NOTEBOOK AND LAPTOP REVIEWS: 2/1/10

DELL INSPIRON MINI 10 NOW AVAILABLE WITH BROADCOM HD ACCELERATOR

You can now buy the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with a Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator. The Broadcom card makes it possible to play HD video on the Atom powered netbook. Better still, the latest version of the Adobe Flash Player supports Broadcom accelerator which means that you will be able to stream HD videos from YouTube and Hulu.

The Broadcom Video Accelerator is not available with the base model of Inspiron Mini 10. To get the card you need to select the ‘Performance Plus’ package which has a starting price of $409.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is a 10.1 inch netbook with an HD display. It has an Intel Atom N450 processor and 250GB hard drive. The netbook ships with a 6-cell battery. At $409, the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 is cheaper than other HD-capable netbooks.

LENOVO IDEAPAD S10-3T CONVERTIBLE NETBOOK REVIEWED

The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t is a 10 inch tablet style netbook with a touchscreen display that can be folded down over the keyboard. Actually very few netbooks are available with a touchscreen display and swivel. And at $549, the IdeaPad S10-3t is cheaper than most convertible tablets around.

The IdeaPad S10-3t is powered by an Intel Atom N450 Pine Trail processor. The Wall Street Journal has posted a review of the netbook. The paper seems quite impressed with the touchscreen and Lenovo’s touch-friendly software. The glossy screen, however, tends to cause a bit of distraction while watching movies or working in the tablet mode.

The reviewer isn’t all that impressed with the performance. He/she points out that the netbook feels kind of sluggish while launching applications. But it is not clear whether the S10-3t is slower than other Atom netbooks, which probably isn’t so. Incidentally, Lenovo, it seems, plans to release a faster version of this netbook with a Zippier 1.83GHz Intel Atom N470 processor. Intel is yet to confirm the existence of this netbook, but an official announcement is expected soon.

CHINESE LAPTOP E-NC10 IS BOTH THIN AND LIGHT AND EQUIPPED WITH DVD DRIVE

The E-NC10 is a thin and light laptop with an 11.6 inch display. But unlike most other thin-and-light laptops, the E-NC10 has a built-in DVD burner.

This Chinese laptop does have a slight resemblance to Samsung NC10, but it would be unfair to call it a knockoff. The E-NC10 has an HD display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by an Atom N270 processor with 2GB of RAM and a 320 GB hard drive. There are 2 USB ports, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet, 3G SIM card slot, headphone and mic jacks.

The E-NC10 has a 3-cell battery. It weighs around 3.4 pounds. Prices range between $290 and $380.

GIGABYTE T1000 CONVERTIBLE NETBOOK COMING SOON

Gigabyte has uploaded and then removed the product page for its convertible Pine Trail Atom powered netbook called T1000. The cached version of the page is still available with Google.

The Gigabyte T1000 seems like an updated version of the Gigabyte T1028X TouchNote. It has a 10.1 inch touchscreen display featuring 1366 x 768 pixels. The display can be folded down over the keyboard for using the device in the tablet mode.

This version will have an Intel Atom Pine Trail processor. It will be available with either a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 or a 1.83GHz Intel Atom N470 processor. Intel is yet to officially announce its Atom N470 processors, and the companies that do announce products with this processor have a habit of removing pages that mention it.

Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and GMA 3150 graphics. There are 2 USB ports, an eSATA/USB combo port, Ethernet, Flash card reader, Express Card slot and WiFi 802.11b/g/n. The netbook will ship with 4 or 6 cell batteries. The 4-cell model will apparently be called T1000X, and the 6-cell model will be called T1000P.

No word on pricing, but Gigabyte has no history of releasing cheap convertible tablet-style netbooks.

ASUS TO LAUNCH NETBOOKS WITH ALUMINUM CASE

Word is that Asus will have three new netbook models on display at the upcoming CeBIT trade show. These laptops appear to be updated versions of the Eee PC 1005PE and Eee PC 1008P.

Here are the details assuming that the sources are indeed correct.

Asus Eee PC 1015P: This model features a matte display and an aluminum case. It seems to be an updated version of the Eee PC 1005P. The Eee PC 1015P will reportedly offer 14 hours of runtime.

Asus Eee PC 1018P: This model has a thin profile and looks more like the Eee PC 1008P. It will also have an aluminum case and a redesigned touchpad. Other features include a fingerprint reader, and USB 3.0 ports. The battery is expected to provide up to 10 hours of runtime.

Asus Eee PC 1016P: This model is likely to be aimed at businesses. If that is indeed so, it may compete with HP Mini 5102 and Lenovo ThinkPad X100e. It will also have an aluminum case and a battery rated at 14 hours.

ASUS EEE PC T101MT REVIEWED

Asus hasn’t started shipping its Eee PC T101MT yet, but some reviewers have got to lay their hands on a demo unit. The first impressions are mixed. While reviewers are happy that Asus has used a relatively faster 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor on T101MT instead of the sluggish Atom Z520 found in the 9 inch Eee PC T91MT, they aren’t particularly impressed with the overall performance.

The computer in their words feels rather sluggish. But this is hardly surprising, because Atom processors are never known to be speedy. And there is nothing to assume that the Eee PC T101MT is slower than other Atom powered netbooks.

As for build quality, well, it appears satisfactory. The hard drive seems to be a little noisy. The touchscreen on the demo unit also isn’t very precise near the edge of the display. But these issues could get solved by the time the netbook starts shipping.
The Eee PC T101MT is a 10 inch tablet style netbook from Asus. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, up to 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive.

ARCHOS 5 INTERNET TABLET REVIEW

The Archos 5 Internet tablet is the first Archos tablet running Google Android. It is a versatile device with excellent multitasking capabilities. The tablet is an excellent media player. It offers all the features you would expect from a media player. It also has a web browser for surfing internet over a WiFi connection.

