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VIA Nano 3000 CPU series finally launches to rival Intel's Atom

by Darren Murph posted Nov 3rd 2009 at 10:10AM

We suppose dreams really do come true. Nearly a full year after we heard that VIA was toiling on a new processor line to really give Intel's aging Atom a run for its money, the company has come clean and confessed that those whispers were indeed true. The Isaiah-based Nano 3000 Series is a range of six new CPUs clocked between 1GHz and 2GHz, all of which boast an 800MHz FSB, 64-bit support, SSE4 instructions, Windows 7 / Linux compatibility and power ratings that check in some 20 percent more efficient than existing VIA Nano processors. There's also the promise of 1080p multimedia playback, and VIA swears that we'll see these popping up in all-in-one desktops as well as thin-and-light laptops in the very near future. How soon, you ask? Samples are shipping now to OEMs, with mass production slated for Q1 2010.

Gallery: VIA Nano 3000 CPU series finally launches to rival Intel's Atom

Video: VIA's VB8003 Mini-ITX board has dual-HDMI, could rock your HTPC's world

by Tim Stevens posted Sep 22nd 2009 at 8:27AM

Remember when the PlayStation 3 was going to have dual-HDMI ports so that games could pump 1080p video to two displays simultaneously? Ahh, those were good 'ol days. That configuration obviously didn't come to pass, but VIA's looking to deliver dual-HDMI and more in its next integrated Mini-ITX solution, the VB8003, which also packs DVI and VGA ports, as well as an LVDS output, meaning it could control five displays at once (though with only four discrete signals). It uses the Trinity Platform with a 1.6GHz Nano processor, a VX800 Media System Processor, and an integrated S3 GPU, all paired with up to 4GB of memory. 1080p playback is said to be easily handled, with the system supporting resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600, even though such an onslaught of pixels would surely turn your HDTV into a smoldering ruin. There's no mention of price or availability yet, so you current set can relax -- for now.

Continue reading Video: VIA's VB8003 Mini-ITX board has dual-HDMI, could rock your HTPC's world

Video: VIA EPIA-P720 Pico-ITX motherboard plays 1080p, doesn't sweat much

by Darren Murph posted Sep 19th 2009 at 12:06PM

While NVIDIA's Ion has been getting all of the attention of late, VIA's been doing this 1080p thing for quite some time. We actually heard earlier this year that the company's EPIA-P710 Pico-ITXe board was capable of playing back glorious 1080p video clips, but now we've got video proof that the unit's successor truly can. According to VIA, this mobo is the first from it to come with the VX855 Media System Processor onboard, which is obviously the secret sauce involved in delivering the high-res graphics. Head on past the break for a peek at the demo, and good luck resisting the urge to build a new SFF HTPC over the weekend.

Continue reading Video: VIA EPIA-P720 Pico-ITX motherboard plays 1080p, doesn't sweat much

OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop dances from GNOME to Sugar, on video!

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Sep 17th 2009 at 3:44PM

We know how thrilled you were when you first witnessed the XO 1.5 outpace an overclocked XO 1.0 earlier this month. Still, there's no doubt in our mind that even that level of excitement will soon be overshadowed by the insane craziness you are about to experience in the form of a video showing the newest OLPC machine as it glides softly from GNOME to Sugar Linux environments... and back again. Wild, right? Don't let us spoil it for you -- you can peep the 1GHz powered ultraportable in all its glory after the break.

Update: Whoa, boy. Liliputing was able to get a peek at this unit's motherboard, and they were even kind enough to take us all on a video tour. Enjoy!

Continue reading OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop dances from GNOME to Sugar, on video!

VIA unveils its 1080p-playing SurfBoard NetNote, we'll still call it a netbook

by Tim Stevens posted Sep 16th 2009 at 9:24AM

The world needs more tiny notebooks able to fling out high-definition video without flinching. However, the world doesn't need more arbitrarily named categories of devices. So, it's with mixed feelings that we bring news of the finalization of the SurfBoard platform from VIA, pledging to bring 1080p playback to the netbook category -- or rather to the NetNote category, which is what VIA would like us to call it. We won't, but we will be happy to see the VX855 media processor start showing up in little laptops soon, as its support for H.264, MPEG-2/4, VC-1, and WMV9 sounds quite a bit more inclusive than we've found NVIDIA's ION to be. We're not particularly fond of the burnt umber hue applied to the initial recipient above (we liked the looks of the clear prototype much better), but if it means watching high def content in coach class without breaking our backs, killing our batteries, or melting our CPUs, we'd rock it. It certainly would go with the fall fashions. Full press release is below.

