Pico Breeze

Apple Macbook Air going more anorexic

2010-07-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

Rumors are circulating of a new Macbook Air that's getting more anorexic than before. Taiwanese site DigiTimes reported that Apple will soon launch a new Air model with an 11.6" display and an Intel Core i-series low voltage CPU.

The device will be manufactured by Quanta Computer, according to Mingchi Kuo, senior analyst at Digitimes Research who cites discussions with upstream component makers.

Apple currently only offers the Air in 13.3" form factor and scaling down to a more compact size might be Apple's way of differentiating the Air from the Macbook and Macbook Pro models.

How likely is this going to happen? Steve Jobs has made it perfectly clear that he has no love for the netbook, and with the netbook market supposedly eaten away by Apple's iPad, makes this possibility even slimmer (no pun intended). That is, if you assume that Apple is aiming the Air at the netbook market (ie the sub-US$500 market).

What's more likely is that the new Air will cost more than US$1000 and is aimed at the status-seeking corporate execs who prefers to be seen with a showy business notebook, than be able to do any real productive work on it.

What's for sure, even if the new Air goes to market it will probably suffer the same fate as its older brother. Despite the ultra-thin, eye-grabbing design the current Macbook Air has never been one of Apple's top draws, being too pricey for what you get in return. With the new Air, I don't see this changing anytime soon.

Source: Apple readies 11.6-inch MacBook Air and new iPod touch

Jolicloud 1.0 test-drived

2010-07-14T20:37:00.000-07:00

If you're tired of the whole Windows XP drama, and looking to try something fresh to revitalize your netbook, take a look at the Jolicloud. The newly minted version 1.0 is starting to roll out to the beta testers and one of the first users is Sascha from Netbook News. Check out his below video.

Give your netbooks a new lease of life with Pixel Qi

2010-07-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Ever since the Apple iPad hit the stores, tablets are all the rage and the netbook market is slowly dying out. Everyday there are more news of companies working hard to release their own tablets.

But before you decide to replace your trusty netbook, maybe you can consider upgrading it and breath some new life into it. One of the best ways to do that is to replace the netbook's display with one that can switch between color LCD screens and e-reader-like black-and-white displays.

Made by Pixel Qi, the 3Qi display operates in three modes: a full-color LCD transmissive mode; a low-power, sunlight-readable, reflective e-paper mode; and a transflective mode, which makes the LCD display visible in sunlight.

The 10.1-inch displays became available on July 1 through online retailer Maker Shed's website. The initial stock sold out in under a day, after which Maker Shed made the US$275 display available for pre-order, and will resume shipment "by the middle of this week," according to the website.

"Sales have been much higher than expected -- but we have the screens and are delighted about the enthusiastic reception from individuals running small projects. We are pleased to be able to support their efforts," said Mary Lou Jepsen, CEO of Pixel Qi, in an e-mail.

For now, Pixel Qi says it can guarantee the compatibility of the displays, which cost $275 each, with only two models of netbooks–the Samsung N130 and Lenovo S10. But the screen works in most other models and swapping out existing netbooks screens for those from Pixel Qi is a simple DIY tweak. "Changing the screen of your netbook is easy, the process takes about 5-10 minutes using a small screwdriver. It's simple," says Jepsen.

Beyond enthusiasts, Pixel Qi is also focused on working with "bigger customers," says Jepsen. Tablet maker Notion Ink has shown its upcoming Adam tablet uses a 3Qi display, while Pixel Qi in March signed a deal with One Laptop Per Child to develop screens for future XO devices. It is likely that a variant of the 3Qi screen will appear on OLPC's XO-3 tablet, which will also function as an e-book reader.

Check out this howto video from Maker's Shed on installing the 3Qi screen into an Acer netbook.

Asus Eee PC 1018PB Reviewed at CNET

2010-07-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

Dan Ackerman from CNET has just posted the latest review of the Asus Eee PC 1018PB.

This is a straightforward Eee PC housing the standard Intel Atom N450 processor, up to 2GB RAM, 250GB storage etc. Nothing new or groundbreaking in terms of its internals. Instead, Asus has gone back to the drawing board to refresh the Eee PC design with a new slim, metallic look that's attractive and professional.

