Todays & Tomorrows Technology

If you’ve been holding off on picking up one of HP’s Mini 110 series netbooks because you’ve wanted it in pink or white (what, really?) then today is the day to flex your credit-card. HP have unleashed the two new color versions of their 110 XP Edition, meaning you can have the 10.1-inch Atom N270/N280 netbook in sober black, coquettish pink or lost-in-a-snowstorm white.

Update: HP have also added the Broadcom HD Video Accelerator option to the Mini 110, priced at $30 (Thanks Peter!)


They’re our names, I should point out, not HP’s official nomenclature, so expect to be laughed at if you ring up to place your order and use them. Picking the non-standard color schemes pushes the price of the 110-series machines up by $20 each; they’re only available for the XP Edition variants, too, not the Mi Edition.

Otherwise your money gets you a choice of 16GB or 32GB SSD, or 160GB 5,400rpm HDD, together with WiFi b/g, 1GB of RAM and a color-matched keyboard. Prices start at $349.99 for the black model.

It looks like the torrent of Atom N270 netbooks won’t be followed by a similar rush of Atom N450-based budget ultraportables, as several manufacturers have apparently revealed plans to delay mass production until netbook heavyweights Acer and ASUS show their hand. That could push bulk availability back until the first half of 2010, despite engineering samples of the new Intel N450 chip already being available.


According to DigiTimes, lower than expected demand for netbooks – in part through segment saturation – in the first half of 2009 has left many vendors with legacy stock and reduced profit. That has encouraged them to take a more wait-and-see attitude, slashing R&D budgets and instead monitoring the big names to better gage the market.

Acer and ASUS are expected to reveal their N450-based ranges in Q4 2009, with white-box manufacturers planning to begin their own mass production in Q1 2010. The end result for the consumer may be reduced choice in netbook models, though given that the combination of building-to-budget, fitting in with Intel and Microsoft’s licensing limitations, and segment naivety has left most current netbooks pretty much identical to each other, that may not be such a bad thing.

We can’t say we looked at the Sharp Mebius NJ70A netbook – with its nifty touchscreen trackpad – and thought “what this needs is a second touchscreen”, but then we’re not SKY at UMPC Fever. After unboxing the N270-based netbook, he loaded up Windows 7 and then installed a touchscreen layer so as to use handwriting recognition direct onto the 10-inch display.

Interestingly, while he had the NJ70A open, SKY discovered that the optical trackpad actually has its own processor and RAM, meaning it doesn’t rely on the netbook’s own Atom CPU. He’s now trying to identify exactly what those mysterious components are.

Other hardware details include two RAM slots inside, which makes upgrading from the standard 1GB straightforward. XP will only recognize a maximum of 2GB; Windows Vista will recognize 3GB; and Windows 7 will recognize 3GB but only allow you to use 2GB.

Earlier in the month we heard that Atom N270 based netbooks and nettops would be unlikely candidates for inclusion in the Windows 7 Upgrade Program, and that’s looking to indeed be the case. ASUS have announced details of their program, including which models will be eligible, and only two of the company’s sprawling Eee PC netbook line are included: the 1101HA and the 1005HA.

Neither of these use the N270: the 1101HA adopts Intel’s Z520 CPU, while the 1005HA has the N280. You’ll also need to have a particular model in order to be eligible: the 1101HA must be running Vista Home Premium, while the 1005HA must be running either XP Pro or Vista Business. Considering most of these netbooks are bought with Windows XP Home, that doesn’t bode well for existing customers.

There are also a few Eee Top all-in-ones and the Eee Box EB1501 nettop, but it’s generally a poor showing for the company’s budget range.

As well as their NVIDIA Ion-equipped version, Lenovo have revealed a VIA Nano based IdeaPad S12 netbook. The 12.1-inch WXGA machine uses VIA’s Nano ULV 2250 processor, running at 1.30GHz, together with the company’s integrated Chrome9 HC3 graphics chipset.

Like its Intel-based brethren (which are available in both integrated-graphics and Ion forms), the Nano IdeaPad S12 has 1GB of RAM, a 150GB 5,400rpm hard-drive and WiFi b/g. There’s also a standard 6-cell Li-Ion battery. We’d obviously expect graphics performance to lag behind the 1080p-capable version.

What you do get with the Nano S12 is a cheaper machine. Prices start at $449, compared to at least $50 more for the Intel models, and it’s listed as beginning shipping in “more than four weeks” time.

