This new Asus netbook will use Intel's dual-core Atom D525 processor and Nvidia Ion 2.

Video Asus netbook from Youtube


Wednesday Asus officially revealed the Eee PC 1215N multimudia netbook Facebook, listing components such as the dual-core Intel Atom D525 processor and Nvidia ION discreet graphics. Unfortunately, pricing and available weren't provided in the announcement.

The Atom D525 processor itself clocks in at 1.8 GHz, has 1 MB of L2 Cache, and draws up to 13W. On the graphics front, the netbook uses the "next generation" ION (2) with Nvidia Optimus technology, allowing the end-user to switch between discreet and integrated graphics when needed.

According to the specs, the Asus Eee PC 1215N will truly be a multimedia-driven netbook. Boasting 1080p video playback on a 1366 x 768 HD screen (and a 16:9 display ratio), the Eee PC 1215N will decode H.264, VC1 and MPEG2 file formats while the HDMI-output port will enable playback on large displays. The netbook will also provide plenty of multimedia storage with 250 GB and 320 GB capacities (and an additional 500 GB of ASUS WebStorage).

In addition to the video capabilities, the Eee PC 1215N offers both USB 3.0 and Bluetooth 3.0 for fast data transfers. Web surfers will even see a speed boost thanks to the embedded 802.11n Wi-Fi connectivity. Users can also charge external USB devices when the netbook is switched off.

Asus said that the Eee 1215N will come pre-configured with software such as ASUS Vibe and LocaleMe. Access to Boingo global Wi-Fi services will also be offered at a special price. Asus did not provide any information on what OS the device will come with, though.



By Kevin Parrish, www.tomshardware.com

Samsung Announces New Consumer Notebooks and Netbooks

Video Samsung notebook R40 series from Youtube


Samsung has announced its consumer notebook lineup for summer 2010. The notebooks include the R40 and R530 notebooks and the N220 and N230 netbooks.

R40 Series
The R40 series includes two models: the 14-inch R440 and 15.6-inch R530 and R540. Both notebooks have a 1366x768 screen resolutio, Windows 7 Home Premium, and 4GB of RAM. The larger R540 has an integrated numeric keypad.

The R440 has an Intel Core i3-330M (2.13GHz) processor, a 320GB hard drive, integrated Intel graphics, a 4.85 lb weight, and a claimed for hour battery life.

The R530 has an Intel Core i3-330M (2.13GBz) processor, a 500GB hard drive, dedicated Nvidia GeForce 310M graphics, a 5.51 lb weight, and a claimed four hour battery life.

The R440, R530, and R540 will be available through Samsung resellers in the beginning of July for $729, $799, and 999, respectively.

N220/N230 Netbooks The N230 is Samsung lightest netbook, weighing only 2.2 lbs. It has a glossy black finish and is supposed to get up to seven hours of battery life.

The N220 weighs 2.9 lbs has a new design pattern in a polished green gradated color with chrome accents. Samsung is also updating its N150 netbook to the N150-11BL, which has a matte black finish with red accents and a non-glare screen. Its battery life is up to 10 hours.

All of Samsung's netbooks have a 10-inch display (1024x600), Intel Atom N450 (1.66GHz) processor, 1GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Starter.

The 150-11BL and N220 are available now for $349 and $369, respectively; the N230 will be available in the beginning of July for $399.




Source: Charles P. Jefferies, www.notebookreview.com

HP, AMD find their MUSE with thin notebooks

Video HP AMD's from Youtube


HP emphasised compelling designs and colours, but also its expanded use of AMD processors in its back-to-school laptop lineup this week.

Ultra-thin laptop concepts pushed by AMD could literally be the shape of things to come, with netbooks suffering a setback in the first quarter and Intel taking another shot at this higher-end category.

HP unveiled its broadest selection and largest single introduction of AMD-powered laptops this week, with 14 notebooks introduced under AMD's Vision and Vision Pro brands.

Chris Cloran, general manager of AMD's Client division, told me AMD's platform for ultra-thin laptops is now in its third generation since the concept and first model was introduced with HP in January 2009.

"They're between netbooks and notebooks, sexy and thin but with the full PC experience" is his definition.

