We don't know much about the chipsets yet, but here's what we do know. Nvidia has promised better battery life (which was needed), they'll be officially announced at CES, and should ship in early 2010. There's apparently also a bit of smack-talk about Intel's underpowered new Atoms, with Nvidia noting that people want way better graphics performance than Intel seems to think. We'll keep you updated with more detail (including what kind of netbooks will be packing these guys) at CES. [Engadget]

Pine What?

Okay, so one of the big things about the new Atom chips is that for the first time, it integrates a graphics core and a memory controller directly onto the same die as the processor. This whole platform, that is, the processor, graphics and memory controller is "Pine Trail," while the processor by itself is "Pineview."

More specifically, the graphics core is 45nm die shrink of Intel's GMA 3100, redubbed GMA 3150, that runs at 400MHz. So, not only does it still suck, it also doesn't hardware accelerate H.264 video as AnandTech points out, meaning it's completely useless for Flash video, even with all of the new Flash acceleration hotness Adobe is delivering next year.

Instead, netbook makers will still have to bundle, at the very least, an "HD decoder" that accelerates H.264 for decent Flash playback, and it's not anywhere near Nvidia's Ion in terms of graphics performance. (This chip from Broadcom, to be precise.) And, not that you'll be pushing 1080p video out of your netbook, but video res is capped at 1366x768 out of the HDMI and DVI ports. Bottom line, Intel's stock offering still blows goats when it comes to video, and we're still waiting to see what Nvidia's going to do about it, given that they can't plug in Ion the way they used to. (Anand speculates they might just tack on through a PCi Express port.)

These are the three chips Intel's launching today, only one, the N450, is for netbooks, and as you'll notice, it's 1.66GHz single core chip (Intel thinks that's just fine) and supports just 2GB of RAM. The improvements you'll see with the N450 over the current Atom chips aren't exactly explosive—they mostly come from faster memory, and even Intel admits they're incremental.

Sure, it's 20 percent more efficient than the last Atom chips, but if you want remotely decent video performance in a netbook right now, it looks an Nvidia Ion-based system is still the way to go, even with Intel flashing new silicon. If you can stick it out for another month, it might be worth seeing what's a little further around the bend. [Intel]

The new chips include the N450 for netbooks and the D410 and D510 for nettops (or, as Intel kept calling them, "entry-level desktops"). The big news is that they've integrated the graphics and memory controller into the processor, which results in a much smaller footprint (and in turn, could mean smaller devices). They've also made the usual improvements in efficiency and size—the N450 is 60% smaller and 20% more efficient than its predecessor, while the D410 and D510 are 70% smaller and 50% more efficient.

But there hasn't been much change in the base power of the chips; the N450 is clocked at 1.66GHz, single-core, with a 512kb cache and supports only DDR2 memory. Besides that, the 2GB memory ceiling is still in effect—and the Nvidia Ion configuration will give you better graphics performance. Intel will announce final pricing and availability information at CES. [Intel]

Of course you don't go for an Atom for muscle, and the Pineview processors do beat the Ion in power consumption and cost (the new guys are both under $100). But we expect performance to go up as well, and the Ion mopped the floor with the D410 and D510 in most real-world applications. The Pineview procs did win in raw processing power, however. These are early tests, so take them with a grain of salt, but we'd really have preferred to see some numbers that at least beat existing configurations like Ion. [CarTFT (German PDF) and SemiAccurate via Engadget

...should we consider $500 a good deal?

Yes and no. The formfactor is thin and quite small—1.3 inches thick and just 3.2 pounds. That's great. It's a bigscreen netbook...which I guess is a small laptop.

I mean, I'm not arguing this is probably the most promising netbook of all time.

But remember when we were getting countless Core 2 Duo computers from Dell/HP/Etc for like this same price? Yeah, they were chunky machines. But what happened to those computers? Where did they go?

I know I'm not hallucinating here.

Yes, the 1201N looks like a very cool little laptop, and I'm pumped to use an Eee that can handle HD video on a beautiful screen and through tempting HDMI-out. I'm not really upset about the Eee itself. I'm upset that the budget, jack-of-all trades laptop has virtually died as we've seen this artificial performance cap put on the budget laptop market whiled netbooks ballooned to $500-$600. Then again, maybe Ions have enough power that none of us will mourn the loss of cheaper, fatter Core 2 Duos. When reviews hit and the dust settles, we'll know for sure.

