Hasta La Gadget!

Barely more than 24 hours after the Nokia stunner of the century — the company’s announcement of the Booklet 3G “mini laptop” — we’re starting to get some more details about the 10.1-incher. Netbook News is reporting an unnamed source that claims the netbook will run $799 — certainly not a netbook price. The Booklet will boast a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z530, and will reportedly boast a 120GB HDD, plus integrated 3G, a swappable SIM card, A-GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi. There is no official word on pricing or release date, but we’re expecting to hear tell of all that at Nokia World (which is on September 2nd). There are a few previously unseen shots after the break — and hit the read link for even more.

Read – Nokia 3G Booklet costs $799!
Read – Nokia Booklet specification update

Continue reading Nokia Booklet 3G to run $799?

Filed under: Laptops

Nokia Booklet 3G to run $799? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There was no official announcement of this one, but a look over Dell’s website will reveal the truth — it looks like the Mini 12 has been shuttered. It’s not hugely surprising news considering its companion, the Mini 9, was recently given the axe as well. We’ll miss them both. Sniffle.

[Thanks, Drew]

Filed under: Laptops

Dell Mini 12 quietly discontinued originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ross Rubin (@rossrubin) contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

If the PC marketplace were an ocean, you’d see a strange sight — small fish (netbooks) eating medium-sized fish (notebooks) eating large fish (desktops). But PC vendors are only partially pleased with this inversion of the natural order. While they embrace the replacement of desktops with higher-margin notebooks, they fear the cannibalization of notebooks with low-margin netbooks. Fast-growing and inexpensive netbooks have become such a threat to the notebook business that Intel and Microsoft have been wrestling with how they can adjust pricing in order to persuade PC makers not to market budget Atom-based laptops that have screens larger than 10″ such as the sleek 11.6″ Acer Aspire One A075 or 12.1″ Lenovo IdeaPad S12.

Slower, less expensive processors running an older, lower-priced version of Windows have put pressure on Microsoft’s Windows revenue. But rather than bemoaning consumer demand for less powerful PCs, Microsoft would do well to create more incentive to purchasing more powerful ones. Apple has partially addressed this issue by including, enhancing and promoting iMovie and GarageBand in its bundled iLife suite. These are two applications that can become quite processor-intensive when used for sophisticated tasks, like stabilizing a jumpy video.

But even more significantly, Apple has made the issue moot by creating an effective floor in the Mac product line of an Intel Core 2 Duo. Clearly that’s not an option for Microsoft, nor for many of its PC vendor partners catering to more value-minded shoppers. Indeed, Microsoft has optimized the Windows 7 kernel to run more efficiently on the lower-end netbooks that are the source for growth in the PC market. And that’s the right move.

Continue reading Switched On: Compelling computing can keep netbooks niche

Filed under: Laptops

Switched On: Compelling computing can keep netbooks niche originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netbooks with low sticker prices and cellphone-like contracts are here and they don’t look pretty.

AT&T has announced it will offer three new netbooks from Acer, Dell and Lenovo. The netbooks will be available on a two-year contract at prices lower than the devices’ retail value and will come with a monthly data plan that allows users to access AT&T’s wireless network anytime.

But here’s the snag: The subsidy that AT&T will offer on these devices is minimal, even as the the data plans lock customers into a pricey long term contract.

AT&T has said it will offer an Acer Aspire One, the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 and the Lenovo S10 for $200 each after a mail-in rebate and with a two-year contract. The three netbooks have 10-inch screens and weigh less than 3 pounds. But the pricing requires the purchase of a two-year plan at $40 a month for 200 MB and $60 a month for a 5 GB data limit. AT&T will also offer remote online support for $100 and in-home support for $200 for these devices.

The lack of a substantial subsidy means U.S. customers who buy these netbooks on contract will pay a pretty hefty price.  Here’s the quick math.  A basic version of the Dell Mini Inspiron netbook costs $350 and buyers can always opt for pay-as-you-go Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity. But get the same netbook on contract and you will pay at least $1,160 over the next two years — with more restrictions on data usage.

“Lightweight and connected, netbooks continue to interest consumers and small business customers,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer at AT&T mobility and consumer markets. “We expect that paired with AT&T home broadband, Wi-Fi and the 3G mobile broadband network, they’ll have great appeal to busy, consumers and working professionals.”

Netbooks have become one of the fastest growing categories in the PC industry. And since most of these tiny computers are used for social networking, surfing the internet and checking email, telecom carriers are betting they can piggyback on these devices to attract more customers to their data plans.

But in Europe the computers are offered for nearly free with a data plan. U.S. carriers have, however, shied away from heavy subsidies. In Germany, for instance, T-Mobile launched the Acer netbook for one Euro plus a  €35 per month, two-year data contract, for a total two-year cost of €841, or about $1,195.

