Phoenix is showing off a few interesting things at IDF, but the real standout is their new Instant Boot BIOS, a highly optimized UEFI implementation that can start loading an OS in just under a second. Combined with Windows 7’s optimized startup procedure, that means you’re looking at incredibly short boot times — we saw a retrofitted Dell Adamo hit the Windows desktop in 20 seconds, while a Lenovo T400s with a fast SSD got there in under 10. It’s pretty slick stuff, and it should be out soon.

Source: Engadget

This is really cool and since it’s MHO that this is where netbooks of today is heading, I am adding it here.

The Courier, as it is known, is a dual screen (7” vertical each) that supports multitouch and stylus entry. the 2 screens work seamlessly and allows the users to simply flip content from one screen to the next. When not in use, the Courier can be folded like a book and resembles a Moleskine notepad with a leathery finish.

No indication on pricing right now. Go watch the demo video here.

Source: Gizmodo

The 12-inch netbook with NVIDIA’s Ion technology — is actually on schedule for an autumn release. Unfortunately, the machine is still humming along on Intel’s near-ancient Atom N270 processor, though the 2GB of RAM, high(er) resolution panel, real man’s GPU and Windows 7 operating system should help move things along. Per usual, we don’t expect ASUS to confirm or deny the legitimacy of this slip, but if you’re in the market for an Eee, this may be all you needed to hold off just a bit.

Technical specifications Asus Eee PC 1201N

• Processor: Intel Atom N270 Diamondville
• Chipset: Nvidia Ion LE
• Memory: 2GB DDR2
• Hard drive: 250GB SATA 5400RPM
• Screen: LED 1366×768 pixels
• Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 9400M G
• Networking: 802.11b/g/n wireless, Ethernet 10/100
• Interface: USB2.0,, 1 x VGA, 1 x RJ45
• Battery: 6-cell 5200mAh
• OS: Windows 7 Home Premium

Source: Netbook Italia

There is a new netbook in town - the Datawind Ubisurfer that comes with a 7" LCD display at 800 x 480 resolution, featuring a large bezel around the display. The keyboard itself will strangely enough, come with a weirdly placed right Shift key. Interestingly enough, the £159 asked for this netbook will come with 30 hours of free Internet access each month thanks to the integrated GPRS modem as it is equipped with a Vodafone SIM card. While Internet access is free within the UK, roaming rates stand at 5p/minute elsewhere in Europe and the US. Features of the Ubisurfer include the following :-

• 128MB RAM
• 1GB RAM
• Linux-based operating system
• Wi-Fi connectivity
• Three USB 2.0 ports
• Microphone and headphone jacks

Source: Ubergizmo

Sure, its phone lineup has more or less gone the way of the KIRF, but LG’s other endeavors are decidedly more interesting, and this new X13 netbook (more than likely the X130 when it launches) that’s popped up in the FCC is no exception. Compared with the X120, the body here appears to have a slightly wider form factor and the front doesn’t curve quite as dramatically. All the FCC is testing for is Bluetooth and WiFI — sorry 3G hopefuls — but specs-wise, we’d venture a guess and say it’s sporting a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 160GB HDD, 1GB RAM… you know, the same specs found in virtually every other netbook in existence. Hey, maybe we’ll get proven wrong, but with no clue on when LG’s going official with this one, we might be waiting quite some time for verification.

Source: Engadget

Just as companies were starting to get serious about installing Android, a mobile Linux OS, on netbooks, Google announces Chrome, a netbook Linux OS. The relationship between the two OSes is already getting tense, or at the very least, awkward.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt is now admitting that it took him quite a while to warm to the idea of Chrome the browser, even longer to come to terms with the possibility of Chrome the OS, and in both cases only after Larry Page Sergey Brin literally nerded him into submission:

I just gave up, but there is no question I am hugely supportive of Chrome and Chrome OS. They are game-changers. They change the way you think about your computer.

Read the rest at : Gizmodo

It’s safe to say we’ve hit the third generation of netbooks. They’re nice now. The HP Mini 5105 strikes at Asus Eee Seashell’s fancily contoured plastic with aluminum and magnesium. Oh yeah, and 95-percent chiclet keyboard that feels fantastic.

