Smartbook AG, a German computer company, has started selling its Zenid GC Crystal netbook. As far as specifications are concerned this netbook isn’t different from other netbooks in the market. It is powered by an Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor with 2 GB of RAM. It runs Windows 7 and has a 10 inch display. Another notable feature is WiFi.

The Zenid GC Crystal still isn’t like any other netbook. Its screen lid is covered with Swarovski crystals and it comes with a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne.

Smartbook AG has no intention of mass producing the Crystal version. Only 20 are going to be built and each one will cost roughly around $3,008. The non-crystal version will cost around $449.

Archos is known for its Internet media tablets known by the name Archos 5 and Archos 7. Both devices are capable of being the internet companion you can carry around. And they are relatively cheap. The Archos 5 starts at around $199, whereas the Archos 7 is available for $209.

But now more and more tablets are arriving. Apple has proposed one. Microsoft’s Courier may also come out next year. So does Archos stand a chance against these big rivals?

Well, the Apple and Microsoft tablets may hog all the headlines when they do arrive, but they will largely remain beyond the reach of the average Joe who just wants a device better than a 4-inch smartphone to browse the internet. And this is where Archos scores. The company recently released a new and special edition of firmware so that more developers can provide content and applications for its tablets Archos 5 and Archos 7.

The Netgear Digital Entertainer Live EVA2000 is a portable media streaming device. The little box features a technology that allows it to access web content from sources like You Tube, Hulu and Amazon among others. For accessing the content all you have to do is to download and install PlayOn on a PC connected to your home network.

Besides streaming web media to a TV, the EVA2000 can also stream audio, video and pictures from a PC to a TV set. It works with an Ethernet connection. You can also use a Netgear WN111 802.11n WiFi adapter with the box to stream media over a wireless network.

On the flipside, the device can’t stream most HD video. But Netgear representatives said that they are working on adding support for 720p video in a variety of formats. The EVA2000 is now available for about $107.

HP has made several all-in-one desktop PCs over the last few years, but most of them have been expensive. The HP Pavilion MS214 is different in being one of the first budget models from the company. It still stands out from the rest in many aspects. While the low-cost all-in-one desktop PCs made by Asus, Lenovo and MSI have Intel Atom processors and GMA 950 graphics, the MS214 comes with an AMD processor and ATI graphics.

The Pavilion MS214 is a full-fledged desktop computer with an 18.5 inch widescreen display. The display features 1366 x 768 pixels. The PC is powered by a 1.5GHz AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core 3250e processor with ATI Radeon HD3200 GPU. It has 2GB of RAM, a 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive and an 8 x DVD burner. The only available connectivity option is WiFi 802.11a/b/g.

Because of its better specifications the HP MS214 is comparable to a notebook than a netbook. And in benchmark tests the computer performs just as well as a notebook with an Intel CULV processor. The HP Pavilion MS214 now retails for about $560.

Asus plans to launch three different versions of the upcoming Eee PC 1201 12.1 inch notebook. We have already heard about two versions - the Eee PC 1201N and the 1201HA. While the 1201N has an Intel Atom processor and Nvidia Ion graphics, the 1201HA has an Atom Z520 processor and GMA 500 graphics.

There will be yet another model dubbed Eee PC 1201T and it will have a completely different chipset. Asus recently introduced the 1201T at a function in China. The notebook has a dual core 1.6GHz AMD Neo MV40 processor and ATI Radeon HD3200 GPU. This is the same chipset used in several upcoming thin and light laptops including the MSI Wind X230. While the AMD processor may improve the performance of the notebook, it may also reduce the battery life.

The Eee PC 1201T will have a 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, Bluetooth 2.1 and WiFi 802.11b/g/n. There are 3 USB ports, Ethernet, headphone and microphone jacks. There is no HDMI.

The Asus Eee PC 1201HA is now available for purchase in the US. The machine debuted in Italy a little over a month ago.

In the US, Best Buy is the first to sell the device through their retail outlets. But the Best Buy version is crippled in many aspects. The European version of 1201HA has better specs than the 1101A. It sports 2GB of RAM and a 250 GB hard disk drive and runs Windows 7 Home Premium. The system offered by Best By only has 1 GB of RAM and a 160 GB hard drive. And instead of Windows 7, it runs Windows XP Home Edition.

The Best Buy version has its plusses too. It is available for just $329.99. The Asus Eee PC 1201HA is available in 11.6 and 12 inch screen sizes.

Stantum has unveiled a 10 inch slate PC specifically built out of Dell Inspiron Mini 10. It is not known whether the company plans to mass produce the device because it is described as a ‘proof of concept’. There is, however, a page for ordering an evaluation unit. The slate PC comes with a multi-touch screen that can handle 10 touch points at the same time. The tablet accepts both finger and stylus inputs. It supports Windows 7 with no additional drivers.

The tablet measures just 1.2 inches in thickness and weighs around 2.3 pounds. The 10.1 inch display comes with either 1024 x 600 or 1024 x 576 pixels. There are 2 USB ports. Other features include Bluetooth and WiFi.

It will be interesting to see whether the tablet would do well when it hits the market. But one thing is certain: It will have to be priced aggressively.

Matala has launched a convertible netbook with a touchscreen display. Dubbed R108T, the netbook is available in attractive colors. Prices start at $435.

The R108T is powered by an Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz processor with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The 10-inch resistive touch-screen display comes with 1024 x 600 pixels. The display can be rotated. There are 2 USB 2.0 ports. Other features include Ethernet, multi-format card reader, WiFi b/g/n, 1.3 Mega pixel webcam and audio ports. The netbook comes preloaded with Windows 7. It is available in Coffee, Ferrari red, Piano Black, Champagne and Gold colors.

The 3,400mAh battery is expected to give up to 3 hours of runtime.

Pricing and Availability
The netbook is now available in US and Europe for $435.

Kohjinsha made news in October by announcing a netbook with a dual-screen. The company has already released demo videos featuring the device. The weird slider is now ready and raring to go. Kohjinsha will put the device on sale in Japan on December 11th.

The dual-screen DZ carries a price tag of $920. For that price you will get a netbook with a 1.6GHz AMD Neo MV-40 processor, S780MN chipset, an ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics chipset, 1 GB of RAM and a 160 GB hard drive. Memory is expandable to 4 GB. Other features include gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 3 USB ports, audio in/out and a fingerprint reader.

The Kohjinsha DZ netbook has a 6-cell battery which is expected to give up to 4.5 hours of runtime. The 10.1 inch displays feature 1024 x 600 pixels each.

The Gigabyte TouchNote T1028X is an ultraportable netbook with a 10.1 inch display. It is powered by an Intel Atom N280 processor. Specifications don’t set it apart from other netbooks currently available in the market; still the TouchNote T1028X isn’t just another netbook.

Display and Graphics
The most remarkable thing about this netbook is indeed its display. The 10.1 inch display is touch-enabled. It also comes with a default resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. There is probably no other netbook in the market with a touch-screen display featuring 1366 x 768 pixels. The display can be folded down over the keyboard to use the device in tablet mode.

