NetbookTech

Gateway announces the expansion of the EC Series ultraportable product line in Canada today with the introduction of the new EC14D01h thin-and-light notebook. The 11.6 inch system is one of a few thin-and-lights on the market to feature an integrated DVD drive. Despite the inclusion of the drive, the EC14D01h weighs a mere 3.55 pounds.

Features and specs to the Gateway EC14D01h include:

• Intel Pentium SU4100 ULV processor clocked at 1.3GHz
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
• 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 resolution TFT LCD display
• Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset
• Intel GMA 4500MHD
• 4GB DDR2 RAM
• 320GB 5400RPM SATA HDD
• 8X Super Multi double-layer DVD drive
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Built-in webcam
• Multi-in-1 media card reader
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• HDMI and S/PDIF
• Multi-gesture enabled touchpad
• 6 cell battery for up to six hours of power

The system measures 11.49 x 1.12 ~ 1.18 x 8.33 inches – not too shabby considering the built-in drive. We just wish the drive was a slot drive and not your typical tray-drive. Expect the Gateway EC14D01h later this month in Canada for a price of $579.99 CAD.

Sony UK officially announced the cheapest Sony netbook yet with the new VAIO M Series mini-notebook. With a starting price of £299, the VAIO M comes available in two colors (black or white), features a 10.1 inch display, and weighs 1.4kg with a 6 cell battery. Specs include:

• Intel Atom N450 processor
• Windows 7 Starter OS
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM
• 250GB 5400RPM SATA HDD
• 10.1 inch 16:10 aspect ratio LED backlit display with 1024 x 600 resolution
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 graphics
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• MOTION EYE camera
• Built-in stereo speakers
• mono microphone
• 3 USB 2.0 ports

Supplied software includes VAIO Gate; MusicStation; PMB VAIO Edition; VAIO Media Plus; VAIO Care; VAIO Transfer Support; VAIO Update; VAIO Smart Network; Internet Explorer 8; Windows Live Essentials Suite; Adobe® Reader® 9; McAfee (60 days free virus update); and Norton Online BackUp Trial.

[Check it out via Electricpig]

Hmm.. could there very well be a Lenovo ThinkPad netbook coming out shortly? A Whirlpool forum member from the land down under spotted several new systems being set up at his school. Here’s what he wrote:

“I saw yesterday at school some guys setting up a whole bunch of Lenovo Thinkpad Mini 10’s. Then I realised, I’ve never heard of it before. It certainly wasn’t an X100e, and had a very thick bezel around the screen (thicker than my X200T) and had a "Mini 10" logo on it (where the Thinkpad model numbers are). However, it also had island/chiclet keys and a trackpad/trackpoint combo. Looked quite nice overall.”

Given that other major PC vendors have already released business-oriented netbooks, it’s not far fetched to imagine Lenovo releasing a ThinkPad-branded netbook.

Just imagine the possibilities. Could a ThinkPad branded netbook feature the legendary ThinkPad keyboard? How about a netbook with both a touchpad AND a trackpoint? How about the incredible build quality of a ThinkPad found in a netbook form factor?

Sounds delicious.. let’s hope it’s real.

[Check it out via liliputing]

LaptopMag recently reviewed the thin-and-light, business-oriented Dell Vostro V13.  Based on the Adamo form factor, but hundreds of dollars cheaper, the Vostro V13 features:

• Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor
• 4GB of RAM
• 500GB 7200RPM SATA HDD
• 13.3 inch 1366 x 768 resolution display
• Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics
• 802.11 a/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.0
• Windows 7 Professional
• Ethernet
• Headphone and microphone ports
• USB/eSATA combo port, 2 USB ports, VGA port
• 5 in 1 card reader
• ExpressCard/34 slot

Here’s what LaptopMag thought of the thin-and-light:

“Dell has created another attractive notebook that is not only more expensive than its peers, but it comes up short in terms of endurance.”

