Video: Verizon’s HP Mini 1151NR netbook unboxed

Verizon Wireless’ subsidised netbook, the HP Mini 1151NR, has been given the first video unboxing treatment from MobileBurn. As well as the unboxing ritual, they also connected to the Verizon 3G network to test what kind of bandwidth the netbook got. The results were pretty impressive, achieving an upstream speed of 1,661 KB/s and a downstream speed of 779 KB/s.

Engadget also went hands-on with the HP Mini and were quite fond of it by the end. Setting the netbook up was a breeze, and once up and running, connecting to the network took an average of 45 seconds. Performance was satisfactory with general everyday tasks being lag-free. Image intensive websites were a bit slower than expected however. The speeds that they achieved were much lower than MobileBurn. They average upstream speeds of 777kbps and downstream speeds of 455kbps. Battery life lasted for two hours and 15 minutes on a full battery charge.

The HP Mini 1151NR netbook is sold for $199 with a two year contract. Verizon Wireless service plans start at $39.99 for 250MB of data per month or $59.99 per month for 5GB a month of data usage. Check out the video after the break. Read more

Verizon Wireless confirms HP Mini 1000 launch for May 17th

Verizon Wireless has finally confirmed that it will launch a subsidised HP Mini 1000 on May 17, following recent speculation. All of the rumours were spot on, with Verizon planning to sell the HP Mini 1151NR for $199 with a two year contract.

The specs of the HP Mini 1151NR are as previously thought. It has a 10.1-inch (1024 x 576) display and is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB RAM and 80GB hard drive. It comes with a 3-cell battery and weighs 1.1kg (2.45lbs). An optional 6-cell battery will also be available from Verizon, but retails for an additional $130.

Service plans start at $39.99 for 250MB of data per month or $59.99 per month for 5GB a month of data usage. The HP Mini 1151NR will be available in both stores and online from this Sunday.

Via Daily Tech.

Verizon’s HP Mini 1000 to cost $199 with two-year contract

Verizon is set to launch its first foray into subsidised netbooks this week, with the launch of the HP Mini 1000 netbook on May 17. This much we already knew, but it now looks that Engadget has some firm indication on pricing, if some leaked screenshots are anything to go by.

For a two-year contract you are looking at an upfront cost of $199.99 (including a $50 rebate) whilst a one year contract will set you back $100 more at $299.99. The screenshots also confirms the launch date as Sunday May 17th. Many telecom operators seem to do very well out of subsidised netbooks, but personally I think it’s better value for money to use a USB or ExpressCard modem.

The specs of the HP Mini 1151NR are also confirmed but are no different to what we already listed. The model is a fairly standard in terms of specs. It has a 10.1-inch (1024 x 576) display and is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB RAM and 80GB hard drive. It comes with a 3-cell battery and weighs 1.1kg (2.45lbs). The 1151NR will be sold across all channels. You can find the screengrabs after the jump. Read more

Verizon to launch subsidised HP Mini 1000 on May 17th

Verizon Wireless is set to launch its first subsidised netbook, the HP Mini 1000 on May 17th according to BoyGeniusReport. We already knew that the specific model that Verizon will be selling is the HP Mini 1151NR.

The model is a fairly standard in terms of specs. It has a 10.1-inch (1024 x 576) display and is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB RAM and 80GB hard drive. It comes with a 3-cell battery and weighs 1.1kg (2.45lbs). The 1151NR will be sold across all channels.

Pricing hasn’t been confirmed right now, but according to the report a $199 with a 2-year contract is being hinted at. That doesn’t seem like a great deal to me as HP Mini netbooks start at around $350 without being locked into a pricey monthly fee.

Apple readying wireless “media pad” for Verizon?

Apple has consistently denied rumours that it plans to enter the netbook segment as we know it. During its latest quarterly results, an Apple executive even went as far as dismissing netbooks as “junky”. At the same time, Apple said it would look to make an “innovative product” and had some interesting ideas of its own. We are now hearing a rumour that Apple is set to launch a “media pad” in conjunction with Verizon Wireless.

A report from BusinessWeek suggests that this Apple media pad will be used to listen to music, view photos and watch HD content. It could also be used to make phone calls over a wireless connection. It is unknown what type of form this media pad would take, but could this be the Apple tablet that has been rumoured for so long? Read more

AT&T pleased with netbook trials, considering nationwide push

Earlier this month, AT&T started to sell subsidised Dell Mini 9 and Mini 12 netbooks across outlets in Atlanta and Philadelphia for a subsidised cost of $49.99. According to a company spokesperson, these trials have been a success. David Haight, VP of business development for emerging device organization at AT&T told BusinessWeek that the company is “very pleased with the early results” and is considering introducing the offer nationwide.

The promotion is available at eight AT&T retail locations in the Atlanta area. AT&T is offering similar netbook promotional rates with the purchase of DataConnect plans in eight retail locations in the Philadelphia area. Packages start at an upfront cost of between $49.99 to $249.99 depending on the data contract purchased. Verizon Wireless is also planning similar offers later this spring, following the lead of various European carriers.

Verizon Confirms Subsidised Netbooks Plan

Verizon will start to sell 3G-enabled netbooks in its stores from early as next month according to InternetNews. This is hardly surprising news as it seems to be a natural evolution for wireless carriers. We have already seen a number of global operators offering subsidised netbooks to boost revenues. Many of them see data as a growth area offsetting the decline in voice usage.

“Verizon Wireless could start selling netbooks as early as next quarter in Verizon Wireless Communications stores,” said Brenda Raney of Verizon’s product distribution and marketing. “No further information on pricing or availability at this point.”

We still don’t know exactly whom Verizon will partner with, although there were recent rumours of a HP partnership. Could we see HP Mini 1000 netbook being offered soon? It will be going up against AT&T who sells $99 Acer netbooks with a 24-month contract at $60 per month through Radioshack stores. AT&T also sells the Dell Mini netbooks through its own website.

Via EeePC.net.