ACER OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES ASPIRE ONE 532H PINE TRAIL NETBOOK

Acer has officially announced a new netbook called Aspire One 532h. The device is powered by an Intel Pine Trail Atom N450 processor.

The Aspire One 532h is equipped with a 10.1 inch display. Word is that Acer may offer a higher resolution display with 1280 x 720 pixels as an optional feature. Other specifications are pretty regular. You will get 1 GB of RAM, a 160GB/250GB hard drive and a 6 cell 4400mAh battery. For graphics there is the integrated GMA 3150. The device will run Windows 7 Starter Edition.

The netbook will support WiFi 802.11b/g/n. It is not clear whether Bluetooth will also be offered. The touchpad will reportedly support multi-touch gestures.

Pricing and Availability
No info on availability as yet, but the base configuration is expected to start at $299.

HOW TO INSTALL WINDOWS 7 ON A NETBOOK WITHOUT AN OPTICAL DRIVE

In a bid to make netbooks slimmer and lighter PC makers are doing away with the optical drive. While not having an optical drive doesn’t really affect the functionality of a mobile professional, it does become a problem when you have to install some software only available in a CD. For instance, consider this situation: you want to install Windows 7 on your netbook and you don’t have an optical drive. What will you do? Well, Microsoft is well aware of your predicament and has provided a solution.

Here are the steps you need to take.

1. Purchase Windows 7 from the online store (saves to an ISO file)
2. Purchase a USB flash drive.
3. Create a bootable USB flash drive using the Windows 7 USB / DVD Download Tool
4. Restart your computer
5. Go to your netbook BIOS and make the USB flash drive the first bootable device
6. Save the BIOS settings and reboot the PC with the USB flash drive slotted in.
7. Install Windows 7
Congrats, now you have got the brand new OS on your system.

SAMSUNG N140 NETBOOK REVIEW

The most remarkable feature of the Samsung N140 is its bright matte display. Most netbooks in the market have glossy displays which can be difficult to read in bright surroundings.

Samsung N140 Specs
The Samsung N140 is available in Blue or Burgundy.
Review laptop specifications
Display: 10.1 inch matte display with 1024 x 600 pixels
Processor: Intel Atom N280 (1.6GHz) processor
Graphics: Intel GMA 950 graphics
Memory: 1 GB
Storage: 250 GB Hard drive (5400 rpm)
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium (Default – Windows 7 Starter)

Build / Feel
The Samsung N140 has an all matte interior which prevents it from collecting finger prints. The keyboard, display, palm rests and the screen bezel all have a matte finish. On the flip side the screen lid is glossy and very good at picking up fingerprints.

There is a silver rim around the edge of the chassis which lends the notebook a classy look. Build quality is reasonably good, and design is very attractive.

Keyboard
The Samsung N140 has a nearly full sized keyboard which occupies all the space on the chassis. The keyboard is very good. In fact, it is better than the keyboard on most 10 inch netbooks in the market. The keyboard is very sturdy and doesn’t show any flex at all.

Touchpad
There is a silver rimming around the touchpad. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures including two-finger scrolling, zooming and pinching. It is the right size for a 10 inch netbook. Sensitivity is good. The touchpad doesn’t have separate left and right buttons. The single bar is easy to press and shows no stiffness at all. But it is a bit noisy when pressed.

Display
The Samsung N140 is one of the few netbooks in the market with a matte display. The display is very bright but it isn’t quite as sharp as glossy displays. Viewing angles are satisfactory. In fact, horizontal viewing angles are very good. While the screen itself is good, the lid does have some limitations. You can’t open the lid beyond 135 degrees. Another downside is the low resolution of the display which has only 1024 x 600 pixels. Samsung, however, has included a resolution application that allows you to raise the resolution to 1024 x 768 pixels.

Ports and Slots
There are 3 USB ports. Other features include LAN 10/100, WiFi 802.11b/g/n, 0.3 megapixel webcam, VGA, card reader, headphone and microphone jacks. There is no HDMI. The US model also doesn’t have Bluetooth.

Speakers / Audio
The stereo speakers come with SRS TruSurround XT, SRS WOW XT and SRS CS Headphone technology. Audio quality is very good.

Noise and heat
The Samsung N140 is almost silent. You have to try really hard to hear the fan humming even in a quiet room. Heat levels are within normal limits. The laptop does get a bit warm under heavy loads, but nothing unusual.

Battery Life
Most netbooks now offer all day battery life, but the Samsung N140 disappoints in this department. It has a 6-cell battery rated at 5,200mAh. While Samsung’s product page claims that the battery will offer up to 9.5 hours of uptime, in real usage, you will get only around 5 hours.

