Top 10 Best Technology Ideas. . . That Really Aren't

What's not to love about netbooks? They're small, they're portable, they're cheap, and they can run for hours and hours without recharging.

But it's starting to seem like the netbook hype is outperforming the netbooks themselves. Many people and businesses are looking to netbooks to replace full-scale notebook and desktop computers.

That is so not a good idea. Netbooks make great secondary computers -- or even tertiary computers -- but second-rate primary computers.

It turns out that most of netbooks' advantages come at the expense of other capabilities. That small size and easy portability means a cramped keyboard and a tiny screen, for example. Long battery life means poky performance and dim screens. Solid-state hard drives can help, but they add to the price and may not have enough room for your favorite operating system, applications, and files. And while prices may seem low, you still need to spend $350 - $450 for a fully functional netbook -- and these days you can get a full-size notebook from less than $500. If you need to add an optical drive, you're talking extra cost and weight and your superportable netbook suddenly isn't so much so.

That's why many small and midsize companies are intrigued by netbooks, but still haven't figured out exactly how to use them. And it's also why these little machines carry big return rates when users realize they can't do everything.

All that said of course, bMighty still loves netbooks in the right applications. After all, small is the new large.