Next up, Liliputing has a new review up of the $599 Lenovo IdeaPad S12 netbook featuring the NVIDIA ION platform. Specs include:

• Intel Atom N270 processor
• NVIDIA ION
• 2GB of RAM
• 250GB HDD
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 6 cell 52Whr battery
• Windows 7 Home Premium

Here’s what they thought of the system:

“if you want a model that can reliably handle HD video, Flash video, and some 3D gaming, as well as pump out video to an HDTV via an HDMI port, the NVIDIA ION model is the way to go….

But with a starting price of around $599, I can’t think of many reasons to pick up the NVIDIA ION version of the IdeaPad S12 instead of a computer like the Lenovo IdeaPad U150 with an Intel CULV processor which offers better overall performance, even if it doesn’t score quite as highly on graphics benchmarks.”

CNET published a new review of the ASUS Eee PC1005PEB netbook here on their website. The 1005PEB can typically be found at Best Buy for a reasonable price of $329.99. Specs for this netbook include:

• Intel Atom N450 processor
• Intel NM10 Express Chipset
• 1GB of RAM
• 250GB SATA HDD
• 3 in 1 media card reader
• 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 resolution LED backlit display
• 0.3 megapixel webcam
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Built-in stereo speakers
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• 6 cell lithium ion battery
• Windows 7 Starter

Here’s the verdict:

“This retail version of the popular Eee PC Netbook, the 1005PEB, hits the required notes, and is a little less expensive than many other retail Netbooks (but more than some online models).”

And finally, Anandtech reviews the ASUS Eee PC 1001P netbook – calling it their “favorite netbook” so far. The 1001P is the latest addition to ASUS’s Seashell product lineup, eschewing the glossy finish of the 1005 series with a textured matte finish. Spec wise, the 1001P features:

• Intel Atom N450 processor
• Intel NM10 chipset
• 1GB of RAM
• Intel GMA 3150 graphics
• 10.1 inch LED Matte display
• 250GB 5400 RPM HDD
• Ethernet and 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi connectivity
• HD audio
• 6 cell 48Wh battery
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• Media card reader
• Microphone/headphone jack
• VGA port
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Available in white, black, blue, and pink

Why is this Anandtech’s favorite netbook yet? Here’s why:

“A well built and attractively styled netbook with a great LCD, good battery life, no major design flaws, and few minor faults, but a netbook nonetheless, and as with so many other netbook reviews, the main takeaway remains. They’re the smallest, lightest, and cheapest portable computers that money can buy, but they’re also dog slow and not particularly enjoyable to use.”

The upcoming Acer Aspire TimelineX 1830T based on the Intel Calpella platform looks to be extremely promising. The 11 inch ultraportable reportedly dumps Intel CULV processors in favor of the faster Intel Core i5-520M clocked at 1.06GHz. Better yet – the processor can be brought up to 1.86GHz thanks to Turbo Boost technology.

While the TimelineX 1830T might feature a Core i5 processor, the system is still expected to achieve an 8 hour battery life.

Other specs include:

• 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 resolution display
• Intel HM55 chipset
• Intel integrated graphics with a dynamic core capable of transitioning from 166MHz to 500MHz.
• Two memory slots
• HDMI, S/PDIF, Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Multi-card reader
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Optional 3G and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR support

No word on pricing or availability at this time.

[Check it out]

Intel looks to make solid state drives more affordable with today’s introduction of the new X25-V Value SATA SSD. The 40GB SSD is priced at $125 dollars making it a viable storage upgrade for low-cost netbooks or dual-drive/boot-drive desktop setups.

Features of the X25-V include:

• 2.5 inch form factor
• 40GB of 34nm NAND flash memory
• Sustained sequential read speeds of up to 170MB/s
• Sustained sequential write speeds of up to 35MB/s
• Features Intel SSD Toolbox, Intel SSD Optimizer, Intel Matrix Storage Manager
• SATA Revision 2.6 compliant and compatible with SATA 1.5Gb/s and 3Gb/s interface
• The X25-V also supports the Microsoft Windows 7 Trim function via the Intel SSD Optimizer

BTW, for those of you not familiar with the boot-drive option for SSDs, it’s the idea of placing the OS and your favorite applications on the SSD. Since SSDs are faster than standard hard disk drives, system boot times will speed up and application launch times will also start-up accordingly. Of course, a 40GB SSD will only get you so far so we’d probably just stick the OS and maybe one or two favorite apps on the SSD.

