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.

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

Samsung N510: UK price, launch date & battery life unveiled

We have received word from a reliable source that Samsung’s ION-powered N510 11.6-inch netbook will be available to buy in UK retail from the first week of September. We can also reveal that the recommended retail price in the UK will be £449. This seems right when placed against the rumoured European price of €499 and US price of $599.

We have also seen the full specification list of the UK N510 SKU. For those worried about battery life, then fear not. The Samsung N510 will be shipping with a 6-cell 5900mAh battery that should be good for 7.5 hours of use according to the company. The netbook will come with a HDMI port and a chargeable USB port. The whole thing will weigh 1.46kg.

There has been some speculation whether or not the N510 will use ION LE, which uses a DirectX9 GPU instead of the DirectX10 compatible 9400M (ION) chip. From the information we have received, the Samsung N510 will be using the ION platform and not ION LE. You can check out the specs after the break. Read more

Samsung ION netbook line-up to include N508, N510 & N511 models

All of the buzz on Samsung’s upcoming Nvidia ION-powered netbook has been on the NP-N510, which is rumoured to include a 11.6-inch high-resolution display and launch later this month in Europe. However, we can now reveal that this will not be the only ION netbook from Samsung.

Samsung is also planning to release two further models, the Samsung NP-N508 and Samsung NP-N511. We don’t have any details on specifications or availability of these previously unheard of models. However a sensible guess would be that the N511 may include a different Atom processor whilst the N508 could sport a smaller display – maybe a 10-inch ION netbook? Read more

Samsung N510 shipping in September for $599 in US?

We have already heard speculation that Samsung’s ION-powered N510 11.6-inch netbook will hit Europe by the end of this month. Now Brad from Liliputing has word from Samsung that the N510 will launch in the United States in September for a recommended retail price of $599.

This price-point puts it much higher than its peers, even against other 11.6-inch netbooks. However, this will be one of the first with the ION platform and I’m sure the netbook will have a market despite the high price tag. Much to Intel’s and Microsoft’s annoyance, there are many people who are demanding the ability to playback high-definition video on their netbook.

The Samsung N510 has a high-resolution (1366 x 768) display powered by a 1.66GHz N280 Atom, 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. It will come with the Nvidia 9400M GPU, HDMI-out, Wi-Fi (Draft-N), a 1.3MP webcam and 6-cell battery.

Inventec Rainbow / Mobinnova N910 Tegra smartbooks hands-on

Computex 2009 saw the launch of a number of Nvidia Tegra-based smartbooks. The Tegra platform is different to ION in that it pairs an ARM-based processor with an Nvidia GeForce GPU (ION pairs an Intel Atom CPU with the Nvidia 9400M graphics). Nvidia has once again been doing the rounds in Taiwan to further promote its Tegra platform and did so via two smartbook devices.

The first, the Inventec Rainbow, was announced at Computex but we didn’t hear too much detailed information at the time. It has a 10.1-inch (1024 x 576) LED backlit display and is powered by the Tegra 600 platform (600MHz, ARM 11). It comes with 256MB RAM and just 256MB of flash memory. The Rainbow also has a choice of EVDO Rev.A or HSPA radios. Read more

Samsung’s ION-powered N510 netbook dated by French e-tailer

Samsung still has not confirmed rumours of the N510 11.6-inch netbook, despite a number of retailer listings. Now the French-based retailer, Pixmania, has the ION-based netbook listed on its site for €499 and a release date of 21st August.

There’s no information apart from that, although the listing does confirm the specifications that we’ve already seen. It will have a high-resolution (1366 x 768) display powered by a 1.66GHz N280 Atom, 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. It will come with the Nvidia 9400M GPU, HDMI-out, Wi-Fi (Draft-N), a 1.3MP webcam and 6-cell battery. If the release date is just a few weeks away, expect an official announcement from the company soon.

Via Blogeee.

Nvidia ION LE: Light version of ION aimed at XP netbooks

Nvidia has launched a lightweight version of its ION platform called ION LE. The ION LE denotes that it is an entry-level product and is targeted to netbooks and nettops that use the Windows XP operating system.

“ION LE is SKU of the ION GPU that is identical to ION, except it only supports DX9. This product is designed specifically for Windows XP on Netbooks and Nettops and we are going to offer LE SKU just for OEM market,“ said Igor Stanek, Product PR Manager EMEA ION/Notebook products.

This seems like a good move by Nvidia as it means they can hopefully charge less for ION LE as opposed to ION, due to the inclusion of DirectX 9 rather than Directx 10. Whilst ION LE will only be limited to XP netbooks, this shouldn’t be a problem as we may still see XP in netbooks up to a year after Windows 7 is launched.

Via Fudzilla.

