Two ARM-powered netbooks to appear in June
March 14, 2009 at 2:03 pm
At least two ARM-powered netbooks are expected to appear at Computex Taipei according to Digitimes. One netbook due to appear will be manufactured by Pegatron Technology and equipped with Freescale’s i.MX51 CPU (ARM Coretex A8) whilst the other will be manufactured by Wistron equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU.
ARM’s Chief Executive has already revealed that he expects ten ARM-powered netbooks to launch in 2009, therefore the Computex launch fits in with this timescale. Others are likely to follow suit, we already know that Asustek is considering future Eee PCs equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. MSI has also expressed interest in developing for the Nvidia Tegra system-on-chip platform too. Computex takes place between 2 – 6 June 2009.
Buffalo develops swappable SSD enclosure for Eee PCs
March 14, 2009 at 10:02 am
The solid-state drives that come with many netbook PCs are generally so small most users will want to upgrade them soon enough, but what does one do with the old memory? Buffalo has come up with a clever answer by developing 32GB and 64GB SSD (solid-state drive) replacements for the Asus Eee PC 901 along with a USB enclosure for converting the old SSD into an external drive.
The newer, faster drive is placed into the Eee 901 whilst the old 16GB SSD is taken out and placed into the enclosure, leaving you with a 16GB external drive. The idea is certainly novel and with SSD’s growing in capacity and coming down in price we can see other manufacturers developing similar systems for other netbook models.
The 32GB kit costs ¥12,700 (£95), while the 64GB kits is ¥22,400 (£167). Sadly it is only available in Japan for now where it is expected to release in April. However, if the idea catches on we’re sure to see them worldwide soon.
Via Portable Monkey.
Asus S121 previewed – style over substance?
March 13, 2009 at 5:28 pm
There is no doubting that the Asus S101 is one of the prettiest netbooks on the market at the moment. It’s bigger brother, the 12-inch Asus S121, looks even better and according to the guys over at TrustedReviews, even nicer than Asus’ 1008HA.
Apart from the great looks they found the S121 a pleasure to use with excellent battery life along with it having the best Asus keyboard they’ve used to date. On the negative side, this isn’t the speediest netbook around (running at only 1.3GHz) with only 1GB RAM and 160GB HDD (rather than dual-storage system of the S101). Also, given a WXGA display, it seems that the most isn’t made of the screen as there is little chance of running HD content on the S121 given the weak CPU. Hopefully a refresh with the Intel GN40 or Nvidia Ion is on the horizon. Key points and more pictures after the jump. Read more
10-inch netbooks with 1,366 x 768 resolution on the way
March 13, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Following the move away from 7-inch and 8.9-inch screen netbook models, 10-inch display models have become the norm across most netbook lines. The resolution tends to be 1,024 x 576 on most 10.1-inch netbook displays, with some models having resolution of 1,024 x 600.
However, it looks like the world’s largest notebook panel supplier, LG Display (LGD) will start to produce 10.1-inch panels with a resolution of 1,366 x 768 in April according to market sources. LGD already produces several types of 10.1-inch panels (including existing 1,024 x 576 panels). But with netbook demand set to reach 12-30 million this year, LGD is looking to push the market further. Plans are also underway to produce 11.6-inch models.
Whilst this is great news I can only wonder how strong one’s eyesight will have to be to see anything at that resolution on such a small screen!
Nvidia expects first Ion in Q2 2009
March 13, 2009 at 1:56 pm
The first Nvidia Ion powered devices are set to launch in Q2 2009 according to sources at Fudzila. Initially these are likely to be nettop based rather than in a netbook, however it seems that a number of OEMs are interested in the platform. A number of OEMs do not want to be the first to jump though and will await the reaction from the first releases before committing to the platform.
We know that Nvidia has been in contact with Lenovo, Founder and some second-tier white-box manufactures pushing its platform for use in netbooks. Although the chipset’s price is US$5-10 higher than Intel’s 945, its support for HD video and graphics output has earned quite a bit of interest. Watch this space.
Impressions of Taiwan Mobile’s slimline W101
March 13, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Taiwan Mobile is shortly set to release the self-branded W101 netbook to help boost data subscription in light of falling voice usage. Mobile01 managed to get a closer look at the netbook, which is manufactured by Royaltek, and impressions are definitely favourable. One would expect that a self-branded netbook may not sit on the same ground as the more established players. However it looks as though it will be able to carry its own. Whilst many have not heard of Royaltek, it is a joint venture between two industry heavyweights – Quanta and an Acer subsidiary called E-Ten. Read more
Asus Eee is best selling netbook brand in Japan
March 13, 2009 at 12:07 pm
The Asus’ Eee PC brand is Japan’s favourite according to research firm Gfk, with a market share of 27 percent in terms of sales. Since the start of 2009, Asus has sold 60,000 Eee PCs.
The best selling netbook in Japan last week (March 2nd to 8th) was the Asus Eee PC 1000H followed by Lenovo’s S10 4068A. The Acer Aspire One claimed third spot according to Digitimes.
TESO launches 12-inch Macbook Air Clone
March 13, 2009 at 11:39 am
Chinese manufacturer TESO, has launched a near-final build of what looks to be a clone of Apple’s Macbook Air. Specifications seem to be thin on the ground right now, however this 12.1-inch netbook is likely to be powered by a N270 Intel Atom CPU and come with a 250GB hard-disk drive. At 1.4kg it’s not too heavy either, considering the larger screen. No mention of OS or pricing has been revealed.