Continue reading VIA unveils its 1080p-playing SurfBoard NetNote, we'll still call it a netbook

VIZIO Connected TV & VIZIO Internet App platform demoed at CEDIA

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 12th 2009 at 9:09PM

With VIZIO's first LED local dimming backlit HDTV just days away from debut and its first Connected TV nearing production, we were able to lay eyes and hands on the television and its funky QWERTY Bluetooth / IR combo remote. Check the pics and videos (including looks at VIZIO's smaller LED sets ready to hit shelves this fall) for a look at our walkthrough; in the demos at least, the VIZIO Internet Apps platform was speedy and easy to use, however our experience with widgets so far has given us more than enough reason to wait for a full retail rollout before making any final decisions. One tidbit for those not ready to invest a whole new TV? The next iteration of VIZIO's Blu-ray player should pack not only integrated Wi-Fi, but also the full VIA / widget experience.

Gallery: VIZIO Connected TV & VIZIO Internet Apps demo

Continue reading VIZIO Connected TV & VIZIO Internet App platform demoed at CEDIA

OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop handled, speed tested - on video!

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Sep 9th 2009 at 12:14PM

The lucky kids at the OLPC Learning Club DC got paid a visit by a man sporting a beefed up XO 1.5 laptop recently and was kind enough to put on a little show for the group. Featuring a VIA C7-M 1GHz variable speed processor, the update to the classic XO machine promises full screen video playback, faster eToys and scratch animation, more storage for a larger offline library, better image capture and remixing, and an all-around better Java experience. In an admittedly unscientific (but still pretty sweet) side by side comparison, the XO 1.5 (left) was able to boot up and launch eToys (a real memory hog) before the XO 1.0 had booted up all the way -- this despite the fact that the 1.5 was started a little later, and that the 1.0 is overclocked to 500MHz. We're looking forward to seeing more red hot XO 1.5 action as the release date grows nigh -- in the meantime, the video below will have to tide us over. Enjoy!

Continue reading OLPC's XO Generation 1.5 Laptop handled, speed tested - on video!

Kinpo VIA Nano-powered netbook rocks the 3G (but only in China)

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Aug 6th 2009 at 11:59AM

We're starting to see more companies throw VIA Nano processors into the netbook mix as of late, and now it looks like Kinpo (last seen with an Android-sporting tablet) is getting in on the action with the N03. This guy has an 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) display, comes with either a 1.2GHz or 1.3GHz VIA Nano processor, and sports integrated TD-SCDMA 3G (the China-specific 3G standard), HSDPA/HSUPA, W-CDMA, and EVDO. Also on hand are WiFi, options for either SSD or HDD storage, up to 2GB memory, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, and your choice of either Windows XP or Vista Home Basic. The company is "boasting" a 3 hour battery life, which is a shame -- with all that connectivity, this device is otherwise well suited for situations where plugging in isn't really an option. No word on price or release date, but we'll keep you posted. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via Gadget Mix]

Fujitsu's sleek FUTRO S100 gets VIA Eden implant

by Darren Murph posted Jul 18th 2009 at 3:49AM

By and large, thin clients are relatively boring. That said, they're typically dead silent and plenty powerful to handle the most basic of tasks, and thanks to Fujitsu, this one's even halfway easy on the eyes. The new FUTRO S100 was revealed today, complete with a 500MHz VIA Eden ULV processor that enables the entire system to suck down just 11 watts under full load. Other specs include 1GB of DDR2 memory, a pair of USB 2.0 connectors, VGA output, Ethernet, a VX800 media processor, Chrome9 HC3 graphics and internal CF-based storage support. There's nary a mention of price, but it's ready to ship today for those with the correct change.

[Via HotHardware]

Gallery: Fujitsu's sleek FUTRO S100 gets VIA Eden implant

F88 netbook stands out with HD playback, VIA Nano

by Vladislav Savov posted Jul 10th 2009 at 6:59AM

What do we have here then? An OEM netbook, looking remarkably like a recent ASUS iteration, has come to our attention with some bold claims in tow. Spec'd with a 1.6GHz VIA Nano processor and S3 Chrome 9 graphics, this promises to be one of the most potent netbooks yet and backs up that claim with up to 4GB of memory and 500GB of storage. The major attraction of all this extra juice is full 1080p video playback, which is somewhat confounded by the 1024 x 600 resolution and 10.1-inch screen, but can be pumped out to an external display via HDMI. Expect this to be rebadged and hitting store shelves some time soonish, at which point we may consider the distinction between netbooks and laptops entirely academic.

