For all the talk that the ATOM processors are the best netbook processors, we haven’t heard too much about ARM-based netbooks in the past few months. But it seems we are finally going to see ARM netbooks go against ATOM netbooks in the U.S. later this year. ARM processors are used in smartbooks, which are getting a whole lot of buzz and are being hailed as the next big thing in the notebook market. The ARM architecture is certainly interesting and can open new doors for laptop manufacturers. The performance is decent but these CPUs allow smartbooks to run on power a longer period of time. Battery life is still one of the most important factors for netbook buyers, and the same applies to smartbooks.

To its credit, Intel does intend to introduce better CPUs for netbooks. We are also going to soon see the rise of CULV laptops. Add the smart-books and ARM-based netbooks to the field, and we are set for a big show-down that will determine the future of the laptop market. It’s certainly going to be interesting to see how Intel Pine Trail stacks up against ARM-based CPUs.

Perhaps the most interesting battle will be fought between netbooks and Apple’s iTablet. The new tablet has been rumored for a long time, but it seems we are finally going to see it this fall. The device is not a netbook but rather a hybrid device designed to give Apple a chance to compete in multiple markets. It’s still too early to tell whether tablets are here to stay this time around, but Apple’s iTablet will certainly give consumers another powerful portable notebook to choose.

Your take: are hybrid tablets the future of the netbook market?