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Saturday, January 31, 2009

Get a refurbished Dell Mini 9 Netbook for $178

From CNet -

Although the offer is not expected to last long, Dell's outlet store has the Inspiron Mini 9for as low as $178 shipped. For that price you get a low-end model with the 1.6GHz Atom processor, 512MB RAM, a 4GB SSD, and Ubuntu Linux. It's available in Alpine White or Obsidian Black.

To avail of the offer go to the outlet store page, click Outlet Laptops, then Inspiron & Mini Laptops, and then Inspiron Mini. Under Inspiron Mini 9, click Continue, then Check Availability and Prices. In the list, click the Price column to sort low-to-high. You should see the Mini 9 models for $209. Add the one you want to your cart, then apply coupon code $C$TXXP1CT3BLC to bring the price down to $177.65.

Get it while you can!

Report: Netbooks the next big portable thing

From TG Daily -

ABI Research says it expects worldwide shipments of netbooks to reach 35 million units this year, rising to an estimated 139 million by 2013. The firm believes "a confluence of social and technological factors has created a kind of perfect storm that will lead to a market explosion" during this period of time - making netbooks a common piece of computing equipment for many.

Nvidia CEO: Intel Atom could hurt the hardware and software industries

TG Daily has more excerpts from Laptop Mag's interview with Nvidia CEO, Jen-Hsun Huang -

"The Atom platform is creating an installed base that doesn't run modern applications. It doesn't run anything well from Electronic Arts, it doesn't run anything well from Adobe, it doesn't run anything well from Microsoft. I just mentioned the top software companies in the world. So in a way, the Atom platform is creating an installed base of PCs that's going to eventually hurt the PC software industry."

"...I couldn't understand why Intel would limit great PCs from reaching the market. Great PCs help Intel. Great PCs help humanity. Great PCs are great for the entire industry and entire market. What the industry needs are products that really excite consumers, so that even in these difficult times they'll come back to buy PCs. I would hope that Intel isn't doing anything to prevent consumers from getting the most innovative products, in this case, built around Atom, their own processor. I think consumers would be really disappointed if they learned that Intel is sabotaging their ability to get access to breakthrough technologies."

Hmmm. Those are pretty strong words. I wonder what Intel's reaction will be. Of course, we have to keep in mind where Mr. Huang is coming from, he being the CEO of Nvidia, which makes products typically found only in full-featured models.

You can read the full interview here.

Windows 7 beta UAC completely vulnerable to malware

From TG Daily -

A flaw in Windows 7 beta and Microsoft's User Account Control (UAC) has been discovered that allows its protection to be defeated by any malware which happens to infect the system. The malware needs only to send a series of false keystrokes from a VB script to activate the UAC dialog, move the slider bar to the disable position, and then save the changes. After that, the program can access protected functions or even reboot the system, thereby gaining full total system access on restart.

Moblin V2 Core Alpha Release

Per the Moblin site, the Moblin V2 Core Alpha is now available. A Linux-based open source operating system project, Moblin's first version is intended for Atom-based netbooks and features the following:

* The core Linux O/S, boot process, inter-process, and package interactions.
* The new "Fastboot" feature of Moblin, which fundamentally improves boot time and allows for unprecedented speed for a general purpose Linux.
* Connectivity and networking, using the new ConnMan connectivity manager.
* Kernel 2.6.29-rc2.
* The Moblin Core Components (first look at this), including Clutter and all other UI development tools.
* Xserver 1.6 (with DRI2).
* New Moblin Image Creator (MIC2) and installation tool.

You can download it here.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Sandisk unveils new, faster, bigger laptop SSDs




From Engadget -

Sandisk has announced a new line of 2.5-inch and 1.8-inch SSDs for laptops of various sizes. The three new models come in 60GB, 120GB, and 240GB flavors, priced at $149, $249, and $499 respectively.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

QTWeb Puts Portable, Private Browsing on Your USB Drive


From Lifehacker -

QTWeb is a free portable no-install Windows browser that is not only fast but has a quick-fire privacy mode as well. And despite its small size, it has features that include password-saving, tabbed navigation, and plug-in compatibility, making it a great choice as a slimmed-down browser for on-the-go surfing.

QTWeb download page here. Make sure to select the "stand-alone executable" if you're going the USB route.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

How to build Google Android for the Eee PC 701

From Brad Linder -

Liliputing has posted instructions on how to build Google Android for the Asus Eee PC 701.

The instructions should work for the Eee PC 701, but not for the Eee PC 901/1000 series yet.

How to encrypt your email




For those who prefer their email messages to be more secured and protected from unwanted snooping eyes, Lifehacker has a good tutorial on how to encrypt your email using PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) with Thunderbird.

Complete tutorial (and download links) here.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Block Wi-Fi Intruders with a Secure Paint Job

From PC World -

Unsecured wireless networks has long been an issue and present a problem for a lot of companies. There are solutions but most are expensive such as putting energy-efficient windows or physically blocking radio signals. And while RF-blocking paints have been around for quite a while, they are becoming increasingly obsolete with the new, higher frequencies used to transmit data.

But now Japanese researchers have at the University of Tokyo led by Shin-ichi Ohkoshi say they now have a paint that can block the higher frequencies by using a new aluminium-iron oxide capable of blocking waves at frequencies four times higher The best part is the manufacturing cost is very cheap, at only around $14 per kg.

