X2 intros iTablet, comes in two display sizes

Hot on the heels from Apple’s iPad launch, UK company X2 has introduced a new tablet. They’ve named it the iTablet (one of the rumoured names for the iPad), but takes one step ahead of the iPad by adding Flash, Windows/Linux versions, as well as a plethora of ports including HDMI and USB.

It will come in two display sizes, 10.2-inch and 12.1-inch (1024 x 768) displays with optional multi-touch. Not sure why they didn’t make it multi-touch out of the box, especially for a tablet that size. It will be powered by a 1.6GHz CPU (Atom?) and support up to 250GB of storage. Other features include built-in speakers, a 1.3MP webcam, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and optional 3G. Read more

Viewsonic VNB108 netbook announced and handled [Video]

Viewsonic will shortly be releasing the 10-inch VNB108 Pine Trail netbook. The specs are nothing to get excited about (N450 Atom, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD and W7 Starter), but hopefully it will come with a budget price to match.

It’s nice to know it will come with a matte (1024 x 600) display. NetbookNews got their hands on a pre-production unit and give us a quick tour of the device. Check out the video along with full specs after the jump. Read more

LG X200 netbook hits the FCC

The LG X200 was first spotted at CES just a few weeks back and now it has appeared once again passing through the FCC. The N450 Atom Pine Trail netbook certainly looks different to other netbooks and comes with a 10.1-inch (1366 x 768) display and chiclet keyboard.

It’s reasonably lightweight at 1.2kg (2.6lbs) and supports up to 2GB RAM, a 250GB/320GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter. Other features include a 1.3MP webcam, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, SmartOn 2.0 instant-on OS and optional 3G. Battery options include a 4-cell 2000mAh battery or 6-cell 2600 mAh battery. There are no pricing details but it is expected to launch during Q1 2010.

Via Wireless Goodness.

JooJoo Tablet gears up to full production; app store on horizon

All of the fuss may still be over the Apple iPad, however let’s not forget Fusion Garage’s JooJoo tablet that offers a larger 12.1-inch display and flash support for the same price as the iPad ($499). The company has confirmed that production of the tablet has “moved into full production” with shipments expected to hit consumers by the end of February.

It has teamed up with Malaysia’s largest OEM, CSL who will absorb the upfront manufacturing costs in exchange for a royalty on each JooJoo sold. CSL has also made a strategic investment in Fusion Garage. The company’s founder, Chandrasekar “Chandra” Rathakrishnan, has also said that a full app store is in the works. “We have a bigger ‘app store’ than Apple because we have the full Internet,” Chandra said. The company is certainly ambitious, not that I really understand why seemingly every manufacturer wants their own app store these days…

Sony Vaio W Eco reviewed – being green comes at a price

The Sony Vaio W Eco Edition netbook is the company’s first Pine Trial netbook to be announced. As you can tell by the name, it doesn’t differ hugely from the Vaio W netbook. It gets its Eco tag as it has recycled plastic parts, an innovative carry bag and an electronic manual. Also, the carry bag, manufactured using 100% recycled PET bottles, has been designed to replace the cardboard box that normal electronic devices come in.

Laptop Mag has reviewed the Vaio W Eco and found that it caters for a wide range of users including kids (with its pre-loaded kid-safe browser), colour schemes designed to attract female custom and the geeks with its HD screen. However, the question is that at $480, is the netbook worth the $80 premium? Laptop Mag concludes that it depends on your use. However, there are certainly better equipped netbooks out there for cheaper the cost including the Asus Eee PC 1005PE, Toshiba NB305 and HP Mini 5102.

ExoPC Slate: 8.9-inch tablet with Windows 7, 32GB SSD for $599

ExoPC will soon launch its 8.9-inch ExoPC Slate tablet that will be powered by a 1.6GHz N270 Atom processor (no Pineview love here), 2GB RAM, a 32GB SSD and Windows 7.

The 8.9-inch (1024 x 600) display will support multi-touch input and have a four hour battery life. Other features include three USB ports, a 1.3MP webcam, Wi-Fi (b/g), Bluetooth, VGA and Ethernet.

The ExoPC Slate will launch in March for $599, the same price as the 32GB Apple iPad. It’s not as thin as the iPad at 2.1cm in thickness but at least appears to more fully featured.

Via Engadget.

Hivision PWS700CA 7-inch Android smartbook gets video review

The Hivision PWS700CA is an intriguing little device. The smartbook sports a 7-inch (800 x 480) display and is powered by an ARM926 processor and runs Android. It weighs just 650g and counts 720p HD video playback as one of its features.

Charbax from ARMDevices has been playing around with one for a while and put it to the test in a thorough video review. Whilst you won’t see this hit Western shores just yet, he believes that if one of the big retail giants came on board it could sell for as cheap as $100. Check out the video after the jump. Read more

Gateway EC14d: 11.6-inch CULV with optical drive

The Gateway EC14d is one of the few 11.6-inch ultrathins that actually manages to squeeze in a DVD burner into its chassis. It is powered by a 1.3GHz Intel SU4100 processor and Intel GS45 chipset. It supports up to 8GB RAM and comes with a 320GB HDD and an 8x DVD SuperMulti drive.

