Netbook Station

Analysts say 32.7M Netbooks in 2009

2009-07-16T22:17:00.000-07:00

Analysts at DisplaySearch released figures today that project netbook sales in 2009 to reach levels around 32.7 million units. This figure is almost double the sales of last year, which totaled approximately 16.4 million units - an increase of 99.1%.

As we reported earlier this year, Asus and Acer combined in 2008 to sell $237.5 billion worth of netbooks. With these new numbers, the combined netbook market, which is still dominated by Acer and Asus, could see sales rise as high as $1.3 trillion dollars, based on the average netbook price of ~$400.

In my opinion, the sky's the limit for netbook sales, as ultra-portability compromises performance less and less. Thanks to the Nvidia Ion platform, and Intel Atom processing, more horsepower can be packed into the tiny chassis of a netbook. With the world moving into the browser, the only setback for netbooks could be those who are stuck in their desktops. But, thats an issue for another post.

via PC World.

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AT&T releases Dell Mini 9 netbook with 3G

2009-01-13T12:03:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, we reported that AT&T would begin selling Acer Aspire One netbooks on a two year contract for only $99. After CES, they released news that the Dell Mini 9 would be available as a post-holiday follow-up to their Acer deal.

The netbook operates on the 3G network with connectivty on Wifi 802.11 b/g as well. That way, you could be connected to the internet almost everywhere, with 3G becoming a somewhat ubiquitous standard among wireless carriers.

Dell's Mini 9 carries the standard specs of most netbooks, wielding a 1.6Ghz Atom procesor, an 8GB solid state drive, and a skimpy 512MB of RAM.

The offer will be valid until the end of January, and after CES, I suspect that AT&T will draw more interest in their netbook offerings. There is no word yet on the pricing of the data plan, but it will most likely resemble the $60 a month pricing for the Aspire One.

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Microsoft holds back full Netbook potential

2008-12-29T11:38:00.000-08:00

Dave Methvin of Information Week recently published a piece that discusses how Windows XP is bad for the netbook market. He points out that Microsoft put a strict limitation on the manufacturers, stating that they are only allowed to install XP on machines with 14" diagonal screens or smaller. While that is not an issue for most netbook producers, the hardware limitations are. Machines with XP Home installed must not exceed 1GB or RAM or a 1Ghz CPU. I mentioned XP Home because XP Pro is not allowed on the netbooks, restricting their use in a corporate setting.

The problem, of course, is that most users feel comfortable with Windows and are hesitant to switch to a speedier operating system (cough Linux cough). Right now, Windows is not the best operating system to run on netbook machines because Microsoft is limiting the computing power that each machine can carry. In light of this, most people will care more about the $299-$399 price point of most netbooks and care less about small lapses in performance.

Hopefully Windows 7 will bring a new, infrastrucuturally stable computing environment to the netbook, but until then I would advise you to install Linux!

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Android for Netbooks not on the Horizon

2008-12-28T19:52:00.000-08:00

As a Google addict, who frequently uses almost all of their services and trusts them with gigabytes of data, I always expected that Google would eventually create a desktop environment in which to run their cloud applications. The main reason why I purchased a netbook in the first place is because most of my data lives in the cloud, and all I need is a terminal through which I can access this data.

Enter: gOS. Good OS is a lightweight Linux-based operating system that utilizes a Google Chrome-esque browser to facilitate applications, which are all web based. The beauty of gOS is that you can switch into Windows at the click of an icon. To me, gOS is the perfect model of what a Google operating system would look like. But there are other opinions.

Mike Jones, who is quoted over at Google Watch on eWeek, explains that a) Ubuntu and Xandros can already do anything that an Android operating system would want to do and b) Android applications are not designed for the platform of a personal computer. The solution to this would be to port these apps as applets over a linux based operating system that falls somewhere between Ubuntu 8.04.1 and gOS.

With the release of Google Chrome, however, the boys in Mountain View are trying to send a clear message: the browser is the future. So, they really have no reason to release an "operating system" because, as far as they're concerned, Chrome is the most advanced way to implement anything that comes off of their production line.

