NetbookTech

PC Magazine has a new review out of the ASUS EeePC 1002HA netbook here on their website. The 1002HA has the following specifications:

• Intel Atom Processor N270
• 1GB of RAM
• 2.7 lbs
• 10.2 inch LED backlit display
• Intel GMA 950
• 160GB HDD
• 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• Stereo speakers
• 4 in 1 memory card reader

The real standout with the EeePC 1002HA is the finish – you have to love that “gunmetal” finish on the new system – far nicer looking than the boring white or black colors we’re seeing from many vendors these days.

Here’s the bottom line from PC Magazine:

“Its metallic finish makes the ASUS EeePC 1002HA the most attractive netbook to date, and its performance doesn’t disappoint. However, this netbook could use some help in the features department.”

Hot on the heels of our own un-boxing pictures of the Samsung NC10 come a new review and a new hands-on look at the new netbook. First up, a new review from the folks at PC Advisor UK who had this to say about the NC10:

“Samsung’s netbook offering may tick nearly all the same boxes as the MSI Wind, but its keen pricing and remarkable mains-free longevity make it a worthy addition to the line. The Samsung NC10 may be marginally larger, heavier and lack 802.11n but this could be the new champion of the breed.”

Next up, Mobile Computer UK has a hands-on look at the black colored version of the NC10 and I have to say.. the black version looks way cooler than the white colored version. Here’s a snippet from the hands-on:

“We can confirm that the black model is definitely better looking than the white, with the silver accents looking right at home against the matte black finish. Unsurprisingly, the gloss black lid is a finger print magnet but on the whole the black NC10 looks like it means business.”

Make sure to check out the rest of the hands-on to see several close up shots of the NC10.

As the popularity of netbooks increase, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing more and more netbook reviews appearing on the web. Case in point – NetworkWorld.com has published two new netbook reviews - one for the Acer Aspire One and the other for the Lenovo IdeaPad S10. Unfortunately the reviews are not exactly comprehensive (forget about performance numbers etc) as NetworkWorld gives very brief overviews of the systems. Guess you can’t have it all eh?

In any case, the first review is of the Acer Aspire One netbook which is certainly one of the best deals out there. It’s arguably the best bang for the buck when you consider what you get for around $350 dollars – an Intel Atom processor, a 8.9 inch display, 1GB of RAM, a 120GB HDD, and Windows XP Home. Unfortunately the Aspire One suffers from a nutty touchpad design and a somewhat loud internal cooling fan. Although the NetworkWorld review is a bit lacking in content, the site does give the Aspire One four stars and has this to say:

“The device is really meant for basic computing and Web functions – for heavy duty usage and applications I’d probably want a better, faster and slightly larger notebook. But this could be a very useful notebook to keep powered up and running in living areas in the house, for those times when you need to check a quick e-mail, sports score or other such Internet-enabled activity.”

When it comes to the Lenovo IdeaPad S10, the review is just slightly longer with NetworkWorld having this to say about the system.

“Honestly, I like this computer. Screen size aside, it’s a capable little machine, and it was fun to use. If you can deal with a small screen, and aren’t interested in playing too many extreme games, this is definitely worth a look.”

The tested system had your Atom processor, a 10 inch display, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD, and Windows XP Home.

LaptopMag has followed up their first look of the Dell Inspiron Mini 12 netbook with a full blown review now up on their website. The Mini 12, in case you already forgot, is the 12 inch big brother to the Inspiron Mini 9 – featuring an Atom Z530 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 92 percent keyboard, a 1.3 megapixel camera, 60GB 4200 RPM HDD, Intel GMA 950 graphics, Wi-Fi, media card reader, and Windows Vista Basic SP1.

