Netbooks with Intel's next-gen Pineview Atom N450 CPUs arrive in January, and the faster N470 chip may hit in March. There are also more netbooks with Ion graphics coming down the pipe, including the first Ion-based Eee PC. AMD is still kicking around the netbook space, too.

Little netbook keyboards will still make you feel like a basketball player driving a Mini Cooper, but the damn things are just so cute and cheap we can't stay away. (It's a love / hate relationship). And though HD video is most definitely a reality for netbooks, not all the new models will give you that smooth HD Hulu loving you crave.

Next-Gen Intel Chips

As our break down of Intel's line-up explains, "Pineview" Atom processors (like the single-core N450 or the eventual dual-core 510) integrate the CPU, GPU, and memory controller on the same chip. The benefits: Better graphics, and according to MSI, at least 20 percent better power consumption.

MSI previously gave us the scoop that Pine Trail-M netbooks, using Pineview processors, are slated for a big CES debut. Their upcoming 10-inch convertible touchscreen U150 with Windows 7 will use one. Though Intel still hasn't set an official date (publicly at least), DigiTimes is reporting today that the launch date will be January 10. That means Asus, Acer, Lenovo and MSI, which had planned to launch Atom N450-based netbooks in December, are all now expected to make their new models available from January 11 onwards. As mentioned, we expect to preview them at CES the week before.

DigiTimes goes on to say that the follow-up N470 chip (likely 1.83GHz) is expected to land in March. That syncs with apparent leaks of the Pine Trail-M roadmap that have floated around. And even though netbook makers already ship machines with more than 1GB of RAM, word is that Intel will actually encourage 2GB of memory for the N470. An upgrade over previous Microsoft/Intel limitations imposed to prevent cannibalization of ultra-portable notebooks.

So will N450-based netbooks handle HD video? According to Engadget, not without an extra chip like the Broadcom Crystal HD video accelerator, which should add about $30 to the overall price. Apparently, native HD video is still a little down Intel's roadmap path.

So What About Nvidia Ion Netbooks?

I'll be very interested to see just how close Pine Trail-M netbooks get to Ion performance, and for those with an HD video chip, how well they handle high-definition video, too. The integrated nature of Pine Trail-M could give it an advantage in price. But will the price/performance ratio be enough?

Nvidia also has a little ace in the hole called Flash video acceleration. They recently demonstrated an Ion-powered HP Mini 311 playing stutter-free YouTube HD video on an external monitor. Watch the demo below. The final version of Flash 10.1 will make this an everyday occurrence sometime mid-next year. And you can try the Beta now.

News also dropped today that Asus' 12.1-inch Eee PC 1201N, its first Eee PC with Ion graphics, is finally up for pre-order over at Amazon for $500. It'll be available in January, and join existing Ion-based netbooks like the HP Mini 311 (11.6-inch), Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (12.1-inch), and the Samsung N510 (11.6-inch). But here's the thing: they all use existing Diamondville-class Atom processors.

The good news is that Intel has actually pointed out that despite having integrated graphics, Pineview processors are compatible with Ion. We've not seen such a netbook with both yet, but CES is just around the corner. Nvidia has also reportedly said that its Ion 2 (yep, gen 2) chipset for Atom netbooks will arrive by the end of the year. I'm betting we'll see some Ion 2-based netbooks at CES in January, but my guess is we won't be able to buy one until March or April at the earliest.

A netbook with Ion graphics and an Intel Pineview processor like the N450 sounds pretty sweet, right? Hopefully that's what we have to look forward to.

Next Gen Flash Runs 720p Movie Smoothly on a Netbook, Demo -

Distractions, Distractions

Real quick: I'm not ignoring AMD. Having left it too late to join the netbook fray, their upcoming Congo platform will instead mostly complete with Intel's ultra-low voltage processors. We're talking about notebooks with 12 to 13-inch displays. I say mostly, because Asus is readying an AMD Congo-based version of that 12.1-inch Eee PC I mentioned above. The unit's ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics will handle 1080p video.

