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ZiiLABS ZMS-08 offers Cortex A8-powered Full HD and Flash acceleration for netbooks

by Vladislav Savov posted Nov 9th 2009 at 5:41AM

We haven't even seen the Zii EGG make its long-anticipated consumer debut yet, but Creative is already building up steam for its next Zii venture. ZiiLABS' ZMS-08 is a third generation mobile media accelerator / system-on-a-chip that boasts its predecessor's 1080p playback and 24fps encoding, and HD video conferencing via simultaneous 720p encoding and decoding, while adding all-new OpenGL ES 2.0 support, an integrated HDMI controller, X-Fi audio and Flash acceleration. Paired to a 1GHz ARM Cortex A8, and running a custom flavor of Android alongside Plaszma OS, the new Zii chip will look for homes in "web tablets, netbooks, connected TVs" and the like, but seemingly not smartphones. ZiiLABS has already signed up a number of clients, who'll start receiving shipments in Q1 of 2010. Full PR and an architectural diagram after the break.

Continue reading ZiiLABS ZMS-08 offers Cortex A8-powered Full HD and Flash acceleration for netbooks

Windows 7 Starter leads the way on netbooks, demands premium

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 19th 2009 at 6:47PM

We've already seen plenty of Windows 7 laptops and desktops up for order, but it looks like we're now finally starting to see how things will shake out on netbooks as well. After much confusion in the early days of Windows 7, it appears that Windows 7 Starter edition will indeed be the standard issue offering on the majority of netbooks, and it looks like it'll also demand a slight premium over otherwise comparable XP-based systems. In most cases, Windows 7 Starter seems to add $30 to the cost of a netbook (as with the Dell Mini 10v pictured above), or $50 in Canada if the first few listings on Future Shop are any indication -- which, as Digital Home Thoughts points out, would appear to be quite a bit more than the license fee manufacturers are paying. Of course, there are also a few netbooks that break the mold with Windows 7 Home Premium, and it unsurprisingly appears to be the standard offering on low-cost thin and lights that eschew the netbook moniker altogether. Hit up the link below for a rundown of some of the options already available to order, which is sure to grow considerably in the next few days.

[Via Digital Home Thoughts]

Fujitsu P Series notebooks announced, said to be 'snazzy'

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 16th 2009 at 4:23PM

Fujitsu has just announced two "stylish" P Series LifeBooks, and we have our hands on the PR drivel to prove it. This affable pair of machines come in "charming" colors that "endow both notebooks with a premium yet snazzy feel, for standing out effortlessly in a corporate jungle or a social playground setting." To be honest, we're more interested in things like the 11.6-inch (1366 x 768) display, battery life (6.7 hours under normal use, 7.2 hours in power saving mode -- which can be selected by hitting the ECO button), multitouch, the DVD Sharing application for glomming onto optical drives over your LAN, and the fact that they're both a mere 3.5 pounds light and just over an inch thin. The Fujitsu P LifeBook P3110 features a Pentium SU4100 (1.30GHz / 800MHz / 2MB L2 Cache) and is available in Glossy Black, Glossy Silver, and Glossy Ruby Red. The Fujitsu P LifeBook P3010, however, sports an AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 (1.6GHz / 512KB / L2 cache) and is available in Glossy Black and Glossy Ruby Red. No word on a release date, or on a price -- but, to paraphrase Godard, whenever someone mentions "style," we reach for our checkbooks. PR after the break.

Continue reading Fujitsu P Series notebooks announced, said to be 'snazzy'

Cheap netbook sales bringing down laptop revenues, no brainers require no brains

by Laura June posted Oct 11th 2009 at 7:21AM

Hey, this is probably surprising to no one, but here we go. A new market research report from DisplaySearch says that the overall mobile PC market is down about 5 percent over last year. The main reason cited for this decline? The increasing popularity of netbooks, which average around $300, and are much, much cheaper than traditional laptops. Netbook revenue is up 264 percent from last year, and have contributed to an overall lowering of the average PC cost by 19 percent. While this is certainly bad news for the PC industry itself, hooray for all of us, right?!

Sony outs pink Vaio W, Pocket Reader bundles for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Laura June posted Oct 2nd 2009 at 1:54PM

Sony's announced it will support Breast Cancer Awareness month by outing two new bundles -- and both of them are super pink. The first bundle will include a Berry Pink 10.5-inch Vaio W with an Intel Atom N280 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive, plus a matching sleeve and mouse. The second bundle will include the special edition Rose Pocket Edition reader with a gold clutch case, plus download codes for four e-books. Sony has said it will donate $110,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation in conjunction with October sales for these bundles. The Vaio W bundle will run you $499, while the reader bundle is $199. Both can be ordered now at Sony Style.

