Netbooks are small computers. So what do you call an incredibly tiny netbok? The uSmart M1C is clearly more of a MID or Mobile Internet Device than a netbook, thanks to its tiny 4.8 inch display. While the device has a QWERTY keyboard, I dare you to try touch-typing on it with all 10 fingers.

But the mobile devices does have very netbook-like specs, including a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor, GMA 500 graphics, and HDMI output. It weighs just 1.1 pounds and has a 4.8 inch, 800 x 480 pixel display and is capable of running Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 or Linux.

via SlashGear

The Starline NB1000 is pretty much your average run of the line 10 inch netbook with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, but Nicole from Netbook News spotted a few interesting things when she checked out this netbook in Hong Kong.

One of the most noticeable features is the integrated touchpad which blends seamlessly with the computer’s palm rest. Nicole says the touchpad is nice and responsive, but it’s almost impossible to see. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

While most netbooks on the market today have an SD card or multi-format flash card reader, the Starline netbook has none.

The netbook also has oddly placed shift and home keys on the right side of the keyboard, which are probably going to give touch-typists nightmares. Check out the video below to see what I mean. Overall, the Starline NB1000 is an attractive looking, but odd 10 inch netbook.
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Samsung Hong Kong

The Samsung N120 packs a 10.1 inch display, decent speakers, and a nearly full sized keyboard into a 2.8 case that measures less than 1.2 inches thick. The US configuration also gets reasonably good battery life and sells for around $420 or less, making it a pretty good bargain. But if turns out if you live in Hong Kong you can get a little more bang for your buck.

Liliputing reader Anil wrote in to let me know that while the US model comes with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU and a 6 cell, 5200mAh battery, in Hong Kong you can get the computer with a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU and a 5900mAh battery. The Hong Kong version also has 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 2.1, while the US model ships with 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0. Anil says he gets about 9 hours of battery life from the netbook.

I checked with Samsung’s PR office and they say that the Hong Kong model is a regional variation. There are no plans to offer the same specs on the US model, as that would drive the price up over $500. But that decision could change in the future.

The Samsung N120-KA06 sells for 3,990 Hong Kong dollars, which is the equivalent of about $515 US.

thanks Anil!

A Hong Kong company is promoting a new mini-laptop with a 1.3GHz VIA Nano CPU, the new VIA VX855 chipset, a 10.1 inch, 1024 x 576 pixel display, and a choice of a hard drive or SSD. Nothing too new there. But here’s the kicker: The product page is filled with images making it look like this is an Apple product. And it’s quite clearly not.

First, there appears to be an Apple logo on the lid of the computer. And the images show an Apple logo over an OS X-like wallpaper on the computer display. But the netbook is not available with OS X preloaded. It ships with Windows XP Home or Ubuntu 8.04 Linux. Of course, it’s quite probably that you could load OS X yourself much the way you can with other netbooks. But that VIA processor will probably complicate things a bit. Most hackintosh computers use Intel processors, much like the current line of Apple laptop and desktop computers. But at least a few people have managed to get OS X running on machines with VIA’s earlier x86 processors.

Anyway, if this company were based in the US, I’d say they were still in store for a legal smackdown from Apple. Since they’re based in Hong Kong, who knows? But I wouldn’t expect to pick up this MacBook Mini clone in the US or Europe anytime soon.

Update: A VIA rep says he’s never heard anything about this company — and that this product seems a bit fishy considering it’s supposed to use the 855 chipset which was just announced.

via Netbook News.de

I have no reason to believe that the Olevia X10A netbook is ever going to be released in the US. But if it were, it would probably be pretty cheap. It’s selling in Hong Kong for HKD 2800, which is about the equivalent of $360. For that price, you get a netbook with a 10 inch display, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1Gb of RAM, a 160Gb hard drive, and 802.11b/g WiFi.

The price doesn’t appear to cover Windows XP or an HSDPA modem, but both options are available.

If the Olevia X10A looks familiar, that’s probably because the Sotec Hello Kitty netbook we looked at a while back is basically a rebranded version of the same laptop.

via Akihabara News and Netbook News.de

I’m not a huge fan of netbooks wearing bling, nor am I a fan of customizing a computer for Valentine’s Day (what do you do with it for the other 364 days of the year?) But Asus Hong Kong is holding a contest where you can win a netbook by bedazzling a virtual Eee PC S101 with fake Swarovski Cyrstals.

First price is an Eee PC S101,  second prize is an Eee PC 1002HA, and the third runner up gets an Eee PC 900HA. A few more folks will get a netbook case. Visitors can vote on the netbook designs they like the best. It appears you can only win if you’re in Hong Kong. But if decorating netbook covers is your thing, you can still participate.

via Portable Monkey

The new Acer Aspire One with a 10 inch display is due out this month, but it has yet to arrive in the US or Europe. But according to HKEPC it’s already on store shelves in Hong Kong.

The netbook has a 10 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel screen, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor and Intel 945GSE chipset, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g WiFi, a 6 cell battery and runs Windows XP. Future models are expected to come with the newer 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU and GN40 chipset.

The computer is selling for 3998 Hong Kong dollars, or about $515 US, but it’ s expected to sell for as low as $350 in the US.

via Blogeee

Lenovo is introducing a special edition IdePad S10 netbook in Hong Kong that’s all fancy and gold colored and stuff. This isn’t exactly the first gold colored netbook that we’ve seen. Asus introduced a gold colored version of the Eee PC 900A a few months back. And way back in April the Surcouf La Révolution hit France all dressed in gold.

No word on whether Lenovo plans to offer the gold edition of the S10 outside of Hong Kong anytime soon.

via Blogeee

Shenzhen Firstview Electronics is showing off a new line of netbooks at the Hong Kong Electronics Fair this week. The netbooks range from the low-end Firstview PC703 with a 7 inch, 800 x 480 pixel display, to the 10.2 inch Firstview PC101. Firstview also has an 8.9 inch PC891 model. And for good measure, Firstview is selling a netbook called the PC701 which appears to be the same machine as the 3K Razorbook 400 or the “world’s cheapest laptop.”

The 8.9 inch and 10.2 inch models look a lot like your typical Intel Atom-based netboks. Both have 1024 x 600 pixel displays, hard drives that range from 80GB to 160G, and 1GB of RAM. They also have 1.3MP webcams, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, SD/MMC card readers, and 3 cell batteries. They both run Linux, although I’m sure their more than capable of running Windows XP.

The 10.2 inch PC101 weighs 1.2kg or about 2.6 pounds, while the 8.9 inch PC891 weighs 1.1kg or 2.4 pounds.

The 7 inch PC703 runs Windows CE and has a 532MHz, 32-bit Jade CPU, 128MB of RAM and between 512MB and 2GB of flash memory. It has 3 USB ports, an SD card reaer, 802.11b/g and an option for an Express card with CDMA and GPRS support.

No word on pricing, availability, or if we’ll ever see these netbooks available outside of China.

via Eee PC Blog

Lenovo is preparing to launch the IdeaPad S9 Lite next month. And if you happen to live in Hong Kong and a member of the Lenovo Club, it looks like you can pick up 3 for the price of two. A single computer will cost you HKD 2,899 or about $371 US. But if you pick up three, the price of each is just HKD 1,933 or about $247 US.

The promotion does have some pretty major restrictions. It only runs from August 20th through the 21st. Oh, and it’s only available to the first 10 Lenovo Club members who register. So don’t expect to see a ton of cheap IdeaPad S9s from Hong Kong on eBay just yet.

[via Engadget]