Until then, read Laptop's impressions: [Laptop via Netbook Choice via Engadget]

The video above shows what happens if you try to boot the latest 10.6.2 developer build on a Hackintosh. As you can see, not much. So if you're running OS X on Atom hardware, hold off on any updates until this whole mess gets sorted out. [OS X Daily]

VIA Introduces New VIA Nano 3000 Series Processors

VIA's fastest and most power efficient processors yet deliver richest mobile and all-in-one desktop computing experience

Taipei, Taiwan, 3 November 2009 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today introduced its new VIA Nano 3000 Series processors, bringing enhanced digital media performance and lower power consumption to Windows 7 thin and light notebook and all-in-one desktop PC markets.

Based on the 64-bit superscalar ‘Isaiah' architecture, VIA Nano 3000 Series processors deliver the most compelling thin and light notebook computing experience with their rich HD entertainment capabilities, including support for flawless playback of high bit-rate 1080p HD video, as well as low power consumption resulting in longer battery life.

With a host of advanced features including 64-bit support, advanced CPU virtualization technology, SSE4 for enhanced multimedia processing, and the industry-leading encryption and security capabilities integrated in the VIA PadLock™ Security Engine, VIA Nano 3000 Series processors also provide a secure, high-performance solution for emerging cloud-based computing environments.

"With the VIA Nano 3000 Series, we are launching our fastest and most power-efficient processors yet," commented Richard Brown, VP International Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "Coupled with our market-leading digital media chipsets, they enable the richest experience across a broad range of mobile and all-in-one system designs."

VIA Nano 3000 Series

VIA Nano 3000 Series processors are built on the successful 64-bit, superscalar architecture that powers the VIA Nano 1000 Series and 2000 Series processors, which have been adopted by leading OEMs worldwide for a growing number of market-leading mini-note, small form factor desktop, and energy-efficient server designs.

Available at speeds from 1.0GHz to 2.0GHz, VIA Nano 3000 Series processors deliver up to 20% higher performance using up to 20% less power than current VIA Nano processors and boast a number of new features including support for the SSE4 multimedia instruction set and VIA VT virtualization technology.

Fully compatible with all Microsoft operating systems, including the new Windows 7, as well as all popular Linux distributions, the VIA Nano 3000 Series processors use the NanoBGA2 package, making them pin-to-pin compatible with VIA Nano 1000 Series, VIA Nano 2000 Series, VIA C7, VIA C7-M and VIA Eden processors for easy upgrades of existing designs.

VIA Nano 3000 Series Availability

VIA Nano 3000 Series processor samples are currently available for OEMs and motherboard vendors, and will enter mass production in Q1 2010.

Here's what we know: Not much. The leaked sheet contains no image, no real specs and no launch date. The tablet speculation only arrives once you consider Cowon's MO, paired with Atom. Yeah, definitely a stretch, but an interesting one to consider on this lazy, post-Halloween Sunday afternoon. [DAP Review via Engadget]

The Atom CE4100 is pretty similar to the CE3100, except it replaces the CE3100's Pentium M core with an Atom core (hence the name change). It also supports MPEG-4 and can actually capture uncompressed 1080p video, not to mention support for every high-end audio codec you can think of. We don't know for sure where the CE4100 is headed, but it's a fair chance that we'll see it popped into high-end DVRs and media streamers at some point soon. [Engadget]

Measuring just 4x4x1 inches, the fanless, XP-based system operates in complete silence. Storage is managed through MicroSD (though a 2.5-inch bay awaits modders), while a 1.6GHz Atom and 1GB of RAM power the system. And even with the small size, you get Wi-Fi (draft n), 6 USB ports (WTF), mini PCI-E, IR (for a remote) and HDMI-out. Portwell promises their system can output 1080P content, despite most Atoms falling a bit short in this department, through deployment of an Intel SCH US15W chipset (a combination of northbridge and southbridge tech).

I really hope the HD claims are true. Because at $460, the WEBS-1010 would make a pretty kickass portable HTPC. [Portwell via Windows For Devices via ubergizmo]

More notably, that price also includes a 128GB SSD, GPS and Verizon Mobile Broadband module. Still...$1500? That's like...a whole lot to spend for an internet connected makeup case—as pretty as that makeup case may be. [SonyStyle via Engadget]

Intel Atom
The current reigning king of low-cost, low-power processors, Intel's Atom flat-out dominates the netbook market. Its single- and dual-core processors are also some of the most powerful on our list, despite having abilities roughly equal to, in Intel's own terms, a 2003-2004 vintage Celeron. Based on the x86 architecture, the Atom is capable of running full versions of Windows XP, Vista (though not all that well), and 7, as well as modern Linux distros and even Hackintosh. While it requires far less power than a full-power chip, it's still more power-hungry than the ARM-based processors on our list, requiring about 2 watts on average. That's why netbook battery life isn't all that much longer than that of a normal laptop.