[Via Slashgear]

Samsung's ION-enriched N510 reviewed approvingly, still needs price trim

by Vladislav Savov posted Sep 30th 2009 at 6:39PM

We dare say NVIDIA's ION platform hasn't been the quickest to go from announcement to market availability, but at long last we're seeing a number of pretty decent options cropping up. The Samsung N510 is a great test case for the prowess of the chipset, as it boasts the otherwise entirely unremarkable Atom N280, 1GB RAM and 160GB HDD spec, meaning that whatever performance gains it exhibits will be down to the ION infrastructure. Unsurprisingly, the 11.6-inch machine showed marked improvements over standard netbooks in the graphics department, with hardware-accelerated 1080p video decoding and mildly graphically-intensive games made possible. With six and a half hours of battery life and a matte 1366 x 768 screen, the N510 was well received by the PC Pro team, who could only bemoan the uncompetitive pricing of £382 (about $613). Hit the read link for their full impressions.

Windows 7 coming to netbooks in all its myriad forms

by Vladislav Savov posted Sep 28th 2009 at 5:42AM

It would seem that the humble netbook owner's Windows 7 options just keep improving as the grand new OS comes closer to release. After plans to limit netbooks to running three apps at a time were thankfully scrapped, Microsoft has now confirmed with us that it is going to allow OEMs to splash any version of Windows 7 they desire onto their Atom-powered miniature laptops. That's right, you can totally rock Windows 7 Ultimate and Aero visualizations on a machine that can handle neither. Joking aside, it's pleasing to see the Redmond brain trust steer clear of arbitrary limitations on customer choice.

[Via GadgetMix]

ASUS' Eee PC roadmap leaks: Ion-boasting netbooks, multitouch T91 coming soon?

by Laura June posted Aug 31st 2009 at 10:16AM

If two slides leaked to the Eeeuser.com forum are to be believed, ASUS has some pretty interesting -- though not terrifically surprising -- netbooks on the horizon. The slides, which are apparently the company's roadmap for US products for the next two quarters, are chock full of refreshed product information. It looks like we're going to be seeing a brand new Eee PC, the 12-inch 1201N, which will bring NVIDIA's Ion platform to the line for the first time, with an Atom N270 CPU, 2GB RAM, a 250GB HDD, Bluetooth and 802.11n WiFi, running $499 for release in mid-October. Other than that, we can expect to see the 1005HA-P with the N280 processor and a 250GB HDD option running Windows 7 also arriving in October for $399, and the 1005HA-M with the N270 processor, a 250GB hard drive, and Windows 7 Starter Edition for $349. Finally, Netbook News is also reporting some new 1008HA models not listed on the slides, as well as a multitouch, Windows 7-running T91 convertible tablet with a 32GB SSD priced at $549. There's no timeline mentioned for this one, but we'll keep our ears to the ground expectantly. The other slide is after the break; hit the read link if you want the full details on each model.

[Via Netbook News]

Continue reading ASUS' Eee PC roadmap leaks: Ion-boasting netbooks, multitouch T91 coming soon?

Coby's netbooks seemingly real, taking pre-orders

by Laura June posted Aug 27th 2009 at 6:51PM

Sure -- we haven't seen or heard anything about Coby's netbook line since way back in January at CES, but that didn't stop them from showing up for pre-order, did it? Color us a little surprised, but here they are. Two models have appeared on Amazon for pre-order. The 12.1-inch Coby NMPC1220XPBLK apparently boasts a 1024 x 800 resolution, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive, while the NBPC1022XPBLK is a 10.1-incher with identical specs. The first runs $423, while the 10.1-inch model is $318. So tell us: will you be ordering one?

[Via Liliputing]

Nokia Booklet 3G to run $799?

by Laura June posted Aug 25th 2009 at 11:57AM

Barely more than 24 hours after the Nokia stunner of the century -- the company's announcement of the Booklet 3G "mini laptop" -- we're starting to get some more details about the 10.1-incher. Netbook News is reporting an unnamed source that claims the netbook will run $799 -- certainly not a netbook price. The Booklet will boast a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530, and will reportedly boast a 120GB HDD, plus integrated 3G, a swappable SIM card, A-GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi. There is no official word on pricing or release date, but we're expecting to hear tell of all that at Nokia World (which is on September 2nd). There are a few previously unseen shots after the break -- and hit the read link for even more.

Read - Nokia 3G Booklet costs $799!
Read - Nokia Booklet specification update

Continue reading Nokia Booklet 3G to run $799?

Dell Mini 12 quietly discontinued

by Laura June posted Aug 7th 2009 at 12:42PM

There was no official announcement of this one, but a look over Dell's website will reveal the truth -- it looks like the Mini 12 has been shuttered. It's not hugely surprising news considering its companion, the Mini 9, was recently given the axe as well. We'll miss them both. Sniffle.