The touch screen shows good sensitivity. You will not have any difficulty navigating through programs using either the stylus or your finger. Gigabyte has also included some software applications which make the touch-screen easy to use.

The display itself is average. Colors aren’t very bright or vivid. The high
resolution of the display is both good and bad. It reduces the need to scroll when viewing web pages. On the flip side, having so many pixels on a tiny screen puts extra strain on your eyes.

Ports and Slots
There are 3 USB ports, headphone and microphone jacks. Other notable features include integrated 3G module (optional), VGA, Ethernet, SD card reader, an ExpressCard/34 slot.

Design
The TouchNote T1028X is slightly heavier and larger than typical 10 inch netbooks. It measures 1.5 inches in thickness and weighs around 3.3 pounds. The lid features an attractive glossy finish which is prone to collect fingerprints. The screen bezel, palm rest and other parts of the computer feature a matte finish.

The TouchNote comes with a 6-cell battery which sticks out a bit from the back of the notebook. The battery is expected to give 5 hours of up time. The netbook is very upgrade friendly with the bottom featuring easy access panels for RAM, hard drive and wireless module.

Speakers
The speakers aren’t very audible. So if you like to listen to a lot of music on your netbook you will definitely want to use headphones or a set of external speakers.

Keyboard and TouchPad
The keyword is wide and it stretches from one side of the case to the other. The keys provide nice tactile feedback. But for some unknown reason Gigabyte has reduced the size of some keys. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures. While sensitivity is good the touchpad does pose some problems. Its buttons are located on the left and right side of it. This is an arrangement you will take sometime to get used to.

Performance
Performance is snappy. Boot times are good and applications load almost instantly. You will not have any difficulty performing your day to day activities like web surfing and word processing. But remember that this machine is powered by an Intel Atom processor which doesn’t have enough power to handle CPU intensive tasks such as editing and transcoding videos.

Conclusion
In terms of performance and build quality this is one of the best netbooks in the market. The touch-screen works just like it should. On the flip side this is one of the most expensive netbooks in the market. In fact, this is not a netbook at all because netbooks are supposed to be small and cheap.

Gigabyte recently upgraded the TouchNote T1028X. It is now available from Amazon for $668. This model ships with Windows 7 and a 250GB hard drive. But like the previous version, the upgraded version also comes with 1GB of DDR2 RAM. The model with an integrated 3G module sells for $788.

The MSI Wind U230 is powered by a dual core AMD Neo processor. It has a 12.1 inch display. We first heard about the laptop last month, but then it disappeared. It has officially resurfaced now.

In size and shape, the Wind U230 isn’t much different from other Wind U2xx line of notebooks. But while other machines in the line have Intel processors, the Wind U230 is powered by a 1.6 GHz AMD Congo Neo X2 processor with ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics. The machine supports DirectX 10 standard and is capable of HD video playback.

MSI Wind U230 specifications
Display: 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Memory: 2GB (Expandable to 4GB)
Hard drive: 160GB/250GB/320GB

Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, LAN 10/100/1000 and Bluetooth (optional). There are 3 USB ports, a 4-in-1 card reader, a 1.3 MP webcam, microphone and a headphone jack. There is an HDMI port for transferring video to an external monitor. There is also a VGA port for connecting the notebook to a larger display. The machine is available with 3 or 6 cell batteries.

The notebook measures just 1.2 inches in thickness and weighs around 2.9 pounds with the 3-cell battery.

Bloggers who reviewed an early engineering model of the notebook claims that while Wind U230 can’t perform better than systems with Intel’s SU7300 processor in CPU benchmarks, it is way ahead of other notebooks with Intel GMA X4500MHD and GMA 950 graphics when it comes to playing 3D video games.

At around 4 hours, the battery life is far from being impressive. But MSI may address the issue before officially launching the notebook early next year.

Details regarding Lenovo’s latest notebook, the ThinkPad X100e, have leaked. This is an entry-level ultraportable notebook aimed at small and medium businesses. It will have an 11.6 inch high resolution display with 1366 x 768 pixels.

The ThinkPad X100e will be based on AMD RS780 chipset and will run on Athlon MV40 processor. Up to 4GB of RAM can be installed. The maximum available storage space is 500 GB. The machine will come pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium and will also have WWAN wireless options.

The keyboard will be a chiclet style model but sources claim that it will still offer the ‘legendary ThinkPad keyboard feel’. The touchpad will support multi-touch gestures. The machine will also have a Trackpoint.

The notebook will be available with either 3-cell or 6-cell batteries. The 6-cell version will weigh around 3.3 lbs and is expected to provide up to 5.1 hours of uptime. The X100e will be available in black, white or red colors. Prices may start at $449.

Pixel Qi plans to start the mass production of its 3 Qi displays from next month. These displays consume less power while at the same time offering high contrast. The 3 Qi displays can be used in two modes. When used in full color saturation mode, you can hardly distinguish between a Pixel Qi display and a normal LCD display. And when used in high contrast mode, the display will consume significantly less power and you will get more battery life. The 3Qi displays are also readable in bright surroundings.

Pixel Qi is founded by Mary Lou Jospen who is also associated with the One Laptop Per Child project. She has been distributing screen shots of the display for quite sometime, but the real product hasn’t been released as yet. But now with mass production just around the corner, we will not have to wait too long to see the displays used in real notebooks.

Pixel Qi is also developing an HDTV that consumes less than 10 watts of power while most HDTVs use at least ten times more energy. Pixel Qi said that its technology would make HDTVs available in areas with limited access to power. And at just 10 watts the TV could run on a battery.

Qualcomm has leaked more details regarding the Lenovo smartbook which would be powered by one of its processors.

A smartbook shares the same form factor as a netbook. But unlike netbooks, smartbooks are typically sold with a cell contract which allows it to stay connected to the internet through a cellular network. In other words a smartbook combines the features of a netbook and a smartphone.

The Lenovo smartbook will be powered by Qualcomm’s fast 1 GHz Snapdragon processor. It is said that the device would offer ‘all day’ battery life which can’t be more than 8 hours in this case. It will run Google’s Android operating system which is kind of surprising because Lenovo could have used Google’s Chrome OS instead. While Android has got much better recently, it is still a cell-phone oriented operating system whereas Chrome is better suited for a computer.

Nothing on pricing or availability has been announced as yet. But more information should emerge at CES 2010.

MacBook speakers aren’t bad. Actually they are good judging by the quality of average laptop speakers. But if you are a music aficionado you may want something better. And that is definitely what Twelve South offers. The company has released a stylish subwoofer specifically for MacBooks. It is sure to improve the sound quality on your Mac.

The new BassJump subwoofer is very small so you wouldn’t have much difficulty carrying it around. It connects via USB and enhances the sound quality through an analog-style tuning application. The only down side is that it is made for MacBooks. You can’t use it with other notebooks.

Plenty of non-Intel devices have started hitting the market. Lenovo has announced its plans to release a Snapdragon powered smartbook. Now Quanta has unveiled another smartbook. This machine too will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor. It will run on Google’s Android OS.

