Netbook | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 02 Oct 2020 12:18:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Netbook | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Microsoft launches cheaper Surface Laptop Go starting at $549 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/microsoft-launches-cheaper-surface-laptop-go-starting-at-549/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/microsoft-launches-cheaper-surface-laptop-go-starting-at-549/#respond Thu, 01 Oct 2020 16:12:18 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=488375 Microsoft is lowering the entry bar for the Surface ecosystem this week with a new Surface Laptop Go. This is a 12.5-inch notebook, providing a middle ground between the Surface Go 2 tablet and the Surface Laptop 3, set to compete with the Chromebook market.  The base edition of the Surface Laptop Go will cost …

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Microsoft is lowering the entry bar for the Surface ecosystem this week with a new Surface Laptop Go. This is a 12.5-inch notebook, providing a middle ground between the Surface Go 2 tablet and the Surface Laptop 3, set to compete with the Chromebook market. 

The base edition of the Surface Laptop Go will cost $549, coming with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 64GB SSD. From there, you can jump up to the $699 price tag for 8GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD. If you need a 256GB SSD, you'll be paying $899 and if you would also like 16GB of RAM, you are essentially paying twice the price of the base model, with a price tag of $1,099.

Those are the prices for consumer/education editions. Microsoft is also selling ‘Business Editions' for each model except the base model. This includes a $100 warranty service and Microsoft Advanced Exchange in supported markets.

Here is the spec sheet for the Surface Laptop Go:

  • Display: 12.45-inch (1536×1024, 148 ppi) multitouch PixelSense display
  • Processor: Core i5-1035G1
  • Graphics: Intel iGPU
  • Memory:  Up to 16GB LPDDR4x
  • Storage: Up to 256GB SSD
  • Ports: 1 USB-C, 1 USB-A, Surface Connect, 3.5mm audio jack
  • Camera: 720p f2.0 (user-facing)
  • Battery: “13 hours of typical device usage” with Fast Charging
  • Wireless: WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.0
  • Operating system: Windows 10 Home in S Mode
  • Dimensions (inches): 10.95 x 8.10 x 0.62 inches
  • Weight: 2.45 pounds
  • Chassis: Aluminum
  • Colors: Ice Blue, Sandstone, Platinum

Given that this is a Windows 10 S device, there are some limitations compared to traditional Windows 10. For instance, you will be limited to apps from the Windows Store, making this more of a Chromebook replacement/competitor compared to a traditional Windows laptop.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: What do you all think of Microsoft's Surface line of products? Would the Surface Laptop Go sit on your radar for work/education purposes? 

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Google: We are happy that Microsoft is working on $150 PCs https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/anton-shilov/google-we-are-happy-that-microsoft-is-working-on-150-pcs/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/anton-shilov/google-we-are-happy-that-microsoft-is-working-on-150-pcs/#comments Fri, 10 Apr 2015 03:07:31 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=244371 In a bid to ensure that its Windows operating system can address all segments of the personal computer market, Microsoft Corp. in the recent quarters has worked hard with various hardware manufacturers to drive down prices of PCs to $200 and even $150 per unit. While hardware makers are hardly happy with the return of …

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In a bid to ensure that its Windows operating system can address all segments of the personal computer market, Microsoft Corp. in the recent quarters has worked hard with various hardware manufacturers to drive down prices of PCs to $200 and even $150 per unit. While hardware makers are hardly happy with the return of netbooks, Google seems to be glad about availability of such systems.

Microsoft is working with PC makers on ultra-low-cost personal computers in order to not let Google and its Chrome OS into its stronghold, the PC market, where Microsoft Windows has been dominating for decades. To lower the cost of notebooks with Windows, Microsoft reconsidered its pricing policies and redesigned Windows so that it could work on low-performance hardware. This year some of Microsoft’s partners are expected to release laptops that cost around $150.

“We cannot be happier that Microsoft is helping drive down the prices of PCs,” said Caesar Sengupta, Google's vice president of product management for Chromebooks, in an interview with NewsFactor. “If Microsoft is reacting to (Chromebook's low prices), that's fantastic. We love it.”

acer_chrome_chromebook_chomeos_google

Recently Google and its partners Haier and HiSense introduced Chromebooks, which retail for $150 in the U.S. The notebooks feature 11.6” display and are based on quad-core Rockchip RK3288 system-on-chip (four ARM Cortex-A17 cores, ARM Mali T7 graphics engine that supports OpenGL ES3.0, OpenCL 1.1 and DirectX 11 APIs, DDR3 memory controller, etc.). The systems are also equipped with 2GB DDR3 memory, 16GB eMMC NAND flash storage, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, USB port, speakers, etc.

