With the announcement today of Apple’s iPad tablet, we’ve updated the site to include the suddenly-relevant-again class of portable computers. You can visit the new section here once it’s online later this afternoon.
Now, on to the good stuff. Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple iPad, a new 1.5 pound tablet device with a 9.7” screen, positioned between a smartphone and a laptop. Primary software features include web browsing, email, photos, video, games and eBooks (and magazines).
According to DigiTimes, HP is readying at least two new netbooks: an 11.6-inch model, which will go into production next month, and another 10.1-inch model which is scheduled for production in September.
No word yet on when these models will be available for purchase, but with these production dates, it seems likely they’ll arrive in stores in time for the holidays.
via Engadget
We’ve added the Toshiba mini NB205 Netbook to the Ultraportable1 Netbook listings. The NB205 boasts up to 9 hours of battery life and the new Intel Atom N280 CPU. It’s also the Laptop Magazine Editor’s Choice for June 2009.
Find out more about the Toshiba mini NB205.
Today at the WWDC, Apple announced new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models.
The 13-inch Unibody MacBook is now the 13-inch MacBook Pro. “MacBook” will now refer only to the white version that sells for $999. The 13-inch MacBook Pro has up to 7 hours of battery life, an added SD card slot and starts at $1199.
The MacBook Air also got a refresh with faster processors and substantial price reductions. The entry-level MacBook Air now starts at $1499 with a 1.86GHz CPU; the 2.13GHz model with SSD is now $1799, down from $2400. Pretty good.
We’ll have full details on these new models later in the day.
For those of you with MacBooks, we have great news for you. Apple will offer an upgrade to the upcoming Mac OS X ‘Snow Leopard’ for just $29 if you’re a current Leopard user. That’s a great deal, as the current Leopard upgrade retails for $129.
Snow Leopard will go on sale in September.
We’ve added the MSI Wind U123-003US Netbook to our listings. The U123 features a subtle redesign over the U100, the new Intel Atom N280 CPU and a larger 9-cell battery for up to 7 hours of battery life per charge.
Find out more about the MSI Wind U123-003US…
It’s not a major difference (yet), but if you’re buying a new Netbook, look for systems powered by the updated Intel Atom N280 CPU. The N270 is still the dominant chip in today’s Netbook offerings, but the N280 offers a slight clock speed improvement (1.66Hz v 1.60GHz), and a faster Front Side Bus (667MHz v 533MHz).
With the N280, you should see faster boot times and quicker load times when opening programs. And, while the difference may be minimal, there’s no reason not to buy the latest and greatest if you A) can afford it and B) don’t need a specific N270 system for a specific reason.
There are more interesting Netbook goodies on the way in coming months from Intel, NVIDIA and other component makers, but for now, we suggest looking for N280-powered systems. Our current favorite: The ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell
Now we know the date. On October 22, 2009, end-users can purchase Windows 7. This is great news for Netbook and Ultraportable users alike as Win7 runs much better on existing hardware and doesn’t require the type of hardware power Vista did when it was released in early 2007.
Windows 7 Starter will likely be the best choice for Netbooks.
Find out more at the Wall Street Journal Online.
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