Netbook deals @ ecost.com/circuit city.com

There are some pretty good deals at ecost.com and circuitcity.com Ecost has a $249 Lenovo S10 and Circuit City has an Acer bundle that includes a wireless mouse, optical drive and a carrying bag for $329. Feel free to check out both. I have ordered previously from both sites w/o issue.

Cheers and Happy Holidays.

State of the Netbook (Speculation and Fact)

Nice article from ZD addresses the smarmy conjecture juxtaposed with the cold, real and stunning data... Dead? Really? Also check out the last couple of paragraphs (I highlighted in YELLOW)...

Can the best-selling category of the PC market really be just a fad? A junky joke? A stunt to prop up the PC market created by Intel?

Jason Hiner at TechRepublic seems to think so. He proclaims:

Netbooks — those underpowered mini laptops with 7-inch screens and unusable little keyboards — are a dying fad. However, the legacy of the netbook will be that inexpensive notebook computers are here to stay, and they are lighter and thinner than ever.

Analysts and pundits will continue to use the term “netbook” but I’m going to argue that the device that we originally called the netbook is being phased out — and thankfully so.

I have a netbook. It’s small—9 inches—and it now belongs to my daughter. My hands are too big. The screen is too cramped. And I’m inclined to think that Jason’s right. The netbook is just a passing fancy.

And then I follow the numbers. Look at all the people buying netbooks. NPD’s DisplaySearch reckons that netbook sales surged 264 percent in the second quarter from a year ago. Revenue for the overall notebook market declined. Here’s the scorecard.

Meanwhile, check out Jason’s talkbacks. It’s a love affair—and they all couldn’t be sent by the netbook fan club.

The special thing about it that makes me happy is that it’s small and so handy. I don’t need to play games or do lots of complicated things on the street. But this one is just 100% what I need and I will never give it up.

And.

I bought a Dell Mini 9 in 2008 and have never regretted it. It’s small enough to carry in my purse, boots up quick, and maybe it’s because I have small fingers, but the size of the keyboard has never been an issue.

That said, it is not my main PC, nor would I ever try to make it such. I bought it to browse the internet and do some light word processing - the heaviest lifting I have ever asked it to do is stream movies across my wireless home network - and it has always performed flawlessly.

And.

I bought mine due to travel restrictions imposed by the airlines on a trip to Australia in 2008 and love it. I use a regular laptop/notebook as my main computer at home but it is too big and heavy to travel with. The Netbook allows me to use almost all my programs, some engineering, spreadsheets, topographic maps and GPS routings. I even use it at home with my wireless network, sometimes in bed at night while reading books on exploring Utah so I can see the topographic maps and the satellite pictures of the area. No it doesn’t replace the desktop notebook but darn near.

Are these people bonkers? Nope. Intel’s financial results—partially fueled by the Atom chip that powers these little devices—tell the tale.

Also see: All netbook reviews

Netbooks aren’t for me, but apparently there are a ton of allegedly confused consumers still buying them. Dell and Microsoft have downplayed the netbook to some degree, but what else are they going to do? After all, the netbook is a margin killer.

So what’s the future of the netbook? It’s way too predictable to envision lightweight notebooks replacing the netbooks. Netbook 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 are likely to have different form factors. Perhaps the Droid and the iPhone are really your netbooks. Perhaps Apple redefines the netbook category with a tablet. Perhaps people keep buying the current versions of netbooks. Netbooks will hang around and probably thrive because people like second and third computing devices. The form factor may change, but the market niche isn’t going anywhere.

Cheap Laptops at Wally-World

In the topsy-turvy craziness of cost/function/niche/netbook/laptop game, no stone is left unturned. Witness the Wal-Mart Special below:

To heck with netbooks. Walmart’s got plenty of retail weight to swing around, and that’s manifesting itself in the form of a $298 HP Pavilion G60 laptop.

With a 2.2GHz Intel Celeron 900 processor, the 15.6-inch WXGA laptop is no barnburner. But it comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, 3GB memory, 250GB storage, LightScribe DVD burner and Intel GMA 4500M integrated graphics.

It’s not a bad deal for someone who just needs the basics. (Or is it?)

This isn’t the first time the megaretailer has teamed up with HP. This summer, it offered a $298 Compaq laptop as a back-to-school special that flew off shelves faster than you can say “subsidy.”

Turns out that three is indeed a magic number — three hundred, that is.

Again, I don't think the competitive aspect is in play here. A cheap, heavier, bulkier and marginal laptop does not a netbook slayer make. The price is the ONLY comparison here and I don't believe it plays to the same buyer.

THOUGHTS???

eBay and Netbooks

Long time, no speak my friends. Great video from CNBC. John Donahoe from eBay mentions netbooks SEVERAL times in this interview. Yes he is riding the "buzz word" train to some degree but the fact that THE LARGEST E-COMMERCE SITE is pitching netbooks can only help. I have embedded the video below and look forward to hearing your thoughts.


We'll see how Q4 goes in terms of sales numbers but my take is that the netbook market share will jump again as Netbook 2.0 is coming along with more options to address the micromarket feature sets.

Embedded Wi-Max chips in Netbooks

According to an article from embedded.com, the wi-max adoption is also being pushed by hardware manufacturers (see below). This can only lead to more variety as Netbook 2.0 starts pushing adoption rates even further. With the embedded chip, Wi-Max sures up its adoption and a crucial piece of the netbook, wi-max, cloud convergence. Interesting times and exciting news...

Mobile WiMAX has emerged as a leading choice for 4G cellular technology, and now meets the requirements of new smart phones, Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and notebook PCs. It provides efficient broadband connectivity for multiple services such as data, VoIP and video streaming with carrier-class QoS, supporting the needs of mobile broadband now and for years to come.

Adding WiMAX connectivity to mobile products delivers broadband speeds greater than 1Mbit/s for all these services, while maintaining the form factor and battery life of existing 3G devices. Broadband speeds are opening a number of new categories of devices such as MIDs, ultramobile PCs (UMPCs) and netbooks. WiMAX subsystems packaged in self-contained modules simplify the integration of this wireless technology.

As nationwide WiMAX networks are built and costs continue to decline, even more possibilities become practical. Consumer products ranging from automobiles to appliances could benefit from the use of WiMAX ()Figure 1, below). Several of the existing choices include notebooks, handsets, netbooks, UMPCs, and MIDs.

Figure 1: A Mobile WiMAX module must include a WiMAX baseband PHY device, media access control (MAC) chip, RF devices and power amplifiers.

Notebooks, handsets
The basic form factors for introducing Mobile WiMAX subscriber products were USB adapters and PC cards aimed primarily at notebook PC users. These products have worked well with the first WiMAX base stations in large cities and metro areas, where mobile users wanted broader access than Wi-Fi hotspots could provide.

Since the first USB adapters and PC cards, the mobile wireless market has shifted its focus to mobile handsets and other devices smaller than notebooks. Although there are no standard definitions for various types of mobile handsets, a couple of terms have gained acceptance in the industry: smart phones and VoIP handsets.

Smart phones support e-mail and Internet access in addition to the capability of a basic handset. By including multimode capability— 3G and WiMAX—these phones give customers seamless voice and data service as the WiMAX network is being built out.

At the other end of the handset spectrum is the low-cost VoIP handset, where traditional voice communication is the primary application. WiMAX is the only viable wireless technology for wide-area connectivity and in some cases, these handsets may include a few other basic functions such as messaging or very simple data transfers. The primary market for VoIP handsets is emerging countries, where the wired infrastructure is poor, and most people need voice service before any other application.

Netbooks, UMPCs
Netbooks are small notebooks with 7-inch to 10-inch LCD screens that provide mobile Internet and e-mail access. Typically, they use Windows or Linux OS and can support applications similar to those on notebooks at lower performance levels. Wi-Fi and other connectivity is standard today, and future netbooks will add WiMAX.

Developed by Microsoft and Intel, UMPCs are mini-tablet PCs with touchscreen displays measuring 4inches to 8inches. Most run Windows XP Tablet OS and cost less than $1,000. UMPCs are found in vertical markets such as medical and hospitality.

MIDs
Introduced by Intel, this small portable device is bigger than a smart phone yet smaller than a netbook or UMPC. The goal is to offer the best mobile platform for accessing the Internet and e-mail as well as supporting multimedia applications. Although technically interesting, these devices have yet to reveal whether consumers are willing to carry a third device in addition to a smart phone and notebook PC.

The rest of the article can be viewed via the link above. Thoughts??

