Microsoft Shows Windows 7 Running on Asus Eee PC

From Gizmodo -

At his PDC 2008 keynote, Windows honcho Steve Sinofsky demo'd Windows 7 running on a plain-vanilla Asus Eee PC with a 1GHz processor and just 1GB RAM.

----------

So it looks like Microsoft will finally put XP to rest after its extended run, which was triggered ironically by the Eee PC's success in the first place.

Eee PC line to gain gamer-friendly graphics chip

According to Register Hardware, Asus has revealed it's working on an Eee PC with a discrete graphics chip that will make gamers happy. Details are scarce, but it is likely the company will go with at least a 10" model as the GPU will require extra cooling.

While the new model may yet represent further dilution of the Eee PC brand and a graphics-oriented netbook with a relatively small screen questionable to some, Asus may yet be on to something. If it is able to keep pricing down and make the model relatively affordable for a graphics-oriented unit, it may yet represent another marketing breakthrough for the company.

H-P Mulls Service Bundles for Netbooks

From The Wall Street Journal -

Following the lead of other manufacturers who have tied up with mobile telcos particularly in Asia and Europe for subsidized netbook bundles, Hewlett Packard is now reportedly negotiating with Verizon Wireless and AT&T for similar deals.

New Compact Microsoft Arc Mouse, Great for Laptops and Travel

From Laptop Picker -

Microsoft has launched a new small 2.4GHz wireless mouse, the Microsoft Arc Mouse, which gets its name from its unique shape - an innovative curved, hinged design that lets you fold the mouse down to half its size, making it the perfect notebook accessory. Featurewise, it comes equipped with four buttons, a scroll wheel, a laser sensor, and Microsoft IntelliPoint 6.3 software. It is available in either glossy red or black finish for $60.

World's First Open-Source Netbook?

Jiangsu, China-based Lemote Technology Corporation has announced its YeeLoong Notebook, which it claims to be the world's first "fully open hardware/software. All system source (BIOS, kernel, drivers etc.) are open source, no close firmware needed."

Other specs include:

High performance. Tests show that our platform is among the best performance for 7"-9"ultra mobile laptops.

Low power. Peak power ~12Watt for SSD version.

Low cost. 

High quality. This product is designed and produced by Quanta Computer, the No.1 notebook OEM factory.

Rich expandablity: optional HDD/wifi/camera, internal USB connector for expansion of GPS/Bluetooth etc.

No word yet on pricing nor availability (it is listed as coming soon).

Components	Spec	notes
CPU	STLS 2F(Loongson 2F) 900MHz, with integrated DDR2 controller and PCI controller
Chipset	Northbridge: integrated in CPU  Southbridge: AMD CS5536  Graphics: SMI712  Network: Rtl8139 + RTL8187B(wifi)  Camera: 300K pixel  SD: Realtek RTS5158E
Memory	SO-DIMM DDR2 512MB/1GB	optional
Storage	160GB 2.5' HDD or 2GB/4GB SSD	optional
Panel	8.9” TFT LCD 1024x600
Extension	USB wifi	optional
Interfaces	USB2.0x3, earphone+ MIC, SDx1,   RJ45x1, VGAx1, DC-inx1
Power	<12watt>
Enclosure	PC+ABS+IMR A/C
Size	98x45x28.5mm
Keyboard	80key 23.8mm
Weight	~1Kg	Exclude external parts
OS	Debian Linux + Lemote Education suites	Others includes: Mandriva, Sunwah, Slackware, Gentoo etc.

Lemote's website here.

Dell readies small, cheap computer for small biz

From Register Hardware -

Dell has launched in Japan a rebranded model of its Inspiron Mini, called the Vostro A90. Except for the alternative name, specs are identical - 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, 8.9in, 1024 x 600 display, 1GB RAM, and 8GB solid-state drive. The Windows XP version will cost ¥92,830 ($972/£606/€761), which is way more than the Mini 9's £299 price tag.

Medion charges 110 Euros for a Hello Kitty decoration

From Liliputing -

Following the lead of Asus with its S101, European distributor Medion has figured out a quick way to charge an extra 110€ premium for its MSI Wind U100 rebadged Akoya Mini. It simply added a Hello Kitty blingbling and a lid with Swarovski crystals in the shape of a butterfly and tagged on a 30% premium on what is basically the standard model (1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, 1GB RAM, 160GB HD, and a 10.2", 1024 x 600 display - same chassis, same measurements, and same weight. The Asus Eee PC S101, at least, is thinner and lighter than its less glamorous sibling, the Eee PC 1000H.

MSI Wind BIOS Update Gives Second Wind

According to ubergizmo MSI has released a BIOS update for its Wind netbook. The new version, v1.09, specifically allows users to overclock the CPU by simply pressing Fn and F10 simultaneously repeatedly to toggle between 8%, 15% and 24% boost. This ought to make the MSI Wind further attractive, at least to those who want to do more than just the typical netbook activities of email and surfing.