[Check it out]

Just wanted to provide a few more details on that LG X300 product launch from over a week ago. The system specs are as follows:

• 2.0 GHz Intel Menlow platform
• Up to 2GB of RAM
• 128 GB solid state drive
• Measures a mere 17.5 mm thick
• Weighs a mere 970 grams
• 11.6 inch LCD display made from Corning Inc’s Gorilla glass
• Reflective keyboard
• Borderless touchpad
• Built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam with You-Cam viewer
• SRS TruSurround HD sound
• embedded 3G chipset with support for GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, or HSDPA
• Available in two colors – white and light brown
• Windows 7 Home Premium OS
• Ships with a spare 2 cell battery for up to 7 hours of power
• Fan-less silent operation

And yes – the X300 is available in Asia first in March followed by releases in the Middle-East and South America.

[Check it out]

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Dell.com

Dell is currently offering their Inspiron Mini 10 netbook for $299 as part of the Days of Deals promotion (Day 8 of their 10 day promotion run). The specs for the sale system are as follows:

• Intel Atom Z520 processor (clocked at 1.33GHz)
• 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 resolution display
• 28WHr Lithium Ion battery
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
• 160GB 5400RPM SATA HDD
• Intel GMA 500 graphics
• 1 GB SDRAM
• Built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam

The system is available in Obsidian black with other colors available for $40 dollars extra. Yeah – not the best deal out there considering other Mini 10’s are available for comparable prices and include the newer Pinetrail platform..

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Buy.com

Buy.com has two interesting deals on ASUS Eee PC netbooks.

First up – they’re offering the ASUS Eee PC 1001P-MU17 for $294.99 with free shipping. This system features:

• Intel Atom N450 processor
• 10.1 inch LED backlit display with 1024 x 600 resolution
• Windows 7 Starter OS
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
• 1GB of RAM
• 160GB HDD
• 0.3 megapixel webcam
• HD audio
• Built-in microphone
• 2 in 1 media card reader
• SD/SDHC flash card slot
• VGA connector
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• Ethernet
• Headphone and microphone input
• 11 hour Lithium Ion battery
• Measures 10.31 x 7.01 x 1.02~1.44 inches
• Weighs 2.8 lbs

Check out the 1001P deal

Now if you’re willing to spend nearly $200 dollars more, Buy.com is offering the ASUS 1008P-KR-PU17 netbook for $482.99 with free shipping. Why is the system so much more expensive you ask? Basically – more memory, more hard drive space, better connectivity, and Windows 7 Home Premium. Specs include:

• Intel Atom N450 processor
• 2GB of RAM
• 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 resolution display
• 320GB HDD
• Windows 7 Home Premium OS (an upgrade over the starter edition)
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• Built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam
• 6 hour battery

Check out the 1008P deal

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ComputerGeeks

Geeks.com got a new batch of refurbished Acer Aspire One AOD250 netbooks and are offering the systems for $269.99. The specs to the AOD250 include Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB HDD, Intel GMA 950 graphics, HD audio, media-card reader, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, Ethernet, built-in webcam and microphone, and a 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 resolution display. The system comes with a 6 cell Lithium Ion battery. Not the latest and greatest netbook but not a bad deal either.

Check out the Acer deal

– More to come

Dell expands their business-class thin-and-light notebook product lineup with today’s introduction of the new Vostro 3000 series. Available in screen sizes ranging from 13 inches up to 17 inches, the new 3000 series features the latest Intel Core processors, high-end graphics, and built-in security.

