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Got an HP Mini 311? Download the Flash 10.1 prerelease update ASAP.

The HP Mini 311 is one of our favorite current Netbooks, thanks to its hi-def screen, reasonable price, and Nvidia Ion graphics. Our main knock has been that the accelerated video, while great for basic gaming and HD video file playback, didn't work with the kind of streaming flash video used by Hulu and other sites. In our recent review, we said:

Video playback was excellent, and our test HD WMV file ran flawlessly--something no other Netbook has been able to do. Web-based video is a bit of a different story, but an updated version of Flash (reportedly available in November) will let streaming Web video take advantage of the GPU. For right now, Hulu on-demand content ran decently as-is, but not radically better than other Netbooks.

So, we're pleased to see the Flash player 10.1 update is available (as a prerelease version) for download. It's not even in official beta form yet, but we downloaded and installed it on an HP Mini 311 Netbook to test it out.

Even in this early form, full-screen HD video via Hulu was much improved. Playback was mostly smooth, with a tiny bit of occasional stuttering. Prior to the Flash update, low-res Hulu programming played reasonably well (and even then, not in full-screen mode), and HD video was very hard to watch.

If you're interested in installing the pre-beta version of Flash 10.1 on your Nvidia Ion Netbook or Nettop, you can find it here.

Episode 53 of the Digital City, where we explore Netbook gaming, thanks to the Nivida Ion and HP's Mini 311; the thin-is-in designs of the new Dell Adamo and Sony X-series; T-Mobile and Microsoft's Sidekick problems; and Scott's Forza 3 obsession.

Plus, a quick sneak-peek of Rock Band for iPhone and -- just in time for Halloween -- tech celebrity jack-lantern carvings.

Related links:
>>Netbook gaming arrives: HP's Mini 311
>>Dell teases with new Adamo shots
>>Sony's pencil-thin X-series laptop
>>Forza 3 hands-on: Never underestimate the power of a British accent
>>Halloween special! Tech guy jack-o-lanterns!

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter!

As longtime Netbook fans, we've been well aware of the platform's limitations, from choppy video playback to a total lack of gaming ability. These sticking points have kept many people from making the Netbook jump, or forced them to also keep a full-size laptop for these tasks.

With Nivida's Ion GPU coming to several Netbooks, but seen first in the HP Mini 311, we're one step closer to a low-power, low-cost system that really can be a laptop replacement for many. In our recent review, we said:

We've seen hi-def Netbooks from Sony and others, usually with prices closer to $599, so we're excited to see HP's new Mini 311 packing in an 11.6-inch, 1,366x768 screen, as well as Nvidia's Ion graphics chip, all starting at $399.

The real payoff is in the Nvidia Ion, which, while not a true discrete GPU, offers enough power to play HD video files smoothly (a sticking point for Netbooks), as well as do some basic gaming.

We got Unreal Tournament running fairly smoothly at 800x600, and Call of Duty 4 was also playable at the same resolution (and not terrible at higher resolutions, either) -- although we did run into some stuttering on that game during more frenetic sequences (see the video above), no matter how far down we dialed down the settings .

While a new, and possibly more expensive, version of the Ion GPU is reportedly on the way, one likely workaround to squeeze more performance out of the HP Mini 311 is to add a second GB of RAM -- something that won't be possible until the Windows 7 version ships sometime after Win 7's October 22 launch. We pointed out the folly of being an early adopter in this case when we said:

As much as the Mini 311 may be our new go-to Netbook, we'd be hard-pressed to suggest buying one of these right now, when Windows 7 comes out at the end of October. With Netbooks exempt from Microsoft's free upgrade offer, it makes more sense to wait a few weeks and get the new OS out of the box (which should also make it possible to get past the artificial 1GB of RAM limit on XP-powered Netbooks).

Also, note that taking advantage of the Ion for flash-based Web video, such as Hulu, will require you to wait for the next Flash platform update, which Nvidia tells us is due by the end of November.

