Topic: Netbooks take center stage
With the desktop PC form factor being discussed in conjunction with the term "end-of-life," the need for manufacturers to address very small, convenient, and portable form factors is being taken into much more serious consideration than ever before. But with smartphones becoming more and more functional, and with them fitting neatly into one's pocket, there's still questions about whether a viable market need exists across all customer segments, for what's essentially an "in-between PC."
About a week ahead of schedule, Acer has started US shipments of its second generation Aspire One netbook, a Windows XP-only device with a larger 10.1-inch screen.
Posted February 9, 2009, 2:34 PM ET
Intel is now shipping the next generation of its Atom processor, the single core N280, to PC manufacturers. This iteration of the Atom microarchitecture has already been slated for use in Asus' latest Eee PC Netbook, the 1000HE. Asus has increased the battery life of this Eee to a purported 9.5 hours on a single charge, thanks to the new Atom processor which only consumes 2.5 Watts of power.
The Atom N280 runs at 1.66GHz, FSB 667MHz, and Pre-orders for the first netbook equipped with it, Asus' 1000HE, began this week.
Posted February 6, 2009, 12:18 PM ET
In a move that might help boost netbook sales on the Linux side, at least for itself, Hewlett-Packard has released a custom version of Ubuntu for its own Mini 1000 Mi Edition. The new software reportedly sports a custom GUI that's geared more for media and connectivity applications than your usual PC fare.
At boot-up, Mi users are greeted with a screen presenting a Web search engine; a list of favorite Web sites; shortcuts to their music and photos; a settings manager; and a Start New Program button. If you click on the button, you'll get separate tabs for Internet, Media, Utilities, Work, Play, and "All" applications. Because the OS is based on the Hardy Herring edition of Ubuntu, it should be able to run just about any Ubuntu app.
Posted February 5, 2009, 2:20 PM ET
It may be the clearest demonstration to date that the working relationship between Intel and Microsoft is about as loosely coupled today than at anytime in the companies' histories. A very frank but official blog post from Intel software engineer Josh Bancroft, dated Tuesday, warns prospective netbook buyers that one of the elements not revealed by Microsoft's not-very-revealing announcement on Windows 7 SKUs earlier this week concerns licensing fees.
Posted February 5, 2009, 10:14 AM ET
ABI research released the results of a survey today called "U.S. Consumer Interest in Netbooks," which found that of more than 1000 netbook users, only 11% used theirs as their primary household computer.
Sales of netbooks in 2008 were in excess of 11 million, and analysts began to track the effect it was having on notebook and desktop sales. In November, marketing executives from Acer and Asus estimated between 8-20% of netbook buyers were lost notebook sales.
ABI's Philip Solis says, "While their low price does cause some consumers to view netbooks as a replacement for a laptop given the current economic conditions, the majority view a netbook as being a secondary device."
An overwhelming 79% of those surveyed relegated netbooks to the backup tier.
Posted January 30, 2009, 12:53 PM ET
Download the VMware image of Moblin Alpha 1 from Fileforum now.
Embedded Linux, with its smaller footprint and tighter code, is finding its way into smaller platforms where even a stripped down Windows XP couldn't possibly fit. Intel is fully aware of this, which is perhaps one reason why it's funding the development of an innovative new Linux distribution called Moblin. It uses the GNOME Mobile platform and features OpenGL support, and it's attracting the attention of companies such as netbook leader Acer.
Late last week, Moblin.org began distributing its first public alphas of a plethora of test builds and virtual machines, including -- most importantly -- a live image of the OS that can be copied immediately to a USB thumb drive (512 MB minimum) and booted right up in any PC, including a netbook. It's small enough for supporting vendors to choose which UI to provide with it.
Posted January 29, 2009, 10:06 AM ET
CherryPal, which introduced a 10 oz., 400 MHz internet appliance called the C100 in July, unveiled its netbook at the Sundance Film Festival today.
Called the Bing, CherryPal's netbook runs a Linux-based operating system called GreenMaraschino with a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor. With 1 GB DDR2 RAM, a 160 GB HDD, a 10.2" (1024 x 600) TFT display, 3 USB ports, SD/MMC/MS slot, a 0.3 megapixel webcam, and built-in 802.11 b/g, the Bing is being marketed as an efficient, environmentally friendly, simple machine.
Posted January 18, 2009, 10:35 PM ET
Falling consumer demand for PCs is triggering declining orders for CPUs, Intel admitted yesterday, but not across the board. As it turns out, its smallest consumer processor may be the mightiest of all this year.
Posted January 16, 2009, 10:38 AM ET
And you thought breaking the $400 netbook price barrier was a milestone? Okay, maybe it was, but what would you want for...say, $89?
Posted January 10, 2009, 6:01 PM ET
Never mind the tiny physical footprint of the Vaio P, if you ask Sony, they will tell you they have never made a netbook. If you ask me, however, I'll tell you they just did.
Posted January 10, 2009, 5:39 AM ET
Eee, Adamo, Vaio P...None of them, it seems, have names that sound unlike yodels. But they're all catching on, as at long last, manufacturers may finally have found a low-cost functionality niche they can capitalize upon.
Posted January 10, 2009, 12:56 AM ET
The headquarters of AsusTek Computer Inc., and Micro-Star International (MSI) are a mere 21 kilometers apart in Taiwan, and they seem as close as ever in the South hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Posted January 9, 2009, 8:46 PM ET
Intel has given its low-cost Classmate PC laptop a makeover at CES 2009, adding a touch screen and making the 8.9-inch display swivel 180 degrees and morph into a tablet PC. Sorry, Netbook fans -- this one's for students.
Posted January 9, 2009, 4:23 PM ET
Updated with Images Dell gathered together a modest audience this morning to make three announcements and then give a tantalizing look at the hotly-rumored Adamo luxury laptop line.
Posted January 9, 2009, 4:02 PM ET
Known for its crystal-sharp displays, ViewSonic will enter (or re-enter) the PC business with its Atom-based LinkPC.
Posted January 8, 2009, 11:58 AM ET
It's only the first set of Sony announcements, but the product assortment at Sony's booth preview Wednesday was enough to cap the evening with something approaching nerd-vana, if you like your gadgets colorful and slightly off-kilter.
Posted January 8, 2009, 12:35 AM ET
The question in advance of Sony's first press conference at CES (there will be more than one) is whether it would choose to talk about its financial condition first. The answer is apparently "no," as it premiered its secret Vaio PC.
Posted January 7, 2009, 7:38 PM ET
As the netbook platform takes shape this year at CES, AMD is giving a more focused picture of what the inside of that platform could look like...but not too focused, at least not for a few days yet.
Posted January 6, 2009, 7:17 PM ET
UPDATED At a press conference at CES 2009 Tuesday evening, Asus introduced the Eee 131, its first netbook with a built-in 512 GB hard drive. Asus has been working closely with Microsoft, so that it will run Windows 7.
Posted January 6, 2009, 6:38 PM ET
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