Performance
Don’t expect too much out of a netbook. These machines are powered by low power Atom processors. Samsung N140 is no different. It has enough power to handle everyday tasks. You will have no difficulty processing MS Office documents. You can browse the web with multiple tabs open. You can also run multiple applications at the same. But you won’t be able to play 3D games. You can’t watch HD video either.

Pros
Matte display
Really quiet
Good touchpad and keyboard
Good speakers
Affordable

Cons
Average battery life
Glossy screen lid prone to pick up finger prints
Not very upgrade friendly.
No WiFi with Linux

VIEWSONIC ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST NETBOOK WITH WINDOWS 7

Windows 7 is out and every netbook maker has released at least one model sporting the brand new OS. ViewSonic is no different. The company recently announced a Windows 7 version of its 10 inch VNB102 netbook.

The VNB102 will be released on December 18th with Windows 7 Starter. Prices start at $399. Other than the new operating system, the VNB102 doesn’t have anything to set it apart from other ViewSonic laptops. It has a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1 GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The 10 inch display has 1024 x 600 pixels. Other features include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet and VGA output. The 6-cell battery is expected to give up to 6 hours of runtime.

TOSHIBA TO LAUNCH NB300 NETBOOK WITH WIRELESS 3G

Toshiba has filed documents with FCC for its upcoming netbook – the NB300 - with 3G wireless and GPS capabilities. The Toshiba NB300 will have a 10.1 inch display. The netbook will have a Qualcomm Gobi2000 module for 3G wireless connectivity. It will be compatible with a variety of mobile networks as it supports GPS, EVDO, EDGE, CDMA200 and WCDM/HSPA standards.

No further details are available at the moment. But the netbook is expected to be introduced early next year. It is also likely to have an Intel Atom Pineview chip. In related news, Sony has also filed an FCC application for an updated version of its 10 inch Vaio W netbook with a wireless Gobi module.

CLEVO M81P NETBOOK HITS FCC

Yet another netbook has it the FCC. This time around it is a 10 inch model from CLEVO.

The only interesting thing about CLEVO M81P is probably its HSPA wireless broadband capabilities which make it possible for the netbook to be subsidized by a wireless carrier in the US. The computer is powered by a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor. It has a 10.1 inch display with 1024x 600 pixels. Up to 2GB of RAM is available. The hard disk is a 2.5 inch model and the user manual recommends using a 5400 rpm drive.

The Clevo M81P is ultraportable. And at just 0.77 inches, it is one of the thinnest netbooks around. No word on pricing or availability yet.

CHERRYPAL AFRICA NETBOOK AVAILABLE FOR $99

CherryPal has introduced a new netbook that is selling for as low as $99. Called Africa, it is a severely underpowered netbook. But at this price point you will definitely want to check it out.

The CherryPal Africa has a 7 inch display. It is powered by a 400MHz processor with 256MB of RAM and a 2GB of flash storage. The machine will run either Linux or Windows CE. The battery life is expected to be around 4 hours. Of course, the specifications are reminiscent of a cell phone and not a netbook. But isn’t CherryPal Africa worth buying? Well, it is. With its keyboard, WiFi and a web browser, the machine provides an extremely affordable means of accessing the internet. But be aware of its limitations before you order one.

MARKS & SPENCER LAUNCHES ITS OWN NETBOOK

Everybody wants a piece of the netbook market, or so it seems. Google reportedly is building its netbook and now UK retailer Marks & Spencer has launched its own netbook. The process is pretty simple: just call up a Taiwanese PC maker and order a few thousand netbooks. All that you need to do next is to slap your name on it and then sell it as your own netbook.

The netbook launched by Marks & Spencer is called MSNB-2009. The MSNB-2009 is manufactured by Elonex. The MSNB-2009 doesn’t have anything special about. It has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The 10.1 inch display comes with 1024 x 600 pixels. The device runs Windows XP.

GOOGLE NETBOOK COMING BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR?

Netbooks are becoming a rage these days and it seems Google, too, wants a piece of the action. If TechCrunch got it correct, we will be seeing a Google netbook before the end of next year. According to sources (unofficial, of course) Google is in talks with hardware manufactures about making a netbook. Sources also claim that detailed specs of the device have already been proposed and agreed upon. It seems the only thing missing is an official release date.

Specifications of the device have not yet been leaked. But one thing is certain: the machine will run Google Chrome. Another possibility is that it could be powered by an ARM processor. In that case it will be a smartbook and not a netbook.