Performance-wise, the 1018 doesn't really distinguish itself from the pack but it ran for 5 hours and 15 minutes in the battery test and achieved a pretty low annual energy consumption cost compared with other brands.

Read the Asus Eee PC 1018PB review for more details.

Miffy gets 'netbooked'

2010-07-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

Bandai Namco in celebrating the 55th anniversary of the Miffy cartoon character is unleashing the power of cute to children, in the form of a limited edition Miffy netbook.

Miffy (or Nijntje) is a small female rabbit in a series of picture books drawn and written by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. The first Miffy book was produced in 1955, and almost 30 others have followed. In total they have sold over 85 million copies, and inspired a television series as well as items such as clothes and toys featuring the character.

The latest addition to the Miffy empire is a netbook with specifications that are good if not great, and a look that is so sickly sweet it may just melt in your mouth. The netbook features a standard 1024x600 pixel 10.1 inch display and GMA 3150 graphics. The Intel Atom N450 processor is not deviating from the current market standard either.

The Miffy netbook is aimed squarely at the young ones, especially girls. The team at Bandai happily includes a number of Miffy themed applications and wallpapers, along with a casing that's liberally covered with character silhouettes. The Bandai Miffy will be available in both Windows XP and Windows 7 configurations, and can be pre-ordered right now for a hefty price range of US$900-US$1000.

Asus Eee PC 1215N with Dual-Core and ION

2010-06-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, one of the early adopters of the netbook and still languishing with a N2xx series Atoms, the time has come to upgrade to dual-core netbooks with HD capable hardware.

Asus has introduced new Eee PC 1215N netbook with dual-core Intel Atom D525 1.8Ghz processor and Nvidia ION. Like the other 12xx series, the 1215N has a 12.1-inch HD ready display supporting 1366x768, and takes up to 2GB of RAM and up to 320GB of HDD.

Graphics-wise, it comes with the next generation Nvidia ION processor along with Nvidia Optimus technology. This technology automatically switches between integrated graphics and discrete graphics as per the requirement with due care taken for power consumption as well. Support for HD includes an HDMI out for connecting it to external HD displays enabling full 1080p HD playback.

What comes as a surprise is the inclusion of Bluetooth 3.0 and USB 3.0 support for better connectivity, along with the obligatory built-in Wi-Fi and webcam. Appearance wise, the 1215N is not much different from its cousin, the 1201. Check out the video review below.

No word yet on the pricing and availability of this netbook but it would probably be higher compared to current models.

AMD-powered dual-core Acer Aspire 1551 hits the shelves

2010-06-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

If you've been wishing for a laptop with netbook form factor but without the limp of Atom processors, the latest Acer Aspire 1551 might just be the one for you.

The Aspire 1551 is endowed with not Atoms, but AMD's Athlon II Neo processors, inside a petite form with an 11.6" LED-backlit display and crammed with up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 320GB hard drive, 802.11n WiFi, HDMI-out and a six-cell, five-hour battery. All this into a package that weight around 1.3Kg.

Two models will be made available. The pricier model (~US$550) will have a 1.5Ghz AMD Turion Neo K625 dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive, while the cheaper one (~US$480) will have a 1.3GHz AMD Athlon II Neo K325 CPU, 3GB of memory, and a 250GB hard drive.

Libretto W100 coming to Singapore

2010-06-28T21:00:00.000-07:00

Toshiba will be selling the Libretto W100 in Singapore soon. What's so special about the Libretto W100? It's probably the world's first dual-touchscreen tablet. Although the concept is not new, the Libretto W100 would be the first such machine to actually hit retail shelves.

What's immediately apparent when you first look at the W100 are the 2 1,024x600 pixels 7" multi-touch LED-backlit displays. It doesn't have a keyboard and instead flashes a virtual keyboard on one of the displays.

It runs on Intel Pentium U5400 1.20Ghz processor, has 2GB of memory, 62GB of solid-state storage, and comes with WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. It only weights 0.81Kg which is pretty light, it packs a 1-megapixel front-facing webcam and has a built-in accelerometer that automatically switches from book mode to laptop mode.

