NetbookTech

Best Buy has three netbooks listed in this week’s circular. They are as follows:

ASUS Eee PC 900A netbook for $279.99. Specs for this model include:

• Intel Atom processor
• 8.9 inch WSVGA widescreen display with 1024 x 600 resolution
• 1GB RAM
• 4GB SSD
• Intel GMA 950
• Ethernet
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g
• Built-in stereo speakers
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• Linux OS

ASUS Eee PC 1000HD netbook for $349.99 (this is a sale price this week). Specs include:

• Intel Celeron 900MHz processor
• 10 inch WSVGA widescreen display with 1024 x 600 resolution
• 1GB RAM
• 120GB SATA 5400 RPM HDD
• Intel GMA 900 graphics
• Ethernet
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Built-in speakers
• Windows XP Home

Finally, the HP Mini 1030NR Netbook for $449.99. Specs include:

• Intel Atom processor
• 10.2 inch TFT LCD widescreen with 1024 x 600 resolution
• 1GB RAM
• 16GB SSD
• Intel GMA 950
• Ethernet
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
• Built-in speakers
• Windows XP Home

We here at NetbookTech.com just want to wish all of you a very safe and happy Thanksgiving! Eat lots of food and get ready for loads of shopping in a few short hours!

P.S. don’t forget about the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 deal!

I came across this excellent article over at Knowledge@Wharton entitled “The Net Impact of Netbooks? It Depends on Who Uses Them for What”. The article attempts to outline what the possible effects netbooks will have on the hardware, software, and upcoming cloud computing industries.

“Analysts and experts at Wharton agree that netbooks will be disruptive to the PC industry, but it’s not clear in what way.”

From a hardware standpoint, it might be too early to tell if netbooks will actually disrupt the existing computer market or if it will simply complement the market by allowing customers to buy cheaper secondary or tertiary PCs.

However, netbooks do pose a problem for Microsoft on the software front. Microsoft receives less revenues from netbooks AND they’re forced to see the continued proliferation of Windows XP instead of Windows Vista (and hence the importance of making Windows 7 run well on a netbook platform).

Interestingly enough, cloud computing could potentially receive a boost from the popularity of netbooks. Netbooks are computing and storage limited and thus it makes sense to try and leverage the power and storage space of cloud computing. Netbook users could run Internet based applications and offload major processing tasks to the cloud. They could also leverage the vast amounts of disk space that are made available online. In fact, according to the article “Technology companies are already pitching online storage services bundled with netbooks. For example, Dell bundles online storage from Box.net with its miniature computing devices.”

The article ends with the following:

“One thing is certain: The netbook category is worth watching because it is growing and evolving on the fly. What is defined as a netbook today may be completely different in a couple of years, say experts at Wharton. Asks Clemons: “Are these devices stripped down computers or phones on steroids?””

You can read the entire article here.

Just in time for the holiday season, MSI has released a new Cherry Red version of the MSI Wind U100 netbook. Unfortunately this model is only available in Taiwan to celebrate “IT month” (what the heck?). Spec wise – there’s nothing different with the Cherry Red edition but hey.. the red color is more than enough right?

And finally, in other news, MSI will be displaying the upcoming MSI Wind U120 netbook at CES 2009 (We’ll be there folks!). The three pound Wind U120 has many of the same features as the U100 but also comes with an updated look (white with black accents) and WiMAX or HSDPA compatibility. The U120 comes with an Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, three USB ports, a 4 in 1 card reader, a 160GB HDD, and even comes with an external mouse. No word on pricing or availability as of yet.

The folks at TechwareLabs have published their own Netbook Buying Guide here on their website. Profiled systems include the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, Gigabyte M912, HP 2133, HP Mini 1000, Lenovo IdeaPad S10, MSI Wind, Acer Aspire One, ASUS N10, ASUS Eee PC 900, ASUS Eee PC 1000, ASUS Eee PC S101, and the Samsung NC10. Here’s a quote from the article:

“Netbooks have become wildly popular due to their ability to be taken anywhere, ultra light weight, and low low price. It is no surprise then that many companies have a netbook product on the market and with so many models to choose from how do you make your selection? TechwareLabs has this Netbook Buying Guide that will help you to see the differences and make a selection that is right for you.”

