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Second Netbook Wave Begins

Posted by kdawson on from the first-blood-to-asus dept.

nerdyH writes "Asus is taking pre-orders for a netbook based on Intel's second-generation platform, the secret-shrouded N280/GN40 chipset. Early product specs confirm that the second wave of netbooks are likely to offer faster graphics and lower power use, along with room for much, much larger batteries. The N280 apparently integrates the northbridge and CPU, meaning that the GPU moves to 45nm process technology, the FSB gets replaced by an on-chip interconnect, and overall board real-estate drops to a third of what it was previously — hence the ability to stuff an 8,700mAh battery into a 3-lb. device. The right shift key is slightly bigger, too, though still no trackpoint pointer (guess I'll keep waiting)."

79 of 318 comments (clear)

  1. No thanks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll wait for the Apple idea of a NetBook. It will change everything.

    1. Re:No thanks. by MrEricSir · · Score: 5, Funny

      Will it change diapers?

      --
      There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
    2. Re:No thanks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yes, it will be the first netbook with a wheel instead of a keyboard.

    3. Re:No thanks. by Davemania · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah over priced netbook.

    4. Re:No thanks. by macraig · · Score: 4, Funny

      If you're old enough to ask that question and be dreaming of netbooks, I think you can change your own damned diapers, young man!

    5. Re:No thanks. by bcrowell · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Seriously. Asus kept promising low price, but what they kept delivering was higher performance. The article says, According to Asus, the PC 1000HE will be available "soon" for approximately $400. Following the pattern they've always followed, that means it will actually sell for $800. What would have been really revolutionary would have been a $100 laptop -- but OLPC screwed up, and Asus decided to head up instead of down. If Asus had actually followed through on their original plans to deliver these things at low prices, we'd be seeing the imminent death of Microsoft. As it is, there may be some downward price pressure on Windows, but not enough to make MS surrender a whole sector of the market and allow Linux to move beyond the 1% share of the desktop where it's been stagnating for years now.

      --
      Find free books.
    6. Re:No thanks. by cheesybagel · · Score: 2, Interesting

      One more die shrink and less batteries would lower the price considerably, I am sure. That could take less than a year.

    7. Re:No thanks. by LUH+3418 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You probably mean gender identity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_identity).

    8. Re:No thanks. by jmorris42 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      > Following the pattern they've always followed, that means it will actually sell for $800.

      Nope, it is already showing up for preorder at or below the MSRP.

      > If Asus had actually followed through on their original plans to deliver
      > these things at low prices, we'd be seeing the imminent death of Microsoft.

      Don't look to ASUS for that. The origional EEE was a joint venture with Intel and seeing as they are introducing the first product with this new chip they are still bound to em. To really cut the price is going to require ARM based products.

      Which means the low end is going to be left to others. Coby was showing product at CES with $139 MSRP but it is believed to be the older MIPS stuff. Be patient, if somebody can get a product designed that doesn't suck, built in quantity and fight the fierce resistance Intel and Microsoft will throw up to block the normal retail channels.... Xmas '09 will redefine what people think of a laptop/netbook. Just don't look for it in Best Buy.

      --
      Democrat delenda est
    9. Re:No thanks. by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Interesting

      What happened to those ultra cheap ARM laptops we were hearing about awhile back, that is what I want to know. While I agree that a $150-$200 x86 laptop would be the hot product, especially in this economy, I just don't see that happening without some competition. After all, both the major laptop manufacturers and Intel would probably like the Netbook market to either die or become like what ASUS is pushing, which is just full priced crappy little laptops.

      But seeing as how most of the folks using a Netbook are mainly using it as a "browser in a box" and with an ARM CPU you should be able to get great battery life with decent performance the ARM based Netbooks could take a chunk of the market, especially if they hit the under $150 price point. After all there are already ARM based distros ready to go, there are programs that will let you edit a doc on a ARM based machines, and as long as the browser lets you surf the web and check your webmail most folks I know would be happy little campers. And the ARM processors out there can be had VERY cheaply, and with the scale of making a product like a Netbook the price will only go down. The screens are getting cheaper by the day, ditto for SSD storage, and Linux means no MSFT tax.

      So what happened? Where the hell are they? If they get them out in the $125-175 range I would have NO problem selling them to the local college kids as a "browser in a box" which they could throw in their backpack and check their email and IM with. But I haven't heard diddly squat past the original announcements. Being an underdog and not already having established laptops to compete against in house(unlike ASUS) they would have reason to go low on price to capture market share. And in this economy cheap price beats just about anything. So where in the hell are they?

