From TG Daily -
Freescale Semiconductor will be introducing in the next few months a $200 netbook, roughly half the price of current best-selling models. The new netbook will feature non-x86-based chips delivering up to eight hours of battery life, and would also be much thinner than present models. In addition, it will support operating systems like Phoenix's Hyperspace pre-boot shell and Xandros Linux, contrary to earlier announcements limiting support to Ubuntu.
The company had previously announced they would be designing a netbook with 3G connectivity, all day battery life, and the use of their own i.MX515 processor -- which is based on ARM's Cortex-A8 technology. While this CPU is not x86-based, it does promote energy efficiency using a RISC-like design.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Freescale promises $200 netbook
Intel to launch new CPUs for ultra-thin notebooks
From Digitimes -
Intel plans to launch two new ultra low voltage (ULV) CPUs by the end of March mainly targeting the company's consumer ultra low voltage (CULV) platform for ultra-thin notebook products. The two CPUs are the Core 2 Duo SU9600 with a core frequency of 1.6GHz and priced at US$289 in thousand-unit tray quantities, and Core 2 Solo SU3500 at 1.4GHz and US$262.
The new Asus Eee Top "Kitchen PC"
From TG Daily -
Asus has released a $600 all-in-one touch-screen model called Eee Top (ET1602). Aesthetically the PC is stylish. It's got a glossy white, semi-opaque keyboard and mouse and is actually quite light weight, and plastic-like. The unit is slim and fits perfectly on top of a counter. Features include a 15.6" screen, Intel's 1.6 GHz Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, an integrated GPU, six USB ports, a 1.3MP webcam, a memory card reader, and integrated Wi-Fi. It boots up in either Windows Mode or Easy Mode.
Asus to completely phase out 8.9-inch Eee PCs in 2009
From Digitimes -
Asus will completely phase out its 8.9" Eee PC models by this year since 10" models are becoming the mainstream configuration. Of the company's projected Eee PC shipments this year, 10" models will account for 95%, while the other 5% will be 7-inch models for telecom service operators.
Marvell's Plug Computer
From TG Daily -
Marvell has announced a new type of computer. It's about the size of a power brick but is a full System-on-a-Chip (SoC) with a 1200 MHz CPU, built-in 512 MB Flash, 512 MB DRAM, Gigabit Ethernet and USB 2.0 support. It runs small versions of Linux and consumes about 5 watts max. The $99 device opens up a wide array of extremely low-power, low-volume, always on applications.
Called the SheevaPlug, and it is powered by the Kirkwood SoC platform which comes with open-source Linux 2.6-based kernel applications. The entire computer exists inside the chip, with only power supply and interface hardware surrounding it inside the plug form factor. It plugs directly into a wall outlet. From there, a Gigabit Ethernet cable is run from the Plug to a router, allowing data reaching its IP address to be responded to.
It has no built-in video capability but access can be had through remote desktop, which leverages the capabilities of another machine on the network to update and configure the Plug Computer server.
While the concept is absolutely brilliant, it gets a very low score for its lack of user-friendliness. It is being built on a Linux framework with no built-in video support would not be easy to use at all. Still, the eventual $49 price tag might offset any product resistance but its initial price tag of $79 to $99 should keep most buyers away.
New Conficker begins infiltrating machines
From TG Daily -
There is a new and more potent of Conficker, the trojan that embeds itself within the Windows operating system and provides spammers, cyber criminal and hackers with back door which allows them to access an individual’s machine. The new version, Conficker B++, is much improved, and is capable of circumventing many of the security measures designed to combat its older version. It is also more difficult to determine where it originated from and what needs to be done to keep it from spreading as it no longer needs to reconnect to a remote server to download additional malicious code to a computer which has been compromised.
The older version has infected an estimated 15 million computers to date. Earlier this month, Microsoft offered a $250,000 reward to anyone who could give information leading to both the capture and conviction of the creator of Conficker. The company has also issued multiple patches and removal tools to aid in fighting its spread. But now, that may not be enough
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Laptop Skins
Zest Technology has a promo on their laptop sticker products (laptop skin and LCD protector) with competitive prices:
Laptop Skins (over 1500 designs)
Key features:
Made from quality PVC with best adhesive ability
Protect notebook surface from scratches and smudges
Available in sizes from 12 to 17 inches
Special price: US$1.45/pc
EXW Shenzhen, including retail pack
Customized designs or size are acceptable
MOQ: 200pcs, Minimum 10pcs for each design
LCD Screen Protector
Key Features:
High grade Japanese PET materials, glass-like clarity 99% visual transparency
Protects screen against scratches, damages and dusts
Matching various types screen, convenient to install and uninstall
EXW Shenzhen, MOQ: 200pcs, including retail pack
Zest Technology website here.
Interested parties can contact rock@zest-tech.com.
USB dongle shares internet from any Windows PC
From Boing Boing -
Brando sells a USB dongle that shares internet connections between Windows computers in an easy and straightforward old-fashioned way - via cable.