2nd Net-b - Asus 1000HE

So round one of my netbook experience was with an ill fated Lenovo S10. First the HD/Motherboard failure now the screen cracked and Lenovo informed me it is considered "user generated" which equals "voids warranty work". So to get the S10 mobile - $149 USD out of pocket. Hmmm, the economics don't really make a lot of sense - brand new S10 - $299 or $149 for new screen... Basically, my experience with Lenovo has been about a 6 - 7 out of 10. The S10 has not run nearly as well once it came back from the HD/Motherboard debacle and I would have to agree the construction is marginal. But I digress...

As I have now retired the S10 to the kids/desktop replacement machine, I needed a new and BETTER net-b. Enter the Asus 1000HE. I purchased this machine gently used about a week ago and I have to say, Lenovo - you've been served. The 1000HE is genetically similar under the hood - Atom N270, 10.1, 1 Gig RAM, 160GB HD, WinXP but that is where the similarity ends. The Asus has a much better build quality so far. The case is shiny not flat. It feels sturdier the 6 Cell battery slightly elevates the back like a regular keyboard so it is neither bulky nor uncomfortable. The keyboard it self has better tactile feedback. The touchpad is usable but no touchpads are what I consider "good". The fan is noticeable but not overbearing. Battery life is solid. Will probably look at a Win7 Upgrade at some point but so far, so good.

More to come.

Netbook/ULV/Ultrathin/Apple - Debate continues

And the battle continues - ULV/Ultrathin laptops vs netbooks. I think this homogenized view of the small laptop/netbook space generally misses the simple fact that they are niche markets.

• Some people want small/lightweight/long battery life/web based apps/inexpensive = netbook.
• Some want small/powerful (native app intensive)/inexpensive = Low priced laptop
• Some want super thin/super light weight/better performance/not price sensitive = Ultrathin
• Some want longer battery life/mix of cloud & native apps/small/lightweight/cost conscious = ULV
• Some want an Apple - Touch driven??? = TBD
  

But just for kicks - the debate continues from ZD:

Are netbooks too portable, inexpensive and popular to beat?

Brooke Crothers writes on his CNET blog that the netbook’s popularity is perhaps too great to overcome by the burgeoning ultrathin laptop market, and takes Apple COO Tim Cook to task for bashing netbooks in April for being too cheap, “junky” and slow for the upmarket Apple brand.

That Apple’s got a tablet PC in the pipeline is hardly a question at this point. But Crothers wonders: with lots of reliable, polished netbook models on store shelves, will a lack of a netbook take a bite out of ultrathins — and Apple?

He writes:

There is just too much marketing momentum now behind Netbooks at large PC makers–and in retail. Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Toshiba, Sony, and Acer all are pushing Netbooks. And in Japan, easily one the largest PC markets in the world, the Netbook is a hit–despite initial resistance from Japanese PC makers–for all of the same reasons cited above: small, light, inexpensive–and add fashionable.

Why the popularity? The same argument netbook proponents have made since the very beginning: though some may be disappointed by netbook performance, they’re sufficient for most consumers - home, educational or business — to accomplish basic, mostly web-based tasks.

Of course, no one’s more happy about that than Intel, which has a near-monopoly over the category thanks to its Atom processor. And since the $500 to $1,000 ultrathin, ultra-low voltage laptop segment hasn’t quite distinguished itself from traditional notebooks and netbooks (confused yet?), it’s hardly a threat to the diminutive netbook.

Meanwhile, it’s Apple’s loss, Crothers writes:

Apple’s products and marketing are good but not infallible. And the lack of a Netbook may come back to bite Apple at some point. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not next month. But maybe next year. One of the Best Buy customers eying a Netbook made a comment that was a powerful counterpoint to all the Apple Mac-PC ads. To paraphrase: “You have to pay an arm and a leg for Apple (pointing to the Apple corner), I’m trying to make a practical business decision here.”

The way I see it, there’s value in both a small form factor and a thin profile. In other words: I believe netbooks will remain reasonably popular and ultrathins will grow in popularity. Traditional laptops, on the other hand, will (for all but performance applications) be phased out of the market.

And so the battle rages on... Netbook vs Cheap Laptop

Here we go again, netbook vs laptop. On the price point, the argument is somewhat compelling depending on your needs. Clearly the netbook advantage and differentiator is PORTABILITY. But processing power and an optical drive is NICE so the Low Price Laptop steps up. HOWEVER, if you are looking at a netbook AS A low priced laptop and portability/battery life is of no consequence, you are looking at a Netbook for the WRONG reason - PRICE. Let the debate continue...

Specials for fully-featured notebook PCs with $299 price tags are helping laptops stake out ground against the popular 10-inch Netbook segment in a tough economy.

With bigger screens, optical drives, much more memory and some graphics horsepower to speak of, the $299 laptop is, believe it or not, giving 10-inch Netbooks a run for their money, reports Brooke Crothers for CNET.

Penny-pinching consumers are noticing, too: Walmart’s $298 Compaq laptop was an instant Internet sensation, and Best Buy’s $299 Acer laptop promotion went the way of the Dodo just as quickly. (It later offered a 15-inch Toshiba laptop for as much as $329.)

Why is this so notable? Because finally, the full-sized (and -featured) laptop is competing with the Netbook on its main selling point: price.

Sure, Netbooks are smaller, and that’s why many people consider them convenient. But for many back-to-school shoppers looking for a deal, the choice is clear: when it comes down to spec-for-spec value, a full-sized laptop with beefier specs will offer more bang for the buck.

Best Buy’s Toshiba promotion, by the way? Specs were a 2.20GHz Intel Celeron processor 900 (1MB cache, 800MHz bus), 2GB of memory, DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, 15.4-inch screen, 160GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 rpm), 802.11b/g wireless, 10/100 Ethernet LAN, Intel’s Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD, and Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic Edition operating system, Crothers writes.

In other words, this is hardly the diminutive Netbook anchored by the popular 1.60GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU (512KB cache, 533MHz bus) with nary an optical drive, sizeable HDD or graphics worth speaking of.

Would you buy a full-size, full-feature $299 laptop over a 10-inch Netbook?

You can participate in the poll @ ZD Net

Also, a quote from my favorite movie of the summer so far:

"NOT AT THE TABLE CARLOS"

Touchbook??? Apple 10" Touch

According to AppleInsider Blog, it appears a giant touch may well be the next iteration of smart phone/netbook device. Should be a very interesting launch. The synergy with carriers is starting to raise more eyebrows as the network becomes as important (if not more important) than the device itself.

Some highlights and thoughts from Sam Diaz:

The blog is reporting that Apple has plans to launch a 10-inch, 3G-enabled tablet, kind of an oversized iPod Touch, if you will. Because it would be 3G-enabled, there’s also growing speculation that Apple is tapping Verizon to be the carrier partner. Remember: the exclusivity agreement between Apple and AT&T only applies to the iPhone. (see update below)

Of course, none of this has been confirmed by Apple. Still, AppleInsider doesn’t just attribute the information to a source but rather, in a WSJesque way, cites “people well-respected by AppleInsider for their striking accuracy in Apple’s internal affairs.”

What’s most striking about this rumor is that it also includes information about the Steve Jobs Seal of Approval, which doesn’t come easy around Cupertino. The back-to-work CEO has reportedly signed off on the device and “cemented” it into plans for a Q1 launch next year.

With all of that said - and recognizing that no one is officially commenting about the device or fielding on-the-record questions - I offer the following thoughts to ponder, based on what I’ve read in other postings today.

• The price becomes an issue because it would have to be cheaper than the lowest-priced laptop in the lineup ($999) but likely would be more than than $500. Anything less than that would put it on the comparison charts against the netbooks, which COO Tim Cook has called “junky.” At the same time, with a wireless carriers involved, subsidies will likely drive down the price even more.
• Is it a oversized mobile device or a small-sized laptop computer? Well, that could depend on 1) whether it’s powered by Mac OS X or the iPhone OS and 2) the type of chip it has inside. The AppleInsider post has some good historical insight into the issue over the chip choice (in the latter half of the post.)
• I wonder what this means for the Crunchpad, the tablet device that’s the love interest of TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington these days. That device, a 16mm thick tablet with a 12-inch screen, is expected to retail for about $300 and will be available “as soon as possible.” A post on CrunchGear this week, reporting on rumors of Verizon powering an Apple tablet, ends with blogger Peter Ha writing, “We (as in Michael and CrunchPad Inc.) better get on their horse and get the CrunchPad out.”

Keeps things interesting. More to come...

ATT announces netbook lineup

From engadget, AT&T announced it's netbook lineup. The announcement is not that groundbreaking other than offering choices for the subsidized netbook plan. Pricing is still fluid.

