CrunchPad tablet prototype unboxed on video
June 14, 2009 at 10:42 pm
The CrunchPad is a 12-inch tablet device being designed by TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington. Unlike other types of tablet devices, the sole purpose of the CrunchPad is to be an internet device. It comes with no physical keyboard or hard drive and boots directly into a browser.
A prototype version has been caught on video with a very short unboxing. This is the older design that is seen, the newer version comes with a flush display and appears to be much thinner. The unit wasn’t switched on unfortunately, with the host claiming that there wasn’t a network connection.
The near-final packaging is showcased and it looks like the colour of the packaging will match the actual colour of the CrunchPad you buy, pink in this particular case. The device will be out this year according to the host and I was a bit perplexed to see a huge Bing sticker on the back of the CrunchPad. Check out the video after the jump. Read more
NbC: MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbook unboxed
June 13, 2009 at 11:35 pm
MSI were kind enough to send over the much-talked-about Wind U115 netbook. This 10-inch netbook differs from almost every other netbook out there by including two hard-drives within its chassis. In the particular model we have you’ll find an 8GB SSD and 160GB HDD. We understand that other SKUs were planned with different hard-drive capacities, but I’m not sure how that’s changed with Microsoft now ‘banning’ hybrid netbooks.
Given how much tech MSI has managed to squeeze into the case, I’ve very impressed to see that the weight is no heavier than the Samsung N120 at around 1.3kg, including a 6-cell battery. This particular model isn’t really aimed at the fashionista, you won’t find any dynamic angles, striking curves or chrome effects on the U115. However, it does have a printed design on the glossy lid and it comes with a matte display which always earns a tick in our books.
The keyboard looks a little small, but that’s bound to be the impression when you’ve just spent a lot of time with the Samsung N120, which has a 97-percent sized keyboard. The touchpad also looks small and the single rocker bar sits a bit too flush with the palm rest, which means I often have to look to see where the left mouse button is. The Wind U115 is all about battery life though and we’re very much looking forward to seeing how it fares against the competition. We should have a review up in a couple of weeks, in the meantime check out our unboxing pictures below. Read more
HP planning to release a smartbook later this year?
June 13, 2009 at 11:35 pm
The smartbook term has quickly caught on, despite only being conceived a matter of weeks ago. It refers to a new breed of ultraportables powered by ARM-based chips that are always connected to the internet and have long battery lives. We saw a number of smartbooks at Computex but most were from ODMs, apart from a Snapdragon-powered Eee PC.
Now, according to Collins Stewart analyst Ashok Kumar, Hewlett-Packard is looking to launch a smartbook later this year powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. The report claims that this will be manufactured by Foxconn Electronics. In response to this rumour, HP told TheStreet.com: “We don’t comment on rumours or products that may or may not be under way.”
If true, HP would be the first major vendor to embrace smartbooks. This segment could become very big and may become a thorn in Intel’s side. I can’t see these big players selling smartbooks exclusively, but they may start to cannibalise netbook sales just as netbooks did to laptops. My view is that smartbooks will be offered more by telecom operators on subsidised contracts, rather than sold directly to the end-consumer. Despite this I can’t see Intel being happy by such a move and it would be interesting to see how they respond.
Via Liliputing.
MSI UK responds to Microsoft’s hybrid netbook ban
June 12, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Last week we reported on a story that Microsoft was looking to ban netbook manufacturers that produce hybrid storage netbooks whilst running Windows XP. The only major netbook that this really affects is the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid, which uses a 8GB SSD and 160GB HDD. We have now had official word from MSI that confirms Microsoft’s stance.
Richard Stewart, MSI’s UK Marketing Manager, confirmed to us that it will not be removing the U115 Hybrid netbook from retailer’s shelves. “MSI will continue to sell the U115 until our current stock in the UK (and WW) has been sold,“ Stewart said. He did, however confirm that production of the U115 Hybrid will cease at the end of July at Microsoft’s request. What this means is that if you are considering this product then you better not hang around for too long. Stewart even feels that the U115 Hybrid will become a “special limited edition” product.
MSI kindly sent us a review sample of the U115 Hybrid and we should have some unboxing pictures for you tomorrow.
Windows 7 will ship browser-less in Europe
June 12, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Microsoft will ship Windows 7 without Internet Explorer 8. This is in response to the EU’s antitrust investigation into its bundling of its browser with Windows. This version will be called Windows 7 E. It will be exactly the same as other Windows 7 versions available in other regions and will only differ with the removal of IE8.