Windows 7 Has 5 Retail Versions




From Gizmodo -

Based on the screen grab above from Windows 7 beta build number 7025, it looks like there will be at least 5 retail packages for Windows 7 - Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate choices. Considering that the current beta is an Ultimate, it implies the other versions will be lighter in features, and hopefully, in overhead.

Sony VAIO P begins shipping in the US




Engadget has reported that the Sony VAIO P, which was officially announced to start shipping in February, has actually started shipping. Well, at least one unit as shown by the shipping confirmation.

Dell Mini 9 Has a More Pro Screen Than MacBook Pro




From Rob Galbraith via Gizmodo -

Using an Eizo ColorEdge CE240W as reference monitor, rofessional photographer Rob Galbraith compared the screens on the three bestselling notebooks in their respective categories MacBook Pro, Dell Mini 9 and Lenovo W700 and that of the Lenovo ThinkPad T60 whose in-plane switching LCD panel is well-regarded. His conclusions are amazing -

The ThinkPad W700, which is geared toward pro photographers and has a built-in Pantone calibrator, not surprisingly, came out best for color accuracy and could possibly replace a desktop display for pro work. What is surprising, though, is that the $300 Dell Inspiron Mini 9 has a display with better "overall hue accuracy" than the $1999 MacBook Pro, which is "one or two steps below a good desktop display."

You can read the entire review here.

MSI Wind glowing touchpad

Uploaded by BradLinder

The most useless new feature I've seen on a netbook at CES 2009. A touchpad that glows as you swipe your finger across.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Netbook Is Nothing But a Cheap PC

As posted by Om Malik in his GigaOM site, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang sums up his take on the definition of netbooks with "if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck then it must be a duck."

So whether you call them netbooks or laptops, they are still portable PCs - cheap PCs, in fact. For as long as they have an Intel x86 and can run Win XP, to him, it is still a PC. Which is rightfully so from Nvidia's point of view, since its Ion platform combines low cost but powerful CPUs like Intel's Atom with a GPU and then some.

But then Nvidia's viewpoint does not settle the issue of non-Intel based (sub)netbooks - you know, the $99 PDA-like models. They do not have Intel x86 processors and neither can they run Win XP. So do we still consider them ducks? :)

Acer to phase out 8.9" Aspire one in Q2




From Eee PC Blog -

With the forthcoming launch of its 10.1" Aspire 103, Acer considering phasing out its 8.9" series later this year. In addition, according to trade sources, Acer OEM Quanta is due to receive an order for a 10.1" enterprise netbook. As another Acer OEM, Compal, has just bagged the initial contract for the Aspire 103, the Quanta version may likely be another model instead of production ramp-up. Just what are its additional (enterprise) features is anybody's guess at this time.

New details about the MIU HDPC




From Pocketables -

MIU Technology has redesigned its HDPC (Hybrid Dual Portable Computer) and will offer it in two versions: a $500 basic model and a $900 premium model that includes GPS and dictionary functions in addition to the standard wireless connectivity options, dual operating systems (Windows XP and CE), and mobile phone capabilities.

While product development is finalized, prices have been set, and plans for a global launch in place, MIU is in dire need of funding to start production and is looking for a major investor to help them.

Triple Boot on the Asus Eee PC 1000H

Uploaded by BradLinder

Asus Eee PC 1000H triple-booting Windows 7, Windows XP, and CrunchBang Linux

Quanta to target ultra-thin notebook market

Per Digitimes Quanta Computer has completed the development of a entry-level notebook with a thickness of 1-2cm. The notebook features better quality than MSI's own ultra-thin model but is priced lower than the Macbook Air. However, Quanta does not yet have a mass production schedule.

Asus internal clashes could create a new brand?

Tweaktown got hold of a copy of Taiwanese mag Business Today which features a write-up on the internal power struggle battles between Asus Chair Johnny Shih and Tung Tsu Hsien who is the new boss of Pegatron, the OEM division of Asus.

The lengthy article outlines how Tung was forced out of the ASUS board and into his new position and claims he has a strong interest in brand business, especially in the growing China market. Tung allegedly has very strong support from his staff, many of whom were in the R&D and industrial design team at Asus and since followed him to Pegatron. While it is too early to tell, the rift, if it deepens, can possibly lead to Pegatron coming out with its own brand of computers, including netbooks.

Will netbooks go away?

CNET News is reporting that after having previously dismissed the netbook market, AMD is now predicting that netbooks will eventually go away. Per AMD CEO Dirk Meyer, "the distinction between what is a netbook and what is a notebook is going to go away...upcoming inexpensive ultra-thin notebooks will meet the need for a small, thin, lightweight laptop that is more powerful than a netbook."

While this view is ironically shared by Intel, the bottom line will really be a matter of semantics in terms of how a netbook is and will be defined. Will the maximum screen size of a netbook extend to 12" since for some users a 12" unit will still be very portable. Then again, for other users a lightweight model, no matter the size, would function as a netbook.

Then again, as prices of components eventually come down, netbooks may also gain a lot in terms of features without substantial price increases. At that point, will they still be referred to as netbooks? And what about the forthcoming wave of cheap netbooks with embedded OS and lightweight features? Will they also be considered netbooks or sub-netbooks?

So it all really depends on how netbooks are eventually regarded. As of now, by default, netbooks are distinguished by their small sizes and weights, "limited" features, low prices, and of course, Internet connectivity and their name implies. But as netbooks evolve, the upper limits are constantly being stretched. Though conceived as a unit without a conventional drive, some models now include hard drives as large as 160GB. Newer models will feature discrete graphics as well. Similarly, the price barrier is constantly increasing with some users now considering some Kohjinsha models as netbooks, too.

