BenQ’s Joybook Lite U103 netbook sports dual-storage

BenQ has announced the Joybook Lite U103 netbook, its first with the Intel Pine Trail platform. This particular device goes against the recent cookie-cutter netbooks we’ve seen by offering an optional dual storage solution as well as SRS TruSurround HD and SRS CS Headphone.

The U103 comes with a built-in 500GB hard drive and an optional 32GB SSD. Other features include Wi-Fi (b/g/n), a 92-percent keyboard, multi-touch touchpad, 1.3MP webcam, Windows 7 and optional Bluetooth/3G. The 10.1-inch 16:9 netbook comes in a super-slim chassis, measuring less than 1-inch in thickness and weighing just 1.1kg (2.4lbs). Read more

Toshiba NB305 Pine Trail netbook gets hands-on video

I have not seen any official announcement regarding the Toshiba NB300/NB305 netbook, but despite this Laptop Mag has come clean with some hands-on impressions of the Pine Trail netbook. In case you are wondering how it differs from the NB200/NB205, the NB300 has an 11-hour battery that is now flush with the chassis compared to its predecessor whose battery jutted out from the back.

If you were just having a quick glance you’d be forgiven for thinking they were the same device. The design has hardly changed at all, from the stripy textured lid to its chiclet keyboard and large touchpad. This isn’t an issue as we already felt that the NB200 is one of the finest looking netbooks on the market today. Read more

Freescale unveils $200 7-inch smartbook tablet reference design

We expect to see a whole raft of smartbook devices at CES this week. Right on cue, Freescale has revealed a 7-inch (1024 x 600) tablet reference design that it is shopping to potential OEMs. The company hopes that its tablet design would be able to hit retail for less than $200 and could appear as soon as Summer 2010.

As with all smartbooks, the tablet is expected to be always-on and have an all-day battery life. In terms of specifics, the smartbook tablet is based on the i.MX515 processor, which incorporates the ARM Cortex A8 chip. It will also come with 512MB RAM and 4-64 GB of flash storage. Read more

Samsung N210, N220, N150 and NB30 Pine Trail netbooks now official

Samsung has officially confirmed its Intel Pine Trail netbook line-up. It will launch four new netbooks under the model names N210, N220, N150 and NB30. Whilst detailed specifications and pricing is still not available, Samsung says that all four models will be available across all territories in early January.

The netbooks will feature a 10.1-inch LED anti-reflective display powered by a 1.66GHz N450 Pineview Atom processor. The designs of the new netbooks don’t look radically different from what we’re accustomed to. They all sport a scratch-resistant lid and webcam. Read more

Lenovo Thinkpad X100e 11.6” ultraportable gets official

Lenovo has outed the 11.6-inch Thinkpad X100e ultra-thin on its own website, ahead of CES next week. There are few surprises given the detailed leaks that we’ve seen to date. The X100e is a landmark device for us, as it’s the first netbook to sport a trackpoint! As a Thinkpad user myself I much prefer navigating with the trackpoint rather than the touchpad.

Thinkpad’s are known for their great keyboards and the X100e looks like it won’t disappoint in this regard. It will come with an ISO full-sized, spill-resistant chiclet keyboard. Personally I would have preferred their traditional keyboard over a chiclet one, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt until I see one in person. As well as a trackpoint, the X100e is equipped with a multi-touch touchpad that lets you zoom, scroll and rotate using two-finger gestures. Read more

Nvidia ION 2 is a G218 GPU?

There are many question marks over exactly how Nvidia plans to offer its ION graphics solution to Intel Pine Trail netbooks. SemiAccurate is now reporting that ION 2 will not be a chipset, unlike the original ION, but will instead be a G218 GPU “with a few ports added on”.

Two parts are due (GT218-ION-A3 and GT218-ILV-A3) that will be DX10.1 compatible. The G218 will not offer the advancements as rumoured before, and will only see 16 cores running at 535MHz and 1230MHz memory. The TDP of the new chip will be 12W and under 5W at idle.

The inclusion of the chip is likely to reverse the battery gains made by Intel on its new Pine Trail chips. However, I’m sure those looking for extra muscle would be willing to trade-off the worse battery life for better 3D performance. It will be connected over a 1x PCI-E 2.0 link according to the report.

Via Netbooked.

Compaq Mini CQ10 and HP Mini 210 HD netbooks break cover

Two new netbooks have been spotted at an online retailer, presumably ahead of the official CES announcement next week. The 10.1-inch HP Mini 210 HD appears to be exactly the same as the rumoured Mini 210 albeit with Broadcom’s Crystal HD video accelerator. It has been spotted at US retailer Logic Buy for $330, with a release date expected next week.

The rest of the specs are the same as the HP Mini 210. It is powered by a 1.66GHz N450 Pineview Atom, GMA 3150 graphics, 1GB RAM, up to a 250GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter. Other features include Wi-Fi (b/g), a 5-in-1 card reader, webcam and 6-cell battery. Read more

Lenovo Skylight smartbook lands in April for $499 with AT&T

Lenovo is set to announce the Skylight smartbook at CES next week. The tipster who gave us a heads-up on the Ideapad S10-3t has given us the first details of the new smartbook.

The Lenovo Skylight is the company’s first smartbook, powered by the ARM-based Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. It will launch in the US in April, where one will be able to purchase the Skylight on a standalone basis through Lenovo.com for $499 or on a two-year AT&T 3G data contract. The Skylight will then be available in Europe and China later in 2010. Read more

Lenovo Ideapad S10-3t, S10-3 specs & pricing emerge

We have been informed that Lenovo is indeed set to announce the Ideapad S10-3t and S10-3 netbooks at CES next week. That’s not too surprising given the leaks we have already seen, but we also have in our possession first details on technical specifications, pricing and availability.

Lenovo’s third generation of netbooks will be headlined by the Ideapad S10-3t. This convertible tablet/netbook will boast a 10.1-inch multitouch capacitive display. As with other convertible tablets, the display can swivel by 180 degrees to form a touch tablet. Lenovo claims it is built with its NaturalTouch fingertip touch screen technology, versus pressure touch technology. But surely this is how all capacitive displays work? The picture below is the first of the Ideapad S10-3t. Read more

Gateway LT2102H / LT2107H: 10.1” Pine Trail netbooks hit Canada

Gateway has launched a couple of new Intel Pine Trail netbooks in Canada called the LT2102H & LT2107H. The new models look similar to the Acer Aspire One 532h that was officially announced just a few days ago. The LT2100 series comes with 1.66GHz N450 Pineview Atom, 1GB RAM, a 160GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter.

Other features include a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) display, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), card reader, three USB ports, webcam and a multi-touch touchpad. The Gateway LT2102H has a 3-cell 2200mAh battery. (4 hours of battery life) and is listed in stock for C$299.99 (£176, $285, €198). The Gateway LT2107H has a 6-cell battery 4400mAh battery (8 hours of battery life and is listed for C$349.99.

Via Minifrag [via Netbooked].

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