The Libretto will be selling for S$1,999 which is a pretty steep price tag, and will come in various metallic colours. The low battery life (2 hours with four-cell battery, double that for the eight-cell pack) probably won't help sales either, and will make this appealing only to early adopters.

Check out the video demo below.

New Samsung N230 touts 13+ hours of battery life

2010-06-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Samsung's N230 will last 13+ hours of usage, so they claim in a new announcement. The netbook will offer seven hours of battery life, but if you're on a plane or simply can't be bothered to charge the machine then this can be extended to 13.8 hours with a 66Wh battery.

The N230 sports a premium black finish, weighs below 1kg and measures 23.2mm slim. Designed for consumers who want portability, the 10.1-inch N230 offers sufficient computing power to do their daily tasks.

It's powered by either an Intel 1.66GHz N450 or a 1.83GHz N470 Atom processor, has 1GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive, WiFi with wireless N and built-in 3G. Throw in Bluetooth 3.0 and the system offers plenty of connectivity.

Samsung has announced that its N230 netbook will be available worldwide with a starting price of $399.

Source: Korea Newswire

Rugged HP Mini 100e netbook for school kids

2010-06-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

HP is preparing for the US back to school season and has offered up a new netbook for students called the HP Mini 100e Education Edition. This is the first product aimed at students between kindergarten and 6th grade, with a low price of US$300.

The HP Mini is a Pine Trail machine, with 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor, 1GB RAM, 10.1-inch 1,024 x 600-pixel display and 160GB HDD. There's also a VGA webcam, and the laptop comes with a choice of a 3 cell, 4.5 hour battery or a 6 cell, 8.5 hour battery which also sits flush with the base of the unit.

Its made with a strong plastic chassis held together with steel pins, metal-alloy hinges that should hold up well to repeated use, a 92% spill-resistant keyboard and a carry handle. The handle is non-user removable, because HP wanted as few removable parts as possible to keep children from messing with the netbook.

It includes an intergrated modem for use in developing or remote areas where broadband might not be available, and it has an LED on the back of the lid so that teachers can see when there's network activity.

The 100e comes with productivity, education, and security software preinstalled from Microsoft with Office 2010, Microsoft Math, and Microsoft Security Essentials.

The HP Mini 100e is not available at the retail level and is sold through B2B channels wordlwide at this time. It's expected to go on sale globally the first week in July.

Toshiba’s AC100 Tegra netbook runs on Android 2.1

2010-06-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

Toshiba UK has just announced their first netbook running on Android. Dubbed the Toshiba AC100, it's running Android 2.1, has 512MB of DDR2 RAM, 8GB of NAND flash memory with more optional space coming from the SD/MMC card reader. It also includes a 1.3MP webcam built in with an accompanying microphone for video conferencing needs.

Other specs include a nice NVIDIA Tegra 250 chip packing an ARM-based 1GHz processor, a 10.1-inch TruBrite display with LED backlights and a resolution of 1,024×600. It includes USB and MiniUSB ports, an HDMI Port, Bluetooth 2.1 +EDR, WiFi, and optional 3G radios.

The battery is touted to operate for 8 hours (with 7 days of standby life) which is expected on an Android-powered netbook that naturally has better battery technology.

There are a few other interesting points about this netbook. There's no touchscreen display which is usually a norm for Android devices, and while it's running Android 2.1, it's using the Opera Mobile web browser instead of the default Android browser. The machine also comes with Documents To Go and Fring preloaded for office, chat, and VoIP functionality.

As with most Android devices, you may be able to plug in USB mouse, keyboard or external storage, but you probably don't have any luck plugging in a printer or digital camera.

The device should hit UK shelves this August but pricing has yet to be announced.

Intel's new Atom N550 is fast!

2010-06-16T20:29:00.000-07:00

One of the more exciting news from the recent Computex show was Intel's announcement of a dual-core Atom processor for the netbook.

For the past years, Atom chips for netbooks have little or no preceptible difference in performance, and it looks like this is about to change with the new dual-core Atom N550 processor.