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    10. Re:No thanks. by rwa2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well, so I rushed out and bought an Eee901 for my wife for about $550. I'd say it's about the "sweet spot" for their netbook line. They're about the same size as the 7" models but make better use of the screen real estate, yet smaller than the 10" models, which seem a tad too big and don't offer any extra screen resolution for it.

      Anyway, you all remember what fanfare that piece was released with. But a few months later they quietly started selling the stripped-down version of the Eee901 (with 512MB of RAM instead of 1GB and 4GB of SSD instead of 16-20GB) for only $300 at places like Target and Walmart, even in the Linux flavors to boot. And it's ridiculously easy cheap and easy to upgrade the RAM (up to 2GB if you replace the stock OS - I'm liking eeebuntu) and storage (add as a big SD and as many USB drives as you like).

      So it seems to me that Asus has a strategy of doing lots of press releases for their high-end models and scalping the rich tech boys to pay off the engineering costs, but then selling the very competitive stripped-down version at the mainstream retail outlets to get volume.

      So anyway, keep a lookout for these cheap stripped-down pieces they sell to the "low end market"... I'm already planning my Eeebot army.

    11. Re:No thanks. by mjwx · · Score: 3, Funny
      Ahhh, the RDF is strong in this one.

      Yeah... so if 15million of these have been sold, let's say Apple could have sold at least 1/4 to 1/3 of the market @ $600? That's roughly $2.5Billion.

      Try 1/20 or 1/25 of that market which at US$700 (its Apple, remember) equals to roughly US$0.5 Billion (US$420 M and US$525 M respectively).

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    12. Re:No thanks. by EvilNTUser · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I could still live with the slightly higher price, since many other products, like graphics cards, use perfectly acceptable previous generation products for the low end.

      What I don't understand is the push for ever bigger screens and storage. The 900-series could be even smaller, but is optimized for an acceptably large keyboard and display, and that's ok. A 10" hd-based laptop however, is not what I would consider a netbook anymore. The whole point is maximum portability. That means 7-9" screen and a flash drive.

      Adding insult to injury, they don't even use the size to support a bigger resolution, and have removed the respected ASUS brand in favor of the childish Eee logo. No thanks.

      --
      My Sig: SEGV
    13. Re:No thanks. by CarpetShark · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I'll wait for the Apple idea of a Netbook

      It's called the Macbook Air. Most people can't afford it.

    14. Re:No thanks. by edremy · · Score: 2, Insightful
      It's called the Macbook Air. Most people don't want it.

      Fixed that for you. They aren't in the same market segment- they aren't even in the same market. The eee is a cheap, durable, ultraportable minimal machine that does simple tasks. The Air is a large, fragile, very expensive machine that wants people to ooh and ahh. I have access to both at work- a first gen eee701 and a high end Macbook Air. I carry the 701- it's far smaller, less obtrusive and if I drop it I don't feel bad since it will probably survive. Even if it didn't I could buy 4-5 more for the price of that Air. (Plus I've gotten far more "Wow, that's really neat" responses from people looking at the eee as opposed to the Air.)

      Oh, and the 701 is more expandable. The single USB port on the Air is a crippling flaw, and the lack of wired Ethernet is a major problem. I don't want to have to carry a stock of dongles around just to get my $2k executive toy to actually do work- the eee has multiple USB ports, wired Ethernet and a real VGA port. (Ok, the resolution sucks, but it does work)

      Apple needs to get on the freaking bandwagon here- with the economy going the way that it is netbooks are about the only growth segment left. They've done amazing things with small devices in the past (iPod, iPhone)- I'd *love* to see an Apple netbook.

      --
      "Seven Deadly Sins? I thought it was a to-do list!"
  2. For those that missed it... Thevideo by denzacar · · Score: 2, Funny

    Apple Wheel

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
    1. Re:For those that missed it... Thevideo by LingNoi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I hate how people on youtube have the tell everyone it's a parody. So fucking annoying and ruins the comments.

    2. Re:For those that missed it... Thevideo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Solution: don't read youtube comments, they rot your brain.

    3. Re:For those that missed it... Thevideo by moniker127 · · Score: 5, Funny

      You say this in a slashdot comment?

    4. Re:For those that missed it... Thevideo by vigour · · Score: 2, Funny

      Solution: don't read youtube comments, they rot your brain.

      indeed, or here too

  3. A bit too heavy IMHO... by JickL · · Score: 5, Insightful

    1.45 kg is just slightly too much in my opinion. I love my 701 weighing in at just over 900 grams, I'd prefer a model weighing 1.3 kg or less. But that's just me! Also why aren't we seeing huge batteries like these in the cheap 15-inch laptops that would really need them? This pretty much proves that it can't be the cost that's prohibitive.

    1. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by denzacar · · Score: 5, Insightful

      1.45 kg is just slightly too much in my opinion. I love my 701 weighing in at just over 900 grams, I'd prefer a model weighing 1.3 kg or less.

