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.

The business model will follow that of the iPhone app store, with developers getting 70% of the revenue and 30% going to operational and partner costs. Potential applications will also go through a similar vetting process to Apple's, although hopefully a bit more transparency.

Intel hasn't yet said how many developers are actually working on netbook-specific applications, and they were vague in a CNET interview about what exactly we might see, other than promises of social networking-type capabilities. And of course, there's an easy way to keep 100% of your netbook software sales, and that's by just selling it as, you know, software. In any case, there's no clear timeline for the store other than 2010, but Intel seems motivated to get this done quickly. Soon, I hope... I'm curious to see what form this takes. [CNET via Apple Insider]

Feather is the name of YouTube's new lightweight version of the video streaming site. You can try it out now via Google's TestTube collection of beta trials.

What you lose with the lightweight option is the ability to view videos in High Quality, and most of the commenting and sharing options have been stripped out. But hell, that's a small price to play for being able to watch the above gem on your $249 netbook, right? [YouTube Feather via All Things D]

Actually, the slide-out battery isn't the only change compared to the original Seashell 1008HA (which had a non-removable battery). The keyboard on this 10-inch screen revision has gone chiclet, and there's a new VGA adapter that connects via mini-USB, and hides away in a recess underneath the netbook.

Those other standard specs I mentioned look to include 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard disk, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. And if pink isn't your thing, Fudzilla also has pics of the faux crocodile skin finish in brown.

It's extremely likely this will be one of several Asus netbooks we'll see at CES in January, and also one of many using Intel's Pine Trail-M platform. We already know MSI will have a Pine Trail-based 10-inch touchscreen U150 netbook at the show. Good times. [Hardware Zone (Update: Story removed) via Netbooked]

Acer has been developing a Chrome-based netbook since mid-2009, and its Chairman, JT Wang, has told DigiTimes, he wants it to be the first netbook out there when Chrome OS is released in the second half of 2010. [DigiTimes]

As mentioned, the 1201N will be the first Eee PC with Nvidia Ion graphics when it arrives in December for about $500. It'll include 2GB RAM, 250GB hard disk, and HDMI out.

And we've just learned that Asus is also planning a version with AMD's 1.6GHz Congo MV40 processor and ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics. That means 1080p video support. No word yet on pricing or availability, but it can't be that far off. We'll fill you in as we learn more. [SlashGear]

1. First and foremost, do you "get" what Google is trying do do here? Does it make sense? Is it a good idea?

2. Google OS will be available first on netbooks, and only netbooks starting in a year. Do you think netbooks will even be relevant a year from now?

3. Google also mentions that the first generation of the Chrome OS will focus on secondary machines. Do you even have a need for a secondary machine, or is one computer with a traditional OS enough?

4. Google notes that web browsing is the most important function of a computer . Without it, many of us probably wouldn't use a computer for much in the first place. So my question is, how much of your time spend on a computer is completely offline?

...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]

Samsung's Bada Mobile OS to Launch in Early 2010

Samsung's non-smartphone OS, which is surprisingly named Bada (rather than "Why?"), has already been announced, but now we hear that the first Bada phone should arrive in the first half of 2010. Given Samsung's recent dalliance with Android skins, maybe this is a new attempt to create something people might actually want to use. Still, we're just not that excited about another dumbphone OS, which is why news about Bada winds up here in the dark, forgotten corner of Gizmodo we call Remainders. [Engadget]

Google Talk Knows When You're on Android, and Likes It

The thing about Android is that we all depend on Google for all kinds of things, whether or not we ever plan on using an Android phone. So if Google wants, they can exert some pressure, through sweet exclusive features (like the Droid's turn-by-turn Maps) or little cues like this one. Google Talk now adds teeny adorable icons for Android users in the GTalk buddy list—but only Android, not iPhone, WebOS or BlackBerry. I'm not concerned about the "Google creep," but Google haters may find this seemingly innocuous feature a sign of trouble to come. [TechCrunch]

California Passes New Efficiency Standard for TVs

California, in a decision that's the first of its kind, passed a law requiring new, stricter efficiency standards for all TVs sold in the state. By 2011, they'll have to reduce energy requirements by 33%, and by 2013, that number goes up to 49%. It's not a huge deal, nor something consumers are likely to notice—but higher energy efficiency standards are okay in my book. The law has passed only in California, and is seeing a fair bit of opposition, so don't hold your breath for nationwide adoption—hence its place in Remainders today. [Mercury News]

Acer Ferrari Netbook's Tackiness Burns My Eyes

Okay seriously you guys, who the hell buys Ferrari versions of gadgets? They pop up with pretty alarming frequency given their eye-searing tackiness, and the latest victim is this humble Acer netbook. The netbook packs expected specs, including an AMD Athlon Neo processor at 1.2GHz, up to 4GB memory, 160GB hard drive and snoooooore. But why ruin that solid, sleep-inducing mediocrity with such shockingly garish styling? It'll be available in Japan on November 27th. [Akihabara News]

I say almost, because there was still some noticeable frame dropping. But still, I could actually watch HD flash video (windowed and full-screen) without it stuttering like a slideshow. One issue with YouTube: the CPU pretty much went into overload once the video was playing, and on the third viewing I had to Force Quit Firefox to wrestle back control.

