FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR RELEASES A REFERENCE DESIGN FOR A CHEAP TABLET

Freescale Semiconductor has introduced a reference design with which you can build a dirt-cheap ARM based web tablet. The proposed machine will run either Linux or Google Android. Freescale plans to showcase the prototype at CES which begins in a few days. The company is also hunting for hardware makers interested in producing devices based on its design.

Freescale says that companies can produce laptops for as little as $140 using its design. The Freescale prototype has the following specifications:

Display: 7 inch touch-screen display with 1024 x 600 pixels
Battery: Up to 12 hours of battery life
Thickness: less than 0.6 inches
Weight: less than 1 pound
Storage: 4GB/8GB/16GB Flash-based storage
Other features include an SD card slot and WiFi. There is no 3G.

The Freescale tablet is aimed at students and young people in the age group of 15 and 25. Freescale isn’t worried about not having a QWERTY keyboard on its device. The company says that users in its target group are comfortable with onscreen and thump keyboards. More details should emerge at the CES.

AOJIE RELEASES DIRT CHEAP CHINESE NETBOOKS

Netbook prices are falling in all parts of the world, but in China they are getting dirt-cheap. Two netbook models from Chinese PC maker AOJIE now sells for $146 and $160. Agreed, some other mini-laptops are also available at or below these prices, but they tend to sport a 7 inch display and an ARM processor. The AOJIE models, however, are comparable to mainstream netbooks in many aspects.

The AOJIE X100V and X100A both have 10 inch displays. The cheaper X100V has a 1.6 GHz VIA C7-M processor. The other model priced at $160 sports a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor. Both netbooks run Windows XP. Other notable features include WiFi b/g/n, 1.3 MP webcam, and a 3-cell 220mAh battery. There are 2 USB ports. On the flip side, they only have 512MB of RAM and a 4GB SSD for storage.

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.

STANTUM RELEASES A TABLET PC OUT OF DELL INSPIRON MINI 10

Stantum has unveiled a 10 inch slate PC specifically built out of Dell Inspiron Mini 10. It is not known whether the company plans to mass produce the device because it is described as a ‘proof of concept’. There is, however, a page for ordering an evaluation unit. The slate PC comes with a multi-touch screen that can handle 10 touch points at the same time. The tablet accepts both finger and stylus inputs. It supports Windows 7 with no additional drivers.

The tablet measures just 1.2 inches in thickness and weighs around 2.3 pounds. The 10.1 inch display comes with either 1024 x 600 or 1024 x 576 pixels. There are 2 USB ports. Other features include Bluetooth and WiFi.

It will be interesting to see whether the tablet would do well when it hits the market. But one thing is certain: It will have to be priced aggressively.

GOOGLE RELEASES CHART OF LAPTOPS THAT RUN CHROME OS WELL

Laptops running Google’s Chrome OS haven’t hit the market yet. And the OS itself is in the early stages of development. But for all those users who are interesting in trying out Chrome, Google has released a chart with interesting details.

The chart lists several laptop models. All of which have been officially tested by Chrome developers. While some of these models are compatible with Chrome, some aren’t. Here is a list of the models on which every piece of hardware including WiFi, Ethernet and touchpad works flawlessly in Chrome.

Acer AOD250
Acer AOP531h
ASUS Eee PC 1008HA
ASUS Eee PC 900
ASUS Eee PC 700
Gateway LT20
Toshiba Satellite A205-S5000

Some of these models ship with Atheros and Broadcom 802.11 adapters. While Ahteros adapters work out-of-the-box with Chrome OS, Broadcom doesn’t.

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.

ARCHOS RELEASES SPECIAL DEVELOPER EDITION FIRMWARE FOR ITS TABLETS

Archos is known for its Internet media tablets known by the name Archos 5 and Archos 7. Both devices are capable of being the internet companion you can carry around. And they are relatively cheap. The Archos 5 starts at around $199, whereas the Archos 7 is available for $209.

But now more and more tablets are arriving. Apple has proposed one. Microsoft’s Courier may also come out next year. So does Archos stand a chance against these big rivals?

Well, the Apple and Microsoft tablets may hog all the headlines when they do arrive, but they will largely remain beyond the reach of the average Joe who just wants a device better than a 4-inch smartphone to browse the internet. And this is where Archos scores. The company recently released a new and special edition of firmware so that more developers can provide content and applications for its tablets Archos 5 and Archos 7.

AMIMON RELEASES WHDI MODULE TO STREAM VIDEO CONTENT WIRELESSLY

A large number of netbooks now come with graphics capable of decoding HD videos. The only problem is that while these machines can decode 1080p HD videos, many of them don’t have 1080p displays. Of course, if your netbook has an HDMI port, you can transfer the video to an external monitor. But that requires some cables. What if you could do away with the cables?

Well, chipmaker Amimon has released a WHDI module with which you can stream 1080p video wirelessly. The new module is designed for portable computing devices such as netbooks and laptops. It will allow you to stream HD video to any WHDI-enabled devices like set-top boxes, TVs and Blu-ray players.