HP PAVILION DM1 NETBOOK REVIEW

The HP Pavilion DM1 occupies the space between an Atom netbook and a full-fledged notebook. It can easily compete with other 11.6 inch models like Acer Aspire 1410 and Lenovo U150.

Build quality
Build quality is reasonably good. The screen lid, however, shows some flex. The Pavilion DM1 is as thin and light as any other netbook. The bottom of the netbook provides easy access panels for internal components so upgrading this netbook is easy.

Specifications
Processor: 1.2GHz Intel Celeron SU2300 processor
Graphics: integrated GMA 4500MHD
Memory: 2GB of RAM
Storage: 250GB hard drive
Battery: 6-cell

Other configurations with dual core Pentium SU4100 processor are also available.

Ports
Port selection is average. There are 3 USB ports, an HDMI port, Ethernet and WiFi 802.11b/g. There is only a single jack for mic and headphone.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard does offer a solid feel and good tactile feedback. It shows no signs of flex at all. But it is smaller for a 10 inch netbook. The touchpad disappoints. It doesn’t support multi-touch gestures which is kind of surprising because plenty of small and inexpensive netbooks now come with multi-touch touchpads. The buttons are stiff and noisy.

Screen and Speakers
The 11.6 inch display comes with 1366 x 768 pixels. The display itself is good with good color and contrast. The Altec Lansing speakers produce great audio. The microphones are also great.

Battery life
The 6-cell lithium ion battery provides around 4.5 hours of runtime under normal use.

Performance
Performance is quite satisfactory. The netbook has enough power to handle day-to-day jobs like web browsing and word processing. The integrated Intel graphics can’t handle graphics rich video games but it is good enough to decode HD video (720p and 1080p).

Pros
High resolution display
Solid keyboard
Good speakers and microphone
Silent cooling system

Cons
Touchpad lacks multi-touch supports
Stiff and noisy touchpad buttons
Small keyboard
No Bluetooth or WiFI N

DOES FIREFOX MAKE YOUR NETBOOK HOTTER THAN USUAL?

Some reports at the Mozilla support site indicate that Firefox may be the reason behind netbook overheating. When opening pages heavy in multimedia (which usually include Flash elements) Firefox tends to make netbooks hotter than other browsers do.

This is not a problem with larger notebooks because they have better cooling systems with beefier heatpipes and fans capable of moving larger volumes of air. Netbooks with their small frame, however, don’t have full-fledged cooling systems and are more likely to feel the heat.

While the report is based on a study conducted on netbooks running OsX, Windows users have also reported similar overheating problems. And in case you want to test this yourself just try opening a multimedia rich page in different browsers including Firefox and feel the heat. Does your netbook tend to get hotter than usual during a prolonged browsing session in Firefox?

PHECDA RELEASES NETBOOK WITH VIA PROCESSOR

Prior to the arrival of Intel’s Atom processors, VIA did enjoy some success with low-cost laptops. The company shipped in a handful of HP Mini models. But then Intel’s cheap and power efficient Atom processors arrived and VIA had to concede its market share to its more powerful rival.

But now Phecda has released a netbook with a VIA processor. The PHV102, as it is called, has the regular netbook specs. It features a VIA 1.6GHz C7-M processor, 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160 GB SATA hard drive. It has a 10.2 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels and a three-cell 200mAh battery. But still you can’t write it off as just another netbook.

The reason is the PHV102 will have the Black Friday price all the time. It will sell for an estimated $185 on every day of the year. Competition has always been good for the market so don’t be surprised if you see netbooks getting even cheaper.

DEANNE CHEUK INSPIRON MINI: DESIGNER NETBOOK AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

Desinger netbooks aren’t necessarily known for their capabilities, but there is still a market for them. Much like the Vivienne Tam editions released by HP, Dell has released a limited edition Inspiron Mini designed by Deanne Cheuk. The netbook doesn’t have any fancy specs: it is the regular netbook fare.

The Deanne Cheuk Inspiron Mini is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530 processor with integrated Intel GMA 500 processor. It has 1 GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB SATA hard disk drive. The netbook has a 10 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The only available connectivity option is 802.11 b/g wireless. There is also an HDMI port for transferring video to an external monitor.

Each system in the series will be individually numbered. They are now available at Best Buy for $379.99. The Limited Edition Inspiron Mini runs Windows 7 Starter edition.

ASUS EEE PC 1008HA NETBOOK REVIEW

The Asus Eee PC 1008HA sports an all-new design inspired by the curves of a seashell. Its specifications don’t set it apart from the multitude of netbooks available in the market. But this ultraportable machine does have some plus points of its own. On the flip side, it misses a few ports and offers less battery life than a typical netbook does.