According to benchmarks done by folks from Notebook Italia, who managed to to spend a few minutes with a pre-release Asus netbook with an Atom N550 chip recently, the N550 is excellent in performing tasks that can take advantage of the chips multithreading capabilities.

The benchmark was conducted using the file compression app 7Zip's built-in benchmarking utility, and the results shows that the N550 was twice as fast as a 1.66 Intel Atom N450 processor, and a little faster than the current crop of dual-core Atom chips - the Atom 330 and D510.

It is also much faster than the Intel Core 2 Solo SU3300 processor, which is a chip that doesn't support hyperthreading.

We do have to take note that this is just one benchmark, but it does show that the Atom N550 will likely take the lead when it comes to running multiple applications simultaneously or running apps that are designed to take advantage of multiple threading capabilities.

Intel has shown with the Atom N550 that its finally able to provide improvements in performance of the Atom chip without compromising its excellent energy efficiency.

Source: TEST OF DUAL-CORE ATOM PROCESSOR N550

12.1-inch Asus Eee PC coming with AMD Geode chip

2010-06-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

Asus has just announced a new Eee PC that breaks from the Atom crowd and gets in bed with a processor from the AMD Geode family.

The Asus Eee PC 1201K will have a 12.1" display and will use the AMD Geode NX 1750 processor. The Geode range of chips is primarily designed for use with media players, traffic lights and other embedded systems, which makes this a very surprising move.

Compared with the Atom N450, the Geode NX 1750 really doesn't look very impressive. It is clocked at 1.4Ghz instead of the typical 1.6Ghz we are all used to, and has a tiny 256K of Level 2 caches which is half as much as the Atom chip.

I won't expect any breakthrough performance by the 1201K which is a bit of a shame given that it comes with a 12.1" 1366x768-pixel display which literally screams multi-tasking, high-def video playback and large-format image editing. All of which could benefit form a much quicker processor.

As yet, there's no news of when the 1201K will be released or what it'll cost. I expect it will be priced much lower than the Atom range to offset the poorer performance capability.

Toshiba NB250 comes with DDR3 RAM and WiMAX radio

2010-06-14T18:49:00.000-07:00

Toshiba announced it is updating its Dynabook line of notebooks in Japan, with new models ranging in size from a 10.1 inch netbook to 16 inch notebooks.

The 10.1" screen Dynabook UX/24 will use Intel's Atom N455 processor along with 1 or 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 250GB Hard disk drive, and will include a WiMAX module too, says the company. Outside Japan, the UX/24 will be known as the NB250.

Other than the change in processor and RAM, Toshiba has left the netbook styling and features pretty much the same as previous models. Carried over, also, are the other typical netbook features such as three USB 2.0 ports, a webcam, a VGA output, a microphone input and headphone output, and a 10/100 Ethernet port. It will be available in white, brown, blue or black.

Also retained is the shiny keyboard with a chiclet design similar to its previous NB305.

The Dynabook UX/24 will be available later this month with Windows 7 Starter Edition. Pricing was not specified.

Replace JooJoo Linux with Windows 7

2010-06-13T19:19:00.000-07:00

Back in July 2008, a US$200 Web-connected slate running on a Linux-based, touch-optimized interface was unveiled as the CrunchPad. Fast forward 1.5 years and a lawsuit later, and CrunchPad has morphed into the US$499 JooJoo tablet.

The finished product, unfortunately released after the Apple iPad hit the market, is a bit underwhelming. For the same price as the iPad, there's a feeling that we're getting something a bit less.

But it seems the a few modders at the JooJoo Forums have found a way to dump the OS and replaced it with Windows 7 and somehow turn the JooJoo into a much better tablet.

With a 12.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, NVIDIA ION graphics, 1GB of RAM, and a 4GB solid state disk, the JooJoo is essentially a netbook without a keyboard.

Source: Modder installs Windows 7 onto JooJoo tablet, gets touch working (video)

End of XP netbook by October 22, says Microsoft

2010-06-10T19:50:00.000-07:00

The end is near for Windows XP. Microsoft has issued a reminder that Windows XP will no longer be pre-loaded come October 22, and support for Windows XP SP2 will end on July 13. This comes after figures released by research outfit NPD, that 81% of US netbooks sold via retail come preloaded with Windows 7.

