The "smartbook" aspires to put the smartphone into the laptop. Will it be able to elevate an Apple iPhone or Motorola Droid-like experience to a larger device, or is it just more marketing mumbo-jumbo?
Two companies are hoping that the smartbook will turn out to be more than just another quickly-forgotten device sales pitch. Qualcomm and Freescale, which are both supplying key silicon technology for the devices, are pushing to make smartbooks different enough from laptops--and Netbooks--that consumers will take notice.
Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs holds the Lenovo smartbook, which will appear at CES in January.
(Credit: Qualcomm)The first tangible evidence of smartbooks to come will be seen at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, where Lenovo, among others, is expected to show, if not roll out, smartbook designs.
One pesky question won't go away, however. Why go out of the way to call it a smartbook? Doesn't Netbook suffice? (And it can potentially be very confusing for consumers since both terms have "book" in them.) On one level, the nomenclature choice is simply to counter the Microsoft-Intel Netbook juggernaut: Another Netbook among dozens already on the market won't draw much attention.
But at a deeper level, the two companies are trying to make the smartbook substantively different from a Netbook. Qualcomm sees it, in essence, as a large smartphone, which leaves the outdated Windows desktop experience in the dust. "A Netbook in our view is just a cheap laptop that runs Windows. We see the smartbook cannibalizing the Netbook. ... Read more
This is one of five designer colors you can choose for this dirt-cheap Netbook.
(Credit: Lenovo)Update No. 5 (7:40 a.m. PST, Sunday): Now Target has that same 10-inch Aspire One for $199! It's in-store only, though, so call before you drive. Thanks to reader Travisp11 for the heads-up!
Update No. 4 (7:45 a.m. PST, Saturday): Amazon has a deal that's nearly as good: the Acer Aspire One for $229 shipped. (Note: Add any of the available colors to your cart to see that price.) I've reviewed this netbook; it's superb.
Update No. 3 (11 a.m. PST): Sorry, folks, looks like the deal is definitely dead this time.
Update No. 2: Working again! Make sure you follow step 5 and add Bluetooth, otherwise you won't get the color choices.
Update: Sigh. I knew this wouldn't last. Looks like Lenovo has already taken it down (or at least removed the custom-color options necessary to drop the price). My apologies. Deals are so ephemeral right now.
Best Netbook deal of the year, right here, right now. I have no idea how long it will last, so let's get to it.
Lenovo has a 10-inch IdeaPad S10-2 Netbook for $208.70 shipped. The specs are pretty standard, including a 160GB hard drive, Bluetooth, and Windows XP Home. And it's new, not a refurb!
There's a little hoop-jumping here, so stay with me:
1. Head to the Lenovo Family and Friends page.
2. Enter passcode familyandfriends and click Sign In.
3. Wait for the red Holiday Gift Ideas banner to appear, click it, and then click it again on the subsequent page.
4. Click the Netbooks tab, then click Customize & Buy on the IdeaPad S10-2 at the far left.
5. Scroll down and add Bluetooth. Then choose one of the five designer color options (Flower Sea is pictured here). Alas, there's no preview, but they're all pretty gorgeous.
6. Click Continue a couple times and then add the S10 to your cart. Finally, apply coupon code USP12NETBOOK for a final price of $208.70.
Awesome. Just plain awesome. Gotta give shout-out credit to Dealnews for this deal, which should tickle those who've been waiting for a Netbook.
I don't even need a Netbook, and I'm this close to grabbing one anyway. How about you?
On Sale Now: $330.00
View the latest prices for Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 (Intel Atom N270 1.6GHz, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, XP Home, black)
Lenovo smartbook: Smaller than a Netbook, or a smartphone in a different body?
(Credit: techtickerblog.com)Remember how we said new Netbooks were coming for CES? We might as well expand that statement to include smartbooks. The new terminology, coined to describe laptop-style devices running sub-Atom processors (Snapdragon from Qualcomm being one of them), is rapidly gaining in fashion lately, especially in relation to cell phone carriers. Packaging these types of extremely small and cheap smart devices in with cellular data plans seems like a match made in gadget heaven.
We've seen prototype smartbooks from Nvidia featuring the Tegra processor (the same that's in the Zune HD), but the Lenovo smartbook unveiled ever-so-briefly at a Qualcomm event Thursday is new and intriguing, and is the first smartbook to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon. Reports say that it runs a variation of a Linux OS (Windows 7 stops at Netbooks) and has an HD-supporting screen, although it's not clear whether HD video can actually be played.
On Tegra smartbooks, we know that the answer to that question is yes, since the Zune HD can easily handle HD video. Our other question--one we've asked before--is: if this essentially has a smartphone processor in a laptop's body, would you simply prefer a smartphone instead? The picture's fuzzy, but which would you want most, a smartbook, Netbook, or smartphone?
