Pixel Qi’s 3Qi Hybrid display shown off at CES [Video]

We have already seen a few demos of Pixel Qi’s e-ink killing, 3Qi display, but there’s always room for more. The 3-in-1 display can not only switch between an efficient black-and-white mode and a high resolution colour screen, but also to an e-paper mode suitable for reading in direct sunlight.

The possibilities for such a screen extend behind obvious e-reader devices. Judging by the number of hands-on videos (after the break) we’ve seen, it seems that this is genuinely innovative technology and once refined, could feature on many netbooks/notebooks/smartbooks of the future as well as e-readers.

Being able to turn off the backlight saves you 2W of power (down to 0.5W) so you could extend the battery life of your device too if needed. We were hoping that we’d see some firm product announcements at CES of devices using these displays, but until we do, check out a number of hands-on video impressions after the jump. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1201NL: Single-core ION netbook spotted

The 12.1-inch Asus Eee PC 1201N is widely recognized as one of the fastest netbooks on the market right now. Hardly surprising considering it includes a 1.6GHz dual-core Atom 330 processor and Nvidia ION chipset.

However, it looks like Asus is planning on releasing another model in the 1201 Seashell netbook range (we already have the 1201HA and 1201T too). The new Eee PC 1201NL was spotted at CES with a single-core 1.6GHz N270 Atom and Nvidia ION chipset. It will be sold with Windows 7 Starter rather than Windows 7 Home Premium, found on the 1201N. Read more

Qualcomm prepping 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon 8X72 chip

Qualcomm is planning on launching at least two new Snapdragon chipsets this year. The first is a 45nm version of the current Snapdragon, the 8X50A, which will have a 1.3GHz clock speed. It will be offered to OEMs later this month and products are expected by the end of the year.

Also, just before the year end, Qualcomm will launch the 8X72, a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon chipset to be used in upcoming smartbooks and maybe some high-end smartphones. The chip will be capable of encoding 1080p HD video content.

Via Hexus.

Intel launches AppUp Centre, Atom-powered netbook app store

Intel has officially unveiled the beta of its netbook application store, dubbed the AppUp Centre. As you would expect, the app store is primarily for Intel Atom-powered devices. This launch follows the developer SDK beta in early December, currently Intel have 3,000 developers signed up to the program.

Both free and paid-for apps will be listed including social networking, media and IM apps. These will be broken down into different categories including education, entertainment, games, communication, home & family and social. Read more

Alienware M11x: 11.6-inch gaming behemoth

Dell has announced the 11.6-inch Alienware M11x, the closest thing to a netbook we’re ever likely to see from the company. It is much more powerful than any ION netbook we’ve come across and offers switchable graphics with its powerful Nvidia GeForce 335M that features a 35W TDP and 1GB of dedicated memory (more than my desktop GPU!)

Whilst specs are thin on the ground, we do know it will be powered by a Intel Core 2 Duo processor. According to various reports, build quality is very good and the keyboard is backlit. The 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) glossy display is also sharp and colourful. To give you an idea on 3D gaming performance, Dell says that the 3DMark06 score is in the region of 6000 to 7000 (4-5x faster than the 11.6” Samsung N510 ION that we reviewed recently). Read more

LG outs 11.6-inch X300 ultrathin

LG has unveiled a new super-skinny 11.6-inch ultraportable called the X300. It measures just 17.6mm and weighs just 970g. Whilst no pricing details have been revealed, the fanless X300 does not look cheap. It sports a tiny bezel with flush display.

The LG X300 is powered by a 2.0GHz Z550 Atom, 2GB RAM and a solid-state drive. It sports a chiclet keyboard and borderless touchpad that has hidden lighting and tactile feedback.

It comes with a 2-cell battery (including spare), which combined should last for 7 hours. Other features include a 1.3MP webcam, Bluetooth, embedded 3G and SRS TruSurround HD. The LG X100 will be hitting retail next month globally. Check out some larger pics after the jump. Read more

Nvidia Tegra 2 officially announced; 4x the power of its predecessor

Nvidia has formally announced the 40nm Tegra 2 chipset. The new chip combines a dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor (running up to 1GHz speeds) with Nvidia graphics to create a platform expected to be used in a number of HD tablets, smartbooks and smartphones launching this year.

As you would expect, Tegra 2 can stream 1080p video, has HDMI-out and benefits from Flash Player 10.1 hardware acceleration. It does all this with an all day battery life. According to Nvidia, Tegra can deliver over 16 hours of HD video (140 hours of music) on a single charge – astonishing if true. Read more

Sleek MSI Wind U160 gets UK launch details

We’ve already praised MSI for finally launching a netbook with a sexy design. We now have some more details on specs as well as UK pricing and availability. The Wind U160 measures just 1-inch in thickness and weighs a lowly 1kg.

The 10.1-inch, N450 Atom-powered netbook has a 9-hour battery life when using the extended battery. Other features include a chiclet keyboard, gold chassis as well as Windows 7. The U160 will go on sale in the UK from March 2010 priced at £329.