      Yeah... cause lugging around the extra weight equivalent of couple of Mars bars is more than anyone should be forced to endure.

      --
      Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
    2. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by MichaelSmith · · Score: 4, Interesting

      1.45 kg is just slightly too much in my opinion. I love my 701 weighing in at just over 900 grams, I'd prefer a model weighing 1.3 kg or less.

      Yeah... cause lugging around the extra weight equivalent of couple of Mars bars is more than anyone should be forced to endure.

      It all adds up. I can take my 701 to work on my bike. Carrying a load momentum is the real problem, not weight. For me the 701 belongs with my multimeter and GPS. Its an instrument, just not as specialised as the others.

      --
      http://michaelsmith.id.au
    3. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by szap · · Score: 2, Informative

      0.9 kg vs 1.45 kg. I don't know how many Mars bars that is, but that's over 60% increase in weight.

    4. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by denzacar · · Score: 2, Informative

      I love my 701 weighing in at just over 900 grams, I'd prefer a model weighing 1.3 kg or less.

      And 1.3 kg vs. 1.45 kg is about 2-3 Mars bars, depending on which Mars bar we are talking about.

      --
      Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
    5. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by amRadioHed · · Score: 2, Informative

      Not .9kg, he said 1.45kg is too much and 1.3kg is ok. That's a difference of 150g which is three 50g mars bars or about than two and a half of the 58g size.

      Yes, there are probably more important things to be discussing right now.

      --
      We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
    6. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by Firehed · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes, there are probably more important things to be discussing right now.

      Why yes- a measurement in either Snickers or Reese's Cups would be greatly appreciated.

      --
      How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
    7. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by Hal_Porter · · Score: 2, Funny

      "This one time, at Gitmo..."

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    8. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

      If netbooks continue to grow like this, in a mere ten generations they will weigh 158Kg. Clearly the government should intervene and legislate a maximum weight of 100kg.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    9. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by Sir_Lewk · · Score: 5, Funny

      And he did it uphill both way! Get off his lawn!

      --
      "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
    10. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by hailukah · · Score: 2, Informative

      0.001726 VW Beetles (1967 model year) vs 0.001071 1967 VW Beetles

      --
      "What if I got hit by lightning while walking with an umbrella? Ban umbrellas! Fight the menace of lightning!" Doctorow
    11. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by plasmacutter · · Score: 3, Insightful

      1.45 kg is just slightly too much in my opinion. I love my 701 weighing in at just over 900 grams, I'd prefer a model weighing 1.3 kg or less.

      Yeah... cause lugging around the extra weight equivalent of couple of Mars bars is more than anyone should be forced to endure.

      at that weight you might as well buy a fully fledged laptop with some real power. Netbooks are experiencing "power-creep" right back into the laptop fold.

      --
      VLC FOR MAC IS DYING! IF YOU DEVELOP, PLEASE SAVE IT!!
    12. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by popo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      mod parent up.

      The 3.2 lbs of the 1000 series might seem light, but compared to the 2.18 lbs of the 900 series, it's a beast. The 900 was perfect. They should keep going in that direction...

      --
      ------ The best brain training is now totally free : )
    13. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by jaxtherat · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Pounds? Leagues? Quarts? African Swallows?

      Good grief man, this is 2009 use the Metric system!

      --
      http://www.zombieapocalypse.tv/
    14. Re:A bit too heavy IMHO... by FlyingBishop · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I really don't give a shit about weight. All I want is a browser, a real, full-sized keyboard, (none of that function nonsense) and a reasonably sized display. Also a bash shell, but that goes without saying. I want this for around $200, and I want it to last me at least 3 years. I don't need power, I don't need it to be lightweight, I don't even need it to work for more than an hour without a cord. These things are nice, but I'm just looking for something that's reliable, ergonomic, and cheap.

  4. Glad the Northbridge is Integrated by lobiusmoop · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's always been kind-of annoying knowing that in a lot of netbooks, the super-efficient 2W Atom processor was paired with a clunky old 6W 945 chipset. Such a waste of battery life.

    --
    "I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
    1. Re:Glad the Northbridge is Integrated by Aranykai · · Score: 3, Informative

      Ive been pretty impressed with the life Ive gotten out of my Eee 900a with the 1.6GHz Atom so far, but this new spec should blow improve that considerably. With nearly double the battery capacity(of my 900a), this thing should get 6 hours of actual use fairly easily.

      --
      If sharing a song makes you a pirate, what do I have to share to be a ninja?
    2. Re:Glad the Northbridge is Integrated by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ive been pretty impressed with the life Ive gotten out of my Eee 900a

      You should get the keyboard replaced before the warranty expires.

