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.

Gateway also expanded their EC lineup of thin-and-light notebooks during CES 2010 with the introduction of the EC14D model featuring an integrated DVD drive. An integrated DVD drive is unique among thin-and-light notebooks which often come without a built-in drive and instead rely on optional external USB drives.

One specific EC14D model is the EC14D07u which has the following specs:

• Intel Pentium ULV Processor SU4100 processor clocked at 1.3 GHz
• Intel GS45 Express Chipset
• 11.6 inch HD TFT LCD display with 1366 x 78 resolution
• 320GB HDD
• 4GB of RAM upgradeable to 8GB
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Gigabit Ethernet
• 6 cell battery for up to 8 hours of power
• Built-in webcam
• Multi-in-1 media card reader
• Integrated 8x Super-Multi DVD player
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Multi-gesture touchpad
• 6 cell Lithium-Ion 5600mAh battery
• Weighs 3.55 lbs
• Measures 11.49 x 1.12 x 8.33 inches
• Windows 7 Home Premium

Starting prices for the EC14D is $629.99

Gateway announced their new LT21 series netbook lineup during CES 2010 featuring the new Intel Pine Trail platform as well as a variety of battery options including a new 6 cell Lithium-Ion extended battery lasting upwards of 10 hours.

The new series supports the new Atom N450 processor and features:

• 802.11 b/g or 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• 10.1 inch LED backlit 1024 x 600 TFT display with 22.2 percent power savings compared to traditional netbook displays
• 93 percent keyboard
• Multi-gesture touchpad
• 1GB of RAM
• Choice of either 160GB or 250GB hard drive
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Ethernet
• VGA
• Multi-in-one card reader

The LT21 Series is available in Cherry Red, NightSky Black, and Glacier White with models available with either Windows 7 Starter or Windows XP Home.

Prices range from $299.99 upwards to $349.99 depending on Wi-Fi configuration and hard drive.

It may look like a netbook but the new Gateway EC1805u is actually an 11.6 inch thin-and-light notebook with features such as an 11.6 inch display, an Intel Core 2 Solo CULV processor, and 7+ hours of battery life. Features and specs to the EC1805u include the following:

• Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 processor clocked at 1.4GHz
• 2GB RAM
• 250GB SATA HDD
• 11.6 inch HD widescreen LED backlit display
• Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics
• Intel GS45 Express Chipset
• Built-in webcam
• Multi-in-1 media card reader
• Dolby Sound Room Audio Enhancement
• 802.11 b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• HDMI port
• Multi-gesture enabled touchpad
• 6 cell Li-Ion battery
• Measures 8.03 x 11.22 x 1.18 inches and weighs 3.08 pounds
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Up to 7 hours of power

The EC1805u will be available on Amazon.com starting on December 9th for $449.99.

[Check it out ]

If you’re looking for netbook/mobile broadband deals, you’ll want to check out Verizon Wireless Black Friday deals which run until Monday. Here’s a list of the deals available through the carrier:

Gateway LT2016u netbook with 2 year mobile broadband agreement for $29.99. Specs include:

• Intel Atom N270 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 160GB HDD
• Mobile Broadband and GlobalAccess Service enabled (SIM card provided separately)
• 10.1 inch LED backlit 1024 x 600 resolution TFT LCD display
• 0.3 megapixel webcam
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
• Multi-in-1 media card reader
• HD audio
• Built-in stereo speakers
• 92 percent keyboard
• 3 USB 2.0 ports, headphone out, microphone in
• Ethernet
• Weighs 2.95 lbs
• 6 cell battery

The LT2016u is yours for $29.99 along with a new 2 year mobile broadband contract.

Verizon also has the HP Mini 110-1046NR netbook on sale for $149.99 after an instant $100 dollar discount and a new two year mobile broadband agreement. The specs are as follows:

• Intel Atom N270 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 160GB HDD
• Mobile Broadband and GlobalAccess Service capable (SIM card provided separately)
• 10.1 inch 1024 x 576 resolution display
• HP webcam with integrated microphone
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fo
• 5 in 1 media card reader
• HD audio
• 92 percent keyboard
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• Weighs 2.57 lbs

One last mobile broadband deal for you to consider. If you don’t need a new netbook but you do want a mobile broadband connection – why not consider the MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot? This small device connects to the mobile broadband connection and acts as a Wi-Fi router with support for up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices. Verizon currently has the Mi-Fi for a mere $49.99 after an online discount of $50 dollars and a new two year mobile broadband agreement.

[Check out the mobile broadband deals]

Verizon Wireless is now offering two new subsidized HP netbooks – the HP Mini 311-1037NR and HP Mini 110-1046NR.

