IBM aims for netbook CPU lead, announces 28nm CPU tech
April 17, 2009 at 2:05 pm
IBM along with an alliance of companies has announced a 28nm processor design for netbooks and smartphones and expects to begin ‘early risk’ production in 2010. The IBM Alliance consists of partners Chartered, GlobalFoundries (AMD’s former chip-making unit), Infineon, Samsung and STMicroelectronics.
This news has quite a significant bearing for Intel, whose Atom processor is based on 45nm fabrication. Not only will these new chips from the IBM Alliance be smaller at 28nm but in doing so will be more energy efficient than Intel’s Atom CPU. Read more
Symbian S60 operating system ported to Intel’s Atom
April 17, 2009 at 12:32 pm
There are a number of different operating systems that are vying for attention on netbooks. Apart from the upcoming Windows 7, there are a number of Linux variants such as Google’s Android. Now, Symbian is also showing its efforts in a proof of concept experiment where it has run Symbian S60 5th Edition on an off the shelf Intel Atom based system.
I imagine Symbian has done this to highlight the flexibility of the Symbian platform beyond the use of smartphones into other devices. The Symbian team hopes to generate some interest in such a platform in the form of an investor. Whilst the screen shots show that it is very rough around the edges, the team were pleased with the “responsiveness of the UI and upper application layers”. Read more
Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.04 Release Candidate unleashed
April 17, 2009 at 11:23 am
Following on from the beta release just two weeks ago, Ubuntu has announced the Release Candidate for Ubuntu Netbook Remix 9.04 (codenamed Jaunty Jackalope). If the release candidates prove stable, they sometimes end up being final production versions, although Ubuntu 9.04 still has a small number of bugs to be fixed.
From what I can tell, the new release has no major changes over the previous beta release but stabilises its existing features. “We consider this release candidate to be complete, stable and suitable for testing by any user,” said Ubuntu developer Steve Langasek.
Netbooks that the new release is known to work well on include the Asus EEE PC 900/1000, Acer Aspire One, Samsung NC10 and the Dell Mini 9. Ubuntu 9.04 is scheduled to be released on 23 April and will be supported for 18 months. The RC release can be downloaded from the official site here.
High-res Dell Mini 10 option appears across Europe
April 17, 2009 at 11:00 am
Good news for Europeans interested in buying the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook, the option to select a 1366 x 768 display is now available across the continent. This follows the option being available to US consumers since the end of last month. Pricing seems to be quite reasonable too. Checking the UK site suggests an upgrade price of £15, whilst on mainland Europe the upgrade will cost you €20.
Today was the day that some other Dell Mini 10 options were supposed to appear according to a leaked internal roadmap. On checking the Dell US site though, there still remains no option for a 6-cell battery, TV Tuner, higher spec 1.86GHz CPU or Linux options. On 20 May, the option for 2GB RAM is meant to appear.
Another hands-on video with the Asus Eee PC T91
April 16, 2009 at 5:54 pm
We have already a posted a number of hands-on posts of the Asus Eee PC T91 netbook, but thought we’d share Cnet UK’s experience given some new titbits of information. They have posted a video hands-on with a pre-production sample of the 8.9-inch convertible tablet. The interface is shown much more clearly than the previous video we highlighted.
What may put some people off is that apparently the Asus Eee PC T91 will come with a sealed battery, so if anything goes wrong with it you’ll have to send it back to Asus to replace. The keyboard is also likely to be bigger in the final retail model, most likely at the expense of the trackpad as the keyboard already appears to stretch to the end of the chassis.
Other than that, one thing that has always worried me about such a device is how smudgy the touch screen will look when exposed to fingerprints. One particular shot towards the end of the video highlights how unattractive it can look with greasy fingerprints all over. Check out the video for yourself after the break. Read more
Samsung N120 netbook starts shipping in US
April 16, 2009 at 5:04 pm
The Samsung N120 netbook is now ready to ship from US retailer Newegg.com. Both black and white versions appear to be in stock and are being sold for $459.99. Our sources in the UK suggest that the Samsung N120 will start to hit UK retail channels next week for approximately £390.
