Gigabyte gets official with 8.9-inch M912V swivel screen netbook

It has taken long enough, but Gigabyte finally saw fit to make official its intriguing M912V. If you'll recall, this critter popped up and caught eyes at Computex, as it's essentially a netbook with a swivel screen -- think Tablet PC, but miniature. Specs wise, you're looking at an 8.9-inch WXGA (1,280 x 768) LED-backlit panel, Intel's 1.6GHz Atom processor, a 2.5-inch HDD (120/160/250GB), 1.3-megapixel camera, twin 1.5-watt speakers, 1GB of RAM and your choice of Windows XP, Vista or Linux. Furthermore, you'll find Bluetooth, WiFi, an ExpressCard slot, a wide of array of ports and even an option for HSDPA expansion. It should be noted that there's no internal optical drive (nor a price or release date just yet), but at least Gigabyte's offering up a netbook with some inkling of innovation, right?

[Via PCLaunches]

[Agent42 @ Jul 5th 2008 2:09PM]

Do Want! (?)

[JAmerican @ Jul 5th 2008 2:09PM]

Engadget, the site you linked to saying the price is $700 and its coming this month.

[JAmerican @ Jul 5th 2008 2:11PM]

BTW I thought that Windows XP Home for netbooks could not have a touchscreen?

[MRCUR @ Jul 5th 2008 2:27PM]

They can now. MS just changed the rules.

[Mile @ Jul 6th 2008 7:55PM]

Those crazy Microsofties! Breaking The Rulez!

[gerrrg @ Jul 7th 2008 12:22AM]

windows xp tablet pc edition.

[Mam00th @ Jul 5th 2008 2:10PM]

Price?

[Mam00th @ Jul 5th 2008 2:12PM]

Oops sorry for this one, I didn't see the $699 price tag on pc launch.

[r19578 @ Jul 5th 2008 2:11PM]

Innovation? nope, it's just a cheaper version of Fujitsu P1620.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 5th 2008 2:14PM]

the eeepc wasn't innovation either but it sold like freash bake hot cakes

[andres @ Jul 5th 2008 4:00PM]

freash, i dont know if that would sell very well

[dcpmark @ Jul 5th 2008 4:28PM]

I was thinking the same thing, especially when I read this:

"think Tablet PC, but miniature."

The Fujitsu P series has been around for, what 4 years now?? But the $699 price is nice compared to the $1799 for the P1620.

[Kai @ Jul 6th 2008 12:46PM]

I'd think that the much cheaper price is an innovation... at least I can afford this. =D

[Fusion Fuzo @ Jul 5th 2008 2:13PM]

$700 thats more than an eee

[JAmerican @ Jul 5th 2008 2:13PM]

EEE don't come with a swivel screen and touchscreen. It also doesn't come with an express card slot.

[Ricardo @ Jul 5th 2008 3:24PM]

Don't forget the crappy Eee screen too. I know because I have one.

[GatgetMan @ Jul 5th 2008 5:28PM]

Choose the correct answer:

A. $700 > $399
B. $700 < $399
C. $700 = $399
D. Fuzo is an idiot


Correct answer is: D. Fuzo is an idiot

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 5th 2008 9:03PM]

Actually, both B and D are correct.

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 5th 2008 11:15PM]

Shit, I take it back. I meant A and D.

[rob @ Jul 5th 2008 2:21PM]

Hahaha....Vista on this???

[Luke @ Jul 5th 2008 2:45PM]

Vista would run quite nicely on an Atom. Even the humble EEEPC can run Vista no sweat. I would keep an eye on the services and probably vlite it, but for anyone who knows what they're doing, there isn't any reason to use XP for things like this.

[roach @ Jul 5th 2008 5:33PM]

Vista and tablet user for 3 years... I wouldn't use anything else. By the way, my tablet with 1.1 ghz originally came with XP and it runs Vista nicely. But I'm sure you don't like hearing anything that promotes Vista.

[OddManOut @ Jul 5th 2008 7:00PM]

"...for anyone who knows what they're doing, there isn't any reason to use XP for things like this."