You can find the Atom in just about every netbook, including those from HP, Dell, Asus, Acer, Sony, Toshiba, MSI, and, well, everyone else. The 1.6GHz chip is the most popular at the moment, but Intel is definitely going to keep improving and upgrading the Atom line. However, you're unlikely to catch an Atom in a handset; it's low-power, yes, but low-power for a notebook. Battery life on an Atom handset would be pretty atrocious, which is why Intel's sticking to netbooks for now.

Qualcomm Snapdragon
Based on ARM, which is a 32-bit processor architecture that powers just about every mobile phone (and various other peripherals, though never desktop computers) out there, Snapdragon isn't competing directly with the Intel Atom—it's not capable of running full versions of Windows (only Windows Mobile and Windows CE), it's incredibly energy-efficient (requiring less than half a watt), and is designed for always-on use. In other words, this is the evolution of the mobile computing processor. It's got great potential: Qualcomm is trumpeting battery life stretching past 10 hours, smooth 1080p video, support for GPS, 3G, and Bluetooth, and such efficiency that a Linux-based netbook can use Snapdragon without a fan or even a heat sink. Available in single core (1GHz) or dual-core (1.5GHz), it can be used in conjunction with Android, Linux, and various mobile OSes.

Unfortunately, Qualcomm is still holding onto the notion that people want MIDs, and is championing "smartbooks," which are essentially smartphones with netbook bodies, like Asus's announced-then-retracted Eee with Android. Snapdragon's got promise, but we think that promise lies in super-powered handheld devices, not even more underpowered versions of already-underpowered netbooks.

We're frankly not sure when we'll see Snapdragon-based devices sold in the US. We're sure Snapdragon will end up in smartphones at some point, as at least one Toshiba handset has been tentatively announced, but the only concrete demonstrations we've seen have been in MIDs, and Snapdragon themselves spend all their energy touting these "smartbooks." Snapdragon's Windows Mobile compatibility suggests we may see it roll out with Windows Mobile 7, if Tegra hasn't snapped up all the good handsets.

Nvidia Tegra
Nvidia's Tegra processor is very similar to Snapdragon—both are based on ARM architecture, so both are designed for even less intense applications than the Atom. Like Snapdragon, Tegra isn't capable of running desktop versions of Windows, so it's primarily targeted at Android and handheld OSes, especially forthcoming versions of Windows Mobile. What sets Tegra apart from Snapdragon is the Nvidia graphics pedigree: The company claims smooth 1080p video, like Snapdragon, but also hardware-accelerated Flash video and even respectable gaming (though no, you won't be able to run Crysis). They also go even further than Qualcomm in their battery life claim, suggesting an absolutely insane 30 hours of HD video.

While Snapdragon tends to be loosely associated with Android, Tegra is an integral part of Microsoft's plan for next-generation Windows Mobile devices. Instead of focusing on "smartbooks" and MIDs, which we think are part of a dead-end category, Tegra's commitment to pocketable handhelds could spell success. We've seen proof-of-concept demonstrations of Tegra already, but its real commercial debut will come with Windows Mobile 7—and if WM7 doesn't suck, Tegra could take off.

Others
We haven't included certain other processors, especially VIA's Nano, due to intent: The Nano requires lower power than full-scale processors, but at 25 watts, it's not even really in the same league as Atom, let alone Snapdragon or Tegra. The VIA Nano is really targeted at non-portable green technology, and looks like it'll do a good job—it outperformed Atom in Ars Technica's excellent test, and stands up to moderate use with ease. AMD's Puma (Turion X2) is in a similar boat: It's certainly markedly more energy-efficient than AMD's other offerings, but as it's targeted at laptops (not netbooks) with a screen size greater than 12-inches, it's not quite right for our list here.

These low-power processors aren't just, as we so often think, crappier versions of "real" processors. They've got uses far beyond netbooks, especially in the near future as the gap between netbooks and smartphones narrows.

Still something you still wanna know? Send any questions about why your iPhone can't play Crysis, how to tie a bow tie, or anything else to tips@gizmodo.com, with "Giz Explains" in the subject line.

Created by software developer Donavon West, the Home Servidor is a small home server that sits in the bowels of a fully functional humidor.

The case is made from cedar, and the glass lid covers a tray for more than a dozen cigars. Below that is another glass panel, which serves to protect the server's innards from the cigar-friendly humidity and moisture provided by the humidor.

Like the case, the server itself is also custom built. There's an Intel Atom 330 dual core processor, 2GB of memory, room for two internal SATA drives, space for two external USB drives expansions, Gigabit wired Ethernet and Windows Home Server.

Pricing begins at $800, and that includes 1TB of storage.