But this is good news for hackintoshes, and netbooks in general. This is not hardware GPU acceleration (limited to Windows right now), it just seems to be better CPU usage. Earlier today I also posted about AnandTech's Flash 10.1 CPU-utilization tests: they still noticed improvements under OS X, too. If you've given Flash 10.1 a try, post a comment here so other readers can see what sort of netbook you have, and if it's worth trying.

For the record, my MSI Wind U100 has 2GB of memory, a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, and integrated Intel 945 graphics. (Pic above is of the Dell Mini 9).

They say that sub-$400 netbooks are 20 percent more likely to fail in the first year. But no real surprises there.

SquareTrade says it randomly selected over 30,000 laptops and netbooks covered by its warranty plans for the study. Brands with a minimum of 1000 laptops included Acer, Apple, Asus, Dell, Gateway, HP, Lenovo, Sony, and Toshiba. Accidental damage and software issues handled by the retailer were not included in the numbers.

Summary below, while the full report can be found at: [SquareTrade]

• Over 31 percent of laptops will fail in the first three years of ownership.
• Of these failures, two-thirds came from hardware malfunctions (20.4 percent) and one-third (10.6 percent) was reported as accidental damage.
• Asus and Toshiba were the most reliable manufacturers, with fewer than 16 percent having a hardware malfunction over three years.
• Netbooks are projected to have a 20 percent higher failure rate from hardware malfunctions than more expensive laptop computers.
• Manufacturers proved to be a more reliable determinant of reliability than the type of laptop and should be a greater factor in making a purchase decision.

It varies from netbook to netbook—Toshiba's NB205 hardier withstood Windows 7's power greediness better than HP's Mini 311, but you definitely lose juice quicker. It's somewhat expected, though, with features like the fancier Aero user interface to name one probable cause. Personally, I'll take Windows 7 and the dead battery. [Laptop]

Price

$300 with 2-year AT&T contract, $600 à la carte

Verdict

Nokia has built a great netbook, but they've done nothing to redefine the genre. Their 10-inch Booklet 3G has your typical 1.6GHz Atom, 120GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM. Running Windows 7, that means the performance is just passable. I'd be this close to pounding my head against the wall when a program would begin installing or a video would load.

That's typical.

What's ever so less typical is the sharp, sub-3lb unibody-esque construction (complete with sweet MacBook-like under-hatch battery and a hinge that bends nearly 180-degrees), HDMI output (not that you can really playback HD videos smoothly on an Atom) and, of course, solid integrated 3G and integrated GPS (though Nokia's bundled Ovi software apparently requires a phone or PC to activate, and after 30 minutes of fiddling, I honestly gave up on mapping.)
The battery life is impressive, too. In nonstop 3G browsing and app running with the screen at 80% brightness, the machine's svelte 16-cell battery ran for a bit over 6 hours and 30 minutes. That was a strenuous test, and dimming the screen and/or browsing through Wi-Fi should truly be enough to get you through the workday sans-recharge. (For instance, CrunchGear's John Biggs reported a pretty remarkable 10 hours of movie playback.)

But alas, even for a nice netbook, the Booklet's price is a bit too opulent for what you're really getting: an ever-so gussied up version of the same machine you could buy from Acer, Asus, HP, etc, for half the price (before subsidies). Meanwhile, there are plenty of ULV systems in the $700 range with bigger screens, better performance and portable-minded design (of course, they'll mostly require 3G dongles).

Give me some rhinestones and a bit more power, and we'll talk. Or just hand me back my iPhone.

Quality build

Long battery life

Plastic monitor back makes whole thing feel cheaper

It's still a $600 netbook

This video from CrunchGear shows that the operating system is all about simplicity. From the cloud-based storage and OS updates, to the "Web Card" home screen tiles used to represent Websites. On that screen, there's no menus, no folders, no resizable windows—just Websites and a search box at the top.

Sounds like a great first laptop for kids until you see the $700 price tag. Litl points out it offers extras like a one year service plan, maintenance free OS, photo-centric features, a money back guarantee, HDMI output, and that unique screen. But I still don't know. What do you think? [Litl and CrunchGear]

The increased responsiveness and gesture-based control better be worth the wait.

RegHardware also reports that the Wi-Fi/Ultra Wide Band aerial has been made an external dongle, because the keyboard's metallic body reduced the signal. A planned non-metallic version will integrate the wireless receiver.

At Computex, the Eee Keyboard's netbook-like specs included a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 16- or 32GB solid-state hard disk, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, and battery (no word on its capacity). Considering it's now pushed out to early 2010, hopefully they'll swap in one of those new Atom processors, too. [Reg Hardware]