Sprint Announces $.99 Netbook w/ 2yr Plan

Not a really big surprise, Sprint is getting into the subsidized Netbook market. As wireless providers have done with (and continue to do) smartphones, they are waving reduced (now nearly free) hardware with a 2 year contract for data services. There obviously is a cost associated with the device but taking the total cost of the data plan and saying that's what you are paying is not a true TCO since you are getting a service that would cost you basically that amount for data to your smartphone or a 3G modem for your own laptop. I think we will continue to see this trend (and even free netbooks) by all the providers as the adoption rates continue to rise, the variety of options expand and data becomes the network of choice for the masses.

YOUR THOUGHTS???

It’s a race to the bottom.

Best Buy and Sprint have teamed up to offer a Compaq-branded HP Mini 110c netbook for only 99 cents when you sign a two-year data contract.

Normally, the system would run you $389 at Best Buy, no contract, and buying a similar model with Verizon (or a comparable one from AT&T) would still set you back $199. (Or, for free, if you sign up for Verizon’s Fios.)

But as you might have guessed, Sprint and Best Buy make their money not from the hardware, but the contract, which at $60 per month would cost you $720 per year, or $1,440 over the life of the contract.

The Compaq Mini 110c-1040DX offers a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of memory and a tiny three-cell battery. It weighs about 2.6 lbs. and is 1.3 in. thick, and it has a built-in camera and microphone, 92 percent-size keyboard, 3 USB ports, a 5-in-1 card reader and Intel GMA 950 graphics.

(Or, you know, you could save yourself the trouble and buy yourself a proper laptop.)

Does this Mini netbook have enough of a miniature price tag to get you to commit?

More diversification within the Netbook (pre-2.0) world. Cheaper or stronger/faster? You choose. As we approach the Holy Grail of Q4, we are seeing iterations/splinters/niches/diversifications appear at a very impressive rate (think of all the challenges of Netbook 1.0 - no optical drive (available now), limited OS (Win7), touchscreen (soon), smaller (check), larger (although a little more opaque - avail now), Processor options (avail). And so it continues...

Story from ZD:

There are two ways to address the limitations of netbooks: 1.) offer less-costly notebooks, or 2.) give netbooks a little more muscle. Both are now happening.

The ultra-thin laptops based on Intel’s ULV processors or AMD’s Athlon Neo are an obvious alternative to netbooks, and they’ve already received lots of coverage. Dell took a different approach with the Vostro 1220, which it announced earlier this week. The Vostro 1220 is also based on a 12.1-inch display, but it uses standard Intel mobile processors. At 0.9-1.5 inches thick, it’s not as thin as the HP Pavilion dv2, for example, but it is still highly portable weighing 3.4 pounds (with the 4-cell battery). Interestingly, Dell claims the 6-cell is good for 9 hours of battery life despite the fact that the Vostro 1220 does not use the ultra low-voltage chips.

The Vostro 1220 starts at $729 with a 2.2GHz Intel Celeron 900, 2GB of memory, Intel GMA 4500M HD integrated graphics, 160GB hard drive and Vista Home Basic. The 6-cell battery adds $60. That’s more expensive than a 12-inch netbook–the Dell Mini 12 starts at $500 with Windows XP–but you also get more, including an internal DVD drive. There aren’t many standard 12-inch business ultraportables in this price range, so Dell deserves some credit for trying this out. I haven’t seen any full reviews yet, but it will be interesting to see how the Vostro 1220 stacks up.

Meanwhile plans to boost the performance of netbooks are in full force. Lenovo had already announced plans to offer a version of its IdeaPad S12 12-inch netbook with Nvidia’s Ion chipset. Now Samsung has confirmed that it will release an 11.6-inch netbook, the N510, with Ion later this year. Nvidia’s chipset promises to improve the performance of Atom-based PCs by replacing the integrated graphics with the GeForce 9400M GPU, but to date it has largely been confined to nettops such as the Acer AspireRevo, not netbooks. Samsung already sells a 12.1-inch netbook, the NC20, through Newegg.com for $510 with a 1.3GHz VIA Nano U2250, 1GB of memory, 150GB hard drive and Windows XP Home. I’ve also tested the Samsung N10 and N20 10-inch netbooks, which have received positive reviews.

Interesting article on the blurry line of what constitutes a net-b or an UPL. Personally, it is interesting how the evolution of the netbook space is evolving. As Netbook 2.o is most likely a late Q3/ early Q4 drop date, time is drawing nigh to get your market differentiating product in front of consumers.

The final paragraph (in B/I Yellow) does a good job of summarizing where the general consensus is about netbooks (10" Atom, XP/Win7/Ubuntu, light weight, battery life, $300ish). On the other hand all the models listed below in the 12" category (different processors, varying OS (including Vista), lower battery life, and hover around $400) are more inline with a low cost laptop or UltraPortable Laptop.

It will be nice to see how this all plays out as the economy lurches forward and people starting looking at their computing wants/needs.

All in all, these are 2 different niches - Let the games begin!!

Market researcher NPD says that consumers are confused about the difference between a netbook and a notebook. It’s no wonder.

In the world according to Wintel, the distinction would be fairly clear: Netbooks have 10-inch or smaller displays, use Atom processors and 1GB of memory, and run Windows XP. Notebooks are bigger, use “real processors,” have 2GB or more, and run Windows Vista. But PC makers have refused to stick to the script. Nowhere is this more evident than in 12-inch category, where things are getting more muddled by the day.

The latest example is the Gateway LT3100, a 12-inch netbook that first caught my eye at Computex in early June (Acer had apparently been showing it off even earlier), but has only just been released. From the outside the Gateway LT3100 looks like any other 12-inch netbook. It measures less than an inch thick, weighs a little more than three pounds, and comes in a couple of colors (in this case, black and cherry red). But inside this model is completely different. Here are the specs for the $400 base configuration, the Gateway LT3103u:

• 11.6-inch WXGA (1364×768) LED back-lit display
• 1.20GHz AMD Athlon 64 L110 processor
• 2GB of memory
• ATI Radeon X1270 integrated graphics
• 250GB hard drive
• Windows Vista Basic SP1

The Acer Aspire One 751h has the same display size and resolution, but looks a little more like a typical netbook with an 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520, 1GB memory, a 160GB hard drive and Windows XP for about $380 (with a 6-cell battery). The Dell Mini 12 uses the same processor and 1GB of memory, but it starts at $400 with a 12.1-inch display (1280×800), 40GB drive and Ubuntu Linux. A Windows XP version with a slightly larger hard drive is $100 more. Asus refers to its 12.1-inch model, the S121, as a notebook, even though it uses the same Atom Z-series chip and is basically a scaled-up version of the Eee PC S101 netbook.

Why exactly all of these use the Z520 rather than the Atom N270 found in smaller netbooks is a mystery. PC makers claim the Z-series results in all-day battery life, but the performance falls short of even the N270. The new Lenovo IdeaPad S12, on the other hand, has all the “proper” ingredients of a 12-inch netbook: 12.1-inch display (1280×800), Atom N270 processor, 1GB of memory, 160GB hard drive and Windows XP starting at $500. That sounds straightforward enough . . . until Lenovo releases an S12 with Nvidia’s Ion chipset, which swaps Intel’s GMA950 graphics for the GeForce 9400M GPU. That configuration will cost more and have shorter battery life, but it should offer better performance.

The Gateway LT3100 is also a bit of a surprise because AMD had previously indicated that it was not going after netbooks. The Athlon 64 L110, which did not appear the company’s roadmap, is a 1.20GHz single-core processor with 512KB of cache paired with the M690 chipset. Instead AMD has been focused on its Neo processor for low-cost, ultra-thin notebooks. The HP Pavilion dv2z, a 12.1-inch laptop, is currently the only model that offers this processor. It starts at $599.99 with a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40, 1GB of memory, Radeon Xpress 1250 chipset, 250GB hard drive and Windows Vista. The Pavilion dv2z is now also available with two dual-core Neo processors: the 1.6GHz Athlon Neo X2 L335, which has 512K of L2 cache, and works with either the Xpress 1250 chipset or the MS780G with Radeon HD 3410 graphics with 512MB; and the AMD Turion Neo X2 L625, which operates at the same frequency but has 1MB of L2 cache, and is available only with MS780G and the more powerful graphics. To further confuse things, AMD says this Neo X2 is a custom chip, not the standard “Conesus” dual-core Neo processor the company plans to release this year as part of the platform previously known as Congo. I expect to see that platform on more 12-inch laptops.