Samsung NC10 Review

Laptop Mag has a review of the Samsung NC10, imported from Korea and running Korean Windows XP with a Korean keyboard. Highlights of the review -

Pros
Roomy keyboard
Very long battery life
Speedy and relatively large hard drive
Good speakers for a netbook
Quality webcam

Cons
Small touchpad
Design not as chic as some competitors

The verdict? The Samsung NC10 is the only product that provides more bang for the buck as compared to market leader MSI Wind U100. It has a comfortable keyboard, fast and large hard drive and more than 6 hours of battery life and at $499, it costs $50 less than the $549 MSI Wind. The only downside is a smaller touchpad.

Read the full review here.

Tablet Netbook From Intel?

From Eeepc.net -

At the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in Taiwan, Intel presented the UrbanMax tablet concept design, which combines a tablet PC with a netbook. With its 11" touch screen flat it can be used as a tablet PC, in tilted position, it can be used as a netbook. Other specifications are not known except for the use of SSD for storage.

Asus, Intel launch WePC website, ask community to design PCs for them

From Engadget -

Asus and Intel have launched a website called WePC, where users can draw up concepts and specs for new notebook models and then discuss the designs, kinda like open source. Now if only independent designers will join in and provide truly innovative ideas.

MSI Wind U100 vs Lenovo S10

This blog's bias aside, it appears the MSI Wind U100 and the Lenovo S10 have emerged as the top choices for 10" netbooks. If you are like some of the readers who wrote in for advice, you may want to check out the following forum discussions/blog posts to help you make your decision. Note some of them are in part-English, part-foreign language.

MSI Wind.net forum - "I have a Lenovo S10 and it KILLS my Wind" thread

Life As Experienced Daily - My Comparison of MSI Wind and Lenovo S10

TipidPC forum - msi wind vs. lenovo ideapad s10 thread (part English, part Pilipino)

How to Add RAM to the MSI Wind

Old but still useful information - Laptop Mag has a video tutorial on how to quickly add RAM to your MSI Wind. Warning: You need to open up your MSI Wind in order to add RAM to it. In doing so, you may be voiding its warranty.

Is iKit the Smallest Netbook?

From Idealo.co.uk -

IMOVIO has just introduced the smallest netbook ever with a fully functional QWERTY keyboard and a 2.8-inch display. It just fits into your palm At just 0.6×2.6×3.7 inches and 250g, it fits into your palm. Features include 3 hours of battery life, 64MB SDRAM, 128MB ROM and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, and a SD card slot holding an iKit card of up to 8GB. It run on a Marvell PXA270 at 312MHz and is Linux based. While no release date has been announced yet, it will be offered at $170.

Lenovo netbook gets instant fix

From Eeeph.com forum, posted by donzel -

LENOVO has added an 'e' to its dinky S10 Ideapad netbook for those of you who just can't wait to get on t'internet.

The company has released the S10e preloaded with a custom version of Splashtop Linux which means you can be online and browsing away to your heart's content before you can even say World Wide Wibble.

Quickstart, which bypasses Windows XP completely, will allow users to (nearly) instantly get online, fiddle with photos, chat or listen to music.

HP's new Mini 1000 and MIE Linux make netbooks fun again

From Engadget -

HP's new Mini 1000 netbook now comes with an 1.6GHz Atom N270 along with other standard specs - 1024x600 10.2" (compared to the 1280x768 on the 2133), 512MB/1GB/2GB RAM configurations (Win XP limit is 1GB), 60GB HDD or 8GB/16GB SSD, SD slot, VGA webcam, 802.11b/g, optional Bluetooth, Ethernet and dual USB plugs. A cheaper model has the smaller 8.9" 1024x600 display.

The XP version is now available starting at $399 for the 8.9" model. A special Vivienne Tam Edition will go for $699 in mid-December, and the Linux MIE version will land in January for a mere $379.

Pink Laptops World

Pink Laptops World is a blog about notebooks and gadgets but with a feminine touch. Specifically, as its title suggests, it is about techie things that are pink. But more than just the color, the discussions tend to have a refreshing alternate perspective. Not the usual technobabble like this blog. :)

Good Luck, Cattie.

Amazon lists HP 2133 at $299

Amazon is now selling the HP 2133 for only $299 with free shipping to boot. Expect other deals as the holiday seasons approaches.