Only the prototype is ready at the moment. The demo video released by Quanta shows a mini laptop with 3 USB 2.0 ports, a mini-HDMI connector, a microSD reader and a combination of microphone and headphone jacks.

In terms of thickness the machine is comparable to Sony’s Vaio X. But just not expect it to have similar guts.

Packard Bell has announced two mini-laptops featuring 10.1 inch and 11.6 inch displays.

The smaller model called Dot S2 has an Intel Atom N450 processor, 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB SATA hard drive. It will have the regular connectivity options – both wireless and wired. The machine is likely to ship with Windows XP Home. Prices are expected to be in the range of 250-300€.

The other model – the Butterfly XS – has a faster Intel SU4100 processor, 2 GB of DDR2 of RAM and a 250GB SATA hard drive. It is equipped with a 6-cell battery and will ship with Windows 7 Home Premium. A higher-end model with a Core2 Solo SU3500 and a 320GB hard drive is also likely to be released soon.

While there is no official confirmation in this regard, both laptops are likely to have multi-touch capable touchpads.

Most people's first impression upon seeing the new Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 is the assumption that it is just like any average laptops out there. But you will soon realize that there is a lot more to this notebook than meets the eye. For once, it is equipped with a 3D panel that enables it to stand out from mainstream laptop technology. Some critics readily dismissed this addition as something that average users won't be able to appreciate. But general populace would appreciate this feature at an affordable $780 price tag, now would you?

Examining the features of the Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 introduces a lot of innovative features that would undeniably confer good feedback. The 3D panel will serve as the focal point of this review, given that this is a breakthrough among notebook models in the market. This is, after all, a unique form of technology, which is one of only three 3D technologies that people have access today. So, you can rest assured that Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 is on a league of its own.

The software model of the Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 is therefore something worth grabbing if you are in for the latest technology. But before you head on out to buy one, take time to learn about what features you can expect and how it helps to improve your overall user experience. The main interface for this laptop is intuitively done such that you can easily access high quality video files that are unparalleled in its resolution and imaging. The software is also extensive enough that you can produce high definition video performance even when you are merely using an external DVD drive. If you like to do a lot of online video streaming, whether be it from YouTube, Hulu, or Netflix, Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 never fails to impress.

In addition to quality video, Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 comes with a 3D photo viewer that is accessible from the menu launch that is available for the software. You can therefore enjoy quality images that are topnotch in quality, often jolting out of the screen. For serious gamers, the laptop's 3D technology does a pretty decent job with the gameplay experience. Playing your favorite video games through this laptop delivers raw action that is equipped with vivid visuals and graphics.

Even without the 3D technology, Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 has got tons to offer to its users. The 15.6 inch panel is solid and durably designed to withstand wear quite well. The inherent screen and resolution display quality is already up to par with most laptop models in the market, such that even without the 3D technology, the viewing experience is still quite satisfying. Video files also run in a 1366x768 pixel resolution for no lagging issues and efficient video streaming experience.

The overall performance of the Acer Aspire 5738DG-6165 therefore makes it a competitive notebook model today. Whether it is functionality, high quality videos and images, or top technological features that you want, this notebook has delivered in all aspects brilliantly. And with an affordable price tag to boot, this is certainly worth grabbing for those considering buying one to use.

The one thing that has improved with the last few generations of Windows operating systems over the last couple of years is the ease of set up of the home networking system. This has not changed with the introduction of Windows 7. As a matter of fact, Windows 7 has stepped it up a notch when it comes to both setting up and maintaining a home networking environment. You will see that several problems that you had in the past are now gone.

Before we go into the configuration settings that will be in the operating system, we want to make sure that you have your hardware all set up and secured. Depending on the router you bought in the store, they will either offer you the option of a set up wizard or will give you detailed instructions on how to set your username, password and SSID name. They will also want you to set up what kind of security encryption that you would like people to connect to your network with. Windows 7 supports hardware that will use the latest in encryption methods. As of right now this is WPA 2. This would be the best option for you to use.

After you have set up the hardware that you will need and set it to the proper encryption method, you now want to make sure that your network can share files and folders. You do this in Windows 7 by creating Homegroups. A homegroup is a private set up on your home network that allows you to share files and folders with a specified set of computers. Having it set up in this way allows you to be safe and secured so that you know everyone who is accessing your computer over the network. Others over the network in your house can also set their computers into the same homegroup and allow you to share their files with them also. You can create a homegroup by going into the control panel, then click on network and internet, next click homegroup and then you will see the option "create a homegroup". After that a set up wizard will pop up, helping you to create your first homegroup. Once you create the homegroup and set a password, everybody that is part of that same homegroup will be able to share.

You can also specify files and folder to users even if they are not part of your homegroup. You have to go into windows explorer and right click on the file. Once you have right clicked on the file, you will see the option "to share with". This will give you the option to share this particular file with others in a different homegroup or make it public for everybody to be able to consume. There are several other ways to share files in Windows 7 but these two are the easiest and most likely the safest way to achieve this goal.

Home networking has become so easy that there is not much too it in Windows 7. If you want to set the network configurations or any other problems that you might have involving the network then you can go to the Network and sharing center section of the control panel. This will give you a network map of all the computers that are connected to your network as well as give you in depth configuration about each of the computers and the network itself. If you get to the point where you are more experienced, you can make all kinds of neat network adjustment yourself until you are satisfied with arraignments.

We have discussed setting up your home network as it pertains to Windows 7. To set up the actual router, you can get directions from your actual vendor or read the instruction manual. Windows 7 will help keep your files and folders safe as well as let them have the access that you want to give them.

Windows 7 will be the first time that a lot of people are being introduced into the newest generation of Windows operating systems. There were a lot of people that skipped over upgrading to Windows Vista. They skipped the upgrade for several reasons such as, the high upgrade cost, the bad reviews that the operating system was receiving from the tech press, or just a bad experience using someone else computer who had Windows Vista installed. So if you are coming over to Windows 7 from Windows XP there are a few things that are similar in Windows 7 and some things that are just plain different.

In Windows 7, luckily for Windows XP upgraders, the delete and recover a file process is pretty similar to as it was before. To delete a file you can either right click on the file and press delete or go to the file, highlight it, and then press the delete key on your keyboard. This will cause the file to go to the Recycling Bin. The Recycle Bin is the folder where deleted files are stored just in case the person that deleted them change their mind. To fully get rid of a file on your computer you will have to empty the Recycle Bin. To do that you have to right click on the folder that says Recycle Bin and press "Empty Recycle Bin". You can also open the the Recycle Bin folder and look at the bar where you will see the words "Empty Recycle Bin". If you click on that the Recycle Bin will be cleared out. Once you do that, the file is not able to be retrieved through normal methods. Be careful when you decide to empty your Bin. Some people forget that the Recycle Bin exists and then notice that their hard drive is getting filled up regardless of the fact that they haven't downloaded anything new. This is because your Recycle Bin is ready to be cleared and you haven't done it yet.