The Archos 5 internet tablet is equipped with a 4.8 inch display with 800 x 480 pixels. It is powered by an 800MHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor. Other specifications include 8GB/16GB/32GB of flash storage, 256MB of RAM, WiFi 802.11b/g/n and 1 USB port. The tablet runs Android 1.6 plus some custom Archos software. Other configurations with a 160GB or 500GB hard drive are also available. The base model with 8GB of flash storage goes for $250. The top of the line model with 500GB of hard drive is priced at $500.

Since the device runs Android, it is capable of running thousands of Android based applications. The tablet comes pre-installed with a few Android applications including an Android web browser and the eBuddy instant message client. More applications are available at the AppsLib app store. And by tweaking the code a bit, you will be able to install the full Android Market that would grant you access to 16,000 + applications available for smartphones running Android. The best part is that you are not required to sign up for a service contract with a mobile broadband provider which will run you into thousands of dollars over two years. In fact, with prices ranging between $250 and $500, this WiFi tablet is one of the most affordable internet tablets around.

ADOBE FLASH PLAYER 10.1 BETA 3 SUPPORTS ATOM Z-SERIES PROCESSORS

Adobe has released its Flash Player 10.1 beta 3. The new version provides hardware acceleration support for netbooks with Intel Atom Z-series processors and GMA 500 integrated graphics. So if you have a netbook with these processors you should be able to watch 720p Flash video with the latest version of Flash Player. You will be able to watch even 1080p video.

The update is not applicable to netbooks with Atom N270/N280 processors and GMA 950 graphics. This is because while the GMA 500 offers hardware acceleration for H.264 video, the GMA 950 chipset doesn’t.

Some of the laptops that may benefit from the Flash Player update include the Sony VAIO P, original Dell Inspiron Mini 10, Eee PC T91MT, Eee PC 1101HA, MSI Wind U115, Fujitsu UH900 and Viliv S10 Blade.

Flash acceleration doesn’t improve the overall performance of your computer. In fact, netbooks with Atom Z520 and Z530 processors tend to feel slower than those with Atom N270/N280 processors. The 2GHz Atom Z550 processor with GAM 500 graphics, however, is known to deliver decent performance.

FUJITSU UH900 FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The Fujitsu UH900 is one of the few 5.6 inch mini-laptops with a high definition 1280 x 800 pixel display. The computer also has a full QWERTY keyboard that is nearly 75% the size of a normal keyboard. Touch typing may still be an exercise in frustration, but you should be able to type with your thumbs without much difficulty.

Pocketables has posted some unboxing videos of the tiny device. The UH900 is smaller than the Sony VAIO P, but it is larger than the newest mini-laptops from UMID.

The Fujitsu UH900 has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor. It is also available with a 2GHz Atom Z550 processor from Japanese retailer Conics. The PDA can also be picked up directly from Fujitsu for $849, but this version also has a Z530 processor.

LENOVO IDEAPAD S10-3T NOW SHIPPING WITH 8-CELL BATTERY

The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t convertible tablet PC is now up for order at Newegg. While the notebook has a base price of $549 at Lenovo.com, Newegg is selling it for just under $500 plus $5 for shipping in the US. Better still, the Newegg version of the laptop has an 8-cell battery whereas the one that is being sold through Lenovo.com has a 4-cell battery.

The IdeaPad S10-3t is a 10.1 inch convertible tablet PC with a capacitive touchscreen display. It ships with a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, GMA 3150 graphics, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. The tablet runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. Other features include 2USB ports, VGA output and WiFi 802.11b/g/n.

The IdeaPad S10-3t weighs 3.3 pounds with the 8-cell battery.

HALERON LAUNCHES 7 INCH TOUCHSCREEN TABLET CALLED iLET MINI HAL

Haleron has released a 7 inch touchscreen tablet called iLet Mini HAL. The iLet Mini HAL follows the original iLet Mini. It is powered by a relatively faster 600MHz VIA processor. It runs Google Android. The original iLet Mini runs Windows CE.

Like its predecessor, the iLet Mini HAL also has a 7 inch touchscreen display featuring 800 x 480 pixels. Other specifications include 128MB of RAM, 2GB of on-board flash storage, WiFi 802.11b/g, an SDHC card, 2 USB ports and a headphone and mic jacks.

Haleron claims that the battery will power the device for up to 16 hours on a single charge. The Haleron iLet Mini HAL is now available for order. It starts at $199.

MSI LAUNCHES GT660 GAMING LAPTOP

Much like LG, MSI also debuted one of its upcoming gaming laptops ahead of CeBIT. The machine dubbed GT660 sports a cool quad-core Core i7 processor and GeForce GTX 285M discrete graphics. There will also be some USB 3.0 ports to which you can connect your accessories. After all, speedy processors need speedy peripherals.

No word on pricing or other specs, but MSI plans to reveal more details at CeBIT next week. Besides the GT660, MSI also has some other systems in store but the details are unlikely to emerge until next week.

LG INTRODUCES T280, X140 AND X200 LAPTOPS

LG has announced three new laptops ahead of the CeBIT. Leading the pack is the CULV powered ultraportable LG T280 with an 11.6 inch display. It is available with a choice of a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium dual-core or a Core 2 Duo processor. Other specifications include up to 2GB of RAM and a 320GB/500GB hard drive. Prices start at $990.

The other models the X140 and the X200 are netbooks sporting Intel Atom N450 processors. The X200 seems virtually identical to the X20 spotted at FCC a few weeks ago. While the X140 and a X200 have similar specs, they sport different designs. No word on availability.

VILIV S10 BLADE CONVERTIBLE TABLET COMING SOON

The Viliv S10 Blade is now up for order. The S10 Blade is a 10 inch convertible tablet PC with a swivel that would let you fold the display down over the keyboard. In the US this tablet will be made available through Dynamism for a starting price of $699.