But what is not arguable is that the introduction of low-cost netbooks, as pioneered by Asus, has permanently altered the notebook (and netbook) markets. How these will eventually evolve, morph or merge is anyone's guess. After all, netbooks are essentially hardware that is dictated by several factors including functionality, software, and ergonomics. For all we know, netbooks might eventually morph into touch-screen tablets with an embedded OS. Do we still call them netbooks at that point?

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Jolicloud Uses Easy Peasy?

As reader Luc pointed out in his comment to the previous post "Jolicloud - iPhone-Like OS For Netbooks", the Jolicloud screen looks very similar to the Easy Peasy (nee Ubuntu Eee) user interface.

Below is the screenshot from the previous post showing the Jolicloud UI -




This is the Easy Peasy UI as shown in its product page -




Per the Techcrunch article, the Jolicloud solution is a new software stack (rather than an OS) - "users will download Jolicloud to their netbooks and then install it. Whatever operating system and software is on the computer will be wiped off, and replaced with a stripped down Linux operating system and custom browser."

So apparently its potential appeal per se is not in being an OS (although it does include one and which will probably be the Easy Peasy) but in its user-friendly installation process.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Jolicloud - iPhone-Like OS For Netbooks




From Techcrunch -

Netvibes Founder Tariq Krim is working on an netbook OS that addresses certain issues - small screens, small keyboards and underpowered hardware - that keeps some potential users away. The OS, named Jolicloud, has a touchscreen user interface that resembles the iPhone - it includes large icons and very little fluff to keep the hardware humming.

Photo Shoot of Dell Adamo



bub.blicio.us' Brian Solis has posted photos of the upcoming Dell Adamo taken from the press conference in the Fantasy Suites of the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas.

The Adamo is being positioned as a luxury model and its features clearly show this. In fact it is being touted as the Macbook Air killer. After all, it IS thinner than its target.

More photos here.

Asus Launches the S121 for Stylish Computing On the Go




Per Asus website -

ASUS is proud to announce the launch of the new S121 notebook, a versatile mobile computing companion for individuals who view their notebooks not only as tools, but also as accessories that complement their diverse lifestyles. In combining innovative technologies and a cutting edge design similar to that of the successful Eee PC™ S101 netbook, the ASUS S121 is a notebook that provides extensive multi-tasking capabilities and mobile performance that breezes through any occasion. Be it in the office or the trendiest parts of town on a night out, the ASUS S121 provides both charm and productivity anywhere.

A Marque of Exquisite Taste and Design
As a notebook counterpart of the Eee PC™ S101, the ASUS S121 sports a majestic glossy brown Infusion finish that graces the LCD lid, while CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements masterfully imbedded into intricately crafted metallic hinges add a touch of class, reminiscent of a pair of marquis-cut diamond cuff-links on a business suit. The pièce de résistance, a luxurious and elegant leather palm rest, completes the ASUS S121—a celebration of high fashion and functionality.
Substance in Equal Measure to Style
Head-turning looks aside, the ASUS S121 also packs substance in the form of a suite of user-friendly features. Equipped with a 12.1” energy saving, LED backlight display, the S121 provides comfortable viewing for documents, multimedia and Internet browsing without eye strain. Users who require a larger storage space for business or school will appreciate hard disk drive storage options up to 250GB, while users who travel frequently and need instantaneous data access while on the move can choose a Solid State Drive (SSD) of up to 512GB. With co-development with a 3rd party vendor, ASUS’ SSDs are only 1.8” thick; and are the world’s largest density SSD drives at 512GB. Adopting the latest controller technology to offer twice as fast data transfer speeds in comparison to traditional hard drives, ASUS’ SSDs also deliver absolute data protection by resisting shocks and knocks for better reliability, faster boot up time, and lower power consumption—making them definite must-have devices for ultra mobile notebooks.

Enjoy All-Day Computing with Extended Battery Life
The ASUS S121 features the exclusive Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) which greatly enhances the notebook’s energy efficiency, letting users enjoy longer battery life per charge—enabling longer hours of continuous computing. SHE also offers a choice of performance and power consumption modes that allow users to make quick and easy adjustments to suit their usage scenarios. In addition, SHE has the ability to intelligently boost system performance under heavy load, thus enabling the notebook to meet the demands of processor and resource-intensive tasks.

Phoenix HyperSpace to appear in Asus lappies

Phoenix Technologies recently announced that Asus has signed up for its instant-on HyperSpace, which it describes as a "revolutionary new instant-on and always-connected application environment that makes operating a mobile PC as easy and efficient as operating a cell phone."

Asus will incorporate HyperSpace into its next generation notebooks. With HyperSpace-installed notebooks, users can instantly launch important web-based applications (before Windows(R) ever boots), automatically connect to the best available network, dramatically extend battery life and achieve new levels of uptime and security protection.

HyperSpace is available for download at its website.

Gateway LT1004U Netbook Launched




From Laptoping -

Gateway has launched its 8.9" LT1004U by way of Office Depot. Specs include Intel Atom N270 at 1.6GHz, a 160GB hard drive, 1GB RAM, built-in web camera, stereo speakers, Wireless-G, three USB ports, a 5-in-1 media card reader, 1024 x 600 8.9" screen, and Windows XP Home. It is priced at $379.

Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Now for $99 with AT&T 3G Service Purchase

From Laptoping -

Dell is now offering the Inspiron Mini 9 for $99 after $350 mail-in rebate for customers who get it with the AT&T 3G mobile broadband service bundle. The service, however, must be activated (at $60 per month) and maintained for 90 calendar days.

