Mobinnova élan smartbook gets hardware & software video tour
June 30, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Mobinnova announced its 8.9-inch élan smartbook using Nvidia’s Tegra platform back at Computex. The company claimed that the élan offers 5-10 hours of 720p HD video playback in a package weighing just 836g and measuring 20.5mm in thickness. Netbook News managed to spend some time with the smartbook and shot a couple of videos, one covering the hardware aspect and the other a software walkthrough.
The Mobinnova élan is a fanless device and as it uses an ARM-based chip, it has integrated Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. It also has a hinged port panel on the back side which should keep the dust out of the sockets. The user interface has been developed by Nvidia, although this is unlikely to ship on the final version. It has been supplied to partners who are then making changes to tailor it to their own offering. So far there are no official details on price or availability, although a 2009 release is expected. You can check out both videos after the break. Read more
First picture of Samsung’s ION-powered N510 netbook snapped
June 29, 2009 at 7:28 pm
The first picture of Samsung’s ION-powered netbook, the 11.6-inch N510, has been unveiled over at Legit Reviews. There’s not much to go on, only a single picture has been revealed and it’s not the most high-resolution picture either. The picture was apparently leaked by an inside source. The source confirmed a price point of under €600 too.
What we are presented with is a black model with a bezel surrounding the display. It’s difficult to say for sure, but it seems as if the N510 has a glossy display. You can also see a discrete Nvidia logo to the right side of the Samsung logo. It also looks like it has a full-sized keyboard that looks very similar to that seen in the Samsung N120. The touchpad seems reasonable big and you have a single rocker mouse bar beneath this. We can only see the left side of the device, which appears to house a USB port, VGA, HDMI-out and another port which we can’t quite make out. Hopefully, we’ll have some more official details very soon.
Update: We have come across a second image of the Samsung N510, this time showing the right side of the 11.6-inch netbook. Check out both pics after the jump.
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Samsung N510: ION-powered 11.6-inch netbook
June 27, 2009 at 11:17 am
Update: You can check out our unboxing video & pictures of the Samsung N510 netbook here.
We now have the full technical details of the rumoured ION-powered Samsung netbook. Samsung will be releasing the N510 (NP-N510-KA02UK) netbook, which will sport a high resolution (1366 x 768) 11.6-inch LED backlit display. It is expected to be launched in July for a price under €600.
The Samsung N510 will use the ION platform, pairing a 1.66GHz N280 Atom CPU with Nvidia’s 9400M GPU. It will also come with 1GB RAM, a 160GB HDD and XP Home. Other features include Wi-Fi (including draft-N), Bluetooth, Webcam, 3-in-1 card reader and a 6-cell Lithium Ion battery. Read more
Samsung releasing ION netbook in October?
June 26, 2009 at 9:28 pm
The most high profile ION netbook announced thus far remains the Lenovo Ideapad S12 ION. However, we have been expecting other leading netbook manufacturers to announce their own ION netbooks over the coming months. Nvidia’s ION platform pairs the Atom processor with its 9400M GPU. This enhances its ability to playback HD content.
Now, we are hearing rumours that Samsung will be launching its own ION netbook in October according to Blogeee. There’s little other detail apart from that, but the news wouldn’t surprise us if true. Blogeee is expecting some further news in a few weeks time, so hopefully we’ll have a further update for you then.
Lenovo Ideapad S12 ION delayed to Q4 2009?
June 26, 2009 at 12:04 am
The Lenovo Ideapad S12 netbook, in its vanilla Intel Atom form, was open to pre-orders just yesterday. The much anticipated ION version was not expected to hit stores until August or September, but Laptop Mag is now reporting that the release date has been put back until Fall. It is believed that the launch may have been put back to coincide with the release of Windows 7.
The ION version combines the Intel Atom N270 processor with Nvidia’s 9400M GPU. Laptop Mag had a chance to play around with the ION S12 and came back with positive impressions. They were able to play a 1080p trailer of the Dark Knight with very few dropped frames, all of this whilst transcoding another video clip in the background.