Product Features and Technical Details
Product Features

* Buy with confidence!
* HP 2133 Mini-Note PC - Smart Buy VIA C7-M Processor (1.0GHz) 8.9" diagonal WXGA (1280x768), 4GB Flas

Processor, Memory, and Motherboard

* Hardware Platform: PC
* Processor: 1 GHz
* System Bus Speed: 400

Special Features

* Condition: New
* Operating Systems: SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
* Platform: Notebook PC
* Expansion Ports: 1 - Express Card Slot/54
* PS/2 Keyboard Connectors: N/A
* PS/2 Mouse Connectors: N/A
* Serial Communication Ports: N/A
* Parallel Ports: N/A
* USB Ports: 2
* FireWire Ports: N/A
* Fast Infrared Ports (FIR): N/A
* LAN Ports: 1
* Modem Ports: N/A
* Audio Out Jacks: 1
* Line In Jacks: N/A
* Microphone Jacks: 1
* VGA Ports: 1
* S-Video Connectors: N/A
* DVI Video: N/A
* Port Replicator/Connector: N/A
* Processor Brand: VIA

Hard Drive

* Manufacturer: Solid state

Cases and Expandability

* Size (LWH): 0 inches, 0 inches, 0 inches
* Weight: 7 pounds

Power

* Rated Charge (normal use): 2.25 hours

Intel to Dominate Ultra-Mobile Computers

According to GigaOM an ABI Research estimates that sales of ultra-mobile devices (bigger than a mobile phone but smaller than a notebook) will increase from $3.5 billion this year to nearly $27 billion in 2013 with 200 million units being sold that year. More half of all UMDs then will have Intel Atom processors, with the rest using ARM processors. Linux will also outnumber Windows devices two to one.

Turning an Eee PC into a carputer

Submitted by Brad Linder -

This has to be the coolest netbook hack I've seen so far. A Russian Eee PC
701 owner took apart his netbook and converted it into a car computer that
seems to rather perfectly fit in his dashboard and function as a media
player. The site with the original details seems to bee down right now, but
here's the link.

You can find Brad's writeup here.

And more pictures here.

Epson teases nobody with its chubby netbook silhouette

Engadget has info on yet another me-too ho-hum netbook. This time, it is Epson's MiniNote, which hits Japan next month with the standard 1.6GHz Atom, WiFi, 1GB RAM, 160GB HD, 10.2" 1024 x 600 screen, and Windows XP. About the only thing intriguing about it is that it looks way to bulky for a new netbook.

----------

Well, actually there is another intriguing thing about the report, especially the photo, which has a filename nec-netbook-teaser.jpg. NEC? Hmmm. Don't read Japanese so I am not sure if the photo is improperly named or this one is really from NEC.

ASUS CEO Reveals Sales Numbers, Plans & Products

Laptop Mag managed to interview Asus CEO Jerry Shen and came away with the following info:

* Four million Eee PCs have been sold to date. The goal is 5 million Eee PC sales by the end of 2008.
* Touch-enabled Eee PCs will be avaiable by early 2009 and will run Windows 7 as early as mid-2009.
* Several Eee PC models give customers numerous choices and allow them to find the Eee PC that best fits their needs.
* The Eee Family continues to grow with the EeeTop this month and more products that will be announced at CES in January 2009.

You can read the full interview here.

Indian Telco Offers Free Netbook With a Wireless Contract

From GigaOm -

India's Reliance Communications, a large telecom carrier, will be giving away free netbooks for those who sign up for its two-year wireless Internet service. It has teamed up with Intel, Acer, Asus, HCL and Lenovo for the promo. Subscribers will need to sign a two-year deal for Reliance NetConnect that will cost about 1,500 rupees or $30 a month and currently runs on the older 1xRTT technologies. The $30-a-month offer is still too expensive, and Reliance might need to lower prices. Given the competitive nature of the Indian mobile market, expect similar announcements from other major mobile carriers.

ASUS Eee PC S101 hands-on

Engadget has a hands-on on the fashionable Asus Eee PC S101 and their take on it is that while it is slim, light, solidly built, not entirely gaudy, the $699 price for what is essentially still a "second" computer is too high. The specs is pretty baseline and even the keyboard lay-out is not ideal. The good thing is they expect the slim form factor to trickle down to future cheaper models.

MSI Wind U120 Coming This November For Around $550

According to Gizmodo, the MSI Wind U120, a 3.5G equipped 10" two-tone model will be released this November at around USD550. Other specs include an Intel Atom, 1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive and Windows XP. No word yet if the release will initially be limited to certain countries only.

Asus to add motherboards to Eee family

From Digitimes -

Asus will be introducing an Eee motherboard line first-quarter 2009 as well as two Eee Top (nee Monitor), a 16" and a 19", with pricing to start at USD450.

The company has also conducted preliminary investigations on the virus that infected some Eee Box units and traced the infection to a USB drive used for system testing and inspection.

Iqon Qelium AT-2700 Netbook Hits France

Yet another me-too netbook hit the market. This time, it is the Iqon Qelium AT-2700, which was recently released in France. Specs are pretty much standard -

* 10.2" display at 1,024 x 600 resolution
* Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor
* 1GB RAM
* 160GB hard drive
* 3-in-1 memory card reader
* Built-in webcam
* Wi-Fi connectivity

Unfortunately for it, Iqon Qelium AT-2700 is priced too high at $507.