The mail-in rebate offer expires 01/31/2009. Additional details here.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Tagebuch eines Netbooks - Episode 6

Submitted by Timm Mohn (German video series on HP Mini 2133) -

HP Mini 1100 does NOT have an ExpressCard slot

Submitted by Brad Linder -

Despite reports to the contrary, the HP Mini 1100 netbook is just a slight variation on the HP Mini 1000 and does not have an ExpressCard slot. HP contacted me this afternoon to let me know there was a mistake on their web site and they would be updating the web page soon.

More details here.

Asus Eee PC Touch Demo Video

Sony: Why the VAIO P is not a netbook




The Connect with Sony Community blog has listed down why the VAIO P is not a netbook -

The keyboard: Sony claims the keyboard is much closer to a notebook size keyboard than what you see on most netbooks.

The backlit screen: It features a 1600 x 768 resolution - no need for side-to-side scrolling.

The core: It has an Atom Z processor unlike the N series found in most netbooks.

The wireless capabilities: It has WiFi, Bluetooth, and mobile broadband (via Verizon Wireless).

GPS: It has it; netbooks don't.

Dual OS: It has Windows Vista and an instant-mode option that launches directly into Sony’s Xross Media Bar interface.

The options: It comes in three configurations, including a traditional hard drive model and two SSD versions with 64GB and 128GB, respectively.


So there, the VAIO P is not a netbook.

MSI Wind U120 disassembly




Per Engadget the folks at MSIWind.es has managed to dissemble an MSI Wind U120H (complete with built-in 3G).

More details and photos here (Spanish site).

Colored 10.1" Acer Aspire One

Submitted by steve -


The macles* blog has posted several photos of colored 10.1" Acer Aspire One model, including the one shown above.

More details and photos here.

Corsair introduces first SSD




From Custom PC -

Memory manufacturer Corsair has finally decided introduced its first SSD, the S128, which the company says is the first in a new range of SSDs.

The S128 is primarily targeted at the mainstream market, and has what appear to be comparatively conservative read and write speeds of 90MB/sec and 70MB/sec respectively. However, unlike many multi-level cell (MLC) SSDs, it features the much faster Samsung controller, as opposed to the often-used JMicron 602 controller. The S128 is now available for pre-order from Scan for £326.54 inc VAT.

Dell Mini 10 shows up at Tesco for £349




From Engadget -

The Dell Mini 10 has shown up at Tesco's site and is listed for £349 ($480). Basic specs are generic - 1.6GHz Atom Z530 (listed as Z520), 1GB RAM, 160GB HD and Windows XP. But the addition of a multitouch trackpad, built-in GPS and optional WWAN makes the Mini 10 a little more interesting than the competition.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

HP Mini 1100-series netbook listings appear




From Slashgear -

The HP website has new listings for its Mini 1100 series. All in all, thee are nine different models of standard 1100-series netbook are suggested, together with a Vivienne Tam Special Edition - HP Mini 1110NR, Mini 1111NR, Mini 1120NR, Mini 1125NR, Mini 1130NR, Mini 1133CL, Mini 1135NR, Mini 1136NR and Mini 111NR. But beyond model numbers, little else is provided. However there are rumors the series will have ExpressCard slots, intended to offer compatibility with a wide range of mobile broadband modems.

Windows 7: WordPad Opens Word 2007 Docs




Per Gizmodo, Windows 7's WordPad (the bundled word processing app) now supports Office 2007/2008's XML-based Word docs. Of course, it is limited and does not support advanced features. Still, for simple notes, memos, and docs, you don't need to have a copy of Microsoft Office anymore.

Asus Eee PC Gets Laser-etched with Mario theme




Kotaku has a photo essay of an Asus Eee PC laser-etched with every level of Super Mario Land on the Game Boy laid out sequentially.

Up close, the intricate detail is simply amazing.

More photos here.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Five reasons to seriously consider buying a netbook

Ars Technica has listed down five reasons why you should seriously consider buying a netbook, that is, if you haven't -

1. Netbooks don't have to be your primary computer.

2. They're not underpowered for what they really do.

3. They're sitting on the edge of a ubiquitous connectivity revolution.

4. You can dock.

5. The price and size appeal is real.

Of course, there are lots of additional reasons but as far as we are concerned, those listed above are compelling enough. :)

You can read the full article here.

New Freescale processors target Linux netbooks

From Ars Technica -

Freescale Semiconductor is launching a new, low-cost processor, the i.MX515, that is designed to power "low-power, gigahertz performance netbooks at sub-$200 price points." The processor performs from around 600mHz to 1 GHz and provides up to 2,100 Dhrystone MIPS. It supports mobile DDR1 and DDR2, allowing for a bit more flexibility in configuration. But the main selling point would be an extended battery life of up to 8 hours for 8.9" models. The caveat is that operating system support will likely be limited to Linux as the chip will not likely be able to provide enough power to run any Windows operating system, including netbook standard XP.

Brando Multi-purpose Solar Charger




Per The Gadgeteer, Brando is now offering a Portable Multi-Purpose Solar Charger. It can output 24V, 22V, 16V@4A and 5V@500mA power. High power capacity is provided by a 20,000mAh ~ 3.7V batteries array.