Of course, Intel has its own solution for this niche: its ultra low-voltage (ULV) processors. This isn’t really a new area for Intel–the company has been selling low-voltage and ultra low-voltage chips for years, but they were typically only in premium laptops with displays of 13-inches or smaller. What is new is that you can now find these chips in laptops such as the MSI X340 or Acer Aspire 3810 Timeline that cost well under $1,000. Right now, these are mostly 13-inch laptops, but there’s no doubt that Intel’s lower-cost ULV chips are designed to compete directly with AMD’s Neo in this emerging category. Both provide an alternative to 12-inch netbooks for a bit more money.

The bottom line: there are a lot of choices at 12-inches, arguably more than in any other laptop segment. There’s a good argument for the latest 10-inch netbooks–they’re highly portable, have nearly full-size keyboards, offer sufficient performance for basic communications and productivity tasks, and cost around $300. Notebook prices are dropping fast, but still no laptop can match that price. But there’s a real difference in performance, and most users who want a 12-inch display (and Windows Vista) will be better off spending more for a true notebook.

Ubuntu on a netbook

Good read on an installation of Ubuntu on what I would consider a "sub" netbook (from the ZD-UK). Read on:

One of my neighbors had seen my HP Mini-Note, and said that she thought something like that would be good for her. I was planning to talk with her about it in detail, to be sure that she knew what she would be getting, the advantages and limitations of such a netbook. However, before I had the time to do that, someone gave her an ASUS Eee PC! She came to me with it last Thursday, asking if I could configure it so that she could connect to my WiFi network.

It seems to be one of the original 701 models, the label on the bottom says "Eee PC 4G". It has very small screen (something like 7"), an equally small (Swiss German) keyboard, and a touchpad with NO buttons (!). It was loaded with a rather dated version of Linux, in German, some sort of Debian or Debian derivative, I didn't take the time to try to identify exactly what version it was. All of this might sound routine to those who have experience with the ASUS Eee PC, but this was the first one that I had every actually worked on.

I decided to reload Linux from scratch, for several reasons - primarily because I couldn't get it to connect, perhaps because it didn't have WPA2 encryption, and I thought that if I was going to have to go to the trouble to update such an old Linux, I might as well reload it with something much newer anyway; also, the owner is not a native German speaker, and would prefer to have the system in English anyway; also, and not least, I had been looking for an opportunity to try UNR on a very average computer user, and both she and the netbook fit the bill.

I initially booted it using UNR on a USB stick, and it came up beautifully. The excitement and satisfaction on her face when she saw how much nicer it looked (and that it was in English) made the effort really worthwhile. After confirming that all the important bits worked properly, I went ahead and installed from the USB drive to the built-in 4GB SSD. As we had no interest in preserving the existing operating system, and I wanted to keep things as simple as possible for her, I simply let it overwrite the entire disk with the new UNR installation. It created a 3.5GB ext3 root partition, and used the remaining bit of the disk for swap. Everything went smoothly, and it was installed and running in well under an hour.

The "Acid Test" part came about because I did all of this on Thursday evening, and I was leaving for the weekend on Friday morning. So she was going to be on her own with it for the critical first few days. I don't like to do that sort of thing, but in this case I didn't have much choice, and she had a desktop system to fall back to in case it didn't work, so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

When I returned Sunday evening, she said that she had been using it very happily. Startup and connection to the web via my WiFi had worked just fine, and general web browsing had been good. The only significant problem she had was that she wanted to watch some videos in Firefox, and I had not installed the Adobe Flash Plugin. What she told me was that when she tried to watch videos, it said a bunch of stuff that she didn't understand and which she found quite intimidating, so she didn't go any further on that. That confirms my skepticism about those who say Ubuntu (and others) "make it easy" to install Flash (and other packages) when necessary - I have always thought that many, or most, ordinary users would be afraid to try, even it if looked trivial to us "experts", and would most likely then retreat to Windows and say Linux was "too complicated" or didn't have everything they needed. I wish there was a "Mint Netbook Remix"... sigh.

Anyway, I installed the flash plugin packages, and of course then her videos played in Firefox just fine. She said that the sound was a bit odd - well, no surprise, considering the Mickey-Mouse speakers built into the Eee PC. I gave her a headset to plug into the audio jacks, and that solved that problem. (Hint: in this case, I avoid using a USB headset, because I don't want to confuse the Linux audio configuration even more.) I also gave her a USB mouse, so that she didn't have to fight with tapping on the touchpad.

So, now she has been using it for a couple more days, and she is as happy as a clam. She had no problem understanding and using the UNR desktop (which I still find unpleasant), so I suppose that means they have done a reasonable job of creating something for ordinary users, not experienced Linux administrators. I consider it to be a rather old, under-powered and limited capacity system, but she thinks it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, and could hardly be happier with it. I think that shows that what ordinary users are interested in is solutions, not the absolute latest, flashiest, fastest hardware.

She has now brought it back and asked me to install Skype on it. Again, despite my personal reservations (objections) about Skype, it is what it is and she makes good use of it to communicate with her friends and family in the U.S., so I have now installed that. The text and audio functions seem to work, but the video doesn't work yet - I suspect that the drivers for the built-in camera aren't loaded yet. If anyone has experience with this old Eee PC and can offer some tips on that, I would appreciate it. I will return it to her this evening, and I will advise her to use the free communications for Skype, but NOT to risk one cent of her money with them.

So, all things considered I would say UNR passed this initial Acid Test with flying colors. I'm sure that I will hear plenty more from her about it, and I will be watching to see how she gets along with it.

Smartbooks - ARM/Android Tweeners???

Good thorough article on the good/bad/ugly from non-netbook manufacturers. It is interesting how fragmentation continues to occur as niche markets/narrowcast product offerings increase.

What do you think about smartbooks?

Great idea or maybe a little too "thin sliced"?

The tech industry is always looking for the next big thing: Bing is gaining on Google, the Palm Pre will dethrone the iPhone, and so on. One of the latest “next big things” is the duo of ARM and Android which, if you buy the hype, will wrest the PC industry from Wintel’s grip.

Because it has the DNA of smartphones–most of which are based on ARM designs–this new type of netbook is supposed to offer many advantages over Intel Atom-based models including a fast boot time, always-on wireless broadband and all-day battery life. Qualcomm–one of several wireless companies developing chipsets with ARM cores for this new market–has coined the term smartbook to distinguish these devices from netbooks.

Smartbooks were the talk of the recent Computex show in Taiwan. Qualcomm said 15 companies–including Asus, Compal, Foxconn, HTC, Inventec, Toshiba and Wistron–are working on 30 different devices using its ARM-based Snapdragon platform. The first Snapdragon product, the Toshiba TG01, is actually a smartphone for Japan, but the company showed several smartbooks as well including an Eee PC running Google’s Android. In its meeting room, ARM was demonstrating smartbook and nettop prototypes using application processors from Qualcomm and Freescale with various Linux distributions. Acer announced it would be the first to ship an Android netbook, albeit using Intel’s Atom, sometime next quarter. Competitors such as HP and Dell have previously said they are experimenting with Android as well (now HP may even be working on Snapdragon-based Minis).

But don’t run out to Best Buy looking for a smartbook just yet. Despite all the announcements, there are still major technical and business challenges to using both ARM and Android in netbooks. Here are five big ones:

1. Performance
The multimedia application processors from companies such as Qualcomm, Freescale , Samsung and Texas Instruments that could be used in smartbooks are all based on ARM’s Cortex-A series design. By smartphone standards, these are very powerful processors. They have CPUs that run at speeds of around 1GHz or more, support WXGA displays (1280×720) and can play 720p video. But it’s still too early to tell how ARM-based smartbooks will perform in comparison to Atom-based netbooks, which themselves pale in comparison to sub-$1,000 ultra-thin laptops based on Intel’s ULV processors and AMD’s Athlon Neo. Early impressions have been mixed, but there’s really no way to tell based on the prototypes that I spent a few minutes with at Computex. Smartbooks aren’t even out yet, and Qualcomm has already announced a faster chip with a 1.3GHz ARM core, manufactured at 45nm, which it claims will deliver 30 percent better performance while using less power. The performance of smartbooks will no doubt be fine for typical smartphone tasks such as e-mail and Web browsing, but it will be interesting to see how it handles productivity applications. There’s one area where smartbooks should easily outperform netbooks: battery life. Both ARM and Qualcomm have been promising all-day battery life.

2. Consistent look-and-feel
Now that Microsoft has put to rest rumors of Windows 7 for ARM (though not entirely), smartbooks are left with Linux, which has made inroads on servers, but never seems to get any real traction on client PCs. Notebooks with Ubuntu Linux or other distributions have gone nowhere. Netbooks were probably the best chance for Linux in a long time, but today the vast majority of mini-notebooks ship with Windows XP. Whether you love or hate it, Windows looks and works exactly the same on all netbooks and PCs. The same isn’t true of Linux. There are several distributions, and each one has many different interfaces. PC makers also put their own stamp on this with interfaces such as HP’s Mi (Mobile Internet) on its Mini netbooks. At Computex, I even saw a 10-inch smartbook from Pegatron, a contract manufacturer, with a Freescale ARM chip running Xandros Linux with a Windows XP “look-a-like” user interface.

