Toshiba NB200 gets some hands-on impressions
May 8, 2009 at 4:47 pm
The Toshiba NB200 netbook is set to launch later this month in the UK and according to NetbookNews.de, Toshiba could have a potential best-seller in its midst. They went hands-on with two versions of the NB200. If you remember, we recently reported that Toshiba is planning five different SKUs costing between £319 to £369.
The models tested were the black Toshiba NB200-11L (£332.35) and the more expensive brown Toshiba NB200-11H (£366.85). The main differences between the two are that the 11L comes with a N270 Atom CPU whilst the 11H comes with the N280 CPU. The 11H also comes with a chiclet keyboard against a normal keyboard for the 11L. Read more
Asus Eee PC T91 netbook UK pricing revealed
May 8, 2009 at 2:28 pm
The Asus Eee PC T91 convertible tablet is expected to have a suggested retail cost of £449 when it launches in the UK. We are expecting the T91 to launch in late May or early June, although no specific date has been set thus far.
The Eee PC T91 is an 8.9-inch touchscreen convertible netbook, similar in form factor to Gigabyte’s 10-inch T1028 netbook. As far as we are aware, the model released will not be the 3G equipped T91GO, but just the standard version.
The T91 will come with an 8.9-inch (1024 x 600) touchscreen display powered by a 1.33GHz Z520 Intel Atom CPU. Storage will be catered by a 32GB SSD and optional extras include GPS, 3G and a TV tuner. As well as Windows XP, it will also come with Asus’ Easy Mode software to be used in tablet mode. The final specs may be subject to change, but we’ll come back to you with confirmation as soon as we have it.
Via Electric Pig.
Samsung N110 netbook now shipping in UK
May 8, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Apologies for the overdose of Samsung N110 related news this morning, but a tipster has just informed us that the N110 is now in stock and shipping in the UK. This follows the N110 product page appearing on the Samsung UK site just this morning.
Dixons has the Samsung N110 netbook in stock and is selling it for £349.99. There is no surprise on the price as we were made aware of this earlier today. Even better news is that if you use the code ‘15OFF’ then the N110 can be yours for just £334.99.
I’m not sure whether Dixons has an exclusive on the Samsung N110 netbook, but I have not seen it appear anywhere else, even on pre-order. It’s no wonder I couldn’t find it listed at Dixons, as they named it the NC110 instead of the N110. We’ve included a screen grab after the jump. We’ll hopefully be getting a review unit at some point soon. Read more
Samsung N110 gets UK price, official product page up
May 8, 2009 at 9:55 am
Whilst the Samsung N110 is still not available to pre-order in any of the main UK retailers, we may be one step closer, after the product page has now appeared on the official Samsung UK website. It’s strange that whilst both Samsung’s N120 and N310 netbooks have already hit UK retail, both of those product pages are still not up, yet the N110 netbook is, which isn’t available.
We have also now learned that the Samsung N110’s suggested retail price in the UK will be £349. Obviously, retailers will price this down slightly on release, but consumers need to consider whether the refresh is worth spending nearly £50 extra over the NC10, which retails for just over £300 on Amazon
Samsung N110 netbook reviewed – worthy successor to NC10
May 8, 2009 at 9:33 am
Whilst there is still little sign of the Samsung N110 making on appearance on UK shores, TrustedReviews managed to take one for a spin. The Samsung N110 is effectively a light refresh over the best-selling NC10 netbook. Its improvements include an expanded touchpad and a higher capacity 6-cell 5900mAh battery (versus 5200mAh in the NC10) that should give 9.5 hours of continuous use according to Samsung.
The design is also slightly different with a glossy lid and red trim. The other main change is that the N110 will come with a glossy display as opposed to the matte one found in the NC10. Other than that, its specs are fairly similar. The N110 is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU and 1GB RAM. It also has a 160GB (5,400 rpm) hard-disk drive. It also comes with Wi-Fi (b/g), Bluetooth and Windows XP Home SP3.
