ASRock Multibook G22 packs Ion, Atom 330 and a multitouch trackpad into 12-inch laptop

ASRock isn't exactly the very first company we think of when it comes to innovation, but the ASUS spinoff actually has a pretty good track record of going out on a limb. The new Multibook G22, for instance, combines the dual core Atom 330 processor, NVIDIA Ion, 2GB of RAM, a feature-rich multitouch trackpad, and a widescreen 12.1-inch 1366 x 768 display. It still feels "netbook-ey" for our money, but in a good way. Other perks include a 10-in-1 card reader, big people hard drive capacities (320GB instead of the 160GB netbook max), VGA and HDMI, 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and a DVD burner. It all weighs in at over 3.3 pounds without battery, and measures more than an inch thick. Yeah, those last few bullet points might throw this out of the realm of netbook contention, but at least there's an Atom processor in here keeping things slow enough for the most basic of tasks. No word on price or availability.

Update: According to Liliputing, ASRock has made contact and states that the G22 is actually running an Intel CULV processor and chipset, instead of Atom and Ion -- bad news for Ion junkies, good news for CULV lovers. A bit of a mixed bag, if you ask us.

[Thanks, Shawn]

[james @ Jun 17th 2009 9:53AM]

take the DVD drive out, price it at $350: congrats, you've just made the best-selling netbook for the next few months

[Beastage @ Jun 17th 2009 9:55AM]

Aye... but prolly will be like 450usd

[OneLove @ Jun 17th 2009 10:29AM]

dual core and 64 bit atom. sweet!

[Miles @ Jun 17th 2009 9:53AM]

Let the Lawsuits begin!

[Muhammad-Oli @ Jun 17th 2009 10:02AM]

Lawsuits? Over what? If you mean the name, then I gather from the article and the word "spinoff" that ASRock is part of the ASUS brand. Unless I missed something.

[Miles @ Jun 17th 2009 10:09AM]

Apple doesn't like it when you take their fratures, such as multitouch.

[Major4Play @ Jun 17th 2009 10:12AM]

Apple did not invent multi-touch.
Apple also did not invent multi-touch trackpads, you can get them on many laptops iDiot !

[insky @ Jun 17th 2009 10:15AM]

Tell me you can't be that idiotic. Asus (They're behind ASRock) had multitouch trackpads in the Eee Pc before Apple put them into the Macbook Air. In fact Elantech (The company who makes the trackpads for Asus) sued Apple for infringing on their multitouch trackpad patents.

So it is completely the other way around.

[thebomberman @ Jun 17th 2009 10:26AM]

Miles, you really are a tard.

[superhobo @ Jun 17th 2009 12:55PM]

Let the downranking begi....oh wait.

[edyzero @ Jun 17th 2009 9:55AM]

Or put a blue-ray instead and sell it for 500.

[james @ Jun 17th 2009 9:56AM]

you're an idiot. first, it's Blu Ray and second, gtfo b/c netbooks AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE USED FOR THINGS LIKE GAMING AND BLU RAY!

[Paul Miller @ Jun 17th 2009 10:00AM]

Actually, it's Blu-ray, and NVIDIA Ion can decode Blu-ray perfectly -- would make sense with that 720p screen.

[Flowah @ Jun 17th 2009 10:06AM]

I would say that if it has HDMI, a dual core atom processor, AND the ION, it IS meant for things like blu-ray. I mean, it's basically a portable HTPC.

Need word on battery life. BATTERY LIFE! and when it gets released! And pictures of the keyboard!

[GB @ Jun 17th 2009 10:32AM]

Where is Blu Ray mentioned? I can't find it anywhere..!?

[Flowah @ Jun 17th 2009 11:10AM]

It's not mentioned, that's the point. The guy wanted a blu-ray instead of dvd drive.

[Andrew12 @ Jun 18th 2009 11:03PM]

it isnt a netbook

[MeowR- @ Jun 17th 2009 1:54PM]

B-but, I WANNA use a netbook for gaming!

[TareX @ Jun 17th 2009 10:06AM]

The perfect netbook has just been created (in a pre-Windows 7 era).

Would have wanted a slimmer one, but that would be asking for too much.

[old_fogie_late_bloomer @ Jun 17th 2009 1:05PM]

I agree that it would have been perfect (for me, at least), except for one thing... a glossy screen. At least the Google translator says it honestly: "glare-type" is a perfect description.

[Oli D @ Jun 17th 2009 5:59PM]

I bought a laptop from czech republic (for some reason) and the box said glare-type screen.

Its apparently a perfectly acceptable term...

[ArcticFox @ Jun 17th 2009 10:07AM]

According to ASRock this isnt an Atom/Ion machine its a CULV cpu. Nice bit of reporting.

[Major4Play @ Jun 17th 2009 10:15AM]

"The Multibook G22 machine is a 12.1 "with 1366 x 768 driven by an ION Nvidia and powered by an Intel ATOM 330 double heart: Many elements that fall into the netBook, but also some points that make the switch fully portable classic."

