SOURCE: Netbook News

Too many windows, too little space. The typical netbook’s 10-inch display doesn’t offer nearly enough screen real estate to keep multiple instant messaging programs open. That’s where this nifty little programme comes in. Digsby lets you log in and chat via AOL Instant Messenger, Facebook Chat, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger - all in one centralized window. All your chat windows are condensed to a tab-based one; you can cycle through conversations by hitting Ctrl+Tab. Better still, the program also lets you view your recent e-mail messages (compatible with AOL/AIM Mail, Gmail, Hotmail and more) and your social networking updates (including Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter). We dig.

Gmailoffline

Now Gmail users can access their messages and attachments, even without a Wi-Fi connection, through Gmail Offline. Google caches your messages on your hard drive using Google Gears. When you’re not connected, simply fire up your browser to www.gmail.com, and you can see your inbox’s messages and write replies without a connection. You’ll be able to send and receive messages as soon as your netbook reconnects to the Web. It’s like Outlook, but better.

Google Chrome

Most netbooks with Windows XP are packaged with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6—a more than two-year-old browser.Do yourself a favour. Download Google Chrome. It  is, simply put - the perfect modern-day browser for a netbook. In addition to boasting good memory management, but it also recognizes each Web page as a different process, if one site freezes, you don’t have to restart the entire browser.

Paint

Let’s face it. A high-end photo-editing program like Adobe Photoshop simply won’t run smoothly on today’s netbook. But Paint.Net can get the job done—for free. With an  intuitive interface, the program supports layers, special effects, and a bag full of editing tools. Users can  resize photos in a snap and easily adjust the brightness and contrast of any image. Better still, there are multiple images centralized in one interface, so you don’t have to manage lots of open windows.

Dropbox

“I need more space.” If we had a penny for every time we heard a netbook user say that, we’d have something of a retirement fund by now. Alas. What we do have is a solution. Dropbox prevents the tedious task of transferring files from your primary computer to your mini-notebook. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, Dropbox lets you upload up to 2GB of files to the cloud, and then access them from a Web portal or from a computer’s desktop. Download Dropbox to both your netbook and your regular notebook or desktop to create a folder you can access from either machine. Files dragged to the Dropbox are then accessible from any other computer by typing in your username and password.

Launchy

Forget digging through the Start menu to find programs with your netbook’s tiny touchpad. Launchy is a lightweight application that allows you to type the file or application you are looking for in a small widget on your Desktop. As soon as you type a few letters, Launchy autofills with options you can click to open. Plus, you can use Launchy to search the Web.

Prey

There’s no such thing as too secure. And while you might think you are the most responsible person you know, its better to be wary than sorry. Enter Prey. What does this sneaky little programme do? the Prey tracking software runs in the background processes of your notebook. It “wakes” at a specified interval, goes online (if your laptop isn’t already connected to the Internet, Prey tries to connect to the nearest open Wi-Fi access point) and checks in with a specified Web address. If your laptop gets flicked, you can sign on to your Prey account online and track the whereabouts  your baby. Better still, the programme even lets you remote operate your laptop so you can take a picture of the thief using your webcam. It really lives up to its name.

A South African company has built the 8.9″ Linbook mini-laptop that doesn’t have an Intel Atom processor. What it has is a PowerPC processor which might somehow sound familiar since Apple used to use PowerPC chips for their Macs. A bit of a trivia that could (hopefully) boost interest in the little netbook.

It has the following technical specs:

• PowerPC processor
• 16GB of flash storage
• 256MB of RAM
• 8.9 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel TFT screen
• 3G modem, SIM card slot, 2 USB ports
• mic and headphone jacks
• webcam
• Ubuntu-based Link OS

The netbook is available in South Africa from Vodacom. You can pick it up for $26 if you sign up for 2 years of service.

SOURCE: Linux for Devices

Epson Endeavor Na03 Mini in Japan
Epson has also launched their Epson Endeavor Na03 Mini into the Japanese market. This one comes with a 1.8GHz Intel Atom N470 processor and GMA graphics.

The specs are as follows:

• 1.83GHz Intel Atom N470 processor
• GMA 3150 graphics
• 10″ 1024 x 600 pixel display
• 1GB of RAM
• 250GB HDD or 64GB SSD
• 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Optional Bluetooth
• Windows 7 Starter Edition
• 3 cell, 2800mAh or 6 cell, 5600mAh battery

It sounds like any other netbook coming out of the assembly line but it looks attractive. It probably won’t really make it to the US shores, but you might want to check it out if you’re in Japan.

SOURCE: Netbooked

• Intel’s latest sales figures show that Atom sales are dipping – down to 20% in Q1 2010 from 23% in Q4 2009. [cnet] And we all know Atom powered netbooks make up the majority of the market.

• It makes sense that sales would be down in Q1 2010…. Q4 is shopping season with Thanksgiving and Christmas as major sales boosters. Moreover, with the introduction of the new line of Atoms, old netbooks were selling at heavily discounted rates (yep, in addition to the steep HOLIDAY SALES).

*

• Industry writers are citing the Apple iPad as a reason for the decline in netbook sales this year, even though the iPad only a month ago. According to Steve Jobs though, sales surpassed the 1,000,000 sales mark within 28 days of launch. [mashable] No stats on netbook sales in the month of April have been released yet, so while it makes sense that netbook sales would have been affected, let’s wait for them numbers.

• Besides, is the iPad owner really the kind of person who would buy a netbook?