The base model has a 10.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor with 1GB of RAM and a 60GB hard drive. The base version runs Windows XP. Optional upgrades include a relatively faster 2GHz Intel Atom Z550 processor, Windows 7 Home Premium and a 32GB/64GB of solid state drive. A 3G-enabled version is also available. Dynamism claims that the tablet will offer 10 hours of runtime.

At $699, the Viliv S10 certainly isn’t cheap. In fact, you can pick up a Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t for $549 or less. But the S10 Blade promises to offer better battery life and sports a really attractive design.

PIONEER AUSTRALIA DREAMBOOK LITE U11A TO HAVE DISCRETE GRAPHICS OPTION

Pioneer Australia may offer its 11.6 inch ultraportable laptop called DreamBook Lite U11a with a discrete graphics processor. The only version of this laptop available at the moment has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor and GMA 3150 integrated graphics. The product page, however, mentions two additional options:
* 1.83GHz Intel Atom N470 CPU
* Discrete graphic N11x

Intel is yet to officially announce its Atom N470 processor and no netbooks available at the moment sport this CPU. The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t touchscreen tablet will reportedly be available with this processor sometime soon. Now it looks like the DreamBook U11a will also be available with N470. As for the discrete graphics option called N11x, well, it appears to be a code name for the upcoming NVIDIA ION 2 platform.

The DreamBook Lite U11a is equipped with an 11.6 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include up to 2GB of RAM, a 2.5” hard drive, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet, VGA, HDMI, 3 USB ports, a flash card reader and a 1.3 MP webcam. Bluetooth and 3G wireless are optional features.

LENOVO PLANNING A THINKPAD X100E WITH ATOM PROCESSORS?

The Lenovo ThinkPad X100e is a thin and light business laptop from Lenovo. It is now available with an AMD Neo MV-40 single core processor and ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics. Lenovo has also announced its plans to offer the notebook with a dual core AMD processor. The problem with the AMD model is that it doesn’t get good battery life. Netbooks and notebooks are usually bought by mobile professionals who travel a lot. An all-day battery life is a priority for many of them.

Now it looks like Lenovo wants to address these issues. Some unofficial sources claim that Lenovo is planning smaller version of the ThinkPad X100e with a 10.1 inch display with 1280 x 720 pixels. This machine is likely to have an Atom N450 Pine Trail processor.

Atom processors are known to offer remarkable battery life, but they may not deliver the same performance as an AMD processor. But if endurance is your chief concern, Intel is definitely the way to go.

2010: THE YEAR OF TABLETS?

Suddenly tablets are everywhere. If 2009 was the year of netbooks, 2010 is going to be the year of tablets. That said, we still can’t predict whether these machines will be as popular as netbooks. And personally I don’t think that there is a huge market for devices that are nothing but gigantic smartphones.

A tablet is a small computer with 5 to 10 inch touchscreen displays and no keyboard. Some tablets run Windows Operating system. Some others run Android or custom Linux distributions. The upcoming iPad tablet will run a version of the iPhone operating system.

Not many tablets are available for purchase at the moment. But dozens of companies are working on building them at the moment. Tablets are meant to fill the gap between smartphones and netbooks. They don’t offer the full functionality of a netbook or a notebook. But if you only use your computer to surf the web, then probably you don’t need a device with a keyboard. And tablet makers are precisely targeting this segment of the market. But are there a large number of consumers with such modest computing requirements?

SAMSUNG N210 NETBOOK REVIEWED

The Samsung N210 is one of the 4 new Pine Trail netbooks Samsung introduced in January. A detailed review of the netbook is now available at Nebook Reviews.

The Samsung N210 is equipped with a 10.1 inch display and is powered by an Intel Atom N450 processor. In many respects, it is identical to the N220, but while the latter is offered in colored lids, the N210 is only available in black/white only.

Like other Samsung laptops, the N210 also has a matte display which makes it quite usable in bright settings. The design is also attractive. The touchpad is the normal size for a 10 inch netbook and recognizes multi-touch gestures. Another great feature of the netbook is its island style keyboard which shows absolutely no flex at all.

As for performance, well, the netbook has enough power to handle day-to-day computing jobs. In some benchmark tests, however, it does better than the Asus Eee PC 1005PE. The 6-cell battery is rated at 5900mAh. It is expected to provide up to 11 hours of runtime.

SAMSUNG R530 NOW AVAILABLE IN THE US

The Samsung R530 notebook is now available in the US. It sports a 15.6 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels.

The Samsung R530 is powered by a 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo processor with 4GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. The graphics option is the Intel Integrated GMA 4500 MHD. The notebook ships with a 6-cell battery. Other features include a DVD burner, built-in web camera, stereo speakers, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet, three USB ports, HDMI and VGA outputs, and a 3-in-1 media card reader. The keyboard features a dedicated number pad.

The notebook weighs 8.6 pounds. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. The laptop is available at Amazon for $654.00.

MSI UNVEILS 4 C-SERIES NOTEBOOKS

MSI has announced four new notebooks in the C-series. These machines feature processors ranging from dual-core Pentium to Core i5.

The most expensive among the four models is the CR620-031US. It is powered by a Core i5 processor and starts at $729. The Core i3 models CR620-033US and CR620-030US start at $699 and $679 respectively. The cheapest model the CR600-234US features a dual-core Pentium processor. It starts at $579.

The CR600-234US ships with 3GB of RAM. All the other three models have 4GB. As for storage, the CR620-031US has the biggest hard drive (500GB). All other models come with 320GB of storage.

The CR620 notebooks feature 15.6 inch displays whereas the CR600 models have 16 inch displays.

HP UPDATES ITS ENVY 13 AND ENVY 15, REDUCES PRICE

HP has updated its Envy 13 and Envy 15 laptops and for good reason. These machines were introduced years ago and needed some refreshing badly. The HP Envy 15 now has a starting price of $1,299.99 (down from $1,699.99). It has a 2.4GHz Core i5-520M processor,4GB of DDR3 RAM and 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5830 discrete graphics. The Envy 15 runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit. Higher end configurations with Core i7 processors are also available. Better still, if you order the laptop with a Core i7 processor, you will get USB 3.0 ports as well.