[Via liliputing]

Video: Lenovo's Atom-based IdeaPad S12 starts shipping with handling

by Thomas Ricker posted Jul 7th 2009 at 4:00AM

It's 12-inches so technically you won't find Intel calling it a netbook. But don't let semantics come between you and Lenovo's $499 IdeaPad S12. Inside you'll find a very netbook-y 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor with GMA 950 graphics, 1280 x 800 resolution, 1GB of memory and 160GB disk, 802.11b/g WiFi, and 6-cell battery. Only the black model is shipping in the US while the white and VIA Nano editions are still tagged with that standard Lenovo "ships in more than 4 weeks" placeholder. Click through for a bit of hands-on video from a show that shall remain anonymous even from those in attendance.

Continue reading Video: Lenovo's Atom-based IdeaPad S12 starts shipping with handling

Lenovo S12 gets a VIA Nano option

by Paul Miller posted Jun 27th 2009 at 10:42PM

Wanna trade in some battery life and get a bit of extra speed in the deal? Lenovo is now offering its spanking new S12 netbook with a VIA Nano ULV 2250 processor and VIA Chrome9 HC3 graphics instead of the usual Intel Atom / GMA 950 combo, which should offer a little more pep (at least in some applications) and lops $50 off the original's spendy $500 asking price. The Nano setup will draw more battery than the Atom, so you might want to invest that extra cash in another battery if you can track one down, but at least the $450 price includes a 6 cell as standard.

Tongfang debuts VIA Nano-based S30A thin-and-light laptop

by Donald Melanson posted Jun 2nd 2009 at 7:21PM

VIA's Nano processor may have been making the rounds of netbooks and nettops lately, but the company isn't overlooking the processor's potential for more traditional laptops, and it now has a pretty impressive example of the latter in the form of Tongfang's new S30A thin-and-light. In addition to that sporty paint job, this one packs a 13.3-inch display, a 1.3GHz VIA Nano U2250 processor, discrete S3 Chrome 435 ULP graphics, a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, an ExpressCard slot, and a built-in DVD burner -- all of which still manages to fit in a 1.3-inch thick, three-pound package. Unfortunately, there's no word on a price or release date just yet, and there's a good chance it'll be showing up under something other than the Tongfang brand whenever it is actually released. Head on past the break for a quick video hands-on from VIA itself.

[Thanks, Stew]

Continue reading Tongfang debuts VIA Nano-based S30A thin-and-light laptop

VIA Nano-powered Shuttle XS29F gets official

by Donald Melanson posted May 27th 2009 at 1:03PM

Well, Computex Taipei still hasn't formally kicked off, but it looks like it's close enough for VIA and Shuttle, who have now gotten official with that Nano-based small form factor PC that first surfaced earlier this week. Now dubbed the Shuttle XS29F, this particular version comes equipped with the low-power combo of VIA's Nano U1700 CPU and VX800 media system processor, along with support for up to 4GB of RAM, your choice of SATA II storage options, both VGA and DVI ports, four USB 2.0 ports and, perhaps most importantly, a maximum power consumption of just 50 watts for the entire system. That, as VIA helpfully explains in the video after the break, means the system can ditch all the usual fans and heatsinks and remain nearly silent during operation, not to mention let you save you a bit on your energy bills. Still no word on a price, sadly, but we're hoping Shuttle will be a bit more talkative once Computex opens its doors.

Continue reading VIA Nano-powered Shuttle XS29F gets official

Shuttle goes low-end with VIA-powered ES series nettops

by Donald Melanson posted May 25th 2009 at 3:52PM

Shuttle's small form factor PCs aren't generally the lowest-end options around, but the company looks to be getting down to the basics with its new ES (or Embedded Slim) series nettops, which are apparently set to make their official debut at Computex next week. That of course means that complete details are still a bit light at the moment, but word is the nettops will pack your choice of VIA L or U series processors, the former of which clock in at 1.6GHz or 1.8GHz with some not so great power consumption, while the latter drops down to 1GHz and 1.3GHz with a TDP rating of just 5W or 8W, which also eliminates the need for a fan. No word on a price just yet, unfortunately, but Shuttle should be clearing that up, along with the rest of the specs, soon enough.

[Via Electronista]