• If iPad sales are indeed killing the US markets, will this finally be the push needed for netbook sales teams to focus on the rest of the world, especially the (comparatively) booming third world nations esp. India and China where low-priced netbooks would make an attractive buy? Esp. since these countries could provide huge volumes and the ever-shrinking netbook profit margins could really add up to a sizable amount.

*

• Netbook sales in Q1 2010 are expected to have grown by only 33.6% as opposed to the 872% growth spurt witnessed in Q1 2009. [businessweek]

• A couple of flaws with the framing of that above sentence. (1) Netbooks were introduced in 2008, so of course a humongous growth would be seen Q1 2009. (2) the economy tanked end of 2008, setting the perfect platform for increased sales of the low-cost ‘recession busting’ netbooks. (3) 33.6% = 1.2 million which may not be a lot compared to the past, but is still a good sizable GREEN amount.

*

• “Netbook market may have already peaked” [cnet]
• Yep they probably did peak in 2009. But to be fair, 2009 also saw surge in smart phones and smart books, CULVs, tablets and a whole array of category-defying devices.

I’ll end with this question: Will APAC countries provide netbooks the sales boost they need before numbers start dipping below the dotted line?

–

P.S. this post was written a few minutes after the US Dow Jones dropped 900 points.

This is going to be berry interesting. The evidence is a bit weak at this point but rumour has it that BlackBerry  might be getting into the tablet game. This could mean many things foremost being that the iPad will finally have some direct competition.

As in the case of Apple’s baby, most tablets have been designed as entertainment gadgets meant for browsing the web or watching the latest episode of Entourage. Smartphones on the other hand have always been associated with business. Which brings us to the more pertinent question at this point is this: Will anybody really buy a BlackBerry tablet?

Netbook News got a chance to check out a test system with a 1.2GHz Nano U3100 processor and VX900 graphics chipset with HD Chromation 2.0. Reports claim that the chipset allows you to watch 1080p HD video out of the box. In order to achieve the same thing with an Intel Atom chipset (on Windows at least), you need a media coprocessor like the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator or a separate graphics card like NVIDIA’s ION platform. The VX900 chipset can handle both local HD content and 1080p HD Flash video streaming from the inernet.

It’ll be a while until the chips will be used though – our guess would sometime in June . It might be a bit longer before we actually start to see them in stores.

It’s a feature that’s likely to up the price considerably and it does sound a little suspect that they’d put a premium feature like that on a netbook but then again why not.There are enough cost effective functional netbooks on offer.

Alongside the Asus Eee PC 1018P, Asus has also outed the Asus 1015P, with a wider touchpad and a removable battery with an astounding battery life of 14 hours. Finally, sporting a similar finish to the Asus Eee PC 1018P is the Eee PC Diary 1016P, although specs are still thin on the ground. The core specs and price aren’t out as yet.

Click here to see other Asus netbook deals.

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]]> http://netbook10.com/asus-new-7-inch-asus-eee-netbook/feed/ 0 http://netbook10.com/giada-viva-ne200/ http://netbook10.com/giada-viva-ne200/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:46:18 +0000 Nidhi http://netbook10.com/?p=4641 Chinese PC maker Giada, it seems, has taken it upon themselves to make skinny laptops affordable. Following their Slim N10 and I20 models, the newest addition to their line is the Viva NE200 model.

The netbook sports a 10.1 inch, 1024 x 600 pixel display, 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor and GMA 3150 graphics. Nothing out of the ordinary it seems. Pretty much every netbook launches since January this year comes equipped with these features.

The VIVA-NE200 supports up to 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive and pakcs 802.11b/g/ WiFi. It measures 10.2″ x 7.2″ x 1″ and weighs 2.5 pounds. The keyboard looks pretty standard, and the touchpad features left and right buttons on the sides instead of below th etouchpad.

The one distinguishing characteristic is the glossy colourful lid with a pink frosted background and Powerpuff-like hearts and swirls all over it. No word on pricing as yet.

Watch Yotube link of Giada Viva NE200

The German company’s new tablet does come equipped with is an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, GMA 3150 graphics, a 6 hour battery, Webcam, 2 USB ports, and a flash card reader. There’s also a UMTS modem.

In addition users also get access to the WePAD App Store and if all goes according to plan, this thing’ll sport genuine Google Android and the Android Market.

Acer’s newest netbook seems like an ideal combination. It’s got the grit and guts of the Acer Aspire Timeline 1810, with a new, faster Core i5 chip and slightly more sophisticated looks.

It will have the same flat keyboard but there are subtle changes like the textured matte lid, round power button, trackpad design and the rimmed silver edges. It also appears to be slightly slimmer.

Rumor has it will have an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display and an Intel Core i5-520UM processor with a clock speed that ranges from 1.06GHz to 1.86Hz depending on use. The graphics core has a clock speed of 166MHz to 500MHz and should be able to handle HD video playback, although it may not be powerful enough for some games with 3D graphics.

11.6” 1366 x 768 display (glossy)
Intel Core i5-520UM processor (1.06GHz, dual core)
Intel HM55 graphics
3x USB, HDMI, S/PDIF
Gigabit LAN
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (optional)
3G (optional)
6-cell battery (8 hours)

The rest of the specs, for the moment, aren’t much different from those you’d find from Acer’s existing thin and light notebooks: 802.11b/gn WiFi, HDMI, SPDIF, 3 USB ports, and optional Bluetooth and 3G modems. The battery should be good for around 8 hours.

On to one of the most crucial aspects of this baby: the price - which is also (no surprises there) the one aspect they’re keeping mum about. If Acer can pull of the upgraded processor without boosting the price too much, they might have a real winner on their hands.

Acer will reveal price, availability and other details when it officially announces the 1830T in the last week of March.