Dell Mini 10: no RAM upgrades past 1GB
Per Boing Boing the new Dell Mini 10 can have a maximum of 1GB RAM, unlike practically every other model on the market, including its popular sibling Mini 9. There is no obvious rationale for this except that per Microsoft's licensing, Windows XP can't be bundled with machines containing more than 1GB of RAM. As such, for netbooks that come pre-installed with XP, they are crippled with the 1GB RAM limit. For most models, however, the memory upgrade is cheap and easy.
Unfortunately this is not the case with the Mini 10. Which remind us again, Microsoft and Intel have indicated that they plan to take control of how netbooks are sold and configured and killing off Windows XP once and for all is top of the former's todo list.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lenovo S10 users complaining of endless fan noise
From Engadget -
The official Lenovo support forums are flooded with users complaining of the Lenovo S10's fan endlessly spins up and down. Unfortunately Lenovo apparently hasn't acknowledged the problem, and some customers report that S10s sent in for repair return in exactly the same condition.
SSD-based 8.9" netbooks seeing sharp price drops
From Digitimes -
Per industry reports, netbook vendors are dropping prices of their 8.9" netbooks to clear inventory, and SSD-based models are seeing the sharpest drops because of lower demands. The decrease in demand is due to the increase in hard drive capacity from 80GB to 160GB, in addition to the higher cost of SSDs.
The 8GB SSD 8.9" Acer Aspire One has dropped to NT$6,999 (US$202.27) in the Taiwan market, while the 7-inch Asus Eee PC now costs around NT$6,500-7,500 and the 20GB SSD 8.9" Asus Eee PC is around NT$8,999.
Gigabyte plans CeBIT debut for M1022, M1024 and M1028 netbooks
From Engadget -
Gigabyte plans to debut its new M1022, M1024, and M1028 (pictured above) netbooks at CeBIT next week. All are 10-inch netbooks, with Atom N270-equipped M1024. being a thinner and lighter version of the M1028, while the M1022 will have the newer N280 processor. Details are forthcoming.
OLPC-toting Rwandan students flock to airport for free WiFi
From Engadget -
While the OLPC has not had the success it was aiming for, it nevertheless has made an impact with the little kids lucky enough to get their hands on it. In Rwanda, a group of students have also learned the fine art of finding free WiFi, find it at the the Kigali International Airport. Thus aside from their homework, they get to learn about Bruce Lee and Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
How To: Hackintosh a Dell Mini 9 Into the Ultimate OS X Netbook
Gizomdo has a posted a guide to turn your Dell Mini 9 into the ultimate Mac OS X machine via the "Type11" install, which uses a $129 factory-fresh retail OS X install disk in tandem with a special bootloader that does the necessary tweaking.
What You'll Need
• Dell Mini 9 With 16GB SSD or higher (8GB SSDs will techincally work, but it will take some fiddling not covered by in the tutorial)
• Retail copy of OS X 10.5.x
• A USB flash drive 8GB or higher
• An external USB DVD drive
• The "Type11" Bootloader: DellMiniBoot123v8.01.iso.zip (download link in this forum post)
• Blank CD to burn bootloader image (I actually used version 8.0 of Type11 on my CD-if your boot process with 8.01 is different than what's spelled out in this guide, you can download 8.0 here. Both should work.)
• Windows PC for preparing the flash drive (if DVD drive works fine, this is optional)
If you have all of the above, just follow the instructions here.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Turn Windows XP Into a Fake Windows 7
From Gizmodo -
If you want the look of Windows 7 but don't want to use a beta OS, you can do so with Niwradsoft Seven Remix XP. It is a free download that transforms the entire look of your OS to be all-around 7-like. You get boot screens, logon screens, screensaver, system theme, and loads of hacked resource files.
Download page here.
Save the Netbooks: fighting a trademark on extinct hardware
From Ars Technica -
Save the Netbooks! is a grass-roots movement organized to fight Psion's trademark threat on the term "netbook." Back in January, Psion, which alleges it owns the term, started sending cease and desist letters to retailers, manufacturers, and websites using the netbook trademark. And recently, Psion managed to talk Google into banning the term "netbook" from being used in AdSense ads.
But now, the Save the Netbooks campaign is working on taking back the word as a generic term. Its first mission is to reverse the Google AdWords "netbook" ban and is encouraging users to go to the Google AdWords Complaints Procedure page and fill out a form to voice their opinions on the ban. There's also a Twitter account to keep users updated on how things are going and a Facebook group that people can join to show their support.
Save the Netbook campaign website here.
Save the Netbook Facebook account here.
Save the Netbook Twitter account here.
Freescale Offers New Netbook Platform
From I4U -
Freescale has announced the expansion of its netbook offerings with new connectivity and OS options based on its i.MX515 processor. The new reference design includes Ubuntu as an OS choice (with Android, Xandros and others as options) and promises up to eight hours of battery life. 3G connectivity is supported with technology from Wavecom and Option.
The reference design is available now at competitive price points and volume production of the processor is planned for Q2 2009 with netbook products expected to appear by holiday 2009.
