Deals of the Day

Monday, February 8th, 2010, 12:56 pm by Brad | Tags:

Netbooks and Notebooks

Accessories

You can find more deals on netbooks, gadgets, and accessories in the Liliputing Deals section.

Asus Eee PC 1201T with AMD NEO reviewed

Monday, February 8th, 2010, 11:41 am by Brad | Tags: , ,

The Eee PC 1201T is one of umpteen versions of the Asus Eee PC 1201-series of laptops. They all have 12.1 inch, 1366  x 768 pixel displays ans the same chassis and keyboard. But while the Eee PC 1201N, 1201HA, and 1201NL all have Intel Atom processors, the Eee PC 1201T has an AMD Neo MV-40 CPU and ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics.

The folks at Yugatech have posted one of the first reviews I’ve seen of the AMD version of this laptop. There’s not a lot of information about the overall performance, but here are a few things I learned:

  • The Eee PC 1201T comes with the 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium (most other models have the 32-bit version).
  • The computer has a Windows Experience Index of 3.1 (with the graphics notching the lowest score and the CPU weighing in at 3.2). By comparison, the Eee PC 1201N has an Index of 3.3, with a 4.3 graphics score, but a 3.3 for the CPU.
  • HD video appears to be a mixed bag, with the Eee PC 1201T playing 1080p HD video locally without a problem, but struggling with 720p and higher resolution Flash video.
  • Battery life was pretty sad, with the computer lasting about 2.5 hours with a 4400mAh battery.

Yugatech reports that the Eee PC 1201T sells for about 21,900 Philippine pesos ($471 US) in the Philippines.

via Blogeee

Netbook Navigator’s Nav 9 slate PC gets affordable, guns for the iPad

Monday, February 8th, 2010, 10:21 am by Brad | Tags: , , , ,

When the folks at Netbook Navigator first asked me to write about the company’s new 9 inch tablet PC I had a hard time getting past the high price tag of nearly $1200. But that price was for an early model that packed 3G capabilities and was intended for early adopters. Now Netbook Navigator has updated the pricing for the Nav 9 tablet and the base model costs just $799. Yeah, that’s still enough money to pick up 2-3 netbooks, but here’s what you get for the money:

  • Display: 8.9 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel multitouch display
  • CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU
  • Graphics: Intel GMA 950
  • Storage: 16GB SSD
  • RAM: 2GB
  • OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
  • Connectivity: 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, LAN, optional 3G HSDPA or CDMA
  • I/O: 3 USB ports, MiniSD card slot, SIM card slot, port replicator w/VGA/LAN adapter, 1.3MP webcam
  • Battery: 3 cell, 1700mAh (2.5 hours max)
  • Dimensions: 10″ x 6.6″ x 0.8″
  • Weight: 2 pounds
  • Other: car charger

The 3G module will cost you extra, as will a higher capacity battery which is good for up to 4 hours of run time. You can also get the Nav 9 with a 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB SSD. The most expensive unit will run you $1399, but the $799 starting price is certainly much more appealing than the $1200 the company was charging earlier.

Netbook Navigator has also put together a handy chart comparing the Nav 9 tablet to the upcoming Apple iPad and the already-on-the-market Archos 9 tablet. The long and short of it is that the Nav 9 supports multitasking, supports USB peripherals and SD card expansion, and comes in more varieties. Oh yeah, it can also run most Windows applications. On the other hand, it’s thicker and heavier than the other tablets.

DosPara special edition notebook has dual core Atom, Blu-Ray drive

Monday, February 8th, 2010, 9:51 am by Brad | Tags: , , , , ,

Japanese PC maker DosPara is no stranger to pushing the limits of netbooks and ultraportable laptops. The company was one of the first to put out a notebook with a dual core Atom 330 CPU and NVIDIA ION graphics, for example. But DosPara’s latest notebook ups the game with the addition of a Blu-Ray drive.

The Dospara limited edition “Yu-pon” model is based on a character from game animation company Nitro+. The notebook features a 12.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and an HDMI output. It’s loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium, and according to Akihabara News it’s due out in Japan this month for 69980 yen, or about $783 US. I doubt we’ll see this laptop in the US anytime soon though.

via Eee PC.net

Asus Eee Top ET1610PT all-in-one PC to sport Pine Trail power

Monday, February 8th, 2010, 8:38 am by Brad | Tags: , ,

Asus is apparently preparing to launch its first all-in-one PC with Intel Atom Pine Trail processors. The company has been putting out desktop computer-in-a-display systems under the Eee Top brand for a year or two. But the Eee Top ET1610PT will be the first to come with a single core Intel Atom D410 Pine Trail processor and integrated GMA 3150 graphics.

The PC will feature a 15.6 inch, 1600 x 900 pixel touchscreen display, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and Windows XP. That’s right, Windows XP, not Windows 7. At least that’s how the computer is expected to ship in Italy, where Netbook Italia reports it will sell for 400 Euros.

No word on whether we’ll see a dual core model or a version with higher performance graphics anytime soon.

Asus Eee PC 1005PE-H comes with Win7 Home Premium, spec bump

Sunday, February 7th, 2010, 9:20 am by Brad | Tags: , , , , , ,

French retailer fnac has posted a product page for a new Asus netbook model called the Eee PC 1005PE-H. Basically, the laptop is identical to the Asus Eee PC 1005PE in most respects. It has the same design, keyboard, and processor. But the Eee PC 1005PE-H comes with more RAM and storage space than its cheaper sibling, and ships with Windows 7 Home Premium instead of Windows 7 Starter Edition.

