Sylvania's G netbook gets some specs

We weren't expecting much out of Sylvania's followup to its random Cloudbook rebrand, but some specs on the new netbook just hit the wires, and they're pretty respectable -- especially if this thing comes in at the $299 price target. Sure, it's still ugly, but you'll be getting a 1.6GHz Intel Atom, 1GB of RAM, an 80GB disk, and an 8.9-inch 1024 x 600 screen with an integrated webcam with either XP or Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which is a pretty hot deal -- you listening, ASUS?

[avester @ Jul 31st 2008 1:14PM]

Unless some company actually releases a Netbook with 6-cell battery, Intel Atom, decent display, and for under 400$, not interested.

[OneLove @ Jul 31st 2008 1:55PM]

I second that emotion.

[La @ Jul 31st 2008 2:14PM]

Great, Everyone was wondering what you were looking for, and would be interested in.

[OneLove @ Aug 1st 2008 3:02PM]

is Tigerdirect selling them already? it looks like a cloudbook?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3747065&Sku=D516-7001

[Cipher @ Aug 8th 2008 4:05AM]

It's not just you that's interested in a long-battery life netbook. I need one too, portability means nothing if the damn thing won't turn on. Supposedly the Dell thing that comes out this month will last 5 hours. Might not have function keys though, wtf.

[phanbouy @ Jul 31st 2008 1:15PM]

how do you change the filament?

[SamNC @ Jul 31st 2008 1:17PM]

Nice price but don't know the quality.

[kavendano14 @ Jul 31st 2008 1:24PM]

Pretty low res.

[0megapart!cle @ Jul 31st 2008 2:13PM]

The res is perfect. 8.9" 1024x600 is higher dpi than WSXGA 15.4"

[sracer @ Jul 31st 2008 1:29PM]

I will be shocked (and buy one immediately) if this thing is on store shelves at $299. The so-called "race to the bottom" has been run and Asus won. The race is over and now notebook makers are moving up the pricing scale with under-featured under-powered systems at price-points that entry-level full-functioned notebooks once resided in.

[dwr50 @ Jul 31st 2008 1:29PM]

The price is getting closer to realistic.

Acer Aspire 5315-2153, $348 Walmart Special,Mandriva Linux 2008.1 Spring Edition

[IndyGunFreak @ Aug 2nd 2008 9:24PM]

I've had that Acer since Summer 07 and while I'm not sure how it would run Vista(i nuked it immediately), it runs Ubuntu quite well. Wireless is easy to setup w/ Madwifi, everything else runs pretty close to perfect. I actually got mine for $320 because I bought the Display... :)

IGF

[cmlp13 @ Jul 31st 2008 1:30PM]

SSD? Same price point? Sure!

[Zadillo @ Jul 31st 2008 1:33PM]

It isn't going to be $299; that price came about because of a misunderstanding. The guy who posted this on his blog corrected it to point out that the $299 price he mentioned is just the starting price for these kinds of machines, not that it would be the price for this particular model, especially with those specs:

http://www.rossrubin.com/outofthebox/2008/07/30/sylvania-to-enter-expanding-netbook-market/

[SamNC @ Jul 31st 2008 1:37PM]

It will nice if a GPS chipset is included. It will be even better if 3G is incorporated so that it can do whatever iPhone (sorry that I have to mention this, peace) can do.

At this price point, I will just drop one of these in a car and use it wherever and whenever I needed it!

[Jason @ Aug 1st 2008 1:07AM]

Yes, but until then, nice remains an adjective.

[brad @ Aug 1st 2008 10:25AM]

@ Jason.

Zing!

[SamNC @ Jul 31st 2008 1:39PM]

You shattered my hope to throw one of them into my car!

[phanbouy @ Jul 31st 2008 1:44PM]

as opposed to shattering the laptop by throwing it into the car?

[SamNC @ Jul 31st 2008 2:36PM]

Yeah! Its not $299 so I have to carefully put the netbook into the car, no throws and no drops!

[bioadam @ Jul 31st 2008 1:53PM]

'Bout time a . . . "netbook". . . *shudder* . . . came preloaded with Ubuntu. That will save most Linux users the trouble of loading it themselves.

[matt @ Jul 31st 2008 4:49PM]

The Elonex one in the UK comes with it, not sure about availability outside of the UK though.

[sockatume @ Jul 31st 2008 2:10PM]

Poor VIA. They design a laptop platform called the Nanobook, Everex is the first company to rebrand and build one, and Everex gets all the credit.

[kmitra @ Jul 31st 2008 2:26PM]

Sylvania !! ....The light bulb people?

I am sure that their screen will be backlit by tungsten filaments, not by LEDs. At least brightness is assured....

[The Dude @ Jul 31st 2008 3:00PM]

What does Dracula have to say about this? Will he ever claim trademark infringement on Transylvania? And what of Pennsylvania...?

[thebeige @ Jul 31st 2008 3:16PM]

Hp 2133 mini-note: Hands Down the best netbook on the market right now. I bought one earlier this year when it came out and chuckle every time I hear others talking about how other netbooks are crappy, slow, etc. Mine flies on windows XP home SP3. Finally, HP does something right.

[David @ Jul 31st 2008 6:39PM]

You paid >$600 for yours ... and it's ugly.

Well done! Congratulations!

[David @ Jul 31st 2008 6:40PM]

...and the battery life sucks.

[ryan @ Jul 31st 2008 3:07PM]

It's not ugly, it's horrendous.

[ng.andy @ Jul 31st 2008 4:03PM]

Sylvania doesn't actually make any PCs. This division is just a company that licenses the brand name and OEMs product, hence the Cloudbook clone. I'd be reluctant to purchase anything from a company that probably won't be around in a year...

[fred @ Jul 31st 2008 4:32PM]

Screw the Netbook.

Is that version of Ubuntu available for download anywhere?

[matt @ Jul 31st 2008 4:48PM]

Yes, grab it from the ubuntu site.

[bebop @ Jul 31st 2008 7:54PM]

Yeah, but its installed as additional packages on top of the regular OS, and according to the site requires a certain amount of know-what to set up properly. They are working on an easier distribution method.

[Nimblesquirrel @ Jul 31st 2008 4:46PM]

I imagine that Via would have a couple of things to say, if the Sylvania is based on thier NanoBook and OpenBook reference designs (like the Cloudbook was), but with an Intel Atom inside.

[m-p{3} @ Aug 2nd 2008 1:53PM]

I'd get an MSI Wind before this one, because the Wind has a 10" display,