The HP Envy 13 has also had its price cut by $300. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo SL9300 processor with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 (512MB) discrete graphics. It ships with a 4-cell battery. Both machines can be customized now.

LENOVO IDEAPAD S10-3 REVIEWED

The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 isn’t probably the most exciting of Lenovo’s recent offerings. The company also introduced a smartbook, a convertible tablet and a laptop with a removable display at CES this year. Nevertheless, you can’t overlook the IdeaPad S10-3. It is cheap, ultraportable and fully functional. There are some minor drawbacks, but they are nothing serious.

The IdeaPad S10-3 has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, GMA 3150 graphics, 1 GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. It features a 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The netbook runs Windows 7 Starter Edition.

The Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 weighs 2.6 pounds. It features a new design and a professional look. The lid also seems better at hiding fingerprints than other IdeaPad models. Laptop Magazine has published a detailed review of the netbook and they are impressed with the netbook, particularly its keyboard. As for the touchpad, well, it is another story. In a bid to save some space, Lenovo integrated the touchpad buttons on to the touchpad. This arrangement will certainly take some time getting used to. Worse still, it doesn’t function properly. Other drawbacks are the less RAM (You can’t get more than 1GB) and less storage.

The netbook lasted for nearly 7 hours in the battery test which isn’t bad. The IdeaPad S10-3 starts at $349. It is now available for purchase from Amazon.

Pros
Excellent keyboard
Good instant-on operating system
Loud speakers

Cons
Finicky touchpad
Less RAM and less storage

PRE-RELEASE BUILD OF CHROME OS SUPPORTS NVIDIA ION

Google will not officially release its Chrome OS until later this year, but since the OS is open source anybody can work on the code and develop a pre-release version which can be installed and run on your PC. Developer Hexxeh has now released a version of the Chromium OS (Chromium is the open source version of Chrome) and it supports NVIDIA ION chipset.

The NVIDIA ION platform combines a high power NVIDIA graphics with a low power Atom power. ION powered netbooks can handle HD video playback. Very few are available at the moment and they include the Eee PC 1201N, Lenovo IdeaPad S12, Samsung N510, and HP Mini 311. All of these machines can run Windows and play HD video. But in case you aren’t keen on running Windows, you can now install the Hexxeh version of Chromium and still enjoy HD video playback.

The Google Chrome is a light-weight, Linux-based operating system. It is meant for use in netbooks and is built around a web browser. Chrome can’t rival Windows in functionality. But if you only use your netbook for surfing the web, you probably don’t need an OS like Windows which is very demanding on your resources.

ASUS EEE PC 1001P REVIEWED

The Asus Eee PC 1001P is one of the latest Eee PC models from Asus. It sports a 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The Eee PC 1001P is powered by an Intel Atom N450 processor with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive and runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. Unlike the 1008P or 1005PE, the 1001P doesn’t have Bluetooth, but it does feature WiFi 802.11b/g. Asus claims that the battery will power the laptop for up to 11 hours on a single charge.

One of the cheapest netbooks on the market, the Eee PC 1001P is now available from Amazon for just $299. Laptop Magazine recently reviewed the netbook and has published a detailed review. The netbook doesn’t last for 11 hours as Asus claims, but you will have no difficulty getting over 8 hours on a single charge. Many Pine Trail netbooks offer 10+ hours of uptime, but they usually cost $350 or above. Perhaps, the only other Pine Trail netbook in the same price range is the Aspire One 532h. Its base version which costs $299 ships with a 3 cell battery which is unlikely to last for more than 5 hours.

As for other features, well, the 1001P is virtually identical to the 1005PE. It has a nice keyboard, a decent touchpad and delivers satisfactory performance. But it is the battery life that makes this machine more attractive than the Aspire One 532h or other similar netbooks.

PIONEER COMPUTERS AUSTRALIA INTRODUCES TWO NEW NETBOOKS

Pioneer Computers is a name little known outside of Australia. The company recently introduced two netbooks called the DreamBook Lite M81 and DreamBook Lite E79.

The E79 is equipped with a 7 inch display with 800 x 480 pixels. It features a tiny keyboard and a touchpad and is powered by a 533MHz Samsung ARM-based processor. It runs Windows CE 5.0. Other specifications include WiFi 802.11b/g, 128MB of RAM and a 2GB of flash storage. There is also an SD card slot if you need additional storage. There are 3 USB ports. The device ships with a 4000mAh battery and weighs 1.76 pounds. Prices start at $177 US. An additional $88 will also fetch you a 3.5G mobile broadband modem.

The Pioneer DreamBook Lite M81 is a 10 inch netbook. It has regular netbook specs including a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1 to 2GB of RAM and a 2.5” hard drive. The netbook runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. Other specifications include 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and Bluetooth (optional) and HSPA/UMTS modem. The M81 weighs 2.65 pounds and starts at $356 US.

SNAPDRAGON POWERED SMARTBOOKS AT MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS

The Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset is based on an ARM-based processor with integrated wireless and HD video capabilities. It is primarily meant for use in smartphones, but it can also power tablets and smartbooks. In fact, the Snapdragon platform is known to deliver decent performance on devices running Google Android.

Some smartbooks on display at the just concluded Mobile World Congress had Snapdragon inside. One of these machines is the upcoming Lenovo Skylight which runs a custom OS called Skylight. Qualcomm also showed off a device called ‘Snaptop’ which runs Google Android. The Snaptop is essentially a tablet with a kick stand. You can put the machine on a table and use it like any laptop or desktop. There is also a detachable keyboard with an integrated trackball. Qualcomm, nevertheless, has no plans to bring this concept device into the market any time soon. Still, it is an interesting take on the whole smartbook/tablet concept.