If you have not cleared your Recycle Bin and have decided that you have changed your mind about wanting that certain file deleted, there are several ways that you can retrieve the file. The quickest and easiest way to retrieve a file that was recently deleted is to go to the top of your files explorer window. You can then click undo delete and the file will be returned. To restore a file that has been deleted for a little while longer you can go into the Recycle Bin and highlight the file that you would like to restore. When you have highlighted the file you will now see on the toolbar "Restore this item". Click on that and the file will be restored back to the folder that you deleted it from.

Not only have we shown you how to recover deleted files from Windows 7, we also gave you a quick lesson on how to properly get rid of files permanently so it doesn't eat your hard drive space. You should now feel comfortable that if you make a bone headed deletion error, that you will be able to retrieve the file.

HP is a recognized brand in computer technology; thus, the release of an all-new HP dm3T opens up a lot of useful functionalities and portability for students and other consumers who want comfort without sacrificing quality of the laptop's performance. If you are currently shopping for the best laptop to buy, then you should include this one on your list and might even end up as your choice too.

Features

One distinction that HP has over other laptop manufacturers is that they believe in the importance of looks and design as one of the major buying factors that consumers use. Since it is one of the first few things they see, it initially impacts the kind of impression they have about a laptop. If they don't like the physical build or design, they would not even consider checking out its technical features and specifications. This is a strong point being addressed by developers with HP dm3T such that they have equipped it with an attractive design and finish.

The 13.2-inch screen looks very modern and sleek, thus ideal for students and professionals alike. And more impressive is that it comes with 1366x768 WGA screen resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio, thus it is HD format friendly for quality LCD TV experience. Moreover, this is a backlit screen variety so you can enjoy vivid and bright colors.

Weighing only approximately 4 lbs, HP dm3T offers no burden to the user in terms of carrying it with you wherever you maybe. And yet, you can avail of that for a comparatively affordable price tag of only $599.99. The overall construction and the keyboard area all emit efficiency and convenience too. The keyboard comes in a chiclet style, but it is very reliable when you are embarking on a typing job and intuitively assigned their spots for convenient typing. It is not equipped with fancy buttons and flashy lights, just clean look on the top.

The case for HP dm3T is also very rigid, such that it won't flex even if you grab at it using only one hand. The keyboard and ports area are also made out of silver colored plastic molding and the overall construction certainly does not look cheap at all. There are also lots of port selections for HP dm3T and is ideal for the busy individual so you can perform multi-tasking. There are up to 4 USB ports, 1 microphone-in port, 1 headphone out port, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet LAN, and a 5-in-1 card reader.

As for the technical performance, HP dm3T runs on a 1.3HGz Core 2 Duo processor, which is good enough for productivity applications like checking or sending e-mail, running office applications, web surfing, and other vital functions at an efficient speed rate. However, this is not something for the serious gamer though, but that does not take anything away from this media powerhouse.

Final Thoughts

If you only have a limited budget to spend, HP dm3T is a good option for you such that it is a powerhouse laptop despite being quite affordable. And yet, it has certain features that top even more expensive models in the market.

Over the years, Dell has been known for consistently introducing new technological innovations and breakthroughs in terms of laptop technology. One of its biggest accomplishments is the unveiling of the new Dell Latitude E4300 laptop model. The powerful performance that this notebook provides to users does come with a price though, a hefty one at that. But if you are willing to shell out the amount that this one is worth, then you can enjoy all the powerful features that come with this ultra-portable machine.

The current market price for Dell Latitude E4300 stands at $1,349 with a maximum retail price of $2,054. Hence, one can easily conclude that this is not an inexpensive laptop model. But its price does not belie its performance because this is not your average laptop either. But the main difference with this laptop over any other models out there is that it does not just offer features you'd expect from a next-gen laptop, but you can get them at an all-new standard.

One of the first things that you'd notice with Dell Latitude E4300 is the impressive build and design. The chassis design complement the LCD display very well, while its compact body measuring only about 13. 3 inches gives it a sleek appearance. The series also introduces a new black finish into the notebook, thus making it look professional and sophisticated. With an aluminum LCD, this one won't wear down easily even with constant usage.

There is no doubt about Dell Latitude E4300's superiority when it comes to the design and built. Even the display screen is durably attached such that it does not wobble easily. The keyboard is also very convenient to use since it responds quite efficiently, making the typing experience smooth and manageable.

Despite the superiority and excellence in design quality for Dell Latitude E4300, it is not entirely flawless either. For one, users no longer have an option in the battery since this laptop model only offers the 6-cell battery system. Hence, while it might exhibit a slick appearance to it, the presence of the battery bulging at the back of the unit eliminates slightly that look of sophistication it initially has. However, this flaw would matter only amongst users who are quite particular about the aesthetic design of their unit.

The LED backlit screen of Dell Latitude E4300 comes with native resolution of 1280x800. Thus, you are sure to enjoy the topnotch quality of images and videos for maximum viewing pleasure. However, it is equipped with light adjustment settings to adapt accordingly to natural lighting conditions.

Performance is at the heart of Dell Latitude E4300 that runs in 2.53HGz Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 80GB 7200RPM. This notebook is also equipped with a dedicated graphics card for an excellent multimedia display and quality. The hard drive is also excellent and it runs at record breaking speed with minimal to no loading issues experienced.

Dell Latitude E4300 might be expensive but it does not let down on any aspect, such that it is probably one of the most powerful compact laptops ever introduced in the market.

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA sports an all-new design inspired by the curves of a seashell. Its specifications don’t set it apart from the multitude of netbooks available in the market. But this ultraportable machine does have some plus points of its own. On the flip side, it misses a few ports and offers less battery life than a typical netbook does.

Specifications
Processor: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N280
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Memory: 2 GB
Storage: 250 GB 5400 rpm
Display: 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels

Price as Reviewed: $411

Design and build quality
The Eee PC 1008HA sports an attractive design. The screen lid is available in glossy white and black; blue and pink are expected to be available later this year. The lid features an infusion finish which makes it scratch resistant. The netbook measures one inch in thickness. And at just 2.2 pounds it is lighter than most netbooks available in the market.

Ports
All the ports are covered with plastic tabs. There are 2 USB ports (most netbooks have 3), a 4-in-1 card reader, Ethernet port, headphone and microphone jacks. There is also a VGA port for connecting the netbook to a larger display.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is spacious and is comfortable to type on. The keys provide nice tactile feedback. There is a Wi-Fi and touchpad on/off button above the keyboard. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures. It is covered with small Braille-like dots. There are no dedicated right and left buttons, but the single button does work well.

Display, Audio, and Webcam
The 10.1 inch display features 1024 x 600 pixels. The display is good. Colors are bright and vivid. Horizontal viewing angles are good but vertical viewing angles are average. The 1.3 megapixel webcam fitted above the display produces clear images.
The speakers are good but not the best. Audiophiles will definitely need to invest in a pair of headphones.

Performance
The original 1008HA ran Windows XP. But the new version runs Windows 7 Home Premium. This is a remarkable feature as most netbooks out there run Windows 7 Starter which has very limited functionality. The new and improved 1008HA also has 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive.

