Acer’s ION 2 Aspire 532G 10” netbook cancelled?

Acer’s first 10-inch netbook the Aspire 532G has reportedly been cancelled according to Pierre from Blogeee. Apparently, technical problems meant that the Acer and Nvidia teams could not deliver on the performance front and hence cancelled the netbook. To be honest, this all sounds a bit too vague. Surely, other manufacturers are prepping 10-inch netbooks so why is Acer having difficulty?

If true, it would be a big blow to Acer and leave the ION netbook market pretty much to Asus. It’s not clear whether this cancellation is on a global basis, although if those technical issues are true, then I don’t see why region would make a difference.

Asus Eee PC 1201PN (single-core CPU, ION) now shipping in US

The Asus Eee PC 1201PN ION-powered netbook is now shipping at Amazon.com. As of writing both the Black (1201PN-PU17-BK) and Red (1201PN-PU17-RD) models are in stock for $484. The Silver model, however, is still at pre-order for the same price.

As a quick recap, the Eee PC 1201PN comes with a 12.1-inch (1366 x 768) display and is powered by a 1.66Ghz N450 Atom processor and next-generation ION. It is believed that this model does not come with Nvidia’s Optimus technology, although we’ll have to wait for official confirmation of this. Other specs include 2GB RAM, 250GB HDD (5400RPM), HDMI, W7 Home Premium, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and a 0.3MP webcam.

Via Netbooked.

Asus Eee PC 1201PN netbook now available Down Under

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.

Nvidia Tegra 2 tablet video round-up

Nvidia has been showing off a Foxconn-manufactured 8.9-inch Tegra 2 tablet prototype running Android 2.1. Nvidia weren’t revealing too much about the device but it is believed to have 1GB RAM, two USB ports, a front-facing camera and a 8.9-inch WSVGA screen. This model was just a reference design and a Nvidia spokesperson said that thinner and lighter designs are currently behind closed doors.

The tablet wasn’t spotted booting into Android, but a 3D game was being demonstrated, most likely to show off Tegra 2’s gaming prowess. A couple of sites including Engadget and NetbookNews managed to go hands-on with the device and we’ve attached some video hands-on after the break. Read more

Asus’ dual-core ION 2 Eee PC 1215N netbook benched & snapped

Asus’ upcoming 12-inch flagship netbook, the Eee PC 1215N, is set to include a dual-core Pine Trail processor, next-generation ION as well as Nvidia Optimus technology. We knew that much already, but now NetbookNews has managed to get hold of a pre-production sample and spilled the beans on additional specs, benchmarks as well as a good look at the unit itself.

The Eee PC 1215N tested came with the 1.66GHz dual-core D510 Pine Trail processor that is normally found in nettops. It was initially thought that the netbook would come with the upcoming 1.5GHz N550 dual-core processor that would have had greater power efficiency, but maybe Asus have decided against waiting for the new chip. Read more

Asus’ next-gen ION 1201PN netbook loses Optimus tech?

I’d park this firmly in rumour territory for now, but Pierre from Blogeee is reporting that Asus’ upcoming Eee PC 1201PN netbook that comes with ION 2, will not be sporting Nvidia’s Optimus power-saving technology.

His source for this news is Nvidia France, who has suggested that next-generation ION graphics is not synonymous with Optimus technology. If true, this is completely against my understanding of the next-gen ION part. ION 2 was presented to us as having embedded Optimus technology. At no point was it suggested that it is a feature that a manufacturer may or may not include. Read more

Next-gen ION netbooks from Asus and Acer delayed

The wait to see next-generation Nvidia ION graphics hit netbooks already feels like a long while. However, this wait is set to get longer if Engadget is to be believed. The 12-inch Asus Eee PC 1201PN with 16-core ION is now expected to hit Europe/Asia in late May and the US in June.

The 8-core ION Acer Aspire One 532G has also been delayed by a month is now expecting to appear in early June also. It’s unknown what has caused this delay, although Nvidia claims it has nothing to do with them.

Asus Eee PC 1201PN with next-gen ION benched

The Asus Eee PC 1201PN will be the company’s first netbook with next-generation ION when it launches shortly. It uses the same chassis as most other 12-inch netbooks in the Eee PC 1201 range, but differs from its current ION netbook (1201N) by offering a single-core N450 Atom processor as opposed to the dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330.