More details should be forthcoming at CES, which is only two months away.
(Via Liliputing)
Lenovo goes Core i7: the IdeaPad Y550P
(Credit: Lenovo)Windows 7 may have launched last week, but the Windows 7 party is just starting for companies like Lenovo. Their webcast today announced a variety of new desktops and laptops--most notably, high-end Core i7 consumer laptop as well as an expansion of their ultraportable U line of thin-and-light notebooks.
Are $1,000-plus consumer notebooks a smart move in this economy? Lenovo will find out, as the company releases its first Core i7 consumer laptop, the IdeaPad Y550P. A high-end multimedia/gaming laptop set to compete at the high end of the laptop market, it will have a 15.6-inch 16x9 1,366x768 screen, an optional Blu-ray drive, and according to Lenovo will start around $1399.
Maximum specs include:
- Intel Core i7 processor
- Nvidia GeForce GT 240M GPU
- 8GB DDR3 RAM
- 500GB hard drive
- upgradable to Blu-ray
IdeaPad U150
(Credit: Lenovo)The IdeaPad U350 was a system we really liked the look and feel of when we reviewed it, but were let down by its single-core ultralow-voltage processor. In addition to upgrading the U350 configs to include a Core 2 Duo ultralow-voltage processor, new 11.6-inch (U150) and 15-inch (U550) laptops round out the lineup.
The IdeaPad U150, starting around $585 and only 2.98 pounds with a three-cell battery, will be an interesting alternative to their Netbook lineup of S notebooks such as the IdeaPad S10-2 and S12. The U150 will have an ultra low voltage processor up to Core 2 Duo, as well as discrete/integrated switchable graphics.
The IdeaPad U550 resembles the size and function of a MacBook, and includes an integrated optical drive, making it a bit of a hybrid thin-and-light/mainstream laptop. It also has both integrated and discrete graphics (an ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330), and starts at $650.
IdeaPad U550
(Credit: Lenovo)There are also a number of wild and wacky new colors for Lenovo's IdeaPad S10-2 lineup of Netbooks. Check out the gallery below for the rainbow explosion of designs.
Lenovo made a handful of new system announcements this morning that mark a change of tactic for the Chinese-owned manufacturer. Both its IdeaCentre B500 all-in-one and its IdeaCentre K300 desktop feature gaming-oriented components, representing a departure for the typically business-focused PC maker.
Lenovo's new IdeaCentre B500 gaming-oriented all-in-one
(Credit: Lenovo)The sharp-angled IdeaCentre B500 is the most unique of the two desktops announced today. Starting at $649, the B500 comes with a 23-inch, 1,920x1080 display, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a motion-control remote. Options include an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU, as well as a Geforce GTS 250M graphics chip (aka a rebranded Geforce 9800GTX). We know of no other all-in-one with such a capable 3D chip, and while it won't handle Windows 7's new DirectX 11 graphics features, it should let you play most older and current titles at reasonable image quality and frame rates.
Other options for the B500 include typical fare for higher-end all-in-ones, like a Blu-ray drive, a TV tuner, up to 4GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. But based on both the design and the other options, Lenovo is clearly gunning for PC gamers.
The new IdeaCentre K300 desktop could use some more up-to-date specs.
(Credit: Lenovo)We're surprised it's taken this long for someone to whip up a gaming-oriented all-in-one, and we're glad Lenovo finally took the chance. We're less enthusiastic about the IdeaCentre K300. Pricing for this model starts at $499, but the top-end goes to $1,999. For that price you'd expect at least a Core i5 CPU, but Lenovo looks to have opted for last year's parts bin, going only as high as Core 2 Quad.
We don't want to write this system off completely, especially not having seen one in person. The $499 price tag will likely lure in those charmed by the gaming-style case, and with the right pricing for the various options you might find a way to cobble together a decent configuration for a good price. Options include AMD's last generation's Radeon HD 4000-series graphics cards, up to 8GB of RAM, Blu-ray, and two hard drives in RAID 0, among others.
If you dial the K300 up to the $1,999 top-end, though, you'll be disappointed by the lack of Core i7 or even Core i5 CPUs. We've seen systems for $1,300 or so with Core i7, so the idea of paying $700 more for an older Core 2 Quad chip doesn't sit well. Lenovo also doesn't mention SLI or CrossFire X multigraphics card support, a feature common to better midrange gaming PCs. Offering the dual-chip Radeon HD 4870 X2 card is a reasonable alternative, and it should provide a solid gaming experience. The problem is that it's not the DirectX 11-compatible Radeon HD 5000-series, which AMD launched a few weeks ago to roundly positive reviews. With no Core i5 or Core i7, and last generation's (still-fast) 3D cards, PC gamers willing to spend $1,500 to $2,000 on a new system won't be able to take the K300 seriously.