Read the full review of the HP Mini 311.

Gallery: HP's Mini 311 with Nvidia Ion graphics

Episode 52 of the Digital City, where we talk about the latest Apple tablet rumors, dissect Kindles on campus, bemoan the use of single-core CPUs in 13-inch laptops, and worry about NYC's growing rep as a surveillance state.

The 404's Jeff Bakalar pops by to fill the absent Joseph's seat, as we compare notes on Uncharted 2 and complain about how hard it is to actually get any content onto a PSPgo.

Related links:
>>Newly revealed Apple patent application
>>Do Kindles really work on campus?
>>Hands on impressions: Is Uncharted 2 worth the wait?
>>Special pre-Halloween bonus: Dan as Kratos; and Dan as Marcus Fenix

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter!

Will HD video make your Netbook?

(Credit: Nvidia)

We're weeks away from the Windows 7 launch, which is bringing along with it a collection of souped-up laptops and Netbooks that have been waiting for Microsoft's new operating system as their coming-out party.

In particular, this means that Netbooks paired with Nvidia Ion GPUs are going to be on their way soon enough. We've heard about these devices endlessly in teases from Lenovo, HP, Samsung, Asus, and of course Nvidia. The mobile GPU is essentially a GeForce 9400M processor--the one that's in Apple's MacBook lineup--but rebranded for Netbooks. This sounds great on paper, but for Netbooks it's being paired with an Atom processor, not a Core 2 Duo.

In demos we've seen, it will enable Netbooks to play HD video and even some mainstream 3D games. The Netbooks that will get Ions will all largely have the same Intel Atom N-series processors that current Netbooks have, but will benefit from added processing in some instances on the GPU, as well as the graphics boost. At the prices some of these new Netbooks are claiming they'll sell for--$399, for instance--it sounds like a decent deal.

But is a graphics boost the missing link for you, the laptop consumer? Is the Ion in fact a way to solve any frustrations you may have had with Netbooks up until this point? Or are you looking for better CPUs, keyboards, or other features? A few months ago we guessed at what future Netbooks could bring, and graphics certainly loomed large. But will a video-friendly Netbook provide enough oomph to be anything more than a secondary computer, and will such a device begin to supplant video-savvy smartphones as a traveling companion of choice? On the other hand, is the growing trend of thin-and-light laptops with ULV non-Atom processors of more interest?

We ask because we wonder if 11.6-inch Ion-powered Netbooks will in fact be the Holy Grail of the holiday season, or are simply a clever marketing campaign. Once we get our hands on a few, we'll let you know soon enough.

Is this the 12-inch Asus Eee PC 1201n?

(Credit: pcpop.com)

Several eagle-eyed bloggers noticed a new Eee PC from Asus popping up on a Chinese online retailer's storefront. The purported new model is called the Eee PC 1201n, and a rough translation of the product page indicates it will include Nvidia's Ion graphics.

That long-hyped new GPU should help with HD video streaming and media playback, an area your average Netbook struggles with. Other than that, the Intel N270 CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 1,366x768 display seem fairly standard for a 12-inch Netbook.

Obviously there's no price or US availability info yet, but we've seen similar configurations coming from other PC makers for around $399.

These allegedly leaked roadmap documents from Asus purport to show the company's Netbook plans for the rest of 2009. The systems and specs indicated aren't terribly surprising, and are in line with what we expect to see from various Netbook makers around the Windows 7 launch.

The most noteworthy is a system called the Eee PC 1201N, which according to the chart below, has a 12-inch display, Intel Atom N270 CPU, 2GB of RAM, Windows 7 Home Premium, and Nvidia's long-promised Ion graphics chip, for $499.

Also listed for sometime in October are two new versions of the popular Eee PC 1005, with Windows 7 Starter and N270 ($349) and N280 ($399) processors.