Dell fights back against Psion netBook trademark rampage
From Ars Technica -
As most of you are aware, the booming sales of compact, low-cost, and low-margin notebooks, more commonly referred to as "netbooks" have convinced the owner of that term ("netbooks") to go trigger happy back in January in threatening just about everyone in its usage. Psion, a company that stopped selling a Windows-CE-powered "Psion netBook" in 2003, threatened journalists, manufacturers, and even bloggers in order to get them to stop using the term by the end of March 2009. It even convinced Google to ban the term from AdSense ads.
But now a grassroots effort has sprung up to fight the company, and Dell is lending a hand with a USPTO petition to cancel Psion's trademark. In a petition for cancellation filed at the USPTO, Dell puts forth three logical reasons for nullifying Psion's "netbook" trademark: abandonment, fraud, and genericness.
You can read the complete article here, including pertinent PDF links.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Workhorse Certeza MC10 Gallops Onto the Netbook Scene
From Laptop Mag -
Texas-based Workhorse PC, which makes notebooks for the education and government market, is coming out with its own netbook, called the Certeza MC10. Specs are pretty much standard - Atom N270 with 945GSE, 10.1" 1024 x 600, up to 2GB RAM, Expresscard, 4 in 1 reader, 1.3MP webcam, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, and a choice of Ubuntu, Windows XP or Vista. The unit is 10.0 x 7.3 x 0.75 inches and weighs 2.9 pounds.
Notable additional features are WiMax and WLAN (Sprint, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T). In addition, it appears that orders will be configurable online. Prices will range from $399 for a Linux version, $449 for XP Home, and $549 for a Vista Business version.
LG gets official with 3G-equipped X120 netbook
From Engadget -
Previously announced unofficially at the January CES, the 3G-equipped X120 finally was given official status by LG at the recent Mobile World Congress. The unit still has the same specs - 1.6GHz Atom, 10" WSVGA, the Splashtop-powered LG "Smart On" quick-boot interface, 160GB hard drive, and notably 3G HSPA connectivity.
ASUS announces WiMAX-equipped Eee PC 1000HG
From Engadget -
Asus has been quietly demoing its Eee PC 1000HG, a new model that will include both WiMAX and WiFi capabilities - or, more specifically, IEEE 802.16e, WAVE2 and WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n support in the 2.4GHz~2.7GHz and 5.1GHz~5.8GHz bands. However, no release date has been announced.
The Rude Arrogance of a Sales Manager Part III
Got a belated reply via a comment on our original post “The Rude Arrogance of a Sales Manager” (see also The Rude Arrogance of a Sales Manager Revisited), both of which have since been picked up by other blogs and forums. The reply is from a Kevin masquerading as Jason (or vice-versa) but most likely someone writing on behalf of Eric So, the sales manager involved in the incident.
Like the original Mr. So, the reply is so full of presumptuous assumptions. (Some guys just never learn.) Below are our responses to them.
“Before you guys comment further from an end user's point of view, please check the company profile of Exon. They are the ODM which means they will only do business with another company like Sony, HTC, etc, and these mega-deals will unlikely be completed by emails. They are not running a retail business. ..”
First of all, we are not end-users, as clearly indicated in our initial product inquiry via Alibaba to several companies. We never asked for the location of their retail stores, if any.
As to transacting purely based on email, whatever led you to that senseless assumption??? Pray tell, what would be a more cost-effective way to make an initial product inquiry than email? For your information, we routinely go to China and other places to finalize our deals. In the same token we have been routinely shipping products to several continents.
As for our deals, for more than 25 years now, our group has been dealing directly with Sumitomo, Samsung, Daewoo, Microsoft, Hyundai, Cyrix, Everex – all companies far, far bigger than Exon Technology – which is not exactly a household name.
“So if the complaint is really legitimate, I see no reason why Xujiren does not disclose its company profile. “
The complaint is as real and as clear as your friend Mr. So’s lack of breeding. Again, the facts are simple. We made an initial product inquiry to several companies via Alibaba. Several replied. Some replied to acknowledge receipt of our inquiry and to inform us politely that they can’t fill our needs for one reason or another. Others have provided quotations and we are in the middle of negotiations with two of them. Only ONE – Mr. Eric So replied in such an uncouth manner bereft of any civility.
As to Xujiren revealing its company profile – let me put it in simple terms. You got your facts wrong. Better conduct some intelligent research first before embarrassing yourself again.
“In fact a big and legitimate company will not complain another company on the internet - these are just some obvious defamatory posts by Exon's competitors. “
Again what led you to your conclusion that we (or the people commenting) are Exon’s competitors???
“Besides, from my experience working in a sourcing company, sending emails to ODM for price bargaining before any business relationship is built by formal meetings will likely end up in cold responses like these. “
And based on our experience dealing with good mannered smart company representatives, we often get what we want with our approach. In all of our more than 25 years in the business, it is our VERY FIRST time to encounter such a poor excuse for a human being in such a critical position as a sales manager.