Contemplating Vista as a mobile OS, and the OQO Model 2+




Ars Technica's Jon Stokes re-reviewed the OQO Model 2+. However this time, he had OQO Engineering Program Manager John Wilson walk him through some usage scenarios. With the new insights, he came away with a better appreciation of the device.

Which is not surprising. After all, the OQO IS a great device - that just happens to be saddled with Vista, as dictated by the company's own marketing survey. But OQO has actually implemented a lot of their own, OQO-specific keyboard shortcuts, significantly improving usage.

Still, given its form-factor, the OQO is not meant for everyone. As Stokes, put it "The OQO is for people who really want Vista in a package that's as small as the OQO is. It's not for people who just want to use Firefox—that's what a Linux MID is for. It's not for people who want a very small, fairly limited portable with very little storage but that still lets them touch type—that's the netbook."

Sunday, January 18, 2009

CherryPal Announces the World’s First Truly Green Nettop




Already a leader in the green, ultra-low energy consumption PC space, CherryPal has leapfrogged the industry with the introduction of its 0.2' wide-screen Intel Atom N270 based Bing netbook. Running on the the Linux based GreenMaraschino operating environment, Bing was designed for environmentally savvy, budget minded consumers, and provides excellent web browsing, file sharing, media and music capabilities. It can be used with or without the CherrypalCloud™, which makes the user experience simple, efficient and highly secure.

Specs include:

1.6GHz operation, 1 GB DDRII memory, 160 GB HDD
3 USB 2.0; 1 earphone
SD/MMC/MS card socket
Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g) built-in
Built-in microphone and dual speakers
10.2” TFT display with 1024 x 600 resolution, wide-screen
1.3M Pixel web camera, weight 3 lbs, 5 hours battery

Pre-installed software: Firefox Browser, Office Productivity Suite (OpenOffice), Video-player, Music Player, Instant Messenger (Yahoo, AOL, Google, MSN), VoiP (Skype).

Cherrypal product page here.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

HP's Business Netbook Dazzles With Dullness




From Wired -

HP has release an upgrade of its Mini 2133, the Mini 2140. Improvements include a 92% spill-proof keyboard, 10.2" screen, SD slot, an ExpressCard port, an accelerometer which parks the hard drive if a drop is underway and a longer lasting battery. But despite the add features, the 2140 still looks and feels awfully familiar. Unfortunately its price is $499.

More Atom N280-based Netbooks Coming Our Way

From ubergizmo -

Acer, Gigabyte and Asus will all be rolling out 10" Atom N280-based netbooks sometime between the second and third quarter of this year. These CPUs will be bundled with the Intel GN40 chipset and will nearly 50% more expensive than the N270. The N280 is priced at $60-65 in thousand-unit tray quantities, N270, $46.

Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts

Geek.Menu Organizes Your USB Applications




From Lifehacker -

Geek.Menu is menu utility that helps you organize the portable applets that you have collected through the years. It includes a host of extra features and customizations including integration with TrueCrypt and includes support for multiple profiles for trusted and untrusted computer environments and for automatic application launches after activating the menu and scripts to be run on shut down.

You can download Geek.Menu here. (Windows only.)

Windows 7 Runs So Much Better Than Vista On a Netbook




Gizmodo's Mark Wilson tested Windows 7 on a Dell Inspiron Mini 12 with 1GB RAM.

With Aero deactivated, the Start menu appeared right up, Firefox took about 3.5 seconds to open and light multitasking was smooth enough. The computer was by no means fast, but it was reasonably functional. However, it struggled a bit with both both full screen Flash video and XviD clips. Still overall it was much faster than Vista and that's the good news.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Windows 7: Sleep/Hibernate Mode Is Buggy




For those of you who have installed the beta of Windows 7, Gizmodo's Jason Chen is reporting a buggy sleep/hibernate mode that can be downright incapacitating. His desktop made a horrendous squeal and refused to reboot multiple times after going into sleep mode. He finally had to pull the power and let the battery drain. Even then, he had to reset again to get the keyboard and mouse working.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

The Rude Arrogance of a Sales Manager Revisited

It seems news travel real fast with the Interenet. There are currently two forum discussions on our earlier post, The Rude Arrogance of a Sales Manager. One is in the tipidpc forum and another one is in Chikkada.

I guess the crass arrogance of the guy is shockingly unbelievable as quite a few members questioned the authenticity of the email messages. Trust me - as shocking as the incident is, it is real. There is simply no reason for us to fabricate such matters. We are as shocked as you are that is why we posted it here - to find out if we are overreacting. Judging from the feedback, it is obvious we are not.

In fact, here is Mr. Eric So's subsequent reply (which was also posted in the comments of the first post) -

"Our company did not lose any client. It is funny that an idiot and a beggar like you regards yourself "client". Before contacting any Chinese supplier check whether you have received any pocket money from your loser mother.

Yours sincerely,
Eric So
Sales Manager
Exon International Technology Co Ltd
www.exon-technology.com"

That is word for word. Trust me, we are not capable of writing (fabricating) such crass insults. It simply exhibits a lack of breeding and simple sensibility.

Sony Vaio P Unboxing




Akihabara News has a photo essay on the unboxing of Sony Vaio P.

More photos here.

The Rude Arrogance of a Sales Manager

As is often with our projects, we recently started negotiations for procuring 7" laptops for a client's proposed campaign give-aways. We contacted several manufacturers and/or trading companies. As part of our further inquiry to a specific manufacturer, we asked "What is the lowest price for your PC701 LX with Wifi? Our target price is under USD100 FOB. Current negotiations with potential suppliers range from USD80 - USD97. While price is a primary consideration, we also factor in reliability and after-sales support."