Performance is satisfactory. The netbook has enough power to handle every day tasks. You will not have any difficulty surfing the web with multiple tabs on or conducting video calls over Skype. The integrated Intel GMA 950 chip can easily decode 720p HD video, but gaming is still out of question.

Battery Life
The Eee PC 1008HA has a 2900 mAH lithium polymer battery instead of the more common lithium ion battery. The 6-cell battery provides up to six hours of up time. While the battery life is OK, the battery itself does pose some problems. It is integrated with the netbook and cannot be removed.

Pros
Thin and light
Spacious keyboard
Attractive design
Faster hard drive

Cons
Integrated battery which cannot be removed
VGA port requires adapter

Acer will launch its Aspire Timeline 1820 PTZ convertible tablet in the UK on December 9. It will sell for €599.

The Timeline 1820 PTZ is a thin-and-light tablet with an 11.6 inch multi-touch display. Acer claims that like other models in the Timeline series, the 1820 PTZ will also offer 8 hours of battery life.

The Timeline 1820 PTZ is basically the tablet version of the 1810T/TZ laptops Acer released this month. The base model is configured with an Intel SU2300 processor, 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive. For connectivity there are Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11b/g/n. Another notable aspect is the HDMI port which is now becoming a standard netbook feature.

The Aspire Timeline 1820 PTZ comes pre-installed with Windows 7 Home Premium.

The LG X120 is the first LG laptop to hit American shores. It is now available through US wireless carrier AT&T for $179.99. And yes, you have to sign up for a two year DataConnect service plan which will set you back by $60 per month.

That means you will have to spend $1440 over the next two years to get the netbook at the subsidized price today. This, however, wouldn’t be a problem for those buyers who were planning to get the connection anyway. Now in case you aren’t keen on using the service you can terminate within the first 30 days and AT&T won’t charge an early termination fee.

The LG X120 is a nice 3G-enabled netbook that allows you to stay connected 24/7. It is now available for purchase at Radio Shack.com and Radio Shack stores nationwide. And as an added bonus AT&T will also allow you access to 20,000 of its US WiFi hotspots.

Prior to the arrival of Intel’s Atom processors, VIA did enjoy some success with low-cost laptops. The company shipped in a handful of HP Mini models. But then Intel’s cheap and power efficient Atom processors arrived and VIA had to concede its market share to its more powerful rival.

But now Phecda has released a netbook with a VIA processor. The PHV102, as it is called, has the regular netbook specs. It features a VIA 1.6GHz C7-M processor, 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160 GB SATA hard drive. It has a 10.2 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels and a three-cell 200mAh battery. But still you can’t write it off as just another netbook.

The reason is the PHV102 will have the Black Friday price all the time. It will sell for an estimated $185 on every day of the year. Competition has always been good for the market so don’t be surprised if you see netbooks getting even cheaper.

Samsung’s Ion-powered netbook, the N510-4B is now on sale. Newegg.com has listed it at $599.99.

The N510-4B is slightly larger and more powerful than a typical netbook. And with its NVIDIA ION chipset it wouldn’t have much difficulty decoding HD videos.

The N510-4B has an 11.6 inch LCD display with 1366 x 768 pixels. The device runs on an Intel Atom N280 processor clocking at 1.66GHz. Up to 2 GB of DDR2 RAM can be installed. The SATA II hard drive comes in 250 GB capacity. The netbook runs Windows 7 Home Premium. Other notable features include 802.11 b/g/n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 and 1.3 megapixel webcam.

The unit currently ships with NVIDIA’s ION Light Edition chipset.

Black Friday is just around the corner and shopping deals have already started pouring in. Dell has put its Vostro A90 on sale for just $184. This version of the netbook runs Ubuntu 8.04, but it could have been nicer if Dell used Ubuntu 9.10 netbook remix.

The Vostro A90 doesn’t have any fancy specifications. It is a basic netbook with an Intel Atom N270 processor, 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and an 8GB solid state drive. The 8.9 inch LCD display comes with 1024 x 600 pixels. Other notable features include WiFi 802.11b/g.

If you think the 8GB storage isn’t sufficient to meet your needs, you can upgrade to the 16GB SSD by paying an additional $50. Windows isn’t available as an option, but you wouldn’t have much difficulty installing it via a USB key.

Some reports at the Mozilla support site indicate that Firefox may be the reason behind netbook overheating. When opening pages heavy in multimedia (which usually include Flash elements) Firefox tends to make netbooks hotter than other browsers do.

This is not a problem with larger notebooks because they have better cooling systems with beefier heatpipes and fans capable of moving larger volumes of air. Netbooks with their small frame, however, don’t have full-fledged cooling systems and are more likely to feel the heat.

While the report is based on a study conducted on netbooks running OsX, Windows users have also reported similar overheating problems. And in case you want to test this yourself just try opening a multimedia rich page in different browsers including Firefox and feel the heat. Does your netbook tend to get hotter than usual during a prolonged browsing session in Firefox?

The HP Pavilion DM1 occupies the space between an Atom netbook and a full-fledged notebook. It can easily compete with other 11.6 inch models like Acer Aspire 1410 and Lenovo U150.

Build quality
Build quality is reasonably good. The screen lid, however, shows some flex. The Pavilion DM1 is as thin and light as any other netbook. The bottom of the netbook provides easy access panels for internal components so upgrading this netbook is easy.

Specifications
Processor: 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 processor
Graphics: integrated GMA 4500MHD
Memory: 2GB of RAM
Storage: 250GB hard drive
Battery: 6-cell

Other configurations with dual core Pentium SU4100 processor are also available.

Ports
Port selection is average. There are 3 USB ports, an HDMI port, Ethernet and WiFi 802.11b/g. There is only a single jack for mic and headphone.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard does offer a solid feel and good tactile feedback. It shows no signs of flex at all. But it is smaller for a 10 inch netbook. The touchpad disappoints. It doesn’t support multi-touch gestures which is kind of surprising because plenty of small and inexpensive netbooks now come with multi-touch touchpads. The buttons are stiff and noisy.

Screen and Speakers
The 11.6 inch display comes with 1366 x 768 pixels. The display itself is good with good color and contrast. The Altec Lansing speakers produce great audio. The microphones are also great.

Battery life
The 6-cell lithium ion battery provides around 4.5 hours of runtime under normal use.

Performance
Performance is quite satisfactory. The netbook has enough power to handle day-to-day jobs like web browsing and word processing. The integrated Intel graphics can’t handle graphics rich video games but it is good enough to decode HD video (720p and 1080p).

Pros
High resolution display
Solid keyboard
Good speakers and microphone
Silent cooling system

Cons
Touchpad lacks multi-touch supports
Stiff and noisy touchpad buttons
Small keyboard
No Bluetooth or WiFI N

Desinger netbooks aren’t necessarily known for their capabilities, but there is still a market for them. Much like the Vivienne Tam editions released by HP, Dell has released a limited edition Inspiron Mini designed by Deanne Cheuk. The netbook doesn’t have any fancy specs: it is the regular netbook fare.