Gateway EC14D: 11.6-inch CULV with optical drive

Gateway has announced the 11.6-inch EC14D CULV-powered ultra-thin, the first to feature a built-in 8x DVD drive. The $629 model seems reasonably well-specced for the price, armed with a 1.3GHz Pentium SU4100 processor, 4GB Ram and a 320GB HDD.

Other features include a HDMI port, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and Windows 7 Home Premium. Check the full spec-list after the jump. The EC14D is due to land later this month. Read more

Fujitsu LifeBook UH900 UMPC / MH380 netbook video hands-on

Fujitsu has unleashed a number of products at CES, but the two relevant here are the 5.6-inch UH900 UMPC and 10-inch MH380 netbook. The champagne-coloured UH900 weighs just 1.1lbs and supports a 5.6-inch multi-touch display as well as Windows 7. The UH900 is powered by a 1.6GHz Z530 Atom, 2GB Ram and a 64GB SSD. It also comes with a Garmin app, allowing you to use it for GPS, other features include two USB ports, card reader and mini VGA. It doesn’t come cheap though at $1,000.

The $449 MH380 netbook has a 10-inch display and comes with a glossy red finish and flat black keyboard. Apart from a high-resolution screen (1366 x 768) the rest of the features are the same as most other recently released Pine Trail netbooks. This includes a 1.66GHz N450 Atom processor, 1GB Ram, 250GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter. You also get Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth and webcam thrown into the mix too. However, the MH380 has a circular scrolling pad, the first time we’ve seen something like it in a netbook. Check out videos of both devices in action after the break. Read more

HP Slate Tablet with mystery specs unveiled [Video]

HP drew back the curtains on a Slate tablet device running Windows 7. The device was unveiled at the Microsoft CES keynote by Steve Ballmer but very little is actually known about, including the name.

The slate tablet has been confirmed by HP who said it will be “available later this year.” Judging by the pictures it looks like it sports a 10-inch flush display surrounded by metal chassis. Check out a promo video of the mystery slate after the break. We’ve also attached a couple of larger shots of the slate courtesy of Gizmodo. Read more

MSI’s dual-screen netbook/e-reader looks superb [Video]

Rumours that MSI is planning a dual-screen netbook have been around for a while now. MSI is now showing a prototype in CES that sports two 10.1-inch multitouch capacitive displays in a clamshell form-factor. It means you can use it as an e-reader with pages on either display or as a netbook with the bottom display bringing up a virtual keyboard.

It is powered by a Atom Z-series processor and comes with Windows 7 Home Premium. It will also include an accelerometer in the final version. Both displays can be used when navigating Windows 7, dragging stuff from the top display to the bottom one etc. The software is patchy, but considering this is an early build that’s not surprising.

Whilst the device remains a prototype for now, MSI are planning on bringing this to the market within the next 12 months. Start saving those pennies though, it’s not likely to come cheap. Check out Engadget’s hands-on video after the jump. Read more

HP demos Snapdragon-powered Android smartbook prototype

HP is showing off a new concept smartbook over at CES in Las Vegas. The smartbook is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon (QSD8250) chipset and is loaded up with the Android operating system. It also has a 10-inch resistive touchscreen display

As with other smartbooks it has 3G and WiFi for always-on connectivity. In terms of exterior, this is no Lenovo Skylight, not a surprise given it’s a prototype. The chassis used looks almost the same as the current HP Mini netbooks. There are no other details for now, but check out some hands-on videos after the break. Read more

Sony Vaio W ‘Eco Edition’ netbook announced

Sony has upgraded its Vaio W netbook with the Eco Edition. The new Vaio W series generates 10 percent lower CO2 emissions during production compared to its predecessor. It has recycled plastic parts, an innovative carry bag and an electronic manual (presumably loaded onto the netbook). The 10.1-inch (1366 x 768) LED backlit display is also mercury-free.

To make sure you know about its green credentials, Sony has used a mint green palm rest and touchpad. The carry bag has been designed to replace the cardboard box that normal electronic devices come in. Therefore the Vaio W Eco Edition will ship straight to your door in this bag. The outer fabric is manufactured using 100% recycled PET bottles. Read more

Shootout: 1.6GHz Intel Atom vs. 500MHz dual-core Cortex A9 [Video]

For those doubting the threat that ARM poses to Intel in the portable space should watch the following video. It shows a 1.6GHz Intel Atom netbook pitted against a 500MHz dual-core Cortex A9 development board in a browser rendering test.

Both devices are running the same operating system, using the same browser and are running on the same corporate network. Whilst you may expect the ARM chip to severely lag the Atom, it’s amazing to see how close it keeps up to Intel’s CPU (especially as the Atom platform has integrated graphics which is lacking on the Cortex A9). Smartphones with the power of netbooks coming soon? Check out the video after the break. Read more

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