03/11, 4:55pm
AMD to bring out Atom-fighting CPU for netbooks
Chipmaker AMD will soon release a Fusion-branded CPU for netbooks meant to compete with Intel's Atom range of CPUs. The Fusion name stems from the integrated graphics processors from ATI, which AMD acquired in 2006. While specs for the chip haven't yet been finalized, it will consume between 10 and 15 watts of power, while its graphics performance will be good enough not to require a separate NVIDIA Ion GPU, according to AMD chief marketing officer Nigel Dessau.
more
03/11, 3:55pm
JooJoo's 1080p explained through new GPU
The FCC in a filing published Thursday has revealed a number of longstanding mysteries about the JooJoo tablet. Despite Fusion Garage being reluctant to explain the hardware in detail before launch, its pre-release manual shows the device using an NVIDIA Ion chipset. The faster graphics are key to its ability to play 1080p video and will give it hardware-accelerated Flash 10.1 when ready.
more
03/09, 3:45pm
Intel to bring out dual-core Atom for netbooks?
Intel may soon release a dual-core Atom processor for netbooks, which would be a first for the company. Believed to be called the N500, the first dual-core Atom for portable computers would draw much less power than the desktop-oriented dual-core Atom 330 that netbooks like the Eee PC 1201N were forced to use until now. Traditionally, the chipmaker has offered dual-core Atoms for desktops alone.
more
03/08, 4:20pm
MSI Wind U160 takes netbook upscale
MSI today officially brought its chief designer netbook, the Wind U160, to US shores through Buy.com and Newegg. The system is the same as its international counterpart and revolves around a gold-and-bronze look with chiclet keys. It runs on Intel's newer Pine Trail platform and, with a 1.66GHz Atom, potentially breaks records with a maximum 14-hour battery life.
more
03/08, 1:45pm
Ezy Tablet a 10.2-inch iPad clone, costs $679
Apple is facing indirect competition in the form of the newly spotted Ezy Tablet PC. The device takes at least some design cues from the iPad and, like some recent clones, uses netbook foundations to make its attempt. The handheld device has a larger, 10.2-inch screen and runs on Windows 7 with multi-touch, but in a much heavier (2.2 pounds) casing and with a 1.6GHz Atom.
more
03/08, 10:50am
Samsung Go netbook gets Pine Trail Atom CPU
Samsung has quietly upgraded its Go range of netbooks, the N315. Most significantly, it has the newer 1.66GHz Atom CPU from Intel's newer Pine Trail platform versus the older 1.6GHz version, along with a matte screen. The chassis and keyboard are carried over, and a Wi-Fi radio is integrated as well. The New York Times' Reader software is preloaded onto the larger 250GB hard drive, along with Windows 7 Starter.
more
03/08, 9:30am
LG X300 dated for South America,
The ultra-thin LG X300 netbook from LG will be released in markets other than North America later in March, the electronics giant announced this weekend. First will be Asia, followed by the Middle East and South America. The flagship notebook has an 11.6-inch LCD screen, is 0.7 inches thick and weighs about 2.1lbs. It has a borderless touchpad and a reflective keyboard, and is rare among netbooks in foregoing a bezel around the screen.
more
03/08, 7:45am
Acer would one-up Apple with glass, touch
Acer is designing an exotic notebook that would let it claim the ultra-thin crown through new technology, a rumor from within the notebook industry claims. The system's display would use a new toughened Corning glass that would serve as the entire lid; Acer would just print a color on the back. The display would not only be thinner as a result but would be entirely frameless and potentially less expensive.
more
03/04, 5:00pm
Intel intros Atom platform for home servers
At CeBIT on Thursday, chipmaker Intel announced it has released the first Atom-class processor platform optimized for home and small office storage markets. Both single- (D410) and dual-core (D510) Atoms will be offered for this purpose, which will run on Microsoft Windows Home Server and Linux operating systems. Intel promises power reduction up to 50 percent compared to previous generation of Atom processors.
more
03/04, 11:50am
HP Vivienne Tam gets Pine Trail, Beats audio
HP today rounded out its netbook lineup with a long-anticipated Mini 210 version of its Vivienne Tam model. The new system gets the benefits of the new design, including the 1.66GHz Atom and low energy draw of Intel's Pine Trail platform; this time, software also gets a lift as the system includes the same Beats Audio software found in the Envy series and should theoretically help improve sound quality.