In a crazy twist, HP has **finally moved the mouse buttons below the trackpad (because only professionals like clicking), and has included other perks like a 7200 RPM hard drive, Bluetooth 2.0, 2 megapixel webcam, and options of either a WSVGA (1024 x 600) or "HD" (1366 x 768) 10.1-inch LED screen. There are also options for 80GB or 128GB SSD drives, four-cell or six-cell batteries, with the latter rated at an improbable eight hours of runtime, and of course WWAN. There’s a start price of USD $449. The Mini 5101 goes on sale in July.

source: Gizmodo

Finally the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 will be available in the US. But local rep told me the S12 may skip Singapore entirely. I hope that’s not the case. But anyway here’s the low down; the 12.1-inch, WXGA (1,280 x 800) resolution netbook, if you’ve forgotten, boasts an Intel GMA950 chipset (and will have NVIDIA’s Ion chipset as an option in September), an Intel 1.6GHz Atom N270 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 memory, 160/250/320GB HDD options, an optional 6-cell battery, Ethernet jack, WiFi, Bluetooth, three USB 2.0 sockets, an ExpressCard slot, a 4-in-1 card reader and VGA / HDMI outputs. It also has a full sized keyboard, and optional 1080p video playback. Starting price for the base model is $499. Hit the read link for the full host of options. A built-in HSDPA module would make this one perfect.

Source: Engadget

With the likes of SanDisk, OCZ Technology and RunCore (just to name a few) already grabbing a foothold in the mini SSD market, you just knew that Samsung couldn’t sit around and watch an opportunity pass it by. Now, the company’s is branching out from its vivaciously colored Mini S2 HDDs to introduce a new SATA-interface mini-card solid state drive. The diminutive drive is aimed squarely at the netbook crowd, but its size makes it a beautiful candidate for a UMPC, MID or smartbook upgrade. In fact, the drive checks in at some 80 percent smaller than the average 2.5-inch HDD, and it’ll be made available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB densities. We’re told to expect respectable transfer rates of 200MBps (down) and 100MBps (up), while power consumption sits at just 0.3 watts. Look for these to pop up in your next favorite mobile device late this year or in early 2010.

Source: Engadget

So much for Nokia and Intel keeping quiet on actual product announcements, huh? Just yesterday, the two mega-corps joined hands in what they called a technical collaboration, and while they wouldn’t go into detail about what products would sprout from the partnership, it seems that Commercial Times has done the honors. Reportedly, Nokia has already ordered up a few machines from Compal and Quanta, two OEMs that are largely responsible for most every netbook on the market today. Not surprisingly, we’re told that the Nokiabook will rely on one of Intel’s Atom processors, and considering that the new wave of Atom chips aren’t slated to land until 2010, you can pretty much put money on a N270 or N280 configuration. In related news, we’re told that Compal will engineer a Qualcomm Snapdragon-based Nokia smartbook, though there’s no word on what kind of OS (Symbian, perhaps?) will be included.

Source: IntoMobile via Engadget

Want to build your own robot using the loosest possible definition of "build"? The RoBe:Do Three is a wheeled robot that just needs a netbook to be plugged in to get it rolling.

Simply plop your netbook on the chassis, plug it into the robot via USB, and you’re good to go. As for what it can do, well, that’s up to you.

All of RoBe:Do’s robots can be controlled with a Linux, Mac or Windows PC using various software languages and tools such as C, C++, C#, Flash AS3, Java, .NET, Python, VBScript and Visual Basic to name a few. Three comes with attachment mechanisms to facilitate the addition of USB plug-and-play sensors, I/O controllers, actuators or cases to expand the capabilities of the robot.

Check out Robe: Do at http://www.robedo.com/index.html

A whole new day is dawning for the never-ever-a-netbook Sony VAIO P — those new processor and drive upgrades apparently have the little PC churning through benchmarks at twice the pace of the original. Most of the benchmark help comes from the SSD drive, but the Atom Z550 doesn’t hurt. Meanwhile, Japan is getting a WiMAX version to churn through stereotypically Japanese websites in record time. We’d be jealous if only we lived under 1,000 miles from the nearest WiMAX signal.

Source: Engadget