Interestingly, they claim that the ION version will cost $495, which is the same price that the Atom version is selling for now. Maybe, this means that the current SKU will fall in price by the time the S12 ION is released.
Nvidia-branded Tegra smartbook to launch by year-end
June 25, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Nvidia will launch its own Tegra-powered smartbook by the end of the year according to Pocket Lint. Whilst details are scant, the model is expected to launch around “Black Friday” and cost around the $200 mark. Black Friday is normally one of the busiest shopping periods of the year and is the time that Americans start their Christmas shopping.
The technical specifications have yet to be finalised. Nvidia is expecting mobile phone operators to offer the smartbook on a two-year contract for no upfront cost. This particular device is likely to be just one of a number of smartbooks to launch by the time the year is out.
Update: Nvidia has denied plans to sell its own branded smartbooks according to Wired.
Mobinova’s Tegra-powered N910 gets hands-on impressions
June 20, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Nvidia’s Tegra platform was really only brought into the limelight at the recent Computex show in Taiwan, despite being introduced last June. 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). Whilst Nvidia has done well in getting the ION brand out into people’s minds, it looks like Tegra is set to follow. With some high profile devices, like the Zune HD, sporting the Tegra platform, it’s expected to become even more popular.
Nvidia claims that the Tegra processor is the “world’s smallest and lowest power computer-on-a-chip”. The chip will be able to handle 1080p video and will come with a massive battery life. Nvidia claim that it can handle 10 hours of 1080p video playback on a single charge. Read more
Lenovo Ideapad S12 ION hands-on impressions
June 18, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Lenovo’s upcoming ION-powered Ideapad S12 netbook is one of our most anticipated netbooks. It’s still unclear whether or not the S12 ION will arrive in Europe, but either way, it is likely to be a landmark launch for Nvidia’s chipset.
PC Pro has managed to get a first look at the S12 ION and they were left were positive impressions. The Ideapad S12 ION partners a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU with the Nvidia 9400M GPU. This boosts its performance over the normal Intel integrated chipset used (945GSE). The results speak for themselves. Encoding a 1080p movie trailer took just four minutes with the S12 compared to an equivalent Atom netbook that took 15 minutes.
Specs-wise, the 12-inch (1280 x 800) S12 includes 2GB RAM, rather than the 1GB normally bundled with netbooks. It also has a 320GB HDD and the version that PC Pro played with also came with HSDPA. The case felt very sturdy with the palm rest showing no flex. The display was also not prone to bending. The keyboard was comfortable to use and the touchpad was responsive. Hopefully, we look forward to more benchmark results on the S12 ION soon.
Point of View’s ION-powered Mobii netbook outed
June 18, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Point of View has traditionally been known for its graphic cards. The Dutch based manufacturer also has a line-up of 10.2-inch Mobii netbooks. Now POV plans to add to that line-up with an ION-powered model according to Fudzilla.
In what may start to become a trend with netbooks, the Mobii ION 230 is powered by the single-core 1.6GHz Atom 230 processor, normally found in nettops. This follows the Japanese brand Dospara, with its 12-inch Prime Note Cresion NA that uses a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 CPU. Read more
Nvidia: Windows CE performs better than Android on smartbooks
June 18, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Google’s Android operating system has been getting all of the column inches and hype relating to an eventual transition to netbooks and smartbooks. However, Nvidia feels that Windows CE is the more mature platform, as things stand, for 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 certainly has high hopes for the Tegra platform, with its CEO Jen-Hsun Huang predicting that Tegra will benefit from higher margins than its existing products and could contribute as much as half of Nvidia’s revenues within a few years. Read more
Video: Pegatron Vivid’s Tegra-powered netbook with dedicated web keys
June 17, 2009 at 6:33 pm
New products from the Computex show continue to roll in, courtesy of NetbookNews. This time round, we are shown the Pegatron Vivid which is an Nvidia Tegra-based device. Where this particular model differs from the rest is in having dedicated buttons on top of the keyboard for Yahoo!, Google, MSN and Skype.