So, don't expect an Android powered netbook any time soon, but do keep an eye out for some sort of Google insertion into the netbook market in the coming year.

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Touchscreen Netbooks to be all the buzz of CES

2008-12-28T18:34:00.000-08:00

As CES 2009 approaches, the rumor mill is exploding with anticipation of what major netbook manufactures will release. When the doors open on January 8th, expect to see new products from both Intel and Asus, who are slated to release the Classmate and the Eee PC Touch respectively. While the Eee PC Touch is not a complete garauntee, as Asus promised the product in "early 2009," the Intel Classmate will surely make its debut in Las Vegas.

The Classmate joins the Gigabyte M912V as a pioneer in bringing tablet style to the netbook market. The Gigabyte gained fame when it partnered with gOS to bundle the Google-based operating system in with its hardward straight out of the box.

What many analysts are anticipating, however, is that Samsung, MSI, and Acer will either release similar touch screen devices, or blow the crowd away with something revolutionary. While we shouldn't expect the new NVidia chips to be dropped into the chassis of a netbook just yet, CES will surely have its fair share of shocking releases.

At any rate, expect to the see the now explosive netbook market take a turn towards tablets, as many companies prep such devices. I do not anticipate this move gaining too much popularity, as tablets just never exploded as a niche the way netbooks have. I have no doubt in my mind that a touchscreen netbook will sell, but I'm just not sure that progressing as far as a tablet, which insinuates alternative operating systems, is completely necessary. At this point, there really is no market for tablet devices.

Do you think tablet-izing netbooks makes them mroe appealing to the consumer? Sound off.

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HP Mini 1000 armed with 3G slot, but lacks antenna

2008-12-27T19:49:00.000-08:00

When Laptop Magazine found the 3G SIM card slot on the HP Mini 1000, the blogosphere had a mini heart attack. But, it seems that most blogger neglected to read the article in full. While Laptop Magazine confirms that they did indeed find a 3G SIM slot that confirms HP's statement to incorporate everywhere-on connectivity into their netbooks, the current models of the Mini lack a 3G antenna.

This apparatus would be completely essential for the wireless capabilities to function.

Eeepc.net claims that you can enable your Wi-Fi antenna for connection to carrier networks by downloading this driver. The question remains, as to whether or not most 3G cards were built for this purpose.

As many people know, AT&T in particular has been very closely monitoring its bandwidth usage, preventing most cellular subscribers from "tethering" their devices for connection to the network. Instead, they promote USB and PCI antennas which they charge enormous monthly rates for.

So, this leads me to one of two conclusions. Either the antenna in the current Mini 1000 can be modified to run on the carrier networks, or future models exclusively will have this capability. Either way, right now is the wrong time to begin removing your SIM card and popping it in your HP Mini. If HP had struck a deal yet, the capability would be highly publicized, and would be a main selling point.

For now, keep your SIM card in your phone to avoid unbelievable monthly rates and banishment from your current cellular provider's network.

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Netbooks snag 15 spots on Amazon's Top 25 Bestsellers

2008-12-27T19:01:00.002-08:00

If anybody still doesn't believe that netbooks are the most important trend of the 2008, the numbers on amazon speak for themselves. After this Christmas' shopping craze, netbooks stole 15 spots on Amazon's Top 25 Bestsellers in Computers & Hardware.

Of these 15 spots, Acer Aspire One variations held 7, Asus Eee PC's took 4, Samsung's NC-10 took 1, MSI Wind held 1, and the OLPC held 1 as well.

As we reported earlier in the week, Acer and Asus combined are looking at $237.5 Billion in revenue this quarter. These bnumbers are strongly supported by their unbelievable performance in the Amazon market, but it is also important to realize that millions of units were sold on the floor and at other online retailers.