The HP 311-1037NR features:

• Intel Atom N270 processor clocked at 1.6GHz
• 2GB of RAM
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• 160GB Hard Drive
• 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 resolution LED backlit display
• NVIDIA ION graphics chipset
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity
• 3 USB 2.0 ports, memory card reader, HDMI/VGA ports, Ethernet
• Six cell battery

The HP 110-1046NR features:

• Intel Atom N270 processor clocked at 1.6GHz
• 1GB of RAM
• 160GB hard drive
• 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 576 resolution
• Windows XP Home

The HP 311-1037NR is available for $249.99 after a $100 dollar mail-in rebate and a new two-year mobile broadband contract with Verizon Wireless. The HP Mini 110-1046NR is available for $200 dollars after a $100 dollar mail-in rebate as well as a new two-year mobile broadband contract.

If you had to get a new subsidized netbook from Verizon, our votes on the 311 purely because of the larger display and the ION graphics..

Oh and it should also be noted that Verizon Wireless is now offering the Gateway LT2016u netbook for $119.99 after an online discount of $130 dollars and a new 2 year contract. Features of the LT2016u include:

• Intel Atom Processor N270
• 1GB RAM
• 160GB Hard Drive
• 10.1 inch 1024 x 600 resolution display with LED backlighting
• 0.3 megapixel webcam
• Wi-Fi
• Media card reader with support for SD, MMC, RS–MMC, xD, MS & MS PRI cards
• 92 percent keyboard
• 3 USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet
• 6 cell battery

[Check it out]

Gateway enters the thin-and-light notebook market with the introduction of the new EC Series of notebook PCs. Available in 15.6 inch and 11.6 inch displays, the EC systems deliver up to 8 hours of battery life and will be available this week with the launch of Windows 7. Making up the new EC Series will be the 15.6 inch EC58 and EC54 and the 11.6 inch EC14 notebook PCs.

The EC58 and EC54 notebooks feature:

• 15.6 inch LED backlit HD widescreen display with a resolution of 1366 x 768
• Ultra-low voltage Intel Core 2 Duo and Pentium Dual-Core processors
• Weight of 5.29 pounds
• 1 inch thickness
• Brushed aluminum allow chassis
• High capacity 6 cell Li-Ion battery delivering up to 8 hours of power
• 80211 b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi
• Built-in webcam and digital microphone
• Gateway PowerSave one-touch key puts notebook in conservation mode with a single touch
• Gateway MyBackup Manager for easy backup
• Utilizes Intel’s Laminar Wall Jet technology to cool internal components and case
• Dolby Sound Room audio enhancement
• Two built-in speakers
• Multi-gesture touchpad
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Available in Arctic Silver or Pacific Blue

The EC14 features:

• Choose from Intel Ultra-Low Voltage Pentium Dual Core, Intel Celeron Dual Core, and Celeron single core processors
• Up to 500GB HDD
• 11.6 inch HD LED backlit display
• Full-sized keyboard
• 802.11b/g/draft-N Wi-Fi
• Weight of 3.79 pounds
• Multi-in-1 media card reader
• 4GB RAM expandable up to 8GB
• Built-in webcam and digital microphone
• Dolby Headphones and two built-in stereo speakers
• Available in Cherry red and NightSky Black
• 6 cell battery with up to 8 hours of power
• Multi-gesture touchpad
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Design features rounded edges, engraved logo, and silver trim

The Gateway EC Series will be available starting on October 22nd with the launch of Windows 7. Sample configurations with pricing are as follows:

Gateway EC1430u: MSRP $549.99

• Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor SU4100 (1.3GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 11.6-inch HD Widescreen Ultrabright LED-backlit TFT LCD (1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio)
• Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• 4096MB DDR2 Dual-Channel 667MHz memory upgradeable to 8GB
• 320GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive
• Integrated webcam
• Multi-in-1 digital media card reader
• Intel WiFi Link 1000 802.11b/g/Draft-N WiFi CERTIFIED featuring MIMO technology
• Gigabit Ethernet LAN
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• HDMI port
• Multi-Gesture Touchpad with Keypad lock
• Standard 6-cell Li-ion (5600 mAh) Battery
• 3.08 lbs.
• 11.2” (W) x 0.87-1.18” to 1.18” (H) x 8.03” (D)