Check it out and enjoy!

[Check it out]

PC World is reporting that ASUS plans on replacing the Eee PC 1000H model with the newer 1002HA netbook. The 1002HA has a smaller battery (2 cell 4200mAh vs 6 cell 6600mAh), a lighter weight (2.65lbs vs. 3.2 lbs), and smaller dimensions ( 264 mm x 181 mm x 27.6 mm vs. 266mm x 191.2mm x 28.5mm~ 38mm). Other specs to the 1002HA include:

• Windows XP
• 10 inch LED backlight display
• Intel Atom N270 processor
• Intel 945GSE / ICH7-M chipset
• 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity
• 1GB RAM
• 160GB HDD
• 10GB Online Eee Storage
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Stereo speakers
• HD audio
• Digital Array microphone
• 4 in 1 memory card reader
• 1 VGA port, 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1 LAN port, 2 audio jacks

The Eee PC 1002HA is expected here in the U.S. starting on December 1st for a price of $499.

[Check it out]

Get ready for the 10 inch Acer Aspire One. According to DigiTimes, Acer Taiwan President - Scott Lin – has stated that the 10 inch netbook will become available sometime in February or March of 2009.

In other Acer related netbook news, the company also announced that it has reached a shipment volume of 9000 3.5G module-based Aspire One netbooks (bundled with Taiwan Mobile services) in the Taiwan market for the fourth quarter. No word on when the 3.5G version of the Aspire One will make it to the U.S.

Finally, the company stated that it sells between 10,000 to 20,000 Aspire One units a month in Taiwan. That’s a wide range in numbers don’t you think? Yet – it’s also a lot of netbook units. Nice.

[Check it out via Wired]

Amazon’s Customer Vote promotion is back this year and round 4 of the 6 round/day event includes the ASUS Eee PC 900 8.9 inch netbook system. The Customer Vote program works as follows:

• Log into Amazon and browse the six rounds of products. For each round (round 1 begins on Friday with emails going out on Thursday), vote on the product that you’d likely purchase if you could get the discount
• Amazon will randomly select and notify customers the day before the round via email
• On the day of the round AND if you’re selected, you need to log back into Amazon and make your purchase as early as possible. Just because you are selected doesn’t mean you can purchase the item since Amazon will be selecting more customers than product available.

The ASUS Eee PC 900 netbook will be available in Round 4 (which takes place on Tuesday with email notifications sent out on Monday December 1st) for an incredibly low price if $129 (down from the MSRP of $449). So.. if you’re interested in the netbook, make sure to log into Amazon and get your vote in!

Those Apple netbook rumors just won’t die will they?

This time, analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray, states that Apple will likely introduce a “scaled-down MacBook Air” in the next two years – possibly as early as 2009. The system would probably come with an 11 inch display and cost between $800 dollars and $1000 dollars – still above what most of us are used to paying for Windows-based netbook systems. (mind you, you can always buy a $400 dollar MSI Wind and run a hacked version of OS X on it).

Now of course, I wouldn’t label such a system a netbook but then again- there’s really no formal definition as to what a netbook is, is there?

[Check it out]

Dell added a couple of new options to their Inspiron Mini 9 netbook. First off, if you’re planning to get a Mini 9 with Ubuntu Linux pre-installed, you can now opt for a 32GB Solid State Drive for an additional $100 dollars from the base 4GB SSD configuration. Interestingly enough, the 32GB option is missing from Windows XP models of the Mini 9.

However, Windows XP users of the Mini 9 do have a different new option. They can now select to have AT&T’s mobile broadband HSDPA embedded mini-card built right into the Mini 9 for an additional price of $125 dollars. There’s also a $120 dollar rebate available with details at www.dell.com/att (you will need to activate a new two year AT&T DataConnect Unlimited service plan).

Go to www.dell.com/mini for additional details on the new options.