It's going to be one hell of an interesting Consumer Electronics Show. ARM and VIA are still trying to get inside netbook trousers: Asus has an Android-based "Smartbook" planned for early next year, and Nvidia is pushing its competing ARM-based Tegra chip. Asus also wants to be first with a Chrome OS netbook when Google completes it in the second half of 2010. Finally, there are a ton of interesting eReaders and touchscreen tablets on the horizon...and don't even start me on the Apple Tablet.

A number of these devices might replace what you thought would be your next netbook. Either way, whatever we see, you'll hear about them here in almost pornographic detail. Personally, the tech behind my next $500 netbook—still no small investment—will almost certainly be something we first see under the bright lights of Vegas. Hopefully they'll be better-looking by then, too.

As Tiger's scandal winds to a middle, we're hearing more about what actually happened, and all the sad mis-uses of technology that led the man-of-many-races to this point. Here are the mistakes he made, and how you can avoid them to better cheat on your spouse.

Come on El Tigre, this is the most obvious one. Never use your own cellphone to call your mistress! Seriously, how hard is this concept? Your wife can check your cellphone bills, check your account status or even check your phone for weird calls. Just buy a new pre-paid phone and use that instead. You'll want to always keep that on vibrate, so your spouse doesn't question why there's a weird ringtone going off.

As Mark Wilson suggested, if you're going to be dumb enough to keep keep your cheat-pal on your phone, save her as "Mom". Or "Grandma". Or "Chiropractor".

Make sure your spouse doesn't have any kind of tracking device on you. This means turning off AT&T's FamilyMap, or any similar services from other providers. Hell, you probably just want to shut off your main phone entirely and claim you were somewhere without reception.

As we saw in the Taiwanese recreation, Tiger was driving away from his wife when he turned around to inspect a) what the hell club she was using to smack his car with, and b) how much damage the crazy woman was doing to his ride. Bad move. You turn your head at 2:30 in the morning, all goosed up on pills, and you're going to smack into a tree.

What he should have done was install a backup camera in his car so he could keep his eyes on the road, yet still see what his wife was swinging at. [Amazon]

And this one is just sad AND dumb. Mr. 1 billion left his own name on the voicemail of his mistress, begging her to change her greeting so that when his wife calls, he could have some deniability as to who he was calling.

First, never leave your name. "It's me" works just fine. She'll know who you are. I mean, you've slept with her a number of times. And your voice is all over TV. It's likely that she can recognize you without you having to identify yourself. And even then, it's a good idea to use a voice modulator when you leave voicemails, so that people can never trace them back to you. "Hey, that wasn't my voice," you claim, before following up with a denial about even knowing how voice modulators work.

"This is Optimus Prime. The Earth is in danger unless you meet me at the Motel 6 off route 57 at 10 PM tonight." (Don't pick that one.) [US Magazine voicemail and Voice Modulators]

As the father of two kids, Tiger should have prepared himself for the possibility—however slim—that he was going to get caught. And when you're super rich and you get caught cheating, that's reason enough for your wife to divorce you and try and get half of your stuff.

What should he have done? Set up a spy camera in his living room. Not only would it have documented the supposed domestic abuse (face slapping) generously given by his wife, it might have captured HER cheating on him as well; both things very handy in a divorce hearing.

It's a reliable rule of thumb for the rest of the year, made invaluable by the Black Friday hype: Unless you are planning on buying a smartphone anyway—a specific smartphone, on a specific carrier—upfront price deals are a trap. And even though this may seem obvious to a lot of people, some advice is worth repeating, especially with National Irresponsible Impulse Buy Day bearing down on us like some kind of perfectly prophesied minipocalypse. A friendly reminder, about math and the human psyche, from your Gizmodo!

Take the $80 Motorola Cliq at Radio Shack. It's advertised as a huge cut; implicit in the deal is that you're getting 60% off of your new Android phone, which feels great. But what you're really getting is a 6% discount off your total cumulative cost of owning the phone, which, if you get a data plan, is originally at least $1880.