DELL INSPIRON MINI 10 GET WiMAX AND 3G

Dell has updated its Inspiron Mini 10 netbooks with WiMAX and 3G. Starting today, the Inspiron Mini 10 is configurable with an Intel Centrino 802.11n + WiMAX 6250 card. The WiMax-enabled Inspiron Mini 10 will cost $60 over the base version. The standard wireless card that comes with Mini 10 is an 802.11g card. Getting WiMax, it seems, is the only option if you need 802.11n as they both come bundled together. Alternatively you can get 3G for $125.

The rest of the specs still remain the same. The base version of Inspiron Mini 10 has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1 GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. It is equipped with a 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels and ships with a 3-cell, 28WHr battery. Other features include a 1.3MP webcam.

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. It is now available for a starting price of $279.

BROADCOM HD VIDEO ACCELERATOR NOW COMPATIBLE WITH MORE MEDIA PLAYERS

The Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator allows netbooks powered by Intel Atom processors to play 1080p HD video with minimal difficulty. The problem is that many media players do not work well with the Broadcom video card. So if yours doesn’t support the card you will have to be content watching a slideshow rather than a full-motion movie. The list of supporting applications is, nevertheless, growing.

Broadcom recently released a new version of its HD video accelerator driver. It now works well with media players such as Windows Media Player 12, ArcSoft TotalMedia Theatre, CyberLink PowerDVD and Adobe Flash Player 10.1.

The following freeware media players are also compatible.
* GOM Player
* KMPlayer
* Media Player Classic

The new driver supports the Broadcom BCM70012 and BCM70015 cards. It is designed to work with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. Source code for Linux drivers is also available.

FOXCONN RELEASES $100 TABLET IN CHINA

Taiwanese PC maker Foxconn has released a dirt-cheap Android tablet. It sells for just $100 in China. The Foxconn iWonder tablet runs Google Android 1.6. It is equipped with a 10.1 inch resistive touchscreen display featuring 800 x 600 pixels. The device is powered by a Marvell processor. No 3G, please, but you do get WiFi.

The iWonder tablet comes in a plastic casing which does have a cheap feel to it. Not just cheap feel, it is actually cheap. But that is nothing surprising considering the $100 price tag. No idea if the device would be available outside of China anytime soon.

A tablet is an all-screen device meant for surfing the web and taking notes. Tablets are usually equipped with touchscreen displays and run Windows CE or Android. High-end tablets running Windows 7 are also available, but these machines cost a lot more than netbooks.

TOUCHSCREENS WITH 10-FINGER, STYLUS INPUT COMING

There are different kinds of touchscreens. While some touchscreens accept stylus input others are meant for tapping with your finger. Very few touchscreens available at the moment accept both finger and stylus inputs.

Now French display maker Stantum has released a multitouch display that can accept both finger and stylus inputs. If that is not enough, the Stantum display can recognize up to 10 simultaneous inputs. So you will be able to tap away with all ten of your finger all at once. The stantum displays are also pressure sensitive which means that a light touch would generate a light line. Press hard and you will be able to draw thick lines.

The company is now in talks with global chip makers. So it won’t be long before these displays show up in laptops and tablets.

iiVIEW LAUNCHES VPAD TABLET WITH ATOM N270

iiView has released a 10.2 inch tablet called Vpad. The device, unfortunately, sports some pretty old internals. While the rest of the world has moved on to Atom N450, the iiView Vpad still sports an Intel Atom N270 processor. Other specs are pretty regular too. It comes with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive and runs Windows 7 Starter Edition. The base version costs $499. And if you need a 3G-enabled model you will have to shell out $699. This model also happens to have 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive.

The specs don’t make this machine particularly attractive, neither does the price. But the Vpad is now available for order, if you are indeed pleased with it.

COMBINED WITH FLASH NVIDIA TEGRA 2 DELIVERS COMPLETE BROWSING EXPERIENCE

Adobe Flash is not yet widely available for Google Android, but Adobe is working on that. In fact, a large number of tablets and other devices on display at the ongoing Mobile World Congress sport a pre-release version of Flash for Android.

Apple may think differently, but adding Flash to a NVIDIA Tegra 2 based tablet is probably the smartest way of making it a whole lot more useful than the iPad. The NVIDIA Tegra 2 platform combines a low power Atom processor with high performance NVIDIA graphics. The result is that you are able to watch 1080p HD video on a low power device. And once the Flash Player 10.1 for Android arrives, you will be able to watch even 1080p HD Flash video.

That said, the Flash 10.1 isn’t just for Android or Tegra. Lenovo is also working on adding Flash 10.1 support for its upcoming Skylight smartbook which is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset and runs a custom Linux operating system.

So it seems that Steve Jobs is the sole advocate of newer web video standards such as HTML 5. The rest of the world is content with Flash.

ACER LAUNCHES TOUCHPORTAL SOFTWARE TO MAKE ITS TABLETS MORE FINGER-FRIENDLY

Windows 7 incorporates a number of touch-friendly features. For instance, there is support for gestures such as pinch-to-zoom and tap-and-drag. The task bar is bigger than it was on previous versions and features large icons that can be easily launched by tapping with your fingers. The online keyboard is also designed for your fingers rather than the stylus. Nevertheless, in a bid to make their tablet PCs more touch-friendly, Asus and Acer have developed their own suite of touch-friendly applications.

While the Asus Eee PC T91MT and the T101MT feature Asus TouchGate software, Acer has bundled its TouchPortal software suite with Aspire 1820P convertible tablet. The Acer TouchPortal is essentially an answer to Asus TouchGate.

The TouchPortal software provides a full screen user interface, touch-friendly movie and music players and some video games. Whether you need the software is up to you to decide.