“While the attitude of the sales manager in question can be improved, I did receive ruder responses from other ODMs due to my own inexperience. “
As stated, not us. This is the worst by far in more than 25 years.
“You guys should contact their distributors or retailers for small quantity orders. “
While “small quantity orders” is relative, tell me of a business model that recommends buying 1000 netbooks/month for 12 months at retail prices. Unfortunately your lack of business sense (which you yourself suggested may be due to your inexperience) clearly shows through on this one.
Unsolicited advice – Instead of trying to futilely defend Mr. So and in the process, revive a forgotten issue and subjecting him to more ridicule (as surely as this post will be circulated again in the Net), why not try to teach him some basic manners instead? There is certainly a lot of room for improvement. You also don't have to risk making yourself sound like a fool in front of everyone else. Because when you go up against the truth, that is what you end up being.
Monday, February 16, 2009
HP Mini 1000 MI video review
jkOnTheRun has posted hands-on review of HP's Mini 1000 MI (Mini Mi) including an extensive review of the email app.
Video here.
Sony to Put Gobi on Vaio Netbooks
From Sony -
Sony Electronics Inc. and Qualcomm Incorporated today announced that Sony has selected Qualcomm’s Gobi™ mobile Internet technology for use in its VAIO® notebook PC lines.
The embedded Gobi solution enables notebook users to expand beyond Wi-Fi hotspots so they can experience a high-speed connection to the Internet via 3G cellular connectivity. Sony is the first notebook manufacturer to make Gobi technology a standard feature in several of its PC models.
Known for style and innovation, VAIO notebooks will initially feature Gobi technology in three of the ultra-portable models, including the VAIO Z, TT and new P series. VAIO models utilizing Gobi technology may vary by region.
“By embedding Qualcomm technology into our notebooks we are offering our customers an attractive combination of performance and ease of use,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. “We expect Gobi 3G connectivity to be a sought-after feature and a significant enhancement.”
Gobi-equipped notebooks provide fast, secure and convenient built-in mobile broadband access and GPS functionality over wireless 3G cellular networks, freeing users from having to carry external data cards or search for Wi-Fi hotspots.
The technology enables users to send and receive email, upload or download photos, receive instant updates to social media sites, and access a wide range of software applications over the Internet on their notebooks – all through 3G cellular networks. A service activation charge and other fees apply.
“Sony’s introduction of Gobi-equipped VAIO notebooks makes embedded mobile broadband increasingly more accessible to consumers, allowing them to enjoy the freedom of 3G Internet connectivity on some of the industry’s most appealing laptops,” said Mike Concannon, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “For both business and consumer users, Gobi technology is quickly becoming a standard for embedded mobile broadband in a wide range of notebooks and sub-notebooks.”
Embedded Gobi solutions include Qualcomm’s MDM1000™ chipset, associated software and APIs, and a reference design for supporting EV-DO Rev. A. More information about Qualcomm and Gobi technology can be found at www.qctconnect.com.
More information about Sony notebooks is available at www.sony.com/vaio.
ARM's Multicore Chips Aim for Netbooks
From PC Mag -
ARM has announced a new, low-cost processor called "Sparrow", a small, inexpensive chip which shares its instruction set with ARM's top-of-the-line Cortex A8. While one Sparrow chip has about the power of an existing ARM11 (used in the iPhone and other leading smartphones), Sparrow can also be used in a multi-core setup to multiply performance, generating computing power enough for PCs. In fact, ARM is trying to penetrate the netbook market with its multi-core Cortex A9 architecture.
So far, the netbook market has been dominated by Intel x86 compatible processors as the most popular OS for netbooks is Windows XP, which will not run on ARM chips. But as netbooks approach the $200 price mark, there will be more demand for low-cost, low-power ARM-based netbooks running Linux. Ubuntu and Debian Linux both run on ARM chips, and Ubuntu for ARM will go public in April 2009. That version of Ubuntu may even run on existing ARM devices.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Samsung NC20 unboxing and first impressions
http://www.netbooknews.de - Samsung NC20 with the brandnew VIA Nano U2250 CPU and VX800 chipset
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Intel: no notebook price cuts before the end of May
From Digitimes -
Intel has notified its partners that it will not reduce prices for any of its notebook lineup before the end of May. Following a drop in net income for Q4 2008, Intel was widely expected to reduce prices for some of its notebook products to boost market demand in the first quarter, even though this would impact notebook players still carry large inventories. But Intel has decided to start to reduce the price of some notebook CPUs by 13-40% in June. The company will also adjust the launch schedule of its next generation Calpella platform based on its partners' inventory status and market demand.
AT&T Stores to Stock Netbooks?
From Gizmodo -
According to a recent online survey conducted by a market research firm, AT&T appears to be considering selling netbooks in their stores. The company has previously subsidized the netbooks but via third parties like Radio Shack.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Asus Eee Phone From Garmin Asus
From ubergizmo -
Garmin Asus, the alliance between Garmin and Asus, will be announcing an Eee Phone later this year. It will be marketed as a low-cost smartphone and is touted to be the first Asus model that will be powered by Google Android.