Now that we're past the official release of Windows 7, most new PCs should come with it pre-installed. But if you purchased a new computer with Windows Vista recently, or for whatever reason end up with a Vista system in the near future, there's a very good chance you're eligible for a free Windows 7 upgrade.
From the period of June 26, 2009 through January 31, 2010, many major PC makers are offering free upgrades to Windows 7 for those who buy a Vista-powered laptop or desktop. The deals are all essentially the same, and, as expected, have some exceptions and asterisks.
Click the gallery link below and we'll show you the details for PC brands including Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer, Asus, Lenovo, and Sony -- complete with upgrade terms and instructions, and links to each PC maker's free Windows 7 upgrade request forms.
Getting your free Windows 7 upgrade is handled through the company you bought your PC from, not by Microsoft, and in most cases you'll have to register and fill out some online forms. Now that we're past the October 22 launch date for Windows 7, you'll receive a physical copy of Windows 7 via snail mail once your submit the proper documentation. The upgrade path looks like this:
Windows Vista Home Premium→Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows Vista Business→Windows 7 Professional
Windows Vista Ultimate→Windows 7 Ultimate
Using Vista basic? Tough luck! Also worth noting, upgrades are arriving via DVD, so you'll have to have a DVD drive available (although there is a USB drive workaround). Also royally screwed are Netbook buyers who have Windows XP, and are not eligible for the free upgrade.
> See CNET's full Windows 7 review here.
> Missed the big gallery link above? Brand by brand details on getting your free Windows 7 upgrade are here.
> This article updates our earlier pre-Win7-launch feature: Ask the editor: Should I buy a new laptop now, or wait for Windows 7?
All-in-one desktops and laptops are among the first PCs with Windows 7.
With the launch of Windows 7, computer shoppers are emerging from a dark period when newly purchased desktops and laptops would arrive with an already archaic operating system. Even with the promise of a free upgrade, it made sense for most to wait until systems started shipping with the new OS.
If you're eager to hit the ground running, we've already reviewed several Windows 7 PCs, from big names such as Lenovo, Toshiba, and HP. Click on the gallery below to check out each one, including the massive Toshiba Qosmio X505, the touch-screen Lenovo T400s, and the HP Touchsmart 600 all-in-one.
This collection represents the very first wave of Windows 7 computers, but after October 22, it'll be rare to find a Vista or XP desktop or laptop for sale anywhere.
Click here to see all the Windows 7 laptop and desktop reviews
Rafe and Tom talk about the long-term use of gadgets like TiVo, the MiFi, and more. We even get a road test report on FreeNAS from Dave the psychologist!
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A new touch-screen tablet PC with Windows 7 from Archos, a newcomer to the category.
(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET)A lot of people are betting that 2010 will be the year of the tablet computer.
Of course, we've heard such predictions about tablets before. This time, the reasoning goes, is different, because the devices will have more sophisticated touch screens and consumers are more used to virtual keyboards. Most importantly, Apple just might be jumping into the fray.
Tablets, you may recall, are either laptops with a screen that twists and folds flat and uses a stylus or fingertip for input, or something more like an oversize iPod Touch that's used for tasks like checking e-mail, getting on the Web, and watching videos.
True, market researchers at DisplaySearch predict sales for all touch-screen devices will be growing from $3.5 billion this year to more than $6 billion by 2012. But if 2010 is going be the year of the tablet--meaning regular folks start buying these en masse--someone has to get it right.
So far, we're still waiting.
Toshiba, Archos, Fujitsu, and Lenovo have touch-screen tablets coming our way in the next few months, none of which should revolutionize our already established expectations of tablet PCs.... Read more
We've played around with various pre-release versions of Windows 7 for a long time now, but the prize for being the first PC maker to actually ship us a street-ready system with Windows 7 pre-installed goes to Lenovo.
Even better, this new version of the ThinkPad T400s also includes a multi-touch display, with custom touch software to take advantage of Win 7's built-in touch support.
It can be argued that Lenovo's build quality and attention to detail are second to none, and the T400s feels like a solid, heavy-duty machine that will stand up to a lot of action. ThinkPad buyers (either small business individuals or corporate IT departments) know what they're looking for and don't mind paying premium for it. The touchscreen T400s starts at $1,999, and includes Lenovo's usual ThinkVantage suite of business and security-minded software and hardware.
Read the full review of the Lenovo ThinkPad T400s (Windows 7 Professional).
On Sale Now: $1,999.00
View the latest prices for Lenovo ThinkPad T400s (MultiTouch)
