9 ultraportables and netbooks we can't wait for
- 12 May, 2009 15:35
There's no doubt that netbooks and ultraportables have become hot property in the laptop market over the past couple of years. They are small, light and great for accessing your web and emails on the go, so you're more than likely considering purchasing one right now.
There's plenty to choose from but before you open your wallet, check out our list of the nine most hotly anticipated netbooks and ultraportable PCs, all of which are set to go on sale later this year. It may make you consider waiting just a bit longer before taking the plunge.
MSI Wind U115
Price: Less than $US700
Release date: Unknown
OS: Windows XP or Vista Basic
Screen size: 10in
Weight: Just over 1kg
Why you'll love it: The MSI Wind U115 is touted as the world's first hybrid-storage laptop. It comes with a 160GB hard disk but also includes a solid-state drive (8GB or possibly 16GB) to run the operating system and programs.
An SSD is more durable and faster than a standard hard drive; it also uses less laptop battery power, keeping your system running longer between recharges. When you're on the go, just switch off the power-sucking disk-based drive, and you'll still have access to your computer's normal functions.
MSI says the machine will last from 12 to 20 hours with a six- or nine-cell battery, respectively. Intel's Atom Z530 1.6GHz processor powers the U115; the system also supports up to 2GB of RAM and has three USB ports, a webcam, two-channel stereo speakers, a microphone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a four-in-one card reader (SD Card, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, and Memory Stick Pro).
Asus Eee Keyboard PC
Price: Rumoured to be $400 to $600
Release date: Summer 2009
OS: Windows XP Home Edition
Screen size: 5in
Weight: Under 1Kg
Why you'll love it: Asus takes the all-in-one concept literally with an entire computer packed into a wireless keyboard. A Commodore 64 it's not though: the Eee Keyboard PC comes with a 5.5in touchscreen with 800x480 resolution on the right side.
The Keyboard PC packs in an Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB of solid-state storage, three USB ports, VGA output, wideband wireless HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and an internal battery.
The machine is optimised for web surfing or for controlling your wireless home network right from your sofa with wireless HDMI. (Sorry, Commodore lovers, but it doesn't support Datasette.)
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Gigabyte M1022 Booktop
Price: Unknown
Release date: April 30
OS: Windows XP Home
Screen size: 10.1in
Weight: Just over 1Kg
Why you'll love it: The M1022 Booktop looks to the future with a base station that converts the netbook into a desktop machine. Just slap it into the base and power up your monitor, and you're surfing the web like a desk jockey.
It comes with your choice of an Intel N280 Atom 1.6GHz or 1.66GHz processor, a maximum of 2GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive, three USB ports, a four-in-one card reader (SD Card, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, and Memory Stick Pro), the docking port, a 1.3mP Webcam, Wi-Fi, optional Wi-Max, and a 92 percent full-size keyboard.
Asus Eee PC T91
Price: Rumored to be around $500
Release date: Summer 2009
OS: Windows XP Home
Screen size: 8.9in
Weight: Under 1Kg
Why you'll love it: The Asus Eee PC T91 has a swiveling touchscreen that can also work with a stylus if you're a tablet PC lover. The T91 packs an Intel Atom Z520 1.33GHz processor, a TV tuner, 1024x600 resolution, GPS, two USB slots, an SD Card slot, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. For storage, you can use a 16GB solid-state drive, a 16GB SD Card, and a 20GB web drive.
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MSI X340
Price: Under $1,000
Release date: Expected in May 2009
OS: Vista Home Premium
Screen size: 13.4in
Weight: Just over 1Kg
Why you'll love it: As slim as the MacBook Air, the MSI X340 is a likely contender in the ultraportable market.
The X340 promises speed with Intel's 1.3GHz Core 2 Solo CULV processor, the screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio, and the computer comes packed with a 320GB HDD, up to 4GB RAM, a four-cell battery, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 3G/WiMax option. You can also pick up an external Blu-ray Disc player for the X340 to take advantage of that 16:9-ratio screen.
Samsung Mondi
Price: Unknown
Release date: Spring 2009
OS: Windows Mobile 6.1
Screen size: 4.3in
Weight: Light
Why you'll love it: The Mondi is one of two internet devices to make our list. The Mondi features a slide-out qwerty keyboard, GPS, the Opera 9.5 browser, 4GB internal memory, a 3Mp camera with video support, Bluetooth 2.0, HDMI-out, Wi-Fi, WiMax, push email, and instant messaging support for Messenger, Fring, and Gypsii.
Samsung will ship the Mondi with a car mount for on-the-go action, too. Sadly there are no details yet of a UK release date.
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Samsung NC20
Price: Around $550
Release date: Available now
OS: Windows XP
Screen size: 12.1in
Weight: 1.5Kg
Why you'll love it: We know its slightly cheating, as the Samsung NC20 is already available in the UK - but we just love it. Powered by a 1.3GHz VIA Nano processor, the netbook benefits from three USB ports, a webcam, ethernet, VGA-out, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0, as well as a 97 percent full-size keyboard and a 160GB hard drive.
CrunchPad
Price: Around $300
Release date: Unknown
OS: Custom Linux build
Screen size: 12in
Weight: Unknown
Why you'll love it: Powered by an Intel Atom chipset, the [[xref:http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/19/techcrunch-tablet-update-prototype-b/|CrunchPad|TechCrunch Tablet Update: Prototype B] comes with a touchscreen and virtual keyboard, a camera for photos and video, speakers, a microphone, and one USB port.
Outsiders have not laid their hands on the CrunchPad yet, but this little tablet device could be a hot property for simplified web surfing, email, media streaming, and video chat.
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Acer Aspire Timeline
Price: $699 to $899
Release date: Unknown
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium
Screen size: 13.3, 14.0 or 15.6in
Weight: unknown
Why you'll love it: The Acer Aspire Timeline is all about improved battery life and awesome graphics. It comes with either an Intel Core 2 Duo 1.40GHz CPU or the Intel Core 2 Solo 1.30GHz processor, and is expandable to 8GB of DDR3 1066MHz RAM.
The screen has a 1366X768 resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Storage is not a problem, with hard-drive options for 160GB, 250GB, 320GB or 500GB; a solid-state drive is also available.
The Timeline includes three USB ports, a five-in-one card reader (SD Card, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, and XD Picture Card), an Acer Crystal Eye Webcam, and built-in Wi-Fi and WiMax support. Acer says the Timeline is eco-friendly, too, as it consumes 66 percent less power than Energy Star standards require.
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Some of the most anticipated devices may or may not even exist - for now, they're relegated to the realm of rumours. We've put together a quick list of the ones we hope hit the market.
First off, there was Dell's leaked netbook roadmap, which features devices with high-definition screens, TV tuners, bigger hard drives, and various OS flavours.
Then, of course, there's the Apple tablet that's too big to be an Apple iPhone but too small to be a netbook. No one knows what kind of specs Apple's rumoured device might have - assuming it ever makes an appearance - but I'm sure it will sport so many juicy features that Apple fans will line up months in advance to get one.
The Google Android OS may go beyond smartphones and morph into a netbook OS in the coming months. No products have been announced yet, but rumoured manufacturers include Asus and HP.