Samsung are preparing to launch a new, 11.6-inch netbook, the N510, and rather than Intel’s Atom Z5xx series of processors they’ve picked the 1.66GHz N280. The N510 will also use NVIDIA’s Ion graphics chipset, paired with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard-drive.

The presence of Ion will make the N510 capable of high-definition video playback, which should make the WXGA 1,366 x 768 more usable. Rival machines such as the Acer Aspire One 751, which have similarly-sized displays but use Atom Z5xx series processors and standard netbook graphics, have proved woefully underpowered for HD content.

Other Samsung N510 specs include WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and wired ethernet, together with an integrated webcam and microphone, multi-format memory card reader, 6-cell Li-Ion battery and Windows XP Home. It’ll apparently be priced at around €570 ($799), which is mighty-expensive for an Atom-based netbook.

We’ve been quietly crushing on the Mobinnova élan Smartbook since its Computex debut, and this preview video from NetbookNews does little to dissuade that feeling. Based on NVIDIA’s Tegra chipset, the promise is both high-definition support and up to 24hrs of audio playback from the super-frugal platform.

The élan has an 8.9-inch display and a distinctly nifty hinged port panel on the back, which should do a decent job of keeping dust and other things out of the sockets. It weighs 1.84lbs and has integrated WiFi and 3G connectivity, plus it’s fanless.

We’re promised a second video with a walkthrough of the élan’s software soon, but we already know it has a custom 3D GUI and support for Office documents, YouTube and Hulu video. More on the hardware specs of the Mobinnova machine here; we’re not entirely sure of when it will arrive, but it could be the tipped model expected at $244 on Black Friday.

SlashGear stopped by the Pepcom Digital Experience in New York this week, and caught up with one of the more interesting netbooks on the horizon: Lenovo’s S12. While it may physically resemble one of the company’s previous models, albeit with a larger 12.1-inch display, what makes the S12 really special is the NVIDIA Ion chipset inside. The demonstration – which you can see after the cut – showed silky-smooth simultaneous HD encoding and playback.

In fact, the Lenovo S12 was using its HDMI port to output 1080p content onto a big-screen HDTV while also re-encoding a 1080p clip into an iPhone-friendly format. Both moved on at a fair clip, and the playback was completely smooth and unaffected by the encoding process.

When you consider that the S12 is otherwise pretty much identical to a mainstream netbook today, it’s all the more impressive. As well as Ion there’s a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM and up to 320GB hard-drive, together with WiFi, Bluetooth and an ExpressCard slot. Full specifications are here. The Lenovo S12 with NVIDIA Ion is expected to go on sale this month, priced at $499.99; cheaper models, lacking Ion, will start at $449.99.

NVIDIA will be releasing a netbook that sports the Tegra chip by the end of the year the company confirmed today. This will be the first time the chip has been used in anything other than the Zune HD player.

The Tegra chip sports a 720p resolution for HD video while maintaining low energy usage at 150mW. The prototype is being shown of the netbook that was built by Mobinnova, featuring an 8.9-inch screen.

Other suspected specs include a webcam, Wi-Fi, 3G and Windows CE. However, NVIDIA made a point of noting Android may be used. The pricing is expected to be the equivalent of $244 on Black Friday this year.

Always Innovating has finally put their Touch Book into production. This item is a tablet and a netbook of sorts that many have had pre-ordered for quite some time now. But it looks like you’re not going to have to wait much longer.
Shipping is believed to start next month at the same prices noted back in April. The Touch Book will cost $299, while the clip-on keyboard will cost $99. So, the price point is really pretty reasonable.

Sharp’s Mebius NJ70A is still too rich for our blood – $1,000 or thereabouts is simply too much to pay for a netbook, no matter how slick its touchscreen trackpad - but that doesn’t mean we’re not interested in lapping up all the information about the distinctive ultraportable that we can. UMPC Fever have acquired one of the Atom N270 netbooks and promptly shot a video unboxing.
It’s not just the trackpad – which is actually a 4-inch optical-touchscreen running at super-crisp 854 x 480 resolution – which makes this netbook stand out physically. The huge Mebius logo, basically a stylized Möbius strip, certainly stands out on the lid, but it’s arguably more attractive than a massive Sharp logo.

