I can’t count the number of times I’ve looked at a netbook and thought, “You know what would make me like this computer more? If it looked like a Teddy Bear.” Mostly, that’s because I don’t know how to count to zero. But it looks like someone certainly thought it would be a good idea to turn a netbook into a cartoon caharacter.

The Bandai Namco Rilakkuma netbook pictured above is actually the second generation version of this laptop. The first model had a lower resolution screen and a lower price tag.

Akihabara News reports the new Rilakkuma netbook has an 8.9 inch, 1280 x 768 pixel touchscreen display, a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 CPU. 60G hard drive, 1GB of RAM, and perhaps most surprisingly, a DVD Super Multi Drive which lookslike it doesn’t fit so snuggly in the chassis — which is hardly surprising, since most 10 inch netbooks don’t have room for a disc drive, let alone a 9 inch model.

The laptop also has a 1Seg digital TV tuner for Japan, WiFi, Bluetooth, and Winodows 7, complete with a Bandai Namco custom desktop wallpaper. The laptop should be available in June for 90,000 Yen, or about $994 US. Because Teddy Bears don’t come cheap. And neither do netbooks with TV tuners, touchscreen displays, HD displays, and DVD burners, apparently.

Ever wish your netbook had a few more features that you’ve come to expect from a PC, like a DVD drive, a second hard drive, and a few extra USB ports? You could buy a handful of USB peripherals… or you could pick up the new Apricorn Aegis NetDock, which is one of the coolest netbook peripherals I’ve seen in a while.

The NetDock features an 8X DVD burner, a slot for a 2.5″ SATA hard drive, and 4 USB 2.0 ports, with two “always” on USB ports. It measures 6.25″ x 5.75″ x 2.13″ which means it’s a little larger than a typical USB DVD burner or hard drive. But that’s to be expected.

The dock has too many things going on to rely on USB power alone, so you’re going to need to pack a power cable if you plan to take the NetDock on the road. But it’s small enough to travel and offers enough extra functionality to justify sticking on your desk full time.

The NetDock sells for $189 with a 500GB hard drive. Or you can pick up the base model for $89 and add your own hard drive.

Note that I haven’t actually tested this product myself, and I can’t say how well it works, how noisy it is, or how much it weighs. But the design still looks pretty cool.

via technabob and Everything USB

A few days ago we noted that the Gateway EC14D07u laptop was available for pre-order. Well, today it looks like at least one retailer has the laptop in stock. B&H is selling the Gateway EC14D for $629.99.

This laptop’s claim to fame is the fact that while at first glance it looks like yet another 11.6 inch laptop with an Intel CULV processor, this model also makes room for an 8x SuperMulti DVD burner.

The disc drives does make the notebook a little heavier than similar laptops from Gateway’s parent company Acer. The Acer Aspire Timeline 1810TZ, for example, weighs 3.1 pounds, while the Gateway EC14D tips the scales at 3.6 pounds.

While that’s heavy for an 11.6 inch laptop in this day and age, it’s still a lot lighter than most 14 or 15 inch laptops.

Rounding out the EC14D’s specs are a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 CPU, 4GB of RAM, a 320GB hard drive, 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, Intel GMA 4500MHD grpahics, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit.

via Netbook Reports

Remember that Gateway EC14D notebook that was announced earlier this year? You know, the one with the 11.6 inch display, Intel CULV processor, and built-in DVD burner? Yeah, you can go ahead and pre-order it now. Amazon is taking pre-orders for the laptop for $629.99 + free shipping.

While that price makes the notebook a little more expensive than other CULV netbooks such as the Acer Aspire 1810 or Asus UL20A, it’s the only 11.6″ thin and light laptop with an 8 hour battery and DVD drive I’m aware of in this price range.

The Gateway EC14D has a 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. It runs Windows 7 Home Premium and has an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel HD display and Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics. The DVD drive is an 8x SuperMulti double-layer drive.

via Netbook Reports

With the meteoric rise in popularity of netbooks over the last two years, it’s not surprising that we’re seeing a number of companies push netbook accessories including cases designed for small laptops and USB and wireless peripherals including travel mice and optical disc drives. And it looks like Acer has one of each lined up as part of a new Netbook Accessory Kit.

The kit will run you about $99.99, and it includes a protective sleeve that can hold a computer with an 11.6 inch or smaller display, a wireless mouse, and a USB 8X DVD-RW drive. The disc drive is USB powered, which means you don’t need to carry around a separate power cable.

The best way to find the kit is by searching for its model number, A180-1221. It’s available from a handful of US retailers at the moment.

via Netbook News.de

Part of what makes netbooks so special is that they’re extremely thin and light. And in order to stay that way, most netbook makers omit some features like an enormous display and an optical disc drive. But if you keep looking at your mini-laptop wondering why it doesn’t have a DVD burner, Century has got an accessory for you.

The Century Netbook Stand is available in Japan. This gizmo serves a few functions. First, it hangs out under our laptop and helps protect your precious lap from any excess heat. But it also has a DVD Super Multi drive for burning and reading discs, as well as room for a 2.5″ disk drive that you can use for extra storage space for your netbook. It also acts as a USB hub. The DVD drive is included, but you’ll have to add your own hard drive or SSD.

The netbook stand has a flip up fan on its side that helps keep things cool. The Century Netbook Stand runs about $100 in Japan and comes in black or white. The folks at Akihabara News have posted some hands-on photos.

via CrunchGear

The Asus Eee PC 1004DN is the first Asus netbook to sport an optical disc drive. Heck, it’s one of the first netbooks from any company to make room for a disc drive. While I’d originally heard that this model wasn’t scheduled for release in the US anytimesoon, Asus filed documents related to the 1004DN with the FCC in February, which would indicate that the company does plan to release the computer here.

Now DigiTimes is reporting that the computer could be available as soon as mid-April, with a price tag somewhere between $531 and $590. It’s not clear whether that’s the US release date or a global launch date.

The Eee PC 1004DN has a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU with the new GN40 chipset, a 10.2 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, and a super multi disc drive that can read and burn a wide range of CD and DVD formats.

DigiTimes also suggests that the ultrathin Asus Eee PC 1008HA “shell” netbook is scheduled for release in May.

via NetbookNews.de

So I just picked up a cheap USB DVD-RW drive to make the process of installing operating systems and other software on optical disc-less liliputers a bit easier. And when I took it out of the box, I couldn’t help but notice just how much larger it is than the computers I’ll be using it with.