Availability of cheap computing devices mean that more users will be able to utilize Google’s Internet services, such as search, email or YouTube. From this point of view, Google does not care whether PCs run Chrome OS or Windows.

Only around six million laptops based on Chrome OS were sold in 2014, according to IDC. By contrast, hundreds of millions of PCs running Windows were shipped last year.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While it is great from the end user point of view to have cheap PCs available widely, such computers are hardly good for the market in general. PC makers have to use outdated hardware to build such systems, software vendors have to keep such low-end laptops in mind when they design applications. In general, the progress of both hardware and software slows down because of such PCs. The only company who wins here is Google, who gets new clients. Still user experience of  such customers is hardly good…

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Microsoft reportedly working on $149 laptops with Windows 10 https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/anton-shilov/microsoft-reportedly-working-on-149-laptops-with-windows-10/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/anton-shilov/microsoft-reportedly-working-on-149-laptops-with-windows-10/#comments Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:42:11 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=242446 In a bid to address emerging and educational markets with inexpensive laptops, Microsoft Corp. is reportedly working with two companies on ultra-cheap personal computers due this summer. The systems are projected to hit record-low $149 price-point per unit, which is on-par with low-end media tablets from renowned brands. The two personal computers will feature 11.6” …

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In a bid to address emerging and educational markets with inexpensive laptops, Microsoft Corp. is reportedly working with two companies on ultra-cheap personal computers due this summer. The systems are projected to hit record-low $149 price-point per unit, which is on-par with low-end media tablets from renowned brands.

The two personal computers will feature 11.6” displays and will be based on Intel Atom “Bay Trail-T CR” system-on-chip, reports DigiTimes. Other specifications are unknown, but expect 4GB of DDR3 random access memory, low-end solid-state storage device, support for Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB and so on. It is not clear whether the laptops will feature Microsoft Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, but the latter option seems more likely as the operating system is set to become available this summer.

toshina_notebook_microsoft_windows8

One of the PCs will be made by Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) and will be sold mainly through the education channel that Intel and ECS built for their Classmate PC products. The final price for the notebook is expected to be $179.

3Nod Group, a China-based PC maker, plans to produce consumer versions of ultra-low-cost personal computers designed by Microsoft and sell it for around $149. The report says that the systems will be “sold via brand vendors”. It is unclear whether such systems will be available in China only, or will be sold in different parts of the world.

hp_laptop_hewlett-packard_beats_audio_apple

Last year Microsoft came up with initiative to offer end-users Windows 8.1-based laptops for $199 – $249, but only a few vendors supported the plan. Hewlett-Packard, Acer and Toshiba offered ULCPCs in the U.S. retail, but it is unknown whether the companies are interested in such business now.

By offering ultra-low-cost personal computers, Microsoft wants to ensure that Google cannot capture a significant share of the PC market with its Chrome OS. While in general the plan works, it should be noted that by offering cheap PCs the software giant erodes profit margins of its partners, which is not a good thing.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: ULCPCs are nothing new to the market. In 2008 – 2010 a number of PC makers offered underpowered netbook computers based on Intel Atom processors. While initially such systems got popular, eventually their popularity vanished because of poor user experience. Thanks to advances of microprocessors and operating systems, the new netbooks can be more responsive and capable. However, when compared to mainstream PCs or tablets, ULCPCs will hardly look good…

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Netbooks are back? Lenovo plans to launch $199 – $249 laptops in 2014 https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/netbooks-are-back-lenovo-plans-to-launch-199-249-laptops-in-late-2014/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/anton-shilov/netbooks-are-back-lenovo-plans-to-launch-199-249-laptops-in-late-2014/#comments Wed, 06 Aug 2014 23:19:19 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=206189 In a bid to fight Chromebooks – systems running Google’s Chrome operating system – Microsoft has managed to encourage multiple of its partners to return ultra-low-cost personal computers (ULCPCs) to the market. Lenovo Group, along with a number of other PC makers, reportedly plans to release Windows 8.1-based systems that cost $199 – $249 (€148/£118 …

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In a bid to fight Chromebooks – systems running Google’s Chrome operating system – Microsoft has managed to encourage multiple of its partners to return ultra-low-cost personal computers (ULCPCs) to the market. Lenovo Group, along with a number of other PC makers, reportedly plans to release Windows 8.1-based systems that cost $199 – $249 (€148/£118 – €185/£147 without taxes) in late 2014.