Here were some of the pluses identified by LaptopMag:

• Six cell battery provides 5+ hours of battery life
• 92 percent keyboard with full dedicated row of function keys
• 12 inch 1280 x 800 resolution display gives room for two windows side by side

Here were the negatives:

• Built-in speakers were weak
• Max of 1GB of RAM
• PATA/ZIF hard drive interface
• Weak performance under Windows Vista
• Sluggish 4200 RPM HDD

Here’s the verdict:

But while we applaud Dell’s efforts to make Vista easier to use with its flashy dock, the Mini 12 doesn’t have the right hardware to handle this OS. Plus, the 12-inch screen costs a premium; its price of $654 is about $150 more than the 10-inch Samsung NC10 ($499), which offers better performance, a bigger hard drive, and longer battery life. We suggest that buyers hold off until next month when Dell offers the Mini 12 with Windows XP or its customized Ubuntu Linux operating system.

Bummer. I had high hopes for the Inspiron Mini 12 – if only because of the 12 inch display. However the combination of a max of 1GB of RAM, a slow 4200 RPM HDD, and the use of Windows Vista, tells me the Mini 12 might only be appealing when the price drops way below $500 dollars.  Of course, if you like the other of a netbook but want the 12 inch display, then the Inspiron Mini 12 is really your own choice at this time.

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PC Magazine has updated their review of the Acer Aspire One netbook here on their site. Their first look at the Aspire One was more of a preview than a full on review. Acer has since sent them a production unit which had specs such as a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 512MB of RAM, an 8.9 inch display, and 8GB of storage space. The reviewed system also ran Linpus Linux Lite. Major complaints from PC Mag include the cramped keyboard experience and of course the annoying mouse button placements. They also pointed out that the 3 cell battery will probably be lacking but at least you have the option to get a 6 cell battery for the Wind. Ultimately PC Magazine gave the Aspire One four of five stars and said the following:

“Since it first debuted, the One has added several options like a 10-inch screen, numerous hard drive choices, and a 6-cell battery, while keeping its price competitive with the rest of the field.”

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Right on the heels of the NotebookReview review of the ASUS N10 netbook comes another review of the system by the folks at Techware Labs. Unlike the first review, Techware Labs actually finds the N10’s NVIDIA 9300M GPU useful  – stating the following:

“The addition of dedicated graphics lends itself well to the N10 and buying an N10 without the optional Nvidia 9300M would be like buying a Ferrari with a 4 cylinder engine.”

They also run a large battery of benchmarks against the N10 (great for all of you benchmark crazed computing enthusiasts). Ultimately, Techware Labs had this to say about the ASUS N10 netbook:

“The N10 is currently the best offering for the truely mobile professional who needs more video power than the Intel GMA can offer but who also wants battery life when 3D power is not in demand.”

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NotebookReview has published a review of the ASUS N10 netbook here on their website. As a refresher, here are the major specs to the N10 netbook:

• Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor
• 160GB 5400RPM HDD
• NVIDIA 9300M GS graphics
• 1GB RAM
• Windows XP Home
• 10.2 inch WSVGA glossy LED backlit display
• 3 USB 2.0 ports, HDMI port, VGA, headphone, microphone, Ethernet ports
• ExpressCard/34 slot
• 8 in 1 media card reader
• 1.3 megapixel webcam
• 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi

Of course the center of attraction with the N10 is the use of NVIDIA’s 9300M GS graphics in place of the standard Intel integrated graphics you’d normally see in netbook systems. Unfortunately NotebookReview.com found:

“In day to day use the NVIDIA 9300M didn’t do much to improve the overall speed of the N10 compared to standard netbooks which only have Intel integrated graphics. It also didn’t help out much with gaming or video playback since the Intel Atom processor can’t keep up. “

That’s a real bummer of course. It makes you seriously wonder whether you should even bother paying for a discrete graphics option on a netbook system – especially since many of today’s applications still need additional processing horsepower of the CPU in order to keep the GPU happy. Here’s what they ultimately thought of the N10:

“With a price tag nearly 50 percent greater than other netbook models, even more when compared to new HP and Dell offerings, it seems ASUS might have priced themselves out of the consumer market with the N10. Of course, the price tag is still perfectly reasonable as a “corporate netbook” … and some less demanding road warriors may desire the affordable N10 over outrageously priced ultraportables like the Sony VAIO TZ.”

