Microsoft readying Windows 7 for holiday season

An official blog post from the Windows 7 team has confirmed that Windows 7 is set to launch this year. Brandon LeBlanc expects the OS to reach RTM (release-to-manufacturer) stage within 3 months and be ready in time for the holidays.

The news is hardly a surprise as a number of manufacturers had hinted of an Autumn release date. Windows 7 RC launched just last week and is a good opportunity to test how it will run on your current netbooks. As it doesn’t expire until March 2010 there’s no excuse not to give it a test drive.

Dell wants your ideas for future Dell netbooks

In a move reminiscent of Lenovo’s request for feedback on what you think a Thinkpad netbook should look like, Dell has taken a similar route. In a post on the official Dell blog, it is asking the public, “What would you like to see in future generations of Dell netbooks?”

It is keeping things very open and looking for thoughts on form factor, operating system, battery life and HD capability among other things. Dell is looking to stay in touch with market trends and for this they should be commended. Some of the requests posted so far include booting from a SD card, having a GPS option, touchscreen displays, edge-to-edge keyboards and something that should be relatively easy to fix, “Ubuntu price must be cheaper than XP price with same config”.

“Certainly, we like to focus on topics that people are passionate about and netbooks happens to currently be one of those topics,” a Dell spokesman said. ” We look forward to what the community has to say and where it might lead us in the future.”

If you want to add your voice to the chorus then just head over to IdeaStorm. You can also post your thoughts to this Twitter channel. So, what would you be looking for in future Dell Minis?

Intel Atom shipments slump in first quarter

Shipments of Intel Atom CPUs declined by 33 percent in Q1 2009 compared to the previous quarter according to IDC. Before some say that the netbook gravy train may be over, IDC suggests that the reason for the decline is that netbook manufacturers had built up significant inventory of Atom chips during the end of the year. IDC claims that during the first quarter, they were starting to burn through this excess inventory.

To give an indication as to why Intel is looking to concentrate on higher-priced CULV-based chips than Atom, IDC said that whilst Atom shipments represented 21 percent of total shipments, this translated to just 6.5 percent of revenues in the first quarter. Read more

Pegatron prepping ARM-based netbooks for Asus

Asus’ CEO, Jerry Shen, recently confirmed that it was unlikely to adopt ARM/Android netbooks this year. Part of his reasoning was that most consumers are still used to Windows and that the first quarter of 2010 would provide more of an opportunity for alternative processors.

Well it looks like ODM Pegatron Technology is preparing to manufacture these ARM-based netbooks, but is waiting for the green light from Asustek. Pegatron has not received a schedule to mass produce these ARM netbooks as Asus is still apparently monitoring trends in the market place.

Pegatron also has a 7-inch ARM-based netbook and recently received orders from Chinese white-box vendors to sell the device for under $200. It seems, however, that there is low demand for Linux based products in Asia, therefore Pegatron plans to concentrate on the European and American markets.

Via Digitimes.

Intel reveals H209 netbook CPU roadmap, N280/GN40 combo to be phased out

Intel has recently revealed its processor plans for notebooks, netbooks and CULV ultra-thin notebooks to its partners. From the netbook point of view, the interesting news is that Intel is considering phasing out the Atom N280 CPU and GN40 chipset combination due to low demand. Vendors don’t seem to be thrilled by the GN40 chipset, as it doesn’t offer much of an improvement over the old 945GSE chipset. Intel expects that the Atom N270 CPU and 945GSE chipset combo will be the main components found in netbooks until September this year.

After September, Intel expects to replace the current chips with the next-gen Atom processor (Pineview) and chipset (Tiger Point). This new platform will be targeted to 10-inch netbooks that cost between $399 to $599. Read more

Verizon’s HP Mini 1000 to cost $199 with two-year contract

Verizon is set to launch its first foray into subsidised netbooks this week, with the launch of the HP Mini 1000 netbook on May 17. This much we already knew, but it now looks that Engadget has some firm indication on pricing, if some leaked screenshots are anything to go by.