Source: ubergizmo

NEC Enters Netbook Game With LaVie Light

From ubergizmo -

NEC has announced its netbook entry, the LaVie Light. Unfortunately it does not have much going for it. It is a plain-looking as they come and possesses only the standard specifications -

* Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor
* 8.9" LCD display
* 160GB hard drive
* 1GB RAM
* Wi-Fi connectivity
* Three USB 2.0 ports
* SD memory card slot
* 1.3 megapixel camera

Hopefully its price will make it attractive.

Battle of the Intel Atom netbooks - which one's right for you?

Hexus has a comparative table of current Atom-based netbooks that gives a quick side-by-side study of popular models like the Asus Eee PC 901/1000H, Acer Aspire One, MSI Wind, Dell Inspiron Mini 9, and others.

The netbooks are also reviewed individually, with the Toshiba NB100 getting the nod of aesthetics and the Kohinsha SX3 being the preference if money is no problem. But for real-life considerations (budget, specs, performance, etc.), the Acer Aspire One and the Advent-branded MSI Wind are the top choices. If cost is top priority, then the Acer Aspire One would be the choice but the £280 Advent 4211 offers a larger 10.2in screen and its slightly-bigger shell allows for a more roomy keyboard.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10 with OS X

Uploaded by flungster

"Here's a short video clip showing the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 netbook booting up OS X. I used the MSI Wind OS X distro that's been used for a number of netbooks thus far. It's still a work in progress but it's fun to see OS X running on something so small "

Some MSI Wind not dual core upgradeable?

Per the product blurb of Philippine-based online reseller PC Corner, it appears some models of the MSI Wind are not upgradeable to the dual core Atom when this becomes available in the future. Their product page reads in part -

"customer note . . . .

Due to the below cost prices posted (FREE DELIVERY is limited to Metro Manila area only . . +500 for provincial orders . . . our apologies in advance)

upgrade^ option: . . .ALL MSI Winds purchased between October 1, 2008 and December 30, 2008 is eligible for a chassis upgrade (charge is based on difference in prices between the new chassis and the original chassis) to handle New Intel® Atom™ 330 platform . . .

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Intel-Announces-Two-Cores-in-Atom-92203.shtml

The release of the dual-core Atom could also enable system vendors, like ASUS, MSI and Acer, to update their netbook and nettop offer with high-performance Atom 330-based products. There is also a high possibility that Dell and HP will be rolling out their Atom-powered netbooks before 2009, which could also support the new dual-core processor. On the other hand, some of us are expecting to see how good the new 330 is against VIA Nano.

Price Pattern:
PhP 19,999.00 cash = non chassis swappable
PhP 20,999.00 cash = new chassis swappable (+PhP 4,000.00) "

So if a unit is "non-chassis swappable" it appears it can not be upgradeable to the dual-core Atom. So now how do we identify which is which.

Re ASUS will not be the next Samsung...

CNet Asia's Jonathan Gardner has posted a not-too-flattering perspective on why Asus will not succeed in its quest to become an established brand like Samsung or Acer.

While some may regard the article as border-line racism in that it stereotypes Taiwanese companies as rudderless re-active operations chasing trends after trends, I tend to agree with him on his assessment.

The thing is Taiwan's PC (personal computer) industry got started in the mid-80s when the Taiwan government developed a legal compatible BIOS (ERSO) that enabled mom-and-pop's to cheaply manufacture IBM PC motherboard clones. When these became a big hit overseas, add-on cards soon followed. And after that, cheap peripherals such as mice, keyboards, speakers, etc. As the PC market uptake exploded worldwide, a lot of these mom-and-pop's became very successful and transformed into big corporations - at least in terms of sales and size. But a lot of these are still run by the original entrepreneurs, and the "merchant" mentality persists and is manifested through the product lines.

Side note: Most Taiwanese trace their roots to Fujian province, where traditionally people have earned their living as traders or merchants, and often deal in commodities or merchants that happen to be in demand.

Thus, with the "merchant" mindset, these companies often introduce "me-too" products rather than undertake serious R&D. They count on suppliers like Intel to provide them with reference designs instead. Other component makers (LCD, keyboards, SSD, etc.) are naturally all too happy with standardization as well - less SKUs, more sales - and readily support the set-up. This is one reason why barely six months into the release of the trendsetting Asus Eee PC 701, competing products began popping up left and right, with little distinguishing features from one another.

And as Gardner correctly pointed out, most companies with an OEM background, such as Asus, actually made their money (and are still making their money) producing hits of the moment, as dictated by their various clients. Of course, OEMs never really have to map out a product line covering a number of years in the way that Apple does. They simply produce what their clients ask them to do.

And that is precisely the quandary that Asus is caught in right now. While it has achieved a degree of success with its branded motherboards and notebook lines, the company has never really established its name beyond the techies of the industry. The Eee PC brand, in spite of Asus' flaky marketing efforts, is the first and nearest to being a Asus brand recognized by ordinary consumers. But apparently, the Eee PC's huge success has caught Asus by surprise.