All three of these new Netbooks have larger 250GB hard drives, a step up from the current 160GB standard. It's also worth noting that Asus, at least according to this roadmap, is staying out of the very bottom of the barrel $299 price territory inhabited by Acer, Dell and others.

Keep in mind this is a leaked roadmap, originally found on the forums of eeeuser.com (and subsequently noted by netbooknews.de and engadget), so like all leaked documents, your mileage may vary.

(Credit: eeeuser.com )

Is Ion finally almost here?

We feel like we've been waiting a long time for this, but Netbooks running Atom processors alongside Nvidia's Ion GPU are finally coming to the America...soon.

Reports from Liliputing.com claim that the Samsung N510, an 11.6-inch Netbook, is on its way next month. Included in the N510 will be HDMI out and an "ability to handle Blu-ray," though we're not sure how that will apply in a laptop without an optical drive. We're still waiting for the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 Ion version to arrive--we reviewed the non-Nvidia Atom version of the IdeaPad S12, and found that we really missed the idea of an added graphical boost to what was otherwise a standard Netbook affair.

On the other hand, those Nvidia processors better hurry up--CULV thin-and-lights are spreading with costs in nearly the same range, and new Intel Atom processors with greater power are coming out sometime in the next year. While beefing up the graphics and HD capabilities of a Netbook is a fine idea--especially since the Ion in theory should have the power of a GeForce 9400M (the graphics in the 13-inch MacBook Pro)--the price and release date need to be right in order for this to not get lost in the shuffle. Price is reported to be $599, which is roughly a hundred-dollar upgrade from the highest-end Netbooks we've encountered. This also puts it square against the lower tier of budget mainstream laptops. $599 also gets you a Core 2 Duo Gateway NV5807u, albeit without the same level of graphics.

Our biggest questions at this point: will Ion Netbooks be more competitively priced? Will the Ion significantly drain battery life compared to existing Netbooks and thin-and-lights? And just how good are they as gaming machines? Stay tuned.

So, sound off: for the cost, would you rather have a graphically-boosted Netbook, a thin-and-light, or a budget laptop with a better core processor?

(Source: Liliputing via Engadget)

Just last week, we got a peek at Nvidia's new line of HD-video-playing processors in downtown Manhattan. One, the Ion, is a GPU that pairs with an Atom processor to give Netbooks gaming and HD-video-playing muscle, coming soon in Netbooks from Lenovo and Samsung.

Tegra Netbooks in action.

(Credit: Scott Stein/CNET)

The other, Tegra, is an all-in-one chip: it has an HD video processor, but it also has an ARM processor, making it an all-in-one computer on a chip that will be put on phone company-branded Netbooks toward the end of the year, according to an Nvidia representative.

But that's not all, it seems: rumors around the Web are suggesting that the Tegra might be placed in upcoming smartphones as well. With a Tegra processor, these phones would have pretty impressive HD and gaming capabilities.

Add to this Dell's entrance into the handheld Internet device arena and the beefed-up graphics of the iPhone 3GS, and an interesting showdown is in the works between the new-generation smartphones and fall's upcoming crop of graphically superior Netbooks.

Assuming prices hold steady, the costs might be similar, too. A Netbook can currently run between $299 and $500, while smartphones run between $199 and $299, subsidized (and up to $600 unsubsidized).

There are even some new 'tweeners that try to have the best of both worlds--call them UMPCs, MIDs, or whatever you like. We recently reviewed the (almost) pocket-size Viliv S5, which is neither a Netbook nor a smartphone.

For your money, which would you rather have--a smartphone that could handle HD video and gaming but wouldn't necessarily have a physical keyboard, or a graphically improved Netbook? Or are the two not necessarily mutually exclusive? A recent SRG research study found that women under 40 are using smartphones more than PCs as their mobile computing platform of choice. Is this true for men as well? Assuming your budget and gear bag aren't of limitless size, which would you choose?