MacBook Air-like but cheaper, ultra-thin or "thin and light" has been AMD's strategic answer to the success of netbooks, where it does not have a product to compare with Intel's Atom processor.

Both battery life and performance have been increased this time around and Mr Cloran said the growing integration of AMD's processors with graphics chips from its ATI acquision was "changing the experience" for users, right down to web pages with graphics loading much faster. HP says AMD's chips in its new dm3 model are giving 7 hours of battery life.

AMD does seem more competitive with its bigger rival on both performance and price and is expected to announce next week that its chips will be available on 109 laptop models this summer compared to 40 a year ago, according to a Reuters repot. An AMD version of HP's Pavilion dv6 laptop will cost $530, compared to $650 for an Intel Version.

Intel is also paying more attention to ultra-thin. At a briefing this week, it announced less powerful versions of its Core i3 and i5 processors would be aimed at the market.

Analysts refer to this segment as CULV-Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage notebooks. In a report this week, the iSuppli research firm predicted 14.5m CULV notebooks would ship this year, up 93 per cent on 2009. That compares to only 30 per cent growt for netbooks, except netbooks are a more mature segment and forecasts are for a much larger 34.5m units to be shipped.


Intel reported a 19 per cent fall in netbook chips shipped in the first quarter compared to the fourth, but blamed this on inventories being cleared after the holiday season. However, the netbook category is under pressure from not just CULVs but smartbooks and tablets-notably the iPad, with Morgan Stanley reporting only 5 per cent growth rates for netbooks year-on-year in April.

The other major trend, judging by HP's new lineup, is the degree of effort going into design and looks.

"it's kind of shock and awe, everything in the lineup is new," Stacy Wolf, head of HP notebook design, told me.

He talked about a MUSE strategy focused on Materials, Usability, the Sensory appeal of products and the overall Experience of the user interface, packaging and use of the product.

The design and feature sets brought in with its Envy 13 and 15 high-end models are filtering down to the mainstream Pavilion consumer laptops with, among the features, aluminium cladding, backlit keyboards, a larger touchpad, clean lines, chemically etched designs,
textured finishes, slot-loading DVD players and a range of colours and matching wallpapers and accessories, from a champagne colour on the dv6 [pictured at top] to Sonoma Red on the dv5 and "preppy pink" on the Mini 210 netbook.


Prices range from $1400 for the Envy 17, with its 17.3-inch screen to $280 for a new version of the HP Mini 110 netbook.




By Chris Nuttall, http://m.ft.com

Acer Aspire One D260 Launched

Video Netbook Acer D260 from Youtube

The latest model in the round of new netbooks from Acer is the Acer Aspire One D260.

This 10.1-inch netbook was officially announced in the UK today, with a scheduled release of June 1st. The Acer AOD260 builds on the previous D250 and has a great new stylish design.

It makes use of the latest DDR3 supporting Intel Atom N455 1.66Ghz or N450 processor, along with up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM. The Acer D260 has a 10.1-inch widescreen LCD with a 1024 x 600 pixel resolution and 200-nit brightnees, along with Intel GMA 3150 graphics and even optional quadband 3G/UMTS.

It comes with Windows 7 Starter edition, but there is also talk of it being available with Google Android operating system as well, but we can't see it being a very popular option.

The rest of the Acer Aspire One D260's features are fairly standard with a 250GB hard drive, 3x USB 2.0 ports, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Ethernet, VGA output, audio in and out, and a multicard dealer.

It will be available with a 3-cell (4 hour) and 6-cell (8 hour) battery options. Release is set for June 1st in the UK, but pricing is currently unknown, along with the release in the rest of the world.

The Acer D260 is available in four "flake" color options, Black, Purple, Pink and Charcoal.

If priced well, I can see the Acer AOD260 being a very good seller, thanks to its latest hardware and attractive design.




Source: www.netbookreviews.net

Apple's iPad Vs Lenovo's IdeaPad U1Hybrid Notebook

Click Video iPad vs Notebook from Youtube

Apple's announcement on their new iPad left some disappointed in its capabilities and lack of. The iPad is sleek and thin at .53 inches and weighs only 1.4 pounds.

According to Apple the iPad will run iPhone apps without any modification. There are however some features that will have consumers thinking twice before considering to buy the iPad.