Gianfranco Lanci, chief operating officer of Lenovo, held direct talks with Compal president Ray Chen about the cooperation to bring ultra-low-cost notebooks featuring Windows operating system to the market late this year, reports DigiTimes web-site. Normally Lenovo goes through request-for-quotation process to find out abilities of contract manufacturers, hence, direct talks indicate that Lenovo is very serious about the plan.

There is less than four months left for development, production, and distribution of the low-cost notebooks to retail, hence, Lenovo is in hurry. The only reason why Lenovo could be in such a hurry is because it knows that its rivals will offer $199 – $249 notebooks late this year and it does not want to lose market share to them.

Several weeks ago Microsoft Corp. confirmed that a number of its partners planned to offer Windows 8.1-based notebooks that cost $199 – $249 and tablets that are priced at $99 late this year. Microsoft named Acer, HP and Toshiba as the suppliers of the cheap machines.

lenovo_think_idea_ultrabook_intel

Ultra-affordable systems is not something new for the industry. In 2008 – 2010 a number of system makers offered netbook computers based on Intel Atom processors. The underpowered systems quickly lost popularity after media tablets based on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android emerged in 2010 – 2011.

Modern ULCPCs will most likely be based on Intel Celeron and, perhaps, AMD A-series microprocessors with integrated graphics and will feature 12” – 13” displays, unlike netbooks, which came in with 9” – 10” screens. While their performance will be dramatically higher compared to devices based on Intel’s Atom, they will hardly be able to offer similar functionality as modern notebooks. The main reason why such low-cost systems are needed for Microsoft is to not let Chromebooks gain any significant share of the market.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: With virtually all top PC makers (HP, Lenovo, Acer, etc.) planning to launch $199 – $249 notebooks this fall, it is pretty clear that ULCPCs will make their return. They will be better than they used to be, but they will clearly not be dream PCs with modern capabilities. It is an open question whether the market will need them, especially given the fact that improved tablets from Apple and others are incoming…

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Microsoft: ultra-affordable Windows devices are incoming https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/anton-shilov/microsoft-ultra-affordable-windows-devices-are-incoming/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/anton-shilov/microsoft-ultra-affordable-windows-devices-are-incoming/#comments Mon, 14 Jul 2014 23:00:05 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=202959 At its annual worldwide partners conference Microsoft Corp. said that later this year its partners will release ultra-affordable devices running the company’s Windows operating system. The family of such devices will include notebooks that cost $199 – $249 and tablets that are priced at $99. Microsoft’s most important rivals these days are Google’s Android and …

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At its annual worldwide partners conference Microsoft Corp. said that later this year its partners will release ultra-affordable devices running the company’s Windows operating system. The family of such devices will include notebooks that cost $199 – $249 and tablets that are priced at $99.

Microsoft’s most important rivals these days are Google’s Android and Chrome operating systems that are available for free. In a bid to fight the Android platform the software giant earlier this year made its Windows Phone and Windows operating systems free for devices that feature displays smaller than 9” in diagonal. Apparently, this is not the only effort Microsoft has in plans.

This holiday season Hewlett-Packard will offer a notebook that will cost $199, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner revealed today, reports The Verge. At present Acer and Toshiba are already offering laptops for $249 in the U.S. Mr. Turner also said that HP is planning to release 7” and 8” tablets for $99 this holiday season.

“We are going to participate at the low-end,” says Mr. Turner. “We’ve got a great value proposition against Chromebooks, we are not ceding the market to anyone.”
chromebooksmsft

Ultra-affordable systems are not something completely new for the industry. In 2008 – 2010 a number of PC makers offered netbook computers based on Intel Atom processors. The underpowered systems quickly lost popularity after media tablets based on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android operating systems emerged in 2010 – 2011.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It will be interesting to see how Microsoft’s partners manage to combine high-quality hardware with low price and still manage to earn money on such PCs…

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HP’s Cedar Trail Mini 210 Netbook now selling in the U.S. https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/hps-cedar-trail-mini-210-netbook-now-selling-in-the-u-s/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/hps-cedar-trail-mini-210-netbook-now-selling-in-the-u-s/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:36:39 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=80553 Suiting up for the trend, HP has quietly jumped on the Cedar Trail train with the availability of its freshly updated HP Mini 210 Netbook in the U.S. – a 10.1-inch unit housing Intel's Atom N2600 (1.6GHz) processor, or you can opt for the higher 1.83GHz clocked Atom N2800. The same base price applies with …

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Suiting up for the trend, HP has quietly jumped on the Cedar Trail train with the availability of its freshly updated HP Mini 210 Netbook in the U.S. – a 10.1-inch unit housing Intel's Atom N2600 (1.6GHz) processor, or you can opt for the higher 1.83GHz clocked Atom N2800.