If anything, this proves an irrefutable trend towards netbooks and barebones computing. Consumers will be pleased to know that in the coming monthes, as netbooks become respected as a dominant force in the PC market, technological resources will be committed to the development of these small machines.

What we can look forward to is stronger, faster machines coming off of the Acer and Asus supply lines, and other popular retailers breaking into the market for a share of the cash.

Did you buy a netbook this holiday season? Let us know in the comments.

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$299 Aspire One foreshadows Race to the Bottom for Netbook Pricing

2008-12-26T18:42:00.000-08:00

Until tomorrow, Best Buy and Fry's are both offering the Acer Aspire One netbook for only $299. For the consumer, this a dream come true. According to analysts, however, the low price of netbooks is becoming a problem for some manufacturer because the margin on each sale is so low.

For the consumer, this means one of two things. First, it means that we shouldn't expect the price of netbooks to dip far lower than $300. Second, it means that we should not expect the specifications of lower range netbooks to be anything eye-popping.

Particularly, if you are looking for a netbook with an SSD (greater than 8GB) and a distribution of Microsoft Windows, expect to pay at least $400.

In a report by Internet News, an analyst comapred the netbook to Frankenstein: "You created it, you hate it but you cannot kill it because that's what selling."

While some might be applauding the extreme drop in netbook prices, it is also important to consider value. Using the example of Acer netbooks, you could purchase an Aspire One for $299 with an 8GB SSD and a three-cell battery. However, for on $50 more, you can get an Aspire One with a 120GB HD and a six-cell battery, which more than doubles battery life.

So, in the end, its all about what you value as the consumer. But, don't expect to get too much value, because the race to the bottom for netbook prices has to end sometime.

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Sony teases with "Sony Pocket" listing, looks like a Letdown

2008-12-26T09:57:00.000-08:00

After weeks of suspense, Sony has finally released what seems to be its latest venture into the netbook market. Dubbed the "Sony Pocket," this machine was thrown up on the Sony website for a few hours before later being taken down.

From the teaser, though, we can gather some of the specs that this beast will be wielding. Packed with a 1.33Ghz Intel processor, probably the Atom, and an available 128GB SSD, this 8" netbook could make a real impact on the netbook market. Although it ships with Vista, which is never a good sign, its 8" LCD puts you somewhere between an Asus 700 series and the 1000H. In other words, the screen sounds pretty damn small

Another drawback is, coming from Sony, this netbook definitely will not be cheap. Sony is notrious for overpricing its computers even moreso than Apple, and unless their entire business model has been restructured in the last few weeks, expect this puppy to cost around $600.

Interesting too is the screen resolution, a daunting 1600x768, which is a much higher resolution than most bigger 10" displays. That should provide for crisp graphics and whatnot, but if it makes an impact on price than I would label it overkill.

Overall, I would say I am now less excited for this netbook than I was a week ago. From what I can see, it doesn't seem like Sony will get off of its high horse and enter the netbook market at a reasonable price-point. What they don't understand is that while there were such things as luxury notebook users, there is no such thing as a luxury netbook user.

I suspect that the "Sony Pocket" won't be half of the moneymaker that Sony wants it to be, and I can already tell that Acer, Asus, and HP will sit on top of their piles of money laughing at the stupid Sony dev team from above.

Do you think Sony will even make a dent in the Acer/Asus netbook empire? Sound off.

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Notebook Sales overtake Desktop thanks to Netbooks

2008-12-26T09:36:00.000-08:00

Last week, we reported that Asus and Acer combined were set to earn about $237.5 Billion this year combined. Now, stats have been released that suggest that Notebook PC sales will, for the first time, exceed desktop PC sales this year. According to iSuppli, a California market research firm, notebook PC sales rose almost 40% in Q3 of 2008 when compared to the same time period in 2007.

The significance of this data, however, is that the netbook business has been the backbone of notebooks' rise to popularity. iSuppli reported that "Acer shipped almost 3 million more notebooks (a value of almost $1 billion) than is did in the preceding quarter, a majority of which were netbooks."

