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Realtek employees leak OS X WiFi drivers for the MSI U100 Wind
Although not officially posted on its website (yet), Realtek has reportedly been sending out an OS X driver for its RTL8187SE wireless card found in MSI's U100 Wind. Various posters at the MSI Wind forums say they were sent the driver from Realtek employees after contacting the company, which invariably led to the drivers being uploaded to RapidShare for everyone to grab. Apparently the card isn't recognized as an Airport device, and forum users are suggesting to instead get the Real WLAN Client Utility. Supposedly, Realtek employees stated (via email) that the driver would be released before December 15, though according to some posters, the company has already missed a November date -- so if you want the driver now, your best bet is to start scavenging the forums.[Via GottaBeMobile]
MSI plots touchscreen Wind, 13.3-inch U300 ultraportable for CES
After hints aplenty, MSI has gotten super serious about what's going to go down in January at CES 2009. As expected, there'll be a Wind U110, U115 and redesigned U120 (pictured). Those will land in the States in January, and will co-exist with the U100. MSI's also prepping a 13.3-inch U300, which won't be part of the Wind line, but will be billed as an "affordable," thin and light ultraportable -- people will be "shocked," says MSI's US Sales Director Andy Tung. Shocked. MSI also promised to bring a touchscreen Wind to the show, but has no promises on the release front.
MSI ships $999 13.3-inch EX300 laptop
If MSI's suite of Winds are just too cramped for your gorilla-sized hands, maybe the marginally larger EX300 will do the trick. The 13.3-inch laptop tips the scales at 4.5-pounds and includes a Core 2 Duo P7350 CPU, ATI's 256MB Mobility Radeon HD3450 GPU, WiFi / Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a 3-in-1 card reader and a 2.0-megapixel webcam. You can claim one now at a variety of fine e-tailers for $999. Full release is after the break.
MSI unveils a slew of new netbooks and one lonely nettop
It looks like MSI has been pretty busy lately. We got a good look at the MSI Wind U120 about a week ago, and now the company's back with a slew of new machines and we have plenty of details for you to savor. Most notably, the U115 is a 10-inch netbook featuring the Intel Atom Z530 processor, 1-2GB memory, and a hybrid SSD / hard drive storage system. The solid state drive (being smaller and theoretically faster) is meant to contain the OS while the hard drive is to be used for data. The U110 is basically the same as the U115, except it only ships with 1GB memory and there is no SSD included. Also introduced were the U150 (sadly enough with no specs, besides the fact that it also ships with both HDD and SSD storage) and the WindBox, an Atom N270-based nettop designed to be VESA-mounted to the back of your monitor. The WindBox should be available Q1 2009 for around €300. Keep reading after the break for a complete rundown of all the specs.Read - MSI WindBox RevealedRead - MSI unveils new netbooks, unusual storage systems
Liquid nitrogen-cooled MSI Wind U100 overclocked to 2.3GHz
When MSI rolled out its v1.09 BIOS, we're willing to wager it absolutely did not have anything like this in mind. The mad scientists in Team Australia are at it again, this time overclocking a netbook to the point (almost, anyway) of implosion. The unafraid members grabbed hold of a hopeless Wind U100 with 2GB of RAM, hooked up a little liquid nitrogen and proceeded to push the poor 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU to an amazing 2.385GHz. No telling how quickly the whole thing was over, but still, this is pretty ridiculous, mate.
MSI Wind U120 gets spotted, examined in the wild
We've already seen a few shots of MSI's forthcoming Wind U120 netbook, but our pals at Engadget Chinese have now taken in one of its first public appearances and, naturally, they've provided plenty of pics for folks to dive into. That includes some close-up shots of the netbook's slightly revised port situation, some comparison shots with the non-two tone U100, and even another glimpse of that 9-cell battery we've already seen floating about. MSI also had it's full-fledged Bravo EX620 laptop on display, though it's a pretty safe bet that we won't be seeing it 'round these parts anytime soon.[Thanks, Edward N]
MSI trots out colorful VR220 YA Edition ultraportable
MSI's got a fever, and evidently the only cure is more notebook. With the novelty of the heralded Wind slowly fading, the outfit has stepped in with the altogether riveting VW220 YA Edition ultraportable -- and in four delightful hues, no less. Aside from sporting a Denim Blue, Coral Pink, Wasabi Green or Empire Black exterior, the 12.1-incher also includes a WXGA (1,280 x 800) panel, dual-core Pentium CPU, Intel's GMA 4500M graphics set, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, dual stereo speakers, gigabit Ethernet, an optional TV tuner, WiFi / Bluetooth, a 3-in-1 card reader, VGA output and three USB 2.0 ports. You'll also find a SuperMulti DVD drive, a capacious 250GB hard drive, a ho hum 1.3-megapixel webcam and an 8-cell battery. All told, the 4-pound rig looks pretty good on paper for just $699.99, and the full release is after the break for your perusal.