Without a well-defined product follow-up, it made a big blunder when competing products began appearing in the market. Instead of pushing the envelope and coming out with a newer model that provided even more bang for lesser bucks, it introduced models that tried to compete with the competing products that, in the first place, failed to match up with the original Asus Eee PC 701. The disastrous move quickly eroded Asus' early dominance in the very market segment it has created.

As to why Asus introduced those models is anyone's guess. Mine is it was merely continuing the "merchant" mindset. Someone at Asus must have surveyed the market landscape, saw all these look-alike products, concluded it is an emerging trend, and decided Asus must have a me-too product, notwithstanding the fact they already have the original.

Having also lost its early market dominance, Asus must have decided the best way to gain it back is to flood the market with Eee PC products - again, a "merchant" mindset. Although, somehow I wouldn't be surprised if someone at Asus actually took a look at Nokia's product strategy - swamp the market with tons of models to confuse the competition (and the consumer) - and decided to do the same. After all, Nokia has been among the leaders in mobile phones for quite sometime now.

Unfortunately for Asus, Nokia phones go as low as $40 (and as high as $800). The range means genuine variety for consumers. It also means impulse buys for a good number. Asus Eee PC products, on the other hand, have a higher price range. Meaning they are not as much of an impulse buy for most people. Rather, netbook purchases are often informed decisions. And based on trends, it appears the Eee PC is fast losing its top position, if it has not lost it yet. Given the low-cost netbook market is price driven, this implies consumers increasingly do not consider the Eee PC brand as the best value for money - which the 701 had represented.

So, unless Asus gets it act together, Gardner is right in that Asus will not be the next Samsung. At least not in the near future.

Asus Eee PC 701SDX - under $300?

From Engadget -

Eee PC News has gotten its hands on some photos of an unannounced Eee PC 701SDX model, rumored to be priced under USD300. Based on the photos, it seems to have a 7" display but no webcam. Expectations include an Atom, 4GB or 8GB SSD and Windows XP.

Who's the target market for the Asus Eee PC S101?

Submitted by Brad Linder -

The Asus Eee PC S101 may be a bit thinner and lighter than other Eee PC models, but it's also by far the most expensive Eee PC to date. So who exactly is Asus hoping will buy this netbook? A leaked sales guide seems to indicate pilots, martini drinkers, and "social elites."

You can find images of the sales kit at Russian site Eee-PC.ru here and Brad's analysis here.

Xandros driver for ZTE MF622 modem

For those who have the ZTE MF622 modem and are looking for the software, you can check out Philippine-based mobile telco Smart's download page here. The Smartbro Plug-It device is the ZTE MF622 modem.

Note you need to scroll down the page to see the listing for the Xandros Linux OS.

Mivvy L310: Czech netbook

Submitted by Brad Linder -

Czech company Mivvy is releasing a new netbook called the Mivvy L310. The previously announced Mivvy M310 was basically a rebranded MSI Wind. Spec-wise, the L310 looks a lot like the M310, but it has a shiny new case.

A few things set both of these computers apart from most of the competition, including the ability to purchase a model with 2GB preinstalled. And... yeah, that's about it. You can probably guess the rest. Intel Atom, 10 inch screen, 120GB HDD...

Mivvy will also offer 3G modem options, but the modems are USB dongles, not internal.

More details here.

ASUS pre-installs Japanese Eee Box PCs with worm, issues recall

From Engadget -

ASUS has issued a recall for all Eee Box PCs sold in Japan due to a nasty pre-installed worm. The malicious code dubbed "recycled.exe" may attempt to download additional malware while attempting to replicate itself to attached USB storage devices at the first opportunity.

Averatec Buddy now on sale

Averatec's Buddy, actually a rebadged MSI Wind, is now available via the company's online store for USD449.99. Specs include: Genuine Windows® XP Home Edition
12.1" WXGA, Intel® Atom™ Mobile Processor (1.6Ghz), 1GB DDR2, 160GB HD, WLAN 802.11 b/g, 10/100 LAN, 1.3MP WebCam.


Averatec order page here.

ASUS all-in-one touchscreen Eee PC up for pre-orderin the UK

From Engadget -

The Asus Eee All-In-One-Touch Screen PC is now listed on pre-order page at Play.com for £399.99 ($685)free delivery scheduled for November 20. Specs include:

* Processor: Intel Atom
* Memory: 1GB
* HD Capacity: 160GB
* Graphics Card: Shared Graphics (128MB)
* Operating System: Windows XP Home
* Main Specifications:
* ScreenSize: 15.6" (16:10 Wide Panel)
* Touch Screen: Single Touch Panel
* OS: Windows XP Home (SP3)
* CPU: Intel ATOM (1.6GHz/533MHz FSB/512K Cache)
* Chipset: Intel 945GSE + ICH7M
* Memory: 1GB (DDR2 667)
* Storage: 160GB, SATAII 5400rpm
* Graphics: Shared Graphics (128MB)
* Webcam: 1.3 Mega Pixel
* Mirophone: Digital Array Microphone
* Audio Chips: 2 x 4W Hifi Speaker + SRS
* Communication: 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet
* WLAN: WiFi 802.11b/g/n
* IO Side Ports: Memory card slot (SD/SDHC/MS/MS Pro) / USB ports x 2
* IO Rear Ports: Audio Ports x 3 (Microphone, Line in & Line Out) / USB ports x 4 / Gigabit LAN port
* AC Power: 19Vdc, 4.74A, 65W power adaptor
* Net Weight:4.3Kg
* Software: StarOffice, Adobe Reader 8.0, Norton Internet Security (90 day trial version), Express Gate, Skype, Eee Memo, SoftStyles, Eee Cam & Eee Cinema
* Keyboard + mouse: Wired Keyborad & Mouse
* Warranty: 2 Year UK Collect & Return Warranty

Play.com pre-order page here.

Raon Digital Offers SSD-based Everun Note variants

From UMPC Portal -

Raon Digital will offer two new SSD-based variants of its Everun Note D60H. The low-end S16S will feature a 1.2Ghz Sempron, 12GB MLC SSD and Ubuntu Mobile while the high-end D24S will have 8GB of Fast SLC and 16GB of MLC SSD, dual-core Turion and Windows XP. Target price is $659 pre-tax for the S16S and $950 for the D24S.

OLO Computer would turn an iPhone into a netbook

Submitted by Brad Linder -

OLO Computer appears to be working on a Palm Foleo/CELIO RedFly-like device that would turn an iPhone into a netbook. More details here.

---------

...and it would most probably go the way of the Foleo. Well, unless the operating system allows for a full-blown browser (and other apps) view. Then if it is cheap enough, it can be deployed at airports, terminals, and other public places where people tend to have idle time. Then middle-aged business execs can rent these to check out their email, browse sites, and catch-up on on-line friends without having to squint on all the time. An additional upside is users won't have to worry about data security since presumably everything stays on their iPhone. When done, they just grab their iPhone and leave.

Samsung NC10 netbook on sale in US for $480

From Engadget -

U.S-based retailer PC Nation has listed the Samsung NC10 netbook at USD480.56 as shown in screenshot above. Note though backorder status and shipping of 1-2 weeks.

PC Nation Order Page here.

Jointech JL7200

Jointech will be announcing the successor to its JL7100, the aptly named JL7200, at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Autumn Edition). Based on documents released, the JL7200 will have similar features as the JL7100 (see previous post here) but in addition, it will have WiFi, making it a full-fledged netbook.

The JL7200 will reportedly sell for USD125.00 at quantities 10000 and higher. Sample price is USD299.00.

In addition, Jointech will also launch its JE100 ebook reader, as shown in the photo above.

eeePC900 XP fast boot

Uploaded by MonCalibuso -

Best PC007 mini notebook features worst specs

From Pocketables -

The ironically named Best PC007 netbook possesses some of the features common in most other netbooks, namely a respectable 7-inch 800 x 480 display, 84-key QWERTY keyboard, SD card slot, three USB 2.0 ports, stereo speakers, and an ethernet port. But it also features an embarrassing 400MHz XBurst CPU, 128MB of RAM, and 1GB of internal flash storage. Tradestead Corporation sells single units for USD245.

----------

The USD245 price is unfortunate as a USD100 price would have been its saving grace.

Technical specs here.

Acer surpasses HP and Dell over worldwide notebook shipment in September

From Digitimes -

Acer has shipped 3.4-3.6 million notebooks (including netbooks) in September this year, beating both HP (2.5-2.7 million) and Dell (1.8-1.9 million). Of that, 1.2-1.3 million units are Acer Aspire One notebooks.

-----------

Wonder how many Asus shipped for the same period?

First look at the Datacask Jupiter 1014A

From Liliputing -

Eee PC News.de has posted a short review of the Fukato Datacask Jupiter 1014A netbook. Actually it has pretty much the same specs as most other netbooks in the market today, with not much distinguishing features at all.

Full specs of the Fukato Datacask Jupiter 1014A here.

Asus planning touch panel Eee PCs

From Digitimes -

Asus is planning to launch touch panel Eee PCs in the first quarter of 2009, which the company expects will help drive sales further. It expects to showcase the products during CES 2009 and will also launch dual-core Atom-based netbooks as soon as Intel begins shipping the CPUs.

Hands-on with Mobile WiMAX Acer Aspire One

Laptop Mag Blog has a video of a hands-on of an Acer Aspire One pimped up with Mobile WiMax and playing a Colbert Report video on Hulu. The video continues with some site surfing, specifically nytimes.com before proceeding to speedtest.net for a bandwidth test. The results: 6.7 Mbps on the downlink and 2.8 Mbps on the uplink.

You can view the video here.