Imagine our surprise and shock when we received this response (printed verbatim):

Dear Sir,

In case you are ignorant, there are only 2 manufacturers producing 7" laptops. We are one of the two and our only competitor is offering it at USD10 more expensive. All the rest suppliers are our middle agents or trading companies. If you think you can buy PC701-LX with WiFi at the price range you mentioned, try to do business with them and good luck. We have time cost and please contact us only if you seriously want to do business with quality manufacturer.

Yours sincerely,
Eric So
Sales Manager
Exon International Technology Co Ltd

Considering this is a reply for a pre-sales inquiry, we have to wonder how they treat clients with quality or tech support problems. And the guy is supposed to be the Sales Manager of a company that claims to be a major player. And quite frankly, we contacted them because they are supposed to be price competitive, not because they are known for quality. Boy oh boy.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Mouse Netbook With Optical Drive Released




From Portable Monkey -

Japan-based Mouse Computer has released its LB-F1500W netbook, one of the very few models incorporating an optical DVD drive. But aside from that, it has the usual specs: XP Home, N270 (1.6GHz) Atom CPU, 1GB, 160GB HDD, 10.2 inch screen (1024 x 600), etc.

It should go on sale around the last week of January for about 64,800 yen (USD729) and will be available in black and white colors.

Archos gets into the Netbook craze




From DAP Review -

Archos recently intro'd its Archos 10 netbook (a Hasee MJ125 rebrand) at the CES. The unit has the following specs:

Display: 10.2" (1024 x 600 resolution)
Processor: Intel Atom 1.6Ghz
Memory: 1GB DDR
HDD: 160GB
Battery: 3 cell
OS: Windows XP
Dimensions: 258 x 189 x 28mm
Connectivity: WiFi, Ethernet,
Camera: Webcam,
Ports: 3 USB ports

Pricing and a release date have also not been confirmed.

Atom N280 Asus Eee PC 10004DN to hit the market this year

From Digitimes -

Asus is expected to intro its 10" Atom N280-based Eee PC 1004DN series this year between Q2 and Q3 this year. The new processor has a core frequency of 1.66GHz and 667MHz FSB, and will be available bundled with tbe Intel GN40 chipset.

The N280 is priced at US$60-65 in quantities, compared to US$46 for the Atom N270/945GSE chipset, so expect the new models to have a price premium.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Sony VAIO P




Gizmodo's highlights on the Sony VAIO P presented at CES -

Form factor looks weird in pics, but it does work incredibly well - a Porsche among Chevy-esque standard netbook. In fact, Sony insists it's not a netbook.

The keys are small, but just right. The trackball is a little oversensitive, but adjustable. But the mouse buttons are too small. Instant-on OS. Essentially a Sony XMB but exceptionally classy. CPU is 1.33Ghz Atom Z, 2GB RAM, which run Vista okay. Built-in 3G is Verizon only.

$900 gets you the Vista Home Basic model. There are 3 other SKUS, mainly varying in storage - 60GB up to a 128GB SSD in the $1500 model.

Eee Keyboard: An Entire Touchscreen Home Theater PC





From Gizmodo -

Asus presented its concept Eee Keyboard for home theater at the CES last week. It's actually a full functional PC with full QWERTY and a mini secondary touchscreen. But more importantly it has wireless HDMI which potentially could turn any TV into your monitor.

Android on the REDFLY Smartphone Terminal

"Proof-of-concept showing the Android operating system on a REDFLY Smartphone Terminal. Speed and stability will increase as the concept is developed. The Android devices output resolution is changed to 800x480 then video output is routed to the REDFLYs 8-inch screen. REDFLY also allows the use of its built-in keyboard and touchpad to control the Android device. The REDFLY Smartphone Terminal has no OS, CPU or storage. REDFLY does not require syncing of data back and forth to a phone as all data and settings remain on the phone itself. This proof-of-concept will be on display during CES 2009 at booth #3934.

See a 3-min tour at http://www.redflytour.com or learn more about REDFLY at http://www.celiocorp.com."

Sunday, January 11, 2009

ASUS teases with folding Origami laptop concept

Video link - here.

Number five of the (German) Diary of HP2133

Submitted by Timm Mohn

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Splashtop a Rapid-Start Platform for Consumer PCs

Rapid-start, Splashtop launchpad, Splashtop Desktop, Quick Launch Bar

Friday, January 9, 2009

EMTEC Reveals Gdium at CES

From eMediaWire -

Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) January 7, 2009 -- EMTEC, a leader in mobile storage solutions and peripherals, has unveiled the Gdium, an ultra-portable, affordable netbook computer, designed to be smart, reliable and stylish.

The EMTEC Gdium is the ultimate mobile computer, weighing in at 2.6 pounds. The Gdium boasts a compact size (9.8 x 7.2 x 1.25 inches), while still offering a web-optimized 1024 x 600 resolution on a notable 10-inch screen. It also comes equipped with a full, comfortable keyboard.

The software application package included with Gdium is based entirely on Open Source software. It includes an extensive variety of programs: Firefox internet browser, Thunderbird e-mail client, instant messaging, VoIP, blog editor, audio/video players and security utilities, as well as a complete Open Office suite of applications for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.

The Gdium integrates an energy efficient processor and operating system. The processor, based on MIPS-64 architecture, is provided by ST Microelectronics, a tier-one top-quality chip maker. Designed to combine performance and low energy consumption, the Gdium runs on a dedicated and optimized version of Mandriva Linux OS, specially designed for the 64-bit processor.