But those nights on the porch, the ones where you're sipping some single malt Scotch and puffing a stogy while the Home Servidor pumps out mild tunes into the cool evening air? Those are free. [Baltimore Sun via Born Rich]

A hard limit on what exactly constitutes a netbook was somewhat inevitable with the arrival of Windows 7 anyway, given the position Microsoft finds itself in: Home Premium runs just fine on netbooks, but computer makers aren't going to want to pay full licensing fees for a low-cost, low-margin computer, and Microsoft charging different prices for the same bits based on the hardware it's installed on would open up a Pandora's Box so horrible not even Demon Ballmer could close it.

The boundaries give Intel even more breathing room against Via's Nano play for the 11-12 inch space and Nvidia's Ion, which is finally showing up in more than generic plastic boxes for testing. It also lets them maintain cleaner stratifications between the emerging thinner, nicer side of netbooks and the new sorta thin, sorta light, sorta cheap notebooks coming down the pipe.

At the same time, though, you have to wonder if this instinct to keep netbooks inside this very tiny, very hard little box is exactly what's going to make them extinct within a couple years. You know, besides that Apple tabletmajig. [The Inquirer]

In fact, it's actually really similar, although it manages to knock its price down even lower than the Dell's $700, coming in at a respectable $450 a decided bargain for a slick, 20-inch ready-to-go AIO. The cost of this, uhh, cost, might be a little much to bear for some: the Atom processor, paired with the Intel 945GC chipset and integrated graphics (no Ion option, unfortunately), means that that web-surfing, light productivity and net-centric services like Skype (there's an integrated webcam) will be the the C300's only dependable strengths. Oh, and lack of default Wi-Fi is a seriously anachronistic inconvenience.

XP and Vista are both available, though with hardware like this, the former is the only real option. Well, that, or Windows 7.

Just like the rest of today's announced hardware, July is the month. Press release and specs below. [Lenovo]

Lenovo C300 All-in-One Desktop
Display: 20-inch 16:9 aspect ratio (1600mm 900mm)
Processor: Intel Atom 230
Chipset: Intel 945GC chipset
Graphics: Intel integrated
Memory: 1-2 GB DDR2 667
Hard Drive: 160-640 GB 1 slot
Connectivity: Ethernet 100 MB, WiFi 802.11 abg (optional)
Optical: Tray in RAMBO (1 slot)
Other: 1.3 megapixel camera, 1394/firewire port, 6 USB, 6-in-1 multimedia card (secure digital multimedia card, XD, memory stick, memory stickpro, secure digital pro), two 2.0 audio 3 watts, 120 watt power adapter, wired USB mouse, wired PS/2 keyboard
Software: XP Home, Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium

IdeaCentre C300 All-in-One Desktop
With space for desktop computers shrinking, Lenovo's latest all-in-one IdeaCentre C300 desktop fits the requirements for even the most compact of spaces. The fold-away stand can be positioned between 12 and 40 degrees to help fit the all-in-one into the tightest nooks and crannies.

That leaves room for viewing crisp images on the large 20-inch 16:9 aspect ratio widescreen or watching movies from the all-in-one's built-in DVD burner/player. They can also video message with the built-in camera. Users can even choose models that fit their lifestyle and décor with choices of red, black or white. Based on the Intel Atom platform, the all-in-one provides ample computing power and performance. Since its fold-away stand and hand grip make it portable, it comes with WiFi in addition to its Ethernet connectivity. For flexibility in connection to other media and peripherals, it comes with six USB ports, a firewire port and a 6-in-1 multicard reader. For increased reliability and to keep users productive, the all-in-one also comes with Lenovo's OneKey Rescue System.

Occupying that perennially awkward space between a smartphone and a netbook, the mbook M1, like the Viliv S5, packs standard netbook components into a teeny space while remaining too large to be pocketable. It's a nice enough design, and the price is fair, but the sacrifices made to keep the gadget small are sure to annoy owners. Everything's been miniaturized: The headphone jack is a 2.5mm rather than the standard 3.5mm, and it includes only a mini-USB port, so you'll need an adapter for both audio and hardware input. Even the expansion slot has been miniaturized from the cheap and ubiquitous SDHC to micro-SDHC. The 16GB version will run you $599, and doubling your storage will cost an extra $150.

It includes the standard Windows XP, Intel Atom 1.33MHz proc, a 16/32GB SSD, and 512MB of memory, with a 4.8" WVGA touchscreen at a reasonable 1024x600 resolution. In short, it's just about exactly the same guts as the Viliv S5, except with a keyboard and without the standard-size ports. Tiny, yes, but if you're not already pro-MID, the mbook M1 isn't going to convince you. [Dynamism]