    3. Re:Glad the Northbridge is Integrated by Korin43 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I don't see why they don't take a motherboard like this and stick it in a normal sized laptop case (14.3"), with a massive battery. It's a laptop. I don't need super fastness, I just need a full sized keyboard, a wireless card and a battery.

    4. Re:Glad the Northbridge is Integrated by rsilvergun · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Because then sub $400 notebooks would compete with the $600+ ones.
      Heck, Apple's seen a 7% drop in market share and the blame's solely on netbooks.

      --
      Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  5. Tag by hax0r_this · · Score: 4, Funny

    Someone should tag this "clitmouse".

    Just saying.

    1. Re:Tag by Chabo · · Score: 4, Funny

      Obligatory link:

      http://xkcd.com/243/

      --
      Convert FLACs to a portable format with FlacSquisher
    2. Re:Tag by rwa2 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I still think the "joynipple" has a nicer ring to it, and more accurately represents the mechanics and feel of how it actually works.

  6. What I want to know is by fireman+sam · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who decided to use touch pads in these netbooks. Why not go with the more controllable clit mouse. Much more pleasurable to use - for both the user and the computer. I refuse to purchase a new laptop/netbook unless it has the clit mouse. Also, the touch pad wastes too much realestate.

    --
    it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.
    1. Re:What I want to know is by Nimey · · Score: 3, Funny

      Do you manipulate your clit mouse with your tongue?

      --
      Hail Eris, full of mischief...

      E pluribus sanguinem
    2. Re:What I want to know is by wjh31 · · Score: 4, Funny

      because most people wouldnt be able to find it

    3. Re:What I want to know is by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Funny

      I tried that with your mom, but she freaked out

      --
      Do you even lift?

      These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

    4. Re:What I want to know is by laejoh · · Score: 2, Funny

      Fuck the clit mouse, I want a PS2 connector on my eee pc so that I can plug in an IBM Model M!

    5. Re:What I want to know is by GCP · · Score: 3, Informative

      I completely agree. I had to use a ThinkPad once, years ago, as a substitute machine, so I experimented with the TrackPoint pointer. I didn't like it at all, and I wouldn't have bought a ThinkPad for myself, but I like to try new things as long as I'm not forced to continue. It took several days of constant use to get used to it, but after I did, I was hooked. I got my own ThinkPad, cranked the sensitivity and acceleration up to the max values, and trained myself to use it. At first it was like my first time on ice skates, but these days, I can rocket the mouse cursor around the screen and stop right where I want just by wanting it to be there, with my fingers still on the keyboard. At that level of sensitivity, and after a lot of practice, you just think about where you want the mouse pointer to be, and it's there. It's just an imperceptible, unconscious twitch or slight pressure. And with my fingers in the home position on the keys/mouse pointer, my thumbs can reach three mouse buttons by merely bending them at the middle thumb joint. Again, just the tiniest twitches combine keys, mouse pointer, and three mouse buttons.

      Now, when I'm forced to use a scratchpad, forced to lift my hands off the keyboard and go scratch like a cat in a litterbox to get the mouse to move--jerk, jerk, jerk, slide into place--I feel like I've put down my Nikon to take a picture with a one-button camera. It's unbelievably primitive in comparison. It's not that I can't scratch on a scratchpad--I did it for years and still do when I have to use someone else's machine. Any nitwit can learn to scratch in a few seconds, but for those of us who use computers seriously enough to put time into learning keyboard shortcuts, command line interfaces, scripting for automation, and multiple button / twitch control hardware, nitwit scratchpads don't cut it.

      We need that option on netbooks.

      --
      "Those who have never entered upon scientific pursuits know not a tithe of the poetry by which they are surrounded."
  7. use an eraserhead already! by macshit · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Seeing how annoying some of the teeny trackpads in netbooks are, why on earth aren't some of them using trackpoint/eraserhead/clit/whatever controllers instead?

    I get the impression most manufacturers do not do a whole lot of thinking when designing these things...

    --
    We live, as we dream -- alone....
    1. Re:use an eraserhead already! by JickL · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Actually I prefer the trackpad on my EeePC 701 to the one on my MBP. I find it more precise and I prefer the texture of it. Have I lost all credibility now?

    2. Re:use an eraserhead already! by sznupi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      OK, so you like touchpad, great. It works for you, and that's all that matters...for you. (as a sidenote, you seem to be in the minority - most people with touchpad-only laptops use mouse if they can; certainly on every desk that I've seen where there's touchpad-only laptop, there's also a mouse; some people even have "travel mouse"; I even witnessed somebody trying to use a mouse on a flat area next to the touchpad, while sitting on a park bench...ridiculous!)