Granted, $120 is still $120, and if you were planning on entering a multi-thousand-dollar two-year contract with T-Mobile anyway, the deal is worth a look. Just don't decide to start a new contract because of one of these deals. You're going to be living with this phone, this carrier, and this contract for two whole years—hen you're standing in line at Best Buy, with a misleadingly-priced cellphone in hand and four months left on your current contract, make sure that the five bucks you're going to be saving each month is really worth it to you.

Because chances are, it's not. [Deal via PC Mag (not PCW, as previously written)]

While you're busy not buying a new smartphone, make sure to check out Sean's definitive master list of other crappy deals to avoid.

1. Capsule Hotel
Say you're in Union Square, it's 4am, and you're drunk. Far too drunk to figure out how to get back to Queens on the subway. Well, why not go and crash in the capsule hotel at Best Buy for $15? And when you get up, you can make a quick video game impulse purchase to help nurse your hangover with.

2. Pay by the hour video games
Best Buy has tons of huge, beautiful TVs. They also have boatloads of video games and consoles. Why not use all that gear? If they set up Xboxes on those big TVs, they could charge people by the hour to play on them late at night. Say, from 11pm-6am. I'm sure they'd make a boatload of cash from semi-drunk people paying $20 to kill each other in Call of Duty before going home after the bars.

3. Food
Of course, you've gotta have food late at night. Might I suggest a make-your-own sundae bar? Just make sure you've got enough wet naps on hand to keep all of your nice products from being covered in sticky fingerprints.

4. Skee-ball
Everybody loves skee-ball!

5. Karaoke
Again, this would be a great way to showcase your TVs as well as the big musical instruments section that this new flagship Best Buy is going to have.

6. Hot Tubs
Look, if you want to get people into your store late at night, you've gotta offer incentives. And there are few better incentives than a hot tub on a cold night. Combine this with #2 and I'd practically live there.

7. A Bar
Why only settle for people shopping after they've been out drinking when you can sell them their drinks as well? Do you know what the profit margins are on booze sales? Enough to make you rethink being an electronics retailer, that's what.

*Unless it's a phone call for sex with more than one person, in which case, that is an acceptable useage. [Copyranter via Gawker]

Think of this as less about explaining technology and more about explaining what you should do with technology. Some examples:

• In what instances is it acceptable to wear a belt holster for your phone? (Prelim. answer: Only if you are handsome like Sean Fallon)
• How do I convince my wife/husband that we really need a 60+ inch television?
• My friend/taxi driver is texting while driving. What should I say, if anything, while I'm in the car?
• DVR or Hulu?
• How many seconds can a phone be in a toilet before it's considered a loss, even if it still works?
• Is it OK to hack my neighbor's Wi-Fi, even if they're kind of dicks?

Send all your questions to askjason@gizmodo.com. The more interesting it is, the more likely it is I'll answer it. And if you don't get your questions answered, try again—because Dear Abby doesn't know the difference between Boxee, Plex and XBMC.

I know, I've been rude. I've checked email at places like dinner, bars, at morning in bed, while we're in the car, and when people around us start talking about boring things like politics and taxes and religion. I do it when we're skiing on the chair lift. I do it when I'm peeing, when I'm pooing, when I'm walking the dogs and when we go shopping. And when we watch TV or movies at home. Not every minute, but I sneak in a looksie here and there.

And I think these are all great times to check email. Because my job is demanding and if I don't check email all the time in public the only other alternative is to check email all the time from my computer. And really, the alternative reality to me being rude is a life where when shit happens while I'm away from the house, and I have to go running back to a terminal where I can write or edit posts every time something happens. Every time. It would be hell. And so I can live with rude.

Times are changing and the reality is that the social conventions that define when its appropriate to use gadgets in person are going to change, too. But for now there are nay sayers. To them, I'd say that I see these glimpses of work and fun intermingling as a gift; a chance to cheat a job where where work never really stops. So: Even if 5% of my idle clock cycles go to the internet, sapping something from real life experiences everywhere I go, I think it's silly to take the other 95% they've allowed because of wireless access, for granted. I'm never going to stop. And the world will catch up.

