Netbook

ASUS already talking about a new Seashell netbook

by Justin Hubbell on Thu, 2009-05-21 11:18

The Eee PC 1008HA Seashell has only been out for a few weeks, and ASUS is already releasing specs for the new Eee PC 1005HA Seashell. The 10.1-inch netbook will feature Windows XP Home and a choice of either an Atom N270 or N280 processor. Another interesting feature is that the battery life is said to last for 10.5 hours (I'm not too sure how accurate ASUS is being with this statement). The Eee PC 1005HA will be equipped with a 160GB HDD and you will receive 10GB of complimentary online storage.

ASUS has not commented on the price or availability, yet. With a similar netbook already out, I think we can expect this one to not launch for a few months.

For the entire spec sheet, click here.

Intel Announces Next-Gen Atom Platform!

by Justin Hubbell on Thu, 2009-05-21 09:45

The Pine Trial platform will feature the Pineview CPU. It will integrate the memory controller and the GPU on the same die as the CPU. The picture above shows how this processor and platform will shrink the number of chips on the Atom platform from 3 to 2. Compared to NVIDIA's Ion processor, Pineview is not as powerful. However, you can expect the Pineview processor to be cheaper and drain less power, thus, giving your netbook a longer battery life. Also, Intel could overclock the processor to compete with the Ion, but then it would consume more energy.

The Pineview processor is a 45nm part, but the process node for the I/O hub is not known (some speculate it will be 130nm or 90nm). Also, the memory controller is unknown, but some current rumors suggest that it will be a single-channel DDR2 controller. Hopefully Intel will reveal more info soon.

Dell Intros Touchscreen Netbook for the K-12 Crowd

by jessica on Tue, 2009-05-19 11:11

Dell just announced a new netbook designed for K-12 students – the Latitude 2100. This 10.1-inch rugged netbook comes in five colors (School Bus Gold, Chalkboard Black, Ball Field Green, Blue Ribbon and Schoolhouse Red) and was built with education technology in mind. However, Dell says it is also a good option for businesses that don't need all the bells and whistles of a full-blown PC.

With the Latitude 2100, students can have access to digital content on a school network and wireless connectivity can be monitored by the teacher with a Network Activity Light on the lid. A Custom-built Mobile Computing Station can manage and network up to 24 netbooks with one Ethernet and power cord.

The Latitude 2100 includes:

Choice of XP Home, Vista Home Basic and Linux Ubuntu
Intel Atom processor N270
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity coupled with a full suite of wireless communication options
2.91lb starting at weight with 3-cell battery
Three-cell or six-cell battery
Three-in-one Media Card Reader
Optional External DVD+/-RW via USB
VGA port
Clean bottom is vent-free to avoid any intrusion from spills

An optional touchscreen is also available (a first for an education netbook). Additional options include: a keyboard with antimicrobial protection (U.S. only), solid-state drives, handles and shoulder straps for carrying, and a webcam.

The Latitude 2100 is available now, and starts at $369. More information is available at www.dell.com/latitude.

Acer Debuts Its First 11.6-inch Aspire One Netbook

May 18, 2009--Acer America today extends its industry-leading line of netbooks with two new models optimized for mobile customers – the 11.6-inch Acer Aspire One AO751h and the 10.1-inch Acer Aspire One AOD250.

The new Aspire One AO751h lets customers attain a new level of productivity and efficiency with its large 11.6-inch high-definition screen and full-sized keyboard. Acer's first netbook of this size, the new AO751h has a large 11.6-inch high-definition LED-backlit widescreen (16:9 ratio) display that is large enough to easily view multiple windows and reduces the need to scroll to view Internet sites, providing a better end user experience. Thinner than previous generation netbooks, the AO751h still comes with all the same easy-to-use features, sophisticated design and incredibly portable form factor that have made Acer netbooks so wildly popular. In addition, the wider size allows room for a full size keyboard that is easier and more comfortable to use, even for touch-typists. Read more

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Verizon Rumors are True

by jeff on Fri, 2009-05-15 10:11

Jessica wrote earlier in the week that Verizon would be releasing a Netbook. Well, there is not a person who is better connected than Jessica … I think it is because we custom publish Best Magazine for Best Buy, and we know the right people. Click the cover of the magazine on the top right on the page, and then after the jump click the cover again to launch the digital magazine. Anyway… the Verizon netbook hits stores on May 17, 2009.