The iPad has no multitasking capabilities which can be counter-productive; how can you copy and paste between two application? This is a basic requirement that is even available in some smartphones.

No Flash support. Many websites use flash for video streaming as well as movie content providers like Hulu, Fancast, and others. The screen ratio is 4:3 and is not HD ready. The screen itself displays 132 ppi as compared to the iPhones 163 ppi. This leaves much to be desired when viewing streaming video.

The good news is thd iPad has optional keyboard dock, camera connection kit and an Apple-designed case; all of which will raise the basic cost.

In the 2010 CES, Lenovo announced their IdeaPad U1Hybrid Notebook. This device has unique detach-and-converge design that lets users easily remove the screen to instantly switch from clamsell mode to a multi-touch slate tablet.

[video is available in the full version of this article (see link below)]
In the clamshell mode the ideaPad runs Windows 7 Home Edition and when detached, in the tablet mode, runs Skylight OS. Skylight OS is a custom user interface by Lenovo built on top of the Linux kernel. Since both OS's support Adobe Flash there's no problems watching flash multimedia in clamshell or tablet mode.

Both operating systems also provide users with a wide range of existing applications that are not found in the iPad except for existing iPhone apps.

Of course these are not the only two touch tablets that we will see in 2010. This year we can see completion heating up between eReaders and touch tablets. The winner will have to be a device that is both innovative and affordable.



Source: http://pda.physorg.com

Toshiba NB305 Netbook Unveiled [New Toshiba Netbook Gets Trail, New Keyboard, Software]

Click Video Toshiba mini NB300/NB305 Netbook Laptop - Insider Review Video from Youtube

Just a few days ago, we gave a very preliminary report on the new Toshiba Pine Trail-powered netbooks, and now more specific details on the new Toshiba NB305 netbook have been released. The main new selling point of course is the inclusion oe the new Pine Trail Atom N450 processor.

But, unlike others, Toshiba isn't putting Pine Trail into an older model - they're adding quite a few new upgrades to the NB305. NB305 buyers will get a 250GB hard drive vs. The 160GB drive commonly found on other netbooks and on the previous Toshiba models. The NB305 also sports a smaller 6-cell battery than it's previous models, but thanks to the energy-efficient Pine Trail chip, it has a longer (11 hours) battery life.

Toshiba isn't stupid and knows that consumers can choose between eight identical netbooks, all with a Pine Trail Processor, 10-inch screen, 1GB of RAM and Windows 7, so to different their netbook, they're adding some new features to help the NB305 stand ahead of the other models. For example, you can get the 'Chiclet' keys on the keyboard, first popularized by Apple's MacBook, that are popular with consumers.

Thosiba is also offering a trackpad that is 'full-sized', like something you'd find on a regular notebook, as opposed to the shrinking ones most netbooks carry. The NB305 will also come with some new software, to compliment the Windows 7 experience. Toshiba's NB305 is set to be released January 8th, and will cost $400.

Toshiba hasn't strayed far from its NB205 series of 10-inch netbooks with the all-new mini NB305, but the few tweaks made are welcome. Obviously the Atom N50 processor is the central attraction, but tweaks like a 25GB hard drive, less protrusive 6-cell battery (which clocks in a purported 11 hours of battery life), and slightly lighter finished product (2.6 pounds) all add up to a compeling offering. The regular version of the laptop with "true" chiclet keys goes for $400, while a black versim with a less impressive keyboard takes the entry spot at $350.

We got a few moments to play with the netbooks,and came away pretty impressed. It might not be quite the bang-for-buck on offer from other manufacturers, and the lack of a higher-end graphics option is a little off-putting, but as for simple build quality and usability (we're particular fans of the oversized trackpad), the NB305 might be hard to beat. Toshiba's also pursuing the software angle here with a Media Controller app to expose some of Windows 7's media streaming abilities, along with a visual search app called RealTime and a fridge-style Bulletin Board.



By: Kevin, http://nexus404.com and Paul Miller, www.engadget.com

HP Mini 5102 NETBOOK REVIEW

Click Video CES 2010 - Quick Hands-on with the HP Mini 5102 from Youtube


The HP Mini 5102 is an updated version of the Mini 5101which is one of the best netbooks around. Much like its illustrious predecessor the Mini 5102 is also equipped with a great keyboard and possesses excellent build quality. What is more, it gets around 10+hours of uptime.