CONNECT ONE LAUNCHES WI-REACH CLASSIS PORTABLE WIFI HOTSPOT

There are many ways to get mobile broadband access on your computer. The easiest one, of course, is to buy a laptop with an integrated 3G modem. You may also purchase a 3G or 4G USB drive and plug it into your computer. Now it seems there is one more option.

Connect One has introduced a device called Wi-Reach Classic. It is basically a portable WiFi hotspot that would work with any 3G USB modem. All you need to do is to insert the modem into the USB port and the Wi-Reach Classic will make it possible to share your connection over WiFi. You can connect up to 10 computers to the hotspot at a time. But remember that hooking up more computers will seriously affect the speed of your connection.

The Wi-Reach Classic costs $99. Connect One says that the device would get around 5 hours of runtime.

MSI WIND U160 UP FOR PRE-ORDER

Amazon has started taking orders for the MSI Wind U160. The netbook is available in black or brown and costs $380. It runs Windows 7 Starter Edition.
The MSI Wind U160 has more or less the same specs as the Asus Eee PC 1005PE. It is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor with GMA 3150 graphics. The Wind U160 has a 10 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. Other specifications include 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n. There is also a 1.3 mega pixel webcam.

Amazon claims that the 6 cell battery will provide up to 15 hours of runtime, but that is unlikely to be true. Nevertheless, you should be able to get around 10+ hours.

ACER ANNOUNCES ASPIRE ONE 532G NETBOOK WITH NVIDIA ION 2

Acer’s newly unveiled Aspire One 532G netbook is one of the first 10 inch netbooks with NVIDIA ION 2 graphics. In looks this device is virtually identical to the standard Aspire One 532H.

NVIDIA is yet to officially announce its ION 2 platform. And while Acer doesn’t confirm that Aspire One 532G uses ION 2, it does mention a ‘next-generation NVIDIA ION GPU with dedicated 512MB memory’.

NVIDIA’s ION 2 platform enables 1080p HD video playback on netbooks powered by Intel’s Pine Trail Atom processors. What ION 2 does is to pair a switchable graphics card with Atom N450 chipset.

There are still no additional details about the Aspire One 532G. But the press release mentions that the netbook will be able to handle 720p HD video playback on the display itself and 1080p playback through an HDMI port.

NOTION INK ADAM TABLET CAN PLAY FLASH VIDEO

iPad made all the headlines for a feature it doesn’t have – support for Flash. But iPad isn’t the only tablet out there. Notion Ink, for instance, is all set to release their Adam tablet which can handle video playback including Flash video neatly.

Notion Ink Adam runs Google Android so its ability to play Flash video was a question of uncertainty because Adobe Flash Player 10.1 isn’t available for Android yet. But now Adobe has announced that they have made Flash and Adobe AIR available to select partners. General availability will reportedly come soon.

And to prove that the device can indeed handle Flash video, Notion Ink has released some videos showing Flash Player 10.1 running on Adam, complete with hardware acceleration for the NVIDIA Tegra chipset.

VERIZON OFFERS HP MINI 110 FOR $30 WITH SERVICE CONTRACT

If you are in the market for a dirt-cheap (and I mean dirt-cheap) netbook, you will definitely not want to miss this opportunity. The HP Mini 110 is now available for as little as $29.99. Can’t believe it? Well read the rest of this post.

The HP Mini 110 is now available subsidized from US wireless carrier Verizon. Of course, you need to sign up for a 2 year service contract at $60 per month. That means over the course of the next 24 months, you will spend $1470. But if you are looking for a 3G-enabled netbook and not in a position to make a huge upfront payment, this is definitely an offer you will want to avail of. But if 3G is not your thing, then you will be able to get better deals elsewhere.

LENOVO ESSENTIAL G560 NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

The Lenovo Essential G560 is now available. The company has uploaded the order page for the notebook with detailed specifications. The G560 has a 15.6 inch LED backlit display. It is powered by a Core i3 processor. Detailed specifications are as follows:

Display: 15.6-inch LED backlit display with 1366x768 pixels
Processor: Intel Core i3-330M (2.13GHz/3MB cache) processor
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics
Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM
Hard drive: 320GB 5400RPM hard drive

The notebook ships with a 6-cell li-ion battery. Other features include DVD burner.
Pricing and Availability
The Lenovo Essential G560 is now available for $849.

SAMSUNG ANNOUNCES LTE-ENABLED NETBOOKS

Samsung has been building 4G netbooks for a while, but till date these machines were only compatible with WiMAX networks. Now the company is updating its 4G series with a new LTE modem.

At the ongoing Mobile World Congress Samsung announced that it would release the LTE capable versions of its N150, N210 and N220 mini-laptops. All three models are powered by Intel Atom N450 processors and feature 10.1 inch displays with 1024 x 600 pixels.

The cheapest among the three, the Samsung N150, sells for under $350 in the US at the moment. The models with built-in LTE will definitely be pricier, but you should be able to pick them up at subsidized rates if you sign up for a long-term contract with a 4G wireless carrier.

NOTION INK ADAM TABLET SPECS RELEASED

Notion Ink has released the specifications for its upcoming Adam tablet which is one of the first few devices to use a Pixel Qi display and NVIDIA Tegra 2 chipset. Some hands on photos of a production sample have also emerged.

The Notion Ink tablet will have a 10.1 inch matte touchscreen display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The display can work in two modes – a full color mode and a high contrast, low power eInk mode that is quite readable in direct sunlight. The device will be powered by a dual core ARM A9 processor with Nvidia graphics.

The 3-cell battery is expected to power the device for up to 16 hours in full color mode. By turning the backlight off, you will be able to get more uptime.

The Adam tablet supports a range of connectivity options including WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G wireless. Another notable feature is the 3.2 megapixel webcamera that can be rotated. There are 3 USB ports, an HDMI output port, A-GPS and an accelerometer. The tablet will measure half an inch in thickness and weigh around 1.4 pounds.