more
03/04, 8:55am
Sony VAIO M would replace W
A discovery at retailers yesterday has confirmed that Sony is developing a direct replacement to its VAIO W netbook. Just called the VAIO M, the 10-inch system appears to be more a change of design than performance and would run on the same 1.66GHz Pine Trail-era Atom, 1GB of RAM and 250GB hard drive as the recently freshened W series. The primary changes would be to use a lower-resolution 1024x600 screen and to move the headphone and microphone jacks to the front.
more
03/03, 4:55pm
Acer Aspire One 532g priced for Europe
The recently revealed Aspire One 532g from Acer, which carries the distinction of being the first netbook with NVIDIA's Ion 2 platform, has been priced for the European market. An Acer slide reveals that price to be 379 euros, or the equivalent of nearly $520. Once the netbook comes stateside, however, it is expected to cost much less, or about $379.
more
03/03, 4:00pm
MeeGo apps coming from Orange, Intel
Chipmaker Intel and UK wireless provider Orange on Wednesday said they are collaborating on bringing multimedia services to MeeGo OS devices powered by Intel's Atom processors. The two companies will bring Orange services such as Orange TV, Orange Maps and more to MeeGo-powered devices. Because of the many different devices it's on, an app store is likely to be launched to provide these services.
more
03/02, 5:30pm
ASUS officially releases new-generation Eee PCs
As expected, ASUS officially introduced its new Eee PC models at CeBIT in Germany. The Eee PC 1201PN uses Intel's 1.66GHz Atom CPU along with NVIDIA's second-generation Ion chipset and 1GB of RAM. It also gets a 12.1-inch LED-backlit display with a 1366x768 resolution. The 160GB hard drive is preloaded with Windows XP and supplemented by 500GB of cloud storage from ASUS.
more
03/02, 4:35pm
Intel intros new Classmate PC with larger screen
Intel on Tuesday announced it will soon launch a second-generation Learning Series Classmate PC meant for young children. As expected, the new computer will have a larger 10.1-inch LCD screen with 1024x600 resolution instead of the 8.9-inch screen of the original. Processing power again comes from a low-power Intet Atom CPU, though which one is not detailed, and there is also built-in Wi-Fi, but newly optional is a GPS sensor, 3G communications and WiMAX connectivity. Also new is a swiveling camera, while run time is extended thanks to an optional six-cell battery that endows the netbook with up to 8.5 hours of life.
more
03/02, 11:25am
Averatec N1200 weighs just 2.2lbs
TriGem's label Averatec today staked out a rare claim in the netbook field with the N1200. The 10-inch netbook is pitched as the current lightest and thinnest netbook of its size and weighs just 2.2 pounds while also measuring 0.9 inches thick. Averatec claims the feat is achieved by using technologies that don't normally find their way into netbooks, such as 7mm hard drives and more efficiently-shaped lithium-polymer batteries.
more
03/02, 7:35am
NVIDIA promises 2X DirectX 10 graphics, more
NVIDIA today finally confirmed details of its next-generation Ion platform, known informally as Ion 2. Unlike the previous platform, Ion 2 is a dedicated graphics core and not a full chipset. Based on the GeForce G 210M, however, it provides much more speed than the original and without necessarily sacrificing battery life. In basic DirectX 9-level (OpenGL 2) graphics, the new Ion is about 50 percent faster than the original and 15X faster than Intel; in DirectX 10 (OpenGL 3), it doubles its predecessor's performance while Intel never runs at all.
more
03/01, 4:35pm
ASUS shows Eee Box with USB 3.0, home theater PC
ASUS at CeBIT is due to reveal a successor to the Eee Box EB1501 along with a new home theater PC. The EB1501U most notably has two USB 3.0 ports in the front of the small form factor PC, becoming one of the first systems available for sale with the high-speed interface. It will otherwise use the NVIDIA Ion platform in tandem with a dual-core 1.6GHz Atom.
more
03/01, 2:55pm
ASUS to show five new EeePCs at CeBIT
Four new generation EeePC Seashell netbooks from ASUS were spotted ahead of the official opening of the CeBIT show, including the 1001PQ, 1201PN, 1015P, 1016P and 1018P, the latter two of which were leaked last week. The 1018P replaces the 1008P as the flagship EeePC netbook, and most notably has a USB 3.0 connection. Processing power comes from an Intel N455 or N475 Atom chip, which has not been seen before and likely involves an increased clock speed.
more
02/27, 11:30am
Intel upgrades netbook chip speed
Intel today been pressured to launch its first update to the Pine Trail-based Atomearly. The N470 brings the netbook-class chip back up to a 1.83GHz maximum speed without affecting the 5.5W power use key to Pine Trail's longer battery life. It shares the same 512KB of Level 2 cache and support for DDR2 memory.
