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Acer launches first NVIDIA Ion-based nettop: AspireRevo
Yet again, the rumors were (almost) true. A day earlier than anticipated, Acer is launching what amounts to NVIDIA's first Ion-based nettop beyond those on display at CES and the like. The AspireRevo is debuting today alongside a plethora of other Acer wares, boasting a 1.6GHz Intel Atom 230 processor, up to 4GB of RAM, up to 250GB of HDD space, a 4-in-1 card reader, HDMI / VGA outputs, gigabit Ethernet, six USB 2.0 sockets, audio in / out, Windows Vista Home Premium / Basic and a svelte black and white enclosure that measures just 7.1- x 7.1- x 1.2-inches. The built-in Ion GPU means that this bugger is completely capable of handling 1080p (and thus, Blu-ray) content, DirectX 10 and even mildly demanding games such as Call of Duty 4 and Spore. Acer's staying mum on a price and release date, but we're still hearing that the late Q2 time frame is a safe bet. Check the full release just past the break.
Video: NVIDIA's ION-based netbooks and nettops are go for launch
Things are finally hotting up in NVIDIA's ION camp. An official press release now tells that the first batch of "incredibly small and affordable PCs" (like the Acer Hornet rumored for an April 8th launch) are due in Q2 -- that's as early as today folks, on up through the end of June. Along with the new gear, NVIDIA is promising optimized software support from powerhouse developers like Adobe, Google, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts in an effort to signal the platform's suitability for serving up 1080p video over HDMI in a home theater as well as gaming, photo editing, and general computing in nettop- and netbook-sized devices. Bring it, we say... we're so over Intel's GM945-class chipsets.
Ion-based Acer Hornet nettop specs leak out: 1080p HDMI playback, Wii-like gaming, $299
Well, well, what's this? We just received a ton of information on that hot little Acer Hornet nettop we'd heard about a while back, and if this pile of documentation is as real as it looks, this thing could be the holy grail of cheap HTPCs -- not only does it support 1080p video playback over HDMI, the "Media Center" version will indeed come with a Wii-like remote that can be used for gaming as well as media control. Specs look more than decent for the targeted $149-$299 price range: the low end model pairs what sounds like an Atom N230 with 1GB of RAM and an 80GB drive preloaded with Vista Home Basic, while higher end models get 2GB of RAM, a 160GB drive, and a "Boxshell" quickboot OS in addition to Vista Home Premium. All this plus super-quiet sub-26dB operation and a slick diamond-shaped chassis designed to hang off the back of your flatscreen? We're potentially in love -- when you gonna make our dreams come true, Acer? Full spec chart after the break.P.S. We know that upper-right image is a ripped Nintendo press image, but this slide actually leaked from elsewhere a month ago -- and unless someone's decided to go way beyond the usual fakery by meticulously crafting the 20-page technical and supplier info document and lengthy presentations we received today, we're thinking this is actually real and not some April Fools thing. Let's hope!Update: DigiTimes has it from "industry sources" that the Hornet will launch in China on April 8th for below $299.[Thanks, Anonymous]
ASUS 15.6-inch Eee Top all-in-one now shipping
Good news, pre-orderers. ASUS' 15.6-inch Eee Top all-in-one PC is now shipping from legitimate e-tailers around the web. Just in case you've forgotten just under six bills buys you a 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and Windows XP Home. In other words, netbook components tucked within an LCD. Of course, we'd recommend holding off for the much larger, much more HD-friendly ET2203 and ET2003, but it's your loot.[Thanks, Jamil] Read - On sale at NewEggRead - On sale at Amazon
BenQ's nScreen i91 all-in-one PC gets the hands-on treatment
BenQ's nScreen i91 came straight out of left field around a month ago, and while it definitely looked striking in the press photography, the live-in-person look is even nicer. Said machine has been unboxed and photographed somewhere in Asia, and it somehow managed to pick up a svelte looking VoIP phone along the way. Hit up the read link for a few more good looks, and if you're a native Chinese speaker, you may even learn some of the pros and cons of ownership.[Via Engadget Chinese]
Shuttle gets extra official with luggable X50 all-in-one PC
Shuttle wasn't exactly tip-toeing around this one at CES in January, but the company has now gone the extra mile and gotten fully official with its new X50 all-in-one PC, which takes square aim at the likes of ASUS' Eee Top and other Atom-based nettops. As with ASUS' offering, this one packs a reasonably-sized 15.6-inch 1,366 x 768 touchscreen, along with the more nettop-minded Atom 330 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam and microphone, and a generous five USB 2.0 ports, among other standard fare. Unfortunately, it still doesn't look like this one is available to order just yet but, unless something major has changed since CES, you should be able to pick one up by the end of the month for about $500.[Via SlashGear]
ASUS EeeBox PC B208 with dual-core Atom and HD 4350 graphics un-announced