[image by Beschizza industries]

Hello, I'm Gizmodo's Adam Frucci, and I want to help you. If you have any social technology questions, I'll deliver you an expert answer that you can count on.*

Send in any questions at all to me at adam@gizmodo.com. I'll answer them on Sunday. Send in any question you'd like and I'll take a stab at them. I can't guarantee I'll answer every single question, but I'll do my best. If you have super-techie questions, however, they may be better suited for Matt and Giz Explains.

But hey, try me. I'm here for you, after all.

*Adam Frucci is not a certified expert.

The biggest reason is that the coupons expire three months after they're sent out, forcing you to run out and buy a converter now when you might be better off waiting. After all, there are currently no converters under $40, but there's an Echostar model coming out in the near future that's both better than what's out there now and costing $40. So don't get too excited and blow this, as it's a one time offer. But don't go forgetting, either. Alternatively, you could just buy an HDTV, but far be it from me to tell people to go out and spend that much money on something nonessential in these uncertain economic times. [CNET]

Know your camera, whether digital or film. Shoot at 125th of a second to freeze motion and at an f-stop of at least 5.6 for a greater depth of field. The f-stop determines how much light is let in to the sensor, affecting what parts of the image are in focus and how sharp it is. An ideal f-stop would be f-11. Do these things and your images will be sharp.

Use a soft light source. Outside, shoot in open shade, not direct sunlight. Inside, use window light as your main light. If you shoot close enough to the window, you should get enough light to shoot at 125th and f-11. If you shoot in Auto mode, the camera will make all these choices for you. If your light level is low, then use the on-camera flash, just for fill light. Still, use as much available light as possible. The on-camera flash alone is too harsh a light for glamour lighting.

Spend time with the girl on styling. Choose wardrobe, colors and settings that flatter her. Go with what she feels good in.

Have her use soft natural glamour makeup.

Now you are ready to go for it. Don't be afraid to shoot too much, then cut out the bad shots later. And learn from your mistakes (which you will definitely make). Give the girl some of the good shots. [Earl Miller - This link contains explicit hardcore images and is extremely NSFW.]

It's not actually a car. OK OK, we know, We're horrible. But it could be! Technically just a shell on casters, this strong composite body complete with laser-cut windows is ready to run after some fabrication onto a stretched Fiero chassis.

OK, another catch, only one proper running Fiero exists and it'll cost you $65,000, but we're pretty sure you could fit another car underneath if you put your mind to it. [ebay via autoblog]

The list onsists of High Def DVD players, a PlayStation 3, Draft N routers, Windows Vista, and 10-megapixel cameras. Sure, we can see why HD players and Draft N are on the list—you want to wait until the scene stabilizes—but 10-megapixel cameras? Sure, most people don't notice the megapixel difference and megapixels are a lousy way of counting camera quality, but there's nothing wrong with getting a good camera that has more than 10-megapixels.

We also have a problem with their inclusion of Vista. As long as you have a decent enough PC that ran XP pretty well, then there's no real reason why you shouldn't go up to Vista. – Jason Chen

Top 5 Gadgets You Shouldn't Buy [AOL]

Anyone here relate to this? I mean, we already know that a near-supermajority of Americans would rather screw around with their gadgets than with their spouse, but shunning off a relationship because your would-be pal is unfamiliar with the majesty of the Dock or the subtle complexities of the Control Panel? That's pretty terrible. – Nicholas Deleon

Image via Mariposa Mall

HOW TO: Have a Crossplatform Relationship. [Sexerati]

While I have been a Mac fan for years, I have never felt strongly enough to make the Mac a default recommendation. But things have changed. Mac software, both the OS X operating system and the applications such as iPhoto and GarageBand bundled with it, have gotten steadily better, while Windows seems stuck in a rut.