Vista Netbooks Get Windows 7 Upgrade
Per ubergizmo if you plan to purchase a Windows Vista-based netbook in July or later of this year, you will be eligible to receive a direct upgrade to the newer Windows 7 operating system when it is finally released.
Sony VAIO P - HSDPA mod
tnkgrl has done it again! This time, she has managed to switch the Sony VAIO P WWAN radio from EVDO-only with Verizon to unlocked HSDPA/EDGE by hacking some software and soldering a $1 part!
Step by step instructions are posted at the Pocketables forum.
Photos are postes at tnkgrl's Flickr account.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
First Ion-based product is a nettop
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From Digitimes -
Nvidia has revealed that the first Ion-based PC product will be a nettop priced at US$299. It will be launched before June this year. The specific vendor wasn't revealed.
Photo (from Monica Chen, Digitimes, February 2009) above shows the Nvidia Ion-based Pico Box, a reference PC that features the GeForce 9400 chipset and Intel Atom processor. However, Nvidia is also considering cooperation with VIA Technologies on a low-cost PC platform too.
Archos 10 Review
Laptop Mag has posted a review of Archos' first netbook, the Archos 10. Archos ia primarily known for its portable media player and its inexperience in the netbook field clearly shows with its first offering.
The model tested had the standard plain-vanilla features - 1.6GHz Atom N270, 5400 rpm 160GB hard drive, 1GB (max) RAM, 10.2" 1024 x 600 LCD and Win XP Home. Price was $399.
Highlights boringly include robust entertainment software, fast hard drive and a large touchpad. Lowlights include dull design, short battery life, very cramped keyboard and WiFi connection issues.
The verdict - While the Archos 10 may offer a bargain with its $100 worth of free software, a fast hard drive, and faster boot time and better graphics, many other $399 10" offer much longer battery life and more ergonomic keyboards.
MSI Wind U120 now in sober grey suit
From Slashgear -
MSI have released a grey and black Wind U120 variant that is intended to appeal to the to the business and enterprise markets MSI is hoping to target with this particular model line. Specs are still the same with the original white and black versions, including short battery life. Pricewise, it is a bit higher at $429.99.
Product page here.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Dell Mini 10 U.K. Release Date Confirmed!
Paul Synnott chatted with Dell U.K. agent Avinash K. Kumar and was able to confirm the Dell Mini 10 is due to be released in the UK on February 27th, 2009. Other details he was able to get - power brick will be smaller than that of the Mini 9 and price will be around the price of the Mini 12, slight cheaper though.
HP Netbooks Likely Will Run 3 Versions of Windows 7
From PC World -
Hewlett-Packard will install three of the forthcoming six editions of Windows 7 on future models of its Mini netbooks. Included are the primary versions Professional and Home Premium editions and the low-end Starter edition, which will limit users to running three applications at a time.
Dispelling fears that Windows 7 might be too bulky as it shares the same code base as Windows Vista, a HP spokesperson claims the new OS runs very well on the Minis even with graphical user interface Aero turned on. Microsoft also confirmed there will no special netbook version of Windows 7 and will allow manufacturers to install the Starter edition, although its expects majority of netbooks will ship with the Home Premium edition.
Samsung Lapfit LD190G and LD220G Monitors
From I4U -
External monitors have always posed a positioning problem for notebook users. Now Samsung has a solution called Lapfit. In fact, two solutions. The Samsung Lapfit
19" LD190G and 22" LD22G LCD displays displays mimic the look of a Laptop screen.
They also have the same height and can be tilted from 10-30 degrees.
Acer Aspire One D150 Review
Laptop Mag has posted its review of the Acer Aspire One D150.
The Pros -
* Very affordable
* Improved touchpad
* Speedy hard drive
* Six-cell battery included
The Cons -
Cons
* Cramped keyboard for a 10-inch netbook
* Touchpad button too small
* Bluetooth not included
The Verdict? For $349, it offers excellent value. While other 10" like the $399 Asus Eee PC 1000HE and the $449 Samsung NC10 have better keyboards and touchpads and last longer, the Aspire One beats them on price.
You can read the full review here.
Asus Eee PCs expected in Walmart by year's end
From Engadget -
Asus will make its Eee PCs available in Walmart by year's end in the hope of regaining its dominance, which was wrested by Acer's Aspire One. While Asus Eee PCs have been available at Target and Best Buy, the Aspire One early on was offered by Walmart. Its availability at the biggest chain no doubt helped boosted overall sales, a fact Asus is probably painfully aware of.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Acer, Asus expand US market shares in Q4 08
From Digitimes -
Per IDC, for Q4 2008, Acer shipped 1.4-1.5 million notebooks/netbooks in the US market, good for 3rd place with a 16% share. Asus shipped about 300,000 units, good for 8th with a 3% share.