This will apply to both OEM and retail versions, meaning that the question now asked is how will you stick a browser onto your new system without a browser? OEMs will have the option to add the browser back in, ship another browser, or ship multiple browsers. “Computer manufacturers will be able to add any browser they want to their Windows 7 machines, including Internet Explorer, so European consumers who purchase new PCs will be able to access the Internet without any problem. Consumers will also be able to add any Web browser to their PCs, to supplement or replace the browsers preinstalled by their computer manufacturer,” said Dave Heiner, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. Read more
Lenovo Ideapad S10-2 gets unboxed
June 12, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Lenovo’s 10-inch Ideapad S10-2 is a refresh of the current Ideapad S10. It improves the S10 in a number of subtle areas including a bigger keyboard and touchpad, a new textured lid design as well as making the S10-2 both thinner and lighter. It also has optional 3G. The new model does lack an Expresscard slot which is disappointing.
The first unboxing pictures have been spotted over at the Netbook Philippines Forums. I really like the fancy new lid design that differentiates itself from the swathe of netbooks out there. The 6-cell battery does stick out unattractively, however Lenovo looks like they’ve made upgradeability a cinch.
There are two separate panel covers one of the RAM and one for the HDD/WI-FI and 3G modules. An empty PCI-E slot can be used to install a Mini PCI-E 3G modem, if you wish. The screen is glossy unfortunately, but apart from that it looks pretty good. Check out the unboxing pictures over at Netbook Philippines Forums.
Via Liliputing.
Asus Eee PC 1005HA Seashell pre-orders open in US
June 12, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Whilst official launch details or pricing has yet to be revealed, the Eee PC 1005HA Seashell has now been spotted for pre-order. BeachCamera.com has the unit up for pre-order with prices starting at a very reasonable $350. The 1005HA Seashell has a removable battery and is slightly thicker than the 1008HA Seashell.
Whilst there is no mention of the 1005HA-H and 1005HA-M SKUs, there will be two different models offered by the retailer. The configuration, which includes a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU, will cost $350 and is available in black or white. For a slightly faster CPU, 1.66GHz N280 processor, this will set you back $389 and will come in black or blue. There’s no signs of the Eee PC 1005HA’s pre-order availability in the UK right now.
Via Portable Monkey.
Video: Compal and FIC netbooks running Moblin v2.0 Beta
June 12, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Despite Computex Taipei finishing last week, we are still hearing about a number of models that didn’t share the limelight last week. Amongst them are two netbooks from ODMs that were spotted by NetbookNews at the Intel booth running Moblin v2.0 beta, the Compal KTV00 and FIC CW001.
The Compal KTV00 was a reasonably slim model with some similarities to Dell’s Inspiron Mini 10 due to its huge touchpad and integrated mouse buttons within the touchpad itself. It comes with a 10-inch (1024 x 600) glossy display. The keyboard itself looked average, whilst it was powered by the N270 Atom CPU.
The 10-inch FIC CW001 looked quite average. It did have some dedicated buttons for ‘Home’, ‘Email’ and ‘Pictures’, although they didn’t seem to work at the booth. Other notable points of interest included an Expresscard slot, which isn’t found on too many netbooks. The keyboard an touchpad seemed a bit small, whilst VGA ports and a Kensington lock were fond at the rear. Check out both videos after the jump. Read more
Atom N270/N280-based netbooks unlikely to get Windows 7
June 12, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Netbook manufacturers may end up keeping any models based on Intel’s N270 or N280 Atom processors running on Windows XP rather than upgrade to Windows 7. The rationale behind such a move is that due to intense competition in the netbook segment, putting prices up (as would be the case with Windows 7) would put them at a strategic disadvantage.
It is believed that the latest quotes from Microsoft on Windows 7 is around the $45-$55 mark. This compares to the OEM price of Windows XP which is around $25-$30. Although, other rumours have pointed to an XP price as low as $15. The top manufacturers are still negotiating with Microsoft to try and bring the price down.
However, vendors do not see Windows 7 being a big selling point when it comes to netbooks as they believe that most consumers believe Windows XP is good enough for a netbook. At the moment, Windows 7 is only being considered for the next generation of Atom ‘Pineview’ processors including 1.66GHz Atom N450 based devices.
Update: Samsung has said that it “will run Windows XP for as long as we can,” speaking to Laptop Mag. It said that as things stand, it wasn’t convinced of Windows 7 Starter Edition.
Via Digitimes.
Samsung and Dell planning 11.6-inch netbook models?
June 12, 2009 at 9:45 am
Some of the leading netbook manufacturers are jumping onto the 11.6” netbook bandwagon, with Acer having released the Aspire One 751 and Asus planning the Eee PC 1101HA to be released shortly. Well it looks like both Samsung and Dell may also be planning 11.6-inch netbook models.