The Deanne Cheuk Inspiron Mini is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor with integrated Intel GMA 500 processor. It has 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB SATA hard disk drive. The netbook has a 10 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The only available connectivity option is 802.11 b/g wireless. There is also an HDMI port for transferring video to an external monitor.

Each system in the series will be individually numbered. They are now available at Best Buy for $379.99. The Limited Edition Inspiron Mini runs Windows 7 Starter edition.

USB Flash storage drives have become very cheap in recent years. In fact, you don’t have much difficulty getting a 32GB USB flash drive for $60 or less. But price isn’t an indicator of the usefulness of the drive. Because flash drives aren’t necessarily created equal. Some drives are faster than others. Some even come with password-protected file encryption feature.

Now Kingston has unveiled a new line of DataTraveler Locker + USB flash drives with 256-bit AES hardware encryption. The encryption software makes it impossible to access data on the drives without a password. And if you enter the wrong password 10 times the flash drive will automatically get reformatted. So if you lose your flash drive accidentally you will not have to worry about your data reaching the wrong hands. But be sure to remember your password. The drives are compatible with Windows, Linux and OS X. They are available in 4GB to 32GB capacities. Prices start at $36.

Intel’s Classmate PC has gone on sale in Canada as MDG Flip. The machine now retails for CDN $599.99 on the Sears.ca website. The Classmate PC has been re-branded several times but there has never really been any change in the specs.

Like other Classmate models, the MDG Flip too is powered by an Intel Atom N270 processor with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a 60GB SATA hard disk drive. The connectivity options include WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth.

As the name itself indicates the Classmate line of laptops are aimed at students. They sport a ruggedized design for added durability. And the tablet features come really handy when you have to take some notes in the class.

In form factor, the AOpen XC Mini isn’t much different from other nettops currently available, but it is certainly more powerful. On the flip side it is pricier than most nettops.

Inside the glossy black shell, it packs an Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo (Penryn) processor which is significantly more powerful than the Atom processors found in most nettops. The Penryn processor also provides reasonably good gaming performance.

The nettop comes with an optical drive. It has the regular array of ports and slots. There are 6 USB 2.0ports, a 2.5 inch SATA hard drive slot, an HDMI output port, an eSATA port, gigabit LAN and Nvidia ION graphics port.

The XC Mini delivers impressive performance in benchmark tests. You can’t term it as an entry level gaming machine, but it isn’t quite a high-end nettop either.

Imation has unveiled several upgrade kits for those users who want to upgrade the SATA hard disk drives in their netbook to faster solid state drives. The new kits come with 64 or 128GB SSDs. There is also an external USB enclosure into which you can place your existing hard disk drive just in case you don’t feel like throwing it away.

The kits are, however, overpriced. The 64GB SSD now retails for $211.99 at Buy.com and the 128GB kit will make you lighter by $359.99. That means this drive costs as much as a low-cost netbook. So if you find these drives too costly for your taste, you should look elsewhere. And fortunately for you, you will not have much difficulty finding 64GB SSDs selling for $150 or less. But they won’t carry the Imation trade mark.

Not a single smartbook hit the market in 2009, but we heard quite a lot about them. Smartbooks are mini-laptops with low power ARM-based processors. They get excellent battery life and will allow you to always stay connected to the internet through WiFi or a 3G cellular connection.

Recently chip-maker Qualcomm said that Lenovo would be making a smartbook based on a Qualcomm processor. This will be the first smartbook from Lenovo and it is likely to be available subsidized through AT&T.

Now Pegatron Technology, a Taiwanese company, says that it has received huge orders for smartbooks that will be released in 2010. Pegatron devices have a history of getting rebranded and resold in the US by some big PC vendors. So chances are we will see a flood of announcements in the first quarter of 2010. Pegatron smartbooks are expected to run on Linux-based operating systems and could sell for around $200.

Intel doesn’t normally talk about unreleased products, but bloggers do. Some rumors doing the rounds suggest that the successor to the Intel Atom Pine Trail platform would be known by the name Cedar Trail. There is no confirmation from Intel yet, but now it seems that more details have emerged.

Unofficial sources claim that the Cedar Trail platform could be based on a 32nm process. The Cedar Trail chips are expected to support DDR3 1066 RAM, HD Video and DirectX 10.1 standard. The platform is expected to be released in 2011 but the processors may not be available until at least 2013.

If the Cedar chips do support HD video playback, they would considerably improve the performance of netbooks. The current generation of Atom processors have very limited HD video capabilities and the upcoming Pine Trail processors won’t improve the situation much either as they are meant to consume less power than the existing Atom processors with n

Lenovo has released a new version of its ThinkPad USB external keyboard. It is aimed at desktop and notebook users who don’t own a ThinkPad but want the same typing experience.

Lenovo ThinkPad keyboards are well known for their ease of use so much so that they are considered the best laptop keyboards in the world.

Lenovo ThinkPad USB Keyboard Features

Integrated TrackPoint
Spill resistant
Good ergonomic design
Access to variety of ThinkPad features through the Function Key
Volume up and down arrow keys

The Lenovo ThinkPad USB keyboard comes with a 3-year warranty. It is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Build and Design
In layout the new ThinkPad USB keyboard is very similar to the keyboards on some newer ThinkPad laptops. The keyboard features a low profile design with a thin frame and a large fixed palm rest surrounding it. Lenovo has removed the integrated touchpad which used to feature on older models.

The keyboard is very sturdy and shows minimal flex. Lenovo has also made use of rubber pads to keep the keyboard firmly on your desk.

In Use
The keyboard is very comfortable to type on. The key layout is identical to the keyboard on the T400s. Individual key action is smooth and quiet. The top edge of the keyboard comes with quick access keys with which you can perform a number of tasks including volume adjustment. These buttons don’t seem to require additional drivers to work on different laptop models running Vista or Windows 7. If you are using this keyboard on a ThinkPad notebook you will also be able to launch the ThinkVantage software suite by pressing its key.

The new ThinkPad USB keyboard doesn’t have an integrated touchpad. There is only a pointing stick which works reasonably well.

The new keyboard also doesn’t feature the onboard USB port which was present on the previous models. Lenovo may have removed it to cut costs or make the keyboard thinner, but this is a feature may people will miss.

Conclusion
The new Lenovo ThinkPad USB keyboard offers value for the money. The typing experience is nearly identical to what you would get from typing on the laptop itself. If you already own one of the old models of the keyboard you may miss the touchpad and the onboard USB hub. But at $59, the new model is also cheaper than the old models.

The Dell Studio 17 packs nearly all desirable features inside its small frame. The only missing feature until now had been multi-touch functionality. Now Dell has rectified it. The new and improved Dell Studio 17 supports multi-touch controls.

The Studio 17 comes with either an Intel Pentium or Core 2 Duo processor. Up to 8GB of RAM can be installed. The notebook provides as much as 1TB of storage space. For high-end graphics performance there is the discrete ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570/HD 4650 GPU. And if are concerned about power conservation, the graphics is switchable to the integrated GMA 4500MHD.