      HOWEVER...I, and many other people, really like clit in a trully portable (not luggable) computer, even though I used it only for one day on a Thinkpad of my buddy - at the end of the day I was able to play enjoyably in UT and Diablo2 (granted, I usually play as a necromancer so there's less clicking, but still...). Not doable on a touchpad, and while mouse is best in this case, it's not really portable...

      BUT...I can't buy even ONE netbook with clit. One is all we need... :/

      If next Lenovo netbook comes with this platform (lower power usage and place for 9-12 cell battery, please?) and also with clit instead of touchpad, I'll be waiting overnight for first shipment. Heck, I will gladly pay 50% more than the typical price of "ordinary" netbook for that, probably even 100% more (though in the latter case it could also have X-series style case (not really needed, netbooks are tough enough thanks to their small size) and keyboard)

      --
      One that hath name thou can not otter
  8. Netbooks are the future. by darkmeridian · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A five-hundred dollar, three pound netbook with a ten inch screen, over five hours of battery life, and an integrated 3G wireless card would make regular laptops obsolete for most consumers. You can check your e-mail and word process, and edit photos. That is what most people need.

    I currently have a Dell Mini 9 I bought for $265. It has a four hour battery life and is really snappy with Ubuntu 8.10. I use it to check my e-mail. The only downside is the weak graphics, but the new Intel chipset supposedly processes HD video on board.

    I cannot wait to get one of the second gen netbooks.

    --
    A NYC lawyer blogs. http://www.chuangblog.com/
    1. Re:Netbooks are the future. by X0563511 · · Score: 3, Informative

      That new Intel chip isn't actually made by Intel, and because of it linux support is really bad right now.

      Beware - don't expect it to be perfect.

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    2. Re:Netbooks are the future. by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I currently have a Dell Mini 9 I bought for $265. It has a four hour battery life and is really snappy with Ubuntu 8.10. I use it to check my e-mail. The only downside is the weak graphics, but the new Intel chipset supposedly processes HD video on board.

      to Fully agreed on the Mini 9. I loved mine so much, I ordered a second one to run OS X on fulltime (typing from it right now). For basic things like emails and browsing slashdot, these things are absolutely perfect. I even hooked it up to a 17" monitor and plugged in a USB keyboard/mouse this weekend to do some work in Quark on it (don't have Quark on my regular desktop PC). The Mini handled it like a real Mac would. Sure, something with a little more horsepower would be nice at times, but really, that's what the desktop is for. And for HD video, I have a HTPC and the PS3.

      --
      This guy's the limit!
    3. Re:Netbooks are the future. by jcaplan · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yep, I almost submitted the same post. But then I checked my facts.

      It turns out that the graphics in this new Asus Eee 1000HE netbook is based on Intel's GMA 950 core, which is integrated into the new Atom N280 core. The recent news (http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/01/31/1859200 ) was about the GMA 500, which has been in some recent Dell Netbooks. The 950 seems to be in the GMA 900 family, with good old Intel technology and hopefully reasonable Linux drivers.

      Sorry, but that egg was *so* close to being on my face!

    4. Re:Netbooks are the future. by guisar · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have to assume you haven't tried to just use a netbook. Yeah I have desktop with a giant screen and quadcore at home but at work and on the road my Asus works just great, really well in fact. I bring a long cable so I can hook it up to the flat screens that are in more and more hotel rooms. Its fantastic for meetings and I don't have to worry about battery usage. On a plane it's fantastic as it fits right in my lap. At home we keep it on a shelf in the kitchen for looking up recipes, talking via skype and streaming music. I love the the thing- funny though I hated regular size laptops.

    5. Re:Netbooks are the future. by X0563511 · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's fine, I'll be your egg shield :)

      My mistake...

      --
      For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
  9. Re:Trackpoint? by ozmanjusri · · Score: 3, Informative
    If IBM doesn't make a trackpoint-based netbook, no one will.

    IBM doesn't make consumer-level hardware any more.

    They sold that part of the business to Lenovo long ago.

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  10. Re:Trackpoint? by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 2, Informative

    If IBM doesn't make a trackpoint-based netbook, no one will.

    Well, there is Sony's overpriced and underpowered Vaio P.

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  11. Looking for a netbook, but bigger by jfruhlinger · · Score: 2

    Off-topic, but ... does anyone know if there's any such thing as a notebook that has basic netbook specs, but is a bit bigger? Yeah, I know, the smallness is supposed to be the whole point, but ... my second laptop (an IBM-era ThinkPad) is getting a bit long in the tooth and somewhat flaky. All it's ever used for these days is Web surfing and occasional word processing, and I'd love to replace it with a sub-$500 machine ... but my wife watches video on it quite a bit and doesn't particularly want to squint at a 9- or 10-inch screen (the current laptop is 14 inch). I know that LCD prices add some to the final cost, but is there a netbook-quality 13- or 14-inch laptop out there for not too much more than a netbook?