The same base price applies with the new Cedar Trail-equipped Mini 210 as with the older Pine Trail version at US $299.99, only now it'll get a thumbs up for HD video playback and overall better performance with lesser power consumption.

The $299.99 Mini 210 gets you one with an Atom N2600 or you can throw HP an extra $35 to pick up one with the N2800 chip. The netbook comes with Windows 7 Starter in base trim (or you can move up to Home Premium 32-bit), 1 or 2GB of RAM, up to a 500GB HDD, a 93% full-size textured spill-resistant keyboard, webcam, 10/100 LAN, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, multi-format card reader and a 6-cell battery promising up to 8.75 hours of uptime.

The standard screen is of your typical 10.1-inch LED-backlit 1024 x 600 type, but what's particularly nice is that HP gives the option to opt for a 1366 x 768 display with the new Mini 210.

If the default charcoal color doesn't do much for you, HP also offers it in four other colors; ocean drive, luminous rose, crimson red and sweet purple.

KitGuru says: The ability to opt for a 1366 x 768 display for only an additional US $25 is a terrific asset to this little netbook which for many folks will be the Mini 210's real selling point.

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Google says faster Chromebooks are coming https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/google-says-faster-chromebooks-are-coming/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/google-says-faster-chromebooks-are-coming/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:16:03 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=79647 A little turned off by Google's first generation of of Chromebooks due to underwhelming, sometimes sluggish performance? If you're otherwise keen on having one you'll be interested to know Google's second wave of Chromebooks will supposedly be a lot better not only in that dept. but in terms of simplicity and security as well. During …

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A little turned off by Google's first generation of of Chromebooks due to underwhelming, sometimes sluggish performance? If you're otherwise keen on having one you'll be interested to know Google's second wave of Chromebooks will supposedly be a lot better not only in that dept. but in terms of simplicity and security as well.

During a recent interview, senior vice president of Chrome Sundar Pinchai said, “We remain very excited about Chromebooks. We got a lot of positive feedback, and we are really looking forward to the next generation of Chromebooks. We will improve on the dimensions of speed, simplicity, and security“.

With that said, the primary points of focus for Chromebooks remain in that they are designed with low power consumption, long battery life and low pricing in mind. So while all your social online needs will be met in a less clunky manner, more intensive tasks like gaming and photo editing etc. will be staying off the list of possibilities.

Certainly, when considering the immense growth we've seen in the tablet and Ultrabook segments, Chrome OS at the very least has to step up the pace significantly and in more ways than one for its next generation of Chromebooks to remain a sensible option that people will actually want.

KitGuru says: It's hard to imagine Chromebooks lasting much longer than another generation in line of their quite limited capabilities that leave them in the wake of entry level laptops costing a similar amount of money.

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Acer now shipping Cedar Trail-based Aspire One D270 netbook https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/acer-now-shipping-cedar-trail-based-aspire-one-d270-netbook/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/laptops/stephen-dougherty/acer-now-shipping-cedar-trail-based-aspire-one-d270-netbook/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:23:44 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=78047 After quite the lengthy wait filled with promises followed by delays, the first wave of Cedar Trail devices is finally here. Acer is quick to jump in with its new Aspire One D270 Netbook having just become available for purchase. Using Intel's new Atom N2600 processor with two cores/four threads, 1MB of L2 cache, a …

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After quite the lengthy wait filled with promises followed by delays, the first wave of Cedar Trail devices is finally here. Acer is quick to jump in with its new Aspire One D270 Netbook having just become available for purchase.

Using Intel's new Atom N2600 processor with two cores/four threads, 1MB of L2 cache, a 1.6GHz clock speed and 400MHz embedded graphics core, the D270 has a 10.1-inch (1024 x 600) LED backlit display with 2GBs of RAM and a 320GB HDD under the hood.

Other features include a 5-in-1 card reader, multi-touch trackpad, 3 x USB 2.0, 0.3-megapixel webcam, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Gigabit ethernet. a HDMI output has been added to the D270 as well and it ships with a 6-cell battery promising up to 8 hours of use.

Several color choices are on tap; those being black, white, blue, red and candy.

