Averatec N1200 reviewed – sexy netbook let down by endurance

The Averatec N1200 10.1-inch netbook has pretty standard specifications (N450 Atom, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter) but comes in an attractive chassis less than an inch thick weighing around 1kg (2.2lbs).

Laptop Mag has put the N1200 netbook through its paces and came back with mixed impressions. The design of the Averatec N1200 is one of the “best-looking netbooks yet” according to the reviewer, with its stylish aluminium lid. It also has a lightweight chassis and large touchpad that wins it brownie points. Read more

HP Slate priced at €400, to come with Atom CPU?

More information on the HP Slate is beginning to leak out. We are now hearing that the HP Slate will be priced at €400 ($540, £360) according to Spanish publication Clipset. The device is expected to be formally announced in June and will hit retail “before Septemer”, at least in Europe.

Specifications will include an Atom processor, Windows 7, Adobe Flash support, card reader, webcam along with USB connectivity. Looks like the Apple iPad will have some competition on its hands.

Via Engadget.

Acer Aspire 1825PT, 1825PTZ convertibles with capacitive display

We have already seen one of the new leaked 11.6-inch ultra-thins due from Acer in the form of the Aspire TimelineX 1830T that packs an Intel Core i5 processor. However this is not all, Acer will announce the Aspire 1825PT and 1825PTZ 11.6-inch netbooks by the end of this month, both featuring a capacitive display.

Both models appear to be upgrades of the 1820PT / 1820PTZ line-up, although as far as we’re aware these models have still not appeared at retail. The 1825PTZ will come with an Intel SU4100 processor, 3GB RAM and 250GB HDD, whilst the 1825PT will feature an Intel SU7300 processor, 4GB RAM and 250GB HDD. Both will come with Windows 7 Home Premium.

Via SaveOnLaptops.

Enable two-finger scroll for your Windows netbook

Not all netbooks come with touchpad gesture control, however Lifehacker has come up with an extensive guide on how to enable two-finger scrolling and other gestures for your Windows netbook/laptop.

Two-finger scrolling allows you to scroll through web pages much like the wheel on a mouse. This can be added via an easy installation of the TwoFingerScroll utility that, as well as scrolling, provides additional tapping commands to add shortcuts to your touchpad. Read more

Archos 13 notebook packs dual-core Atom processor

We don’t normally cover devices greater than 12-inches here at NbC, but we’re making an exception for the Archos A13PS. It piqued our interest as it’s one of the very few notebooks of that size that will be powered by a dual-core D510 Atom processor.

Now I’m not entirely sure why Archos opted for the Atom solution here instead of looking at Intel ULV processors. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the company wanted good graphics and battery life and may be looking to include next-gen ION in the package. Other details are thin on the ground apart form the fact it will come with Windows 7 Home Premium and is likely to have a 13.3-inch display. Read more

Samsung N210 netbook unboxed [Video]

The Samsung N210 is one the company’s premium Pine Trail netbooks. The 10-inch (1024 x 600) netbook is similar to the N220 but lacks the subwoofer, two-tone lid and the Broadcom Crystal HD media accelerator (only in UK machines).

Brad from Liliputing has unboxed the Samsung N210 and seemed to like the fingerprint-proof lid design, despite the glossy finish. It also comes with a chiclet keyboard and matte display. The touchpad looks similar as those used in older models. Check out the unboxing video after the jump. Read more

Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T – first details and press shots

Acer is planning to launch a new TimelineX series of ultra-thins notebooks at the end of March. One of these will be the 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T according to macles.

The 1830T differs from its predecessors (1410 or 1810T) by offering the Intel Core i5-520UM dual-core processor that has a 1.06GHz clock speed. The processor benefits from Turbo Boost technology, which means the clock speed can increase to 1.86GHz depending on usage. This new generation of Intel processors enables good performance without sacrificing battery life. Read more

Sony Vaio M netbook gets official

Sony has officially announced the Vaio M netbook that we’ve heard so much of recently. The Vaio M is Sony’s value offering compared to its Vaio W netbook, eschewing the HD display and chiclet keyboard of its higher-priced brother.

