Lenovo postpones Skylight and U1 Hybrid to prep for Android
May 29, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Lenovo has indefinitely delayed the release of two of its most anticipated products, the Skylight smartbook and Ideapad U1 Hybrid. The latter was interesting in that it was a tablet and CULV ultrathin in one form-factor. Both concepts are now back on the drawing board to prepare for a relaunch using Android OS instead of the custom Linux OS they were planning on using.
There is currently no idea when they will hit the market again and we don’t know if we’ll see them in their current forms again. Lenovo released a statement highlighting that it had shelved “plans to release the initial version of the Skylight smartbook.” This could mean it will come back to the market in another guise. There are also rumours that Lenovo are expected to launch other Android devices by the end of the year, although what form these will take is unknown.
Gigabyte M1125: Intel Calpella-powered 11.6-inch convertible with USB 3.0
May 28, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Gigabyte is set to launch an 11.6-inch convertible ultrathin at Computex. The M1125 will be powered by Intel’s new Calpella series (Core i3, i5, i7) of processors. The actual processor used is unknown but we’ll find out more details next week. The M1125 will also come with USB 3.0 connectivity.
Other specs aren’t known right now although it will come with an optional docking station that includes an optical disk drive. What we can tell from the only picture we’ve found is that it comes with a chiclet keyboard, VGA and Ethernet port. More details are expected next week at Computex, including the type of touch panel used. Click through for a larger picture after the break. Read more
Samsung N230: Stylish 10-inch netbook launching soon
May 28, 2010 at 10:22 am
Samsung unveiled a new netbook at the World IT Show 2010 that is expected to launch next month. AVING were on hand to take plenty of pics, but there doesn’t seem too much to get excited about, at least spec-wise. The Samsung N230 (NT-N230-JP51B) is a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) netbook, powered by a 1.66Ghz N450 Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter operating system.
However, it does come with a refreshed design. This includes a a glossy lid, faux-aluminium palm rest, chrome hinges and a rimless chiclet keyboard. It is difficult to tell from the pictures whether the display is matte or glossy, but you can check them out after the break. Read more
Acer Aspire One 533: DDR3 packing 10.1-inch netbook outed
May 28, 2010 at 7:39 am
Acer is set to launch its own DDR3 10.1-inch netbook called the Aspire One 533. It will be powered by the upcoming DDR3-enabled N455 and N475 Atom processors. The benefits of DDR3 memory is that it needs only 1.5V, which is 0.3v less than DDR2 memory. This should in theory result in longer runtimes.
macles says that the battery life of the AO533 will be 10 hours and it will come with optional Bluetooth 3.0 support. There are a few design differences too, including a touchpad that rests in a chrome bed. Hard specs aren’t known right now, but don’t expect anything different over the current norm (1GB RAM, 250GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter). We’re likely to hear more on availability and pricing at next week’s Computex show in Taipei. Click through for a number of photos. Read more
Asus Eee PC 1201PN netbook now available Down Under
May 27, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Whilst there are still no signs of the ION 2-packing Asus Eee PC 1201PN launching in the UK, it has seen its release in New Zealand. This single-core 1.66Ghz N450 Atom powered netbook is selling for AUD$799 in the region and users are already getting hands-on.
This particular model has 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and Windows 7 Home Premium. Hopefully this means the 1201PN will be landing in other regions very shortly.
Via Netbooked.
Spec refresh: ASUS Eee PC 1008P-KR M and Samsung NB30 Pro netbooks
May 26, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Every once in a while netbook manufacturers tweak existing models with slight changes in specs. Today we’ve got two such cases. First off, the Asus Eee PC 1008P-KR M is similar to the other Karim Rashid model but comes with lower specs along with a lower price tag. This particular model comes with 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD and Windows 7 Starter and costs $439.08
Samsung has also announced the NB30 Pro. This rugged netbook is targeted to business professionals, hence the inclusion of Windows 7 Professional and an extra 1GB of RAM (2GB total). Other features remain the same and you still get the rugged design including HDD protection, carry handle and spill-resistant keyboard.
Update: Another one for the list. The Dell Mini 11z has been updated to include dedicated left/right mouse buttons, rather than the integrated solution it used before. Click here for more info.
MeeGo v1.0 for netbooks released
May 26, 2010 at 6:03 pm
The project release of MeeGo v1.0 has been announced for netbooks. The MeeGo Netbook User Experience (as they are calling it) includes a UI similar to Moblin and provides instant access to synchronized calendar, tasks and appointments. Social networking functionality has been aggregated and v1.0 uses the Chrome browser.
The next release, MeeGo v1.1 is planned for October and will include touch support. The MeeGo API has also been released that includes Qt 4.6. If you want to give MeeGo v1.0 a whirl on your netbook you can download it here.
