ReadWriteWeb

An interesting chart released from Morgan Stanley Research this morning shows that during the month of April - the month the iPad launched - netbook sales stalled. Did the iPad really have that much impact on an industry that was once the fastest-growing segment of the PC market? Or was the netbook's fall from grace bound to happen at some point, with or without the Apple tablet's help, as consumers discovered how hard it is to type on those tiny keyboards?

IBM, Canonical and Simmtronics will offer emerigng markets a fully loaded, cloud-connected Netbook for $190. It's a clear example of how a cloud-based approach fits with the emerging Netbook market and its importance in the global marketplace as a channel for enterprise collaboration technologies.

The Simmtronics Simmbook will initially be available in South Africa and emerging markets. In addition to African countries, the Simmbook will also be available in India, Thailand and Vietnam.

Jolicloud, one of the original standouts in the field of cloud-based operating systems, has just released their new Chrome-based web application platform as promised earlier this month. The company's operating system now features 600+ web apps, a faster browsing experience and HTML5 support, notes a company blog post. The switch in back-end platforms from Mozilla prism to Chrome is an interesting one, too, especially considering that Google's upcoming Google Chrome OS for netbooks will soon launch, supposedly with manufacturer partnerships in tow. Will Jolicloud's open source efforts at delivering an alternative end up being just as successful? Or will they become the also-ran of the forthcoming cloud computing landscape?

The dirt is still fresh on the grave of the CrunchPad; we ought to feel guilty for writing this post.

But our good friends have been working with a few cohorts on a stealth-mode startup for quite some time - working on the problem of the lightweight, portable, web-friendly device. Only their product is smaller in size and larger in spirit than any netbook or notepad yet seen - perhaps there is a balm in Gilead after all.

But you didn't come here for literature; you came to see pics and read specs. So here we go.

It's tough to find a great geek present during Black Friday sales. Thousands wait in line at department stores and electronic shops
in the hopes of scoring a bargain on laptops, netbooks and mobile accessories. For the shy netizen, the idea of facing these crowds can be daunting. Rather than scouring the malls for holiday presents, consider returning to your web-based roots. Below is ReadWriteWeb's list of 10 gadget, gear and geek gift sites.