TrustedReviews found that the Samsung N110 to be one of the best netbooks money can buy, offering a good keyboard, strong build quality, excellent battery life and attractive styling. Whilst current NC10 owners may not have anything to compel them to upgrade, those currently in the market will have a lot to find here. Overall they scored they the N110 9/10, if you head over to the site they also have a video review up. Click through for the key points of the review. Read more
Samsung N310 reviewed – hindered by price & battery life
May 7, 2009 at 11:14 pm
What Laptop has come out with the first review of Samsung’s N310 netbook. Whilst they lauded the netbooks unique design, they felt it didn’t quite sit right when looking at its price/performance ratio. At 1.2kg, portability was distinctly average, but what really hindered the overall proposition was a battery life lasting just 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Given the emphasis on battery life by most manufacturers nowadays this just doesn’t cut the mustard. Judging by today’s earlier Asus Eee PC 10008HA reviews, performance doesn’t have to be sacrificed for a sexy design. The review doesn’t state what conditions this battery life was achieved so we’ll reserve judgement until we get a chance to test the 4-cell 4400mAh lithium ion battery ourselves.
On the more positive side, they loved the pebble (chiclet) keyboard, with decent spacing between keys and a comfortable typing experience. Overall they rated the Samsung N310 7/10. Check out a summary of the review after the jump. Read more
Novell collaborates with Intel to push Moblin netbook OS
May 7, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Intel and Novell have today announced a deal to push Moblin, the open source Linux platform designed for netbooks using the Intel Atom processor. As part of the deal, Novell will help to create a Moblin-based OS targeted for netbooks. It will also create an open lab in Taiwan to push Moblin adoption to the main netbook vendors i.e. Taiwanese based Asustek, Acer and MSI. The Novell distribution will be based on Moblin v2 for Netbooks.
If you remember, Moblin was originally created by Intel, but it recently handed over control to the Linux Foundation. The move was viewed as an attempt to attract more interest from netbook vendors who are currently steadfastly sticking with Windows XP. Judging from the Novell announcement, Intel still appears to be actively promoting the technology. Read more
LG X120 netbook unboxed & initial impressions
May 7, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Engadget has got their hands on a final retail version of the 10-inch LG X120 netbook. They’ve posted a number of unboxing pictures on their website and it’s hard not to notice how glossy the palm rest and screen bezel are. Initial impressions seem to be positive with a solid build quality, a matte white finish on the exterior with lime green highlights and a perfectly usable keyboard. LG’s instant on OS called Smart On (which is powered by Splashtop) was also found to be quick to start up.
The LG X120 was due to hit Europe for an April launch, although it has so far failed to materialise on UK shores. As soon as we hear anything concrete on release dates and pricing we’ll let you know. In the meantime, head over to Engadget for the full gallery of photos. More in-depth impressions are expected to follow at a later point.
Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell review roundup
May 7, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Whilst Asus’ Eee PC 1008HA Seashell netbook is not set to hit UK retail until May 15, two reviews have already popped up, from TrustedReviews and What Laptop. The general theme across both reviews was positive with What Laptop viewing the Seashell as a “compelling proposition” which offers excellent mobility with the main negative point being the lack of ports.
TrustedReviews believes that the 1008HA Seashell is a very refined and classy netbook that offers excellent battery life. The non-replaceable battery may hinder some, but for others, the 1008HA may be worth the premium due to the fact that Asus has created a slim and light netbook without sacrificing functionality. TrustedReviews awarded it 9/10. We hope to be receiving a review sample at some point soon. Click through for a full summary of both reviews. Read more
Dell Mini 10v on the horizon; Ubuntu & SSD options appear for Mini 10
May 7, 2009 at 12:18 pm
A number of upgrades to Dells Mini 10 netbook have been on the agenda since an internal roadmap was leaked last month. We have already seen Dell add options for a higher resolution display and 6-cell battery and it now looks like it will be releasing a refresh, dubbed the Mini 10v.
The Dell Mini 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. In fact it looks like Dell will be marketing the Mini 10v at $299, which is $100 cheaper than the current base configuration. Dell anticipates this model will start shipping in mid-May in the US.
Engadget is also reporting that Dell has added SSD options for the Mini 10. It seems that this option is only appearing for the new Dell Mini 10 Linux version, which now comes with Ubuntu 8.0.4, and not the Windows version for now. The 32GB SSD upgrade will set you back $75 whilst a 64GB SSD will cost $125. The Ubuntu version will start shipping from 28 May with the base package costing $369. The screen grabs are attached after the break. Read more
HANNspree unveils 10-inch HANNSnote netbook for Europe
May 7, 2009 at 11:39 am
HANNspree, traditionally known for its LCD monitors, is to enter the netbook segment with the HANNSnote netbook. Whilst HANNspree notes that the netbook segment is “highly competitive” it feels that it can differentiate itself with its range of designer netbooks.
