Aug 18

Dell’s 11.6-inch Inspiron 11z thin-and-light now on sale for $399

Posted in: intel, netbook, thin and light, Today's Chili

Dell may have ditched the 12-inch Mini netbook, but for those still looking for something a touch larger than 10-inches, there’s the all-new Inspiron 11z. Strictly classified as a “thin-and-light,” this three-pound machine measures in at just one-inch thick and ships with a 1.2GHz Celeron 723 processor, a 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit panel, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 250GB (5400RPM) SATA hard drive, GS45 integrated graphics, WiFi, a 3-cell battery and nary an optical drive to speak of. There’s also a 1.3 megapixel camera, twin stereo speakers, an Ethernet port, three USB sockets, a 3-in-1 multicard reader and an HDMI output, though we get the feeling Windows Vista won’t be too happy with the hardware. Thankfully, you can drop your $399 now and snag Windows 7 on the cheap here in just a few months.

[Thanks, Joe]

Gallery: Dell’s 11.6-inch Inspiron 11z thin-and-light now on sale

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Dell’s 11.6-inch Inspiron 11z thin-and-light now on sale for $399 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 17

Jolicloud beta gets a thorough going over, Microsoft still not worried

Posted in: cloud, Linux, netbook, social networking, SocialNetworking, Today's Chili
We’ve had our eyes on Jolicloud for a while, and with its eminent beta release the crazy kids at CNET have given it a pretty thorough overview. Tariq Krim has an interesting take on the cloud netbook experience, with an emphasis on quick and easy access to apps — exemplified by the fact that both installed apps and data are tied to your account, so that no matter which machine you’re logged on to, you’ll have the same apps and all your data at your disposal. Trolling OK Cupid has never been easier! On the plus side, the reviewer found that installing from a USB key (even while keeping your current OS intact) was a breeze. Also singled out for praise were the large selection of apps and Windows emulation that allowed access to many of your Windows apps. On the other hand, there are downsides, including support for a limited number of netbooks and limited drivers. Interested in the full scoop? Hit that read link to see for yourself.

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Jolicloud beta gets a thorough going over, Microsoft still not worried originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 16

Suzuki Neutron 701 MNI ultranetbook mounts a 7-inch touchscreen

Posted in: netbook, tablet, Today's Chili, touchscreen

Suzuki, huh? No, not that Suzuki. Singapore-based Suzuki Technology Private Limited calls itself a “value for money” brand, and has stuffed quite a bit of “value” into the Neutron 701 MNI. With basic netbook parts under the hood, and a rather exceptional complement of ports (ExpressCard and S/PDIF in a netbook? Yes, please!), the 701 really sets itself apart with its swivel tablet display. Sure, 7-inches isn’t a lot of room to work with when you’re touching Windows, but it’s a nice “twist” at least. No word on price or availability.

[Via GadgetMix]

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Suzuki Neutron 701 MNI ultranetbook mounts a 7-inch touchscreen originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 16

Acer Timeline 1810T gets renamed and reviewed ahead of imminent US release

Posted in: laptop, netbook, notebook, review, Today's Chili, unboxing, video

With a 1.4GHz Intel SU3500 chip, up to 4GB of memory and a 1366 x 768 display, Acer’s 11.6-inch Timeline 1810T threatens to bridge the usability gap between netbooks and workhorse laptops. And now that the first review has come in, we can say that the verdict is… well, ambivalent. Multitasking, battery life and general build quality scored the thumbs up, but the glossy screen and casing weren’t so well received, and 1080p and Flash video playback were hit-and-miss. Set to be known as the Aspire 1410 in the US, this grown-up netbook is expected to arrive pretty soon, with some online retailers already offering pre-orders at $450. The video review is after the break, or hit the read link to check out the unboxing and more extensive thoughts on the laptop.

[Via Netbooked]

Read – 1810T to be sold as 1410 in US
Read – 1810T / 1410 unboxing and review

Continue reading Acer Timeline 1810T gets renamed and reviewed ahead of imminent US release

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Acer Timeline 1810T gets renamed and reviewed ahead of imminent US release originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 14

Starline NB1000 netbook’s giant, invisible touchpad is the only thing it’s got going for it

Posted in: laptop, Laptops, netbook, PC, Today's Chili

Starline — a Hong Kong-based PC manufacturer — has unleashed the netbook you see above, the NB1000. This 10-incher’s got all the standard, yawn-inducing specs — an Intel Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD, three USB ports, plus ethernet and VGA ports. The thing that makes this little guy stand out? Well, it’s got a massive touchpad running all along the palm rest beneath the keyboard, and that’s enough for us to want one — or at least to touch one, repeatedly. Sadly, this baby is a Hong Kong-only affair, and runs HK$2,498 (about $322), but there’s a video of it after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Starline NB1000 netbook’s giant, invisible touchpad is the only thing it’s got going for it

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Starline NB1000 netbook’s giant, invisible touchpad is the only thing it’s got going for it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 14

LG X130 goes from dawn till dusk on standard 9-cell battery

Posted in: laptop, LG, netbook, notebook, Today's Chili

12 hours. That, according to LG, is the new benchmark by which all wannabe long-lasting laptops will have to measure up. Of course, we’ve seen similar aftermarket solutions before, but it’s good to see a manufacturer stick a flag in the ground — and a big rump on the back — in the race for the highest endurance netbook. And boy is the X130 a netbook: 1024 x 600 resolution, 10-inch screen and the predictable Atom N270 et al. Koreans can grab one now for 789,000 Won ($639), with almost worldwide availability to follow shortly. Check out our review of the X120 for a flavor of LG’s history in the market, while we go look for actual benchmarks undermining that legendary battery life claim.

