Tag Archives: Smartbook

netbooks, News

Toshiba’s 10.1-Inch AC100 Smartbook is All About The Android

Toshiba is coming on strong lately with all sorts of awesomely great netbook devices. And while most models still run a Microsoft Windows OS inside, the latest, AC100 Smartbook, is said to include an Android 2.1 for a change. The Japanese are probably the first to enjoy this bad boy, somewhere around August, as prices start at ¥40,000 and climb up to ¥50,000 or $440 to $550, respectively. In exchange for the money, Toshiba has stuffed a very interesting lineup inside, which apparently includes a 10.1-inch 1,024 x 600 pixels LED backlight displayed, paired with a 32GB SSD, 512MB of DDR2 memory, a 1.3mp webcam, 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, an HDMI output to pump vids on your tele, and last but not least, a fairly strong 1GHz NVIDIA Tegra 250 processor, to make your 1080p content run stutter free. Software wise, you get a built in Opera Mobile browser to surf the web, a dedicated Toshiba media player, and Documents to Go, that lets you edit any MS Office docs, via Google’s android OS. PR and video, just after the break.

Update: Battery is claimed to deliver up to 7 hours of continuous work and and 7 days of standby. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?

[via netbooked]

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Computers, News, Operating Systems, tablets

Lenovo To Replace Linux Skylight OS With Android In Future Devices

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Color us unsurprised, but it’s still notable to hear that Lenovo is stopping investment in its OS capability to support the Skylight smartbook and U1 Hybrid devices, we’ve first seen at CES, and instead seek to replace it (the sluggish Linux Skylight OS) with a far-faster Google Android one. In a written statement, the company says it has shelved the Skylight smartbook for the time being and refers to the U1 hybrid as a concept.  Who said that Apple’s magical iPad is not a game changer, who?

After careful consideration of market conditions and user feedback, Lenovo has decided to focus its resources on building a family of next-generation mobile internet devices based upon open technologies such as (but not limited to) the Android kernel, similar to the Lenovo smartphone, which is available for sale in China now.

As a result of Lenovo’s strategic shift towards open standards such as an Android kernel based environment, the Company has shelved its plans to release the initial version of the Skylight smartbook that featured a proprietary Linux-based OS.

Lenovo remains committed to working with our strategic partners to deliver innovative products in the growing mobile internet space, including the aforementioned smartphones and smartbooks, as well as exploring innovative new concepts that continue to “push-the-envelope” like the U1 hybrid PC.

[via LaptopMag]

Computers, General, Mobile, News

HP To Acquire Palm For 1.2 Billion Dollars

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Hewlett-Packard has just announced that it would buy Palm for a staggering price of $1.2 billion dollars, roughly about $5.70 per share of common stock. The merge and acquisition, which are planned to close by July 31, can give the Palo Alto computer giant a great opportunity to get a bigger slice from the hot and trendy smartphones market, valued at $100bn alone and with annual rapid growth of 20% . HP executive vice president Todd Bradley said that “Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices” and also added that “Between smartphones, slates, and potentially netbooks, there are a lot of opportunities here.” And he’s right, just think about the endless potential  possibilities of having Palm’s stunning WebOS integrated in HP’s future multi-touch devices, whether these are mobile phones, tablets or other portable machines – it’s HUGE and HP, in our opinion, has clearly taken a few significant steps in the right direction, especially now when strident voices, complaining about a sluggish HP Slate performance, start floating around – WebOS can definitely improve speed reaction dramatically –  and someone at the HP headquarters has probably figured this one pretty well. Brian Humphries, HP’s Senior Vice President of Strategy and Corporate Development quoted saying “our intent is to double down on WebOS”. That’s very important, considering the months of speculations where Palm was desperately looking for a buyer. And given the fact that HP is getting over 1500 patents that Palm currently owns (that probably has considerable value as well, isn’t it?), along with a very good team of young talented engineers and one relentless chairman and CEO, Jon Rubinstein, who is expected to remain with the company another few years long, this very complex deal that few months back, could easily have seemed impossible, can all of a sudden turn into a nice and promising bargain. PR announcement after the break.

Update: Digitimes says that HP Taiwan VP, Monty Wong has officially confirmed a webOS tablet to go live somewhere around October of this year. Stay tuned for more to come.