MSI's new Wind U120 pixellized

Fudzilla has got some photos of MSI's upcoming Wind U120 netbook (aka Wind 2) which is being targeted at business users. It will reportedly have a 120GB hard drive or 20/40GB SSD. Other specs should be similar to the older U100. Connectivity includes 802.11n Wi-Fi and built-in 3.5G modem that will accept a SIM card. It should be available in December for less than $600.

You can check out more photos here.

Integrated GPS on Dell Mini 9

acabtp of MyDellMini has modded his Dell Insipiron Mini 9 to add a GPS receiver. Not wanting to have a dongle or any other external device, he went with a USB SkyTraQ-based GPS receiver, dismantled that, and managed to install it inside the chassis.

You can check out additional photos and more photos here.

Asus Eee PC S101 Review

Mobile Computer Mag has scooped a worldwide exclusive review of the Eee PC S101, Asus' new top-of-the-line subnotebook aimed directly at fashionistas. Not surprisingly, the S101 has a Macbook-like profile, being just 23mm at the front and 26mm at the back. While it is similar in size to the Eee PC 1000, it much lighter at just 1.1kg - lighter than even the Eee PC 901. Meaning it is just light and small enough to throw it inside slightly oversized ladies' bags. To complete the image, it will be available in mocha brown, champagne and graphite, topped by tiny Swarovski crystals on the end of each hinge to give the fashionista something to swoon about. But beyond the external bling-blings, the rest of the unit is similar to other Eee PCs. Keyboard is identical to that on the Eee PC 1000. The 10.2" screen has only a 1024 x 600 resolution. And inside is the usual 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor. SSD is either 16GB or 32GB. OS either Windows XP or Linux. As for battery life, the Eee PC S101's 4900mAh cell stretched to 3 hours and forty-five minutes in Battery Eater’s heavy-use test, and just over five hours in light-use (Wi-Fi off and screen at mid-brightness, in both cases).

The Verdict - the Asus Eee PC S101 is a truly stunning netbook, but the specs does not justify that "high end" price tag. Nevertheless, it was given a 5 out of 6 rating. Price £449 inc VAT.

Eee marketing getting adorably bitchy

From Engadget -

Asus has now resorted to negative marketing with a side by side comparison of its Eee PC 1000H/HA and the Acer Aspire One. While the name Aspire One is not spelled out explicitly (it is referred to as A***** 1), the reference is quite obvious. With a smattering of little green frowny faces adorning the Aspire One's specs, the impression is using one will provide an extremely unpleasant experience.

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Can' wait to see how Asus will attack the MSI Wind, which seems to be a more formidable competition compared to the Aspire One.

DIY Acer Aspire One UMPC

From Slashgear -

ToDo forum (Spanish) member stretracer18 has modded his Acer Aspire One and turned it into a UMPC. While there has been previous touchscreen mods, this one reworked the entire case with both top and bottom sections screwed together less the keyboard. The lid also flips round to give access to the display (with touchscreen panel) and webcam.

MSI Wind U90X

Laptop Mag has reviewed the MSI Wind U90X and found it is not in the same league as its bigger sibling, the U100. Main criticism of the U90X is its SUSE Linux operating system, which is at times downright frustrating, and the less than two hours of battery life.

Pros

* Comfortable keyboard
* Clever software features
* Runs cool
* Large hard drive

Cons

* Buggy Linux OS
* Short battery life
* Single-bar mouse button
* Limited tech-support hours and not toll-free

You can check out the full review here.

LG X110 Momo Coming Soon

From ubergizmo -

LG's upcoming X110 Momo features built-in 3G connectivity. Other specs include:

* Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor
* 1.3 megapixel webcam
* 10" display
* SD memory card slot
* Windows XP Home Basic
* Integrated HSUPA 3G radio
* Optional Bluetooth connectivity

Super Talent 128GB SSD Going Cheap

From ubergizmo -

Super Talent is now offering a 128GB SSD drive for a mere $299, which connects via a SATA II interface while supporting read and write speeds of 100MB/s and 40MB/s, respectively. At a $2.33/GB price point, this is the cheapest for SSDs so far.

Gigabyte M912 Ships In Europe

According to Ubergizmo, Gigabyte will start shipping its M912 in Europe. No word yet though on when it will be available in the US. The Gigabyte M912 comes with a swiveling display, and will feature an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor and a 8.9" display.

Hanging Hard Drives

From Yanko Design -

The Hang it On hard drive enclosure lets you hang a 2.5″ hard drive off the back of your notebook's LCD screen.

Designer: Sangho Jin

3 reasons why and how we'll see an Apple netbook soon

JK on the Run provides three compelling reasons why an Apple netbook will most likely appear soon -

1. Based on Apple's history, the current MacBook Pro is overdue for a refresh. And with newer technologies available, a netbook is not out of the question.

2. The main difference between Macbooks (the Air and 13.3" models) and Macbook Pros lie in the graphics chip used. The former has integrated graphics, the latter, dedicated. Since other manufacturers have already started using dedicated chips in their 13" units, there is no reason why Macbooks can't. And when they do, they will be added to the Pro line.