Specifications
Processor: 1.66-GHz Intel Atom N280
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium
Memory: 2 GB
Storage: 250 GB 5400 rpm
Display: 10.1 inch display with 1024 x 600 pixels

Price as Reviewed: $411

Design and build quality
The Eee PC 1008HA sports an attractive design. The screen lid is available in glossy white and black; blue and pink are expected to be available later this year. The lid features an infusion finish which makes it scratch resistant. The netbook measures one inch in thickness. And at just 2.2 pounds it is lighter than most netbooks available in the market.

Ports
All the ports are covered with plastic tabs. There are 2 USB ports (most netbooks have 3), a 4-in-1 card reader, Ethernet port, headphone and microphone jacks. There is also a VGA port for connecting the netbook to a larger display.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard is spacious and is comfortable to type on. The keys provide nice tactile feedback. There is a Wi-Fi and touchpad on/off button above the keyboard. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures. It is covered with small Braille-like dots. There are no dedicated right and left buttons, but the single button does work well.

Display, Audio, and Webcam
The 10.1 inch display features 1024 x 600 pixels. The display is good. Colors are bright and vivid. Horizontal viewing angles are good but vertical viewing angles are average. The 1.3 megapixel webcam fitted above the display produces clear images.
The speakers are good but not the best. Audiophiles will definitely need to invest in a pair of headphones.

Performance
The original 1008HA ran Windows XP. But the new version runs Windows 7 Home Premium. This is a remarkable feature as most netbooks out there run Windows 7 Starter which has very limited functionality. The new and improved 1008HA also has 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive.

Performance is satisfactory. The netbook has enough power to handle every day tasks. You will not have any difficulty surfing the web with multiple tabs on or conducting video calls over Skype. The integrated Intel GMA 950 chip can easily decode 720p HD video, but gaming is still out of question.

Battery Life
The Eee PC 1008HA has a 2900 mAH lithium polymer battery instead of the more common lithium ion battery. The 6-cell battery provides up to six hours of up time. While the battery life is OK, the battery itself does pose some problems. It is integrated with the netbook and cannot be removed.

Pros
Thin and light
Spacious keyboard
Attractive design
Faster hard drive

Cons
Integrated battery which cannot be removed
VGA port requires adapter

GIGABYTE TOUCHNOTE T1028X CONVERTIBLE NETBOOK REVIEW

The Gigabyte TouchNote T1028X is an ultraportable netbook with a 10.1 inch display. It is powered by an Intel Atom N280 processor. Specifications don’t set it apart from other netbooks currently available in the market; still the TouchNote T1028X isn’t just another netbook.

Display and Graphics
The most remarkable thing about this netbook is indeed its display. The 10.1 inch display is touch-enabled. It also comes with a default resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. There is probably no other netbook in the market with a touch-screen display featuring 1366 x 768 pixels. The display can be folded down over the keyboard to use the device in tablet mode.

The touch screen shows good sensitivity. You will not have any difficulty navigating through programs using either the stylus or your finger. Gigabyte has also included some software applications which make the touch-screen easy to use.

The display itself is average. Colors aren’t very bright or vivid. The high
resolution of the display is both good and bad. It reduces the need to scroll when viewing web pages. On the flip side, having so many pixels on a tiny screen puts extra strain on your eyes.

Ports and Slots
There are 3 USB ports, headphone and microphone jacks. Other notable features include integrated 3G module (optional), VGA, Ethernet, SD card reader, an ExpressCard/34 slot.

Design
The TouchNote T1028X is slightly heavier and larger than typical 10 inch netbooks. It measures 1.5 inches in thickness and weighs around 3.3 pounds. The lid features an attractive glossy finish which is prone to collect fingerprints. The screen bezel, palm rest and other parts of the computer feature a matte finish.

The TouchNote comes with a 6-cell battery which sticks out a bit from the back of the notebook. The battery is expected to give 5 hours of up time. The netbook is very upgrade friendly with the bottom featuring easy access panels for RAM, hard drive and wireless module.

Speakers
The speakers aren’t very audible. So if you like to listen to a lot of music on your netbook you will definitely want to use headphones or a set of external speakers.

Keyboard and TouchPad
The keyword is wide and it stretches from one side of the case to the other. The keys provide nice tactile feedback. But for some unknown reason Gigabyte has reduced the size of some keys. The touchpad supports multi-touch gestures. While sensitivity is good the touchpad does pose some problems. Its buttons are located on the left and right side of it. This is an arrangement you will take sometime to get used to.