MSI unveils Neton all-in-one nettop models ranging from mild to somewhat less mild
MSI and Asus, having apparently found the bottom in the netbook race, are now working hard to find that magic point on the desktop. Asus has its B202 and all-in-one Eee Top nettops, the latter of which MSI is now countering with the new, all-inclusive Neton series. The smallest is the M16, starting at $400 and featuring a 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 screen -- exactly the same size as Asus's impending offering (coincidence, surely). Then there's the slightly larger but otherwise identically spec'd $500 18.5-inch M19, and finally the range-topping $800 22-inch M22, offering an HD-loving 1920 x 1080 display fed by an optional Blu-ray drive. As you can see in pics after the break the guts of the M16 have been placed into an unsightly, over-sized stand, while on the M19 and M22 everything is tucked neatly behind the monitor itself, making for easy wall mounting (more room for Coke cans and miscellaneous clutter). No word on memory or disk space, but each will offer touch-screens and will come with XP or Vista depending on whether you opt for a single- or dual-core Atom processor. The M19 ships first in January, the M16 next in Feb, and the M22 last in March.
Flickr Find: FakeBook Nano
Gizmodo found these pictures of a customized MSI Wind laptop that comes complete with glossy finishes, Apple logos and Mac OS X. The laptops feature the name "MacBook Nano." The laptops have 10-inch screens, 2GB of RAM, 320GB hard disks, a flash media reader, and the specifications feature Windows XP Professional and Mac OS X 10.5.5. Gizmodo notes that they can't tell if the laptops are a custom hack, or are being illegally sold. Descriptions on the images appear to be in Chinese, so if you can let us know what they say, be so kind as to leave us a comment!
MSI EX623 laptop "rocks" our (proverbial) "world"
Another day, another awesome laptop announcement. This one, the EX623, a 16-incher from the hallowed depths of MSI's genius labs packs an Intel Centrino Core 2 Duo CPU, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a max 320GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9500M GS graphics, with a 16:9 widescreen display. The "Bravo," as it's also known, is apparently being marketed as an entertainment laptop (we know this because we watched the super sweet video MSI has up on their site which shows a band totally rocking out), and as such houses things like a Blu-ray drive, an eSATA port, stereo speakers and a subwoofer, though there's no HDMI output and of course the 1366 x 768 resolution won't display 1080p HD. Still, we're pretty sure that "Breakpoint" will have never sounded so good. No word on the price or availability. [Via SlashGear]
MSI's 10-inch Wind U100 falls to $349 at Best Buy
In an apparent effort to move every last unit before ASUS drops a $200 Eee PC in 2009, Best Buy has knocked $50 off of MSI's 10-inch Wind U100. The Atom N270-powered netbook now checks in at just $349, a price that just seems to fit so much better with the term "netbook" than, say, $500+. The real question, however, is: three fifty low enough for you?[Via Wired]
MSI Wind 9-cell spotted in the wild
Remember those delectable photos of the supposedly official 9-cell MSI Wind batteries we saw a few weeks ago? The ones we were told to expect in November? Well, only two days in and November's apparently brought some of us something besides that rain we're always hearing about: at least a few lucky Brits seem to have scored an MSI-sanctioned 9-cell for £70 (about $115) on the UK's eBay. Photos of the battery submitted to the MSI Wind Forum show it to be totally gargantuan, but the juice times customers are reporting -- 7.34 hours by one account -- are impressive if accurate. We'll give them this: it's definitely handsomer than the DIY version.Update: As some commenters have pointed out, it looks like this battery is manufactured by Medion, who also happen to produce a clone of the Wind. [Via Wired]
MSI Wind v1.09 BIOS update makes overclocking easy
We've long since known that MSI was a fan of overclocking. After all, just about every last one of its gaming notebooks come with one-button OC'ing courtesy of the Turbo Drive Engine technology. Now, it seems that the company is giving the spoils once reserved for the Crysis crowd to those with netbooks, or more specifically, the Wind. The freshly released (and absolutely official) v1.09 BIOS update enables simple overclocking by mashing Fn+F10, giving users the ability to push things 8%, 15% or 24% beyond their normally specified limits. Electric Feel over at ElectricVagabond has found that the update provides up to a 30% boost in performance, which he claims is quite noticeable in processor-intensive apps like Photoshop. You know you're dying to give your Wind a little lift, so hit the via below for the step-by-step of getting this installed.