The Adam tablet runs Google Android. While the Android OS doesn’t support Flash at the moment, some demonstration videos of the Adam tablets show it running Adobe Flash. Either Android has started supporting Flash or Notion Ink has some neat hacks up its sleeves. No word on pricing or availability as yet.

HP UNVEILS COMPAQ AIRLIFE 100 SMARTBOOK IN SPAIN

HP’s first smartbook is finally getting ready to hit the market. The device will be called Compaq Airlife 100. According to a report in Engadget the Compaq Airlife 100 will look like a netbook. In the specs department it will be more like a smartphone.

The Compaq Airlife 100 looks virtually identical to the smartbook prototype HP showed off at CES in early January.

The detailed specs of the device are as follows:

Processor: Most likely a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
Operating system: Google Android
Display: 10.1 inch touchscreen display
Storage: 16GB SSD

The battery is expected to power the smartbook for up to 12 hours. Other notable features include 3G and WiFi. The Compaq Airlife will be available in Spain through the wireless carrier Telefonica. It is also expected to launch in other parts of Europe shortly.

LENOVO IDEAPAD S10-3T: FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE POSITIVE

The IdeaPad S10-3t is the first tablet PC from Lenovo. The laptop is powered by a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. It runs Windows 7 Starter.

The S10-3t has a 10.1 inch display that can be folded down over the keyboard for use in tablet mode. Lenovo has started shipping the notebook and like clock work some unboxing videos have also emerged.

Most reviewers seem impressed with the notebook, particularly its keyboard. Some have, nevertheless, pointed out that the touchscreen isn’t very responsive. It sometimes requires a second or third tap to register a click. Some users are also unhappy about the absence of distinct left and right touchpad buttons. Lenovo has integrated and left-right click functionality on to the touchpad itself. Overall, the first impressions are positive.

The IdeaPad S10-3t starts at $549.

ASUS EEE PC T101MT PRODUCT PAGE GOES LIVE

The Asus Eee PC T101MT product page has gone live. There is still no release date for the US, but the tablet is expected to be available in many parts of Europe by April.

According to Asus product page, the notebook will be available with Windows 7 Starter/Home Basic/Home Premium. The Eee PC T101MT has a 10.1 inch touchscreen display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The display can be swiveled and folded down over the keyboard for using the device in the tablet mode. Other specifications include 3 USB ports, 1 VGA port, 1 SD card slot, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, headphone and mic jacks.

The notebook will ship with a 35Whr battery which according to Asus will power the laptop for up to 6.5 hours. The base version with Windows 7 Starter will have 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The model with Windows 7 Home Premium has 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. Pictures on the Asus website indicate that the notebook will be available in black or white.

TRUTABLET LAUNCHES 9 INCH TABLET PC

Yet another tablet PC is getting ready to hit the market. TRUtablet has announced that the company would launch an 8.9 inch multi-touch tablet next month. The device will run Windows 7 Home Premium.

The base configuration with 1GB of RAM and a 16GB Solid State Drive for storage will start at $649. Available upgrade options include 2GB of RAM, 32GB/64GB/128GB SSD, 3G and GPS. Other features common to all models are Bluetooth, WiFi, 3USB ports, a 1.3 megapixel webcam and an SD card slot.

TRUtablet says that it will start taking orders next week. The device is expected to start shipping in March.

SAMSUNG TO LAUNCH GOOGLE CHROME NETBOOK LATER THIS YEAR

Samsung is the latest PC maker to announce a netbook running Google Chrome OS. A Samsung representative has said that the company will launch a 10.1 inch mini-laptop with Google Chrome later this year.

The device is expected to have 3G and WiFi capabilities. Other specifications may include 2GB of RAM and a 64GB or more of storage. The battery is expected to power the laptop for up to 12 hours.

No word on the processor though. Laptops getting 12+ hours of uptime usually have an ARM-based processor. But Samsung has proved that Intel Atom N450-powered netbooks can also run for more than 10 hours on a single charge. So you never know.

ACER PLANS ULTRATHIN NOTEBOOKS WITH CORE i5 AND i7 PROCESSORS

Taiwanese PC maker Acer is now second only to HP in terms of worldwide laptop shipments. And the company is all set to launch a new line of ultrathin notebooks powered by Intel’s Core i5 and Core i7 processors. These ULV (Ultra Low Voltage) processors are known to deliver significantly better performance than the Core 2 Duo ULV variants.

Acer, we are certain, is a huge fan of Intel ULV processors. The company’s Timeline series runs almost exclusively on Core 2 Duo ULV variants.

The new notebooks will be as thin as the MacBook Air. And if we heard it right, they will measure just 0.7 inches in thickness. They will reportedly be launched this year itself.

ASUS EEE PC T101MT UP FOR PRE-ORDER IN JANUARY

The Asus Eee PC T101MT is now up for pre-order in Germany. The Eee PC T101MT is a 10 inch tablet with a touch-screen display. The laptop was first showed off at CES in January 2009. Over the last 12 months Asus has made some changes in the specs department. The tablet now features an Intel Atom N450 Pine Trail processor, 2GB of RAM, 320GB hard drive and Windows 7 Home Premium. Still, it is not yet available for purchase.

Amazon’s German site has, nevertheless, started taking pre-orders for the tablet for 499 Euros or about $687 US. Prices are likely to drop by the time the laptop hits the US shore. The Eee PC T101MT is Asus’ first 10 inch tablet with a touchscreen display.

PANASONIC TO LAUNCH 10 INCH NOTEBOOK WITH CORE i7 PROCESSORS

The success of netbooks has inspired virtually every PC maker to release at least one or two mini-laptops with a 10 inch display and an Intel Atom processor. But not every 10 inch laptop needs to a have a low cost, low power Atom processor.