The 6-cell 5600mAh battery should deliver an eight-hour battery life. Other features include three USB ports, card reader and a multi-gesture touchpad. The Gateway EC14d is expected to launch in the coming weeks for $629.99. It’s likely to be rebranded under the Packard Bell brand in Europe on release.

Via Notebook Italia.

Apple iPad compared against 5 other upcoming slates

If CES wasn’t an indication enough that 2010 is likely to be the year of the tablet (or slate if you prefer), then Gizmodo has a nice comparison table where it has compared six slates (including the recently announced Apple iPad).

Having a quick run through the list, the Notion Ink stands out for me. It’s the only one to come with a Pixel Qi display for e-reading duties and sports Android, Tegra 2 and even a HDMI out. The only glaring omission is Adobe Flash support, but I’m sure Android will support this at some point down the line. Check out the detailed comparison table after the break. Read more

Qualcomm fights back in ‘smartbook’ name dispute

Qualcomm has released a statement, where it responds to Germany company Smartbook AG’s “aggressive campaign to prevent the continued use of the term “smartbooks” by journalists, manufacturers and consumers”.

Qualcomm goes on to say that it is complying with a restraining order in Germany that requires it to issue a disclaimer if it wants to use the smartbook term. It goes on to say that ‘smartbook’ is a generic term used to describe a subset of devices sitting between netbooks and smartphones.

Qualcomm is looking to cancel the trademark in Germany. Smartbook AG has been trying to register the term in other countries, however European countries have thrown out their request. Hopefully, we’ll see an end to this ridiculous dispute very quickly. Check out the full statement below. Read more

10-inch Pine Trail netbook shootout

The guys over at Laptop Mag have pitted six 10-inch Pine Trail netbooks against each other to find out a worthy winner. All models sport the 1.66GHz N450 Atom processor and various features were compared including design, performance and battery life.

The models tested were the Acer Aspire One 532h, ASUS Eee PC 1005PE-P, Dell Inspiron Mini 10, HP Mini 5102, MSI Wind U135 and Toshiba mini NB305. We won’t spoil the overall winner, but three models stood out. The Toshiba has the best keyboard and touchpad, whilst the Asus offers the best battery life. The HP is a great all rounder and great for business use. Click here to read more.

Panasonic CF-R9: Intel Core i7 CPU squeezed into 10.4” netbook

Panasonic has announced a new line-up of “Let’s Go” notebooks and amongst them is a netbook sporting the new Intel Core i7 processor. Panasonic has managed to fit a 1.06GHz Intel Core i7-650UM processor into its R9 series that boasts a 10.4-inch (1024 x 768) display.

This processor benefits from Intel’s Turbo boost technology that allows the speed to flex up to 2.13GHz depending on usage. It manages to include this in a chassis weighing just 0.93kg, whilst also bundling a 3100mAh battery rated to last for 7.5 hours. It features 2GB RAM (max 4GB), 250GB HDD and Windows 7 Professional 32-bit. Read more

LG X300 promo ad parodies Macbook Air [Video]

The super-slim LG X300 has seen its first promotional ad, trying to hit home just how skinny it really is. It uses the same envelope stunt used by Apple when showing how thin its Macbook Air was.

When the ultraportable is taken out, the Apple system is referred to as “unthinkable” and chooses the LG X300 instead that is thinner (0.7-inches) and lighter (2.1lbs). Check out the video after the break. Read more

New Sony Vaio Pine Trail netbook in the works?

A new 10.1-inch Sony Vaio netbook has been spotted passing through the FCC. The device has the ‘PCG-21313L’ model number, but we’re not treated to any proper pictures just yet. Judging by the bottom, the model does seem to be different to the recently announced Sony Vaio W Eco Edition.

In terms of specs it doesn’t look too different to what we are becoming accustomed to as the new norm for netbooks i.e. 1.66GHz N450 Atom processor, up to 2GB RAM, 250/320GB HDD and Windows 7. It will also feature Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth and a webcam. Check out some more FCC evidence after the jump. Read more

Wyse X90CW netbook: 11.6” mobile thin client launched

Wyse Technology has introduced a new 11.6-inch netbook called the X90CW. The new model is unlike other netbooks in that it is a mobile thin client targeted for business users. There is no hard drive on the device (apart from 4GB of flash memory) as all of the data is stored and accessed remotely.

Wyse specialises in thin client devices and this is the smallest model with an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) display. It is powered by a 1.33GHz Z530 Atom processor and 1GB RAM and comes with the Windows Embedded Standard 2009 OS. As you would expect, the X90CW supports desktop virtualization and cloud computing, including protocols such as Citrix ICA/HDX, Microsoft RDP 7, and PCoIP found in VMware View.

The X90CW mobile thin client comes with various features including Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.1, webcam, 3G support and an 8-hour 6-cell battery. The device weighs 3.2lbs. It is available now for a pricey $699. Check out the full specs after the jump. Read more

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