The netbook market is undoubtedly one the most impressive and dynamic markets in the IT industry. This is why several major companies, including Eee PC manufacturer ASUSTek, and processor makers Intel and VIA benefit considerably from its fast growing rate. However, considering the popularity of this small-sized, Internet capable, portable device, other chip makers, like Qualcomm, could also make a good profit from the aforementioned impressive growth.

Since the release of the first Eee PC last year, the market for sub-notebook portable computer systems has grown significantly. So much so that netbooks and hardware components for netbooks have boosted the revenues of several major IT companies. As a result of ASUS' Eee PC popularity, other major system vendors, including Acer, MSI and, most recently, Lenovo, have also released their own netbooks to compete with the vast Eee PC family. These developments in the mini notebook segment have not gone unnoticed by Qualcomm, which is preparing for a late 2009 release of a number of devices based on its Snapdragon processor.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor has already been featured in several 4-inch to 6-inch devices released by Samsung and HTC. However, the company believes that it can also meet the requirements of larger-sized devices, with full keyboard and 7- to 12-inch displays.

As a matter of fact, Qualcomm showcased a 10-inch MCD (Mobile Computing Device, according to the company) powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, at this year's Computex computer show in Taipei. The device was compared with a UMPC, to demonstrate the Snapdragon's power consumption. Unlike the latter, which only provided 2-3 hours of battery life, the Snapdragon-powered device was capable of offering a total of 8 hours of battery life.

According to the company, the emerging market will be driven by connectivity, with a main focus on 3G, which is why it believes that its experience and leadership in wireless modem market will give it a strong advantage over its competitors.