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Computers, News

Lenovo’s Skylight Smartbook Unveiled, First To Include ARM Snapdragon Processor

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Lenovo strikes with some interesting stuff at this early stage of the year. The latest, is the company’s stunning ARM-based smartbook, called Skylight. It’s a 10.1-inch 1,280 x 720 display device that offers a new stylish approach that we haven’t seen out there before. For this reason, it’s priced above the average at $499, but offers nice specs lineup which includes a fast 1GHz ARM Snapdragon processor, together with 20GB of flash storage, 2GB of cloud storage, plus an 8GB miniSD card. Furthermore, you get a 1.3 megapixel camera, 2 X USB ports, WiFi, 3G connections and battery with up to 10 hours of continuous work time. The rounded clamshell design looks stunning and the weight is just under 2 pounds, which grants a more convenient portability to this new Skylight machine. According to Lenovo, shipping suppose to begin somewhere around April, as buyers will enjoy a variant of 18 widgets and web apps, already preloaded inside, amongst you’ll find Facebook, Twitter, Gmail Youtube and more. Introduction video tucked with some PR words, after the jump.

Update1: We’ve added another video of Lenovo’s new Skylight UI, courtesy of engadget.

Update2: Looks like April release date has been delayed until July, as Lenovo is still working to make things properly, before getting it out.

lenovo-skylight-smartbook

[via Gizmodo]

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Computers, News

Freescale's 7-Inch Smartbook Tablet Officially Announced, Boasts an Enticing Design And $200 Tag

Freescale is already staring eyes towards the CES show, which goes live this coming weekend, and the way things look, there’s plenty of stuff that worth waiting for. In a nutshell, the semiconductor giant surprises with a 7-inch smartbook reference design that fits well the Smartbook Tablet gender, only with a lot more to offer. Make no mistake, it’s a sort of a prototype that Freescale wishes to develop with its OEM partners, and the list of components is admittedly, very impressive, still you should give it at least six month before it gets – this way or another – official. The most attractive thing in here is the price which stands right below the $200 mark and digging into the specs, it ain’t so much at all, considering the fact it has a 1GHz i/MX515 chipset, paired with ARM Cortex A8 processor that seats together with 1,024 x 600 touch display (and ambient light sensor), 512MB of DDR2 RAM, optional 3G WWAN module, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, 3mp camera on top, and 3-axis accelerometer support. You get between 4GB to 64GB of internal storage, expandable with a microSD, while battery suppose to work all day long at 1,900mAh. And whether you’re fond of portable devices or not, Freescale’s machine offers (for extra $50) an optional docking station fully equipped with QWERTY keyboard and identical color lot – Now that’s definitely something we’d like to have our hands on. Stay tuned for more, images and PR details are just after the slot.

Update: Word on the street is that the $200 tablet from Freescale that sports a 7-incher display and a strong ARM Cortex architecture, will go live somewhere, somewhat, equipped with either Google’s Chromium OS or sort of a Linux platform at your choice, while Android is said to be on the prep as well, and capacitive screens are likely to be considered as part of this slate. Checkout the demo video half past the break.

freescale-7INCH-tablet_1

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Computers

Smartbook AG To Launch Zenid GC Crystal, a Crystals-coated Netbook Priced Out Of Your Range

When we say the word “netbook”, we tend to think about a chip portable laptop, weighs around 1.4 kilos and packs some basic specs that suppose to handle most of our day-to-day tasks and even some more. But as you know, for every such edge there is an exceptional, and today it’s a very expensive one, coming from Smartbook AG, called Zenid GC, and completely covered in Swarovski crystals, top to bottom. In general, it’s just a regular Chinese ODM S40 netbook, which boasts a 10.2-inch WXGA LED screen, along 1.6GHz Intel Atom N280 processor, 2GB of RAM, built-in WiFi connection, a standard  Li-ion 2200mAh battery, and the rest of the stuff we already know – nothing that 299 Euros can’t buy you these days. But that model, in specific, is probably out of your shopping range, and its whopping price, which stands at 2,001 Euros (about $3000), sounds and feels bombastic thanks to its prestige cover, made out of those shiny Swarovski encrusted crystals, spread on the back. Think you’d buy this thing if you got yourself a huge bank account? Maybe. Only as a piece of furniture.

smartbook-Zenid-diamonds-netbook

[via Netbooknews.de]