From the data provided by iSuppli, Acer seems to have really made a breakthrough in the notebook market this year, mostly thanks to its netbooks. They report that Acer took a 12.2% market share in Q3 2008, shipping about 9.7 million units during this time. iSuppli also reports that a majority of these sale were netbooks.

(via news.cnet)

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Qualcomm Announces Gobi Chipset, 3G for All!

2008-12-24T14:06:00.001-08:00

With Qualcomm's release of the Gobi Chipset, the netbook industry could be turned on its head. The new chipset comes integrated with a 3G chip that is built to operate on the networks of all carriers. The chips is both CDMA and HSPA compliant, so it can be configued to run on almost any network with minimal set-up.

The product is not strictly conceptual either. HP has announced that it will incorporate the Gobi chipset and Seadragon technology in its 2008 line of netbooks, reports GigaOm.com.

Luckily for Qualcomm, their rights to the CDMA network as intellectual property will prevent most popular carriers from running their own competitive service, which means Qualcomm will absorb a majority of the mobile internet business.

The only problem, as Om Malik points out, is that Qualcomm is not a cheap partner to work with, so it might scare away some potential business from big name telecommunications brands.

Will this make a difference in your decision to purchase a netbook?

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Dell Prepping a Macbook Air Competitor, dubbed "Adamo"

2008-12-24T11:17:00.001-08:00

In an effort to compete with the industry shifting Macbook Air, Dell has announced plans to release project Adamo, which promises to be both thinner and lighter while maintaining comparable form factor.

The rumors of project Adamo started when NYTimes.com sold an ad spot to Dell that was accidentally released. This block advertisement was a link to the projects teaser site (linked above), and forced Dell to begin answering some questions. Dell even boasted to Engdaget that their notebook would "the world's thinnest laptop".

This announcement comes at an interesting time for the notebook industry, when much of the attention is shifting towards high mobility instead of high performance. Even companies like Apple, who swore less than a year ago to never get involved in the "nascent", are letting the increasing demand for these machines speak for itself.

Dell plans to unveil project Adamo in February, according to TG Daily, just in time for the MacBook Air's one year anniversary.

What remains to be seen is whether or not Dell's new venture will make an impact on the market, and if it can draw enough attention away from netbooks to really make a difference.

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Psion Teklogix shits a brick, tries to protect the word "Netbook"

2008-12-24T07:21:00.000-08:00

As of recently, some netbook enthusiast websites have begun receiving Cease and Desist orders from a UK firm called Psion Teklogix, who claims to own the right to the word "netbook."

They did, indeed, develop a device called the Netbooks and a Netbook Pro. The device boasted a 190Mhz (thats right, Mhz) StrongARM processor, 32MB of RAM, and the custom EPOC operating system. However, that was long before the term netbook was made generic by the consumer market. Psion cannot claim infringement because the market has naturally assigned the word "netbook" to small laptop computers.

Although Psin no longer manufactures the Netbook, they are coming back from the dead to protect what they believe to be theirs. Blogs that received the letter were instructed to remove the word "netbook" from their blogs before March 2009, or face litigation.

A link to the C&D letter can be found here.

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Optimize Firefox for viewing on your Netbook

2008-12-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

MobileComputer.co.uk published a piece a while back on how to optimize Firefox for viewing on a netbook. They provide a whole slew of advice from browsing in full screen mode to editing your toolbars down to bare minimum.

The classic trick is to press F11 when browsing in firefox to activate full screen mode, but the boys across the pond have gotten netbook browsing down to a science. Definite must read.

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3 Good Reasons to Buy a Netbook

2008-12-23T15:17:00.000-08:00

With the economy in shambles, people are beginning to weigh the importance of a full-featured powerhouse laptop. While most can't imagine transitioning back to a desktop, it has become increasingly more appealing to invest in a netbook. Here are three main reasons why it makes good sense to switch to a netbook this holiday season:

Mobility

Most netbooks weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 2-3 pounds. With screens no more than 10" in size, and no optical drive, these computers weigh just as much (if not less) than a textbook. Just when you thought your 5 pound Macbook or your Lenovo was featherlight, these netbooks push the mobility envelope.

