ApoTheTech

Yesterday, we posted about the ibuddie netbook which would be powered by Android OS. Now, Skytone is also going to release its Android powered netbook.

It will come with following specifications:

• 533MHz ARM processor
• 7-inch touchscreen
• 800 x 480 resolution
• 128MB of RAM
• 1GB of storage
• SD card slot
• 3G (optional)

The netbook may seem pretty underpowered when compared to the netbooks powered by Atom processor, but we must not forget that we are talking about a netbook that runs mobile OS.  Android OS is certainly not ‘that’ tasking on the CPU and hence, does not a lot of horsepower to run.

It is nice to the option to get one with 3G built-in though.

[Skytone] [via theenquirer]

MID (Mobile Internet Devices) is a segment which started along with UMPCs (ultra mobile PCs) and Netbook. Both UMPCs and MIDs simply failed to take off.

The Compal Electronics has reduced its R&D resources specifically allocated for MIDs due to the uncertain business outlook for the segment, according to industry sources.

However, Compal made a wise move by shifting those employees to the netbook R&D segment.

[via digitimes]

Intel N280 processor and GN40 chipset provides better hardware video decoding and 3D graphics performance only if you are using Windows Vista. This is because only Vista (or later) gives you directX 10 and DXVA 2.0.

Unfortunately, most of the netbooks are still shipping with the Windows XP. With Windows XP, you only get DXVA 1.0 due to which hardware video decoding does not work properly. With Vista, DXVA 2.0 is available and hardware decoding worked fine.

Right now, only Eee PC 1004DN and Gigabyte Technology’s Touch Note T1028 have GN40 chipset. It may be true that netbooks with N280+GN40 combo may offer better hardware video decoding, but the overall performance with a BETA product like Vista is simply horrible on the netbooks.

I tried Vista on my EEE 1000H with 2GB RAM and the performance is disappointing. I will (patiently) wait for the Windows 7 instead.

[via digitimes]

Fujitsu has released many portable devices like UMPCs and netbooks in the past. Most of them have really been ground-breaking (take U820/U2010 for example). Although the Loox M looks quite pretty from outside, but from inside it is just-another-netbook.

It comes with 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 160GB hard drive, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, three USB 2.0 sockets and a multicard reader. True, there is nothing ground-breaking about these specifications, but its price of $611 is surely something which most of the netbooks in the market are not carrying right now.

[via fmworld (japanese)]

Steve Jobs once said “We don’t know how to make a $500 computer that’s not a piece of junk.” This statement was not much liked by a lot of netbook users as we ourselves know how capable these machines are. The latest rumors point towards Foxconn Electronics, which is supposed to make the Apple’s first netbook. Most of the rumors point towards a device having 10-inch screen and running Mac OS X. It is also supposed to have WiFi and built in 3G to use the cellular networks for Internet surfing.

According to About.com, there may be two ways in which the Apple Netbook may be retailed:

• via Apple and its retail stores
• via cellular providers

By selling via cellular providers, they will be able to sell the netbook with small initial price just the way they sell iPhone and then letting the consumer pay according to the plan chosen by him

[via about.com]

Canonical, the commercial sponsor of Ubuntu, has announced the availability of Ubuntu 9.04 Netbook Remix. The newer version of ubuntu is going to be made available this coming Thursday. The newer version sports faster boot times. It also comes with an interface which lets them launch their favorite application easily and quickly. Other improvements include better power management and easier switching between networks.

Although, I really enjoyed EEEbuntu, which is actually an Ubuntu 8.10 with EEE drivers, but its long bootup time was the main turn off. That is the reason, I kept going back to Windows XP. I’m really looking forward to download the Ubuntu 9.04 Netbook Remix version. I hope the improvements are enough to make me use the Ubuntu full time.

[via]

PS: Also announced were the simultaneous releases of Ubuntu 9.04 Desktop Edition and Ubuntu 9.04 Server Edition.

Remember the Sharp Mebius netbook that we mentioned a couple of days back? Well, some new details have emerge about it, something that makes it very different from the other netbooks in the market. It features an LCD trackpad. About the Trackpad: Contrary to what you must be thinking about its utility, it features multi-touch too. Looks like engineers at Sharp took some thoughts from the Apple’s book. The resolution of the trackpad is really notable: 854 x 480. That is more than the one found on the early EEEs! (700 series). The brightness is automatically adjusted. The LCD on the trackpad can also be used as a second LCD and its resolution is not too bad for running programs. However, you will to squint your eyes to read the text.

After built-in DVD drives and bigger displays, now companies have another gimmick to offer to the users:  a netbooks with LCD trackpad! How useful that would be? Only time will tell. The Sharp has bundled Windows Vista Home Basic with it. I hope they make the Windows XP drivers available soon as performance of Vista on a Atom machine won’t be that good at all. The price is to be around 80,000 Yen ($815). That would really hurt your wallet in such tough economic times. For that price, you can two EEE 1000H easily.

Here are its full specifications:
* Intel Atom N270 (1.60GHz)
* Mobile Intel 945GSE Express chip set
* 1GB RAM (max 2GB)
* 160GB HDD
* 10.1-inch
* 1024 x 600 pixel display
* USB 2.0×3
* Ethernet and WiFi b/g
* Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
* Dimensions: 260×190×23.3
* Weight: 1.46kg
* Battery life: 3h

We have heard so much about the netbooks running Android OS (see this and this). iBuddie is actually planning to ship a netbook loaded with Android OS sometime soon. Here is a video of its prototype:

[via engadget]