UK Welcomes HANNspree's SN10 Netbook

Over the past few months, quite a number of Pine Trail-based netbooks have seen the light of day, especially ones based on the more advanced, DDR3-supporting Intel Atom processors. HANNspree decided it would once again tackle this market segment, only it resolved to stick to something more traditional in terms of specifications. As such, it came up with the SN10 netbook, which is set and ready to reach UK customers, complete with a bag meant to give users an easier time when it comes to carrying the product around.

The SN10 has, at its heart, an Intel Atom central processing unit with a clock speed of 1.66GHz. Not the highest speed of them all, but no lower than that of many other entry-level mobile PC. This chip is backed up by 1GB of RAM and the GMA (Graphics media Accelerator) 3150 integrated graphics. This video solution will have full control over the 10-inch display, whose native resolution is of 1024 x 600 pixels. Basically, SN10 should be able to handle all basic computing and browsing tasks while on the go.

Needless to say, HANNspree was careful to implement the full range of connectivity and I/O options that consumers expect to find in such a laptop. A multi-in-1 card reader will read whatever memory cards one may have, whereas the 10/100 LAN port will let users connect to wired networks. The machine also boasts 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, for easy wireless connectivity at any time and anywhere. Finally, the entire configuration runs on the power provided by a 6-cell battery, which can keep the device operational for up to 6 hours.

The SN10 weighs 1.2 kilograms and is pre-loaded with the Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Operating System. It has already reached UK stores, prices at £229 and bundled with its very own 'chic' black carry bag.

(news.softpedia.com)

LG X140 Pine Trail Netbook Up for Grabs

Like virtually any other supplier of PCs, LG is constantly working on newer and better products, whether they are PC components or entire systems. One of the machines it has been working on for a while is known as the LG X140 and is an entry-level mobile PC that, though it is based on the Pine Trail platform, has better than average specifications compared to its peers. Basically, it is one of the more powerful in its class, though it doesn't come with the NVIDIA ION GPU.

The X140 has, at the heart of its configuration, an Intel Atom processor with a clock speed of 1.83GHz. This CPU is backed up by 2GB of RAM and paired with the GMA (Graphics Media Accelerator) 3150 integrated graphics. Also, its 10.1-inch display has a native resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, which means it can handle HD videos, though the GMA will have to work especially hard to make the best of this feature. Needless to say, the rest of the specification sheet comes with all the obligatory connectivity and I/O options.

LG implemented the obvious Ethernet connectivity, as well as WiFi and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. SRS TruSurround HD sound is also present, as is 3G and a battery life of up to a more than decent nine hours. As such, one can assume that this device will perform well as a traveling companion during long train or plane trips. As for what it can actually do during such long hours, the 320GB hard disk drive will be sure to house a plethora of files and folders for end-users to play with.

In order to appeal to a wider range of consumers, the X140 netbook is sold not just with a black casing, but also in hot pink and white variations. Finally, it is pre-loaded with the Microsoft Windows 7 Starter operating system and sells for roughly $490.

(news.softpedia.com)

Netbook Market Will Keep Growing Until 2015

Even though there were, at the start of the year, some concerns that the netbook market was getting saturated, a new batch of graphics and CPU solutions restored interest in this segment. Now, analysts are once again enforcing their previous predictions that this netbook market will keep growing at a rapid pace over the next few years. The most recent press release from ABI Research definitely stays true to this outlook, and even expects the number of shipments to double by 2013.

Netbooks have been seeing a very strong consumer interest because of their emphasis on value rather than performance, but the latter aspect has actually gone up and, now, even better multimedia capabilities are available on such devices. Granted, education remains a “strong market driver” but entry-level mobile PCs are also being bought as complimentary devices by end-users. Now that the market is finally settling down in a stable form, shares have begun to shift among vendors and some smaller players will supposedly exit the market.

ABI Research expects about 60 million netbooks to be sold this year. This figure will jump to almost double by 2013 and will continue to surge until 2015. In 2009, about half a dozen vendors owned 78% of the entire market, with Acer and ASUS being the most prominent figures. Other companies may decide to rethink their strategies, such as Gigabyte. This supplier may end up exiting the competition because it only held 0.1% of all sales last year.

“Instead of having a preeminent two,” notes principal analyst Jeff Orr, “it looks as if only Acer will continue to maintain its commanding lead; but at the same time there are more vendors competing head-to-head. Most of the others major names – HP, Dell, Lenovo – increased their market shares in 2009, while Samsung lost a couple of percentage points.”

(news.softpedia.com)