NetbookTech

Wondering what the upcoming 10.1 inch Acer Aspire One will look like? Well wonder no more. The folks at Akihabara News managed to snap up several pictures of the 10.1 incher at an Acer press conference in Tokyo. On the outside, the new system certainly looks promising. Gotta love the color selection and yes.. gotta love the fact that Acer moved the mouse buttons to BELOW the trackpad. Good job. Check out Akihabara News for many more pictures.

There’s a glimmer of jealousy and envy in my eyes right now and it’s directed at the Ukrainian gadget site gagadget.com. They managed to get their lucky grubby hands on a new Samsung NC20 (grumble) netbook.. err.. ultra-portable notebook.. (or whatever you call this 12.1 inch system these days). The NC20 replaces the Intel Atom processor found in the popular Samsung NC10 netbook with the VIA Nano ULV U2250 processor which also happens to be clocked at 1.6GHz.

Other notable specs to the NC20 includes:

• 1GB of DDR2 667MHz RAM
• 160GB HDD
• Glossy 12.1 inch 1280 x 800 resolution LED backlit display
• VIA Chrome graphics
• Li-Ion rechargeable 5200mAh battery
• Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth, and USB
• 3 USB ports, VGA port, audio, microphone
• 1.3 megapixel webcam

On the outside – the NC20 looks very much like a bigger NC10. On the inside, things are slightly different thanks to the VIA processor and integrated graphics. Here are interesting tidbits from the review (which is translated into English using Google Translate):

• Samsung plans on having other hard drive configurations including 80GB and 120GB models- as well as a 16GB SSD model
• The keyboard is larger than the 10 inch NC10 – we’re talking about a 97 percent keyboard vs the 93 percent found on the NC10
• The NC20 comes with the same (albeit larger) cloth case that the NC10 has
• For some reason, the Windows key has moved to the right side of the keyboard – not sure why
• The display’s viewing angle is about 150-160 degrees horizontally and a little more than 90 degrees verticaly

Wondering how the integrated graphics held up? Well they ran the 3DMarks benchmark and got a measly 138 3DMarks.. but what do you expect? We’re talking about integrated graphics.

Where things got really interesting was in the area of HD video playback. The reviewer found that the NC20 was capable of playing back 720p and 1080p content without maxing out the processor. Not bad at all! The NC20 could very well be the perfect multimedia netbook.. errr.. notebook.

So what do we make of all of this? The system certainly has the makings of a successful product. Staying close to the original NC10 design was probably smart of Samsung. Moving to the VIA Nano appears to have given the system an edge when it comes to multimedia performance. However, at the end of the day, the NC20 won’t necessarily be compared against regular 10 inch netbooks but rather against a range of systems such as the Dell Inspiron Mini 12, the ASUS Eee PC S121, and the upcoming HP Pavilion dv2 which features the Athlon Neo processor. The ultimate differentiator will again be price. If the NC20 is cheap enough (say… under $500 dollars), then it stands to be fairly successful.

[Check it out via LaptopMag]

In case you missed these reviews as they popped up on the net, here’s a quick roundup of the latest netbook reviews from the last several days and weeks. Enjoy!

First up, PC Magazine recently reviewed the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 netbook here on their site. Here’s what they thought of the unit (and yes, the hard drive is rather pokey at 4200 RPM):

“Sure, the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 is expensive relative to other netbooks, but it’s the only one with a 12-inch screen.”

Actually no.. there’s also the ASUS S121 and an upcoming MSI 12 incher too..

Now if you’re looking at the smaller brother – the Dell Inspiron Mini 9, the folks at the Tech Lounge have published a review of the unit here. Here’s what they thought of the Mini 9:

“The Dell mini 9 might not be exactly what you’re looking for – maybe you want a netbook with a much bigger, standard spindle-based hard drive, or you don’t want to pay as much. But if the Dell mini 9 fits what you want, go for it!”

Dell, of course, isn’t the only big name manufacturer in the netbook game. HP entered the fray well before Dell with the Mini 2133 and now has a complete line of 10 inch netbooks known collectively as the Mini 1000. The latest Mini 1000 – the Mini 1000 Mi (Mobile Internet) with Linux has been given the review treatment over at NotebookReview.com. Here’s a snippet from the article:

“HP’s Mini Mi has been an eye-opener for me. This isn’t because the Mini Mi is a perfect product, clearly it’s not. The lesson I am taking away from this review is how friendly/easy/awesome Linux and specifically Ubuntu can be when a PC maker puts some sweat equity into it.”