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Both PC Magazine and LaptopMag have reviews up for the newly announced HP Mini 1000 netbook. This 10.2 inch second generation netbook, announced earlier last week, features an Intel Atom processor, Windows XP Home OS, 1GB of RAM, a 60GB HDD (or an optional SSD), and of course, a beautiful 92 percent HP keyboard. Unfortunately, HP also stuck with the first generation mouse/touchpad layout (ugh). Here’s what PC Magazine thought of the netbook:

“The Mini 1000 is a solid second act for HP that could teach other netbooks a thing or two about design. It could stand to learn a few things from its peers, as well.”

and here’s what LaptopMag thought of it:

“.. HP Mini’s stylish and seriously compact chassis, crisp and bright screen, and outstanding keyboard elevate it above most of its competitors and shake up the cookie-cutter netbook mold. However, those looking for a longer lasting system with a larger, faster hard drive for $50 less will prefer the $499 Samsung NC10 (which comes standard with a 6-cell battery). But those lusting after a stylish 10-inch netbook will be beyond satisfied with the the HP Mini 1000.”

Move over MSI Wind. There’s a new king in the netbook market and according to LaptopMag, that king is the new Samsung NC10 netbook. While the internal specs are pretty much the same as every other netbook out there, the six cell, six hour battery and awesome keyboard help make the NC10 stand apart from the rest. Here’s the verdict from LaptopMag:

“Until now, no other netbook has been able to match the 10-inch MSI Wind’s endurance, strong performance, and spacious keyboard. Samsung’s NC10 is the only product that provides comparable—and even improved—features for a lower price. Its comfortable, well-positioned keyboard, speedy and spacious hard drive, and more than 6 hours of endurance make the $499 Samsung NC10 the most well-rounded 10-inch netbook on the market. “

Based on the initial reviews that are hitting the web for the NC10, this does indeed seem to be the best of the 10 inch netbook lot.

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Looking for a review of the newly announced Dell Inspiron Mini 12 netbook? Well APC managed to get their hands (via Michael Dell himself no less) on the new system at a regional Dell event in Shanghai and as a result, they now have what they’re calling as the “world’s first review” of the system. They’re probably right with that claim.. since I can’t seem to find another review of the system as of yet. In any event, here are some notes from the review:

• It’s not quite as slim as the ASUS S101 but it might cure your MacBook Air envy
• Manufactured by Taiwanese OEM/ODM Compal
• Internal codename for the Mini 12 was “Yao Ming” for you know who. The Inspiron Mini 9 was codenamed “Qiao Hong” after the Chinese table tennis champ.
• Temperatures seemed warm but OK
• Mono speaker – boo
• Nearly full size keyboard – very nice
• Two mini PCI card slots underneath – one for the Wi-Fi and one for 3G HSDPA support
• Upgrades are going to be painful as it’s a pain to get into the netbook
• Uses the smaller and more power efficient Z series Atom processor
• Uses the Poulsbo chipset which integrates Northbridge, Southbridge, Graphics, Audio in one chip (also known as the System Controller Hub) but only supports a max of 1GB of RAM. Yup.. that stinks
• Yes Vista is installed and it does work.. but yes.. you only get 1GB of RAM so do you really want Vista on this?
• Dell Dock included
• Battery life is poor given the three cell battery (2.5 hours or so depending on usage)

Finally, here’s a blurb from the review:

“Yet I can think of plenty of mainstream users – typically the family, friends and workmates of many APC readers – for whom this $999 netbook will really hit the sweet spot by blurring the conventional boundary of form factor and blowing apart the long-standing sub-note barrier of price.”

Note that it’s expected to be under $600 in the U.S.

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