According to a report from Digitimes, the Taiwanese based LCD panel manufacturer, Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT), has landed orders from both Dell and Samsung for 11.6-inch netbook display panels. There’s scant information apart from that, but we would hardly be surprised if the news were true. Read more
Archos launches new ultra-slim 10s MiniPC netbook
June 11, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Archos has officially launched the follow-up to the Archos 10, called the Archos 10s. As you can probably tell by the model name, the two are very similar in specifications and the 10s should be seen as an aesthetic upgrade. The ‘s’ stands for slim and it doesn’t disappoint there, measuring just 22.5m in thickness and weighing 1.06kg with the 3-cell battery. The original Archos 10 was 28mm thick and weighed 1.3kg.
The technical specifications remain exactly the same, including the maximum 1GB RAM restriction. However, what I did notice is that the 10.2-inch (1024 x 600) 10s does not appear to have a VGA slot or Kensington lock. Apart from that, you’ll get a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU & 945GSE chipset under the hood. This will come with 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. There’s no Bluetooth, but you do get Wi-Fi (b/g), three USB ports, card reader, a 1.3MP webcam and a choice of a 6-cell battery. Pricing for the Archos 10s has not been announced, but the will launch sometime in June with three-cell and six-cell batteries. Read more
Video: Acer Aspire One Pro 531 hands-on
June 11, 2009 at 5:43 pm
The Acer Aspire One Pro 531 recently officially hit the UK market. The ‘Pro’ in the name denotes that this is targeted to business users. In terms of specifications this is almost exactly the same as the Aspire One 531. The only thing that differs with the Pro versions is that there is a wider choice of operating systems and storage options (including SSDs).
JKKMobile managed to get hands-on with the Pro 531 at Computex last week. It seems like a very attractive netbook, slimline with an understated design. It has a matte textured lid and good build quality. What I can’t understand, is that if this is targeted to business users, why does it have a glossy display? That certainly wouldn’t be welcome be me if I was on the road all the time. Apart from that, it has good upgradability with access to the 2.5-inch hard drive, RAM and optional 3G module. Check out the video after the break. Read more
Intel’s take on restricting netbooks to 10.2-inches
June 11, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Intel was accused of colluding with Microsoft from some quarters when supposed maximum specifications for Windows 7 Starter Edition were revealed. These specs relate to being able to stick Windows 7 Starter Edition on a netbook, which is likely to be a much cheaper proposition than using more expensive Windows 7 SKUs such as Home Premium.
Whilst most of the specs were very similar to that seen currently (for XP), there was one significant change. To get a discounted Windows XP licence, a netbook can be no bigger than 12.1-inches, however to qualify for Windows 7 Starter Edition license this screen size requirement has been reduced to just 10.2-inches. Some say that this has been done to limit cannibalisation of notebooks, which have been hit hard from the growth of the netbook segment. Read more
Asus Eee PC T91 available in UK from “early July”
June 11, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Asus’ first convertible tablet, the 8.9-inch Eee PC T91, was originally slated for a late May/early June release. As things stand though, it is still nowhere to be seen. We got in touch with Asus UK to find out what the deal was and was told that it should now be expected in “early July”.
We pressed for a more definitive date, but they said that the actual launch date will depend on a number of factors that just aren’t known now. All we do know is that “early July” encompasses week 1 and 2 of July. So hopefully by the 11th July this should hit UK stores. They did confirm the price to us though, expecting it to sell at an RRP of £449.
The official specifications were released last week and include a 1.33GHz Z520 Atom CPU with the Poulsbo chipset and 1GB RAM. It will come with 82GB of storage that constitutes a “16GB Solid State Drive + 16GB SD Card + 30GB Portable Hard Disk Drive + 20GB Eee Storage”. Asus claims that the sealed Lithium polymer battery is good for 5 hours of use. However, with a rumoured multi-touch T91 model launching in with Windows 7, £449 may be a bit much to ask for a model that may become superceded so quickly.
Lengda X10S 10-inch netbook gets video hands-on
June 11, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Lengda announced another netbook at Computex that followed on from the 10.2” stainless steel Lengda X10K and 11.1” CULV-based M11A netbook that we’ve already seen. The Lengda X10S is a cheaper model than the above two, but certainly has some interesting features of its own.
It’s quite an attractive, slender netbook with a 10.2” (1024 x 600) matte display and comes with a faux-chrome effect on the side and a chiclet keyboard. The specs don’t differ too much from your usual netbook, you’ll find a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU, 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD under the hood. You’ll also find three USB ports, a couple of audio jacks, VGA, Ethernet and even a switch to turn wireless on and off.
It is a light netbook at 1.15kg but it’s not known what type of battery that comes with it. Whilst the X10S comes with a glossy lid finish, you are able to swap lid covers if you don’t fancy that particular colour! Netbooknews found that the chiclet keyboard was comfortable to type on, despite the layout of keys feeling somewhat small. There was no bending on the keyboard and the touchpad was quite large for a 10-inch netbook. Check out the hands-on video after the break. Read more
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