Coby $85 smartbook feels like a hundred bucks (hands-on)

Funny how our tune on smartbooks totally changes when one's got an $85 price tag. We happened upon Coby's booth at CeBIT this morning and of all the fairly cheap feeling laptops the company had on display it was its 7-inch NBPC722 smartbook that cozied right up to us. Okay, so it isn't as thin or attractive as the $499 Lenovo's Skylight, but again let us remind you that it costs about as much as a couple of new printer ink cartridges. Inside the little guy packs a 624MHz Marvell PXA303 processor, 2GB of flash storage and runs Windows CE which all should be good enough for some light Web browsing and e-mail writing. There was actually a YouTube shortcut on the desktop, but the NBPC722 wasn't connected to try it out. Apparently this inexpensive laptop should be making its way stateside this spring, but until the flowers start blooming you've got the video below.

Coby NBPC722 smartbook

[joelaf Posted Mar 3rd 2010 4:09PM]

After seeing some of the other links, I think CeBit kicked CES's ass, this year. More actual products, less 3D hypnotyzum.

[joelaf Posted Mar 3rd 2010 4:20PM]

@joelaf

HiVision and JXD both announced 7" slate/tablets around $100. JXD's admittedly has no wifi, but dongles go for $20. My coffee table is going to be too crowded for coffee (but not Bourbon).

[mattyboy1013 Posted Mar 3rd 2010 4:23PM]

im definitly getting one

[Benjulious Posted Mar 3rd 2010 4:27PM]

It isn't as nice looking, but that thing seems just as thin as my bro's Dell Mini 9.

The screen is horrible though. Looks like it has 100:1 contrast ratio and as much bezel as there is screen.

[adnyxo Posted Mar 3rd 2010 4:31PM]

i wonder if it would have the power to play flash videos with linux

[iamdigitalman Posted Mar 3rd 2010 4:53PM]

This looks like a worthy successor to my old HP Jornada 820. the 820 even has a USB host port, but it only works with a mouse. This thing has 3, and looks like it can do flash drive.

That plus my old 820 runs CE 2.11/Handheld PC Pro 3.01.

Too bad this thing does not have a PC card or CF slot, but I bet there is a lot more RAM built in, as well as wifi.

I will be getting one of these just to kick around.

[devinslick Posted Mar 4th 2010 12:40AM]

This sounds like a great place for Chrome OS..

[Scr1be Posted Mar 4th 2010 1:20AM]

Is it just me or do the USB and SD card slots look huge? For $85 I might just pick one up to use as as spare or for my 6 yr old

[Syliss Posted Mar 4th 2010 4:05AM]

Might be a rebrand of this http://joyplus.en.made-in-china.com/product/vqDmerbMrlcC/China-7-Laptop.html which i hope not. It looks way too much alike. if so do not want. At least the cpu can do android.

[pretol Posted Mar 4th 2010 1:37PM]

WinCE? Oh jesus!!! that's almost as bad as the iPad running the MobileOSX...