HP 2133 Mini-Note Review (TrustedReviews)
May 22, 2008
Andy Vandervell, of TrustedReviews, has posted a new review of the Linux powered version of the 8.9-inch HP 2133 Mini-Note, giving it a 7 out of 10. This version of the 2133 retails for between $500 and $600 USD (some places are changing the price almost weekly depending on supply).
A lot of people mention the HP 2133 Mini-Note as almost feeling like something Apple designed, and Andy commented on this, saying If the Eee PC borrows the MacBook’s iconic white finish, the Mini-Note PC feels far more like a product produced by the house that Steve Jobs built.
The biggest difference between this version of HP’s sub-notebook and the more expensive versions is the CPU, a 1.2GHz VIA CPU that Andy felt was underpowered when it came to video playback.
Read: TrustedReviews
Triple Booting the Fujitsu U810
May 21, 2008
Well, somebody has managed to install and triple boot three very different operating systems on their 5.6-inch convertible Fujitsu LifeBook U810 (which is being replaced later this year by the Fujitsu LifeBook U2010).
Yes, three separate operating systems:
- Microsoft Windows Vista
- Linux (Ubuntu)
- Mac OS X
They mention getting the touchscreen working wit Linux (as well as Mac OS X) as well as issues such as wireless drivers.
They’ve also posted a video of the U810 in action.
Read: GottaBeMobile Forums
Video: YouTube
Upgraded Software, iTunes on Eee PC 900
May 19, 2008
jkkmobile has news of updated software and drivers for the Microsoft Windows XP versions of the 8.9-inch Eee PC 900.
You can download the updated Windows XP Software and drivers here: Support.ASUS.com.
Joanna Stern over at the LAPTOP Magazine blog (she has to be the resident expert on netbooks at LAPTOP Magazine) has written up an article on installing and running iTunes under Wine on a Linux-powered Eee PC 900, includng a step-by-step tutorial and her experiences.
Finally, if you are handy with a soldering iron and want to do a radical upgrade on your original 7-inch Eee PC 4G, well, this might be for you: Eee-PC.de (translated) has a tutorial on upgrading the 4GB Solid State Drive (SSD) to a 16GB SSD. Included are benchmarks. Needless to say, this voids the warranty in a matter of seconds.
Chasing the $100 Laptop
May 5, 2008
The Christian Science Monitor has a three page article “More computer brands chase the ‘$100 laptop’ ” that looks into all of the uses that can be found for the netbooks/sub-notebooks, the ultraportable ultra-cheap devices that are rapidly dropping in price while rising in features and popularity.
They point out one of the problems with the segment in general:
The market segment is so new it doesn’t have a name yet or even an agreed-upon set of specifications. Intel, the chipmaker, calls the category “netbooks,” recognizing that much of what people do on their laptops involves going on the Net. The new machines are also being called ultra-low-cost PCs, mininotebooks, or even mobile Internet gadgets.
It’s an interesting article - while all of the technophiles (myself included) are looking for faster performance, more functionality, etc., they look at where these will potentially have the biggest impact:
“I really think the unknown dynamic is what happens when these $200 to $300 netbooks are unleashed in India and China and Indonesia,” said Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel…
Read: CSMonitor.com
3K Longitude 400 Announced
April 23, 2008
Another day, another netbook (well technically yesterday I suppose). 3K has announced the 3K Longitude 400, a $399 netbook/ subnotebook with a 7-inch display and powered by a 400MHz “Ingenic” CPU.
3K claims it has a “full-size” keyboard. The 7″ display has a resolution of 800×480, and it comes with a 4GB flash/Solid State Drive. It weighs in at just under 2 pounds (around 0.907 kg).
Linux is the operating system of choice. No word on Windows XP compatibility.
Thsi is, as far as we know, the first use of an Ingenic CPU in such a device.
Press Release: BusinessWire
Laptop Industry Notes (Apple, Linux, Intel)
April 17, 2008
Register Hardware and others are pointing out that Apple’s market share in the US jumped up to 6.6. In doing so, they took over fourth place on the list of units sold by computer makers, passing up Toshiba. Dell, HP, and Acer were in first, second, and third, respectively.
Register Hardware is also reporting that Intel will ship more mobile CPUs than desktop CPUs this year, rather than a year or two down the road as previously predicted. This is helped by the netbooks (or Small, Cheap, Computers - SCCs as they call them) such as the Asus Eee PC, and will be helped even further when Intel’s Atom platform starts rolling out this quarter.
A Red Hat Press Release mentions that Red Hat won’t be creating “a traditional desktop product for the consumer market in the foreseeable future”, which is a big deal for laptop users who prefer to install Linux distributions from Red Hat (but there are options).
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