A netbook is a small, light computer you can carry, made mainly for going online — mail, browsing, simple writing — rather than for heavy games or film work. The machines were popular for a few years around 2007 to 2012: cheaper and smaller than a full laptop, with a smaller screen and a weaker heart inside.

A netbook is小筆電是 a small, light computer you can carry輕便可以帶著走的小電腦, made mainly for going online主要是設計來上網用的 — mail, browsing, simple writing收信、瀏覽網頁、簡單打字之類的 — rather than for heavy games or film work而不是拿來玩大型遊戲或剪片的。The machines were popular for a few years around 2007 to 2012這種機器在 2007 到 2012 年前後紅過幾年: cheaper and smaller than a full laptop比一般筆電便宜也更小, with a smaller screen and a weaker heart inside螢幕比較小、裡面的處理器也比較弱。

Though actually the word has aged. Shops today are more likely to say “small laptop,” “Chromebook,” or just 筆電. If someone says netbook now, they often mean that older style of cheap little computer, or they are using a word they learned then.

Though actually不過其實, the word has aged這個詞已經退流行了。Shops today are more likely to say現在的店家比較會說 “small laptop,”小筆電, “Chromebook,”另一種可以上網的筆電, or just 筆電或就直接說筆電。If someone says netbook now如果現在有人講 netbook, they often mean that older style of cheap little computer他們通常是指以前那種便宜的小電腦, or they are using a word they learned then或者只是用他們當年學到的舊詞彙。

The name is a blend: net, as in the internet, plus notebook, as in notebook computer (what Taiwan calls a 筆電).

The name is a blend這個名字是合成詞: net, as in the internet net 來自 internet, plus notebook, as in notebook computer再加上 notebook,也就是筆記型電腦 (what Taiwan calls a 筆電也就是台灣說的筆電)。

It began as a trademark registered by a company called Psion, then other companies used the idea, and the word spread. Trademarks sometimes leak into ordinary language like this.

It began as a trademark registered by a company called Psion一開始是一家叫 Psion 的公司註冊的商標, then other companies used the idea後來其他公司也用了這個概念, and the word spread這個詞就流傳開來了。Trademarks sometimes leak into ordinary language like this商標有時候就是會像這樣滲透進日常用語裡。

It is not a paper notebook, and it is not “any computer on a network.” Today’s thin laptops are stronger cousins from later years.

It is not它不是 a paper notebook紙本筆記本, and it is not也不是 “any computer on a network”「任何連上網路的電腦」的意思. Today's thin laptops現在的輕薄筆電 are stronger cousins from later years是後來出現、更強的後輩表親。