Linux boosters see this customization as a big advantage. Trust me, it’s not. The smartphone model–lots of operating systems, lots of carrier customization and apps–won’t work well on smartbooks. When you start-up a new PC, you should have a reasonable idea what the OS will look like and how it works. That’s the idea behind Intel’s Moblin v2, which I saw running on many different Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Linpus and Novell’s SUSE Linux–all with the same basic look-and-feel. Google’s Android has a ton of buzz, but it looks to me like it still needs a lot more work. Frankly the Aspire One netbook running Android under glass at Acer’s Computex booth wasn’t very impressive. Even ARM admits that Android isn’t ready for netbooks yet.

3. Software and hardware compatibility
No Windows 7 means no Windows apps. There are lots of good Linux alternatives, such as Sun’s OpenOffice, but they still need to be ported from x86 to ARM. Adobe and ARM have been working on a version of the Flash Player since last fall. At Computex, Qualcomm announced that several developers, including RealNetworks, Zinio and Xandros, are working on version of their software for Snapdragon. There’s also the question of how smartbook software will be distributed. Carriers will no doubt try to promote their own applications and services. A better solution for these always-on devices would be to use the same app stores that work with smartphones. But that means Android Market, for example, may need to support versions of the each application for every display size and resolution, processor and operating system. That sounds messy, and potentially confusing for users. Hardware compatibility is another big challenge. When users plug-in a USB peripheral, they expect it to work. That’s simply not the case with many Linux PCs. If smartbooks can’t connect to printers and digital cameras, it will seriously limit their utility.

4. Local storage
The first netbooks came with small SSDs, and many PC makers are still pushing configurations with 8GB or 16GB SSDs. Often these are paired with Linux configurations. Bit for bit, SSDs cost far more than hard drives; a 64GB SSD costs three times as much as a 160GB laptop hard drive. But a hard drive also has a minimum cost–perhaps $35–because of all the parts. By contrast, 8GB of flash memory currently runs about $16, so a low-density SSD actually cuts costs. The theory is that we’ll all use Web-based apps and cloud-based services to store our stuff. But buyers have voted with their wallets, and they want netbooks with real local storage. The same will be true for smartbooks. The only catch is that some designs may simply be too small for standard 2.5-inch laptop drives, which means they’ll be forced to use pricier 1.8-inch drives. In that case, a 32GB SSD may be a decent low-cost solution with a lightweight Linux OS, but forget about the 8GB or 16GB SSDs–no one wants them.

5. It’s the service, stupid
Perhaps the biggest problem with smartbooks–and subsidized netbooks–has nothing to do with the hardware or software. Instead it’s the cost of wireless data service, especially in the U.S. Netbook data plans from AT&T and Verizon currently cost $40 to $60. That’s obviously on top of whatever you’re already paying for your smartphone, which probably offers similar e-mail, browsing and social networking features. Eventually the wireless carriers will need to offer bundles similar to cell phone family plans, in which you can add lines for reasonable monthly fee. The data caps on these plans are also going to be a big issue. Verizon Wireless has already increased the data cap on its $40 netbook data plan from 50MB to 250MB, and lowered the overage charges. Hopefully other carriers will follow suit (though AT&T is getting lots of flack for not reducing prices for the iPhone 3G S). Smartbooks and netbooks with integrated 3G also don’t make much sense if you also own a laptop. In this case, it’s better to have a USB broadband modem so you can use one wireless account with both mobile devices (unfortunately there aren’t many laptops or netbooks in the U.S. with a SIM card slot). Another option is Novatel’s MiFi Mobile Hotspot, a portable wireless router for CDMA (Verizon, Sprint), and now W-CDMA, networks. It isn’t cheap, but it is very flexible since it works with any WiFi-enabled device, and can connect up to five devices at one time.

All of these are, I suspect, reasons Qualcomm and others are pushing the term smartbook to avoid a direct comparison with netbooks. Smartbooks will be a bit smaller, they’ll be geared specifically to “always-on” applications, and they will cost less than $200. Netbooks are more like mini-PCs; they can handle all these communications tasks but are general-purpose devices that cost more. At least that’s the theory. The problem is that AT&T and Verizon are already selling netbooks for $50 to $200 with a wireless data contract. If I can get a netbook for the same price with a larger display and better performance, and it runs Windows 7 and works with all of my apps and peripherals, why would I buy a smartbook?

Ultimately smartbooks face the same “in-between” challenge as netbooks, only to a greater degree. Make a smartbook smaller and more limited, and it’s just a bulky smartphone. Make it a little bigger, add more features, and tweak the performance, and it competes directly with netbooks and ultra-thin laptops. In this case, a few extra hours of battery life isn’t likely to be enough to overcome the limitations of ARM-based smartbooks running Linux.

That’s not to say I don’t like the smartbook concept. The growth of netbooks demonstrates there is demand for an inexpensive, highly-portable computing device. And having more choice in mobile computing is always a good thing. The idea of a netbook with a design similar to the Sony VAIO P series that is always connected with all-day battery life for under $200 is pretty appealing. But to be successful, smartbooks will need to address these issues.

Notebook price point alert - Interesting marketing

Just received this email from TigerDirect and guess what? It's a solid deal on a pretty impressive notebook. Nothing shocking except the marketing fluff surrounding the deal (listed below):

What’s the difference between this eMachines AMD Athlon 64-bit notebook and a netbook? Big difference. A much bigger screen – 15.6-inch WXGA display that’s great for watching movies, viewing your photographs, working on spreadsheets for work. A dual layer super-multi DVD burner you can use to create your own video, store twice as much info (movies, image -- you name it!) as an ordinary DVD drive. Netbooks don’t have optical drives. And everything else that a netbook has, but more powerful and more practical for using at work or play. Plus, this laptop comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office 2007 – all you have to do is buy the license kit to activate. Bigger and better screen. Powerful processor. Huge Optical Drive. Dual Layer DVD burner. And a price tag that’s so low it’s crazy!

At only $349.99, why not order a couple? One for work and one for home? Or you can purchase one for all your department heads, or your top sales people.

Are you serving our country overseas? You will LOVE this laptop. And we have the best APO shipping in the world. And our customer service is all based here in the US, so if you need us you’ll hear a friendly voice from home. $349.99...that’s a $150.00 instant savings!

Think about all you can do with this new eMachines notebook PC. You can travel the globe with a virtual office at your side. Use the Wi-Fi to network with your colleagues, send e-mails to your family, or work on that Power Point presentation you’re going to make at your next seminar. Watch the latest Hollywood movies or foreign films on the brilliant display. You’ll see great graphics thanks to the ATI video card – all the action scenes will be smooth as silk.

Savor these specs! AMD Athlon 64 TF-20 1.6GHz processor. 3GB of DDR 2 memory. A 250GB hard drive. Dual layer DVD burner. Wifi. Super 15.6-inch screen. Windows Vista Basic. All for only $349.99.

Before I finish let me highlight 2 key features. First, it's got 3 gigs of RAM. That means it's got more memory than tons of laptops that sell for twice as much. Yep, I'm not kidding. You're gonna get a great laptop that will outperform more expensive alternatives. Plus, you spreadsheet fanatics will love this. A full numeric keypad. Most laptops don't have a full keyboard so entering numbers usually sucks. But not on this baby. It's a feature you'll love but only if you hurry!

Mondays get you down? Find it hard to do your work without daydreaming? Well, make those daydreams come true. Order the new eMachines eME625-5192 notebook PC today!

We’ll probably have them in stock on Tuesday, but there’s no guarantee. What I CAN guarantee is – you’re getting a phenomenal new notebook PC. You’ll enjoy the industry’s very best customer service. Great shipping. And incomparable value. Order now and I’ll ship it to your front door, no matter where that is.

Specifications: AMD Athlon 64 TF-20 1.6GHz 3GB DDR2 Memory 250GB Hard Drive DL DVD Burner Windows Vista Basic 1 Year Limited Warranty Click here to view complete specifications.

Thoughts? Going from pushing netbooks as the "economic choice" to "this laptop smokes a netbook" Will have to see who all follows suit.

Microsoft "dancing" on ARM based Netbook OS

Some Microsoft execs remind me of politicians: They really know how to dance around a question in a way that allows them to maintain they aren’t lying.

