Articles tagged with: ultraportables

If you’ve ever wondered why all netbooks are essentially the same, thank Microsoft. As part of the deal that allows OEMs to keep using the technically-obsolete Windows XP on their low-power portables, Microsoft stipulates that processors must stay single-core, and that screens and hard disks don’t exceed 10.2in and 80Gb, respectively (although it did recently relax those limits).

In fact the only areas where manufacturers can really add value is in design and battery life – Asus certainly scored here with its Eee PC S101, but its price was a bit too high for our liking. Not so the Samsung NC10 – it too is a long-lasting looker, but its price tag is far more in keeping with the original low-cost laptop idea.

Now that Toshiba has launched a netbook of its own (the NB100 – look out for a review shortly), there aren’t many big-name laptop manufacturers left without a netbook in their line-up. And you can now cross Samsung off the list – its new NC10 just arrived in the Mobile Computer office and so we’ve shot a short video to give our first impressions.

Leaked photos have already hinted at the existence of a high-end Eee PC from Asus, but little else has so far been revealed about this sleek new netbook – until today, that is. Asus has now officially announced the Eee PC S101 and Mobile Computer is lucky enough to have scooped the worldwide exclusive review.

“High-end netbook” might sound like an oxymoron, not least because the whole point of these little mobile internet devices is 'low-cost, low-power'. The thinking at Asus, however, is that the S101 will appeal to people who have so far been put off buying an Eee PC because of its ‘built to a budget’ appearance, and in that respect, the S101 is a big success – it’s gorgeous.

We’ve seen a few leaked photos of the new Asus Eee PC S101, read a few snippets about specifications and even a seen a brief hands-on report from The Guardian’s Jack Schofield (and not to mention published a marvellous review). That’s enough of the speculation, though – here’s the real deal. We were the first publication to spend some time with Asus’ new “high-end” Eee PC and just before long after (thanks blip.tv!) we publish our exclusive review, we thought we’d give you a little teaser follow-up in the shape of our hands-on video – after the cut.

Lenovo first announced the ThinkPad X200 at the Intel Centrino 2 launch back in July and we’ve been waiting patiently since then to get our hands on this new ultraportable. Well, it’s now in the Mobile Computer office and so we’ve shot a short video to give you a hands-on tour – after the cut.

Since it’s small, light and has an Intel Atom N270 processor, we're sticking with calling the N10 a netbook, but Asus has different ideas about this entry-level model in its new N-Series range of portable PCs.

Like the three Centrino 2 models in the range, the N10 is actually the product of Asus’s laptop division rather than the one that developed the Eee PC, and so Asus is classing it as a laptop rather than a netbook.

But while there are some obvious similarities between the N10 and other netbooks, there are also some rather striking differences. If you saw our earlier hands-on video, you’ll know that perhaps the biggest is that the N10 is first ever Intel Atom-powered portable with a discrete 3D graphics chipset – the nVidia GeForce 9300M GS .

We posted a short piece about Asus’ new N-Series laptops yesterday, along with a short video showing the N20 Centrino 2 model. To recap, this is a low-cost range of four models (at the moment) produced by Asus’ laptop division – a totally separate division to the team that produces the Eee PC.

Today we have the base model in the N-Series – the N10. This uses an Intel Atom N270 processor rather than a Core 2 Duo, which means it’s really a netbook rather than a laptop. However, the design is very much along the lines of Asus’ other (and much more expensive) ultra-portables and like the N20, it’s rather stylish.

More impressive is its specification, particularly the graphics chip. In addition to the same so-so Intel 945 graphics found on other netbooks, the N10 also has a discrete nVidia GeForce 9300M graphics chipset – enabled with the flick of a switch (and a reboot). The result? The N10 is the first netbook we’ve seen that’s capable of playing 3D games at reasonable resolutions and frame rates. More info and a video of the N10 in action after the cut.

Unofficial Windows XP drivers for the Intel Atom-powered Aspire One netbook have been available for a while, but now Acer has released the official set. There’s still no word on availability of a Windows XP version of the Aspire One, but now owners of the Linux model can at least install their own copy of the operating system and have all the hardware work as intended.

More details have emerged on HP's new Mini Note line-up. As we reported last month, the PC giant is busily working on updates to best-selling UMPC and the latest indications that they will indeed use Intel's Atom chips rather than its current, underpowered VIA processor.

Digitimes reports that the new line-up will be here by October - the main hold up being an apparent shortage of 10in screens. The only other details are that there'll be a choice between traditional and SSD storage and a peculiar display resolution of 1024x576, which could be a typo. Who knows?

[Digitimes]

Lenovo has announced UK pricing and availability of its new IdeaPad netbooks. And that’s netbooks, plural – Lenovo has added a second model for the UK.

We reported on the IdeaPad S10 yesterday, with its Intel Atom processor, 10.2in LED-backlit screen and 85% full-size keyboard, but it’ll be joined in the UK by the S9 with its 8.9in screen. We’re still waiting for confirmation of both models’ specifications, but we do know that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are standard, as is an ExpressCard slot – something so far unseen on any netbook.