Acer's shipments represented a 57% increase over Q4 07 while top-ranked Dell experienced an 8% year decline over the same period. For the year 2008, Acer shipped over 4 million units, behind Dell's 8.8 million and HP's 8.77 million.
First 10.1" Acer Aspire One Batch has 8 hour battery
From Laptop -
According to Acer, the first batch of its 10.1" Aspire Ones inadvertently shipped with a 5800-mAh six-cell battery, which means about 8 hours of runtime including continuous WiFi, instead of a 4400-mAh battery (less than 5.5 hours runtime).
Despite the error, Acer has no plans to raise prices. So if you are planning to get a 10.1" Aspire One, you might as well try to get your hands on one of these. Acer has not released the actual number of units shipped with the larger-capacity battery, so the opportunity will last only until the current inventories last.
To tell if your unit has the larger-capacity battery, pop the battery off the back and check the label for "5800 mAh."
UMID launches its 4.8-inch MID 'M1' in Korea
From AVING -
Korean-based UMID will be releasing its MID M1 in the local market on February 20. The M1 has a 4.8" 1024 x 600 touchscreen, and a horde of connectivity - WiBro, HSDPA, WiMAX, WiFi and Bluetooth. It is powered by an Intel Atom(1.1Ghz/1.33GHz) and supports DDR2 533MHz 512BMB/1GB memory, up to 32GB SSD and MS Windows XP/Vista/Linux OS. Other specs include a 1.3M camera, mini USB 2.0 slot and SD/USIM card slot, and a 315g weight.
More photos here.
10.1" AAO pushes Ene's growth to 34% for February
Per a Digitimes report, we just found out how dominant Acer's 10.1" Aspire One will be when it becomes widely available. According to Digitimes, IC design house Ene Technology has reported January sales of NT$56.35 million (US$1.68 million), up 10% on month, thanks to keyboard controller orders for the Aspire One. Ene's February sales are also projected to jump to NT$75 million, representing a monthly growth of 33.93% simply because of the recent launch of the 10.1" Acer Aspire one model.
Dell Suspends Shipments of Mini 12
Not really netbook news but related - per Portable Monkey Dell has suspended shipments of its Mini 12. Costco has also removed the Dell Mini 12 from their website while the Mini 9 remains available.
This leaves the 12-inch market wide open to the Samsung NC20 and the Asus S121 - that is when they become available.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Kohjinsha And Bandai Gachapin and Mukku Netbook
From Ubergizmo -
Kohjinsha and Bandai have joined forces to produce a special limited edition Gachapin and Mukku (two extremely popular characters ) ML netbook that targets (Japanese) kids. Specs include:
* 8.9” 1,024 x 600 resolution display
* Intel Atom N270 processor
* 1GB RAM
* 160GB hard drive
* 1.3 megapixel webcam
* 1-Seg Digital TV tuner
The theme carries a hefty $217 premium over the standard ML model, for a total of $868.
Acer Aspire One D150 Unboxed
Netbook News has a photo essay of the Acer Aspire One D150 being unboxed.
More photos here.
Asus Eee PC 1000HE Uses Intel 945GSE Chipset, Still Plays 720p Video
Laptop has been testing a review Asus Eee PC 1000HE unit and has discovered that despite having the newer 1.66-GHz Intel N280 CPU, it still uses the same old Intel 945GSE graphics found in older netbooks instead of the expected GN40 chipset. The screen shot above shows the DirectX diagnostics display tab on the 1000HE indicating a 945GSE chipset with a 950GMA chip.
An Asus rep confirmed production units will indeed ship with an N280 CPU and the older 945 chipset. However the Asus Eee PC 1000HE does play 720p video smoothly (as did the MSI Wind U120 and the Asus Eee PC1000), raising the question why do we need the GN40. Perhaps, for gaming?
HP UK pulls Linux from all new netbooks
From Register Hardware -
HP has decided UK netbook users don't want Linux as it won't be offering the open source OS with either the Mini 1000 nor the Mini 2140 there. It currently offers the Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition and the rebadged Mini 1000 Compaq 700 both of which comes with Windows XP pre-loaded. The Atom-based Mini 2140, meanwhile is listed with Windows XP or Vista as options.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Dell Mini 9 selling for just $249
From Engadget -
Dell is currently selling its lowest-spec Mini 9n, with 512MB RAM and Ubuntu installed on a 4GB SSD, for just $249, down $100 from last September. A Windows version, with 8GB SSD, sells for $299. But like all things good, this one ends on February 12.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Fujitsu Siemens AMILO GraphicBooster
Submitted by Steve Scott -
The AMILO GraphicBooster is essentially an external graphic card which connects to a dedicated notebook (the AMILO Notebook Sa 3650) to provide much improved power for video performance. It includes an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 with 512 MB GDDR3 dedicated video memory and can run up to 3 external displays simultaneously (including the Sa 3650). The device also adds two extra USB 2.0 ports and a HDMI port.
Even though the Sa 3650 notebook is not a NetBook (it has a 13.3" display) if the GraphicBooster could be added to a NetBook it would allow for the best of both worlds, where at home you could leave it hooked up to your big screen HDTV to play video or games from your netbook but when you want to get out and about you could unplug from the booster unit and still have a nice little portable computer.