For those wondering how the Eee PC 1201PN will perform then NotebookCheck has the answers. They’ve taken an exhaustive look at the performance of ION 2 and used the Eee PC 1201PN to do the benchmarks. Read more

Alienware M11x refresh to see Nvidia Optimus tech this summer?

The Alienware M11x had an unfortunate launch timetable. Just as it was coming to the market we started to hear about Nvidia Optimus power-saving technology. Well it looks like Alienware won’t be sitting back for too long, judging by some discussion over at the NotebookReview forums.

Member Darkhan, who is believed to have inside links with the company, has said that Nvidia Optimus and an Intel CPU refresh will hit the M11x in June/July. Good news if true, however I’d be a bit annoyed if I had just bought one, especially given the short timeframe before new models will appear.

Via Engadget.

ICD Gemini ups the stakes in tablet wars

ICD has revealed their latest tablet dubbed Gemini that is one of the most fully featured yet seen. It will be armed with the 1GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset, Android OS and comes with an 11.2-inch (1366 x 768) mutlitouch panel (both resistive and capacitive supported).

Two cameras are included in the package (2MP on the front and 5MP autofocus on the back). Additionally, it has a 5-axis accelerometer, GPS, FM radio, 4GB of Flash storage and a 32GB-supporting SD card slot.

Other features include HDMI, micro USB, 3.5mm headphone socket, integrated 3G, Wi-Fi (b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1. Pricing and availability remain a mystery for now. Check out some more pictures and a comparison chart after the cut. Read more

Nvidia Tegra 2 suffering “serious issues” prompting Notion Ink delay

The Nvidia Tegra 2 chipset that was heavily shown off at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, mostly in numerous tablet devices, is suffering “some serious issues” relating to stability according to Slashgear. This is causing a delay in the production pipeline for many companies looking to incorporate the chip into their products.

Devices that were expected to hit the market in June 2010 have now been delayed to August at the earliest. This includes projects such as the much anticipated Notion Ink (delayed to Q4 2010) and Compal (delayed to mid-September) tablets. This can only be good news for the Apple iPad that will have the market to itself for even longer.

Archos 13 notebook packs dual-core Atom processor

We don’t normally cover devices greater than 12-inches here at NbC, but we’re making an exception for the Archos A13PS. It piqued our interest as it’s one of the very few notebooks of that size that will be powered by a dual-core D510 Atom processor.

Now I’m not entirely sure why Archos opted for the Atom solution here instead of looking at Intel ULV processors. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the company wanted good graphics and battery life and may be looking to include next-gen ION in the package. Other details are thin on the ground apart form the fact it will come with Windows 7 Home Premium and is likely to have a 13.3-inch display. Read more

Gigabyte M1000N netbook comes with 10” HD display and next-gen ION

We have already heard that Gigabyte is launching a Pine Trail update to its Booktop M1022 netbook called the M1000. We are receiving word on the different models under the M1000 series, the flagship of which will be the M1000N that comes with a flush glass display with 1366 x 768 resolution.

This particular model will also come with next-generation ION graphics, most likely the 8-core version since it is a 10-inch netbook. As it is a Booktop model, it will include a docking station that has a HDMI port and DVD drive. It will also come with a 6-cell battery with a price point estimated at €450 – €500. Read more

Asus Eee PC 1201PN ION netbook benched

The last time we saw some benchmark numbers for Nvidia’s next-gen ION, it seemed to suggest that the performance wasn’t up to the original. Following the official new ION announcement this morning, we now know that two ION versions are hitting netbooks. An 8-core version for 10-inch netbooks and 16-core version for 12-inch ones.

It is safe to say that the Asus Eee PC 1201PN will sport 16-core ION and Notebook Italia has managed to conduct a benchmark to give us an idea as to where performance sits. Using the 3DMark06 benchmark, they managed to record a score of 2,013. This compares to a score of around 1,580 3DMarks for the Asus Eee PC 1201N. Read more

Next generation Nvidia ION official: All you need to know

After months of speculation, Nvidia has finally released details on the next generation of Nvidia ION graphics. There have been various rumours up until now including whether the new ION is a chipset or discrete solution, performance leaks and talk of two ION solutions. As with any kind of leak, the reality is that some of these rumours have been spot on whilst others have been off the mark.

We are big fans of Nvidia’s original ION chipset, believing it makes a massive difference to a netbooks overall proposition. The ability to play flawless 1080p video, HD Flash as well as enabling casual gaming is a real game changer for those who demand a multimedia solution. In our view, next generation Nvidia ION builds on this further. Click through for full details on the new ION. Read more

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