Gizmodo: mini laptop

Nokia Booklet 3G Netbook Packs GPS, 3G, HDMI and...Windows

Danny Allen — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 07:40:00 EDT

So Nokia's got a 10-incher with built-in 3G and A-GPS (Ovi Maps) in the works. Interesting, but will it be just-another-netbook? I'd love to see a Nokia touch-screen interface on top of Windows. What about easy tethering with cell phones?

Having some sort of tie-in with Nokia handsets (while not excluding everyone else) isn't a must, but it'd be nice, right? We'll have to wait and see.

Here's what we do know: It'll be "HD ready" and have an Atom processor—hopefully that means Nvidia Ion-based. It will also have Wi-Fi, HDMI, and an SD Card reader. With a 12 hour battery and weight of 2.75 pounds, there's some massive potential here, if only on paper.

Problem is we won't know more about its flavor of Windows-or any other specs and pricing-until Nokia World on September 2. Stay tuned. [Nokia]

Sony Considering Fashionably Late Entry Into Netbook Market

Elaine Chow — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:30:00 EDT

Considering just about every other laptop maker has entered the ULPC arena, it comes as no surprise that Sony's thinking about dipping its toes into netbooks as well. Sony exec Mike Abary told Laptop Magazine to “stay tuned” about the company's netbook plans, and added that “we are letting the pioneers of the market make the mistakes... We have to participate.” What? You have to participate in creating a consumer product that's been key to keeping the PC industry from sinking with the rest of the economy? Crazy talk! [Laptop Mag]

Avaratec 18" Netbook, $550 and Absurdly Flexible

Mark Wilson — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:45:00 EDT

Before you read any further, we'll tell you the catch. It's not actually a netbook. It's just powered with the specs of a netbook. This Avaratec All In One features an 18.4 swiveling screen, 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, DVD burner and Windows XP. Sure, you can call it an underpowered iMac ripoff, but then you'd be missing that the whole system runs only $550 and can mount on your wall like an LCD TV. Full specs and video:

Thickness: 1.3-inch base, .59-inch LCD
Built-In Webcam & MIC
Piano Black Design
Weight approx 4 lbs.
Microsoft Windows XP ULCPC
Intel ATOM CPU: N270 (1.6GHz / 533MHz FSB / 512K)
18.4″ Widescreen LCD (1680 x 945)
1GB DDR2 System Memory
160GB SATA HDD
Super Multi Dual Layer DVD Burner
802.11 b/g wireless LAN integrated
Integrated webcam (1.3M) and 5 USB 2.0 ports
4-in-1 Memory Card Reader
15 pin D-Sub Video out port

This Averatec All In One should be available in the US by the holiday season in black only. [Gadgetress]

Mystery 12.1-Inch Dell Laptop On UK Supermarket Website: E-Slim Leaked?

Kit Eaton — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:20:00 EDT

UK supermarket chain Tesco has this Dell "Inspiron Z530" laptop up for sale on their website: it's got a 12.1-inch screen, is Atom Z350-powered and sounds a lot like the Dell E-Slim mini laptop we've mentioned before. The product's features are touted thus: "Ultra mobile web experience. Consume your media where ever you are," which sounds all well and good, but then it goes a bit funny with a "Linux Ubunto" OS and a width and height of "29.9 cm". It seems Tesco's web monkeys are good at making typos. Read on for the full specs:

Brand: Dell Inspiron
Built-in Webcam: Yes
Card Reader: 3-in-1 Media card reader
Features of Product: Ultra mobile web experience. Consume your media where ever you are
Firewire: No
Graphics Shared: Intel integrated graphics
Hard Drive Size: 40GB
Hard Drive Type: 4.200 rpm
Laptop Colour: Black
Memory Size: 1GB
Memory Type: 533MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Number of USB Ports: 3 USB 2.0
Operating System: Linux Ubunto
Optical Drive Bluray Compatible: No
Optical Drive HD Compatible: No
Optical Drive Lightscribe Compatible: No
Output: VGA, RJ 45 10/100, headset, mic, 3 in 1 card reader
Processor: Intel Atom
Processor Bus: 533MHz
Processor Cache: 1MB
Processor Model Number: Z530
Processor Speed: 1.33 GHz
Product Dimension Length: 17.2
Product Height: 29.9 cm
Product Weight: 1.2 kg
Product Width: 29.9 cm
Remote Control Included: No
Screen Size: 12"
Screen Type: WXGA True life
TV Tuner: None
Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g
Wired Networking Port: Yes

Apparently due October 6th, it's on sale for the equivalent of $526. We'll just have to wait for word from Dell on the E-Slim to confirm if this is the same machine. Or wait to see Tesco take the link down, if this is a genuine leak. [Tesco Direct via Engadget]

HiVision Shows Off Sub-$100 Linux Mini Laptop

Elaine Chow — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:21:56 EDT

China's HiVision has debuted a Linux-based laptop that makes the OLPC seem ridiculously expensive. For $98, you get a MIPS-based processor, 1GB flash storage, 3 USB ports, Ethernet, an SDHC card reader, WiFi, audio in and out, voice-chat and Firefox browser support on a Linux user interface. No word who this is being marketed towards, but with a price tag that low, maybe this will end up being the device that fulfills Nicholas Negroponte's much criticized mission. The video above is Tech Video Blog's review of Hivision's miniNote (hmm, naming conflict with HP in the near future?) at IFC 2008. [Tech Video Blog via The Earth Times]

Dell's Mini Inspiron Laptop Named E and E Slim

Jason Chen — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:25:49 EDT

That upcoming mini laptop from Dell that we got the scoop on last month at All Things D just got a name. Engadget's Dell source coughed up the info that the mini notebook will be called the Dell E, which is an 8.9-inch competitor to the similarly named Asus Eee. Then there's the E Slim, which is a 12.1-inch screen, 0.8-inch thick competitor to the MacBook Air and Lenovo X300.

Dell's further segmenting the notebook with E Classic, E Video and E Video+, which has more RAM, flash storage, webcam and Bluetooth. E Slim will get WiMax shortly after its original release date as well. The smaller Dell E looks to start at $299 in August, whereas the E Slim still has no price, but is supposed to hit August-September. [Engadget]

MSI to Make Thinner Business Wind, Mobile Internet Device

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:00:00 EDT

Following the Wind's success, and further advancing in the mini-laptop collective hysteria, Micro-Star International is planning a thinner version for business people, as well as a new, completely unknown smaller-than-a-mini-laptop mobile Internet device. According to Andy Tung, the business Wind will re-use the components of its predecessor, but focus on design:

On Intel's roadmap, there won't be any change in Atom until the second half of next year, so the microprocessor and chipset will be the same.

According to MSI, they will release the new business Wind next CES. They also said they don't want to compete with the MacBook Air in terms of specs, just make the Atom-based laptop thinner and more portable. Following this, MSI is planning yet another mobile Internet device with a 7-inch screen and a slide keyboard, designed for people who "want to surf the Internet wirelessly." Apparently, some of MSI's engineers fell into a time wormhole and are now trapped in the 90s. [Yahoo]