Funny. After making a brief appearance on ASUS' website, its top-end EeeBox PC B208 disappeared. Fortunately, there's Google cache. The B208 trumps ASUS' B206 by slapping a dual-core, 1.6GHz Atom 330 processor into the slim, monitor-riding slab as well as 256MB of ATI Radeon Hd 4350 graphics. That should help make the most of the built-in HDMI port and 320GB hard disk (plus 4x USB 2.0) should you like to use the little guy as a make-shift 802.11n / gigabit Ethernet media server (buzzing along at 26dB) on your home network. No price given but we expect it to pop for less than 500 bucks, eventually.[Thanks, Brad]
Mouse Computer rolls out a new Atom-powered nettop
Mouse Computer -- who recently elicited a 'swoon' with their new Core i7 offering -- is back on the scene with a punchy little nettop for those of you requiring something a little less substantial. The perky, quirky EGPA33DR32XP (what a catchy name!) boasts an Atom processor with up to 2GB of RAM, 320GB HDD, and XP Home. Prices start at ¥39,800 (roughly $400). Available in Japan.[Via Gadget Mix]
MSI ships $320 Wind Nettop CS120 to US, intros VR430 laptop
While we're confident you just woke up from the snore-fest that was MSI's VX600 announcement from yesterday, we've got some entirely more exciting news from the outfit today. First off, there's the 14.1-inch VR430, which comes loaded with an AMD Turion X2 dual-core CPU, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD3200 GPU, up to 4GB of RAM, a 1,280 x 800 resolution panel, DVD writer, 4-in-1 card reader, WiFi, a six- or nine-cell battery, gigabit Ethernet, 1.3 megapixel webcam, ExpressCard slot and three USB 2.0 sockets. In other news, the Wind Nettop CS120 (known as the CD130 at CeBIT) is now shipping to US soil for a tantalizing $319.99. Tucked within it is a 1.6GHz Atom 230 processor, GMA950 graphics, up to 2GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD, WiFi, oodles of ports and a slot-loading DVD burner. Check it right now from outlets like NewEgg, Amazon, J&R and Mwave, and feel free to glance the full release after the break.
$100 Nova Navigator cloud-powered nettop in the wild
PCs have fallen wildly in price over the past couple of years, but while the prospect of a "real computer" (well, almost) for a mere $100 isn't completely outlandish these days, it's still rare. The Nova Navigator, built for the India market, is actually down from its originally-projected $199 pricepoint, and commands a monthly subscription fee in the vicinity of $15 and up -- the more you pay the more online storage you get, with 50GB as a baseline. On its sparse 256MB of built-in storage, however, you get a full build of Linux with Firefox and OpenOffice, and the ability to access Windows with a Remote Desktop client. The unit doesn't come with a keyboard monitor or mouse, so once you get around to supplying all that and paying for a few months of service, you might've been better off with a cheap netbook, but the expansion and peripheral-compatibility afforded by this desktop form factor might just make it worth the hassle.
ASRock debuts Atom 330-powered NetTop S330: eyes-on
We caught up with ASRock's new entrant into the netbook world yesterday, but today it was all about the nettop. On display at the company's CeBIT booth was this gem, the NetTop S330. Showcased in white and some strange, unusual other hue, the box was powered by an Intel Atom 330 processor and supports up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM. Other specs include a Super Multi DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, 160GB 2.5-inch hard drive, audio in / out, VGA output and GMA950 graphics. We have to say, the design here is about as unimaginative as a nettop can get, but ASRock representatives informed us that it'll be aiming at a lower-end market as the box should list for $399 or less depending on options. Anywho, feel free to poke around in the gallery below, and if you dig what you're seeing, you can pick one up in America this April (or May if you're in Europe).
MSI WindBOX dismounts LCD, acts all proper at CeBIT
Despite the fact that MSI's Atom-powered WindBOX is meant to ride your monitor while providing all the computing power it can handle, the employees at the company's CeBIT booth felt it more proper in public to simply leave it laying out front. Though we were a touch dismayed, this choice did give us a better opportunity to shoot it from all angles, and we must say, this sucker is pretty thin. We're still hearing that MSI is aiming this more at enterprise customers rather than mainstream consumers, but there's nothing you can't buy if you know the right channels. Peep the gallery for more of this awkward, dismounted nettop.%Gallery-46735%
MSI Wind NetOn AP1900, Wind Top AE line eyes-on
Ready for more MSI? Good. Just in case the flurry of other new gear from the company has yet to tickle your fancy, how's about a smattering of all-in-one PCs? The Wind NetOn AP1900 was on hand in Germany, as was the Wind Top AE1900, AE2010, AE2200. Straight up, we weren't particularly fond of any of 'em, with the enclosures looking downright shoddy from a few feet away. Maybe the design team has been too wrapped up in the X-Slim family to care about these guys, huh? On the plus side, the touchscreen on the Wind Top AE1900 was super responsive, but we know you'll only use it for the first ten or so seconds of ownership before reverting back to the tried-and-true mouse / keyboard tandem. The whole lot is shoved down there in the gallery!%Gallery-46765%
MSI Wind NetTop CD130 eyes-on
MSI's Wind NetTop CD130 was quietly introduced at the tail end of CES this year, and if you're suspecting that it's simply a cousin of the NetTop D130, you'd be right. We caught two of the boxes on hand at CeBIT, both of which were sporting a dual-core Atom processor and one of which was entirely more colorful than the other. Supposedly, these things only draw around 40 watts of power, but don't expect to do anything other than process Word documents, surf the web and send email with any amount of haste. Per usual, you'll find more images just there in the gallery.%Gallery-46749%