For a two-year contract you are looking at an upfront cost of $199.99 (including a $50 rebate) whilst a one year contract will set you back $100 more at $299.99. The screenshots also confirms the launch date as Sunday May 17th. Many telecom operators seem to do very well out of subsidised netbooks, but personally I think it’s better value for money to use a USB or ExpressCard modem.

The specs of the HP Mini 1151NR are also confirmed but are no different to what we already listed. The model is a fairly standard in terms of specs. It has a 10.1-inch (1024 x 576) display and is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB RAM and 80GB hard drive. It comes with a 3-cell battery and weighs 1.1kg (2.45lbs). The 1151NR will be sold across all channels. You can find the screengrabs after the jump. Read more

Dell Mini 10v hits UK too – £279 with Windows or £199 with Linux

Normally it takes a while for items that appear on the Dell US site to make on appearance here in the UK, for example we are still waiting for the 6-cell battery for the Mini 10. Anyway, Dell hasn’t messed around with the Mini 10v, as we have just noticed that it has made an appearance on the UK site.

Two models are available. One that comes with Linux Ubuntu along with an 8GB SSD is priced from £199 whilst the Windows version with a 160GB HDD starts from £279. Given that the US price for this latter package is just $299, UK pricing has not worked out in our favour which is hardly surprising. Taking the current exchange rate and adding in 15 percent VAT should give a price of around £225.

Both models are available to order now, although I couldn’t find an estimated shipping date. These models have also hit Europe at a cost of €249 for the Linux version and €379 for the Windows version.

Dell Mini 10v now available to order at $299

The Dell Mini 10v refresh is now available to order in the US with prices starting at a very reasonable $299. Dell looks likely to set the cat amongst the pigeons with this particular model and that bargain headline price. Obviously as with all Dell products, once you’ve added the cost of a 6-cell battery, Bluetooth and a new colour the price creeps up. However, these are not necessary extras and there is no doubt that this price point will be welcome by consumers.

The reason for the $100 saving over the current Mini 10 is that the 10v will sport the 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU as opposed to the power-efficient Z series Atom CPUs found in current Mini 10 netbooks. This should result in similar performance but at a cheaper price. It’s also worth noting that the 10v uses the GMA 950 chipset which is less powerful than the GMA 500 chipset found in the current Mini 10, which helps with HD playback.

The Dell Mini 10v options include either a 160GB HDD or 16GB SSD, Draft N Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 and a 56Whr 6-cell battery. There doesn’t seem to be an option right now for the HD (1366 x 768) display. The preliminary ship date is 6th June.

Via Engadget.

Dell intros Della website to market netbooks to women

Dell has today introduced a new website called Della, which it will use to help market its Dell Inspiron range of laptops & netbooks to women. The site has lots of photos of women using notebooks in various situations whether it’s on the couch, for business or out and about.

As have to vanquish any doubts the site is targeted to women, it has part of the site dedicated to ‘tech tips’ which talks about seven unexpected ways a netbook can change your life. These include getting healthier by tracking your exercise and food intake as well as eating better by finding recipes online! I’m not sure if it is just me, but the site seems mildly condescending, telling women what they can do with their netbook.

One of the featured products on the site is the Dell Mini 10, which can be customized with exclusive artist designs. There will be different artists featured on that site regularly, so you can check back from time to time to see if your favourite is there.

Lenovo officially announces Ideapad S10-2 netbook

Lenovo has today officially launched the 10-inch Ideapad S10-2 netbook. It was a matter of time before the model was officially confirmed as the manual for the Ideapad S10-2 appeared on Lenovo’s site last week. The Ideapad S10-2 netbook is a refresh of the existing Ideapad S10 that is thinner and lighter than the original and comes with a larger touchpad and keyboard, a fancy new lid design and optional integrated 3G.

The 10.1-inch display is now glossy and has a 1024×600 resolution. The keyboard has been expanded to 89 percent that of a full size laptop and now has a larger Shift Key. All models of the S10-2 will ship with Lenovo’s QuickStart instant-on operating system and its VeriFace facial recognition software. The new Ideapad S10-2 weighs just 1kg (2.2lbs). Read more

Lenovo’s netbook future sees Windows 7 and in-built 3G

Lenovo believes that the future of netbooks will see Windows 7 becoming the dominant operating system, in-built 3G functionality becoming commonplace, lower prices and netbooks not being constrained by small systems i.e. we could see netbooks entering 12-14-inch territory.