After reading the article, it’s pretty evident that the HP-developed user interface for Linux is rocking (although simplistic). I felt the same way when I played with the demo unit at CES 2009 – the interface provides easy access to the basic everyday activities of most casual users out there and hides the potential complexities of Linux quite nicely. Unfortunately the unit comes with a small 8GB SSD and there’s no option to get the 1000 Mi with a hard drive without going with Windows XP. Boo…

Lenovo’s IdeaPad S10e get a look over at vnunet.com. The S10e is basically an education oriented version of the popular S10 which has been available since late ‘08. Here’s what they thought of the S10e:

“The IdeaPad S10e stands out from the netbook crowd thanks to its build quality, and some useful extras such as Quick Start and Rescue and Recovery to help users get their system up and running again if problems should occur.

However, the standard three-cell battery pack will typically provide only a couple of hours’ use so, although the IdeaPad is capable of running Office applications, buyers will probably need to add a larger battery pack to make it a serious mobile tool.“

We are of course users of the S10 netbook here at NetbookTech – as well as the Samsung NC10 and the Acer Aspire One – all of which will get a review treatment soon – I promise!  But I digress – the S10 sorely needs to have the six cell battery BE the default battery available. The 3 cell is just too weak for all day computing.

The folks at LaptopMag managed to get some hands-on time with the newly announced Archos 10 netbook. What makes this $399 netbook stand apart from the rest is the inclusion of a vast array of software applications – including media content as well as productivity software. Here’s a snippet from the article:

“With a $50 coupon to its Media Club store and preloaded software like its V-Tuner, the Archos 10 may be the first netbook that hits the market that really takes aim at the multimedia maven, or more pessimistically, the bloatware lover.”

And finally, we have another review of that new Sony VAIO P Lifestyle PC system – this time by the folks at the PC World (via WashingtonPost.com). Here’s the verdict on this expensive wonder:

“So, is this thing a netbook? Sure, this seems like some spiritual descendant of Toshiba’s Libretto (raise your hand if you remember that classic). But no matter how much you protest, Sony, how can you not consider this a netbook-class computer? It’s roughly the size of a netbook and performs like a netbook. And that’s the problem in a nutshell. Considering the price, it’s got to do more than just be small. On the other hand, it sure looks sweet.”

We totally agree…

Could the 8.9 inch Acer Aspire One’s days be numbered? According to a DigiTimes report, Acer is considering discontinuing the 8.9 inch product line once the new 10.1 inch Aspire One begins shipping in the second quarter. This makes a good deal of sense for the company since the majority of new netbook sales are in the 10 inch netbook segment. 10 inch netbooks have of course a larger display (although the same resolution as a 8.9 inch netbook) and a larger keyboard – a boon to most consumers.  Rumor also has it that Acer will price the 10.1 inch Aspire One at around the same price as the current 8.9 inch model. That’s pretty darn inexpensive folks.

Acer moving to the 10.1 inch Aspire Ones could also spell trouble for Quanta which manufactures the 8.9 inch Aspire One. According to the same DigiTimes report, Acer would outside manufacturing of the 10 inch system to Compal Electronics while the enterprise models will be outsource to Quanta.

[Check it out via Ars Technica]

Not thrilled with the built-in 16GB SSD on the ASUS S101 netbook? Not a problem. Super Talent Technology has announced a new line of Mini PCIe solid state drives designed specifically as an upgrade to the ASUS S101 Eee PC netbook. The new Super Talent drives are available in three storage capacities:

• Model FPM16RSE 16GB drive
• Model FPM32RSE 32GB drive
• Model FPM64RSE 64GB drive

These three SATA Mini PCIe drives have a max read speed of 90MB/sec and a max write speed of 55MB/sec. All three models are shipping now with the high end 64GB model available for a price of $169. Not a bad upgrade price for solid state drives.

[Check it out]

ABI Research analysts believe conditions are ripe for a “perform storm” in the netbook market which could result in an explosion of worldwide netbook shipments that could reach nearly 35 million units this year – upwards to 139 million in 2013. 

According to this press release from ABI Research, several “social and technological factors” are coming together to get the pot stirring.

First off, we’re getting smarter about the capabilities of our mobile devices. The majority of us have come to realize that PDAs, smartphones, and Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) are not the be-all, end-all of all mobile devices.  Consumers want more.  This has resulted in a market opportunity for netbooks – systems that are portable, inexpensive, and capable of delivering full PC functionality.

