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ViaNano posts

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

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]

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

11.6-inch Dr. Mobile FreeStyle netbook makes its video debut

by Donald Melanson posted May 12th 2009 at 3:17PM

Dr. Mobile had its first few 8.9-inch FreeStyle Minis on display at CES, and we've already gotten a glimpse of VIA's 11.6-inch FreeStyle prototype, but the VIA-sponsored How To Be Mobile site is now showing off Dr. Mobile's own version of the larger thin and light netbook which, as you can see above, comes in many flavors. Expectedly, the specs are pretty much in line with VIA's prototype, and include a 1.3GHz Nano processor, a 1366 x 768 resolution on that 11.6-inch screen, up to 4GB of RAM, your choice of SSD or standard hard drives, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam, among other standard features. With the Dr. Mobile name, however, comes a slew of different style options that range form basic white and black to metallic red and eye-catching yellow option that sports a carbon fiber-type finish. Still no word on pricing, unfortunately, but it looks like they should be rolling out in the next month or so. Head on past the break for the video.

Continue reading 11.6-inch Dr. Mobile FreeStyle netbook makes its video debut

When netbook processors compete, everyone wins

by Tim Stevens posted Apr 14th 2009 at 7:23AM

You know the drill: the Atom is the king of all netbooks, with a domain stretching as far as the eye can see. But, upstarts like the Via Nano and AMD's Athlon Neo are encroaching on Intel's domain, and Crave took the time to pit examples of the three against each other in a series of benchmarks to see which should rule the land. Rather sadly for us, each of the three tests had a different winner, with the Atom N280 excelling in multi-tasking, the Nano U2250 best for iTunes encoding, and the Neo MV-40 quickest under a Jalbum-based benchmark. So you know what that means: everyone gets a prize, nobody has to go home crying, and you should just go ahead and buy whichever netbook you like best already.

Update: It's actually unclear which proc won which test, as the table at the source shows one thing, but the text swaps the Neo and Nano around. But, again, there's not much between these three.

Samsung 12.1-inch NC20 with VIA Nano power ready for Stateside purchase

by Thomas Ricker posted Apr 3rd 2009 at 5:12AM

A friendly tipster has pointed us over to NewEgg where Samsung's much loved NC20 is ready for purchase and presumably delivery. Mind you, this isn't just another Atom-based netbook. This 12.1-incher is one of the first to ship Stateside with a Via Nano processor of any type, the 1.3GHz U2250 in this case. You're also looking at Via Chrome9 integrated graphics, 160GB 5400rpm disk, 1GB of DDR2 memory, and 6-cell Li-ion battery. $550 is the pre-tax price for clicking all the way through to purchase where we suspect you'll be treated to a ship date. One thing's for certain; it'll be later than March 6th.

[Thanks, angelwolf71885]

VIA's 1080p-lovin' VX855 chipset emerges in MacBook Air knockoff

by Darren Murph posted Mar 17th 2009 at 7:14PM

We've already seen one legitimate laptop maker botch up its specification sheet within the past 24 hours, so we certainly wouldn't put it past a KIRF-maker to pull a similar trick. At least on paper, Top Crown Technology Limited's simply-titled 3G Notebook includes a 1.3GHz VIA Nano CPU, the newfangled VX885 Media System Processor, a 10.1-inch LED-backlit display (1,024 x 576), Chrome9 graphics, a 2.5-inch HDD or SSD, 3-in-1 multicard reader, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3.5G WWAN and a pair of built-in speakers. The only problem is the backwards Apple logo and the absolute assurance that this thing will be just marginally less craptastic than the "world's cheapest laptop." For shame.

[Via NetbookNews]

VIA's VX855 Media System Processor handles the 1080p

by Darren Murph posted Mar 13th 2009 at 11:48AM

Big news, folks -- 1008p is about to hit the minuscule PC market, and VIA's making darn sure it doesn't miss the boat. Hot on the heels of HABEY's BIS-6550HD announcement, VIA has stepped in to formally introduce its VX855 Media System Processor, which aims to bring hardware-based 1080p decoding to VIA-based rigs. The highly integrated single chip package sucks down just 2.3 watts and provides hardware H.264 video acceleration when snapped in alongside a VIA Nano, C7 or Eden processor. Other specs include a 400 to 800MHz FSB speed, support for up to DDR2 800 memory (4GB maximum), six USB 2.0 ports and the company's own Chrome9 graphics set. There's no mention of when this bugger will find its way into shelf-bound rigs, but we're hoping Computex sheds some light on the situation.

[Via HotHardware]

Gallery: VIA's VX855 Media System Processor handles the 1080p

Samsung's NC20 reviewed ahead of US release

by Tim Stevens posted Mar 5th 2009 at 8:59PM

If all goes according to plan, Samsung's more-than-a-netbook NC20 is just a day away from its official American release, and, on this momentous eve, Laptop has graced us all with a full review of the thing -- or the Korean version, at least. We've been following the NC20's buildup closely, as it looks to slot in between flimsy netbook and a proper ultraportables in terms of size but at a sub-$500 price that's decidedly more Eee than X300. The review seems to echo that sentiment, with its VIA Nano processor found to be at least on par with Intel's Atom, if not slightly faster, and the 12-inch, 1280 x 800 display quite pleasing to the eye -- despite its glossy sheen. That (relatively) large size gives room for a comfortable keyboard, but overall this is a bit bulkier than its competition; heavier too, clocking in at 3.4 pounds with a 6-cell battery compared to about 3 pounds for a similarly powered Mini 12. Overall it sounds like a great device for those looking for a netbook with a little more to love.