more
02/26, 10:30am
Fanless computer uses new NVIDIA mobile platform
Shuttle Computer has announced a nettop computer using the new NVIDIA Ion 2 graphics platform, the Shuttle XS35. The company says the 1.3-inch thick ultra-compact PC pairs an Intel dual core, 1.66GHz Atom processor with the as yet unofficial GT 218 graphics. The PC is equipped with HDMI output for HD and streaming 3D video and is meant as much for digital signs as it is computing. The XS35 also includes five USB ports, VGA, LAN and Audio connectons, a multi-format card reader and a DVD burner.
more
02/26, 9:45am
Viliv S10 Blade goes for pre-order in the US
While Viliv had its S10 Blade convertible netbook on display at CES, it did not confirm North American availability nor pricing. The netbook has now appeared for pre-order in North America, and pricing will start at $699. The system appears only in the one configuration so far and, despite promises to the contrary, this base version will not support three-point multitouch inputs due to the inclusion of Windows XP Home.
more
02/25, 1:10pm
Three new ASUS EeePCs leak with aluminum bodies
Three new Eee PC netbooks from ASUS have been leaked, all sporting 10.1-inch screens. The headlining notebook is the 1018P, a designer model said to sport an aluminum body just 18mm (0.7 inches) thick. It will also be one of the first netbooks to carry USB 3.0 and should bring a chiclet keyboard, a large touchpad and a fingerprint reader on the right side. Battery life is said to be 10 hours.
more
02/22, 6:15pm
Ideal for kiosk, digital signage uses
Habey introduced a new ultra-compact PC based on Intel's embedded Atom platform, the BIS-6620. In addition to being small with a 4.5 square-inch footprint and a 1.5-inch height, the PC is considered very green with a total power consumption of only 5.5W. The fanless system uses the low power 1.1GHz Atom Z510 CPU and Intel GMA 500 graphics, giving it basic 3D graphics and full hardware acceleration capabilities. The company says the PC is intended for HD media playback in kiosks or other any other situation where space is tightly constrained.
more
02/22, 5:30pm
Lenovo ThinkPad X100e shows with Intel Atom
The Lenovo ThinkPad X100e has shown up with a spec sheet on Lenovo's website, revealing it will be offered as a 10.1-inch device and with a dual-core 1.66GHz Intel Atom CPU as well as the previously known 11.6-inch version powered by a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo chip. The smaller netbook will have a screen resolution of 1280x720 pixels and likely only ship with a 160GB, 5,400RPM hard drive.
more
02/22, 1:00pm
Modest dip into Apple's cash reserves
The A4 processor at the core of the iPad may have cost Apple as much as $1 billion to develop, says the New York Times. The newspaper notes that Apple is just one of several companies turning to ARM-based chip designs, including NVIDIA and Qualcomm. Even though the companies are contracting out their manufacturing to third-party sources, the billion-dollar ballpark for each company's work remains.
more
02/22, 8:00am
LG launches two ultraportables in Korea
LG on Monday formally rolled out two ultralight XNOTE PCs in its home country of Korea. Topping these, the T280 is one of LG's first CULV-based notebooks and fits either a 1.3GHz Pentium dual-core or Core 2 Duo underneath a 11.6-inch display. LG doesn't supply battery life claims to match the low-voltage processors, but it does promise a relatively light 3.06-pound weight and a 1.2-inch or thinner profile.
more
02/19, 1:40pm
Dell Mini 10 gets 4G on Clear, Sprint
Dell on Friday gave the current-generation Mini 10 a new option for WiMAX. The system's usual 802.11g Wi-Fi card can be replaced with a combo 802.11n and WiMAX part that will give it up to 10Mbps on most any compatible network. In the US, the upgrade will tap into either Clear or Sprint 4G.
more
02/18, 9:50pm
Line-up set to replace current Z-series
Intel's next Atom platform has allegedly been nicknamed "Oak Trail," according to a PC Watch report. The unconfirmed rumor suggests Oak Trail components will serve as a replacement for the current Z-series lineup found in a number of MIDs and netbooks, such as the VAIO P. The upcoming CPUs are believed to be Windows-capable variants of the current Moorestown offerings.
more
02/16, 11:05am
OpenTablet 7 uses Flash UI, Moorestown Atom
OpenPeak on Tuesday gave companies a white box alternative to the iPad. The OpenTablet 7 is seen both as a media consumption device and as a home control device: through a combination of 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI output, the 7-inch tablet can grab both music and videos from the local network as well as steer home theaters and home automation systems. It also carries 3G for those companies who want online-anywhere access.
