Inventec intros $230, 10.1-inch V10 laptop for China

If the current crop of cheaptops are still a bit too pricey for your taste, you may want to keep an eye out for Inventec's new V10 laptop, which apparently costs a mere 1,600 Chinese yuan (or about $230) . That'll get you a bigger than usual 10.1-inch display, but a decidedly lackluster 1GHz VIA C3 processor, along with 128MB of RAM (apparently upgradeable), a 20GB hard drive, and built-in Ethernet but seemingly no WiFi to speak of (there are two USB ports, though). Of course, there's no word on a release 'round these parts, but we'd expect there to be at least a decent market for these given the price / screen size combo

[Eric M. @ May 23rd 2008 1:41PM]

No WiFi? In this day and age, what good is a laptop without WiFi?

But I'm guessing this is a case where you get what you pay for.

[xkevin @ May 23rd 2008 1:55PM]

Ha! Watch it not have a battery either...

[Shinigami @ May 23rd 2008 1:56PM]

You can use one usb for mouse and another for wifi.

[Flashpoint @ May 23rd 2008 2:38PM]

IT WILL HAVE A BATTERY

but because its made in China, that battery will go NOVA if you leave it plugged in too long.

[BigD145 @ May 23rd 2008 5:42PM]

I see lots of bezel room to put a USB wifi adapter in. A couple hours and $20 bucks or so will see it done.

[initialxy @ May 23rd 2008 1:45PM]

that's a pretty decent deal

[Shinigami @ May 23rd 2008 1:55PM]

This is what happens when you have full stock of parts that nobody wants. Like 20gb hdds - even MP3s are larger these days.
But I can't say I'm not happy to hear about $230 laptop which wasn't made on a program "One Laptop Per Child". Great news, means there is hope OLPC program will finally sell lappies for $100.

The only thing I'm afraid of - this thing will fall apart when I take it out of the box xD

[iEye @ May 23rd 2008 2:02PM]

Engadet Rocks because they have no camera ads with Ashton Kutcher...

First!

[jay.viz @ May 23rd 2008 2:13PM]

You do realize that by saying this you are basically asking for them?

[jay.viz @ May 23rd 2008 2:16PM]

I wish I could edit my comment and put a period at the end instead.

[Najakwa @ May 23rd 2008 2:06PM]

(there is two USB ports, though)

[UKNigel @ May 23rd 2008 2:22PM]

First thing I noticed as well. Too bad Donald are not checking to make sure his grammer are good.

[MeatyPi @ May 23rd 2008 2:24PM]

haha, I saw this too, come on Engadgeteers! Check your grammar!

[AlphaTeam @ May 23rd 2008 10:22PM]

Already on par with MB!

[BobfromVegas @ May 23rd 2008 2:26PM]

I'm really not in the market for these.

But its good to see low priced laptops :)

[Ryan Karolak @ May 23rd 2008 2:46PM]

No Wifi? Is that Vista I see on this 128mb RAM computer? Crazy talk!

Although really, this isn't too bad of a deal at all, even if you have to go upgrade the RAM and put in a WIFI card, assuming this has the expansion slot for that... otherwise, USB Wifi it is.

[John @ May 23rd 2008 3:03PM]

10" laptop was totally my idea. If only I had called Inventec ... I could have been rich.

[FGL82 @ May 23rd 2008 3:23PM]

God... I remember when I first saw the EEE I though "cool little machine".

Now it's just sad.. it's like a race to the bottom to see who can vomit the most disgusting and underpowered device... At this rate they'll produce a 386 in about two months, but hey! It will be a perfectly capable "email machine" =S

[AlphaTeam @ May 23rd 2008 10:23PM]

And it would be made from "air"

[digitallysick @ May 23rd 2008 4:04PM]

Sounds great, except the lack of wifi

[BigD145 @ May 23rd 2008 5:44PM]

Another $100-200 could see this being one of the cheapest tablets in existence. Most of the $800-1000 tablets nowadays barely nudges itself over 1Ghz, in the first place.

[de @ May 23rd 2008 6:31PM]

I'll pay $30 for it, final !

[Ben @ May 23rd 2008 8:47PM]

Made in Taiwan

[BW @ May 23rd 2008 8:55PM]

Mmm,

I remember Inventec being the maker of the Besta electronic dictionary that I used in high school. Bundle the V10 with the functions of the electronic dictionary and I am sold :)

[Mercator @ May 24th 2008 12:36AM]

My wife has a Besta Chinese English electronic dictionary and it has worked like a champ for 2 years, has quite a few features, and in that two years probably clocked up 200 hours of powerup use on 3 sets of AAA batteries, one set being a packet bought at a chinese 7-11.

They should use the 'o/s' from the besta, add email, and they could make a useable email device for $50.