MSI ships AMD-powered GX630 and GT735 gaming laptops
If the Intel-based GX620 and GX720 were too, um, Intel-y for your liking, how's about a fat slice of AMD? MSI has just announced the availability of its freshest duo of AMD-powered gaming notebooks, the GX630 (shown above) and GT735 (shown after the break). Both units pack a Turion X2 Ultra dual-core processor and possess the ability to be overclocked by up to 15% at the touch of a button with the Turbo Drive Engine technology. The former also boasts a 15.4-inch LCD, NVIDIA's 512MB GeForce 9600M GT, up to 4GB of RAM, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, integrated stereo speakers, a 4-in-1 card reader, VGA out, a 2-megapixel webcam and a DVD writer (Blu-ray optional). The brawnier GT735 steps it up with a 17-inch panel, ATI's 512MB Mobility Radeon HD 3850, a five speaker system including a subwoofer and most everything else already found on its partner in crime. Snap either up now for $1,049.99 / $1,249.99 in order of mention. Full release is after the break.
MSI Wind U120 with integrated 3.5G in November, next generation Wind in March
We already knew that MSI's Wind U120 was coming this quarter. Now DigiTimes has pegged the launch to November. Available in white or black, DigiTimes' sources claim that the U120 should launch for roughly $552 with a built-in 3.5G data module, Atom N270 proc, 1GB memory, and a 120GB hard disk loaded with Windows XP. For its part, MSI did say that it will not be introducing a netbook with touchscreen due to the high cost (eh hem, hear that ASUS?). MSI does, however, plan to launch its second generation Wind netbook with "new innovations" at the beginning of March at CeBIT 2009. We're hoping for thought-control enabled by a quantum processor but expecting something more akin to a race to the bottom.
MSI's Wind U120 netbook gets pictured
Considering that MSI's Wind U120 is on track for release this quarter, it follows logic that we'd see a few press shots as the run-up to launch continues. Once again, we're told that this bugger will sport a 120GB HDD (or a 20GB / 40GB SSD), 802.11n WiFi and built-in 3.5G WWAN. As you can easily see, the U120 isn't too much different (style wise) from the U100, and unfortunately, it's not a whole lot thinner either. Still, the unit does look a bit more edgy, and hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more (read: in the wild) shots as December comes closer. Speaking of, check the read link for a whole load of press images.[Thanks, TheLostSwede]
MSI's 10-inch Wind winds up in Best Buy
We knew it would be going down, but the formal announcement has finally been made: MSI's Wind will soon be gracing store shelves at Best Buy. As early as "right now" if you're lucky enough, the 10-inch netbook can be procured at your local BB (no word on Future Shop), and we're told that it'll pack a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, Windows XP Home Edition, a 10-inch WSVGA (1,024 x 600) display, GMA950 graphics set, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 120GB hard drive, 3-cell battery (sigh...) and a black or white motif. You might expect to just snag one real quick like for $399, but don't expect to leave without being hassled for one of those Product Replacement Plans. Fun, fun! Full release is after the break.
MSI Wind U100 coming to "major retailer," Wind 2 coming this quarter
Slowly but surely, MSI is following in the laughable footsteps of ASUS. At first, the Wind was simply the Wind. Now, we've a smattering of variants to keep up with, and according to a recent interview with director of US sales Andy Tung, that trend isn't about to stop. Starting next week, the Wind U100 will be available at an undisclosed "large national retailer," with the 3-cell / WinXP version going for $399. Additionally, Tung gave us all a reason to hold off on making that very purchase by revealing that the business-minded Wind U120 (or Wind 2, as he called it) will be landing on US soil in late November or early December. Said machine will boast "a whole new look," new HDD / SSD options and inbuilt 3.5G WWAN connectivity for under $600. Also of note, MSI's internal research has found that Linux-infused netbooks get returned four times as often as units with Windows XP; we can't say we're shocked that people don't feel like learning a new OS, but we're deeply, deeply saddened that reading comprehension levels (particularly on specification labels) in this nation are so obviously low.
MSI Wind U90 reviewed, thrown back to the wolves
Laptop Mag would evidently like to make two things quite clear: if you pick up MSI's Wind U90, you better love SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 and be totally cool with the sub-2 hour battery life. For those of you still with us, you can probably guess that the 8.9-inch Wind didn't do so hot during its review, with those two rubs really overshadowing the solid design, great keyboard and delicious price tag ($350). For whatever reason, MSI figured it'd be peachy to toss a 3-cell battery in there and let mobile users just deal with the 1 hour, 39 minute lifespan; obviously, that's an issue serious road warriors can't ignore. If you're willing to pony up for an extra battery and install your own OS (if SUSE isn't your cup of tea), the Wind U90 might not make for a bad companion, but as-is, you better do some serious soul searching before pulling the trigger.
9-Cell MSI Wind battery turns up in pictures, dreams
It looks like those DIY 9-cell Wind batteries could soon be a thing of the past, as some seemingly legit pictures of a supposedly official 9-cell battery for the netbook have now turned up on the Eee PC News website. Apparently, the pictures (more of which are available at the link below) came straight from an unnamed battery manufacturer and, yes, it's still in prototype form, which hopefully means there's still some refining to be done. There's no indication of a release date, unfortunately, but Eee PC News seems confident, for one reason or another, that the batteries could find their way into Winds as soon as November.[Via Laptop, thanks Kevin]