more
02/15, 2:15pm
ASUS outs specs for T101MT EeePC netbook
The ASUS T101MT convertible netbook that was spotted at the FCC on Christmas Eve is now official, with full specs available on the company's website. As revealed back in December, the PC sports a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor and has a 10.1-inch LED-backlit multi-input touchscreen with 1024x600 resolution. Windows 7 is the default operating system, and can be had in Starter, Home Basic and Home Premium flavors. The base system has 1GB of RAM, while those who opt for Windows 7 Premium also get 2GB of RAM.
more
02/15, 12:45pm
Aspire One 532g has NVIDIA Ion 2 and Pine Trail
In spite of the phone focus today, Acer saw fit to break its own ground by launching the first netbook using NVIDIA's Ion 2. The Aspire One 532g upgrades the 532h with a GeForce G 310M that provides full 1080p video and hardware-accelerated 3D but while saving power. It overcomes Intel's building graphics into the processor by making use of Optimus: the 532g can switch to Intel's slower but more efficient graphics to save energy but the Ion 2 chipset when performance is more important.
more
02/14, 3:00pm
Samsung N150 gets built-in 4G modem
Samsung as part of its MWC launches said it would release the first ever netbook with built-in 4G using Long Term Evolution (LTE). The technology gives the 10-inch portable Samsung's own self-developed 4G chipset, Kalmia, and delivers peak download speeds of up to 100Mbps. The PC doesn't lose any of its initial specs, including the 1.66GHz Pine Trail-era Atom, 1GB of RAM, up to a 250GB drive and 8.5-hour battery (albeit with 4G off).
more
02/11, 2:40pm
Nokia hints Booklet sequel or phone
Intel today said it would join Nokia at the latter's press event on Monday to provide news. Neither company has said what the unveiling will involve, though their previously unveiled partnership has resulted in the Booklet 3G netbook and was meant to help create a "new class" of device through new processors and hardware designs.
more
02/10, 2:50pm
Panasonic CF-H1 gets 1.86GHz Atom, 64GB SSD, more
Panasonic on Wednesday introduced its ToughBook-branded CF-H1 Mobile Assistant PC meant for use by workers in the field. The rugged device has a 10.4-inch, anti-reflective touchscreen that's viewable in daylight and has a resolution of 1024x768. Processing power is netbook-like and comes from a 1.86GHz Intel Atom and 2GB of RAM, while files are stored on a 64GB solid state drive. Windows 7 is preloaded and allows for two-point multi-touch.
more
02/09, 4:30pm
Algiz 7 tablet PC is ruggedized, has Win 7
Commercial portable electronics device maker Handheld on Tuesday announced its Algiz 7 rugged tablet PC. It runs on Windows 7 Professional and has a 7-inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Despite its design, however, the tablet doesn't support touch and instead relies on physical buttons. As one would expect, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor powers it, while there is 2GB of RAM and onboard storage comes in the form of a 64GB SSD. The tablet is otherwise well-equipped, with a Bluetooth module, Wi-Fi and a GPS sensor.
more
02/08, 11:40am
ASUS EeePC 1005PE-H shows up in Europe
A new version of the ASUS EeePC 1005PE netbook has quietly been launched in the European market recently. The Eee PC 1005PE-H has the same 1.66GHz dual-core Atom but gets 2GB of RAM instead of just 1GB, and ships with a larger 320GB hard drive compared to a 250GB disk. Otherwise, there is the same 10.1-inch screen with a resolution of 1024x600 and a six-cell battery said to be good for 11 hours of operation.
more
02/05, 2:10pm
X20 gets Bluetooth, WiFi, onboard broadband
A filing with the FCC reveals a not-yet announced netbook offering from LG, the X20 (PDF). The X20 sports a sleek curved case that measures approximately 6.7in x 11in, judging from photos included with the filing. The netbook uses a 10.1in, 1366x768 display and chiclet-style keys.
more
02/05, 1:25pm
Fujitsu LifeBook MH380 now on sale for $449
The Fujitsu LifeBook MH380 netbook that was introduced late last year has now gone on sale in the US. The 10.1-inch netbook has an LED-backlit display with a 1366x768 resolution and is powered by Intel's recent 1.66GHz Atom CPU. It carries 1GB of RAM (not 2GB as elsewhere) and an integrated Intel graphics chipset.
more
02/05, 8:55am
X2 iTablet runs Win XP or Linux, netbook hardware
Relative newcomer X2 Computing today decided to seize on the frenzy surrounding the iPad by launching its own tablet. The conspicuously named iTablet follows "hot on the heels of Apple" and carries a 10- or 12-inch touchscreen; multi-touch will be optional. Rather than use tablet-optimized software, however, the device will use Windows 7 (Windows XP shown for reference) or Linux and should get Flash support as a result.
