Samsung N510 now shipping in Europe; first unboxing pics appear

Samsung’s ION-powered N510 netbook is now shipping in parts of mainland Europe. This concurs with the news we received yesterday that Samsung will be shipping the 11.6-inch N510 with Windows XP and won’t be waiting for Windows 7, unlike the US. Italian retailer MediaWorld has the Samsung N510 in stock right now for €499. It is also shipping in Germany.

We don’t know whether different SKUS are planned for the mainland European and UK market, but all of the ones appearing in mainland Europe come with the 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU. This contrasts to the UK SKU (NP-N510-KA02UK) being listed with the 1.66GHz N280 Atom. The UK SKU is also meant to have a 5900mAh 6-cell battery compared to the 5200mAh battery found in the European SKUs. This could be a mistake but we’ll only find out for sure when it releases here in a few weeks time.

NetbookNews.de managed to get hold of the first N510 unboxing pictures via reader, Joerg Ingenbrand. There are a number of pictures of the device itself and also compared against the company’s best-selling 10-inch NC10 netbook. It is nice to see the N510 sporting a matte display and it’s nice to see a bigger touchpad too. Sometimes, despite having a bigger chassis, manufacturers don’t actually increase keyboard/touchpad sizes that much. Check out some of the unboxing pictures after the break. Read more

MSI makes 12.1-inch Wind U200 official + full spec list

Whilst the MSI Wind U200 12.1-inch netbook has already had a launch event back in May, the company has only just got around to officially announcing the device. The Wind U200 has a high-resolution (1366 x 768) LED backlit glossy display and is powered by Intel’s Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) processor.

Two processors are listed, the 723 & SU3500, which means there are likely to be different SKUs. A maximum of 4GB RAM is allowed, it also comes with a 1.3MP webcam and three USB ports. The company claims that the 6-cell battery should last for 6.5 hours when running in ECO Turbo mode. This is a good time considering the size of the display. Read more

Acer Aspire 1410 (1810T) now on sale in US

The CULV-based Acer Aspire 1410 11.6-inch mini-notebook is now on sale in the US. The Aspire 1410 is the US-equivalent of the Aspire 1810T that is out in Europe.

Retailer CostCentral claims to have stock of the Sapphire Blue version at $460.33. Other colours to be made available are Ruby Red and Diamond Black. If you want to wait, Amazon also currently has pre-orders open at $449.

The Aspire 1410 has an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) LED backlit display powered by a 1.4GHz SU3500 ULV processor, 4500MHD graphics, 2GB RAM & a 250GB HDD. Other features include Wi-Fi (Draft-N), 5-in-1 card reader, webcam, three USB ports, HDMI-out and 6-cell battery that should be good for 6 hours.

Via Slashgear.

Samsung delaying ION-powered N510 until Windows 7 launch?

We heard yesterday that Lenovo will not be launching its ION-powered Lenovo Ideapad S12 until after Windows 7 has been released. This left a clear road for Samsung to be first on the market with their N510 ION-powered netbook. However, according to Laptop Mag, the 11.6-inch N510 may also be delayed so that Samsung can ship it with Windows 7.

I’m not sure if the release will be delayed worldwide or just in the United States. But from our sources, a number of retailers are still looking to launch the N510 at the beginning of next month. It will be a shame if the launch were delayed, especially as a wait for Windows 7 may mean a higher price point.

Samsung is planning on shipping the N510 with the ION LE platform and Windows XP. They may have decided that they will deliver a better experience by shipping it with Windows 7 instead and using the full ION platform that is DX10 compatible. Hopefully, all will be revealed shortly.

Update: We have heard from a reliable source that the Samsung N510 will indeed be shipping in Europe with Windows XP. However, this model will be stopped when Windows 7 is released. Whether that means it will then simply ship with Windows 7 or a change of specs is not known right now.

Lenovo’s Ideapad S12 ION to launch after Windows 7 release

The Lenovo Ideapad S12 ION netbook was one of the first netbooks to be announced with Nvidia’s ION wizardry. However, since its announcement back in May, we’ve not heard too much about the ION version (the Atom and VIA SKUs are already out). Indeed, the Samsung N510 has stolen much of the ION momentum away from the S12 ION.

Gizmodo now has word that the S12 ION will not ship until Windows 7 has launched i.e. it will launch after October 22nd. This means it will be able to use the newer OS that should deliver better performance than the Vista version it was planning to ship with. No firm date was given, but it is expected to retail for $550, around $50 more expensive than the standard Atom SKU.

They were also told that a HP ION netbook is also due in the coming weeks. Looks like everyone wants to jump on the ION bandwagon.

Humorous Smartbook promo video

Qualcomm is looking to push the new category of smartbook devices when they launch later this year. Part of this push will be educating the market on exactly what a smartbook is, especially against the number of different devices out there including netbooks, ultra-thins, notebooks, laptops etc.

A new viral video has been released to help on this education process for the masses. It highlights the smartbooks all day computing & social networking benefits. Check it out for yourself after the jump. Read more

Hannspree HannsNote netbook coming to America

The HannsNote netbook is heading to the US following on from its European launch. The HannsNote is based on the MSI Wind U100 and comes with a 6-cell battery as standard. The 10-inch netbook will sell for $379.99 in the US. Like in Europe, it will be available in black or white at TigerDirect and other retailers.

The HannsNote is a typical 10-inch (1024 x 600) netbook running on a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU with 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. It also features Wi-Fi (Draft-N), Bluetooth, a multi-card reader, three USB ports and a 1.3MP webcam. The whole package weighs a reasonable 1.2kg too.