Samsung has managed to fit a full 12-inch keyboard into a chassis that accommodates a 1024 x 600 10.1-inch display. Samsung is also touting the 2.1 speaker system found in the N120. The netbook is powered by a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU and 945GSE chipset. It will come with 1GB RAM and a 160GB (5,400 RPM) hard-disk drive. The official listing still suggests that it will support a maximum of 1GB RAM only, although this may be on error on their part.
Via Portable Monkey.
Aware A-View netbook with removable keyboard for $150
April 16, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Taiwan-based manufacturer, Aware, has showcased the A-View netbook at the Global Sources fair in Hong Kong. The A-View looks very similar in concept to Always Innovating’s Touch Book, with its detachable keyboard transforming it from netbook to tablet.
However, unlike the 9-inch screen found on the Touch Book, the A-View has only a 7-inch display. It will come with 8GB of flash storage and 512MB RAM. The most interesting thing seems to be the price which is quoted at an equivalent of $150. The report from Digitimes claims that the system is already available in Europe, although on checking a few of the big e-tailers we couldn’t find it listed. If it retails for anywhere close to that in Europe I’d be surprised although we’ll be keeping our eyes open.
Via Gadget Mix.
Lenovo 3G and LG X110 netbooks hit the FCC
April 16, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Two netbooks have passed through the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) overnight. The first is a 9-inch Lenovo netbook with built-in 3G card. We heard rumours last week that a 3G-enabled S10 was being planned, but this is the first we’ve heard of a 3G-enabled Lenovo S9. The card is compatible with AT&T which could suggest that AT&T may start to offer this netbook on a subsidised data contract.
The second is the 10-inch LG X110, which has been available in Europe for some time now. The news is not surprising as we already know that both the X110 and X120 netbooks are due to hit the US by July. The specifications remain the same with the X110 having a 10-inch (1024 x 600) display powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive. It is believed that the X110’s unsubsidised price will be around $400.
Dell Vostro A90 netbook – rebadged Mini 9 for business
April 16, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Dell has launched the 8.9-inch Vostro A90 netbook in the US. From what we can tell the Vostro A90 is nearly identical to the Mini 9 but comes in all black. The only other difference we could make out is that the A90 seems to have its speakers located just below the screen, something the Inspiron Mini 9 doesn’t have.
The Vostro A90 was first launched in Japan and is targeted to business users, hence no bright colours here! The base-model comes with an 8GB SSD (a 16GB SSD option also exists) and 512MB of RAM (1GB max). The netbook uses the same 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor as the Mini 9, along with the Intel 945GSE chipset. Connectivity is provided through integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Ethernet. It also comes with a 0.3MP webcam and 4-cell battery. Read more
Netbooks keeping PC sales afloat
April 16, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Shipments of PCs fell by 7.1 percent in the first quarter, with only heavy discounts and the popularity of netbooks keeping the results from being worse. It is quite clear to see that the global recession has seen a shift towards low-cost computing, the main beneficiary being netbooks. It is this segment that has kept PC shipments from falling further. According to IDC, netbook shipments are on track to double in 2009.
One sign that green shoots may be appearing is that for the first time in recent memory, the US PC market fared better than the rest of the world. Shipments fell by just 3.1% percent in the US according to figures from IDC. “The US was surprisingly strong, it outperformed our forecast,” says IDC vice president Bob O’Donnell. “The fact that the US outperformed the worldwide totals is I think somewhat hopeful.” Read more
Gateway introduces LT2000 netbook to Japan
April 15, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Acer-owned, Gateway, has announced the LT2000 netbook for the Japanese market. The LT2000 looks to be similar to the LT20 netbook announced for the US market last week. The LT2000 sports a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) resolution display and is powered by a 1.66GHz N280 Atom CPU and 945GSE chipset.