Stuck in a rut, you say? Pshaw! How are the geekses out there ever going to meet girls by ridding their powder-pink stickered Windows laptops of spyware, viruses, and porn pop-ups? Plus, what if some clueless Prof fails them for not using the "right kind of computer?" – John Biggs

Advice to Students: Pack a Mac[Business Week ]via MacMinute]

Web Page [Strobist]

Hey I thought you might enjoy telling people before they jump on you about why would anyone pay $1000.00 more for a TV that is 50 inches instead of 42. Well on the surface it looks like the 50 inch TV is only about 30% larger. Well that is not really the case as the 50 inch TV is actually 41.7% larger if they are both in a 16:9 platform for HDTV. Most people do not understand that in a standard platform 4:3 TV that a 46" TV has more than twice the veiwing area of a 32 inch. On the surface it looks like the differance is a 50% increase because most people only calculate the differance in the "daigonal number" but this is not true. Want to send some of these dummies wonderful readers to an area that lets them calculate the exact viewing area they are looking at while watching TV, then send them to this link to look at the calcuations. When looking at expensive LCD screens and Plasma's, the "area" you are watching is very critical to price and its not as easy as increasing a tube size as could be done in the past.

Talking Point #1 - The XBox 360 is very scarce and therefore valuable. A kind reader sent us an IM that his local GameSpot store will not have very many 360s to sell and that most pre-orders will arrive AFTER Christmas. Mom and Dad definitely have things that are scarce—jewelry, wine, hair—and will understand this concept. Consider printing out important newspaper articles repeating this claim of scarcity and avoid saying "My friend IMed me that they would be scarce." This will not work. HINT: Remind your parents that by allowing you to purchase this as soon as possible, they will avoid the mad holiday gift buying rush. Also accept the obvious ploy of "We can get it, but you can't open it until later." This, in their eyes, is a way to teach you about patience. This helps them feel better, so accept it.

Talking Point #2 - It can play DVDs and CDs. We need to break out all of the 360's media features at this point in order to offer more ammunition. For those benighted souls who still don't have DVD players in their bedrooms, this feature is quite important. By convincing your parents that it will save on them purchasing you a DVD player, they can expect to think that they are essentially getting $50 or so off of future purchases. This is false, because you are young and you will spend $1000 on games and controllers rather than old fashioned picture shows, but they don't know this yet.

Talking Point #3 - It can play music. This is something your parents have been wondering for a few years now: they have a bunch of MP3s on my office PC and they'd like to listen to them on the home stereo. There are lots of potential solutions out there, but this one is very elegant. Basically, tell them they can turn on their Windows XP machine and share music over the home network. This obviously assumes you have a home network. If you do not, you must make one for your parents. This also assumes that you will let them near the 360 once it is firmly ensconced in its rightful place under the TV. Do not allow them to touch it.

Talking Point #4 - You can view photos. This is a hard sell. Viewing boring pictures is an adult activity and they will expect you to set it up so they can show vacation snaps to the guests. Inform them that your family currently has 5,000+ digital photos on various hard drives and this tool will let Mom or Dad browse them via the television.

Talking Point #5 - Silly arcade games for whole family. XBox Live has a feature that lets you download silly, Tetris/Pac Man/Space Invaders-esque arcade games. Obviously, this does nothing for you, but it may amuse Mom and Dad for a brief period until they get bored. This will also remind them that they once liked video games, and depending on their ages, will allow you to trounce them soundly. Do not attempt if you have parents in their early twenties or if you have younger siblings.

Talking Point #6 - It's an excuse to get a HDTV. This is another hard sell. Proceed with caution. By talking up the 360's HD capabilities, you may cause one or both parents to purchase an HD TV, which would be fun for the whole family. However, be very careful. Misstating your facts here could cause them to believe that the 360 requires an HDTV, which will definitely go against your mission.

Talking Point #7 - You will meet new friends from all over the world who will not kill/kidnap you. Remember - by allowing your parents to embrace the 360 philosophy, you may be able to convince them to also pony up the $49 for the half-year XBox Live membership, allowing you to interact with other human beings. This is cold comfort for your parents as they watch you scream obscenities at teenagers in Wyoming, but at least you're getting out of the house - albeit virtually.

Using these points, and any others our commentors might have to offer, you will be able to convince any parental or grandparental unit that the 360 is a "good idea." Remember, together in gaming we can make America a more anti-social and obese place.

UnSound Advice Conversational Characters from Spectrum Research Review [i4u]