Performance
Performance is snappy. Boot times are good and applications load almost instantly. You will not have any difficulty performing your day to day activities like web surfing and word processing. But remember that this machine is powered by an Intel Atom processor which doesn’t have enough power to handle CPU intensive tasks such as editing and transcoding videos.

Conclusion
In terms of performance and build quality this is one of the best netbooks in the market. The touch-screen works just like it should. On the flip side this is one of the most expensive netbooks in the market. In fact, this is not a netbook at all because netbooks are supposed to be small and cheap.

Gigabyte recently upgraded the TouchNote T1028X. It is now available from Amazon for $668. This model ships with Windows 7 and a 250GB hard drive. But like the previous version, the upgraded version also comes with 1GB of DDR2 RAM. The model with an integrated 3G module sells for $788.

KOHJINSHA DZ NETBOOK TO GO ON SALE IN JAPAN

Kohjinsha made news in October by announcing a netbook with a dual-screen. The company has already released demo videos featuring the device. The weird slider is now ready and raring to go. Kohjinsha will put the device on sale in Japan on December 11th.

The dual-screen DZ carries a price tag of $920. For that price you will get a netbook with a 1.6GHz AMD Neo MV-40 processor, S780MN chipset, an ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated graphics chipset, 1 GB of RAM and a 160 GB hard drive. Memory is expandable to 4 GB. Other features include gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 3 USB ports, audio in/out and a fingerprint reader.

The Kohjinsha DZ netbook has a 6-cell battery which is expected to give up to 4.5 hours of runtime. The 10.1 inch displays feature 1024 x 600 pixels each.

MALATA LAUNCHES R108T CONVERTIBLE NETBOOK

Matala has launched a convertible netbook with a touchscreen display. Dubbed R108T, the netbook is available in attractive colors. Prices start at $435.

The R108T is powered by an Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz processor with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The 10-inch resistive touch-screen display comes with 1024 x 600 pixels. The display can be rotated. There are 2 USB 2.0 ports. Other features include Ethernet, multi-format card reader, WiFi b/g/n, 1.3 Mega pixel webcam and audio ports. The netbook comes preloaded with Windows 7. It is available in Coffee, Ferrari red, Piano Black, Champagne and Gold colors.

The 3,400mAh battery is expected to give up to 3 hours of runtime.

Pricing and Availability
The netbook is now available in US and Europe for $435.

AMD-POWERED MSI WIND U230: A NETBOOK FOR GAMING

MSI’s newest laptop the Wind U230 is ideal for mobile professionals who want to do a bit of gaming on the go. This machine is small and ultraportable, but it isn’t quite a netbook.

The MSI Wind U230 has an AMD processor and an ATI GPU under its hood. Most netbooks, on the other hand, feature Intel Atom processors and integrated GPUs. In terms of performance and battery life, the Wind U230 falls somewhere between netbooks and more powerful notebooks.

Pre-production units have performed well in gaming tests. But the AMD Neo processor couldn’t do just as well as Intel’s SU7300 in CPU intensive tasks. But that shouldn’t prevent this machine from being popular with netbookers. Aggressive pricing which MSI is known for may also help.

SMARTBOOK AG RELEASES ZENID GC CRYSTAL NETBOOK

Smartbook AG, a German computer company, has started selling its Zenid GC Crystal netbook. As far as specifications are concerned this netbook isn’t different from other netbooks in the market. It is powered by an Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor with 2 GB of RAM. It runs Windows 7 and has a 10 inch display. Another notable feature is WiFi.

The Zenid GC Crystal still isn’t like any other netbook. Its screen lid is covered with Swarovski crystals and it comes with a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne.

Smartbook AG has no intention of mass producing the Crystal version. Only 20 are going to be built and each one will cost roughly around $3,008. The non-crystal version will cost around $449.

ARM WANTS ITS SHARE IN THE NETBOOK MARKET

The netbook market witnessed exponential growth this year. One of the most important factors behind the popularity of netbooks is indeed their price. Netbooks are smaller and cheaper than traditional laptops and they can handle every day jobs with minimal efforts.

Most netbooks available today run on Intel’s Atom based processors. But other chip makers like ARM are also keen on making their presence felt in this rapidly growing sector. ARM processors are known for being power efficient making them ideal for use in low power devices such as cell phones and smartbooks. Now ARM wants to claim its share in the netbook market. The company said that ARM based netbooks will be faster and cheaper. They will also offer substantially higher battery life because of their low power consumption. And since ARM processors doesn’t generate much heat there is no need to fit in a fan to cool the processor. So theoretically an ARM based netbook will be smaller than an Intel Atom based netbook.

But will ARM processors deliver the same functionality as an Atom processor? Well, we need to wait and see.