"As of October 22, 2010, OEMs will no longer be able to pre-install Windows XP Home on new netbook PCs," Microsoft wrote. "However, for a majority of our customers, they may not notice much change."

However, according to Net Applications, Windows XP is still the most popular operating system in the world, with a market share of 62.55% while Windows 7 only has 12.68%, and Windows Vista 15.25%.

If you're one of the 62.55% still clinging on to Windows XP, you can take heart that Windows XP SP3 will continue to be supported until April 2014. So if you haven't already done so, you can update your version of Windows XP to the SP3 via the Microsoft Update website.

HP, Fujitsu first off the block with new Atom processors

2010-06-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

After the announcement of new Atom processors by Intel at Computex last week, HP and Fujitsu are off the starting blocking, updating their existing netbook models with the new Atom chips, the N455 and N475.

These new chips run a the same speed as their predecessors but includes integrated DDR3 capable memory controllers, which allows data to be exchanged faster between the memory and CPU. This should boost the overall system performance.

HP will be upgrading its Mini 210 netbook, while Fujitsu announced the MH380-1A netbook.

HP's offering looks pretty standard for your usual netbook with 10.1-inch screen and 320GB of storage. It will come with up to 1GB of memory for the Windows XP version and 2GB with Windows 7. No word yet on when the upgraded Mini 210 will start shipping.

On the other hand, Fujitsu's will come with WiMax mobile broadband and include a 10.1-inch screen, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It will run the Windows 7 OS. The PC will start shipping on June 17.

Acer Aspire One D260 dual-boots Android OS and Windows 7

2010-06-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Come 1st July, Acer will be releasing the Acer Aspire One D260 netbook. What makes this netbook special is its unique ability to dual boot with Android OS and Windows 7.

This is a great option for buyers interested in a 15 second boot time, but it comes with a catch. The Android OS option is just that, an option.

"And, as an option the Aspire One D260 can be preloaded with Android OS, ensuring ultra-fast access to Internet, along with Microsoft Windows 7. Starting up the netbook with Android you will be able to surf the web or check your email in just about 15 seconds!"

The Acer Aspire One D260 features a 10.1 inch display with a resolution of 1024 x 600. Processing comes in the form of an Intel Atom 1.66GHz N455 processor, and there is also Intel GMA 3150 graphics, plus 2GB of RAM. The D260 will be available in a selection colors that includes black flake, purple flake, pink flake and charcoal flake.

Acer has yet to reveal how much this netbook will sell for, and whether or not the netbook will be a success with the masses is still questionable.

PC Show 2010

2010-06-08T18:56:00.000-07:00

This year will be PC Show's 20th year in Singapore, and we can expect more gadgets galore and great promotions. Last year, the PC Show attracted over 1.16 million visitors and generated S$52.1 million in sales. As usual, notebooks, netbooks, mobile phones and other portable devices are expected to continue to be top sellers this year.

With new netbook processors and technology coming in the second half of the year, expect great bargains in the netbook space as vendors clear their stock. Here are some deals to look for.

Asus Eee PC Seashell 1001PX at S$498 with 2nd year local warranty

Fujitsu Lifebook MH330 for S$499

HP Mini 5102 - S$699 with an optional touchscreen for S$100.

Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3 - S$549 with free wireless mouse

MSI Wind U160 - N450 at S$548 with carry sleeve, optical mouse, LCD wiper.

Samsung N150 - S$499 with free anti-virus software

The PC Show 2010 runs from 10th - 13th June 2010 at the Suntec Convention Hall, from 12pm till 9pm.

MSI Sketch Book demoed

2010-06-07T22:35:00.001-07:00

In addition to the various new netbook concepts MSI showed off at Computex, here's a look at something more unique, the MSI Sketch Book.

The MSI Sketch Book, as the name applies, is intended for people who want to sketch handwritten notes or drawings with their laptops. As any digital sketch artists knows, touchscreen devices are not targeted for such purposes since most are optimized for the finger rather than a styles.

Well, MSI is hoping to target this market segment by providing a netbook that has a stylus compatible surface for taking notes, drawing, or any other type of sketching.