It also comes with 1GB RAM (max) and a 160GB hard-disk drive. Other features include Wi-Fi (b/g), a 0.3MP webcam, Dolby Headphone and a multi-card reader. The LT2000 will come with a 3-cell battery which should last around 3 hours and will weigh 1.18kg (2.6lbs).
The LT2000 will be available in both black and red for 49,800 Yen ($500/€380/£335). This is the same price as the Acer Aspire One D250 that is due to hit Japanese retail next week.
Via Portable Monkey.
Dell Mini 11 shipping in August?
April 15, 2009 at 4:26 pm
According to a leaked roadmap that appeared earlier this month, Dell is planning to launch the Inspiron Mini 11 during Q2/Q3 this year. Little is known in terms of specifications, however it is believed to have an 11.6-inch display with the option of a high-resolution screen.
There are now reports suggesting that Taiwanese ODM, Compal Communications, has landed an order from Dell to manufacture an ultra-thin notebook using Intel’s CULV platform. The report suggests that this notebook will start to ship in August.
We already know that Dell is planning to release models based on the CULV platform with screen sizes from 11-inches to 13-inches. Putting two and two together, this model could very well be the rumoured Dell Mini 11. Compal is also in the frame to manufacture ultra-thin notebooks from both Toshiba and Lenovo according to the report.
Acer Aspire One D250 hitting Japan next week
April 15, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Acer Japan has announced that it will be launching its 10.1-inch Aspire One D250 netbook on April 24th for 49,800 Yen ($500/€380/£335). The Aspire One D250 (AOD250) will be powered by a 1.66GHz Atom CPU and 945GSE chipset. It also comes with 1GB RAM and 160GB hard-disk drive. The 10.1-inch display has a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels.
The D250 is around 1-inch thick and weighs 1.11kg with the 3-cell battery. This battery should give you around 3.15 hours of use according to Acer. For those looking for an even slimmer form-factor, the Aspire One 531 will have very similar specifications but weighs just 1kg (2.2lbs) with the 3-cell battery. Given the smaller size, the 531 has marginally worse battery life (3 hours on the 3-cell).
In the UK, no launch date has been confirmed but according to retail sites, the Aspire One D250 is set to launch around the end of April. Having a quick look, CCL Online seems to have the cheapest pre-order at £335 delivered (in-line with the Japanese RRP above).
Via Akhibara News.
Sharp set to launch Mebius netbook
April 15, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Sharp is set to launch a netbook from its Mebius line-up in Japan next week. There is little other information right now, however based on their catchphrase – “You have changed, Change Mebius” and their mini word games that involves the user to write, it might be a touchscreen feature included in their series of notebooks.
Sharp Japan is allowing 100 lucky applicants to preview the netbook. The application starts from 14 April to 13 May 2009, after which the lucky 100 subscribers chosen will get to preview for 90 days before returning the preview hardware.
The netbook will be sold under Sharp’s Mebius notebook brand. At the moment it is unknown whether this will only be for the Japanese market, or whether a global release is planned. More details as we have it.
Via Akihabara News.
Intel Results: Atom revenues fall; talk of dual-core Atom and embedded 3G
April 15, 2009 at 1:31 pm
Intel yesterday announced a 56 per cent drop in its operating income for the first quarter of 2009, but predicts PC sales will rise in the months ahead. It reported processor revenues of over $7 billion during Q1 2009, a 26 percent fall from last year. Despite this Intel’s CEO, Paul Otellini, believes we are now at the bottom and sees brighter times ahead. “We believe PC sales bottomed out during the first quarter and that the industry is returning to normal seasonal patterns,” Otellini said.
What was most interesting however is that given how netbooks are meant to be seeing the most growth within the PC segment, Intel Atom CPU revenues were down by 27 percent in Q1 2009 compared to the previous quarter. Intel’s Atom CPUs hold the dominant market share when it comes to netbooks. Average selling price for chips were also flat so it’s hard to understand the decline. Read more
Recent Comments