[Thanks, Drew]

New Sony VAIO P hits the FCC, arriving this fall?

by Laura June posted Aug 5th 2009 at 7:29PM

A new model of Sony's ultraportable VAIO P has just passed through the FCC, leading us to surmise that we can probably expect a new model in the very near future. Details are still exceedingly slim on this one, but we know that this one -- model number PCG-1RSL -- will be about the same size as the current VAIO P, and that it packs 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth. The documentation's confidentiality expires in October, so we'll know all the juicy details by then -- if we haven't already found out via other channels. Fingers crossed that it's the 'mark 2' we heard about recently that could right some of those painful, painful wrongs.

Switched On: Compelling computing can keep netbooks niche

by Ross Rubin posted Jul 28th 2009 at 3:00PM

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

If the PC marketplace were an ocean, you'd see a strange sight -- small fish (netbooks) eating medium-sized fish (notebooks) eating large fish (desktops). But PC vendors are only partially pleased with this inversion of the natural order. While they embrace the replacement of desktops with higher-margin notebooks, they fear the cannibalization of notebooks with low-margin netbooks. Fast-growing and inexpensive netbooks have become such a threat to the notebook business that Intel and Microsoft have been wrestling with how they can adjust pricing in order to persuade PC makers not to market budget Atom-based laptops that have screens larger than 10" such as the sleek 11.6" Acer Aspire One A075 or 12.1" Lenovo IdeaPad S12.

Slower, less expensive processors running an older, lower-priced version of Windows have put pressure on Microsoft's Windows revenue. But rather than bemoaning consumer demand for less powerful PCs, Microsoft would do well to create more incentive to purchasing more powerful ones. Apple has partially addressed this issue by including, enhancing and promoting iMovie and GarageBand in its bundled iLife suite. These are two applications that can become quite processor-intensive when used for sophisticated tasks, like stabilizing a jumpy video.

But even more significantly, Apple has made the issue moot by creating an effective floor in the Mac product line of an Intel Core 2 Duo. Clearly that's not an option for Microsoft, nor for many of its PC vendor partners catering to more value-minded shoppers. Indeed, Microsoft has optimized the Windows 7 kernel to run more efficiently on the lower-end netbooks that are the source for growth in the PC market. And that's the right move.

Continue reading Switched On: Compelling computing can keep netbooks niche

Engadget Podcast 154 - 07.11.2009

by Trent Wolbe posted Jul 11th 2009 at 3:25PM

The podcast is a little late this week, but for good reason -- special guest Michael Gartenberg joins Josh, Paul, and Nilay this week as they sort through the Google-dominated week in news. We've got Chrome OS, the myTouch 3G, some more HTC Hero hands-on time (as well as a Magic flashed with the Hero ROM), and the leaked Sony Ericsson Rachael on tap -- oh, and to top it all off, Sony backtracked huge and released its first true netbook, the VAIO W. It's a bit of a wild one, we won't lie -- buckle up.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller
Guest: Michael Gartenberg
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Song: No Rain

Hear the podcast

00:01:22 - Google announces Chrome OS, coming to netbooks second half of 2010
00:26:37 - myTouch 3G hands-on (with video!)
00:39:35 - New HTC Hero ROM leaked, Flash 10 already chugging along on a few lucky G1s
00:56:25 - Sony Ericsson Rachael UI video leaks out, Kiki comes for the ride
01:04:55 - Android 1.5 gets official SDK for native development
01:12:58 - Sony announces VAIO W... netbook!

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Switched On: With Google, this is not your father's OS war

by Ross Rubin posted Jul 8th 2009 at 1:22PM

Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Google's incursions into software -- particularly in strategic markets for Microsoft, are like an Earth-bound asteroid. Observers see it coming for a long time, and fear its impact will be devastating when it finally arrives. So far, though, Google's major software forays have been anything but cataclysmic, and Microsoft hasn't even had to send Bruce Willis into space to stop them.

On one hand -- as I discussed in a recent Switched On column that argued why Android was not the right choice for netbooks -- the mobile operating system continues to have a lot of potential to reshape the smartphone OS competitive landscape. On the other hand, while Chrome is a fine browser, Microsoft, Apple and Mozilla all have their counterparts, and certainly Firefox and Safari at least give Google's browser a run for its money in terms of speed, privacy and user interface. Chrome's impact has been blunted because the PC is already an open platform.

Enter Chrome OS, which will be available on ARM and Intel processors. For the high-volume Intel PC market, Chrome OS will have to take on Windows, but Chrome OS is very different than other Windows competitors such as the Mac OS, Ubuntu or the OS/2 of yore, in that Google does not seem focused on creating platform-exclusive applications. In some ways, Chrome is more of a competitor to Silverlight than to Windows, as Silverlight is Microsoft's cross-platform application foundation. Of course, Windows is Microsoft's home field, and Chrome OS will be Google's.

Continue reading Switched On: With Google, this is not your father's OS war