of what can generally be done on them (anyone see the BSG Caprica pilot ? Love the paper sheet that people can draw on as an interface with those VR glasses).

I know I’ve thought a Macbook Air would probably be ideal for me and totally lurv my unidocy macbook (now macbook pro I’m told), but

The other question I really think it calls into play is the quality and depth of interaction with individuals. From my experience, quality of interaction and what you can actually do on a mobile device still pales in comparison to having a full fledged laptop at your disposal. In fact, I think mobile devices in general lead to more shallow, if more convenient and ubiquitous, interaction. However, the mobility, immediacy and ubiquity pay off for that.

But… for organizations that are simply hoping to move into mobile internet as a way of offsetting poor internet engagement in general, it’s an even worse situation over the long run if this is your hail mary pass : You need to have your engagement basics and strategy (as well as, I’d argue, a lifecycle model) in place in order to understand, engage and communicate effectively with the people your organization or company is trying to influence.