Snapdragon & Tegra smartbook push for Q4 2009

A number of manufacturers are preparing ARM-based smartbooks based on Snapdragon and Tegra processors to launch during the fourth quarter according to Taiwanese industry sources. Smartbooks are expected from the likes of netbook heavyweights such as Asus and Acer along with Mobinnova, Inventec and ODMs such as Foxconn, Pegatron and Compal.

These units will launch at a similar time to new netbooks using Intel’s next-gen Pineview processors. However, the smartbooks are likely to be cheaper and smaller devices than netbooks. They are also more likely to be sold through contracts from telecom providers rather than on a standalone basis. Read more

Nvidia Firefly smartbook to launch in September?

Rumours of an Nvidia-branded Tegra netbook/smartbook launching later this year surfaced late last month. These rumours were quickly squashed by the company, denying any plans to sell its own brand of smartbooks. However, according to ODM sources, Nvidia will be releasing a Tegra-based device under the ‘Firefly’ name and it will launch in September.

Nvidia is already showing off a Firefly prototype to ODMs according to SemiAccurate. This device will come with the Tegra platform and Windows CE operating system. The Tegra platform is different to ION in that it pairs an ARM-based processor with an Nvidia GeForce GPU (ION pairs an Intel Atom CPU with the Nvidia 9400M graphics).

There’s little other information than that. The previous rumours talked of a Black Friday release in the United States, along with the device launching with a wireless carrier. I’d take all of this news with a pinch of salt, however it certainly seems like Nvidia is up to something. Whether this prototype sees the light of day is another thing.

Point of View’s ION netbook gets official – Mobii ION 230

We first heard that Point of View (POV) was planning to release a 10.2-inch ION-powered netbook around a month back. It turns out that those rumours were spot on. Point of View has now officially announced the Mobii ION 230, its first ION-powered netbook.

As the name suggests, the netbook is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom 230 processor, normally found in nettops. This is paired with the Nvidia 9400M GPU which enables 1080p HD video and the ability to output content at this resolution from the netbooks HDMI port. Read more

Nvidia Chief confirms ION price: 3x more expensive than Atom

There has been much speculation as to how much Nvidia’s ION platform costs netbook manufacturers. Now Nvidia’s Chief Executive, Jen-Hsun Huang, has unveiled the price via an interview with the French La Tribune newspaper. It appears that the ION platform (GeForce 9400M GPU + Atom CPU) is approximately three times more expensive when compared to Intel’s own platform.

“[The price of Nvidia Ion chip] is between $30 and $35. This is significant, but it is [needed] to have a good high definition video on the screen,” said Jen-Hsun Huang. Intel recently confirmed that it was charging more for the Atom processor than it does when combined with the Intel chipset. Read more

AMD looking to outgun ION via Radeon HD 4200

AMD is planning to release a new integrated chipset codenamed RS880 targeting low-end systems such as netbooks according to The Inquirer. This chip will come with the ATi Radeon HD4200 graphics core that is 15 percent faster than anything on the market right now.

I assume this statistic also takes into account Nvidia’s 9400M/ION GPU. After all, it is Nvidia’s ION platform that AMD is targeting here. It also supports AMD’s Stream general-purpose computing technology and, by extension, would eventually support OpenCL. A first glimpse of these new chipset should emerge in August and it is set to include DX10.1. This would mean a launch ahead of the rumoured ION 2 chipset from Nvidia by the end of the year.

Nvidia ION 2 details surface

The next iteration of the Nvidia ION chipset is believed to have double the amount of shaders seen in the current Geforce 9400M /MCP79/ION GPU according to Fudzilla. Nvidia ION has 16 shaders whilst ION 2 will have more than 32. The result will be much more powerful graphics on netbooks and nettops.

Nvidia are lying low on the exact details as they do no want to cannibalise sales of their ION platform, which has yet to ship in any netbook. A number of netbooks with the ION platform will release in H2 2009 including the Lenovo S12 ION as well as the rumoured Samsung N510. The ION 2 platform will launch at the end of this year according to the report.

Samsung N510 ION to hit US in Fall; N310 renamed Samsung Go

The speculation surrounding Samsung’s first 11.6-inch ION-powered netbook continues to grow. Laptop Mag is reporting that the Samsung N510 will be heading to the United States in 2009 although the exact timing is unclear. A company representative says that it should appear during the “Q3 and Q4 time frame” which doesn’t narrow it down much.

The Samsung N510 will not replace the company’s 12.1-inch NC20 as it has been selling above expectations. It is currently exclusively on sale at Newegg, although other retailers are set to offer the model in the coming months.

The report also confirmed that the Samsung N310 will launch on 15th July 2009, but it has now been rebranded to Samsung Go. A strange decision, if true. The Samsung Go will come with a high capacity 8800mAh battery which is expected to last over 10 hours although it does not sit flush with the case. The Samsung Go will be priced at $479.

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