The Sony Vaio M (M11M1E) comes with a 1.66GHz N450 Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD, Windows 7 Starter, 6-cell battery and a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) display. It will be available in either black or white and should be available from the end of the month. Click through for the specs and some promo shots. Read more

Samsung prepping Atom-powered slate PC for H2 2010?

Samsung is planning to launch its own slate tablet device in the second half of 2010 according Philip Newton, director of Samsung Australia’s IT division. In a dig towards the Apple iPad, Newton says that this tablet will have enough processing power to be a “primary device” for most people along with desktop docking.

“The problems I see with the iPad are its processing power and (lack of) connectivity to a certain extent” said Newton. “I do feel that that slate-type platform has legs but I think the legs need to be far more powerful, for example an Atom-based product which has far greater flexibility, not to mention inputs and outputs. This has more potential than an iPad.” Read more

Asus Eee PC T101MT convertible netbook in video review

We’ve already seen the Asus Eee PC T101MT convertible tablet being handled by Mike over at NetbookLive recently, but that was a pre-production model. He has since been lucky enough to get hold of final hardware and there has been some improvements.

Performance is still sluggish, however the touchscreen accuracy appears to be much better both with stylus and finger use. You can check out the comprehensive video review after the cut. Read more

Intel X25-V SSD: 40GB ‘budget’ drive for $130

Intel has formally announced its 2.5-inch X25-V series of solid state drives, despite the fact that they have been shipping from the likes of Newegg for some weeks now. The ‘V’ stands for value here, where the 40GB SSD will set you back for around $125 when bought in large unit quantities (Newegg has it for $129.99).

The X25-V uses 34nm MLC NAND flash memory and features TRIM support within Windows 7. It has a 1.2 million hours mean time before failure rating. The sustained write bandwidth is up 35MB/sec while sustained reads is a zippy 170MB/sec. These drives are aimed at netbooks, although whilst 40GB may be fine for a Windows XP installation, I do wonder whether the same can be said for a Windows 7 install.

Sony Vaio M netbook unboxed

Sony’s value-oriented Vaio M netbook has seen its first unboxing pics courtesy of Stuff. The Vaio M netbook isn’t as fully featured as the Vaio W series, ditching the high-resolution screen, chiclet keyboard and slimmer profile, for a lower £300 price point when it becomes available in April.

The Vaio M has a 1.66GHz N450 Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD and a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) display. Build quality seems typically solid and the display is crisp and bright. You can find some more pictures here.

Via Engadget.

MSI Wind U100 gets OS X tablet mod; who needs an iPad?

An intrepid modder has come up with an innovative mod that turns the MSI Wind U100 netbook into a tablet device complete with hackintosh OS X operating system and customised UI. The mod involves removing the keyboard and then mounting the LCD where the keyboard once was.

As the modder alexbates says, this mod enables you to “build an iPad with 10 times the storage, twice the speed, external video (VGA), webcam, USB ports, and built-in multi card reader, all for $350.” Hopefully a video should be available in due course, in the meantime you can find all the details on this mod here.

Via Engadget.

Asus Eee PC 1008P-KR netbook video unboxing

The Asus Eee PC 1008P-KR Karim Rashid netbook is one of the premium offerings from Asus, well at least until the Eee PC 1018P is released. It sports the designer’s influences, mainly on the exterior. Peter from Netbooked has taken one for a test drive and shot an unboxing video.

The model unboxed comes with 2GB RAM, 320GB HDD and Windows 7 Home Premium. He also confirms that the unit does come with two batteries, although this is region specific and I’m unaware of such generosity in the UK market. Another nice features is the flush display. Build quality so far seems above average along with a firm keyboard. Check out the unboxing video of this $500 netbook after the jump. Read more

Entourage Edge review roundup

The Entourage Edge is an interesting device that maybe points to a new form-factor we’ll start to see more of going forward. The $499 Edge combines two displays, one with a 9.7-inch e-ink screen and the other with a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) colour LCD. It uses the Android operating system and comes with a SD card slot, SIM slot, two USB ports, Wi-Fi (b/g) and costs $499.

A number of sites have reviewed the Entourage Edge recently and the general consensus seems to be that it gets a lot of things right, but it is still let down by its awkward design, heavy chassis and sluggish processor. Check out snippets from some recent reviews after the cut. Read more

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