    1. Re:Looking for a netbook, but bigger by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 3, Informative

      There's the Dell Mini 12, which has a 12" screen. Anything bigger than that and you're basically dealing with low-powered laptops.

      --
      This guy's the limit!
  12. HDMI and DVI? by tknd · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I know lots of old displays still use DSub VGA but when can I get one with HDMI?

    It'd be really cool if I could just hook this up to a digital TV which everyone seems to have these days.

    1. Re:HDMI and DVI? by jim_deane · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I know lots of old displays still use DSub VGA but when can I get one with HDMI?

      It'd be really cool if I could just hook this up to a digital TV which everyone seems to have these days.

      Wow. Full circle...from plugging my TRS-80 MC-10 into the television, through several generations of specialized monitors, to the "wonder" of watching TV/video on the computer screen, and now back to plugging the computer into the TV.

  13. No, it's part of the third wave. by Dzimas · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The eee PC 701 was the prototypical first-gen netbook (awkwardly cramped 7" screen and as little as 2 GB flash memory). Machines like the eee PC 901 and Acer Aspire One were part of the extremely successful second-gen (8.9" screens, 8 GB to 32 GB flash memory or up to 160 GB HD + XP or a Vista Neutered option). The new chipset (along with 10" screenage) belongs to the third generation.

  14. Re:this is slashdot by Malevolyn · · Score: 4, Funny

    I demand newton meters to confuse the masses!

    --
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  15. Ditch x86? by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 3, Informative

    I keep reading how the x86 instruction set is a limiting factor on efficiency when compared to others such as ARM and MIPS. Though x86 chips are capable of being cranked at higher Hz to compensate.

    Though Intel didn't have spectacular success with 'Itanic', might they now consider designing an ISA specifically for low power?

    Attracting a big enough market would be the issue, given the Wintel hegemony. But if Linux netbooks find a niche, perhaps Apple could be persuaded to port to this new 'Proton' CPU for "OS X Netbook Edition"? With intel's backing they wouldn't face the same fabrication problems as they had with PowerPC.
    [Insert obligatory beowulf cluster comment].

    1. Re:Ditch x86? by guppysap13 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I remember reading about some Dell laptops that had both an Intel chip and an ARM chip. The Intel was used for Windows/Linux normally. For simpler tasks (basic browsing, email, etc.), the laptop booted Linux using the ARM chip, attached to the same hardware. It had much better battery life on ARM, but still was able to use the Intel if it needed to do more processor-intense tasks. Or run Windows. Ahh...here's the article http://news.softpedia.com/news/Intel-and-ARM-Processors-Inside-the-Same-Notebook-98601.shtml

    2. Re:Ditch x86? by BikeHelmet · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I really doubt Intel would branch out with a new architecture - or at least, not a low power one. Remember that 80-core processor they made a while back? They'd probably make a new architecture for processors like that, to improve their dominance in the server/render-farm market.

      ARM really has low power and small locked down. An Atom is impressive at 2 watts, but ARM will soon be doing the same at 0.1 watts, and with ARM SoCs everything is in a single chip, so you can also cut out 20 watts from the other components in the netbook.

      There's no point really... The Atom(and netbooks in general) are huge cash cows, but x86 will never try to take over the Cellphone/Ultra-Low-Power-Device market.

    3. Re:Ditch x86? by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Informative

      I keep reading how the x86 instruction set is a limiting factor on efficiency when compared to others such as ARM and MIPS. Though x86 chips are capable of being cranked at higher Hz to compensate.

      Read a little more carefully. In practice, x86 has some actual benefits. The lack of a fixed instruction length can actually reduce code size, for example. It is true that even with register renaming, x86 suffers from register starvation, though.

      The x86 chips which can be cranked to a higher clock rate to compensate can generally do so because they have been made less efficient to do so. The most extreme historical case is the Pentium 4, which has multiple "drive" stages which are basically pipeline steps to wait for signal propagation across the chip. They are a big part of its terrible penalty for branch misprediction.

      Though Intel didn't have spectacular success with 'Itanic', might they now consider designing an ISA specifically for low power?

      Nah. They licensed ARM instead, like everyone else. As it turns out, many of us seem to want to keep x86 compatibility, for a wide variety of reasons but usually centered around Windows :(

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  16. What the EEE Should Have Been by LUH+3418 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If this works out nearly as well as they say it will, this will be what the original EEE should have been. The 10" screen will be more readable, the slightly larger keyboard more comfortable, while keeping the unit light and portable compared to a regular laptop.