Inside, there’s an easily accessible Gigabyte WiFi module and Fujitsu 160GB hard-drive; the RAM also looks pretty easy to reach too. We’re just hoping that Sharp see sense and drop the touchscreen into their more grown-up ultraportables; pair it with something other than an Atom N270 and a somewhat more realistic price and you’d have a real winner.

Celio are looking to broaden support for their REDFLY smartphone companion device, tipping compatibility with RIM’s handsets and potentially Google’s smartphone platform. The company is apparently looking into developing BlackBerry support for the REDFLY devices by the end of 2009, with Android likely to be the next candidate after that.
The REDFLY devices resemble netbooks, but in fact are intended to be used as interface devices with a user’s Windows Mobile smartphone. 7-inch and 8-inch models are available, providing more screen space for the smartphone, and the devices have QWERTY keyboards and trackpads for easier text-entry and navigation.

While waiting for BlackBerry and, later Android support, Celio are looking to boost sales of their existing range by reducing prices. The 7-inch REDFLY C7 is now priced at $199, a reduction of $30, and offers 5-hours of battery life; meanwhile the 8-inch REDFLY C8N, which has an 8-hour battery, has seen a $50 cut to $249.

HP have announced a new netbook, the Mini 5101, and like their original entrant to the market they’ve gone with business-friendly materials targeted at “on-the-go professionals”. The HP Mini 5101’s 10.1-inch display is clad in anodized aluminum, while the lower case is made from magnesium alloy. Inside, there’s the usual Intel Atom processor, in this case the 1.66GHz N280, paired with up to 2GB of RAM and up to a 320GB HDD or an 80GB SSD.

Two display options are available, a standard 1024 x 600 or an HD-capable 1366 x 768 16:9 panel, with graphics via Intel’s GMA 950 chipset. Ports include three USB 2.0, VGA, ethernet, audio in/out and an SD/MMC card reader, while there’s also WiFi a/b/g/n, optional Bluetooth 2.0 and optional EVDO/HSPA WWAN. A 2-megapixel webcam lurks up in the screen bezel, along with stereo microphones.

The whole thing weighs from 2.64lb, and measures 10.3 x 7.09 x 0.91 inches. It’s being offered with either Windows XP Home, SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 or FreeDOS, as well as either 4-cell or 6-cell batteries. Pricing starts from $449, and you can pick up the HP Mini 5101 from July.

Gateway revealed their LT3100 netbook today and this one is just a little bit different than the first generation. It features an 11.6-inch display with a 1,366 x 768 resolution and is only 3.1-pounds.
Other specs include a 1.2GHz Athlon 64 processor and a Radeon X1270 graphics card. It also features 2GB of RAM and Windows Vista Home Basic. It actually has the specs to support the Aero Glass interface.

This new netbook has a 6-cell battery, a 250GB hard drive, a card reader, a webcam and a touchpad with multi-touch features. You can get the LT3100 netbook starting today in red or black for $400.

Kohjinsha’s SK3 UMPC, which we saw yesterday, has been officially launched in Japan. The 7-inch touchscreen SK3 gets an Intel Atom 1.33GHz processor paired with 1GB of RAM and a 60GB 1.8-inch 4,200rpm hard-drive; there’s also WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.0 and GPS.

As expected there are also dual cameras, a low-resolution webcam by the screen for video calls, and a 3-megapixel version presumably for still shots. Ports include ethernet 10/100, VGA, audio in/out, a microSD slot, two USB 2.0 ports, multiformat card reader and an ExpressCard 34 slot.

It’s also impressively smaller than its SC3 predecessor, at 193 x 132 x 30 mm, and weighing just 720g. Kohjinsha are suggesting 3.2hrs runtime from the 17Wh battery in the Jeita test, a test known to produce over-ambitious results. Steve from UMPC Portal (who, frankly, we trust about battery runtime estimates more than we ever did Jeita) is guesstimating at between 2 and 2.5hrs of real-world use, which is a real disappointment.

Still, we won’t argue with more options in the ultramobile touchscreen category, and we’ve a feeling Japanese customers won’t either when the Kohjinsha SK3 goes on sale there. It’s expected to be priced at the equivalent of around $733, including local taxes.

Intel are about to announce a deal whereby they will supply Nokia with mobile processors, according to an anonymous Bloomberg tipster. The deal is expected to be revealed today in a conference call with Anand Chandrasekher, senior VP of Intel’s ultra-mobility group; Intel themselves have only confirmed that they have an “important announcement” to make.