With a machine that small and light, sturdiness is often an issue that comes up. Being an active user of an Asus Eee Pc 1000H, I can tell you that netbooks are solidly built machines despite their size.

While people often quibble about the screen size without ever actually testing one out, a few days of use prove a surprising fact: 10" really is plenty. With resolutions hovering in the area of 1024x768, most netbooks can fit plenty on their tiny screens, especially if you choose to run a specialty linux operating system like gOS or Ubuntu Eee 8.04.1.

The Browser is the future

With the advent of Web 2.0, and the imminent coming of Web 3.0, it has become evident that the browser is the future. Web applications are become robust and powerful enough to facilitate most users' daily needs, and the convenience of storage on the cloud is unprecedented. After being able to access all of your files from any computer in the world, it is hard to return to a system of localized data storage.

To comfort those who are not yet comfortable operating within a browser, applications such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Prism allow you to rip web applications onto your desktop. This gives the web apps more of a desktop feel, yet maintains the functionality and convenience of storage on the cloud.

Integrated graphics are a thing of the past

With Nvidia's release of the Ion Platform, which utilizes the MCP79 chipset and a GeForce 9400M graphics chip, integrated graphics are a thing of the past. Now, with these developments, netbooks will be able to run full HD video and increase graphics power tenfold.

Before, the main drawback of tiny netbooks was their inability to handle graphics intensive applications, and their poor rendering of digital video. Now, these tiny machines will have graphics power comparable to their 15" and 17" counterparts.

Conclusion

The buzzword that recurs throughout each of these ideas is "convenience." Never before has mobile computing been as convenient as it is with a netbook. These machines will revolutionize the mobile experience as new technologies make them faster and more robust.

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Japanese to Begin Shipping Netbook Dock

2008-12-22T21:34:00.001-08:00

The Japanese have been into the netbook craze for a while now, and with their popularity comes pretty sweet peripherals. Rare Mono Shop has been kind enough to send these Japan-only releases across the high seas and into the American market. To view more pictures of this docking station, and to snag a peak of other cuting edge Japanese netbook accessories, check out this link.

The "Coolpad" pictured above comes standard with:

White chassis
3 additional USB ports
2.5" SATA Hard Drive Bay
Blue Glowing Fan
Mini-USB for connecting the netbook

This product is currently only available in Japan for 2480 Yen, but the product will soon be released in the American store. The expected price will probably be somewhere in the realm of $45.

If you already happen to have a 2.5" drive that you want to use with your netbook, then this product is a steal. Otherwise, most users probably won't find much utility in a cool light-up fan and few extra USB ports.

(via Portable Monkey)

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Acer and Asus to net $237.5 BILLION

2008-12-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

Acer and Asus, the two current kings of the netbook market, project to move 6 million and 5 million units respectively of their top selling products. The main moneymaker for Acer is its Aspire 1, which is competitively priced at $349. Asus' flagship Eee PC comes in several models with prices ranging between $350 and $450.

The two Taiwanese companies differ in size substantially, with Acer netting $159.2 billion in revenue during the third quarter, which is more than twice as much as Asus' $78.3 bilion. The real advantage that this gives Acer is that they can release products on a global scale simultaneously, while Asus does not yet have the market power or resources to make massive releases.

Acer plans to ship 12 to 15 million units in 2009, and sit atop the netbook market as king. That said, we'll see what Asus has in store for next year and the netbook craze intensifies.

via PC World.

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OS Rundown: Windows 7

2008-12-21T17:48:00.000-08:00

The German netbook site MultiMolti.de recently released a full tutorial on how to install Windows 7 on a Netbook.

The install requires a separate PC from which you can mount the Windows 7 release to either a 4GB USB thumb drive or a DVD.

The video below shows an Asus Eee PC running a Celeron 900Mhz processor, and the reviewers at Blogeee.net rave that it runs "impressionant" (impressively).