[Via Trusted Reviews]

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LG X130 goes from dawn till dusk on standard 9-cell battery originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 13

Review: Dell Latitude 2100

Posted in: netbook, Today's Chili

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The netbook stemmed from the need to offer a cheap, low powered computing solution for kids in classrooms. Now Dell has come out with an Atom powered portable aimed squarely at the academically minded. Reviewer Priya Ganapati explains:

The 2100’s most striking feature is the matte, rubber-like coating that envelops the netbook. Its grainy texture lets tiny, slippery fingers get a firm grip. It also repels dirt, grime and the occasional candy collision. When one Wired editor put it to the test by grinding a peanut M&M into the façade, we were able to brush the chocolate off with a quick swipe of a damp cloth.

The 10.1-inch display is bright and does well in both bright sunlight and under the harsh fluorescent lighting typically found in public school classrooms. And with the 80-GB hard drive there’s just enough storage space to toss in pictures, homework and maybe a Hannah Montana video or two.

Speaking of downloading Miss Montana, the Latitude 2100 also has a network-activity light built into the top of the lid. This small rectangle illuminates when you are connected to a Wi-Fi network or an ethernet connection. It also flickers (albeit weakly) when we browsed the net. The idea? Making sure kids are not surfing the internet when they should be working on a math problem.

Want to know more? Of course you do! Check out the full take on the Dell Latitude 2100 on our reviews site.

(Photo by Jon Snyder/ Wired.com)


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Aug 13

Lanyu LY-EB01 is world’s cheapest laptop with built-in obsolescence

Posted in: 7-inch, netbook, notebook, Today's Chili

Step aside, World’s Cheapest Laptop, Lanyu of China just undercut you — and the magical $100 barrier — with the 666 Yuan ($98) LY-EB01. This marketing marvel might have a processor slower than most netbooks’ FSB at 266MHz, and its 128MB of RAM might spontaneously combust if you even type the word Vista into it, but it is, technically, a laptop. And you can totally store, like, a few hundred Word files on the 2GB flash drive. Having played around with the previous champ of the ‘cheap ‘n useless’ weight class, we must at least congratulate Lanyu on a solid looking construction, and hey, apparently there’s a chance for a release outside China. Aren’t you excited?

[Via Cloned in China]

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Lanyu LY-EB01 is world’s cheapest laptop with built-in obsolescence originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 13

Dell refutes high Linux netbook return rates, but not customer ignorance

Posted in: Linux, netbook, Today's Chili, Windows
Dell refutes high Linux netbook return rates, not consumer ignorance
Microsoft is quite confident of its leadership status on the Netbook front, boasting earlier this year of 96 percent attach rate for Windows and making other, more recent claims of return rates on Linux netbooks that are “like four or five times higher” than their Windows equivalents. Dell’s Senior Product Marketing Manager Todd Finch is refuting that last claim, saying “we don’t see a significant difference between the return rate for Windows versus the rate for Linux.” He does, however, continue to say that many people who return Linux netbooks simply bought the cheapest option they could find, expecting Windows and shipping the things back after being greeted by something other than a familiar UI upon startup. The panel at OpenSource World also tackled the topic of how to spur greater interest in Linux, and crushed the dreams of many attendees who believe in the Field of Dreams approach: get Linux machines into retailers and demand will come. The demand has to come first, says Finch, and given the general non-existence of open source marketing, that’s going to take something of a Kevin Costner-scale miracle.

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Dell refutes high Linux netbook return rates, but not customer ignorance originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 12

Dell to Ship Nickelodeon-Branded Mini

Posted in: Mini, netbook, Tech Toys, Today's Chili

dell_nickelodeon.jpg
Dell will ship a Nickelodeon-branded version of its Inspiron Mini 10v netbook, preloaded with some kid-friendly technologies and Nickelodeon’s trademark slime motif, or an optional SpongeBob SquarePants or iCarly logo.

The Inspiron Mini Nickelodeon Edition will be available online in the United States at Dell.com and on Walmart store shelves and Walmart.com in October. Prices have not been announced, although the standard Mini 10v costs about $299.

Each Dell Inspiron Mini Nickelodeon Edition features an easily personalized user interface, and links to WhyVille.com, an educational resource, and Nick.com, where kids can select their own video content. The netbook also comes with a 15-month subscription to McAfee Family Security as well as LoJack for Laptops.

Asus has announced a similar netbook, but that one will be co-branded with Disney.

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