Unique to the Gdium is the G-Key, a bootable USB key on which the Linux operating system, applications and personal data are stored. The G-Key allows each user to store their personal information and preferences securely, without leaving a trace on the computer.

"The Gdium netbook offering is unique to the marketplace," said Chris Mack, EVP Sales & Marketing, EMTEC, North America. "The revolutionary new design and the unique synchronization feature of the G-Key separate Gdium from the rest of the pack. With a sub-$400 retail price point, we believe EMTEC will become a key player in the netbook market."

Gdium also has a dedicated website, which features an online, social networking environment and provides multimedia resources as well as educational content aimed at students. The Gdium website provides a range of communication tools and services, from e-mail to chat forums, social networking, blogs and dedicated news forums in a safe, user-friendly environment.

The EMTEC Gdium also features an exclusive array of accessories and travel bags. To find out more about EMTEC Gdium products and accessories, please visit www.emtecelectronics.com.

Asus planning Eee phone with Android?

From Tech Radar -

Speaking at Asus' keynote speech at CES, Asus CEO Johnny Shih said that they were looking at a 'two-pronged' approach to simple, easy to use devices, meaning a device that can be "put in the pocket, play MP3s, offer GPS services, works like a PDA and offers Mobile TV altogether." Asus, being a member of the Open Handset Alliance, the organization behind Android, is looking into using it, either with an Eee PC or the Eee Phone.

Windows 7 build 7000 64-bit version hits torrent sites

From Ars Technica -

Almost two weeks after Windows 7 build 7000 32-bit was leaked, the 64-bit version has hit torrent sites. The first 7xxx build marks Windows 7's beta phase (6xxx builds were pre-beta builds). Build 7000 was compiled on December 12, 2008, at 2:00PM, and many believe this is the build that Microsoft will be giving its testers. If the 64-bit build is anything like the 32-bit, performance should be quite high.

USB 3.0 slower than expected

From TG Daily -

The USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has revealed that USB 3.0 will go through an evolution similar to its predecessor (USB 2.0) and not initially reach the 5000 Mb/s speed. A prototype USB 3.0 hard drive on display at CES maxed out 1320 Mb/s (165 MB/s) in read operations and 1000 Mb/s (125 MB/s) in write processes.

While it was a prototype and bandwidth is likely to improve for the actual products, expectations are that it won't exceed much more than 1200 Mb/s (150 MB/s). Even then, this is actually already more than twice the maximum bandwidth of USB 2.0.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Android on Lenovo X200

ViewSonic Intros New Netbook

From Softpedia -

ViewSonic has announced a series of new products at CES. Included in the launch is the company's first netbook, dubbed VieBook. It uses the Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor, combined with 1GB of memory, a 160GB HD and the usual connectivity options available in most netbooks - a 10/100 Ethernet LAN connection, 802.11 b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, 1.3MP webcam and 4-in-1 card reader. It also has a 10.2" screen, a 3 hour battery, and comes with Windows XP Home Edition. It will be available in February 2009 at an MSRP of $429.

ASUS Eee PC T91 and T101H hands-on




From Engadget -

ASUS is showing its Eee PC tablets at the CEs - the T91 and T101H. The two models' netbook heritage is unmistakable, especially with their respective 8.9" and 10" screen sizes and Atom processors. However their keyboards leave a lot to be desired.

Mio's Windows Mobile-powered concept MID hands-on




From Engadget -

Mio is demoing its Windows Mobile-based MID at CES. Its most distinguishing feature is that it looks suspiciously like Sony's VAIO P and has a non-removable 8 hour battery and a trackball. Other features are pretty average though - 7" WVGA (800 x 480) resolution display, integrated WiFi, SD card slot, USB ports, audio in/out.

Coby's sub-$200 netbooks handled at CES




From Engadget -

Coby has a bunch of netbooks at CES in a myriad of color combos but considered them a "market research project." However the Coby people indicated the netbooks would be under $200. There were a bunch of different configurations, but nothing too different from the usual Atom setup. The six color offerings might be attractive but the overall finish appears pretty low-end.

Freescale Low-Cost Netbook Processor

From Yahoo! News -

Freescale Semiconductor is entering the netbook market with a solution that promises to make possible portable devices that feature 8.9" displays, 8 hours of battery life, and prices under $200.

Its solution is based on its new i.MX515 processor featuring ARM Cortex-A8 technology and includes software, components and resources that aim to help OEMs rapidly develop and deploy netbooks.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Aeeeris kit turns Eee into UMPC




From Engadget -

Aeeeris is offering a $60 tablet conversion kit for the Eee PC 700 series. It's basically a reverse-facing replacement bezel, providing indentations for the touch-screen LCD, its controller, and a pair of speakers (all sold separately). Supposedly the conversion is a "breeze" the caveat being "breeze" is relative and will vary from person to person.

Android on the HP 2133

An early look at Google's Android OS running on the HP 2133

VAIO + EeePC = VAEeeO

From Benheck forum, posted by KOM(goteking) -

The parts - One old VAIO laptop, an Asus Eee PC, a clear Asus Eee PC case









HP Mini 2140 with Atom, 10" LCD




From Electronista -

HP has introduced the Mini 2140, which replaces the Mini-Note 2133. Curiously, the new model uses a 1.6GHz Intel Atom instead of the 2133's VIA C7-M. Screen size has been increased to 10" with support for the original, extra-sharp 1366x768 display and a lesser 1024x576 resolution.