The Vostro 3000 series is currently made up of the 13 inch Vostro 3300, 14 inch Vostro 3400, 15 inch Vostro 3500, and 17 inch Vostro 3700. Common features across all the 3000 series include:

• Core i3 to Core i5 processors
• Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit
• 2-4GB of RAM
• 250-500GB 7200RPM SATA HDD
• DVD+/-RW drive
• Intel integrated graphics up to NVIDIA GeForce 310M graphics
• Built-in webcam and microphone for videoconferencing
• 802.11 g/n Wi-Fi
• Support for up to 6GB of memory
• Optional fingerprint reader
• Full data-encrypted hard drive
• Dell DataSafe online backup

Additional info on the systems follows:

Vostro 3300:

• One of the thinnest 13 inch notebooks with built-in DVD drive
• 13.3 inch HD Wide LED anti-glare display
• Up to 6GB of memory
• Mobile Intel HM57 Express Chipset
• 4 cell Lithium Ion battery or optional 8 cell battery
• Available in Aberdeen Silver, Lucerne Red, Brisbane Bronze
• Integrated speaker
• 2 USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA/USB combo port
• 5 in 1 media card reader
• 34mm ExpressCard slot
• VGA video connector
• Measures 12.8 x 9.02 x 0.79 ~ 1.13 inches
• Weighs 4.01 lbs with 4 cell battery and no drive
• Starting price of $69

Vostro 3400:

• Mobile Intel HM57 Express Chipset
• 14 inch HD wide LED anti-glare display
• 2 integrated stereo speakers
• 6 cell lithium-ion battery (or 4 and 9 cell available too)
• Bluetooth 2.1
• 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 eSATA/USB port
• 8 in 1 media card reader
• 34mm ExpressCard slot
• HDMI port
• VGA port
• Measures 13.35 x 9.54 x 0.86~1.16 inches
• Weighs 4.56 lbs with 4 cell and optical drive
• Up to 8 hours of power with 9 cell battery
• Available in Aberdeen Silver, Lucerne Red, Brisbane Bronze
• Starting price of $649

Vostro 3500:

• 15.6 inch HD wide LED anti-glare display
• HM57 Express Chipset
• 2 integrated speakers
• Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1
• 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 USB 2.0/eSATA port
• 8 in 1 media card reader
• 34mm ExpressCard slot
• HDMI port
• 6 cell lithium-ion battery (4 or 9 cell optional)
• Measures 14.76 x 9.84 x 0.90 ~ 1.23 inches
• Weighs 5.10 lbs with 4 cell battery and optical drive
• Available in Aberdeen Silver, Lucerne Red, Brisbane Bronze
• Starting price of $649

Vostro 3700:

• Core i7 quad-core processors available
• Mobile Intel HM57 Express Chipset
• 17.3 inch HD+ Wide LED anti-glare display
• 2 integrated stereo speakers
• Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1
• 4 USB 2.0 ports, 1 USB/eSATA combo port
• 8 in 1 media card reader
• 34mm ExpressCard slot
• VGA and HDMI port
• Measures 16.17 x 10.67 x 1.06~1.35 inches
• Weighs 5.95 lbs with 6 cell battery and optical drive
• 6 cell lithium-ion battery (or 9 cell optional)
• Available in Aberdeen Silver, Lucerne Red, Brisbane Bronze
• Starting price of $679

Systems are available today in the U.S. and parts of Asia. Folks in Europe, Latin America, and other regions will be able to order them starting on March 16th.

Introduced at CES 2010, the new LG X300 ultra-portable is set to go on sale this month in Asia. The X300 features a 2GHz Intel Menlow platform (Atom processor), 2GB of memory, and a 128GB solid state drive. Other specs include:

• 11.6 inch LCD display
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Two batteries – an internal battery and an extra 2 cell battery for up to 7 hours of power
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Built-in 3G modem supporting GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, or HSDPA

The X300 measures 17.5 mm thick and weighs a mere 970 grams. Expect the system to show up in the Middle East and South America after its Asia rollout. No word on when the system will show up in the U.S.

[Check it out]