Differences over the MBA are a 12-inch screen as opposed to the 13-inch MBA screen. The TESO also has two USB 2.0 ports compared to just one for MBA. The TESO also has HDMI and a rather large touchpad and comes with surprisingly better air vents at the bottom compared to the original.
The design does seem to be slightly compromised as a cheap-looking black keyboard takes place amid the white design. The battery cover is also a different colour to the rest of the netbook. It just doesn’t have the same premium look that the MBA commands. Plenty more pictures and details of the launch (in Chinese) here.
OLPC urging Microsoft to makes Windows compatible with ARM
March 13, 2009 at 10:20 am
The next notebook due from the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project, nicknamed XO-2, is likely to drop AMD’s x86 Geode CPU in favour of an all-in-one ARM processor according to PC World. While x86 chips have the potential to become more power efficient, ARM has the upper-hand in this area with advanced power management features and built in integrated graphics and Wi-Fi networking. Read more
VIA Unveils New Netbook Media Processor
March 12, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Among the biggest wishes netbook users have for improvements are more performance and the ability to play HD video. Whilst the Intel Atom N280 can support 720p hardware decoding, 1080p still remains a stretch. Nvidia’s Ion is able to decode 1080p but so far no OEMs have embraced the platform.
VIA is looking to fill the gap by today announcing a new Media System Processor (MSP) called the VX855 that offers among its features the ability to decode full 1080p video. The processor supports multiple video standards including H.264, MPEG-2/4, DivX and WMV9 and can play the formats in high bit rates in 1080p resolution.
The processor will be aimed at the netbook and is ideal from a power consumption point of view, with a thermal design power envelope of just 2.3W. It will also support all major operating systems (including Windows 7). VIA’s VX855 is built to bring the performance required by today’s netbooks and nettop computer systems in an energy-efficient package. The processor should feature on some of the upcoming low-power computer systems.
Wallet-friendly Kogan Agora Netbook gets first look
March 12, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Australian technology entrepreneur, Ruslan Kogan, has presented a working prototype of his upcoming netbook dubbed the Agora. Australian PC Authority have posted their first thoughts on the 10-inch device which is powered by an Atom N270 and 1GB RAM. It will also come with a 160GB hard disk and 3-cell battery. A Pro model is also planned which will offer twice the RAM and battery.
The actual netbook design itself is nothing new, it has been used on Sotec DC101 netbooks for example. The main point of differentiation comes from the gOS operating system that the netbook ships with (Windows 7 will also be available later). Overall the preview found that the 92-percent full-size keyboard was responsive and comfortable, with a decent layout, and the 1024 x 600 display was “crisp and bright”. OpenOffice loaded (in gOS) in around 30 seconds.
On release the netbook is set to sell for $499 AUD (US$320) and the Pro model is expected to sell for $549 (US$355). This will make it the cheapest on offer in Australia when it starts shipping there in April 2009.
Via Engadget.
Photos of the Asus Eee PC T91 net tablet
March 12, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Pocket-lint managed to get hands-on with the Asus Eee PC T91 this week and posted a number of close-up photos of this Asus beauty. The 8.9-inch convertible tablet which runs on Windows XP allows you to launch into the T91’s touch modes (based on a Linux kernel) through a touch of a button on its bezel. Whilst using a finger is fine for navigation the unit also houses a stylus tucked at the front.
To keep the size and weight down, the system will come with a 32GB SSD. It will also come with WiFi and Bluetooth. Additional options will include 3G modem, GPS and even a TV tuner. The T91 is expected to have a UK launch in May costing £500. Hit the link for some more photos. Read more
J&W branches into netbooks with the Minix
March 12, 2009 at 2:35 pm
J&W, a Hong-Kong based motherboard and graphics card specialist, is entering the netbook segment by launching its first netbook called Minix. Given its component background, it is likely able to manufacturer a netbook with some internally sourced parts, cutting down the overall netbook cost. Read more
ASUS Eee 1002HA reviewed – takes positives from S101 and 1000H
March 12, 2009 at 2:10 pm
GadgetMix has posted a detailed review of the Asus Eee 1002HA. Overall impressions were positive with the machine taking all of the plus points from the Asus S101 and Asus 1000H. Think of it as a regular hard-disk drive version of the S101, taking all of its styling cues too. Read more
Asus announces Eee PC online backup service
March 12, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Asus has added a new utility called ‘Eee Backup ‘ to its online storage service. This application will backup files or directories automatically and is designed to work in the background. Asus will be allocating between 10GB to 60GB of storage space per user, depending on the Eee model purchased. No luck for those wanting to backup their entire 160HDD of storage!
Asus has bundled online storage with every new Eee PC sold. This was primarily an incentivasation for the low SSD models sold. This new backup service will be free for the first 18 to 24 months after which Asus may decide to charge.
It will be interesting to see how this works in practice. I currently use Carbonite to backup my files and part of the attraction is that it backs up all of my files with a very low CPU footprint. It also constantly refreshes backups as I edit files. Obviously Carbonite costs me money and given that Asus is offering this for free has to be commended.
Via Liliputing.
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