Panasonic, for instance, believes that 10 inch machines can have high-end specs. The company has launched its new Let’s Note R9 series of mini-laptops with Intel Core i7 processors. The Let’s Note notebooks have 10.4 inch display with 1024 x 768 pixels.
The Panasonic Let’s Note series laptops are available with a 1.06GHz Core i7-620UM vPro CPU or a 1.2GHz Core i7-650UM vPro processor. And using Intel’s Turbo boost technology, the chips can be overclocked to run at up to 2.13GHz.

The notebooks weigh less than 2.1 pounds with the 3100mAh battery which according to Panasonic will power the machine of up to 7.5 hours on a single charge. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFI, VGA, PC card slot, SDHC card slot and 2 USB ports. The computers run Windows 7 Professional.

Pricing and Availability
Premium features won’t come cheap. The Let’s Note R9 series notebooks will be only available in Japan at launch. They will have a starting price of about 180,000 (USD 2000 approximately). The notebooks are also available in 12.1 inch 14.1 inch models.

LAPTOPS WITH FRAMELESS SCREENS COMING?

Nobody likes a laptop with an unusually large bezel. A large bezel, nevertheless, makes sense on systems with 5 or 7 inch displays because padding the space on the sides of the display is the only way to provide a reasonably large keyboard. But the bezel is probably unnecessary on laptops with large displays.

According to a report in DigiTimes, a number of Taiwanese PC makers including Foxconn, Compal and Quanta are working on notebooks with frameless screens. It is not quite clear what exactly is meant by a ‘frameless’ screen. One possibility is displays with no bezels at all. It is also possible that they are working on edge-to-edge glass displays that sit over a bezel.

iBUYPOWER RELEASES TOUCH CZ-10 GAMING LAPTOP

iBuyPower has released what it claims to be the world’s first multi-touch gaming laptop. The notebook called Battalion Touch CZ-10 features a 15.6 inch touch-screen display with 1366 x 768 pixels. It can be configured with a variety of processors ranging between a 2.53GHz P8700 to a 3.06GHz T9900 Core 2 Duo.

The graphics department is handled by the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 graphics with DDR3 capabilities. Up to 8GB of RAM is available. For storage both HDDs and SSDs are available. Other features include Blu-ray, Bluetooth, HDMI, Wi-Fi, a card reader and a fingerprint sensor. Prices start at $999.

FUJITSU MH380 IS BETTER THAN OTHER FUJITSU NETBOOKS

The Fujitsu MH380 is a 10 inch laptop featuring a unique design. It has an unusually small touchpad to the right of which Fujitsu has added a scroll wheel. The 10 inch display features 1366 x 768 pixels. Laptop Magazine has got a review of the netbook and they think that the MH380 is better than previous Fujitsu laptops in many respects.

At $450, the MH380 is certainly pricier than most netbooks powered by Atom processors. It has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. The 6-cell battery gives around 7 hours of uptime. Other features include Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth.

The reviewer is impressed with the new keyboard which he terms as one of the best netbook keyboards yet. The tiny touchpad hasn’t got any rave reviews. Nevertheless, it is termed as usable. As for performance, well, all Atom powered machines deliver more or less the same performance. The MH380 isn’t different. It is good enough to handle day to day computing jobs. High-end gaming is totally out of question, so is heavy duty image editing.

ASPIRE 1420P TOUCHSCREEN TABLET NOW AVAILABLE IN THE US

The Acer Aspire 1420P touchscreen tablet PC is now available in France. French retailer Rue du Commercis has started taking orders for the laptop. It costs the local equivalent of around $688 US.

The Aspire 1420P has an 11.6 inch display that be folded down over the keyboard for using the device in the tablet mode. It isn’t the only touchscreen tablet in the market sharing the same form factor. What makes this machine stand out from the rest is that it is powered by an Intel CULV processor which is significantly more powerful than the Atom processors found in most tablets.

The Aspire 1420P is powered by an Intel Celeron SU2300 processor with GMA 4500MHD graphics. Other features include 3GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, HDMI, VGA, Bluetooth and an SD card reader. The tablet runs Windows 7 Home Premium.
Acer claims that the 6-cell, 62Whr battery will power the laptop for 6 to 8 hours. No word on availability in the US.

NVIDIA DEVELOPS OPTIMUS SYSTEM TO AUTOMATICALLY SWTICH BETWEEN INTEGRATED AND DEDICATED GRAPHICS

NVIDIA has introduced a new technology called Optimus that would allow PCs with switchable graphics systems to automatically toggle between the two. While performing tasks that don’t tax the GPU, you probably don’t need the added graphics power of the NVIDIA chip. But while playing a game or performing tasks that require a graphics boost, you may want to switch to the dedicated graphics mode.

The best thing about the Optimus technology is that it makes the switching between the integrated and dedicated graphics automatic. A large number of laptops have switchable graphics options, but they require you to toggle between them manually. As the Optimus system does the switching automatically, it saves users time and trouble. Users are still allowed to switch the graphics manually. But during normal day to day use the system will determine what is best for your graphics needs.

The NVIDIA Optimus system is designed to work with GeForce 200M, 300M, GeForce M GPUs and the NVIDIA ION 2 graphics processors. It supports Intel’s Core 2 Duo, Core i3, i5, and i7 processors and Intel Atom N450 CPUs.

DOSPARA YU-PON WITH DUAL CORE ATOM AND BLU-RAY DRIVE

Japanese PC maker DosPara has released a special edition ultraportable notebook with dual core Atom processor and Blu-Ray drive. DosPara was one of the first companies to release a notebook with a dual core Atom 330 Processor and NVIDIA ION graphics.

The DosPara Limited Edition ‘Yu-Pon’ is inspired by a cartoon character from the game animation company Nitro+. The notebook sports s 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels. Other specifications include 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and HDMI output. The notebook runs Windows 7 Home Premium.

Pricing and Availability
The DosPara Yu-Pon will be released in Japan by the end of this month. It will cost around 69980 yen, or about $783 US. No word on availability in the US.

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