The HP Mini 5102 is aimed at small and medium businesses. It is a bit pricier than typical netbooks, but offers value for your money.

HP Mini 5102 specs
Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 Pine Trail processor
Display: 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600/1366 x 768 pixels; optional capacitative touchscreen
Operating system: Windows 7 (including Home Premium and Starter Editions), Windows XP Pro or Home, FreeDOS, SUSE Linux
Memory: 1GB to 2GB
Storage: 160/250/320GB7200RPM Hard drive, Optional SSD: 80/128GB

The HP Mini 5102 and Mini 5101 have almost identical looks. But the netbooks are different in some aspects. The HP Mini 5102 is powered by Intel Atom N450 processor. The previous model has an Atom N280 processor. Other differences include the optional touchscreen and higher capacity batteries offered with the Mini 5102.

Battery Life
The HP Mini 5102 gets excellent battery life. The netbook is shipped with higher capacity batteries. The 4 cell battery will power the laptop for up to 4.5 hours. Need more uptime? Opt for the 6-cell battery pack and you should be able to get around 10 hours of runtime.

Design and Build quality
The HP Mini 5102 possesses excellent build quality. The netbook weighs around 2.6 pounds with the 6-cell battery. It is available in blue, black and red colors.

Display
The display is good. Colors are briit and vivid. The Mini 5102 measures around 0.91 inches with the standard display. If you opt for the touch-screen display, you will find the netbook a bit thicker. The capacitive touchscreen recognizes multi-touch gestures such as pinching and zooming.

Keyboard and touchpad
One of the best things about the Mini 5102 is its excellent keyboard. The keyboard is nearly full-sized and verx comfortable to use. The touchpad is the right size for a 10 inch netbook and shows good sensitivity.

Ports and Slots
There are the regular ports and slots. The HP Mini 5102 supports a wide range of connectivity options including Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Ethernet, Bluetooth, optional 3G and GPS.

Performance
Performance is excellent. The Mini 5102 can do everything a netbook is supposed to do. HP also offers the option of configuring the netbook with a Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Media Accelerator which would enable 1080p HD video playback on Atom powered netbooks. The Broadcom card also enables HD video streaming using Adobe Flash Player 10.1 Beta. Previously only HP's consumer oriented netbooks could be used with the Broadcom card.

Pricing
The HP Mini 5102 starts at $399. If you buy a model with touch-screen display and other optional features you will have to pay more. In fact, a fully decked up machine may cost as high as $1,000.

The verdict
The HP Mini 5102 is undoudtedly one of the best mini-laptops around. But it is only slightly better than its predecessor. Of course, it offers some optional features which can't get with the Mini 5101. But if you are on a tight budget and just want a great laptop to meet your computing needs, you will be better off buying the 5101 which also has low starting price.



Source: http://laptopadvisor.blogspot.com

Dell punts germ-free netbook for school kids

Click Video Mobile Education: Dell Latitude 2100 Netbooks from Youtube


Dell is now flogging a series of colorful netbooks aimed at the clumsy, snot-nosed germ-factories affectionately known as school children.

The new Dell Latitude 2100 netbook line for the educational sector can be loaded with custom kid-intended kit like an antimicrobial keyboard, rubberized kickball-like exterior, and a special "network activity light" on the back of the lid designed to tattle to teacher when the kids are trading Pokemons online rather than paying attention to lessons.

The guts of the machine are common netbook fare. The Latitude 2100 is equipped with an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor partnered and the Intel 945GSE chipset. It starts at 512MB of RAM (up to 2GB) and 16GB solid state hard drive (max is a 250GB standard HDD), and it can sport either Windows or Ubuntu Linux.

Latitude 2100 netbooks have a 10.1-inch LED display with 1024x576 pixel resolution. There's also an optional touch screen upgrade for the screen. The chassis is covered in a thick, rubberized cover that hearkens to the bouncy projectiles every kid worth their salt has been assaulted with in a spirited game of dogeball. The bottom is vent-free to avoid a spilled juiscebox compromising the tot's education.

A basic system weighs about 2.9 pounds with a 3-cell battery and sized 10.43 inches by 0.89 inches.