The Mini-PCI card is thin enough to fit in even the smallest netbooks. But don’t expect this technology to be available with low-cost netbooks any time soon.

MALATA RELEASES CONVERTIBLE TABLET FOR THE CHINESE MARKET

Malata has released a convertible tablet called the R108T. The device features an attractive design and carries an affordable price tag.

The convertible R108T has a 10 inch touch screen display with 1024 x 600 pixels. The display can be folded down over the keyboard to use the netbook in the tablet mode.
The tablet runs Windows 7 which has several touch friendly features. It is powered by a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor with 1GB of DDR2 RAM and a 160GB hard disk drive. Other features include 2 USB ports, a card reader, VGA and 1.3MP integrated webcam.

Pricing and availability
The laptop is built for the Chinese market, but it is expected to make it to the US sometime soon. It appears that the laptop is selling for about $439.

MSI RELEASES UPGRADED WIND U230

MSI has released an updated version of its U2xx series of notebooks. The new MSI Wind U230 looks very similar to the U200/U210 notebooks already available in the market.

Major updates pertain to the processor and the operating system. While the U200/U210 laptops run on Windows XP, the U230 comes with Windows 7 Home Premium. The processor has also been upgraded to dual core AMD Neo X2.

Quick specs
Display: 12.1 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel screen
Processor: AMD Yukon MV40/L335 dual core processor
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD3200
Memory: Up to 4GB of DDR2 667/800MHz RAM (2 DIMM slots)
Storage: 160GB/250GB/320GB HDD

Connectivity options include WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet and optional Bluetooth. There are 3 USB ports, HDMI, headphone, VGA, 4-in-1 card reader and 1.3Mega Pixel webcam. 3-cell and 6-cell battery options are available. The expected battery life is around 4 hours.

II-VIEW RELEASES 12 INCH A2 NETBOOK

ii-View has unveiled a 12.1 inch netbook called ii-View A2. The device has better specifications than average netbooks and comes with a low price tag.

In design the ii-View A2 is very similar to the MacBook Air, but it has very different specifications. The ii-View A2 is powered by an Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz processor with 2GB of RAM. The maximum storage capacity is 320GB. The 12.1 inch LCD display features 1366x768 pixels. These specifications are slightly better than what you would get with most netbooks. Another plus point is the relatively larger screen which also allows the netbook to have a full-sized keyboard. Other features include Wi-Fi b/g/n, multi-touch trackpad, webcam, HDMI port, 10/100 Ethernet and 2 USB 2.0 ports.

The ii-View A2 will run on the Windows 7 operating system. The 6-cell battery is expected to give up to 3 hours of runtime. Prices start at $399.

VIA RELEASES UPDATED NANO PROCESSORS

VIA has updated its line of low power Nano processors. The new Nano 3000 chips come with a 64-bit architecture and run between 1GHz and 2GHz. VIA claims that the new chips are capable of decoding 1080p HD video content.

According to VIA, the new chips deliver 20% better performance than the previous versions in the PCMark 05 and 3Dmark 2006 benchmarks. In the same tests, the Nano 3000 processors also outperform the 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processors by about 40% to 50%. The new chips are also more power efficient: they consume 20% less power.

The VIA Nano 3000 series consists of 6 models. The chips are compatible with motherboards designed for VIA C7, C7-M, Eden, and earlier Nano processors.

ACER RELEASES ASPIRE ONE D250 WITH BOTH WINDOWS 7 AND ANDROID

Acer has been talking about an Android + Windows 7 notebook for sometime. Now they have kind of assembled it. Actually Acer has released demo units of a new version of the Acer Aspire One D250 pre-installed with both Windows 7 and Google Android. You can decide which operating system you want at launch. The only problem is that you actually have to boot Android first. You may then choose the ‘Switch OS’ option to load Windows 7. A handful of tech news sites have managed to review the demo unit and their response is mixed.

Laptop Magazine said that even though Android boots really fast (30 seconds), the User Interface isn’t quite designed for laptops. Another problem, according to Pocket Lint, is the lack of keyboard shortcuts to support the Android features. You are left with no options but to navigate with a touchpad and the Esc button.

The device is expected to be available in the UK on October 22nd for £279.

UBUNTU 9.10 DUE TO BE RELEASES ON OCTOBER 29

PC makers favor hitching their project to large Linux distributions because they get the freedom to develop optimizations for low screen resolutions, low power processors, and other hardware used in netbooks. Ubuntu Linux is one such popular version of Linux specifically optimized for netbooks running on Intel Atom processors such as Asus Eee PC.

Eeebuntu is a customized version of Ubuntu and enjoys a huge fan base among the netbook user community. One of the major problems faced by this project is that it has to keep itself updated whenever a new version of Ubuntu arrives. And Ubuntu is known for releasing a major update every six months. Their latest update is due to be released on October 29 and PC users who have installed Eeebuntu on their computer may find it incompatible due to errors in Ubuntu 9.10’s Intel display drivers. Eeebuntu developers say that the Ubuntu 9.10 is full of problems that could affect the functionality of netbooks. They say that things that worked just fine in Ubuntu 8.10 are no longer working in 9.10.