Via Slashgear.

Always Innovating Touch Book unboxed & first impressions

The Linux-based Touch Book device from Always Innovating has started to land in the hands of customers. First impressions appear to be mixed with some criticism over the way the Touch Book is balanced when in its keyboard dock. The display’s weight seems to tip the whole unit over easily.

“It can’t go past more than a few degrees and it goes over when connected to keyboard,” said twitter user Stephen Feger. Contents seem minimal too. ” This is too funny. There’s no manual, nothing. TouchBook (TB), stylus, AC adapter and some magnet. Little odd honestly,” Feger said.

Another site has some full unboxing pictures that show the Touch Book can be placed quite comfortably on a fridge, thanks to some powerful magnets.

Via JKKMobile.

Kohjinsha EX6: 11.6-inch convertible netbook

Kohjinsha has released a new line of devices called the EX series. The Kohjinsha EX6 sports an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) capacitive touchscreen. It also has a swivel which means the EX6 can be used in tablet mode.

Whilst the form-factor might excite, the specs do not. Inside you’ll find a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU, 945GSE chipset, 2GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. However, it does have an Expresscard/34 slot, Wi-Fi (Draft-N), optical drive and front (3.0MP)/rear (0.3MP) cameras which you don’t find too often.

Other features include two USB ports, card reader and a 2600mAh battery. It will ship with Windows XP, although I’m sure a Windows 7 version is planned after October 22nd. The Kohjinsha EX6 costs 69,800 Yen ($743, €522, £450) when it hits Japanese retail at the end of the month.

Asus tops reliability study… once again!

Rescuecom has released its Q2 2009 reliability report and once again Asus has topped the study ahead of Apple and IBM/Lenovo. Asus dominated the previous report, where it also came ahead of Apple.

“Because ASUS just introduced the newest version of the EEE laptop last fall, the original predicted computer reliability of this laptop has been somewhat up in the air,” says David A. Milman, Rescuecom’s founder and CEO. “However, a good eight months later, we’re still receiving the fewest calls for computer repair and support with ASUS, while their market share is increasing, adding the EEE desktop to their line as well, indicating that this PC is continuing to prove itself in terms of computer reliability,” read the statement. Read more

MSI Wind U210: AMD-powered 12.1-inch netbook unveiled

MSI has already announced the 12.1-inch Wind U200 CULV-based netbook. However, it looks like MSI is releasing a companion netbook dubbed the Wind U210 that will be powered with an AMD Neo processor. The feature set looks to remain the same apart from the AMD internals.

Specifically, it will ship with an AMD Athlon X2 MV40 processor, 2GB RAM and a 250GB SATA HDD. It will also come with Windows Vista Home Premium. It will be available in both black and gray and cost €449 in mainland Europe. A cheaper SKU is also expected that will ship with Windows XP and have 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD and cost €399. There’s no word of a UK price or shipping date right now. Read more

Asus’ 3G-enabled Eee PC 1101HGO turns up in Italy

The 3G-enabled version of the Eee PC 1101HA, called the 1101HGO, is now available in Italy. TIM (Telecom Italia Mobile) is the first European carrier to offer the 11.6-inch netbook. TIM is charging €499 for the netbook that includes 5 hours of internet use. It also comes with a €5 pre-paid data card.

The model was first announced at Computex. To compensate for the additional power drain from 3G, it will be fitted with a slightly larger battery (that protrudes out) than the one found in the 1101HA. There’s no word whether when/if this will be released with other European carriers.

Via Netbook Italia.

MSI Wind U100 PLUS video hands-on

The MSI Wind U100 PLUS netbook is only a few weeks away from being released in Europe, however Sascha from NetbookNews managed to get hands-on with the device at the Taipei Computer Market. The U100 PLUS is effectively a refresh of the U100 and comes with a faster N280 (1.66GHz) Atom processor and two additional colours (Rose champagne and Metallic Blue).

He played with the metallic blue version, which has a glossy lid and matte display. The specs are pretty much the same as the U100 (bar the upgraded Atom) and comes with 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. It is currently being sold in Taipei for the equivalent of $400 or €320. Check out the video after the break. Read more

Dell Inspiron 11z gets official – full specs, price & picture gallery

Dell has officially announced the CULV-based Inspiron 11z ‘netbook’. The device is the company’s first entry into the “thin and light with great battery life” segment. The 11z is only an inch thin and weighs around 1.4kg (3lbs). The new Intel ULV processor should enable “smooth HD video playback” according to Dell. The 11z’s 28WHr battery is only expected to last for around three hours.

It is currently only being sold as a pre-configured system, although more configuration options will be available at a later date. The device is actually available to buy now in the US from the Dell site for a very reasonable $399. A European release will be following suit on August 25th, where it will be available in Carphone Warehouse in the U.K. and the Phone House in France. Read more

Samsung N510 manual live; ION LE confirmed

The manual for Samsung’s ION-powered N510 11.6-inch netbook has now appeared on the official website. With a release date expected at the beginning of September, the manual’s release is certainly timely.

We’ve been pouring through all of the pages to find out any new information. Whilst the specifications page doesn’t list detailed specs, it does give the first confirmation that the N510 will be running on the DX9-compatiible ION LE platform, rather than the DX10-compatible ION. In real world results, I’m not sure whether this will make too much difference, but it’s worth pointing out. We also know that it will be using the nVidia MCP79-D9 chipset. Read more

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