The HP Mini 1151NR will cost $199 after a $50 mail-in rebate. You will also have to agree to a two-year activation on a Mobile Broadband plan that will run $40 a month. The mail-in rebate will be in the form of a debit card, that is accessible anywhere credit cards are accepted.

The Verizon Wireless Netbook proves that Verizon is different, and customer-centric. They are really looking out for their customers, and you can prove it to yourself when you call their customer service. Their coverage is superior to any other wireless carrier, and if you have Verizon… you know it is true.

Check out their product and service offerings by visiting www.verizonwireless.com

Verizon to Offer Netbooks May 17th?

by jessica on Tue, 2009-05-12 11:48

Verizon Wireless is said to be jumping on the netbook bandwagon later this month, offering the HP Mini 1151NR netbook at a cost of $199 with a two-year contract (at $40-60 per month). The netbook is rumored to be available on May 17th.

This makes sense for Verizon…after all, AT&T already sells netbooks from Acer and Dell. However, the netbooks available at AT&T are priced lower (as low as $50) than the HP model Verizon will be offering. Maybe Verizon will decide to lower the initial price of the netbook… they end up making a killing on the monthly data charges anyway, right?

May 17th also happens to be the date that Verizon's MiFi portable hotspot router will be available. And guess what? We just happen to have a review unit. Stay tuned for a hands-on review.

Printers, Netbooks & Other 'Green' Tech

By Jeff Zbar
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

Is your home office an energy hog? Curb its diet. Companies are coming out with various products designed to curtain consumable use and energy consumption in the small office.

Consider HP's latest offerings. Its HP Photosmart Premium Fax All-in-One ($299) offers versatility to print, copy, scan and fax. In addition to producing lab-quality photos, laser-quality documents and vivid color graphics, this device also features a duplexing automatic document feeder that allows users to print on both sides of the paper - conserving paper and saving money. Connect to a PC or notebook computer using multiple connectivity options including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Ethernet, allowing consumers to print from virtually anywhere in the home from multiple computers.Read more

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Netbooks...The Easy Way to Sell More Service

There are slightly more than six billion people on the planet. Not everyone is connected as those folks in the Silicon Valley areas of the world. We have about 15 +/- percent of the adults who work on systems/devices, creating stuff, collaborating, sharing content/information and even blend the devices into their social networks and entertain. They buy newer/better/more devices every 3-6 months. Then we have another 15 +/- percent who use the basic mobile device applications – email, phone, photo/video exchange, use the web for productivity and creativity. They upgrade or add devices every 6-12 months.

Jump to the other end of the spectrum and we have about 50% of the folks who:

suffer from information overload and don't mind disconnecting now and then
use their systems, devices "now and then"
feel the mobile phone, Internet are intrusions to their business/personal life but use them because…they need them
don't have/don't want Internet access, mobile phone

It is pretty expensive and difficult to first encourage the slackers to use the always-on devices/services and then to buy new units more often! Read more

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New Eee PC 1004DN Features Optical Disc Drive, Fingerprint Sensor

by jessica on Wed, 2009-04-01 13:25

ASUS' new 3.2 pound Eee PC 1004DN is the first netbook to feature a Super-Multi optical disc drive as well as the first netbook with a fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor can recognize multiple fingerprints that belong to the same person, as well as let you encrypt a single folder with the same security system.

The Eee PC 1004DN features a 10-inch WSVGA display, a Super-Multi optical disc drive, 120 GB PATA storage, 1 GB of DDR2 SO-DIMM memory, 1.3 megapixel web cam, Express Card expansion slot, a 1.66 GHz Intel Atom N280/GN40 processor, integrated 802.11b/g/n WLAN, Bluetooth Connection, Genuine Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system and ASUS' Security Protect Manager (ASPM) feature.

Pricing and availability have not yet been announced.