Thanks to going the way of Linux, Acer's Aspire One D270 can be had for a respectable price of 259 Euro backed by a 1-year warranty.

KitGuru says: Higher res screen would have been nice, but we can't have our cake and eat it considering the aggressive pricing Acer's kept intact here.

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Is it curtains for Atom netbooks soon? https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/stephen-dougherty/is-it-curtains-for-atom-netbooks-soon/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/stephen-dougherty/is-it-curtains-for-atom-netbooks-soon/#respond Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:08:37 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=75328 While Intel remains an unstoppable force with demand for its Core i-series “Sandy Bridge” processor range in particular continuing to climb, recent sales numbers shared out by the company show that there is a darker, more dismal looking side in one segment – its low-cost, low-powered Atom chip line. Sales of Intel's Atom processors hit …

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While Intel remains an unstoppable force with demand for its Core i-series “Sandy Bridge” processor range in particular continuing to climb, recent sales numbers shared out by the company show that there is a darker, more dismal looking side in one segment – its low-cost, low-powered Atom chip line.

Sales of Intel's Atom processors hit an all-time low during Q4 2011 and there is no doubt that these plummeting sales will only continue moving forth. The chart below reflects a dramatic drop in sales where in Q2 it reached a total of $352 million, and a mere six months later it was down to a lowly $167 million.

But really, this isn't all that surprising when you factor in market trends these days. Tablets are all the rage and regular, more powerful notebooks are a lot cheaper in general as well; not to mention the direct competition, AMD's Brazos platform strutting its stuff with superior capabilities.

This doesn't mean the nail's in the coffin for Atom just yet, however. Developing countries are still showing demand for them as part of Intel's ULCPC (Ultra Low-Cost Personal Computer) strategy and the firm is only starting to do its thing in the smartphone market along with there being some interesting tablet designs on cue in line of Windows 8; both areas of which Intel plans to aim Atom squarely at in the form of “Silvermont”, not scheduled to arrive until 2013.

Kitguru says: Would you miss the Atom?

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Google to release Samsung Alex Chrome OS Netbook: under £200 https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/slyvia/google-to-release-samsung-alex-chrome-os-netbook/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/slyvia/google-to-release-samsung-alex-chrome-os-netbook/#comments Mon, 02 May 2011 12:37:04 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=43837 Google have released information on the new Alex machine from Samsung, the first commercially available Chrome OS netbook. The Samsung Alex is the successor to Google's CR48, a machine which was provided in limited quantities to various people and businesses. The Alex will ship with a 1.5GHZ Intel Atom N550 processor and it will include …

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Google have released information on the new Alex machine from Samsung, the first commercially available Chrome OS netbook.

The Samsung Alex is the successor to Google's CR48, a machine which was provided in limited quantities to various people and businesses. The Alex will ship with a 1.5GHZ Intel Atom N550 processor and it will include 2GB of memory and a 720p capable 12 inch (or 11.5 inch ) screen. They are including a Namuga webcam which links into Google Chat for video chat support.

The Samsung Alex machine will have Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities and BlueTooth support, a requirement set out by Google for Chrome OS supported hardware. All these machines need an internet connection for access to Google's online services and cloud storage system.

The price has not yet been released, but our sources claim that it will be available for under £170 in the UK which means it will be snapped up by a huge audience wanting to get away from Windows netbook systems. We also hear the speed is very good, due to the lower OS overhead. Officially however, Google are remaining tightlipped.

KitGuru says: Would you want a £170 Netbook powered by Google software?

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Intel showcase future netbooks https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/carl/intel-showcase-future-netbooks/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/carl/intel-showcase-future-netbooks/#respond Wed, 13 Apr 2011 07:44:50 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=41701 Yesterday KitGuru reported on Intel's Oak Trail solution and Intel have also rolled out their next generation ‘Cedar Trail' Atom processor, due in Netbooks within the next couple of months. At a developer conference in China they have showcased new netbooks based on the next generation Atom processor. Cedar Trail Netbooks will be ‘quieter, thinner …

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Yesterday KitGuru reported on Intel's Oak Trail solution and Intel have also rolled out their next generation ‘Cedar Trail' Atom processor, due in Netbooks within the next couple of months.

At a developer conference in China they have showcased new netbooks based on the next generation Atom processor. Cedar Trail Netbooks will be ‘quieter, thinner and lighter than current netbooks, according to Doug Davis, general manager of the Netbook and tablet group at Intel. Davis was speaking at the Intel Developer Forum in Beijing where he was showing a future Cedar Trail Netbook and an Intel Classmate PC that will also use the new processor.

