The Toshiba NB250-310 Netbook can charge USB gadgets all the time.
(Credit: Toshiba)The Netbook arena keeps growing, but it's a good thing new features sprout up once in a while to keep our attention going. Toshiba's NB205 line of Netbooks are on their way to the U.S., in two different form-factor flavors: one for lovers of flat-keyboarded black machines, and a slightly slicker model with raised keys and bright colors.
What makes them truly notable notebooks, however, is their inclusion of a sleep-and-charge USB port. Available on other Toshiba models of laptops, the port can charge USB devices even when the Netbook is turned off. This is a great idea: it turns your dormant Netbook into a makeshift backup battery for your travel gear. It's a good thing, then, that the NB205 comes with a six-cell battery standard instead of a three-cell, because if you're like we are at an airport, you're going to use that sleep-and-charge quite a bit.
The NB205's specs are otherwise Netbook-standard: an Intel N280 processor (slightly faster than the more common N270), 1GB DDR2 RAM expandable to 2GB, 160GB HD, Windows XP, a 10.1-inch TruBrite LED-backlit LCD, and 802.11 b/g wireless. There's also a 2-in-1 memory card slot and an RGB port for display connection. Packed with a six-cell battery, the NB205 weighs 2.9 pounds. There's also a built-in hard-drive impact sensor included in all models.
For a difference of 50 dollars, two configurations are available, with Bluetooth available in the NB205-310, but otherwise identical internal specs. The NB205-210, priced at $350, only comes in black and has a full flat keyboard. The NB205-310 is $400, but has a metallic finish, comes in four different colors (Sable Brown, Frost White, Posh Pink, and Indigo Blue), and has a raised "chiclet" keyboard in the style of the MacBook. The touchpads in both models promise to be "laptop-size," and from the photos, they look more than ample.
The NB205 line is Energy Star 5.0 compliant.
Updated at 3:50 p.m. PST: correcting for Intel GN40 graphics support and adding pricing information for target market.
Acer launched a PC Tuesday that attempts to bring PC-class performance to Atom-processor-based PCs.
The Acer AspireRevo, about the size of a hardcover book, combines Nvidia graphics with the Intel Atom processor.
(Credit: Acer)The Acer AspireRevo is the first Atom-based PC from a major PC supplier to use Nvidia's Ion chipset that packs GeForce 9400M graphics, the same graphics used in the Apple 13-inch MacBook and MacBook Air.
By design, Atom is a more power frugal and, concomitantly, slower processor than Intel's mainstream Core 2 chip architecture.
The AspireRevo's marquee external feature is the diminutive size: the desktop is comparable in size to a laptop (though slightly thicker, about the size of a typical hardcover book). Internally, the device will test Nvidia's thesis that devices, such as Netbooks, that pair the Atom processor with Nvidia graphics offer much better performance than Intel-only (i.e., Atom-with-Intel-chipset) platforms.
This won't be quite the slam dunk that it was before, however. Intel recently started shipping the Atom N280 and the accompanying GN40 chipset, which for the first time on an Intel Netbook platform delivers 1080p HD playback.
"The AspireRevo...is perfectly suited for the living room, because Nvidia Ion provides a brilliant graphics experience with digital photos, watching video, and playing family-friendly games," said Gianpiero Morbello, corporate vice president of marketing for Acer, in a statement.
Nvidia listed the following capabilities for the Ion-based AspireRevo:
- Ability to run Windows Vista Home Premium
- 1080p HD video with true-fidelity 7.1 audio
- Popular games including Spore, Call of Duty 4, and Sim City 4 *
- DirectX 10 graphics with advanced digital display connectivity
- Accelerated video enhancement and transcoding using Nvidia CUDA technology
(* Correction: originally listed as "Sim City 5" )
Pricing information was not immediately available. Generally speaking, Ion-based desktops are expected to be priced under $300.
Intel's newest Atom processor has slipped out of the starting gate sooner than expected.
Asus 1000HE Eee PC uses the new Atom N280 processor.
(Credit: Asus)Though the Atom N280 had been expected later this year, it is now shipping to Intel customers. "Asus is already taking preorders for the 1000HE with the N280," Intel spokesperson Bill Calder said Thursday.
Intel doesn't expect the rollout to be as big as the Atom N270, introduced back in June, but the N280 is expected to appear in a few systems, Calder said.
The N280 brings a minuscule clock frequency improvement to the N270, bumping up the speed to only 1.66GHz from the N270's 1.6GHz.
The most noticeable improvement is delivered by the accompanying chipset--the GN40. Its built-in graphics silicon offers--for the first time on an Intel Netbook platform--1080p HD playback (though there will be no Blu-ray logo). Nvidia's Atom-based Ion platform will offer even better graphics, however.
Intel has also increased the front-side bus--a data path between the processor and other silicon--speed from 533MHz to 667MHz.
The N280 won't necessarily be the fastest Atom, however. The Z540, which is targeted at handheld-size mobile Internet devices, has been around since April and runs at 1.86GHz, a faster clock speed than the N280.
News about N280 was reported earlier here.
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