Exactly...I still put Win2K on my mini notes and tablets...

What exactly are the reasons FOR using Vista on devices like these ? And that's not a flame bait or even pointless Vista bashing...I just don't see what you get back for the increased resource overhead.

My Athlon XP system ran Vista pretty competently too (once I bumped the RAM to 1GB), but it didn't make the system all that much more usable than when it had 2K/XP on it. So I ask in all seriousness, what's the gain ? I mean at the very least XP takes a heck of a lot less space to install...

[Luke @ Jul 6th 2008 7:15PM]

@Oddmanout

There are a lot of reasons why I will never use xp on a desktop anymore, but for a sub-tablet, it doesn't really matter much. There are improvements in my opinion, but granted they are slight. For the most part:

1) Overall improved code security, and I'm not referring to UAC
2) Far Better UI imho (beyond merely Aero). After using Vista for over a year now I can hardly stand XP. It's like looking at OS9 for me now.
3) Updated control panel options and services, particularly for touchscreens and tablets
4) Not really relevant here, but native AHCI support is something else I appreciate, especially now that laptops are beginning to come with an ESATA port.

And if you use vlite, it won't even take that much more space.

In this case I would probably use XP if I was buying an OEM license, since after-all, it would be about $80 cheaper. But since I already own vista, I'd just vlite it and throw it on there and get all the benefits I mentioned for no extra cost or performance loss. Win-win for me.

For those times when I need a super slim os, I consider XP bloated, and just haul out some form of Linux to suit whatever my current needs are.

[roach @ Jul 6th 2008 1:22AM]

Using XP with my tablet was good, but having Vista was even better. Character recognition is way better. My writing sometimes gets sloppy, but Vista still knows what the hell I'm trying to write. It constantly learning how I write. Tablet function in handling folders is better with check mark for each folder. My tablet can be converted to slate, so I just have a pen for input (no shift or control key access) but I can still choose multiple selected items. And Vista does many other things such as logging in, writing access code, Web function, etc. I had an itouch, while it is a great gadget, a lot of its function, my tablet already had. And there are many more function my tablet has that does better than an itouch...I wouldn't surprise if Apple adds it to itouch.

[iofthestorm @ Jul 6th 2008 4:13AM]

Character recognition and overall tablet functionality is way better in Vista than XP.

[Fusion Fuzo @ Jul 5th 2008 2:37PM]

attually that worth $700 with that screen res, and hard drive

[ammi @ Jul 5th 2008 3:04PM]

Agreed. That processor isn't going to crunch any major numbers, but this little machine definitely has enough juice to pique my curiosity.

Dunno if it's worth buying though.

[wilcoholic @ Jul 5th 2008 2:58PM]

Same old same old. When are companies really coming out with some new innovation instead of improving the specs.

That goes for anyone out there in the notebook market not just Gigabyte. I want some true innovations not a 1% faster processor or all those functions that just dont wow me anymore.

[esecasco @ Jul 5th 2008 4:46PM]

What do you define as innovation though?

Do you want a larger screen at the same res? HP tx2500z is for you
How about a multi-touch display? wouldn't fit into the price scheme
2.8 Quad core intel proc? wouldn't fit into the price scheme
8600GT? Might fit into price scheme, would not fit in chasis

No matter how you cut it, quality/innovation costs, either in space, or price.

[The Dude @ Jul 5th 2008 3:00PM]

I'm waiting for Terabyte to get official with their netbook. They seem like they'd be more ahead of the pack then a company named Gigabyte.

[Zach @ Jul 5th 2008 8:46PM]

Gigabyte has been around for a while selling motherboards and videocards among other things.

[digitallysick @ Jul 5th 2008 3:03PM]

Looks great cost is to high unless thats a touch screen

[matt @ Jul 5th 2008 3:24PM]

Does anyone read articles around here?

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 5th 2008 3:29PM]

No, we just scroll down to the comments section.

[SimonRichards @ Jul 6th 2008 12:44PM]

Nowhere in the article does it say that it has a touchscreen...