DELL RELEASES REFURBISHED VERSION OF INSPIRON 537S

The Dell Inspiron 537s is an impressive desktop computer with a 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo CPU. It runs on the Windows 7 Home Premium but Dell will give you a free upgrade to Windows 7 as soon as the new OS arrives. Up to 4GB of RAM can be installed. The maximum hard drive capacity is 640GB.

The Inspiron 537s is smaller, cheaper and quieter than conventional tower-style desktop PCs. The machine isn’t quite small or low power as a typical Intel Atom powered nettop, but at just $350 including shipping it is competitively priced.

FUJITSU RELEASES WINDOWS 7 VERSION OF ITS NETBOOK LOOX M

Windows 7 is all set to be released on October 22 and PC makers are busy giving their computers a specs bump. Fujitsu is no different. The company is planning to launch a Windows 7 version of its popular netbook, the Fujitsu LOOX M. The new version will be equipped with a 10.1 inch display featuring 1024x600 pixels. Up to 1GB of RAM can be installed.

The new LOOX M will run on a 1.66GHz Intel Atom processor. While the previous version featured a 160GB hard drive, the new version will have a 250GB hard drive. The LOOX M will ship with Windows 7 Starter Edition.
Dell Inspiron 537s

ALIENWARE RELEASES M15X GAMING LAPTOP

Alienware has introduced its M15x 15-inch gaming laptop. The company claims that it is the fastest 15-inch gaming machine out there. The M15x is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor with GTX 260M GPU. It supports up to 8GB of RAM.

Specifications
The Alienware m15x comes with the following specifications:

Processor: Up to Intel Core i7 920XM (2.0GHz, 8MB cache)
Display: 15.6-inch LED display with a standard resolution of 1600x900 (1920x1080 optional)
Graphics: 512MB GeForce GT 240M standard, 1GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M optional
RAM: Up to 8GB DDR3-1333
Storage: Up to 500GB 7200RPM or 256GB Solid State Drive

Ports and features

There are 3 USB 2.0 ports (one of them a USB/eSATA combo port), slot loading optical drive, integrated Ethernet RJ-45, VGA, DisplayPort, 8-in-1 media card reader, ExpressCard Slot, audio in and microphone jack. Optional features include Blu-ray drive. The M15x is not a lightweight machine. It weighs over 9lbs with its 6-cell battery.

Pricing & Availability
The M15x is now available for purchase. Prices start at $1,499. It is available in three colors – Cosmic Black, Lunar Shadow and Nebula Red.

VILIV RELEASES ITS NETBOOK - S10 BLADE

Korean manufacturer Viliv known for its MIDs has built a netbook. It was shown off at the Intel Developer Forum. Dubbed S10 Blade, the device is convertible 10-inch touchscreen netbook. It is expected to provide up to 10 hours of battery life and will run on the Windows 7 operating system.

The resistive touchscreen doesn’t support multi-touch. It has a resolution of 1366x768 pixels. The S10 will be powered by either a 1.33GHz or upcoming 2.0 GHz processor. Up to 1 GB of RAM can be installed. The storage option will be a 32 or 64 GB solid state drive running at 70MBps read rates. Optional features include 3G.

Pricing and availability
The Viliv S10 will be available by the end of this year. Prices start at $499.

AMD RELEASES ITS TIGRIS AND CONGO MOBILE PLATFORMS FOR NOTEBOOKS

AMD’s newest mobile platforms for notebooks – the Tigris and the Congo - have been released. The chipmaker claims that the new platforms will improve the multimedia performance while at the same time extending battery life.

Tigris is aimed at the mainstream notebook market. It supports the DirectX 10.1 standard and is capable of decoding full 1080p HD video. AMD claims that it will also extend the battery life by up to 25%. Other power saving innovations on processors based on this platform include me buffer compression, PSI support and dynamic backlight reduction. The Tigris platform will feature the 45nm dual core Caspian CPUs and the Radeon HD 4200 GPU.

The Congo platform is also capable of full 1080p HD video playback and supports the Direct 10.1 standard. This platform will offer a slightly longer battery life by running dual core Neo CPUs and Radeon HD 3200 GPU.

WESTERN DIGITAL RELEASES NEW 2.5 INCH 640GB HDD

Scorpio Blue 640, the new 640 hard disk drive from Western Digital, measures up 2.5 inch with a 9.5mm height. It is perfect for use in high capacity laptops.

Western Digital claims that it consumes 30% less power than the previous generation Scorpio Blue. This reduction in power consumption will improve the battery life in the laptops in which it is installed.

The Scorpio Blue 640 spins at 5400rpm. It is faster than the 4200rpm drives. But you might still find it slower if you are used to working on a 7200rpm drive. The new drive has an 8 MB cache. It also features speeds of SATA 3 Gb/s. It will cost around $149.