    Furthermore, the chipset being integrated into the 45nm CPU will fix the problem of having an outdated chipset that consumes several times more power than your CPU does (negating the benefits of a low power CPU). We might finally see some *good* battery life on these things.

    Now, we just have to hope the price won't suck. I'm placing my bet at ~$550-700, pretty much as expensive as an OK regular laptop, but more portable...

  17. Mod parent up by Taxman415a · · Score: 2, Insightful
    If I had em right now you'd get em, but someone should mod you up.

    I think you're right about it taking an ARM product to really bring the prices down. A number of articles have been claiming people are working on them but we'll see. I'm sure you're right about the Wintel cohort putting all their collective muscle into stopping anything like that from happening though. It would carve into both of their margins if someone could make a decently functional product that used less battery, lasted longer, was lighter, and was cheaper.

    1. Re:Mod parent up by jmorris42 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      > I'm sure you're right about the Wintel cohort putting all their collective muscle into
      > stopping anything like that from happening though.

      Which is why the MIPS based units designed and pushed by Chinese only vendors aren't getting anywhere after almost a year of units being available to buy in bulk. The ARM efforts have several advantages. First they are faster, better tech. They can probably really do HD video and a Flash player is known to exist for ARM so a full browser experience is possible. More important is several Western/US chipmakers see a multi-billion dollar opportunity if they can leverage smartphone chips up a notch to compete in the netbook space. Broadcom, TI, Nokia, etc aren't exactly on the same playing field with Intel and Microsoft but they have enough marketing muscle and existing presence in the retail channels to avoid being locked totally out of the store shelves. Now imagine what happens when these vendors who already have good relationships with the cell carriers pitch bundling deals. Imagine the fireworks should AT&T offer up a free ARM netbook with a service plan.

      All that has ever been needed to blow the Windows monopoly to smitheens is for a critical mass of customers to realize they can survive without Windows/Office. Putting tens of millions of ARM+Linux netbooks in the field just might do the trick. No Windows wouldn't vanish but their ability to command monopoly prices would be forever smashed and that would end their cash cow, without which they would lack the ability to cause much mischief.

      --
      Democrat delenda est
    2. Re:Mod parent up by EvilNTUser · · Score: 3, Interesting

      >Imagine the fireworks should AT&T offer up a free ARM netbook with a service plan.

      Be careful what you wish for. Do you really want people getting "free" computers that are as restrictive as the "free" cell phones they push at people? It would be the *death* of mainstream Linux.

      And don't think people wouldn't put up with it. Us Europeans are already amazed you put up with the crippled cell phones just so you can buy them on credit.

      --
      My Sig: SEGV
    3. Re:Mod parent up by Registered+Coward+v2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      >Imagine the fireworks should AT&T offer up a free ARM netbook with a service plan.

      Be careful what you wish for. Do you really want people getting "free" computers that are as restrictive as the "free" cell phones they push at people? It would be the *death* of mainstream Linux.

      Why? As long as the machine lets people surf the net and do light office type tasks (which Linux/Firefox/OO) will do just fine, they won't care what OS it runs.

      The challenge will be games; and if enough devices can be pushed you'd start to see developers write games for it.

      I'd guess that a manufacturer would use BSD rather than Linux if only to better control who can use any changes they make; if they thought the market was big enough.

      And don't think people wouldn't put up with it. Us Europeans are already amazed you put up with the crippled cell phones just so you can buy them on credit.

      If by crippled you mean carrier locked the reason we put up with it is that it has no impact on most US cell phone users. We have a network that spans a space about the size of Europe where we can use our cell phones anywhere in that space without worrying about roaming charges. We don't need to worry about changing carriers to get good rates; so you pick a provider based on coverage or that has the cool phone you want.

      In addition, our "locked" phones aren't that locked, ATT will unlock some phones after you've been with them a few months, including pay as you go phones; not sure about T-Mobile. Sprint and Verizon phones aren't really locked but since each others phone id's don't show up in the others database they can't or won't activate a rival phone; although at one time you could activate Sprint Treos on Verizon. There was talk of allowing non-carrier branded phones to be activated but I'm not sure if that ever happened.

      The bigger question is why worry about phone mobility? If you switch carriers you get a new subsidized phone anyway; and it seems many people view phones as a throwaway that gets replaced every 15 months or so anyway. You don't get a price break for a non-subsidized phone, so there is no advantage to buying one. In the US you don't have to worry about roaming charges so you don't need to swap SIMs as you travel. Since a significant percentage of Americans never travel abroad the ability to get a cheap SIM plan overseas is not needed. I do travel abroad and have a cheap pay as you go phone that is unlocked fro use overseas; it cost me a total of $10 for the phone. I unlocked it myself; but had I kept my account active for 3 more months (after the 1st month that was included in the price of the phone) at $10 or so a month ATT would have unlocked it for me for free.