The Latitude 2100 begins at $369 loaded with the Ubuntu Linux 8.10 operating system or with Windows XP Home Edition for $30 more. There's also an option for Windows Vista Home Basic (which for netbooks may be considered a form of child abuse. Please consult your local goverment before purchasing). UK pricing begins at £259.

To appeal specifically to the education market, Dell's includes a handful of extras tho make the system cool for school, but collectively makes it far more costly. For example, the germ-slaying keyboard is an additional $20 (and only available in the US for some reason.

Adding a camera is $15, and the 10.1inch Touchscreen LED display is $30. Getting any color beyond "Chalkboard Black" runs up another $30. Not huge sums by themselves, but the total price exceeds $500 apiece quite easily. The computer also doesn't appear to come with any educational software to speak of.

Dell is also presently rolling out a "Mobile Computing Station" for the Latitude 2100- which is a sort of cart/docking station that holds 24 of the netbooks. Students can slide their Latitude 2100's into station - sort of like a blade server - to recharge the machines and even remotely update the netbooks.



By Austin Modine, www.theregister.co.uk

New Samsung Netbook Line-up to Launch in January 2010

The Netbook World Summit was being held today in Paris and some interesting tidbits of information have been gleaned form Samsung Notebook Product Manager, Jaewoo Seo. He says that a completely new range of Samsung netbooks will be revealed in January 2010 based on the Intel Pine Trail platform.

This is hardly surprising news as we already know that most of the big manufacturers are planning on showcasing their Pineview-powered netbooks at CES 2010 in early January.

However, we did learn that these models are expected to incorporate a much thinner design whilst having even longer battery lives. Samsung already delivers some of the longest netbook battery lives so this is great news. Also, at least one netbook with a toucscreen display is expected.

These new netbooks will also feature an instant-on OS solution, allowing quick access to the web and select software. Samsung plan to focus their netbook range on a few select models going forward, rather than the 8-9 models on the market currently. This can only be good news as it means resources will be pumped into some, hopefully, killer netbooks.



Source: www.netbookchoice.com

Dell introduced Latitude 2100 Netbooks

Dell announced its first new reggedised netbook, which is designed specifically, according to the mind of students. The spine of the netbook (has a little plastic strip for personalizing the machine. It comes in a number of candy colors. And it's rubberized. The starting price is a"mere" US $3900


With its easy networking capabilities and optional webcam, the Dell Latitude 2100 offers fun, full-featured collaboration for teachers and students alike.

Product Specifications Processor
Intel Atom N270 (1.60 GHz, 512KB L2 Cache, 533MHz FSB)

Operating Systems
Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic SP1
Genuine Windows XP Home SP3 available via downgrade rights Ubuntu Linux Version 8.10

Chipset
Intel 945 GS Express Chipset

Displays
10.1" WSVGA (1280 x 576) LED Display 10.1" WSVGA (1280 x 576) LED Display With toucscreen

Input Options
Touchpad Optional Touchscreen

Memory
Dual Channel DDR2 Memory Up to 1GB Integrated Memory Slot offering up to additional 1GB (total memory up to 2GB) Memory Bandwidth 800MHz

Hard Drives
Solid State Drives up to 16GB 5400rpm Hard Drives up to 250GB2

Graphics
Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950

Connectivity
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

Wireless LAN
Dell Wireless 13 (802.11g) Dell Wireless 1510 (802.11a/g/n 2x2) Intel WiFi Link 5100 [802.11a/g/n (1x2)] Intel WiFi Link 5300 [802.11a/g/n [3x3]

Bluetooth:
Dell Wireless 365 Bluetooth 2.1 Security Options Dual Kensington Lock Slots External Media Optional 8X DVD+RW/+R External USB 2.0 Rewritable Drive Collaboration 2 Speakers, digital microphone, optional VGA camera Expandability 3-in-card reader Chassis

Weight & Dimension:Starting weight with 3-cell battery 2.91 lbs/1.32 kg Width: 10.43"/265mm Depth: 7.36"187mm Height: 0.89 - 1.57"/22.5-39.9mm

Ports:
USB 2.0 (x3), VGA, headphone/speaker out, mic Power


Power / Battery: 3-cell or 6 -cell "Smart" Lithium-Ion Primary Battery featuring Express Charge 65W AC Adapter featuring cord wrapping Color Choices Available

Key Accessories Carrying Handle, Shoulder Strap, Anti-Microbial Keyboard (US only), Dell Mobile Computing Station (cart- US only)



Source: http://techzinformatica.blogspot.com

2009 Netbook Shipments to Double 2008 Numbers, Says Report

Netbook shipments for 2009 are expected to be double those of 2009, according to a new report. Going forward, however, netbook shipments are expected to slow while competition increases, thanks, in part, to Apple and Nokia.