MSI showcases new Blu-ray-equipped Wind Box DE200, we go hands-on
MSI hasn't made a big fuss about it, but the Wind Box DE200 is new for CeBIT 2009. The unit seems to be the bigger brother of its Wind Box DC100, and while we're stoked about the optional Blu-ray player, we're seriously doubting that the listed Celeron M 550 (2GHz) is the only CPU available. The unit also comes loaded with NVIDIA's GeForce 9400M GPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 160GB hard drive, 802.11n WiFi, HDMI and DVI outputs, Windows Vista Home edition, a multicard reader, audio in / out, Ethernet, a few USB 2.0 ports and an overly glossy enclosure. We've no pricing or release information to share just yet, but you can peek a few more angles down in the gallery below.%Gallery-46752%
NVIDIA responds to Intel's Ion dismissal, all eyes on recess for confrontation
It wasn't too hard to see this one coming, but NVIDIA has now shot back at Intel and responded point by point to each accusation Intel made recently about its Ion platform. For starters, while NVIDIA doesn't exactly dispute that Ion is just a repurposed MCP79M/MCP7A chipset, it does say that Ion is a "modern 2 chip solution," while Intel is relying on a "4-year-old 3 chip design." NVIDIA also points out that Ion is certified by Microsoft to deliver the "premium Windows experience," and not just Windows XP, and that, contrary to Intel's claim, Ion does in fact offer similar battery life to an Intel-based system while also delivering ten times the performance. In related news, Intel CEO Paul Otellini himself hit NVIDIA with a few jabs yesterday at a Goldman Sachs conference in San Francisco, saying that NVIDIA is simply not in a strong competitive position, and that, "if you don't have a microprocessor, what else do you have to sell?" Meanwhile, AMD was said to be wandering around the cafeteria, looking for a seat at the lunch table.Read - Tom's Hardware, "Nvidia Fires Back at Intel's Anti-Ion Sentiments"Read - CNET, "Intel CEO comments on Nvidia, economy, flash"
NVIDIA Ion platform to support VIA Nano processors this year
It's pretty clear NVIDIA already has some big plans for its new nettop / netbook-specific Ion platform, and it looks like its reach is about to get broader still, with company president Jen-Hsun Huang reportedly confirming that the platform will also support VIA's Nano processor by the end of the year. As you may recall, the two companies had been in off and on talks about a partnership last year before things finally fell though in November, and there was even a point where it seemed like NVIDIA might actually acquire VIA. No word from Intel on this latest development, although it doesn't seem like it'll be affecting the Atom's status as the go-to processor in the short term. There's also unfortunately no indication as to exactly what sort of VIA-powered, Ion-based systems we can expect to see, although it certainly wouldn't be a surprise if they followed the Ion / Atom combo and went with a nettop first.[Via GadgetMix.com]
Microsoft places stamp of approval on Vista-based Ion SFF PCs
Not that NVIDIA really needs Microsoft to give the ole thumbs-up here, but having that seal of approval may convince some currently wary manufacturers to jump in and support the Ion platform over one of those perfectly fine alternatives. As with so many other devices in the world, NVIDIA's Ion platform is now Certified for Windows Vista, meaning that PC users could one day experience all the joys of the aforesaid OS on Ion-based rigs as low as $299. We're told that such machines could be on the market by summer, and they'll be positively ready to deliver smooth Blu-ray playback while supporting DirectX 10, Aero Glass, Flip3D and GPU acceleration. Bring it, we say.
Netbook in a suitcase: all the shortcomings of a subnote in a large, inconvenient package
This is true art, friend. The amazing "brotato" (rhymes with potato, in a perfect world) has hacked together netbook components, an ancient keyboard and a 14.2-inch LCD into this classy case, dubbing the project "The Poor Man's Netbook." The box is running Windows XP, but he tested it out with Windows 7 and Mac OS X and it performed beautifully, except for the Bluetooth 2.1 module. The box is based on a Mini-ITX Intel D945GCLF2 Dual Core 1.6Ghz Atom motherboard, with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD and 802.11n WiFi -- though you'll have to hunt down an outlet, there's no battery power here. The best news is that he's selling the whole conglomeration on eBay, perfect for completing that piece of horrible cyberpunk fiction you've been slaving over on your boringtop.[Thanks, Ryan]
Atom-powered MSI WindBOX nearly ready to ride your LCD
Finally, a nettop we can really support. Rather than forcing consumers to deal with yet another underpowered box on their desk, MSI is enabling Earthlings to totally conceal said underpowered box so long as they have an LCD monitor with a VESA-compatible mount. The WindBOX, which actually broke cover back in November, is now completely official, and within the slim slab will be a 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, Intel's GMA 950 graphics set, 802.11b/g WiFi, audio in / out, three USB 2.0 sockets, a VGA port and a 3-in-1 multicard reader for good measure. There's no mention of a price, but it should start filtering out later this quarter. Better tell your LCD to start working out, don't you think?