[YpoCaramel @ Jul 5th 2008 3:21PM]

Against the other favorite 1.6Ghz Atom netbooks right now, the MSI Wind and EeePC 1000H,

Gigabyte M921V Advantages:
Convertible Tablet
ExpressCard Slot
Larger hard drive capacities

Disadvantages:
Higher price
Smaller screen (debatable)

Also, with the smaller size I'm worried that the keyboard is as bad as the eeePC 701 keyboard. The keyboard will be the deciding factor for me.

[matt @ Jul 5th 2008 3:29PM]

The screen has a nice resolution though. More than makes up for the lack of screen area.

I think this will be replacing my EEE.

[MattyG @ Jul 5th 2008 3:25PM]

looks good to me, give me a good uk price and i'll be there

[Dster @ Jul 5th 2008 3:34PM]

XGA screen height? Sold.

[KyleK @ Jul 15th 2008 6:30AM]

1280x768 is not XGA, it's WXGA (15:9).

[BigTeebo @ Jul 5th 2008 3:44PM]

Where have I seen the image on the laptop's display before? I assume that's gettyimages clipart.

[chase @ Jul 5th 2008 3:49PM]

WOW ENGADGET! NO ONE WANTS OR CARES ABOUT ALL OF THESE 8 INCH NOTEBOOKS THAT CANT EVEN RUN SOLITARE LET ALONE CRYSIS. HONESTLY, WHO CAN BE PRODUCTIVE WITH A TINY LITTLE MONITOR THAT IS STILL BEHIND VISTA AND COMES WITH AN OS NOT EVEN SOLD BY MICROSOFT TO THE REST OF THE MARKET. YES I AM TYPING IN CAPS AND IT SHOULD ONLY BOTHER YOU IF YOUR THE OCD TYPE THAT IS PARANOID THAT THE COMPUTER IS YELLING AT YOU.

[s1pacrat @ Jul 5th 2008 4:14PM]

I use one of these 8 inch notebooks, and they seem to serve their purpose quite well. I am also looking for a better replacement to mine, so to me these articles are helpful. If you don't want to, don't read them.

[matt @ Jul 5th 2008 4:15PM]

I am interested. I would like a smaller, cheaper tablet PC. I currently have an EEE(One of the first ones) and it is good, but not perfect. The size of the screen is not the problem, it is the resolution that counts.

I don't want any form of windows software anywhere near my computers, Linux is just so much better, and speedier to boot on these little machines. It can be easily tweaked to fit on the small screen.

[GatgetMan @ Jul 5th 2008 5:23PM]

"NO ONE CARES"

I see an awful lot of comments here, looks like many people care, just not you.

If CHASE = DOESN'T CARE

then

CHASE = NO ONE

Clearly you are a nobody

[Andrew @ Jul 10th 2008 5:30PM]

You're an idiot.. Because a system doesn't play the latest and greatest* games doesn't make it a BAD computer. If I want to play a game, I'll play it on my PS3. I know people with desktop replacement laptops, and believe me, I don't want to be lugging around a 20lb notebook^ accompanied by a 200watt powersupply the size of a massive textbook.

So, before you speak, think of what others prefer.. Just because you don't leave your house and embed yourself into games all day, doesn't mean the rest of the world is like that.

k thx bai!

* = debatable. Highest graphics doesn't mean best gameplay. You Crysis lovers guys forget this.

^ = Can you even call this size a notebook anymore?

[Joe H @ Jul 5th 2008 4:04PM]

So far out of all the netbooks, this is most intriguing to me. Too bad they couldn't manage to stuff an active digitizer in there though, for $700. A smaller hard drive would be fine for me too, in something like this. If you are planning on using it as a Tablet though, Vista is definitely a very smart idea (Vista's Handwriting recognition is amazing).

[bogdatov @ Jul 5th 2008 4:15PM]

When will they start offering GPS on those mini PCs ?

[Joe H @ Jul 5th 2008 4:31PM]

Some of them already have it, but even if they don't, how hard is it really to mod into it. Just find where the USB ports are connected to and solder it in.