NetbookTech

The MSI X-Slim X350 is a 13 inch thin-and-light notebook with the following specs:

• Intel Core 2 Duo SU4100 processor
• Intel GS45 + ICH9M-SFF chipset
• Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics
• 13 inch HD LCD display
• Multi-touch enabled touchpad
• Optional WiMAX support
• 9 hour battery life
• Chicklet keyboard with raised keys
• Weighs a mere 3.31 pounds and measures less than an inch thick at its widest point

Here are pictures of the new MSI Wind U135 netbook featuring the latest Intel Pine Trail platform. The U135 is available in black, silver, red, and black and features a 6 cell battery delivering up to 7.5 hours of battery life.

Specs include the following:

• Intel Atom N450 processor
• Intel NM10 chipset
• Up to 2GB RAM
• 10 inch WSVGA LCD display
• Intel GMA 3150 graphics
• HD audio
• 250GB SATA HDD
• 10/100 Ethernet
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• 4 in 1 media card reader
• Built-in 1.3 megapixel webcam
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• 6 cell battery
• Chicklet keyboard and enlarged touchpad
• Windows 7 Starter Edition

The MSI Wind U160 is one of four new models added to the Wind lineup of netbooks and ultraportables. A winner of the 2010 iF Product Design Award, the Wind U160 sports a completely redesigned chassis measuring less than an inch thick at its widest point and a weight of a mere 2.2 lbs.

The U160 has an “ultra-thin fuselage with a gold Color Film Print finish” and features:

• Intel Atom N450 processor
• Intel NM10 chipset
• Up to 2GB of DDR2 667/800MHz RAM
• 10 inch WSVGA LCD display
• Intel GMA 3150 graphics
• Optional external Super-Multi drive
• Up to 9 hours of battery life
• Seamless touchpad

MSI is showing off two of their latest netbook models at this year’s CeBIT exhibition being held in Hannover, Germany – the U115 Hybrid and the U110 Eco netbook.

As most of you know by now, the U115 Hybrid is the first netbook to feature a dual storage system – a solid state drive and a traditional hard drive. When the netbook is in ECO mode, the traditional hard drive is shut down to save on power consumption. With a 6 cell battery in place and the netbook in ECO mode, the U115 Hybrid can achieve a battery life up to 12 hours long. You’ll be able to pick either an 8GB SSD or a 16GB SSD matched with either a 120GB or 160GB 2.5 inch SATA HDD.

Meanwhile, the new U110 ECO netbook is making its introduction at CeBIT. The system is powered by an Intel Atom processor on the Intel Menlow platform and features a 6 six battery offering  9 hours of power, a weight of 1kg, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth connectivity, 2GB of memory, 4 in 1 memory card reader (XD, SD, MMC, Memory Stick), three USB 2.0 ports, and 1.3 or 2.0 megapixel webcam.

[Check it out]

The next few months will be busy ones for MSI. According to LaptopMag, MSI plans on releasing the new Wind U123 netbook in April featuring the latest Intel Atom N280 processor clocked at 1.66GHz. The N280 is the same processor found in the new (and popular) ASUS Eee PC 1000HE netbook. The U123 will support up to 2GB of memory and will be available in four colors – white, metallic black, blue, and burgundy red.

Later this month (wow, it’s March already?), MSI expects to release the Wind U115 Hybrid (pictured above) netbook which was announced at the end of 2008 and showcased at CES 2009 back in January of this year. In case you forgot about the U115 – this is the first “hybrid” netbook featuring both a solid state hard drive and a traditional hard drive. The OS is installed on the SSD while the regular hard drive provides storage capacity for everything else. When you’re looking to conserve energy, just go into ECO mode and watch the U115 Hybrid do it’s thing. It shuts down the hard drive and works off the SSD – thereby getting a supposed battery life of up to 12 hours on a single charge of the 6 cell battery. 

Finally, one interesting piece of “gossip” – Andy Tung, Director of U.S. Sales of MSI, stated that “there are rumors of 11.6 and 12 inch solutions from other companies. We have that in development and can bring that out of the gate.” Could 2009 be the year netbooks standardize on screens larger than 10 inches?

[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.

All the talk about running OS X on a netbook system has apparently raised an eyebrow or two over at Apple. The company recently approached Wired.com requesting that a video clip of installing a hacked version of OS X on an MSI Wind netbook be removed. This video clip appeared alongside a “Wired Gadget Lab” posting dating back to December and written by author Brian X. Chen. However, the posting itself is still up – but the video is now gone. It looks like Apple is somewhat OK with the posting – just not the video clip. Here’s hoping the posting stays up because at the very least this shows people are looking for an inexpensive way to run one of their favorite platforms – OS X.

via AppleInsider

Next up, we have the 10 inch MSI U120H netbook. Listed features are as follows:

• Intel Atom processor clocked at 1.6GHz
• Windows XP Home OS
• Intel 945GSE + Intel ICH7M chipset
• 10 inch WSVGA (1024 x 600) LED backlit display
• Intel GMA 950 graphics
• 160GB SATA HDD
• 10/100 Ethernet
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi
• Optional Bluetooth
• HSDPA support
• Weighs 1 Kg with the 3 cell battery

Next up, we have still shots of the new MSI U115 Hybrid netbook taken at CES 2009. The U115 comes with both a solid state drive and a traditional hard drive – allowing users to experience the energy efficiency, durability, and reliability of solid state drives with the high capacity and easy upgradability of traditional hard drives. Combine this storage hybrid approach with MSI’s ECO energy saving technology and you get a system that can potentially last up to 12 hours on a single charge (and with the six cell battery).

The U115 can be configured with either an 8GB or 16GB SSD – matched with either a 120GB or 160GB 2.5 inch SATA hard drive. The OS is loaded on the SSD which allows for faster boot times, and greater performance. It also allows the system to shut down the hard drive when the system is in ECO mode – translating to the longer battery life.

Other features and specs for the U115 include:

• Intel Melow platform
• 10 inch display
• Up to 2GB of memory
• 4 in 1 memory card reader (with support for xD, SD, MMC, Memory Stick)
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• 1.3/2.0 megapixel webcam
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth

Continuing our CES (more like post-CES now) 2009 coverage, our focus now turns to MSI. First up on the agenda are pictures of the recently announced MSI X-Slim Series X320 notebook.

Now before I continue, it’s important to note that the X320 is NOT part of the Wind line of netbooks. MSI in fact does not consider this a netbook but rather a slim ultra-portable notebook system (so expect a more expensive price than the Wind but something competitive nevertheless).

The X-Slim Series X320 has a 13.4 inch display and weighs a mere 1.3 kg. Other specs include:

• An overall thickness of 1.98 cm with the thinnest part being only 6mm
• 4 or 8 cell battery which lasts up to 10 hours
• Available in Champagne Gold, Pearl White, or High Tech Stylish Black
• Intel Menlow platform
• ECO Engine energy saving technology

The shots below are of a mock X320 – but it gives you an idea of what the system is like.