Secondly, technological advances have finally reached a point where low cost, power efficient processors are good enough for the masses. Yes, “good enough” is finally “good enough” when coupled with an OS like Linux or Windows XP.

And of course, let’s not forget about the social economic climate. People are losing jobs left and right. Budgets are tightening up. People want the best bang for the buck. This is where netbooks really can make a difference. The ability to deliver full PC functionality at a low price point makes netbooks the ideal candidate when consumers are either looking for 1) a decent notebook system or 2) something more capable than a smartphone, PDA, or MID. Who wants to spend $600 to $1000 dollars on a notebook to read/write email when they can spend half that much and do perform exactly the same functionality.

Here’s hoping that ABI Research is right about the netbook market. The PC market needs a boost in the current economic climate – even if it’s in the low cost realm of netbooks.

[Check it out]

HP also began offering the Linux version of their Mini 1000 netbook a few weeks ago. Known as the “Mini 1000 Mi”, the system features an HP-developed user interface called “Mobile internet” (hence the “Mi”) designed to make using Linux a bit easier for the average consumer. Mi allows users to access e-mail, the Internet, photos, music, and videos with a single mouse click. Here are snapshots I took of the Mini 1000 Mi at CES 2009 – including close-up shots of the new user interface.

Here’s Firefox running on the Mini 1000 Mi.

Here’s the home screen to the Mi.

The bottom row of the Mi interface shows all the executing processes on the system.

The base configuration of the HP Mini 1000 Mi is available for $329.99 and features:

• Intel Atom processor N270
• 8.9 inch 1024 x 600 resolution display
• 512MB RAM
• Intel GMA 950 graphics
• 8GB SSD
• Webcam
• Wi-Fi
• 3 cell battery

For $404.99, you get the above system with a 10.1 inch display (same resolution), 1GB of RAM, and a 16GB SSD.

[Check it out]

I missed this one a few weeks back. HP is now offering a version of the Mini 1000 netbook where you can purchase the system bundled with a 3G Mobile Broadband card. You can choose from either AT&T or Verizon as your mobile broadband provider with a base configuration available for $549 (this includes $100 dollars off). At this price, you get a system with the following specs:

• Intel Atom Processor N270
• Windows XP Home with SP3
• 10.1 inch SD LED BrightView Infinity Widescreen Display
• 1GB RAM
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• 16GB SSD
• HP Mini Webcam with HP Imprint Finish
• 802.11 b/g
• 3 cell Lithium Polymer Battery

[Check it out]

The new MSI Wind U120 is now available for purchase at both Amazon.com and Newegg.com.

A quick search on the Amazon.com reveals at least two models available for purchase. One model is the U120-024US which is available for $399.99 and features an Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD,Windows XP Home, Wi-Fi, and 6 cell battery. Another model available is the U120-020US which adds Bluetooth 2.0 into the mix and has a price of $469.99.

Newegg.com also has the Wind U120-024US for a price of $379.99.

Netbooks will eventually disappear.

That’s the belief of AMD’s CEO, Dirk Meyer. At the company’s earnings conference call, Meyer stated “The distinction between what is a netbook and what is a notebook is going to go away.” Basically, future ultra-compact notebooks capable of delivering full PC experiences will be priced in such a way that netbooks will no longer be a factor.

AMD’s reasoning? The upcoming Athlon Neo platform of course (and somewhat realized by the upcoming HP Pavilion dv2 notebook).

Yet this really depends on what one defines a netbook to be. Is a netbook a 10 inch system with an Atom processor inside? Is it a 12 inch system with a ULV Core 2 Duo processor inside? To us at NetbookTech, a netbook is an inexpensive (typically less than $500 dollars), lightweight (under 3 pounds), ultra-portable (ranging in sizes from 7 inch displays to 12 inch displays), long-lasting (3-5 hours) mobile computer. It really says nothing about the processor or graphics component within the system. We believe that netbooks can provide that full PC experience – depending on what that means to you of course.

AMD would of course like you to associate netbooks with low performing systems not capable of delivering the full PC experience (in order to sell you on their upcoming Neo platform), but we’d like to think that future processor and system innovations will float down to the netbook category – resulting in inexpensive, lightweight, ultra-portable solutions that can do it all.

Thus it’s our belief that netbooks as a class or category is here to stay. Will it always use an Intel Atom processor with crappy Intel graphics? Of course not.. but the concept of a cheap lightweight portable system delivering everything you need for daily use has strung a note among many users out there and companies are heeding this note.

[Check it out]