Davis highlighted that Intel have shipped 90 million processors into the Netbook market to date, which means that Apple would still have to ship tens of millions of iPads before they start to catch up to the netbook figures.

Cedar Trail features new enhanced clock speeds, better graphics silicon and cooler running chips – which he said translated into a '50 percent lower thermal design point'.

This will be handled on Intel's 32 nm manufacturing process, which is an update to the current 45 nanometer process.

Davis said Intel are investing resources into the ‘tablet specific user experience' in China, called the ‘PRC Plus Experience'. His figures showed that a survey taken in China marked a 41 percent ‘extreme interest' level in purchasing a tablet in the next year, much higher than even the US.

KitGuru says: Excited about the new Atom, or not?

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Are tablets really the death call for netbooks? https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/carl/are-tablets-really-the-death-call-for-netbooks/ https://www.kitguru.net/lifestyle/mobile/netbook/carl/are-tablets-really-the-death-call-for-netbooks/#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2010 09:19:07 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=25355 Kitguru has been reporting on the tablet v netbook debate for the last couple of months and we thought we would revisit it today to try and get a fresh perspective on the whole thing. There is no doubting that tablets are selling well, the sales figures for Apple's iPad alone are enough to make …

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Kitguru has been reporting on the tablet v netbook debate for the last couple of months and we thought we would revisit it today to try and get a fresh perspective on the whole thing.

There is no doubting that tablets are selling well, the sales figures for Apple's iPad alone are enough to make company executives weak at the knees. We feel however that long term there will be a demand again for the modest, low powered netbook.

We aren't alone with this feeling either. Dell might not get a lot of credibility for breaking new water, but their recent Inspiron Duo release is an unusual concept, designed to appeal to people who need a notebook, but who also want the quick access capabilities of a tablet.

  • The innovative flip design lets you switch from touch to type in seconds.
  • Listen to music, use as an alarm clock or view your photos with the Inspiron duo Audio Station
  • Read books, watch movies and play games on the 10″ HD display.

According to Dell this is a diverse machine and while it will be somewhat limited by the use of an Intel Atom processor, should tickle the tastebuds of mobile users looking for something new and exciting. Whether it will sell well however is another question, but if it does, then it would indicate that people might want a tablet, but may often still need to do some serious work on a full size keyboard.

Industry experts and analysts still can't come to a universal agreement as to whether tablets are really harming netbook sales. Changewave Research said in October that only 14 percent of 3100 consumers who planned to purchase a laptop in 90 days would get a netbook, which is a drop from 18 percent at the start of 2010.

ABI Research however said that the netbook market will not be ‘gravely injured' by the horde of iPad clones entering the market. Jeff Orr, Mobile device analyst said that annual netbook shipments continue to grow and that 36 million netbooks shipped worldwide in 2009 and an estimated 43 million will ship by the end of 2010. He does agree however that netbook sales are slowing and aren't matching the ‘meteoric growth' figures of the last two years.

Whether you want a keyboard or not seems to be the main selling point for a netbook, as many company executives don't just need to check email and surf or respond to emails when they are travelling. They need full access to Office suite and need to type long documents which mean a tablet isn't the most viable first choice.

KitGuru says : It seems for now, that there are mixed opinions on whether the netbook is dying, or if the tablet is simply a ‘fad' high in demand with consumers, keen to try out the new technology. By this time next year, the overall picture should be a lot clearer.

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No need for quad core Atoms (just yet) says Intel https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/faith/no-need-for-quad-core-atoms-just-yet/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/faith/no-need-for-quad-core-atoms-just-yet/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 23:46:00 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=413 No additional cores on the horizon for the users that might need them most? While professing that more cores are always better, it seems that the Intel hierarchy have no immediate plans to bring quad core goodness to netbooks yet. Intel Insiders KitGuru spoke to earlier today said that “Software still has a long way to go in …

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No additional cores on the horizon for the users that might need them most?

While professing that more cores are always better, it seems that the Intel hierarchy have no immediate plans to bring quad core goodness to netbooks yet. Intel Insiders KitGuru spoke to earlier today said that “Software still has a long way to go in order to make better use of multiple cores” and expressed the sentiment that it just wasn't worth it on netbooks.

KitGuru says: In light of the stinging and highly intelligent attacks made on Flash by companies like Apple, it's easy to see that the smaller the device – the MORE the need for multiple cores, to give ‘everyday users' the chance to enjoy Youtube while (virus) checking email and poking friends on MSN.

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