This week’s soft shoo was courtesy of Bill Veghte, Microsoft Senior Vice President of the Windows Business. Not only did Veghte manage to dodge repeated questions about Microsoft’s planned pricing for Windows 7, but he also completely avoided answering questions about Microsoft’s plans to provide Windows on ARM-based netbooks. His avoidance really got me wondering what Microsoft is hiding here.

From the transcript of Veghte’s June 8 appearance at the UBS Global Technology and Services Conference:

QUESTION: Can you talk a little bit about the opportunity on the netbook side? How big you think the opportunity is on ARM-based netbooks? Where do you see that market eventually going? Is that something that is of interest to you? Would you port there? But can you just maybe size that market, and how you think about that market in terms of your strategy?

BILL VEGHTE: And just to make sure I understand, in the context of ARM netbooks?

QUESTION: ARM netbooks.

BILL VEGHTE: Okay. I think one of the things that is important, as you think about the market, is what is the user doing with the device? From our perspective, we think there are PCs, and we think there are phones. In that context, if they want a PC increasingly that is connected, but they still want, as that PC is connected, they want to be able to have an entertainment experience, a media experience, a productivity experience, a communications and sharing experience, and to date that feels very similar to what a PC does….

I think we’re going to go through a period where there will be a variety of experimentation, and certainly we will compete vigorously, vigorously in the market to make sure that any of the netbook class PCs that they that customers, consumers can enjoy the full Windows experience. And at the same time be absolutely … I don’t know what the right word is, no complacency, watch every device, watch every ODM, every OEM, and listen and learn to what we think the customer usage behaviors are.

I give Veghte points for resisting the temptation to try to force Microsoft’s new preferred term for netbooks — low-cost small notebook PC (or small notebook, for short) — on conference attendees. He also didn’t use Microsoft’s latest line that Windows 7 is currently not available on ARM-based systems.

The UBS conference questioner was smart; he asked Veghte about the company’s plans for porting Windows — and not just Windows 7 — to ARM. I’ve been wondering lately if Microsoft is (or was) attempting to port not Windows 7, but Windows Vista, to ARM. But as the transcript shows, Veghte acted as though he didn’t hear the word “ARM” at all….

So where does all this political-speak leave us? Here’s what we do know:

• Microsoft officials are big on talking up the company’s three-screen consumer vision, with Microsoft targeting PCs, TV (via its IPTV offerings) and mobile devices (which include, but are not limited to phones).
• Microsoft is classifying netbooks as PCs (in spite of the new rumored screen, processor and drive limitations it is attempting to impose on OEMs, so as to curtail which x86/x64 machines will qualify for lower per-copy Windows 7 pricing).
• Windows isn’t available on ARM devices/systems. But Windows Mobile already runs on phones with ARM processors.
• Microsoft is working on at least one project to port Windows Mobile to MIDs, Mobile Internet Devices, which are a class of mobile device that fall between a phone and a PC.

(Can MIDs be classified as netbooks? Are all netbooks MIDs? Why is Microsoft porting Windows Mobile to MIDs instead of plain-old Windows? All good questions to which I have no definitive answers)

Will Microsoft end up porting some flavor of Windows to ARM-based netbooks, especially if Google’s Android and/or other Linux variants start eroding Windows’ share? Or will Microsoft, instead, roll out a new Windows Mobile/Windows Embedded flavor for ARM-based netbooks and slap a plain-old “Windows” label on it? Other guesss are welcome….

ARM smartbooks, Android netbooks, ULV laptops, Moblin and more from Computex 2009

Not really a surprise that Netbooks would be the biggest story @ Computex due to the close manufacturing ties but the interesting nugget is the diversification that could spawn netbooks 2.0 - (feature functionality changes (touchscreens, OS options, processor changes, peripherals etc.)


From ZD:

The biggest story at Computex 2009 this week was netbooks, and in particular netbooks that use alternatives to Intel's Atom and Windows. A Lenovo IdeaPad S10, for example, is running a version of Linux with Intel's new Moblin V2 operating system.

Acer to sell Android netbook PCs in Q3

We'll have to see how this launch goes and what impact it will have on OS options - However, anytime there is another OPTION and another player getting behind the netbook format - It's a win. Don't know how well a smart phone OS will scale to a non-phone netbook but should be very interesting...

From Reuters:

* First company to launch netbooks using Google's Android

* Move could threaten Microsoft's market dominance

* No prices yet, but analysts say Windows XP costs about $25 (Adds details, quotes)

By Kelvin Soh

TAIPEI, June 2 (Reuters) - Acer Inc (2353.TW), the world's No. 3 PC brand, plans to sell netbook PCs that run on Google's (GOOG.O) Android operating system, posing a potential threat to Microsoft's (MSFT.O) Windows.

Acer was the first PC vendor to officially announce that it was making Android PCs, weeks after it said it planned to launch smartphones -- mobile phones packed with advanced computer-like capabilities -- on the same platform later this year. [ID:nLM681177]

"Today's netbooks are not close to perfection at all. In two years, it will all be very different," Jim Wong, Acer's global president for IT products, told a news conference at Computex, the world's second-largest PC trade show held in Taipei.

"If we do not continue to change our mobile Internet devices, consumers may not choose then any more."

Wang declined to give any shipment targets or prices for the Android netbooks, which will run on Intel's (INTC.O) low-cost and low-performance Atom processor, but said the company would continue to ship netbooks with Microsoft Windows.

Netbooks are stripped-down PCs optimised for surfing the internet, and usually cost around $300 each. A computer running on Android could be cheaper as analysts have previously said PC brands pay about $25 to install Windows XP into each netbook.

Android could cost less as its open source nature means developers and brands are free to use it and change it to suit their own needs.

"When we are doing this new Android netbook, we are not going to make the other one go away," Wong said. "Both systems will still remain available to customers, and one will not go away because of the other."

Analysts said it was still too early to say whether Android could really threaten the dominance of the Windows operating system in the PC world, pointing to an absence of software and applications that support Android.

"We'll still have to see what kind of applications the Android software can run on and how stable it'll be," said Vincent Chen, an analyst at Yuanta Securities.

Android, an open-source software that is meant for mobile phones, was first used by HTC (2498.TW) in its smartphones, but many PC brands, such as netbook pioneer Asustek (2357.TW), have expressed interest in using it in its netbook computers.

The announcement came after Taiwan's market closed. Acer's shares ended 0.83 percent higher, outperforming a 0.07 percent decline in the main TAIEX index . (Additional reporting by Roger Tung; Writing by Lee Chyen Yee; Editing by Nick Macfie)

The new "Wave" - More cloud apps/less native software = netbook

Great article on Google wave. Of notice (amongst a plethora of great functions) is the WIM #1 (in yellow below). As more functionality is enabled online (via a browser or small footprint native app) - the value prop of netbooks just continues to grow.

(Per my earlier post about the "perfect storm" - we have 2 of the 3 necessary components showing very tangible results (netbook diversification/adoption and more cloud based apps) Now if we could just see some traction in the WiMax/Connectivity arena... (Btw, did anyone catch the Verizon ads running for subsidized Netbooks (HP Mini)? - Don't know if 3G will provided a ton of value add right now but the price point is getting better with a $40/month starting price data plan)

Google is a remarkable company. Need proof? Just consider how reliant we are on Google Maps to find our way around the world. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because Google empowered a couple of brothers, Lars and Jens Rasmussen, to open up the developer APIs to the mapping engine.

These same two brothers announced yesterday at Google I/O developer conference a new technology for communication and collaboration. This new collaboration engine unites email, instant messaging, blogs, wikis into a single hosted onversation. Check out the demo here and the announcement here.

These conversations or “Waves” take place inside Safari, Firefox, or Chrome and look like email on steroids. (Lars said that they took the 40-year old model of email and redesigned it for today’s Web-based world.) But it’s way more than that. With Google Wave, Google has:

• Opened a new path to reinvent how we collaborate. You have to see it to understand, but why would you need four products when one Wave will do? It’s a new conversational metaphor that will also easily support document-based collaboration.
• Put the code base into open source to attract investment. Google will attract the best and brightest developers and development with this move.
• Published developer APIs to allow others to embed “conversations” anywhere. In a hope to replicate the success of Google Maps, these APIs will make Google’s hosted conversations a convenient way for anybody to offer these features to customers, members, employees, etc.
• Re-asserted its interest in hosting the world’s conversations. Google will host these conversations. And that means Google will be curator of more and more of the world’s converations. An awesome reponsibility for sure, and one that regulators should pay attention to. Buut someone has to do it. Why not a company with a founding culture of “do no evil?”

Now this will happen only slowly. The product will go into official beta later this year and be evolving for the next 2 or 3 years. But the path is clear, and the implications are coming into focus. For Information & Knowlege Management Professionals and for the industry, this is what it means.