What’s unclear at present is the nature of the chips Intel will be supplying Nokia. The company’s CEO has previously said that they’ve considered a move into the notebook or netbook segment, though failed to specify whether such a device would take the form of a traditional, 3G-connected laptop, or something more unusual such as a MID or UMPC.

It seems likely, then, that Nokia are looking to use Intel’s Moorestown platform, expected to arrive in 2010, or – further in the future – their Medfield platform for smartphones that’s penciled in for 2011.

After months of complaint from US would-be VAIO P buyers, Sony has apparently relented and added a new, faster processor option to their “don’t call it a netbook” ultraportable. The VAIO P VGN-P698E gets Intel’s 1.60GHz Intel Atom processor, likely the Z530, together with a 128GB SSD and the usual integrated Verizon EVDO Rev.A and GPS.

Unfortunately that’s still a fair few clock-cycles behind Japan’s latest VAIO P, the 2GHz Atom Z550 model announced earlier this month. In fact it’s slower, even, than the now-toppled Japanese flagship – which ran at 1.86GHz with an Atom Z540 CPU – and the Windows XP option is also unavailable, as Sony have seemingly decided US customers only want Vista.

Best of all is the price: for the smudge of extra processing power and double the SSD you’re looking at $1,499.99. That’s a full $500 more than the 1.33GHz 32GB SSD model. It’s available for pre-order now, and will begin shipping around June 26th.

If you’ve considered Verizon’s FiOS internet service but dismissed it for being too slow for your tastes, the news that they’re speeding up the fiber-optic system will come as a pleasant surprise. The company is boosting downlink/uplink speeds of its entry-level package from 10/2 Mbps to 15/5 Mbps, while the mid-tier 20/5 Mbps climbs to 25/15 Mbps. New York City and Long Island will see even greater increases.

In fact, those two locations will see their entry-level package jump to 25/15 Mbps, with the mid-tier package landing at 35/20 Mbps. That sort of uplink speed is enough to upload a one-hour high-definition movie in around 20 minutes; according to recent research from In-Stat, Verizon says with no small amount of gloating, the average cable internet user sees upload rates of 2.68Mbps.

If sheer speed isn’t enough to lure you in, Verizon are also offering gadget incentives to new subscribers. Anybody subscribing to a triple package of 25/15 Mbps internet (or higher), Extreme HD TV and Essentials voice will get their choice of a Compaq Mini netbook or a Flip Ultra camcorder. Anybody choosing the slower 15/5 Mbps (or higher) connection with TV Essentials and Essentials voice service will get a free Flip Ultra. Those unable to get FiOS will have similar offers for Verizon’s DSL service.

You’ll need more than a passing familiarity with the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 to spot the mod here, so we’ll give you a hefty hint: it’s the fingerprint reader in the right-hand side of the palm-rest. MyDellMini forum member Rich decided he wanted biometric login functionality in his netbook, so inserted the guts of an Eikon fingerprint reader into the Mini 9.

To do so he also had to squeeze a USB hub inside, so as not to lose one of the Inspiron Mini 9’s external ports. After some careful measurements, he cut a narrow slot into the palm-rest, and then gave it a suitably beveled edge to allow contact between finger and sensor.

Considering you can pick up the Eikon for under $40 through Amazon Marketplace, this doesn’t have to be an expensive mod, either. Next step for the Mini 9 – which as you can see is already running Mac OS X – is an internal GPS receiver.

It’s ironic that what a year or two would’ve been called a UMPC (and, frankly, ignored by most people, tech writers included) is now called a touchscreen netbook and garners far more interest. Latest on the block is set to be the Kohjinsha SK3, an upgrade to the existing 7-inch SC3 UMPC. Among the changes are a new battery and upgraded cameras.
The SK3 has a convertible resistive touchscreen, a couple of inches smaller than that of the ASUS Eee PC T91, which folds flat onto the keyboard for portable slate use. Inside there’s the same 1.3GHz Menlow-platform processor – capable enough, we’ve seen, for Vista – though no word on whether there’s an SSD option this time around. WiFi has been upgraded, adding draft-n support, and there are still PCI Express, SD, VGA and ethernet connections, together with GPS.

According to UMPCPortal’s sources, the Kohjinsha SK3 will get its official announcement this week. No word on battery life from the newly-streamlined power pack, nor what sort of pricing we could expect.