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AT&T to release $99 Netbooks on Data Plan

2008-12-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

In partnership with AT&T and Radioshack, Acer is preparing to release a $99 version of its Acer Aspire 1 Netbook. The catch, however, is that it comes bundled with a $60/month, two year data contract on the AT&T network.

So, what would normally be a $350 machine is now raking in $1540 over the course of two years. As Wired so eloquently stated, its technological wizardry to turn more than quadruple profit on an item by tacking on a data contract.

While the 3G speeds will be nothing compared to a wired DSL or Cable modem, the portability factor will be huge with some consumers. Considering that most netbook users are willing to sacrifice functionality for serious portability, I wouldn't be surprised if this apparent gimmick becomes a hot purchase.

The Aspire 1 comes standard with the Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive in its 2.2 lb package.

The leaked Radioshack advertisement is courtesy of Boy Genius Report.

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Technical Proof of an Apple iNetbook

2008-12-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

After MacWorld '08, when Jobs and his comrades discussed the possibility of an Apple iNetbook, the prospects seemed pretty grim. Jobs called the netbook market "nascent," claiming that Apple does not know "how to make a $500 computer that is not a piece of junk, and our DNA won't let us ship that."

Since then, the market has changed. With the recent economic downturn, consumers are beginning to realize the barebones processes that they rely on a computer for. Enter: Netbooks. Netbooks provide mobility and sufficient horsepower for most users to complete the processes they require in a computer.

It has become increasingly clear that Apple will soon enter this market.

Now for the proof. Apple recently switched their MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models to the Nvidia MCP79 chipset in October. This move was justified by Cupertino as a way to brace their machines for the Open CL technologies of OS 10.6 (Codename: Snow Leopard). Most recently, MacRumors.com unveiled embedded code in a Mac OS X configuration file that pointed towards a conversion of but the iMac and Mac mini to this chipset.

With the MCP79 chipset, comes the GeForce 9400M graphics chip. This chip was just released by Nvidia, claiming to completely revolutionize the mobile graphics experience. Nvidia has already released a statement saying that many netbook developers have committed to release devices with their new chipset at the end of the first half of 2009.

But how does this fit into an Apple iNetbook? Consultants and specialists have asserted that any netbook model by Apple will be released monthes after MacWorld, similar to the release strategy Cupertino used with the iPhone. Now, Apple has already committed to converting their line of mobile computers to the Nvidia MCP79 chipset, fully equipped with the GeForce 9400M enhanced mobile graphics card. Apple has already made the conversion to Intel processors, which are a prerequisite for this Nvidia chipset. So, with the necessary infrastructure to release a netbook, and an accurately corresponding timetable disclosed by analysts, the idea of an Apple iNetbook is becoming a reality.

In October, CrunchGear published a convincing article describing why Apple's introduction would be a "no-brainer". Its definitely worth a read.

While Apple has been subtle about the conversion, and although Jobs's statements less than a year ago contradict the idea, right now is the prime time for Apple to cut into the netbook market with an industry shaking introduction.

That said, wouldn't this be fitting for Steve Jobs's last MacWorld?

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OS Rundown: JoliCloud (Coming 2009)

2008-12-20T14:00:00.000-08:00

An alternative to both Ubuntu Eee and gOS, JoliCloud is a brand new netbook OS that is still in development. The head of the project is Tariq Krim, famously of Netvibes, who plans to release the OS for beta test in early 2009.

The foundation of JoliCloud is Mozilla Prism, which lets users split applications out of the web browser and run them directly on the desktop. Using Prism, JoliCloud creates an iPhone-esque menu with large icons for each Prism-ed web app.

The app resembles Ubuntu Eee aesthetically, but is much more like gOS on the back end. What's fundamentally different, however, is that JoliCloud is downloaded and installed directly over the netbook's current OS. The main draw of gOS is that it can be run parallel to Windows XP or Vista and you can "hot swap" between the two.