Linux users will be disappointed to hear that Lenovo claims that consumers are confused by Linux netbooks. “There were a lot of netbooks loaded with Linux, which saves $50 or $100 or whatever it happens to be, based on Microsoft’s pricing and, again, from an industry standpoint, there were a lot of returns because people didn’t know what to do with it,” claims Lenovo’s worldwide competitive analyst, Matt Kohut, in an interview with Tech.Blorge. Read more

MSI Wind U123 netbook official promo video

The 10.2-inch MSI Wind U123 netbook is a refresh of the popular Wind U100 and comes with the faster N280 Atom CPU. The U123 recently started shipping in the US and now MSI has released an official promotional video highlighting all of its virtues. Strangely the video is silent, however the video is self explanatory and full of text to explain the U123’s full feature set.

The MSI U123 netbook comes with a 10-inch (1024 x 600) display powered by a 1.66Ghz N280 Intel Atom CPU and 945GSE chipset. Graphics are served by Intel’s GMA950. Other features include WiFi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.0, 1.3MP webcam and a 4-in-1 card reader. The Wind U123 comes with a 6-cell battery (5200 mAh) as standard. The Wind U123 is available in four colours (pearl White, grey, black and blue). As we stand, there is still no confirmation on pricing or availability in Europe. Check out the video after the jump. Read more

Toshiba Dynabook UX (aka NB200) netbook tested

Toshiba Japan’s Dynabook UX, the company’s first 10-inch netbook, is also known as the NB200 in Western markets. The Dynabook follows on from the 8.9-inch NB100 netbook and according to some, could go on to become a best-seller for Toshiba. Portable Monkey has followed its initial impressions of the Dynabook with a full review.

The model they played with corresponds to the Toshiba NB200-11H SKU planned for the UK market costing £366.85, bar the 6-cell battery. This is not the top of the range SKU, that accolade goes to the Toshiba NB200-10Z (Brown) and NB200-110 (White) which both include Bluetooth for a few pounds extra.

As we have seen with recent previews, build quality was above par compared to other netbooks. The chiclet keyboard was found to be very good, although not quite as good as the one seen on the Asus Eee PC 1000HE. The touchpad was nice and large with the mouse buttons having good responsiveness. Battery life on the 3-cell lasted a commendable 3.5 hours. One of the main negative points was a very low sound volume from the speakers. Check out the key points after the break. Read more

Dell Mini 10 6-cell battery in pictures

The option to purchase a 6-cell battery for the Dell Mini 10 netbook appeared just a couple of weeks ago and the first impressions are now coming through. We’ve included a few photos of the 6-cell battery after the break from the MyDellMini forums and from what we’ve seen it’s not the prettiest solution. This is as much to do with how slim-line the Mini 10 is more than anything else.

As with the HP 6-cell battery options, at least it should provide a nice tilt when typing. Users are reporting that the Mini 10 gets roughly 5.5 to 6 hours of usage with the new 6-cell battery. For now, the 6-cell option has still not appeared in Europe, although it can’t be too long now. Read more

Verizon to launch subsidised HP Mini 1000 on May 17th

Verizon Wireless is set to launch its first subsidised netbook, the HP Mini 1000 on May 17th according to BoyGeniusReport. We already knew that the specific model that Verizon will be selling is the HP Mini 1151NR.

The model is a fairly standard in terms of specs. It has a 10.1-inch (1024 x 576) display and is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB RAM and 80GB hard drive. It comes with a 3-cell battery and weighs 1.1kg (2.45lbs). The 1151NR will be sold across all channels.

Pricing hasn’t been confirmed right now, but according to the report a $199 with a 2-year contract is being hinted at. That doesn’t seem like a great deal to me as HP Mini netbooks start at around $350 without being locked into a pricey monthly fee.

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