Product Page here.
Can a Netbook be Your Only Computer?
I4U's Shane McGlaun has another take on whether a netbook can function as its user's sole computer. Accordingly, a recent study claimed only 11% of consumers believe so. Yet McGlaun believes, with a few tweaks, the vast majority of users should be able to get along with a netbook as their only computer.
He points out that the two major complaints are the undersized keyboard and small screen. These are easily addressed by getting a full-sized USB keyboard and an external LCD screen. With these, the typical netbook should be able to serve as a primary computer since it has enough processing power for surfing, emailing, Office apps, blogging, and even Photoshop.
That is all true and correct. But unfortunately, I don't think most users would like to always carry with them an extra keyboard and an external monitor. After all, it is hard to assume that a user will not use a particular application just because he/she is mobile. On the other hand, it would be more prudent to assume that what a user needs at work or at home will be the same when he/she is mobile.
So while this approach may work for some users, others may find it more appropriate for them to just buy a small form factor PC similar to the Eee Box.
Nevertheless McGlaun is right in saying, based on usage and processing power, the typical netbook should suffice as a sole computer. But he is looking at the issue from the wrong side. Because from where a lot of users stand, the keyboard and monitor issues are non-issues. As conceived by Asus, the low-cost notebook was intended for the 2nd billion market - users in developed countries who have not been able to afford to purchase a computer and users in third world countries.
Trust me when I say most users in third world countries will in all likelihood never complain about the small screen and small keyboard and will be perfectly satisfied in using them. Why? Because small is relative. For the largely untapped K12 market in these countries, the netbook has just the perfect sized components. For teens and young professionals used to chatting via SMS texting, the QWERTY keyboard certainly represents a vast upgrade over mobile phone keypads. And need we mention the 7" screen's advantages over mobile phone LCDs?
Indian $10 laptop not a laptop
The Hindu has posted a photo of what has been touted as a $10 laptop by the Indian Ministry of Human Resource Development. The prototype, which was introduced recently, however looks instead more like a 10" by 5" large modem. In addition, its cost is now projected at around $20 to $30 although the ministry is trying to bring it back down to $10.
So much for the $10 laptop.
Pink Acer Aspire One Netbook is current Bestseller on Walmart
From I4U -
Appropriately enough for Valentine's Day, Walmart's current bestselling product is the Pink Acer Aspire One selling for $298. Specs include 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD, 3-cell lithium ion, Webcam, 8.9 inch display and runs Windows XP. It originally went on sale last October at $358.
Acer Aspire One D150 now available
From I4U -
Per Digitimes Acer has started shipping the 10.1" 1024×600 Acer Aspire One D150 netbook in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The company has also officially announced the Acer Aspire One D150 in Japan. The netbook is also now available for pre-order (no shipping date)on Amazon.com for $349.99.
The Japanese version comes with 1.6Ghz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB/2GB RAM, 160GB HDD, and 802.11b/g Wifi and has Window XP pre-installed (MS Office is offered as an option).
Price of SSDs Dropping Fast
From Laptop Mag -
As with most any other technological product, SSDs are not immune to price drops. However, unlike most other products, its price drop in the past year has been huge. Barely a year ago, a 32GB Samsung SSD cost well over $800. But for the past few months, slower 32GB drives have been going for $100, with 64GB sometimes dipping below $200. And just recently, the Intel X-25M, arguably the fastest SSD today, dropped down to $369 after its wholesale cost per thousand units was reduced to $390.
With this latest price drop, SSDs are now at the cusp of mainstream adoption, the projected sweet spot being 120GB for under $250.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
More rumored Dell Mini 10 details, colors surface
From Engadget -
The Dell Mini 10 will apparently have two display options: a unique 1366 x 768 and a more conventional 1024 x 576 WSVGA option for those less concerned with 720p content. It will also be available in either 1.3GHz or 1.6GHz Atom processors, six different colors, with a 3-cell or 6-cell battery. No word on a price or release date, though.
Origami R2H Style Eee PC 701 Prototype
Portable Monkey has some photos of a customized Asus Eee PC 701 touchscreen slate prototype inspired by the original Origami R2H device found in the Mobile1 forum.
It has buttons like the Origami device, is keyboard-less and is lighter at 760g. It even comes with a stylus and a has a storage slot as well. Apparently it is a prototype model which could possibly turn into full production.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Windows 7 on Acer Aspire One
From Electronic Pulp has posted a guide for installing the beta Windows 7 on the 8.9" Acer Aspire One 8GB SSD model.
While it is not a straight procedure - you need to shrink the install files - it is still fairly straightforward and easy to follow.
Windows losing market share to Mac and Linux
From TG Daily -
A Net Application's Market Share report shows that Windows is losing ground to Mac OS X and Linux at an accelerating rate. Declining from a 90.73% market share to just 88.26%, Windows has given ground to Mac OS X which has moved from 8.03% to 9.93%, and Linux (all flavors) has moved from 0.76% to 0.83%.