Netbook vs iPad vs Smartphone [Video showdown]
May 26, 2010 at 1:38 pm
The arrival of Apple’s iPad has led many to forecast the end of the netbook. In our view, each serve a different purpose, but to highlight some of those points Cnet UK has a good video comparing the iPad against a netbook (Nokia Booklet 3G) and smartphone (Nexus One) for everyday tasks.
It’s all a bit of fun but highlights some practical points about where each gadget has its positives/negatives. Check out the video after the break. Read more
Acer’s AMD-powered Aspire 721 hits US pre-order
May 25, 2010 at 5:50 pm
The 11.6-inch Acer Aspire 721 has turned up for pre-order at Amazon.com for $429.99
It features an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) display, 1.3MP webcam, Wi-Fi (b/g/n), Windows 7 Home Premium and a 6-cell 4400mAh battery good for 5.5 hours of runtime. Performance versus Intel Atom equivalents isn’t known right now, but at this price point it’s an enticing proposition.
Via Netbooked.
VIA prepping sub-$200 Android tablets for 2010
May 25, 2010 at 5:40 pm
No one wants to be left off the tablet merry-ground and today’s company to join the action is VIA, who says that its chip will power a number of Android tablets before the year is over. More specifically, VIA Executive, Richard Brown, said that around five different Android-based tablets priced between $100 and $150 will arrive in the US during the second half of 2010.
He goes on to say that Apple has “legitimated” the tablet market with the iPad. He is not alone in these thoughts, researcher IDC says that the global tablet shipments will increase sixfold by 2014 from 7.6 million to 46 million. Lofty projections indeed. Let’s just see if this doesn’t become another fad.
Intel’s new 32nm Ultrathin Core processors detailed, arrives next month
May 24, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Intel has officially announced its ultrathin processor line-up that consists of Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. The new ultra-low voltage (ULV) processors all use 32nm Nehalem processes that ultimately will lead to performance gains (up to 32 percent) and higher power efficiency (15 percent less battery consumption).
There will also be support for Hyper Threading and Turbo Boost on select processors. The TDP across the range is 17W. The company has over 40 design wins using these new processors that will start to launch from June. Click through for some slides of the new CPUs. Read more
Amazon Kindle pre-installed on Asus Eee netbooks
May 24, 2010 at 8:26 am
Amazon has teamed up with Asus to pre-install its Kindle for PC application on netbooks/laptops that are sold through Amazon.com. The e-book application will only come preloaded on select devices including the Eee PC 1005PE.
Whilst I agree the idea makes sense, personally I’m not too fond of pre-installed apps when I buy a new netbook / laptop. In fact to keep things fresh, the first thing I usually do is re-install the OS to get rid of the clutter. Also, the thought of actually reading a book on an LCD display for long periods fills me with pain. Now bring this onto a Pixel-Qi equipped device and it becomes a different story altogether.
Via Engadget.
Alienware M11x getting Core i3 / i5 / i7 refresh in June
May 24, 2010 at 8:04 am
The 11.6-inch Alienware M11x gaming ultraportable behemoth will be getting an update next month that will include the latest Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors. Pearce Clune, Head of Dell’s Consumer Operations for Middle East, Africa and Turkey, revealed so in a video interview with Shuffle Magazine.
This will be welcome by many, however personally I hope the M11x also gets Nvidia Optimus technology at the same time. The inclusion of the intelligent GPU switching tech should mean a longer run time. We’ll keep you posted on developments, but in the mean time check out the video interview after the jump (the reveal is at 2:20). Read more
ExoPC Slate gets hands-on video
May 22, 2010 at 5:23 pm
The ExoPC Slate should be making an appearance at Computex Taipei in the next couple of weeks, however Blogue de Geek managed to get some hands-on time with a prototype. Overall impressions were positive with a quick boot-up and smooth video playback thanks to the Broadcom chip.
The 8.9-inch (1024 x 600) tablet features a 1.6GHz N270 Atom processor, 2GB RAM and Windows 7. It is expected to launch in early September with four configuration options (32GB WiFi, 32GB WiFi + 3G / GPS, 64GB WiFi and 64GB WiFi + 3G / GPS). Check out the video after the break. Read more
Acer Aspire One 360: 10-inch Atom netbook unveiled
May 22, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Acer has revealed a new 10.1-inch netbook called the Aspire One 360. It appears to be the Intel variant of the Aspire One 521. The name purposely hints at a 360 degree design, although I haven’t noticed any changes to the typical netbook design.
Specifications for the AAO 360 haven’t been revealed although we know it will come in four colours (Onyx Black, Think Pink, Moon Shadow and Cool Purple). There doesn’t appear to be any access panels and the battery panel is flush. Check out a promo video of the Aspire One 360 after the jump. Read more
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