There’s no word on whether this model will be available in the US anytime soon. But I’d be surprised if it’s only available in France. Typically netbooks that pop up in that country are made available throughout much of Europe.

Here’s a rundown of the specs:

  • CPU: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450
  • Display: 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Storage: 320GB hard drive
  • OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
  • Connectivity: 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, Ethernet
  • I/O: 3x USB, SD card reader, mic, headphone
  • Battery: 6 cell, 4400mAh
  • Dimensions: 10.3″ x 7″ x 1.4″

Fnac is charging 349 Euros for the Eee PC 1005PE-H, whichi s the equivalent of $476 US, although European prices tend to be higher than prices in the US.

via Blogeee

Dell Mini 10 to come with WiMAX option soon?

Saturday, February 6th, 2010, 9:30 am by Brad | Tags: , , ,

The Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook is already available with WiFi, Bluetooth, and an optional HSPA 3G modem. But it looks like a 4G WiMAX modem might be available soon as well. Wireless Goodness spotted an FCC filing for a Dell Inspiron Mini 1012 with WiMAX.

It’s not clear from the filing whether Dell will be partnering with a WiMAX provider such as Sprint or CLEAR to bundle the netbook with a data plan, or if the mini-laptop will be sold unlocked. Honestly, I think it makes more sense to just purchase a USB WiMAX or 3G module that you can use with any laptop rather than tying your wireless broadband plan to a single computer. But that might just be me. I suppose it’s nice not to have to carry around the extra USB dongle.

Aside from the addition of WiMAX, the new version of the Mini 10 looks to be about the same as other models, which I assume means it has a 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, 1GB of RAM, 250GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Starter.

Asus Eee PC 1008P Karim Rashid Edition reviewed

Friday, February 5th, 2010, 5:02 pm by Brad | Tags: , , ,

The Asus Eee PC 1008P Karim Rashid Edition is a distinctive looking nettop, thanks to its designer edition crocodile-style cover. It’s also one of the thinnest netbooks on the market, measuring just 1 inch thick. Engadget has posted a review of the laptop and the good news is that it looks as good in person as it does in the pictures. The bad news is that the battery life is pretty subpar for a netbook with an Intel Atom N450 processor.

The Eee PC 1008P comes in hot pink or chocolate brown, with the brown color looking much more subdued. Overall, the notebook looks a lot like the Eee PC 1008HA, which has been available since last summer. But the new model ships with Windows 7 Home Premium, 2GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, and a removable battery.

Unfortunately, Engadget’s Joanna Stern found that the notebook lasted for just 3 hours and 20 minutes in a video rundown test, which is about 5 hours less than the score notched by the Asus Eee PC 1005PE. Oh yeah, and the Eee PC 1005PE sells for well under $400, while the Eee PC 1008P has a suggested retail price of $499.

It’s nice that you do get the extra memory, storage space, Windows 7 Home Premium, and designer lid for your money. But a higher capacity battery would also have been nice.

Ubuntu Netbook Edition app list undergoes revision

Friday, February 5th, 2010, 3:43 pm by Brad | Tags: , , , , , ,

Ubuntu Netbook Edition is a light weight version of Ubuntu Linux optimized for netbooks. It used to be called Ubuntu Netbook Remix, but this spring it will  graduate from “remix” to “edition” status. The operating system is designed to play well with low resolution displays, limited storage capacity, slow processors, and it’s specifically optimized for machines with Intel Atom CPUs. But one thing that’s always puzzled me about Ubuntu Netbook Remix is that some of the applications that come preloaded by default just don’t make that much sense on a netbook.

For instance, why do you need the Brasero disc burning software on a device with no optical disc drive? It’s not like Brasero takes up all that much space, but some netbooks don’t have much disk space to start with, so every megabyte counts.

Now it looks like the Ubuntu team is stripping Brasero and a number of other programs from the list of applications to come preloaded with the next version of Ubuntu Linux. Also missing from the latest nightly builds are the PalmOS Pilot software, and Openoffice.org.

OpenOffice.org is an open source alternative to Microsoft Office, and it comes with a word processor, spreadsheet app, database builder, and presentation application. I wouldn’t say you don’t need these things on a netbook. But some people will prefer to use web-based solutions such as Zoho or Google Docs. And others might simply not use a netbook for editing office docs at all. So I can’t say I blame the Ubuntu Netbook Edition team for stripping a OpenOffice.org from the default installation. It does take up a couple hundred megabytes of disk space, and if you really want it you can always download and install it yourself.

What else would you like to see added or removed from Ubuntu Netbook Edition?

via OMG Ubuntu

Symbian OS tablets, netbooks could be coming soon

Friday, February 5th, 2010, 2:03 pm by Brad | Tags: , , ,

Yesterday the folks behind the Symbian smartphone operating system announced that the platform had gone open source. Now it looks like Symbian may be planning to move beyond the smartphone and port the OS to tablet and netbook-style devices.

We’ve already seen that Symbian can be ported to run on devices with an Intel Atom processor. In an interview with ZDNet, Symbian Foundation CEO Lee Williams said it’s “very likely” that we’ll see a tablet or netbook running Symbian in the next year or two. It sounds like a tablet is more likely than a netbook at this point, but you never know.

Symbian also supports a “Wild Ducks” project encouraging developers to port the OS to run on all sorts of off-the-shelf hardware.

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