The study is based on information gathered from 160 million monthly visitors to its hosted websites. The data set is not conclusive, but is a very high representative sampling due to the large number of unique users.
Net Application's full "Operating System Market Share" breakout:
| Year | Windows | Mac | Linux |
| 2004 | 96.36% | 3.25% | 0.29% |
| 2005 | 95.97% | 3.64% | 0.31% |
| 2006 | 94.85% | 4.68% | 0.38% |
| 2007 | 92.91% | 6.40% | 0.46% |
| 2008 | 90.73% | 8.03% | 0.76% |
| January 2009 | 88.26% | 9.93% | 0.83% |
| Change from Dec'08 to Jan'09 alone | -0.46% to 88.27% | +3.12% to 9.93% | -3.53% to 0.82% |
Acer aims to gain 2-3% in 2009 notebook market share
From Digitimes -
Acer is aiming to increase its global notebook market share 2-3 percentage points in 2009. Per company chairman JT Wang, China, Japan and the US are the three markets with high shipment growth potential for Acer this year and the company will work on enhancing its performance there. Currently, Acer has around 30% of most of its major markets, and the company hopes to boost the share to 40-50% in 2009.
India's $10 laptop
Remember the exciting news about India's $10 laptop, which turned out to be just a typo per a spokesman for the Minister of State for Higher Education? (See previous post here.)
Well, it's back.
Yahoo News is reporting that India has unveiled plans (again) to produce a laptop costing just $10 in a bid to improve the skills of millions of students. While Higher Education Secretary R.P. Agrawal has already announced that the laptops would be available within six months, details are still scarce. Reported features include 2GB RAM and Wifi, but officials have not publicly demonstrated a prototype nor yet explained how it can be produced at such a low cost.
The government has earmarked more than 46 billion rupees ($939 million) to develop the laptops to work in rural areas with unreliable power supply and poor Internet connectivity.
Here's hoping it isn't yet another typo.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The State of the Netbook, Part I: WEee have lived before
Ars Technica has a nice retrospective of how netbooks came to be. It touches on several iconic products, including two of my personal favorites, the HP200LX and the Toshiba Libretto. It would have been nice if the Tandy Model 100 were included also, though it would be stretching the definition of a netbook.
The article also refutes the common misconception of netbooks being an overnight success by tracing the evolution of the now ubiquitous form-factor. While it has some facts wrong, like the introduction of netbooks - not at the beginning of 2008 but rather announced in June 2007 and delivered October 2007 (Asus Eee PC 701), it does provide interesting trivia for those unfamiliar with computing history.
All in all, it makes for an interesting, educational read. Can't wait for the second part.
Moblin finds a home with the Samsung NC10
Windows 7 on an Amtek U560
Uploaded by tejedor1967
Windows 7 perfectly running on an Amtek U560 with CPU Intel A100 at 600 MHz, 512 RAM in a partition of 16 GB.
Asus Eee PC 1000HE Pre-order Event!! Exclusively on FACEBOOK
From Asus' Facebook page -
GOOD NEWS! The Eee PC 1000HE will be available soon!!
It has a 8700mAH battery that allows for up to 9.5 hours of run time, bringing All Day Computing to the next level.
The 1000HE also host the latest Intel ATOM Processor, N280 (1.66 GHz, FSB 667MHz), allowing faster boot up speed and accessing files faster than before.
With the new 92% Chiclet Keyboard, Wide Multi-Touchpad and wide palm rests makes it an ergonomic design Netbook allowing maximize productivity and comfort.
With 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth, you get all the wireless connectivity you need to connect to any Hotspots and other Bluetooth devices.
With a total of 170GB (160GB HDD and 10GB Online Storage), you will have plenty of storage capacity for your music, video and work files. You can also share files through 10GB Online Storage.
Pre-order yours today and save $25 INSTANTLY!! All you have to do is join our Official Eee PC Facebook Group.
Pre-order page here.
*Promotional event applies to USA and CANADA residents only.
DIY 12-cell battery for Asus Eee PC 701
TenaciousDre of the Eeeuser forum has made a DIY 12-cell battery for his Asus Eee PC 701 from old Li-On cells from an old laptop. Upside is the battery lasts for 12-15 hours with hardcore settings. Downside is it is quite large plus it takes 12 hours to charge.
Schematics -
The finished mod -
More details and photos here.
Report claims 14.6M netbooks shipped in 2008
From Engadget -
A report from research firm DisplayBank claims total 2008 netbook shipments reached 14.6 million. Top three brands were Acer with 37.3%, Asus 33.2% and HP 7.5%. Significantly, netbooks represent just 11% of total notebooks sales, although this should increase to 18.9% by 2012.
The firm defined a netbook "as having similar functions as NotePC, supports networking and have retail price lower than US$650. Especially, products are narrowed with screen size of 7 – 10.2 inch and with Linux or Microsoft Windows operating system equipped."