Netbook shipments in 2009 are expected to fully double over 2008 shipmentnumbers, according to a Nov. 26 report from research firm Research and Markets. Going forward, however, the firm anticipates that netbook PC growth momentumwill slow. Additionally, as the prices of netbooks continue to fall, "netbookPC maker's profit margins are expected to be affected," states the report.

Thefindings echo those of Gartner, which in a Nov. 23 report stated that whileoverall PC shipments rose in the fourth quarter-thanks to demand for mobile PCs-marketvalue fell, due to an unprecedented declind in PC average selling prices. Research and Markets pointed to the pursuit of new opportunities as necessaryroutes toward continued growth.

"In order to expand netbook PC market coverage, other than increasing productdifferentiation to stimulate demand in the existing mature consumer markets," states the report, "PC companies also aim to seek new market opportunities inthe education, commercial and emerging market segments, as well as newdistribution channels and new offerings."

PCmaker Dell, for example, has shown itself to be on this path, with theintroduction this year of PCs geared toward specific enterprise verticals. The Latitude XT2 XFR is a rugged convertible tablet for military, fiedservice, factory-fulfillment and other physically demanding environments, whileDell'sLatitude 2100 netbook is geared toward student users in K-12 classrooms
The Research and Markets study added, "The entrance of new competitors such asNokia and Apple is expected to intensify competition."

On Oct. 13, Nokia introduced theBooklet 3G, the first true PC for the phone maker, which is slated toarrive in time for the holidays.

Apple is said to have a tablet PC in the works, though it has yet to confirmthis. Therumor was given new legs in October, when an editor at The New York Timescasually mentioned an "Apple slate" during a talk at TheTimesCenter.
The Gartner repor likewise concluded that netbook growth is expected to slowgoing forward, as netbooks face increased competition from other low-cost PCs,as well as other from factors.


By: Michelle Maisto, http://mobile.eweek.com

Acer Aspire One A0751: Acer Aspire One 751H 11.6 Netbook Price

Acer Aspire One A0751 Notebook is actually the Acer Aspire Model 751H 11.6 Netbook that can have many varations. Acer Laptops, notebooks and netbooks have many models an Acer 751H alone has over 20 configurationes and Acer Aspire One A0751 is among them.

Specifically it is called the Acer A0751h-1534. The basic technical specifications of this Acer Aspire One A0751 11.6 Netbook with Intel Atom Processor will be provided in a separate post. Meanwhile, let us discuss the price offers for a brand new Acer Aspire One A0751 Netbook.

A brand new Acer Aspire One A0751 Netbook usually ranges at a price of $330 - $400 depending on the configurations. On BestBuy.com, an Acer Aspire One A0751 Netbook with Intel Atom Processor (Model: A0751H-1373) is sold for less than $300 with free shipping. Before purchasing one, make sure the configuration (specs and features) matches your needs.

Additional Info: Acer Aspire One A0751 Netbook with Intel Atom Processor Models usually comes with an operating system and a few pre-installed softwares.

- Operating System: Genuine Windows XP Home Edition or Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic
- Acer Game Zone
- Acer Video Conference
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- CarboniteSM Online Backup
- CyberLink PowerDVD
- eSobi
- Google Desktop, Setup, Toolbar
- McAfee internet Security Suite (trial version)
- Microsoft .NET Framework
- Customized Windows Internet Explorer 7.0
- Windows Live Essentials
- Windows Media Player.


Source: www.kokeytechnology.com

Analyst: Nokia to Offer an Android Netbook in 2010

Nokia plans to launch an ARM-based netbook that relies on the Google-pioneered Android mobile operating system in 2010, writes lazard Capital Markets analyst Daniel Amir in a research note issued this morning. In the same note, he predicts that the total number of netbooks sold worldwide will reach 25 million in 2009 vs. 10 million in 2008, with the majority of them being Intel-based machines running Windows.