Gateway EC5409u: MSRP $649.99

• Intel Pentium Dual-Core Processor SU4100 (1.30GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 800MHz FSB)
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• 15.6-inch HD Widescreen Ultrabright LED-backlit TFT LCD (1366 x 768 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio)
• Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• 4096MB DDR3 Dual-Channel 1066MHz memory upgradeable to 8GB
• 320GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive
• 8x DVD-SuperMulti Double-Layer Drive
• Integrated HD webcam
• Multi-in-1 digital media card reader
• 2^nd Generation Dolby Sound Room Audio Enhancement
• Intel® WiFi Link 1000 802.11b/g/Draft-N WiFi CERTIFIED featuring MIMO technology
• Gigabit Ethernet LAN
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• HDMI port
• Multi-Gesture Touchpad with Keypad lock
• Dedicated numeric keypad
• Standard 6-cell Li-ion (5600 mAh) Battery
• Gateway MyBackup Button
• 5.29 lbs.
• 14.85” (W) x 1.01-1.08” (H) x 10.0” (D)

The folks at the Tech Report have put together a fairly comprehensive review comparing two of the latest 11.6 inch netbooks – the Gateway LT3103u (you can see our review here) and the Acer Aspire One AO751h.

While both systems feature beautiful 11.6 inch displays, the internal composition couldn’t be more different. The Gateway netbook is powered by the AMD Athlon 64 L110 processor, and utilizes ATI Radeon Mobility Graphics. The Acer netbook utilizes the Intel Atom processor and Intel integrated graphics (although the Atom found in the AO751h is the Z520 processor as opposed to the more common Atom N270/N280 processor)

So what about the performance?  As expected, the Atom Z520 processor is slower in many of the performance benchmarks than the Athlon 64 L110 processor. The Acer AO751h excels in battery life tho – getting approximately 5+ hours on a six cell battery compared to 3-4 hours with the Gateway. Graphics performance –  nothing to write home about here with either system as Flash performance is next to nill.

So what about the conclusion? Here’s a snippet from the review:

“The Gateway LT3103 is the most successfully executed of the two systems, because its Athlon 64 processor and Radeon graphics give it the performance to match its larger screen and keyboard. The grown-up looks and finish of the Gateway set it apart from the Aspire One 751, as well. If you like to fret over the semantics of "netbook" versus "notebook," the LT3103 will positively put you into a tizzy of hair splitting and confusion—endless hours of fun. I could see this system replacing a full-sized laptop for an awful lot of users. It’s a heck of a bargain, too, compared to the Aspire One 751, since it comes with a larger battery at the same price.”

[Check it out via CrunchGear]

First came the 11.6 inch LT3103u featuring the AMD Athlon 64 processor. Now comes the new 10.1 inch LT2000 series featuring more typical netbook specs such as the Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 160 GB hard drive.

Available in NightSky Black and in Cherry Red, the LT2000 series has the following specs:

• Intel Atom Processor N270 (clocked at 1.6GHz)
• Windows XP Home Edition
• 10.1 inch WSVGA 16:9 aspect ratio TFT LCD display with 1024 x 600 resolution
• Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset
• 1GB RAM
• 160GB SATA 5400RPM HDD
• Intel GMA 950
• Multi-in-1 digital media card reader
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
• Built-in webcam
• Multi-gesture touchpad
• Two built-in stereo speakers
• Dolby Headphone Technology
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• 3 cell Li-ion battery
• Weighs 2.62 lbs
• Measures 10.17 x 7.24 x 1.03 inches

About the only red flag off the top of my head is the 3 cell Li-ion battery. Gateway rates the battery at around 3 hours which I find somewhat unacceptable – especially with so many other vendors offering 5 to 7 hour batteries these days for similar price points.

The LT2001u is the NightSky Black models while the LT2021u is the Cherry Red model – both of which are available for $299.99 at Best Buy.

Introduction:

With vendor after vendor rapidly hurling fastballs at us in the form of new netbook systems, the new Gateway LT3103u is best seen as a bit of a changeup. Unlike its netbook-brethren, the LT3103u keeps Intel on the outside by opting for an AMD platform in the form of the AMD Athlon 64 L110 processor and an ATI Radeon X1270 GPU. But wait – that’s not the only change of pace the LT3103u introduces. Expect the usual 1GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive? Nota chance. How about 2GB of RAM standard and a nice spacious 250GB hard drive instead? But why stop there? Forget the nearly standard 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 resolution display. Gateway moves it up a notch by using a 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 resolution display. Yes, the LT3103u is certainly a change of pace from the netbook norm but what isn’t different is the price. The $399 price tag ensures the Gateway LT3103u stays competitive with the rest of the competition. But how exactly does it perform against the rest of the Atom-based lot? What can you expect out of the ATI integrated graphics? Is this an alternative to the NVIDIA ION platform? Let’s find out.

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