The 10-inch (1024 x 600) HANNsnote appears to be a rebadged MSI Wind and the specifications you’ll find are the usual 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU, 1GB RAM and 160GB HDD. However, it will feature a full-sized keyboard as well as Wi-Fi (b/g/n), a 1.3MP webcam, Bluetooth and three USB ports.
The HANNSnote will also include a 6-cell battery and weigh just 1.2kg. It will launch in the UK in June for an estimated £289 in glossy piano black and glossy ice white. Check out some pictures after the jump. Read more
Asus Eee PC 1002HAE netbook with aluminium skin
May 7, 2009 at 11:10 am
Asus has announced yet another Eee PC netbook and they just keep one-upping themselves on their confusing model naming structure. The 10-inch Asus Eee PC 1002HAE appears to be a refresh of its elegant 1002HA netbook. However, Asus has taken the design cues one step further with the 1002HAE, by dressing this particular variant in a gorgeous aluminium skin which will come in Deep Red, Dark Blue and Metal Grey colours.
Asus has also upped the power under the hood to a 1.66GHx N280 Atom CPU (as opposed to the 1.6GHz N270 found in the Eee PC 1002HA). The rest of the specifications remain the same. The 1002HAE netbook comes with a 10-inch (1024 x 600) LED-backlit display, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard-disk drive. Other features include wireless draft n support, a 1.3MP webcam and a card reader. The battery should last 3.8 hours. Read more
Dell finalising an Android netbook?
May 6, 2009 at 5:48 pm
There has been much talk about Google Android’s operating software being ported over to netbooks. During this time there has been numerous speculation tying Android to most of the major netbook vendors including Asus, Acer, MSI and HP. Up until now Dell has been tight-lipped on its Android plans, but unsurprisingly it looks like a Dell Android netbook may be on the cards.
Bsquare, a software company that provides software for embedded devices, has put out a press release saying that it will be porting Adobe’s Flash Lite 3.17 technology onto Dell Netbooks running Google’s Android platform.
“Integrating Adobe Flash technology with the functionality of Google’s Android platform on the full range of Netbook devices will allow our OEM customers to meet the high expectations their customers have of this new industry segment,” said Bsquare’s CEO Brian Crowley.
There was little other information in the press release. The fact that Dell may be working on an Android netbook can’t be a surprise to anyone. Acer’s product manager, Jim Wong, recently confirmed that pretty much every major netbook manufacturer is testing Android on netbooks right now. All we await now are some official announcements.
Via Engadget.
NU and Brando release netbook docking stations
May 6, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Two companies, NU and Brando, have today both announced universal netbook docks. NU’s netbook docking station is not too dissimilar to the one we saw last week from Century. It comes built-in with a Super-Multi DVD drive, a 2.5-inch HDD enclosure, 4cm cooling fan and two USB ports. NU says the dock will be compatible with both 9-inch and 10-inch netbooks. The optical drive can burn both CDs and DVDs whilst the fan can be switched on and off. There is no mention of price or availability right now.
Brando’s certainly looks more brash, coming in a bright pink colour. Its USB Mini Netbook Cooling Pad comes with a 2.5-inch HDD dock, three-port hub and a cooling fan. The dock looks pretty thick and bulky and certainly not as sleek as NU’s solution. Check out some pictures of both docks after the jump. Read more
Acer Aspire One 751 reviewed – beauty only skin deep
May 6, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Pocket-Lint has posted the first English review of Acer’s 11.6-inch Aspire One 751 netbook. Now whether one classifies an 11.6-inch device as a netbook rather than notebook is debateable. However, considering that Acer has bunched the 751 with the Aspire One family and Asus will be doing tagging their rumoured 11.6-inch device to its Eee line, it’s a definition that consumers should get used to.
Overall, whilst they loved the design decisions made by Acer, which includes striking angles in a skinny form-factor, they felt it was let down by a poor keyboard and weak performance. Whilst they welcomed the higher resolution not normally seen in netbooks at 1366 x 768 pixels, they felt it was underpowered, limiting the ability to watch HD content. They awarded the 751 a 6/10 and felt that “it looks great out and about, but has so many issues, it is a nightmare to live with“. Check out the key points of the review after the jump. Read more
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