Amir said he expects the Nokia notebook to be sold through carriers, which fits with Nokia's distribution system for mobile phones. From the note:

"In our conversations with ODMs, we have confirmed that Nokia is planning to enter the netbook market with a Google Android, ARM-based netbook that would be sold at carriers. Considering this market is dominated by the PC players, we believe Nokia could face an uphill battle to succeed in this market."

The market is dominated by PC players, but Nokia has teamed up with Intel, which means that if an ARM-based netbook fails, it has an alternative design in the works. Also its decision to sell through the carriers will help Nokia reach an audience that may be looking for the characteristics of a larger smartphone rather that a smaller PC.

Most netbook buyers (60 percent) use their netbooks inside the home as a cheap PC, according to a recent survey published by NPD. However, folks looking for a larger smartphond may accept the netbook compromises in exchange for instant-on, all-day access to the web without having to charge a battery. So a NokRMoid device may sell, despite having a terrible-sounding mash-up of names. Readers, any better ideas?


By Stacey Higginbotham, http://gigaom.com

ASUS, Acer Push New Netbooks Into 2010

After nearly a year of meteoric growth and exploding unit sales, the netbook market -or at least netbook OEMs-may finally be using to catch its breath.

With Intel delaying the launch of its next-generation Atom platform (codenamed Pinetrail) until 2010, neither Asus nor Acer are planning new product introductions for the second half of the year.

The pause makes sense given the differences between the current Atom platform and its successor. Pinetrail will sport an SoC (System-on-a-Chip) flavor of Atom (codenamed Pine View) that will integrate both a graphics core and a single-channel memory controller. This iteration of Atom will remain on 45nm technology, but Intel has promised that the on-die integrations will help lower total netbook power consumption.

A dearth of new products doesn't correlate to a drop in demand for the existing ones, particularly in Acer's case.

Those leaky "Industry sources" have indicated to DigiTimes that Acer may see sales spike 20-30 percent in the third quarter, thanks to significantly improved European demand. Such a surge wouldn't be a sure sign of economic recovery, but it would at least indicate that the global markets are moving in the right direction.


By Joel Hruska, http://hothardware.com

Asus releases Windows 7 Upgrade guide for Eee PC 1000H

The Asus Eee PC 1000H was one of the company's first 10 inch netbooks. I picked one up in August, 2008 and I'm still using it. The Eee PC 1000H may not be as thin or light as some never netbooks, and it doesn't get quite as much battery life as newer Asus models.

But you know what? It still works pretty well and share a common set of guts with most netbooks including a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU and 1GB of RAM. The model I own has just 80GB of disk space, but there are also 160GB models out there.

Asus stopped making this netbook a while ago, but the company hasn't forgotten the earlier adopters like me. This weekend Asus uploaded a Windows 7 Selt Upgrade Guide for the Eee PC 1000H/XP to the company support site.

Having installed Windows 7 RC on the netbook earlier this year, I can tell you that many features work out of the box. But the upgraded guide recommends that before you start, you make sure you have the latest BIOS version first.

While the step for installing Windows 7 just says "Install Windows 7 operating system from the DVD," step 3 is worth checking out. Once Windows is installed, you may want to download and install drivers and utilities from the Asus support site, and step three explains the order in which they should be installed, starting with the chipset drivers and ending with the Super Hybrid Engine and Asus Update software.

Will anything bad happen if you don't install the utilities in this order (or at all)? Probably not. But it's nice to know that Asus was thinking about us.

Keep in mind, if you upgrade an Eee PC 1000H or any Windows XP computer to Windows 7, your data and settings will not be imported. You could could configure a dual boot system which would preserve your data, but there's your data, but there's no clean migration path from Windows XP to Windows 7 that allows you to import your settings the way can when you upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7.

Source: http://netbookupdates.com

SSD or Hard Drive on Your New Notebook or Netbook?

Many of the netbooks and notebooks that are being offered today are available with the option of a hard drive or a Solid State Drive (SSD) for storage. Each storage method has its pros and cons and many people wonder what they should get when looking for a new computer.