Being a Tegra-powered device you can expect 1080p HD video playback through its HDMI port and strong battery life. The device has a matte display and a sealed battery, although it’s only a pre-production sample so that is likely to change. You’ll also find a fancy speaker integrated into the hinge. No word on pricing or availability right now. Check out the hands-on after the jump. Read more
Nvidia: ION outperforms Intel’s Pine Trail platform by 5-10x
June 17, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Whilst we are still yet to see official specifications of Intel’s next-generation Atom ‘Pineview’ processor and it’s platform dubbed ‘Pine Trail’, it has not stopped Nvidia from claiming that its ION platform will outperform Intel’s platform.
Nvidia ION pairs its 9400M GPU with an Intel Atom processor. As Intel’s Pineview processor moves its graphics to the processor, some analysts have commented that this could be bad news for Nvidia. However Dave Ragones, Nvidia product manager, disagrees. Read more
ASRock Multibook G22 – another ION netbook with dual-core CPU
June 15, 2009 at 11:19 pm
This morning we reported on a 12.1-inch netbook from Japanese manufacturer Dospara, who had launched an ION-powered netbook powered by a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 CPU. Well it now looks as if we have a similar specced model from ASRock, dubbed the Multibook G22.
In fact, so similar is this model that I believe they are the same device underneath but marketed under different brands. Apart from the CPU and GPU, you’ll find the same 12.1-inch (1366 x 768) display, optical drive, 320GB HDD, Wi-Fi (draft-N support), Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI out, a 1.3MP webcam and three USB ports. It also comes with a 4400mAh lithium ion battery that should be good for just over three hours.
If you had any doubts that they were the same model then the fact that they both have exactly the same dimensions (305×225×37.5mm (WxDxH)) and weight (1.92kg including battery) should put those doubts to rest. Right now, we have no idea where this ASRock will be marketed or any prices. Hopefully some more information should be forthcoming.
Update: It appears that this model will have an Intel CULV processor and chipset rather than ION, according to Liliputing.
Via Blogeee.
Dospara launches ION netbook with dual-core Atom CPU
June 15, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Japanese manufacturer Dospara has launched its first netbook/mini-notebook in the form of the 12.1-inch Prime Note Cresion NA. It’s quite a first entry for Dospara, this being the first ION-based netbook that is on sale right now in Japan. Despite, it’s non-descript appearance, what has me even more excited is that Nvidia’s 9400M GPU has been paired with a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 CPU, normally found in nettops.
This is the first time this processor has been found in a netbook and combined with the 9400M should mean some great performance figures. Apart from that, the 12.1-inch model has a screen resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and comes with 2GB RAM and a 320GB HDD. You’ll also find a DVD drive, Wi-Fi (draft-N support), Bluetooth 2.1, HDMI out, a 1.3MP webcam and three USB ports. It measures 305×225×37.5mm (WxDxH) and weighs 1.92kg. The lithium-ion battery should last 3.2 hours.
When you consider all this costs 59,980 Yen (£373, $611, €441) it certainly seems very attractively priced. I can’t see this brand being sold in Western markets, but what I do hope is that we may start to see some dual-core processors finding its way in more netbooks soon.
Via Akhibara News.
Lenovo Ideapad S12 ION to appear in Europe after all?
June 10, 2009 at 6:36 pm
We had previously reported that Lenovo’s Ideapad S12 will not see the ION version coming to Europe. However, it looks like Lenovo may have reversed that decision. Notebook Italia has had confirmation from Lenovo Italy that both the Atom and ION versions will be available at launch next month. The Atom version will start at €379, as we previously reported, but there is no price for the ION version for now. Let’s hope this arrives in the UK too, as it’s one of the models I’m most excited about.
In related news, for those wondering how ION performs on a Linux system, click over to phoronix who have a detailed performance test on an ION-powered ZaReason nettop.
In our last bit of ION news, JKKMobile got a chance to get hands-on with some ION-powered netbooks at Computex last week. He attempted to put Call of Duty IV through its paces, although he is not really a gamer so couldn’t give us an idea of resolution, settings, frame rate etc. However, from looking at the video you can tell it plays quite smoothly at what look like quite low settings. Check out the video below. Read more
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