As you can see in the video demo, the hand-writing surface can be rotated around and replaced by a full QWERTY keyboard on the other side. Quite ingenious really, but how practical it is still remains the question because you can only use one form of input or the other, unlike if a USB stylus pad was attached.

LG X140 catches the World Cup fever

2010-06-07T22:28:00.001-07:00

World Cup fever is here and LG has caught the bug with the release of a their new LG X140 netbook World Cup edition.

The netbook will go on sale in certain countries this month, most likely in countries mad about soccer. There's nothing unusual under the hood compared with the original X140, powered by either the N450 or the N470 processor with 1 or 2GB RAM, a 250 or 320GB hard drive and a 10.1" screen.

It will be available with either a 6-cell, or 9-cell battery, with the later providing 12 hour of battery run time. The 6-cell version weighs 1.3kg while the 9-cell model comes in at 1.45kg.

This special edition will be available in three colors, white, black and hot pink. Each color will have a different world cup design on the lid.

Onkyo’s DX Dual-Screened Netbook

2010-06-06T20:48:00.000-07:00

On display at Microsoft's Booth in Computex was the Onkyo netbook. What's special about this netbook is it comes with not one 10.1" inch screen, but two! Yes, two. So how does one fit 2 screens onto a small framed netbook?

Seeing is believing...

The Onkyo is a rebadge of the Konjinsha DZ, but has a 1,366 x 768-resolution display rather than the Konjinsha's 1,024 x 600. It run on AMD's 1.6GHz Neo MV-40 processor, has 320GB of hard-drive, 2GB of ram, and ATI’s Radeon HD 3200 graphics card. Additionally, it comes with a webcam, wifi, bluetooth capabilities, Windows 7, and a battery lasting close to 4 hours. All for a price of US$956 which is not cheap.

You might be better off getting a external LCD like the Samsung USB monitor.

MSI shows off two new netbook concepts - La Mode and Serene

2010-06-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

MSI might have been one of the first companies to release the netbook way back when, but it's been awhile since they've come up with something fresh. Well, at Computex, MSI proudly announced two new netbooks, the MSI La Mode and the MSI Serene.

Even though there's not much details about the two, pictures and videos are available.

MSI Serene:

MSI La Mode:

The MSI La Mode netbook features a 10" screen, and seems to look similar to the MSI Wind U160 with a slightly different exterior design. It's an "ebony cloth case with wave-pattern and luminescent MSI logo" which supposedly helps to dissipate heat.

The other, the MSI Serene, will feature MSI's thermal technology for heat dissipation. Since it's won't have a fan to help cool the unit, it's going to be "serenly" silent when it's turned on.

Source: Notebook Italia

Netbook thinner than MacBook Air? Intel says Yes!

2010-06-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

Intel has pulled off the curtains to showcase possibly the world's thinnest netbook, made possible with a new cooling method employed on the new processor codenamed "Canoe Lake".

It's important to know that the Intel netbooks on show at Computex are just reference designs to show end users what's potentially possible, which are netbooks that are 14-15mm thin, with a 10.1" screen and a 1280 x 1080 display and Windows 7. That's half a CM thinner than the already thin MacBook Air.

Watch the video below as an ultra-thin netbook us being demonstrated.

Here's another demo.

LOL! love the play on the MacBook Air fitting inside an envelope. Now you can fit 2 netbooks inside an envelope!

Dual-Core Atom processors in production, says Intel

2010-05-31T23:09:00.000-07:00

At Computex, Intel has disclosed that dual-core Atoms for netbooks are in production.

So far, Intel has launched and began shipping 4 new Atom processors this year: N455, N475 for the netbook and the D425 and D525 for the "net-top" market. Even so, only the D525 is a dual-core processor - a 1.8GHz chip.

According to executives, with the new dual-core Atom chip now in production, we can expect to see products with the yet un-numbered processor by the year end holiday season.

The new chip launches are part of Intel's "Atom Everywhere" strategy, according to Anil Naudauri, the markting director for netbooks and tablets for the PC client group.

The addition of a dual-core Atom for netbooks will be significant, since the company's dual-core efforts have so far been confined to the net-top space.