3. Without anymore MacBooks, the brand then becomes available for a 10" MacBook, especially when Hackintosh units based on the MSI Wind (and probably soon on the Dell Mini Inspiron as well) are becoming commonplace. Since these are not 100% perfect implementation, a 10" MacBook out-of-the-box will have a distinguishing factor over the rest.

Everything makes seen especially if the MacBook Air is viewed as an attempt to test and learn about the market.

You can read the full article here.

ASUS Launches Fashion-Friendly Eee PC S101

From Hardware Zone -

ASUS has launched the Eee PC S101, an fashion-oriented designed model with a wholly reforged exterior in three gorgeous colors (Brown, Champagne or Graphite) and accentuated with details such as premium Infusion finishes and crystal-adorned hinges.

It features a 10.2" wide active matrix LED-backlit WSVGA screen, 802.11n, Bluetooth V2.0, up to 64GB SSD, 4-in-1 reader (MMC, SD, Memory Stick and MS-PRO), the exclusive Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) which extends battery life up to five hours. OS is either MS Windows or GNU Linux. And at a mere 1kg and 1.8cm thick, it invites comparison to the Mac Book Air.

Every Eee PC S101 also comes with an encrypted 20 GB Internet storage facility via Eee Storage. It will be available in available in three versions:
• 16 GB SSD, Windows XP, inclusive of an additional 16 GB SD card: USD 699
• 32 GB SSD, Linux operating system: USD 699
• 64 GB SSD, Linux operating system: USD 799

Specifications

Model	Eee PC S101
Operating System	Genuine Windows XP Home GNU Linux
Display	10.2” wide active matrix LED-backlit TFT, WSVGA 1024 x 600, 252K colors
CPU	Intel Atom
Chipset	Intel 945GSE
	ICH7-M
LAN	Onboard 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet controller
Wireless Data Network	WLAN: 802.11n Bluetooth V2.0
Memory	1 GB (DDR2)
Storage	Solid State Drive 16 GB / 32 GB / 64 GB
	20GB Eee Storage
Interface	1 x VGA port (D-sub 15-pin for external monitor) 3 x USB 2.0 ports 1 x LAN RJ-45 2 x audio jacks: Headphone / Mic-in
Camera	0.3 M Pixel
Reader	4-in-1 MMC, SD, Memory Stick and MS-PRO flash card slot
Touchpad	Multi-touch
Audio	Hi-definition audio CODEC Built-in high quality stereo speakers Digital Array Mic
Battery	Polymer battery: 36 W/hr; 2S2P (2450 mAh/cell)
Dimensions	264 mm (w) x 180.5 mm (d) x 18 ~ 25 mm (h)
Weight	1 kg
Casing Colors / Infusion	Brown, Champagne or Graphite

MSI: Wind Coming to Major Retailer, New Models Coming Soon

From Laptop Blog -

Following on the success of the its Wind netbook, MSI is planning to -

* The Wind U100 will be available at a national, and very large retailer in the coming week. The Wind with a 3-cell battery and Windows XP will be priced at $399.

* MSI will expand the Wind product line with a business-focused Wind U120 (or Wind 2). The Wind U120 will have a whole new look, SSD and hard drive options, and 3.5G connectivity. It will hit the U.S. in late November or December and will be priced under $600.

* Linux netbooks are returned 4 times as often as ones that run Windows XP.

* The Wind Desktop will be brought to the U.S. in the coming months.

This was revealed by MSI Director of U.S. Sales Andy Tung in a hour-long interview. You can read the full interview here.

HP narrows focus to notebook market

From Taipei Times -

HP is narrowing its focus to the traditional notebook market, despite the recent successes of Acer Inc(宏碁)and Asus(華碩電腦) with netbooks, as it believes the intense competition provides little margin. The company introduced yesterday a range of traditionally sized Elitebook-branded models targeted at business users.

However, the company still plans to release its second generation of Mini-Note models before the end of the year but declined to provide more details.

Run Leopard (Mac OS 10.5) on a Dell Mini 9

UNEASYsilence and his good blogging buddy Kevin Tofel was able to painlessly install a special slipstreamed version 10.5.5 on a Dell Mini 9, which uses a very similar processor/chipset combo as the proven Leopard-compatible MSI Wind.

They first downloaded and burned the 3.2GB slipstreamed ISO to a DVD and then used that to install it to on the Dell, booting it up via an external drive (Press 0 (Zero) at the BIOS screen). Then they downloaded the drivers for the Broadcom wireless adaptor and audio chipset and installed those as well.

Unzip the archive from the previous step and open Terminal in Leopard on the Dell mini. Type in sudo and drag the bcm43xx_enabler.sh icon to the Terminal window. Press the Enter key, type in your admin password on the keyboard and follow the instructions. (For those who don’t like to read - basically press Enter four times and restart).

For more details, including the download sites, check out Uneasy Silence.