Other notable features include Blu-ray/DVD, USB, eSATA/USB combo, WiFi, FireWire, HDMI, VGA and DisplayPort.

The 17.3 inch multi-touch display comes with 1600 x 900 pixels. The new Studio 17 will run Windows 7 which has several touch friendly features. The base configuration with a six-cell battery pack starts at $899.

Asus plans to release an updates version of its popular thin-and-light UL30 notebook. The new version will have discrete GPU.

The UL30Vt as it is called will be powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor. Asus said that it would be possible to overclock the processor by up to 33%. The machine will also feature the Nvidia GeForce G210M 512MB discrete GPU. The graphics is switchable to the integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD.

The Asus UL30Vt will run Windows 7. It will have a 13.3 inch glossy display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM can be installed. The available storage space is 500GB.

Pricing and Availability
No information regarding pricing or availability has been announced. The Asus UL30 currently sells for $799. The UL30Vt is expected to carry a higher price tag.

The new Dell Vostro notebooks – the 1014 and the 1015 - are now available for purchase. The Dell Vostro 1014 has a 14.1 inch display whereas the Dell Vostro 1015 has a 15.6 inch display.

Both notebooks have similar specifications. They feature LED backlit displays with 1366 x 768 pixels. The Vostro 1014 and 1015 can be configured with Intel Celeron or Core 2 Duo processors. Up to 4GB of DDR2-800 RAM can be installed. The hard disk spins at 5400rpm. Available storage space is 320GB.

Other features include 8X DVD burner, ExpressCard slot, 5-in-1 card reader and WiFi 802.11b/g. There are 4 USB ports.

The Vostro 1014 and 1015 runs Windows Vista/Windows 7 Home Premium/Professional 32 bit. Prices start at $429.

PC maker Haleron has built a new Linux-based operating system which the company claims is capable of running Linux, Windows and Google Android applications. Ocean OS as it would be called is based on SUSE Linux. It supports WINE which will help it to run some Windows based applications. Haleron has also included software that would make the OS compatible with applications based on Google’s Android.

The OS is now available for download. Upon creating a free account you will be able to start the downloading. Both netbook and desktop versions of the OS are available for download.

ViewSonic has introduced a new all-in-one PC with a touch-screen display. The ViewSonic VPC101 as it would be called will run Windows 7 Home Premium which has several touch friendly features. The desktop has an 18.5 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It is expected to be available in December.

The VPC101 has more or less the same specifications as a typical netbook. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom 230 processor with integrated GMA 950 graphics. Up to 1GB of RAM and 160 GB storage space is available. The all-in-one also has WiFi 802.11b/g.

The VPC101 carries a price tag of $650 but ViewSonic PCs tend to sell for a lot less than their list price. The same can be true of VPC101.

ViewSonic also introduced two other mini-PCs last week – the VOT530 and the VOT550. These machines are more powerful and expensive than most nettops.

Details of Lenovo’s upcoming ThinkPad X100e have been leaked. The ThinkPad X100e is being classified as a business netbook. It is thin and light, but it will be larger than a typical netbook.

While Lenovo hasn’t officially confirmed these details, the notebook is expected to have the following specifications.

The ThinkPad X100e will have an 11.6 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It will be powered by an AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 processor. The notebook can be configured with various versions of windows 7 ranging from Starter to Pro (32 bit or 64 bit).

Up to 4GB of RAM can be installed. The hard drive spins at 5400 rpm and is available in 160GB, 250GB or 320Gb capacities. There will be 3 USB ports, VGA output port, 0.3 mega pixel webcam and a 4-in-1 card reader. Other features include 802.11b/g/n, optional Bluetooth and 3G. 3 and 6 cell battery options are available. The 3 cell battery is expected to give 2.2 hours of up time whereas the 6-cell battery may run for 5 hours. Prices may start at $449.

Eee PC 1201N: The first Asus notebook with Nvidia ION
Asus is finally ready to launch its Eee PC 1201N. It is the first ION-powered laptop from Asus.

The Asus Eee PC 1201N is equipped with a high resolution 1366 x 768 pixels display. It is powered by an Intel Atom 330 dual core processor with NVIDIA ION graphics. Actually, very few notebooks in the market have a dual core Atom 330 processor. The notebook will sell for around $499 and several online dealers have already started accepting pre-orders for $485 to $499.

In design the Eee PC 1201N isn’t much different from the other Eee PCs like 1101HA, 1008HA, and 1005HA. The machine measures 1.3 inches in thickness and at 3.2 pounds, it is slightly heavier than other notebooks recently released by Asus.

The 1201N runs Windows 7 Home Premium. Up to 2GB of RAM and up to 250 GB of storage can be installed. There are 3 USB ports, an SDHC card Slot, a VGA output and an HDMI port. Other features include Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11b/g/n.

The Eee PC 1201N is expected to be available in the US in mid-December.

Malata has released a convertible tablet called the R108T. The device features an attractive design and carries an affordable price tag.

The convertible R108T has a 10 inch touch screen display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The display can be folded down over the keyboard to use the netbook in the tablet mode.
The tablet runs Windows 7 which has several touch friendly features. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB hard disk drive. Other features include 2 USB ports, a card reader, VGA and 1.3MP integrated webcam.

Pricing and availability
The laptop is built for the Chinese market, but it is expected to make it to the US sometime soon. It appears that the laptop is selling for about $439.

Transcend has unveiled a 1.5TB StoreJet 35T external hard disk drive. It has more than enough space to store the whole of your music and videos. The StoreJet 35T also comes with some useful backup software.

Backing up your data is pretty easy with the one-touch backup button. And just in case you find the 1.5TB storage space insufficient, there is a StoreJet Elite software for 256-bit AES file and folder encryption and compression. Transcend claims that the drive is ‘eco friendly’ and power efficient as it automatically reaches a power saving sleep mode after 10 minutes of inactivity. The file transfer speeds may range from 33MB/s to 42MB/s when using the TurboHDD transfer mode.

No information regarding pricing or availability has been announced as yet.

A large number of netbooks now come with graphics capable of decoding HD videos. The only problem is that while these machines can decode 1080p HD videos, many of them don’t have 1080p displays. Of course, if your netbook has an HDMI port, you can transfer the video to an external monitor. But that requires some cables. What if you could do away with the cables?

Well, chipmaker Amimon has released a WHDI module with which you can stream 1080p video wirelessly. The new module is designed for portable computing devices such as netbooks and laptops. It will allow you to stream HD video to any WHDI-enabled devices like set-top boxes, TVs and Blu-ray players.

The Mini-PCI card is thin enough to fit in even the smallest netbooks. But don’t expect this technology to be available with low-cost netbooks any time soon.

Netbooks have gained considerable popularity in recent years. They are cheap and ultraportable due to their small size. And most netbooks have enough power to handle every day jobs. On the flip side, netbooks fail more often than other notebooks.