The biggest issues for many consumers to consider with a SSD is that they cost much more than traditional hard drives do currently and they offer less storage space typically. In the netbook realm, you are usually looking at smallish 4GB and 8GA SSDs in most systems. Asus commonly makes netbooks with these size SSDs.

That is a paltry amount of storage by most standards and you will be hard pressed to get applications like Microsoft Office, Outlook, and photo editing apps installed on the system and have any room left for documents and such. If all you are looking for is a netbook for surfing the net, 4GB may be plenty for you though.

Netbooks with SSDs usually carry price premiums that make systems with only 8GB of storage cost the same or more than netbooks using HDDs with 160GB or more of storage. In the netbook world, 160GB is about standard for storage space today, though some netbooks will soon be offering 250GB HDDs inside.

In small portable systems like notebooks and netbooks, the biggest benefit of the SSD is that it usually needs less power than a HDD meaning longer battery life. In fack, to get the longest battery life you need a SSD in most machines. Some netbooks like the new MSI Wind U115 you can get both a SSD and a HDD.

The hybrid setup allows all the benefits of a SSD for longer battery life and performance while still offering a larger HDD for gross storage needs. This is the ideal situation as far as storage goes, but the price primium could be a deal breaker for some.

For the vast majority of users the standard HDD is still the way to go in the notebook and netbook realm. The HDD offers lots of storage space for little money and you can still get very workable battery life when using a normal HDD.

As time goes by SSDs will gain capacity and drop in price, but until then my suggestion is to go with the HDD unless you can live small amounts of storage and the extra battery life offered by SSDs really makes a difference in your usage.


By Shane McGlaun, www.i4u.com

First third-generation Netbook: HP Mini 2140

After the initial 7-inch Celeron versions and the second wave of 9- and 10-inch Intel Atom-powered systems, we're finally seeing the third wave of Netbook laptops--machines that take the basic concept of low-cost, low-power computing and start to add in useful extras and features largely missing from the until-now rather Spartan design philosophy of most Netbooks.


Even though the Mini 1000 only hit a few months ago, HP was actually an early player in the Netbook field. The company's business system side came up with the Mini-Note 2133 in spring 2008,
with a solid brushed-metal chassis and a nearly full-size keyboard.


Unfortunately, this predated Intel's Atom CPU, and rather than using the Celeron processor that came with the very first Netbooks, HP went with an underpowered Via C7-M, which pretty much killed any chance it had of becoming a mainstream product.

Now that the plastic-clam, Atom-powered consumer version has become a hit, HP's business side is taking another crack at the Netbook market with a radically updated version, called the HP Mini 2140.

It keeps the aluminum construction and big keyboard, but updates the components to an Intel Atom CPU, and hard-drive options that include standard platter drives up to 160GB and solid-state drives up to 80GB. The LED display is 10.1 inches, with a 16:9 aspect ratio.

Two new additions that threaten to make this our favorite new Netbook are an accelerometer for the hard drive and a full ExpressCard/54 slot--a Netbook first (Lenovo's S10 has a smaller Express Card/34 slot).

We recently told HP's consumer side that, as much as we liked the Mini 1000 Netbook, its business-side colleagues had just decisively leap-frogged them.

By Dan Ackerman, http://ces.cnet.com

Lenovo Thinkpad X300 reviews

Lenovo's ThinkPad series is known for being among the best in laptops for home and business use, with crisp widescreen displays, plenty of memory and hard drive space, above-avergage durability, and multiple connectivity options. The ThinkPad X300 is no exception.

The X300's processor is an Intel Core 2 Duo L7100, running at 1.2 GHz, and when combined with its 2 GB of memory you can run your home or business applications easily and smoothly.

The video card is integrated, so you won't be able to run your first person shooters on the X300. But that's not its core competency. For some business users, that's a good thing, since you should be working, right?

For networking, your options are nearly limitless, with a Gigabit network card, that also does 802.11 a, b, and g. If security is key, the ThinkPad X300 has a built-in fingerprint reader, so you and only you can access your stuff.

The ThinkPad X300 is another in a long line of nearly perfect laptos, worthy of your hard-earned money. If you've changed your mind, and decided on a powerful desktop computer, check out our gaming and multimedia computer reviews. At TopTenREVIEWS, we do the research so you don't have to.


By Brian Thomas, www.computers.toptenreviews.com