The screenshot is courtesy of Mike Arrington over at TechCrunch, taken on his phone when he ran into Tariq Krim in Paris.

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Deal Central: NetbookDealsYo!.com

2008-12-20T10:33:00.001-08:00

Netbook Deals Yo! is an impressively minimalist website that aggregates auctions from eBay on a wide variety of netbooks. From MSI to Asus, and Acer to HP, Netbook Deals Yo! covers the most popular brands and maintains a no frills, ad-free interface.

It is much easier than browsing through eBay's interface, especially if you want to avoid holiday frauds.

While they do not provide any special deals (so to speak), this site can connect you to some of the biggest steals of the season.

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OS Rundown: Ubuntu Eee 8.04.1

2008-12-19T21:44:00.000-08:00

When Ubuntu was first released as a linux desktop OS, it quickly became a favorite among users who needed an alternative to Windows but didn't feel comfortable on the command line. Now, with netbook craze gearing up for full swing, Ubuntu has made its jump to this platform with Ubuntu Eee.

Ubuntu Eee can really be classified as a glorified, more featured version of gOS, which we reviewed here at Netbook Station recently. Ubuntu Eee maintains the full functionality of a PC where gOS doesn't; it doesn't rely completely on the browser and gives serious functionality off of the cloud. In classic Ubuntu style, the applications are broken up into logical categories, sorting productivity apps away from graphics and web apps.

Ubuntu Eee comes fully equipped with Firefox 3 and the OpenOffice Suite, so it is not completely necesarry to rely on GoogleDocs for Could storage.

Additionally, Asus users have the option of taking advantage of Eee Storage, a cloud storage feature that come complimentary with some Asus Eee models. For others, the service requires a subscription, and can come in handy if you are running off of a low capacity SSD.

Overall, Ubuntu Eee 8.04.1 provides a fully equiped alternative for users who want to avoid a barebones linux OS and Windows. Highly Recommended.

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Which Netbooks Will Run Mac OSX?

2008-12-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

Just like any other gadget, the netbook started getting hacked the moment it was released. Unlike a regular notebook, however, netbooks lack an optical drive and occasionally lack ethernet connectivity. As a result, it is difficult to run just any operating system on netbooks, as their specialized hardware requires specialized software.

That said, Rob Beschizza over at Boing Boing Gadgets put together a comprehensive table that outlines the limitations of the most prominent netbooks in the context of OSX's hardware requirements. Rob advises that for those who are looking to hack their netbook with OSX, either the "MSI Wind or the Dell Mini 9" are the best options.

The hacked versions of Mac OSX that are required for this hack are available as torrents from The Pirate Bay. Even though it is still against the Apple OSX Use Policy to install the operating system on unapproved hardware, you might as well be polite and do them the favor of owning the software legitimately.

Click on the image for a larger version of the table, or view the video below for a quick step by step of how to hack the MSI Wind to run OSX.

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OS Rundown: Good OS

2008-12-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

Good OS, known lovingly as gOS, takes the functionality of Google Apps and the most popular Web 2.0 applications, and puts them right on your desktop. With gOS, most functions take place within the browser, which happens to closely resemble Google Chrome. Emulating the dock functionality of Mac OSX, gOS gives easy access to basic functions such as word processing (Google Docs), email (Gmail), voice communication (Skype), organization (Google Cal), and web browsing (Firefox).

Although gOS is in no way affiliated wth Google, it makes use of Google's increasingly prioritized initiative to move everyone's information into the cloud (or their cloud, as it were). That said, gOS makes it simple to boot into Windows right out of its linux interface. In fact, gOS's linux kernel allows you to swap between gOS when you are doing light computing and Windows when you need to do heavy lifting.

gOS made its debut on a $199 line of PC's sold at WalMart, and eventually filtered through the desktop market into the lucrative netbook market. After a recent partnership with Gigabyte, gOS has successfully infiltrated the desktop, netbook, and tablet markets. Where will is stop? Perhaps never.

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