Storage has been upgraded to 80GB SSD/160GB HD while OS choices have been expanded to Windows XP Home/Professional, SuSE Linux, FreeDOS or Windows Vista Home Basic/Premium. The new model will be available later this month with prices starting at $499.

MSI Wind U100 Revisited




With tons of new models being introduced at CES this week, the folks at HotHardware hae decided to stack the original MSI U100, a standard-setting model when it first came out, against the newer breed to see if it can still keep up.

Not surprisingly, the Wing has aged quite well. Both its 1.6GHz Atom N270 and the 945GSE/GMA 950 graphics are still the norm for netbook models. While it originally came with a 3-cell battery, it now has a 6-cell option. In addition, HD storage has been increased, the warranty now goes to 2 years while prices now start at $350 instead of $500.

Significantly the Wind also has a handy automated overclocking feature in its BIOS that pushes processor performance up 24% to 2GHz. This gives it a healthy performance advantage over stock units and at least for now, enables it to still hold the netbook performance crown. So overall, the MSI Wind U100 is still a pretty competitive unit and remains a solid choice.

SanDisk Launches Next-Generation Solid-State Drives for Netbook Market

From BusinessWire -

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SanDisk Corporation today unveiled its next-generation of flash memory-based solid-state drives (SSD) to support the evolving needs of designers, manufacturers and users in the exploding netbook market - SanDisk® pSSD™. The new SanDisk pSSD-P2 and SanDisk pSSD-S2 SSDs have capacity and performance for more full-featured netbooks which require a robust operating system.

Designed as drop-in replacements for hard-disk drives (HDDs), SanDisk’s new second generation module has a SATA interface to meet new netbook design requirements. The SATA interface offers a significant boost in performance rendering these SSDs faster than HDDs in critical aspects. Booting and launching applications takes just half the time of an HDD.

Available in capacities of 8, 16, 32 and 64-gigabytes (GB)1, SanDisk Gen 2 pSSD drives are aggressively priced, making them attractive for POS terminals, printers, ATMs and other applications where users need HDD functionality with strong reliability, yet want to pay a low cost for the exact capacity that they need. For example, the 32GB modular SSD is priced at parity with 2.5” HDDs in OEM quantities.

“Netbooks represent the fastest growing PC segment in 2009 and 2010 yet widespread adoption of SSDs in netbooks has been limited by speed, capacity and cost constraints,” said Rich Heye, senior vice president and general manager, Solid-State Drives (SSD), SanDisk. “With the significant improvements in performance, capacity and low pricing, these SSDs are a perfect fit for the exploding netbook market.”

Netbook Market Takes Off

Netbooks as a category sold about half a million units in 2007 yet market researchers International Data Corp. (IDC) recently hiked their projected worldwide sales to reach 11 million this year, growing to 41 million in 2012. Initially, IDC projected worldwide sales to reach nine million in 2012.

“SanDisk’s Gen 2 pSSD drives have the best combination of capacity, performance, weight, pricing and power advantages to really excite designers, manufacturers and users of netbooks,” said Richard Brown, VP of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “Our latest reference designs will include SanDisk’s Gen2 pSSD drives, and we look forward to working with SanDisk to aggressively address the netbook market’s needs.”

SanDisk’s Gen 2 pSSD drives, slated to be available in February, 2009, are built using the company’s reliable 43-nanometer Multi-Level Cell (MLC) flash memory. This technology is produced at fabrication plants in Yokkaichi, Japan, where SanDisk and its partner, Toshiba Corporation, share the output.

The technology on which the Second Generation Modular SSDs are based also utilizes SanDisk’s innovative patented All Bit Line (ABL) architecture with advanced proprietary programming algorithms and multi-level data storage management schemes to yield MLC NAND flash memory chips that don’t sacrifice performance or reliability.

Sony's VAIO P ultraportable revealed




From Engadget -

The Sony VAIO P ultraportable is on display at CES. Unfortunately it appears to have a chicklet keyboard as well as a tiny pointing nub. Ugh!

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Acer Aspire One 10.1"




macles* has the details of the 10" Acer Aspire One, due for release next month. -

Features are mostly identical to the existing model except for some changes. One, it will likely be Win XP and HDD only, no Linux or SSD. The Storage Expansion slot has been replaced by a multicard reader. There is only a single DIMM slot now, with a maximum capacity of 2GB. The 10.1" screen will still have the same resolution. 3G and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR are optional. The area around the keyboard has a brushed metal finish and the seamlessly integrated touchpad resembles a more traditional touchpad. The new AA1 will be available in white, black and red.

Windows 7 build 7000 outperforms Vista and XP

From Ars Technica -

ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes tested 23 real-world scenarios to see which operating system would be the quickest. He tested the 32-bit versions of Windows 7 build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400, Windows Vista SP1, and Windows XP SP3.

Two separate test machines were used: An AMD Phenom 9700 2.4GHz with an ATI Radeon 3850 and 4GB RAM and an Intel Pentium Dual Core E2200 2.2GHz with an NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS and 1GB RAM.

Windows 7 managed to outperform both Vista and XP on both machines, placing first in 21 tests, and second in two other ones.

New HP laptop releases rumored, Mini 1000 Mi included



From Portable Monkey -

HP will be launching a new model of the HP Mini 1000 called the Mi (Mobile Internet). The new model will likely have a cloud based Linux OS possibly with quick boot-up and shut down times similar to the Lenovo IdeaPad S10e's SplashTop OS.

Price will start at $379.99.