more
02/03, 9:45pm
Fusion Garage to emulate Apple model
Fusion Garage tonight says it will bolster the JooJoo tablet's competitiveness against the iPad by giving it an app store. Chief executive Chandra Rathakrishnan explains that while the 12-inch tablet is based on the web, his company will create a virtual app store that will organize and streamline accessing some sites, including those optimized just for the JooJoo. Fusion Garage has its own API to get access to the GPU and other hardware through the web, the CEO says.
more
02/03, 5:00pm
ARM wants to power netbook PCs in the future
Chipmaker ARM believes netbooks will make up 90 percent of the PC market, according to the company's chief executive Warren East. ARM is the biggest competitor to Intel's Atom CPUs in the netbook market, and East believes the company will not rely on Windows support in order to be successful. In a typical netbook, the main chip is usually an Intel or AMD device, with two or three ARM microprocessors for features such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and East says ARM is trying to change that.
more
02/02, 9:30pm
Fujitsu UH900 offers small touch UMPC for $850
Fujitsu in a low key move today brought the LifeBook UH900 to American shores. Two months after its Asian release, the ultra-mobile PC arrives largely intact and centers on an extremely high resolution 5.6-inch, 1280x800 screen with multi-touch input. It accordingly runs Windows 7 and is a full netbook inside with a 1.6GHz Atom, 2GB of RAM and either a 32GB or 64GB solid-state drive.
more
02/02, 5:00pm
Intel to add DDR3 support to two new Atom CPUs
An unconfirmed rumor maintains Intel will soon release two new updated Pine Trail Intel Atom chips, the Atom N475 and N455. The former has a 1.83GHz clock speed while the latter retains the common 1.6GHz rating, and both get DDR3 RAM support, which is a first for the Atom range.
more
02/01, 7:15am
Shenzhen Great Loong Brother claims first
China's Shenzhen Great Loong Brother today threatened that it might sue Apple for allegedly cloning one of its tablet PCs with the iPad. A company spokesman claims the Apple design resembles the black bezel, chrome trimmed P-P-P88 tablet it released in 2009. Since both have roughly 10-inch touchscreens and are technically sold in the US, SGLB could theoretically challenge Apple for cloning its design where the complainant itself has often produced clones of its own.
more
01/26, 5:20pm
MSI Wind U135 ready for no more than $330
MSI this afternoon said it has begun shipping the Wind U135 inside the US. Shown as far back as December, the netbook is MSI's first to use Intel's Pine Trail platform and uses the newer 1.66GHz Atom to draw out its battery life to as much as 7.5 hours. Ergonomically, it also gets a new 'chiclet' keyboard, an updated trackpad and a more smudge-resistant shell.
more
01/26, 8:55am
HP tablet to be a basic touch computer
HP today teased its slate prototype in a video (viewable below) with a handful of information. Company CTO Phil McKinney explained that the company had wanted to produce this device for years but that it was waiting until the OS and parts weren't "outrageously expensive;" while not ready to provide a price, he noted that it could have cost $1,500 if released earlier. The new price is "affordable."
more
01/25, 8:50am
Acer talks apps, e-book reader, Chrome OS
Acer's IT Products president Jim Wong today revealed that the company will follow Apple and develop its own app store. The portal will cover all of Acer's devices and include not just mobile platforms like Android and Windows Mobile but also desktop platforms like Windows and eventually Chrome OS. Its initial catalog will range into the "hundreds" but will skew towards low-cost or even free titles.
more
01/19, 1:40pm
Intel pledges Classmate PCs with Pine Trail CPUs
Chipmaker Intel will soon release updated Classmate PC netbooks with its Pine Trail Atom CPUs. Apart from the new, more efficient and quicker chips, the netbooks will also be redesigned, strarting with the 10.1-inch Convertible Classmate. The challenge will be to make the devices lighter while keeping them rugged enough to withstand drops and other abuse from schoolchildren.
more
01/19, 1:10pm
LG commercial says Apple "unthinkable"
LG is directly playing off of Apple's MacBook Air ads in a new PC commercial, according to a tipster. In its home country, an ad for the new X300 netbook (viewable below) copies the Air's use of a manila envelope but, after taking a notebook out, calls the Apple system "unthinkable" and switches to the LG system, which is thinner at under 0.7 inches and lighter at 2.1 pounds. It goes so far as to play an upbeat song near the end much like Yael Naim's "New Soul," which shot up in popularity after Apple's use.
more