So the question is, how connected do you really need to be?

See Also:

• The Next Netbook Trend: Cellphone-Like Contract Deals
• The Netbook Effect: How Cheap Little Laptops Hit the Big Time
• Netbooks Offer a Chance to Challenge Windows’ Long Reign
• Netbooks Set to Get More Video and Audio Oomph

Photo: Acer Aspire One (yum9me/Flickr)

I love the idea of a Vaio netbook, but the only thing that actually gets me going about the first of inevitably many Sony Vaio W netbooks is the 1366×768 10.1-inch screen (which ain’t even unique). It’s pretty, though.

And that is the selling point, almost entirely, over other netbooks. It’s prettier (admittedly, it is). But that’s less compelling now that it was six months ago, when netbooks were universally miserable looking machines. When I asked what distinguishes the Vaio W from the other third wave premium netbooks—notably the Asus Eee Seashell and HP’s new aluminum and magnesium-clad Mini, which are just $430 and $450 respectively, Sony pointed at its “stunning” colors, like its “very stylish” brown. That would hold more weight if this lovely paint job and design (I dig the trackpad a lot) were applied to metal, so it came with a notably superior build quality too. But it’s plastic.

Your only choice is which of the three colors you want. There’s a single hardware configuration, and the specs are pedestrian, save for the 1366×768 10.1-inch screen: Atom N280, 160GB HDD (5400rpm), 1GB RAM, wireless N, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, and a pair of USB ports.

To their credit, Sony has learned from the Vaio P (though it has a totally different audience) and plans to make it painfully clear that users shouldn’t expect an experience comparable to a regular notebook. Talk of establishing a “clear gulf” between their netbooks and “mainstream” notebooks also made it clear to me they’re not interested in dabbling in netbooks that straddle the weird, blurry line between netbook and notebook in either with experiments like Ion, either.

I’ll withhold final judgment until I use it, but so far Sony’s first ever bona fide Vaio netbook is having the extremely odd effect of just making the Vaio P not-a-netbook look even better. (As long as it’s running Windows 7.) If I’m going to pay extra scratch for design, I might as well go all the way, right?

Sony DEBUTS HOT NEW Mini Notebook IN COOL NEW COLORS

VAIO W Series Ideal for Casual Computing and Staying Connected

SAN DIEGO, July 7, 2009 – Sony today took the wraps off its chic new line of mini notebooks- the VAIO® W Series.

Featuring an ultra-portable design, the W Series is perfect for using as a secondary PC, in any room of the house, for surfing the web, checking e-mail, and social networking.

The W model comes in three vibrant colors- berry pink, sugar white and cocoa brown. A more subtle shade of the exterior hue finishes the inside of the PC while the touchpad is lined with a splash of brightness.

“The W Series lets you quickly look something up online whether searching for a recipe in the kitchen or relaxing on your recliner- there’s no need to trudge upstairs to your office,” said Mike Abary, senior vice president of the VAIO business group at Sony. “And it’s sturdy enough for the kids to use, making it perfect for every member of the family.”

The W Series incorporates a high-resolution, 1366 x 768, LED backlit 10.1-inch (measured diagonally) ultra-wide display, making it easy to view two full web pages- no side-to-side scrolling necessary.

The model features an isolated keyboard with springy and responsive keys making it comfortable and easy to use. Its carefully designed touchpad and mouse keys make the PC functional and mouse movements easy to control.

-more-

The W Series unit is ENERGY STAR® 5.0 compliant, EPEAT Gold registered and incorporates eco-conscious features such as a mercury-free LED backlit LCD. Its corrugated cardboard packaging is comprised of 95 percent recycled content. Sony will also help recycle your old PC (www.sony.com/green; recycling fees may apply).

The model comes with VAIO Media plus Multimedia Streaming software, a media sharing application that lets you wirelessly stream content across DLNA®-enabled devices throughout your home network. Stream video, music and pictures from your W Series to your compatible primary PC or PLAYSTATION®3 and vice-versa and enjoy your content anywhere in the home including on your big-screen TV.

Easily transfer data, such as photos from your digital camera or music from an MP3 player, to and from the PC with the unit’s two convenient USB ports. Incorporated Bluetooth® technology enables peripherals such as a wireless mouse to be utilized without tying up the unit’s ports.

A built-in webcam and microphone let you video chat with family, friends and colleagues. A third-party internet service provider is required.

A roomy 160GB hard drive has been included providing ample storage for all your photos, files and videos. It comes pre-installed with Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition operating system.

The VAIO W Series mini notebook will retail for about $500. It is available for pre-orders today online at www.sonystyle.com/pr/w. It will also be sold at Sony Style® stores and at other major retailers around the country starting next month.

[Sony Style]