SquareTrade, a company providing warranties for laptops, has published a study based on the data it collected over one year. The study reveals that almost one-third of all laptop owners reported a failure to SquareTrade within the first 3 years of purchasing the machine. The study also indicates that netbooks have a 20% higher rate of failure than other notebooks in the first year due to problems associated with hardware. While Asus and Toshiba netbooks encountered the fewest problems, HP had the most.

The study, however, is not a comprehensive one as data has been tracked for only one year. Another factor that needs to be mentioned is that SquareTrade uses a very general definition of a netbook. The company considers every computer that costs less than $400 to be a netbook. While netbooks are generally cheap, many good netbooks cost around $500. On the other hand, there are plenty of notebooks with larger displays that cost less than $400.

The Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PT is now available for pre-order in many parts of the world. The mini laptop has more or less the same size and specifications as the Aspire 1410 a.k.a Aspire 1810T. But this machine is a tablet with a touch screen display and a swivel which allows you to fold the display down over the keyboard.

Like the 1810T, the 1820PT is powered by a dual core 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor with integrated Intel GMA X4500MHD graphics. Up to 8GB of RAM can be installed. The hard disk is available in 320GB capacity. There is an HDMI port for transferring video to an external monitor. Other features include Bluetooth, WiFi 802.11b/g and optional 3G. The 11.6 inch high resolution display features 1366 x 768 pixels. The original Aspire 1810T didn’t have a touch-screen display.

Hercules, a company known for making computer peripherals, also has some netbooks to its credit. You can’t quite call them performance machines and they have never been available in the US. But now Hercules plans to release its eCAFE EC-1000W in the US. It is expected to sell for about $399.

The eCAFE EC-1000W has a 10 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. It has regular netbook specifications. The netbook is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor with 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard disk drive. It runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. Other features include WiFi 802.11b/g/n.

Since netbooks usually have more or less the same hardware, the biggest selling point is the design. The eCAFE EC-1000W can probably score in this department. It has an attractive design with a nice color scheme. The keyboard is chiclet-styled and the touchpad is of reasonable size.

With its 12.1 inch display, the Asus UL20A isn’t much different from a typical netbook, but the machine offers the functionality of a full sized notebook.

The UL20A is thin and light. It also gets good battery life when compared to many laptops larger in size. Performance is snappy. There are no discrete GPUs, but the machine is still capable of decoding HD movies. And the larger display features a higher resolution than that is found in laptops of similar size.

The UL20A is the cheapest laptop in the Asus UL line of notebooks. It is also the smallest. Unlike the 13 inch UL30A, the UL20A doesn’t have Bluetooth or HDMI. On the plus side this machine is cheaper than its bigger sibling by almost $200.


UL20A specifications:
Processor: Dual-core 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor
Graphics: integrated Intel GMA 4500MHD
Memory: 2GB of RAM
Storage: 250GB hard drive
Display: 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels
Other notable features include WiFi 802.11b/g/n

Performance
The UL20A is powered by a dual-core CULV processor. CULV processors are known for being power efficient. They also deliver better performance than the Intel Atom processors found in most netbooks. Performance is snappy. Boot times are good, and applications load almost instantly. The UL20A has enough power inside its chassis to be your primary PC. There are no discrete graphics cards, so you can’t play high-end games on this PC.

Conclusion
The UL20A is worth considering if you are looking for an ultraportable laptop priced in the upper range of a typical netbook. The notebook is now available from Amazon for $581. And there is currently a promotion wherein buyers will get Amazon gift certificates worth $75 with the purchase of UL20A.

2010 is just around the corner and netbooks running Intel Atom N450 processors have already started appearing. These processors are part of the new Pine Trail platform which is expected to improve the performance of netbooks.

It now seems that one of the first Atom N450 netbook to hit the market would be from Lenovo. Actually, a Lenovo netbook with Atom N450 has reached the FCC. The netbook has a 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. Up to 2GB of RAM can be installed. The hard disk is available in 250GB capacity. Other notable features include WiFi 802.11 b/g/n.

The couple of images published by FCC indicate that the netbook has the standard Lenovo keyboard layout. The left and right touchpad buttons also appear to be missing.

Lenovo it seems is keen on claiming its share in the MID and netbook market. The company is presently manufacturing its first smartbook with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. More netbooks are also on the anvil.

Yet another netbook is now available subsidized from US wireless carriers. AT&T has started offering Samsung Go at a subsidized price if you sign up for a 2 year wireless broadband plan. This version of Samsung Go runs Windows 7 Starter Edition.

The mini laptop weighs around 2.8lbs. It features a midnight blue ‘soft texture’ design with rounded corners and has a chiclet style keyboard. The Samsung Go has the regular netbook specifications. It is powered by an Intel Atom N270 processor with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard disk drive. The 10.1 inch display features 1024 x 600 resolution. There are 3 USB ports, VGA, WiFi 802.11b/g and audio in and out. The machine runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. Buyers should be aware that this is not a fully functional version of Windows 7.

The Samsung Go will be available from AT&T for $199 after mail in rebate. You can choose any of the two data plans offered by AT&T. While the 200MB plan costs $35/month, the much bigger 5GB plan can be bought for $60 per month.

The Zune HD is a portable media player from Microsoft. It was released on September 15, 2009. The device is available in 16GB and 32GB capacities.

The Zune HD has a touchscreen interface for navigation. The machine is powered by a NVIDIA Tegra processor. The optional HDMI Zune dock feature allows content to be transferred on to a high definition television. Otherwise, you can watch videos on the player’s OLED display.

The device offers excellent battery life. Audio quality is good, so it its ability to handle HD video. On the flip side, the screen is small. It is good for playing 16:9 videos, but try playing 4:3 videos, and you will only get postage stamp-sized images. Another problem is that very few software downloads are available in the Zune market place at the moment. But Microsoft, it seems, is keen on remedying this issue. The company recently released new firmware for the Zune HD. And the Zune 4.3 firmware brings in some cool features including support for 3D games. Besides this, Microsoft has made 6 new applications including some 3D games available in the Zune marketplace. All of these applications can be downloaded free.

Microsoft plans to stop offering Windows XP to netbook makers in about a year. The operating system is nearly a decade old, but is still being used in cheap, low power machines like netbooks. Now that Windows 7 has arrived Microsoft has realized that it is time they retired XP. And the new OS runs just as well on netbooks.

While Microsoft doesn’t plan to immediately retire XP, statistics shows that its market share is steadily shrinking with more and more netbook makers offering PCs with Windows 7 Starter edition. Plenty of netbooks with XP are still available in the market, but they are older models that arrived a year or so ago.

Is Windows 7 better than XP?
Well, the Windows 7 Starter Edition (which is the version used on most netbooks) is better than XP in many aspects, but it still doesn’t incorporate the best features of Windows 7. In fact, the Windows 7 Starter Edition won’t even allow you to change the desktop background. So it is safe to assume that Windows XP netbooks are more capable than the netbooks running Windows 7 Starter. Of course, buying a netbook with Windows 7 Home Premium will solve these issues, but they generally cost more and are less common. Another option is to upgrade from Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium by paying $80.