Did you read the article ?

[GingerFox @ Jun 17th 2009 1:26PM]

Clever fox;)

[Adderz @ Jun 17th 2009 10:08AM]

I will NEVER accept 12.1 inch displays as netbooks. They are full size notebooks with shitty processors and shitty graphics...nothing more.

[GRAMMAR POLICE @ Jun 17th 2009 10:23AM]

I am sure the netbook market mourns the loss of your approval.

[Sirius @ Jun 17th 2009 10:23AM]

Yea.. I did a double take when I saw the optical drive.. went back to check the screen size.. netbooks should be under 10" or so.. otherwise they're just underpowered ultraportables... then again there's not exactly a clear line.. The Register says it's an ultrathin :P
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/13/miniature_computer_field_guide/

[insky @ Jun 17th 2009 10:46AM]

This isn't considered a netbook...not legally at least. It goes against two of the major companies that decide what a netbook can be. First it goes against Intel's decision that netbooks can't have an Atom 330. Then it goes against Microsoft's decision that a netbook can't have more than 1GB of RAM.

So this is some kind of gray area between netbook and notebook...a neotbook

[Kraynor @ Jun 17th 2009 11:09AM]

I'd rather call it a notbook.

[superhobo @ Jun 17th 2009 12:50PM]

Full size = 14" plus

13"ers are usually called ultraportables.

[Neeko @ Jun 17th 2009 10:32AM]

Hopefully this comes out before or around the time the lenovo s12 does. So far im only looking at netbooks that have ION..everything else is old news.

[CAC @ Jun 17th 2009 10:34AM]

Give me ion, atom 330 in a all in one computer and I will buy one. Screw Intel and its wimpy 945 graphics.

[Dimme @ Jun 17th 2009 11:24AM]

I own an ASRock NetTop ION 330, basically a small form factor box with the same hardware spec. It's connected to my flatscreen TV and digital surround amplifier and it is fully capable of running Win 7 rc (64bit) and full HD video with full HD surround (even in MKV-format with the right 64bit drivers). It's not the world's fastest machine, but it's good enough for surfing and video playback (full screen flash HD video on YouTube drops the occasional frame but I hope Adobe will fix that with a flash-plugin that is ION-hardware aware). Even Google Earth is doable. The whole setup is fed by a 65W power adapter, so I don't have to worry about the power bill if i leave the system on.

[Dax @ Jun 17th 2009 11:40AM]

Apple has been awarded numerous patents regarding MultiTouch. MultiTouch is also a trademark of Apple Inc. And for you idiots, Asus did NOT introduce it. It was first introduced in the MacBook Pro WAAAAYYYY before the Air.

[Justin @ Jun 17th 2009 11:47AM]

Just STFU and go away. Nobody cares about Apple's "so-called" multi-touch patents. They can battle Asus for it, who can battle Synaptics for it, who can fight Palm for it, who has to duke it out with the patent that was awarded for it in the 1980's..

[rells009 @ Jun 17th 2009 12:23PM]

Does Apple have MultiTouch, multitouch, multi-touch or Multi-touch?

[insky @ Jun 17th 2009 12:38PM]

True multitouch as in more than two points of recognition.
The original Macbook Pros could only detect two fingers. The Eee Pc was the first laptop to have a touchpad with more than two points of recognition. Then Apple released the Macbook Air with a Synaptecs multitouch touchpad...Which was the first Apple computer with true multitouch.

Also, Acer had two finger touch touchpads LONG before any Macbook did.

So far there's only been one patent found that's been awarded to Apple (or FingerWorks) for multitouch...and that's only regarding locking side to side movements when you scroll and free movement when you move around.

On the other hand Elantech has plenty. This one for example was filed in 1996...two years before Fingerworks was started...9 years before Apple bought them out..11 years before the iPhone...12 years before the Macbook Air.
http://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5825352.PN.&OS=PN/5825352&RS=PN/5825352


Just because YOU associate multitouch with Apple doesn't mean everybody does

[superhobo @ Jun 17th 2009 12:53PM]

This is an example of how Apple overhypes features that other manufacturers take for granted.

Like when the Air was released, Apple and iTards toted Remote Disc as a groundbreaking feature. Windows has had drive sharing for years now.

[Hackettman @ Jun 17th 2009 12:04PM]

Sweet piece of Ion sexiness....... At $450 I actually might buy it for my everyday laptop.....

[Andrew Merskin @ Jun 17th 2009 5:01PM]

Looks pretty promising to me! :)

I've still got my mind set on a MacBook Pro 13" though...

[steve......bitch @ Jun 17th 2009 6:45PM]

hi

[steve......bitch @ Jun 17th 2009 6:46PM]

?

[makemylogic @ Jun 21st 2009 12:20PM]

before going for this u might want to look here..

http://makemylogic.com/2009/06/21/how-to-choose-a-netbook-the-logic