      Not having to shell out a few hundred dollars up front increases the penetration of cell phones in the US since more people will pay XX$ per month than $200 up front plus XX$ less the subsidy cost. If you look at European providers they also offer subsidized phones so it seems Europeans like that option as well.

      In short, the US and European markets are different because of the nature of the markets. Ours created one large calling area rather than the patchwork of carriers that are legacies of the period prior to the "United Europe." Ours works for us, yours works for you. Both have pluses and minuses, but neither way is inherently better; just different.

      --
      I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
    4. Re:Mod parent up by EvilNTUser · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's not just about switching operators. The widespread lockin lets the operators dictate what features the phones have, and it has damaged the US market significantly. In Europe, a lot of people go for the contract option, but the large unlocked market ensures that operators don't have power over the phone manufacturers. I'm constantly reading articles raving about features we've had for years that have nothing to do with building networks.

      If you don't get a price break for buying a phone on your own it just means the carriers have so much power they can screw you over. That's not a sign of a healthy market.

      As for people being happy with what comes installed, sure, but the effect of lockin on competition retards progress, and prevents anyone who does care from installing what they want. There is NO benefit to the consumer in such a system.

      --
      My Sig: SEGV
    5. Re:Mod parent up by Registered+Coward+v2 · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's not just about switching operators. The widespread lockin lets the operators dictate what features the phones have, and it has damaged the US market significantly. In Europe, a lot of people go for the contract option, but the large unlocked market ensures that operators don't have power over the phone manufacturers. I'm constantly reading articles raving about features we've had for years that have nothing to do with building networks.

      Don't confuse writer's opinions with those of the broad customer base. Most people want a phone that works, and messaging. A camera is nice as well. While many /. would like the latest and greatest my experience has been their preferences aren't those of the broader market.

      So I guess I don't understand what you mean by it has damaged the US market significantly.

      If you don't get a price break for buying a phone on your own it just means the carriers have so much power they can screw you over. That's not a sign of a healthy market.

      As for people being happy with what comes installed, sure, but the effect of lockin on competition retards progress, and prevents anyone who does care from installing what they want. There is NO benefit to the consumer in such a system.

      ,P>I'd submit that the constant lowering of the cost of cell phone contracts is the sign of healthy market that benefits consumers. Over the 15 years I've had a cell phone I've seen the cost of service decline to the point that I now pay annually what I used to pay monthly for the same usage. I'd say that is the greatest benefit to consumers- lower prices.

      That's borne out by the massive penetration of cell phones in the US, to the point where the land line business is rapidly dying as cell phones replace land lines. Considering a $15 add on line to most contracts can replace a $40+ land line (both after tax, fees, service, etc) I'd say consumers are benefiting fine from our model. One strength is that I don't pay extra to call a cell phone, it's all part of the basic minute plan. While I get charged minutes for every call (in or out), the combination of not using minutes to call anyone on my provider and no minute charge evenings and weekends means a reasonable base plan is essentially unlimited; and for $100 I can get a no limits to calling no matter where I roam in the US.

      The lack of phone competition, IMHO, has not harmed US consumers in any significant manner, if at all.

      In fact, I'd say the EU's system has harmed consumers more . You can't roam without worrying about data and call charges, or in some cases can't roam at all. For example, my UK based O2 pay as you go won't work in Portugal even though Lisbon is closer to London than Chicago is to NY (where I can roam on my ATT Pay as You go with no problem or added cost). In addition, if I call a cell phone from a landline I have to pay extra for the call; where I can call any US phone (as well as UK, Spain, germany and a few other countries as well) from my land line, at no extra charge.

      As I said, the markets evolved differently due to the nature of the market and consumer wants. Neither way is inherently better or worse, just different.

      --
      I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
  18. 9.5 hours? I'll believe it when i see it by ffflala · · Score: 2, Interesting

    9.5 hours of battery time sounds like quite a stretch from the marketing & hype dept.

    The EeePC 1000HE's 8,700mAh battery replaces the 6,600mAh battery on the 1000 models from last August. My 1000 has gotten a bit over four hours now with light usage at the most power conservative settings on both the distros I've tried on it so far.

    I'm not sure if time scales up directly with mAhs, but if it does that would put the upcoming model around 5.5 hours.

  19. Re:Is display resolution better than 1024x600? by CFBMoo1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I think the next time I buy a netbook will be when they have the resolution at 1024x768 and not just fudged with software or something. My EEE 1000 40G works just fine, especially after I put Ubuntu on the sucker.

    --
    ~~ Behold the flying cow with a rail gun! ~~