• What it means (WIM) #1: Don’t get too stuck on installed email clients — they can’t evolve fast enough. Notes and Outlook are fabulous tools. But they are installed software sold under a perpetual license model. And that means they can only evolve as fast as you are willing to buy licenses and deal with installation and change management. And that’s too slow to keep up.
• WIM #2: Google Apps Premier Edition is worth keeping a close eye on. It’s a guarantee that Google Wave will appear in the Google Apps sometime soon, so keep an eye on what it might mean if you want to switch providers.
• WIM #3: Microsoft will have yet another innovation hill to climb (and it will). Redmond will have to digest this advance, but it will shortly ramp up its own conversation-oriented online engine. It will have to make this kind of conversational advance part of its BPOS strategy at some point.
• WIM #4: IBM’s approach to collaboration is looking pretty visionary. Lotus has been quietly reinventing itself over the past few years, and if you haven’t looked at Notes or Sametime lately, you need to. And with lead architect Allistair Rennie now at the vision helm, these products with their REST-ful APIs, redesigned interfaces, and Web-centric design metaphors are looking good.

New HP Netbook Offerings - Will sub-niche models drive adaptation?

From Yahoo, HP is offering 3 different iterations of its mini series. (Article below). For specifics on the models directly from HP - click here. This is of interest because I feel that the 1.0 version of netbooks has already become a little stagnant. The upside is that as hardware manufacturers find new and differentiated offerings, the adaptation of the netbook segment will only continue it's exponential growth.

Now the question is - WHO'S NEXT???

ALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HP (NYSE:HPQ - News) today expanded the award-winning HP Mini family with three new models, offering customers sleek, lightweight companion PCs that come in a variety of configurations and designs.

Business Wire - View Multimedia Gallery ...

The HP Mini 110 XP Edition and the HP Mini 110 Mobile Internet (Mi) Edition were designed for Internet-centric consumers, while the HP Mini 1101 is ideal as a companion PC for small and medium-size businesses and frequent business travelers.

The Mini 110 is as stylish as it is mobile, providing consumers with a choice of Pink Chic, Black Swirl or White Swirl HP Imprint finishes, while the Mini 1101 offers business users an elegant, sophisticated Black Swirl design.

“With these new HP Minis, we’re enhancing the customer experience by adding compelling features that allow users to interact with their Mini in a fun way,” said Kevin Frost, vice president and general manager, Consumer Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. “Our broad portfolio of mini companion PCs truly offers customers choices to fit every need and every personality.”

With the broad HP Mini portfolio, including the previously introduced Mini 1000 and Mini 2140, customers have a choice of sleek companion PCs that let them stay connected from virtually anywhere. HP Mini PCs are geared toward information “snacking” and content access, versus the rich content-creation capabilities found in fully functional notebook PCs. They are a complement to HP’s award-winning families of notebook and desktop PCs.

The new Mini models are small enough to slip into most purses, backpacks or briefcases, starting at 2.33 pounds and measuring just over 1-inch thick.⁽¹⁾ With a 10.1-inch diagonal standard or optional high-definition LED widescreen display, a keyboard that is 92 percent the size of a standard notebook PC keyboard, and a built-in webcam and microphone, the new HP Minis are designed for consumers and business professionals who surf the web, check email, listen to music and need access to friends, family, co-workers or information while on the go.⁽²⁾

Models offer large hard drive options up to 250 gigabytes (GB), offering plenty of space to store movies, music, applications and files.⁽³⁾ All models support solid-state drives options as well. A convenient built-in VGA port allows users to connect to an external monitor, while a 5-in-1 digital media slot allows users to transfer files easily from various memory formats.

Powered by either an Intel® Atom processor N270 with 1.6-gigahertz (GHz) or an Intel Atom processor N280 at 1.66-GHz, the HP Mini 110/1101 line offers configure-to-order options on a number of its features.⁽⁴⁾

The three series are as follows:

• The HP Mini 110 XP Edition supports up to 1 GB of memory and either a 32 GB solid-state drive or 160 GB hard drive, as well as optional WWAN. An optional Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Video Accelerator is expected to be available in July and will allow users to enjoy 1080p high-definition content.^(3,5)
• The HP Mini 110 Mi Edition is a simple-to-use mobile companion with an HP-developed interface. The Mini 110 Mi comes with applications that enable web browsing, email and online video from the Mi dashboard, minimizing startup time.⁽²⁾ Favorite websites, photos and music that are added to the dashboard stay live, and the taskbar makes it easy to switch between programs. The Mini 110 with Mi runs on a Linux operating system and supports up to 2 GB memory and up to 250 GB of hard drive storage.⁽³⁾
• The HP Mini 1101 offers a wide range of operating systems including Windows® XP Home, XP Pro and Windows Vista®. The Mini 1101 offers two optional batteries: a 3-cell option for the lightest weight configuration or a 6-cell option for battery power that lasts up to twice as long.⁽⁶⁾ In addition, the optional integrated HP Mobile Broadband allows users to conveniently access the Internet, corporate intranet, email and mission-critical information around the world.⁽⁷⁾

HP Mini 110 models include the Syncables™ Desktop solution, which provides effortless, automatic synchronization of music, pictures, videos and other files between an HP Mini and a primary notebook or desktop PC.

Mini accessories⁽⁸⁾

With up to six hours of battery life, the HP BX06 Mini Battery allows users to maintain an ultra-mobile lifestyle and work, play and surf longer without losing power. The battery is expected to be available as a $40 upgrade option while configuring on www.hpdirect.com starting June 10.⁽⁶⁾

Protective and stylish Mini Series Sleeves in Pink Chic and Black Swirl protect the Mini from dust. The slim design allows easy transport by hand and can fit nicely into a bag. The black Mini Series Sleeve is currently available for purchase; the Pink Chic sleeve is expected to be available on June 30. Both Mini Series Sleeves are priced at $19.99.

The HP Essential USB Port Replicator allows customers to attach external PC devices with a single connection and is expected to be available in the United States this summer for $79.99.

Pricing and availability⁽⁸⁾

• The HP Mini 110 XP Edition and the Mini 110 with Mi are expected to be available in Black Swirl in the United States on June 10 via www.hpdirect.com/go/mini with a starting price of $329.99 and 279.99, respectively.
• The HP Mini 110 XP is expected to be available in Pink Chic and White Swirl in the United States on July 8 via www.hpdirect.com/go/mini, pricing to be determined.
• The HP Mini 1101 in high-gloss black starts at $329 and is expected to be available June 1.

Local WRAL Story on Netbooks!

Making it to the local news stations - below is an article from WRAL (hope to post video segment when avail online). Nice to see the local guys (even if it is just consumer reports story)...

Consumer Reports tests tiny computer notebooks

Posted: Today at 1:00 p.m.

The smallest laptop computers have usually been the most costly.

Now, in the nick of time for cash-strapped consumers, even smaller netbooks are coming to the rescue, with even lower prices.

The typical netbook weighs about 3 pounds, has a 9- to 10-inch screen and costs $300 to $400.

But which ones truly rate? Consumer Reports tested six netbooks to find out.

"All of them performed well enough at Web surfing and e-mail, but there are some major differences in areas such as ergonomics and battery life," said Paul Reynolds, with Consumer Reports.

Testers top-rated a 10-inch Samsung NC10-14GB, which has a 160GB hard drive and an impressive 7-hour battery life, and offers the fewest compromises. But at $450, it was the most expensive netbook tested.

Looking to spend less?

Consumer Reports recommends two that go for around $350.

The 10-inch Acer Aspire One AOD-150-1165 has a long battery life, but the keyboard is a little cramped. On the flip side, the 10-inch Asus Eee PC 1000H has a roomier keyboard but a shorter battery life.

"Regardless of the model you choose, none has a built-in DVD or CD drive," Reynolds said. "And forget about demanding tasks such as 3-D gaming or video-editing. For those, you'll need a full-powered machine."

The key to finding happiness with a netbook is deciding which compromises you can live with, in order to get the benefits of a truly tiny laptop.

When you're shopping for a netbook, Consumer Reports warns that they tend to work best as a second computer, in addition to a home- or business-based system.

Apple Tablet = Touch or Netbook??

According to several different sources (article below) - Apple is coming out with an "iPod touch on steroids" sometime in '10. Could be a very interesting play but I am not convinced it is a netbook. A lot of this will boil down to size and OS capabilities. Large size and stronger OS is more inline with an offering in the netbook category. Medium size and Touch OS is more inline with a beefed up Touch. Either way, I am sure the conjecture and pontification will continue as Apple plays the media like a fiddle. Certainly I am interested in seeing what they come up with...

Apple is likely to launch a tablet similar to the iPod touch, but larger in the first half of 2010. This tablet would then be Apple’s entry into the netbook race, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.

In a research note, Munster handicaps the gaps in Apple’s product lineup. The gaping hole: There’s nothing between the iPod touch and the MacBook. Enter this iPod touch on steroids for $500 to $700. Meanwhile, Apple operating chief Tim Cook called netbooks junky, but never dismissed the consumer demand for them.

Munster writes:

Between indications from our component contacts in Asia, recent patents relating to multi-touch sensitivity for more complex computing devices, comments from Tim Cook on the April 22nd conference call, and Apple’s acquisition of P.A. Semi along with other recent chip-related hires, it is increasingly clear that Apple is investing more in its mobile computing franchise. Specifically, we expect this to result in a larger (7″-10″) touchscreen tablet that will launch in 1H CY10. Additionally, Apple’s consistent message that it refuses to launch a “cheap” portable netbook, and its desire to differentiate itself in a maturing market before it’s too late (similar to the timing of iPod and iPhone), plus its gradual addition of multi-touch technology to all of its core products (iPhones, iPods and Macs) leads us to conclude this product will be a touchscreen tablet (not a netbook).

Also see: Are netbooks really junky?

Apple’s game plan will revolve around its multi-touch patents to cook up something different from your generic netbook. Munster’s theory makes a lot of sense. A netbook would tarnish the Mac’s average selling price and potentially cheapen the Apple brand. A tablet wouldn’t. Double bonus: A Mac tablet would compete with the Kindle.

What’s the OS look like? Munster has an answer for that too:

We are anticipating a new category of Apple products with an operating system more robust than the iPhone’s but optimized for multi-touch, unlike Mac OS X. The device’s OS could bear a close resemblance to Apple’s mobile OS and run App Store apps, or it could be a modified version of Mac OS X. We expect the development of such an OS to be underway currently, but its complexity, along with our conversations with a key company in the mobile space, leads us to believe it will not launch until CY10.

Is Apple late to the game? Not really. Apple was late with the iPod and we saw how that turned out. Ditto for the iPhone, which came five years after the first BlackBerry. Relatively speaking Apple’s netbook killer would be a fast follow.

Here’s a look at Munster’s argument for a Mac tablet and not a netbook.

Netbook performance (albeit a little unfairly stacked) review from ZD. Nothing new in the performance results but again the apples vs oranges debate is at hand. A net-b is not a full laptop replacement. It is a lightweight, ultra-portable (and green - due to low power usage) take anywhere device. Play in those guidlines and you will be extremely happy. Try to pit it against your 8lb laptop (at 2x to 3X the cost) and you will be UNhappy. Click here for the story - THE MOST INTERESTING READ IS IN THE TALKBACKS.

No one claims that netbooks can match the performance of laptops that cost hundreds or even thousands more. The real question is whether the performance of a netbook is good enough.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been doing some testing on five netbooks with 10-inch displays: the Acer Aspire One, HP Mini 2140, Lenovo IdeaPad S10, and Samsung N110 and N120. These five netbooks have nearly identical specs–1.6GHz Intel Atom N270, 1GB of memory, Windows XP–and consequently they turned in nearly identical performance scores.

It’s no surprise that they can’t match the performance of a premium thin-and-light such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X301. But I also wondered how they would stack up against more direct competitors such as the HP Pavilion dv6 series, a mainstream laptop, and especially the Pavilion dv3, a low-cost 13-inch thin-and-light. Though these both cost more than netbooks, they still come in well under $1,000 and offer significantly more features.

There are several reasons why netbooks don’t perform like notebooks. First, the Atom chip has a single processing core and it runs at a slower frequency (1.6GHz) than most mobile processors. (The exception would be some of Intel’s low-voltage and ultra low-voltage chips, such as the 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400, used in relatively-expensive ultraportables.) Atom is also based on a simpler microarchitecture–it has about the same number of transistors as the Pentium 4 circa 2001–so it lacks many of the enhancements in later designs such as the Core microarchitecure. Second, netbooks top out at 1GB of memory, while the average PC has around 2.3GB of memory, and even low-priced laptops often include 3GB.

Compare this typical netbook configuration to a mainstream notebook such as the Pavilion dv6. You can get the dv6 for as little as $580 with an AMD Athlon X2 dual-core processor, but the retail model I used for comparison, the Pavilion dv6-1030us, has a 16-inch (1366×768) display, 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6400, 4GB of memory, Intel GMA 4500MHD integrated graphics and a 320GB hard drive. At $750, it costs significantly more than a netbook, but it also offers a lot more. The Pavilion dv3z, a 13-inch thin-and-light, is closer to the netbooks in terms of portability, if not price. The $980 configuration used here included a 2.3GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 ZM-84, 4GB of memory, ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics and a 320GB hard drive. Recently HP seems to have shifted to an Intel-based configuration of the Pavilion dv3 which currently starts at $650 (after rebates) with a 2.0GHz Pentium T4200, 2GB of memory and a 250GB hard drive.

My first set of tests involved relatively large Excel 2007 spreadsheets performing tasks such as Monte Carlo simulations (used to determine pricing of stock options), pivot tables (for visualizing data), and other common arithmetic and statistical analysis functions. Some of them are custom tests and others were provided by Intel for use in benchmarking processors. On most tests, the netbooks took more than twice as long as the dv6-1030us and dv3z to complete the same calculations.

Multitasking is another area where the performance of netbooks pales next to notebooks. In this basic test, Word 2007 compares two versions of a large document in the background while PowerPoint 2007 saves a presentation as an XPS file, a Microsoft Office 2007 file format similar to Adobe’s PDF. I’ve also run this test with other tasks, such as image editing and audio encoding, going on in the background, but in this case, it’s unnecessary. The difference is already pretty clear. This lends some support to Microsoft’s assertion that Windows 7 Starter Edition will only run three concurrent apps because netbooks don’t have the muscle for heavy multitasking.

Finally I compared the audio encoding performance of netbooks to a premium ultraportable, the ThinkPad X301. The simple test measures the time it takes for iTunes to convert 20 audio files (a total of 527MB) from MP3 to AAC format. Despite its relatively high price ($2,000 and up), the ThinkPad X301 isn’t an especially powerful laptop because of its low-voltage processor, the 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo SU9400 and integrated graphics, but it still handily beats netbooks on this test. (By the way, the fastest system I’ve tested, a $999 Dell Studio XPS desktop with a Core i7 processor, was able to encode all 20 files in less than 10 minutes, compared with more than an hour for a netbook.)

In the past, I’ve also run some tests using Adobe Photoshop CS3 to auto-correct a batch of high-resolution images and convert them for use on the Web, as well as benchmarks such as CINEBENCH and POV-Ray that take advantage of multi-core processors and discrete GPUs. Netbooks aren’t designed for these applications, of course, and I didn’t even attempt to run these tests, but this gives you an idea of some of the limitations. Then again, you may be able to find workarounds for some tasks. For example, you can run Adobe Photoshop Elements on a netbook, or use an online photo editing package such as Picasa, Picnik or Photoshop Express, and these probably meet the needs of most users. But anything involving real 3D graphics or gaming is pretty much out.

Granted, these are all fairly intensive tasks, but they illustrate the real performance difference. More anecdotal testing is probably closer to typical netbook usage. I’m sure that all of these netbooks are a bit slower to boot up, shut down, and open and close applications, but not to the extent that I really noticed it during weeks of regular usage. I did, however, notice that it took netbooks longer to open large spreadsheets or Word documents. Aside from that, all of these netbooks felt sufficiently responsive on basic productivity tasks using Office 2007, as well as e-mail and Web browsing. They also handled standard-definition video using both Adobe Flash (YouTube, Hulu.com) and Microsoft Silverlight (CBS Sports, NBC Olympics) just fine, but immediately choked on high-definition video. As far as editing video, technically netbooks can run entry-level editing packages such as Windows Movie Maker (included in Windows XP), Corel VideoStudio and Pinnacle Studio, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

If you’ve already decided on a netbook, performance is a non-issue. Since nearly all netbooks use the same Intel platform, there is virtually no difference in performance. But if you are choosing between a netbook and a laptop–even a budget laptop–you should know there’s a significant performance penalty. That’s on top of all the other differences such as display size and other features.

Having said that, it’s overstating the case to argue–as Intel does–that netbooks are for viewing and sharing content, while notebooks are for creating content. The reality is that the performance of netbooks is “good enough” for the documents, spreadsheets, blog posts and even standard YouTube clips that most users need to create or upload. That’s one big reason for their surprising popularity.