My thoughts are that they are probably waiting on the new ion platform or a more sophisticated processor. For now, we will just have to deal with gimmick type upgrades such as tablet designs with flippable monitors, and thinner casing designs.

About Ion

Ion is a combination of the current Intel Atom processors, used in most netbooks, with Nvidias 9400M mobile GPU. The 9400M is currently used in many budget laptops and is also the GPU you will find in Apple’s Macbook Pro line. The new chips will offer up 5x faster graphics as well as up to 10x faster video transcoding.

So what does this mean to you?

The Ion will allow you to run video much, much faster. For those of you that have a first generation netbook (like my HP mini), you have probably noticed that the video can cause serious hiccups. With the 9400M, you can now run HD Video in full 1080p and Nvidia even went as far as to say that the platform will be capable of Blu-Ray playback. Not only that, but Nvidia has been quoted as saying that the new platform can run Call of Duty 4 with 25-30 fps consistently. That is quite a feat considering my current netbook can barely run Plants vs Zombies (my new addiciton). What that also means is that this new line of netbooks should also be able to run World of Warcraft on decent quality settings. I must be honest when I tell you that this has me VERY excited.

Are there any downsides?

The only documented downside at this point has been power consumption. The new mock systems that have been tested have been exhibiting double the power consumption of previous netbooks and would cut your battery time down to about 4-5 hours for most systems. Nvidia has stated however that the Ion based netbooks will have special power saving techniques to extend the battery life, so no accurate measurement can be made until the first systems start showing up.

So when will they be out and what new models have been announced?

So far, the only time line given has been mid 2009, but we should start seeing a major crop of big name netbooks using the Ion platform soon. The leaders out of the gate will be the Lenovo S12, a new Acer, and more than likely a new Asus laptop as well, to complement their new thinner line of netbooks. I would suspect that all of the major players in the netbook race will have Ion based systems available by Christmas.

In Conclusion

The new Ion platform by Nvidia and Intel is going to be a huge step for netbooks. 5x the graphic power, 10x the video speeds, Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and 1080p all sounds great. If you already have first generation netbook, this Christmas looks like it may be a good time to upgrade.

For a light 2.2 pound package, the Acer Aspire One delivers a Linux or Windows XP operating system platform displayed on an 8.9-inch WSVGA LED backlit screen. Additional features include a webcam, an instant-on feature that powers up the notebook in less than 15 seconds, and a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor for processing. The package also provides 1 GB of installed RAM (which you can increase to 1.5 GB), a 54g Wi-Fi modem (802.11b/g), a multi-format memory card reader slot, and 3 USB ports.

The entire Acer AOA150 package is marketed to business professionals, students and travelling buyers looking to move and compute on a lightweight basis. The pricing is also competitive with other notebooks and seems to drop on a seasonal basis with many retailers.

Both of the Aspire Ones (Windows XP and Linux) come with a three-cell battery pack that fits flush with the back of the case. Acer has ticketed the $399 price point on the Windows XP version (AOA150-1447) with the aforementioned 160GB hard drive and bigger, 6-cell battery. The 3-cell puts out a little over 2 hours of user time, and the 6-cell about 5 hours. The larger cell option gets up to approximately 8 hours, although with changes to display and other power features 10 to 12 hours could be squeezed out.

The main feature of the Acer’s attraction is the size and lightweight design, which of course means everything is smaller compared to a regular laptop. On the keyboard, the A through apostrophe keys is a distance of 7.25 inches. The dedicated PgUp and PgDn keys are missing. Instead they are found with a Function-key built into the Home and End keys. However, the feel is firm and designed for quick response. It’s about as good as the netbooks are going to get with market offerings so far. However, the cursor-control touchpad is a pain, to be blunt. You get a main square with tap controls on both sides. Mistakes are common if your hands are bigger then a five-year old’s. This is mainly due to the controls being on the pad edges rather than at the bottom like a traditional laptop. You can circumvent this buy kicking out $27 for a wireless/USB Logitech mouse. Then you can operate almost the same as a desk laptop and save the cursor pad for the itty-bitty airplane lunch table when travelling.

Acer’s software bundle is basic; no surprise. You get a glitch-free version of Windows XP. Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student is installed in trial version and so is McAfee’s Security Center (a much better option for this netbook and Windows XP than Norton 360). However, if you have your own software you won’t need the trial versions, so save your money (more tips in a moment on this point). Full-use software includes Microsoft Works, Yahoo Toolbar, and InterVideo WinDVD for use if you ever get around to buying a USB external DVD drive ($25 to $180 depending on provider).

And on that last point, you don’t automatically need a USB DVD drive. It works if you want to watch movies on your Acer, but if you just want to load or read software use a USB drive. If you have the appropriate licenses the USB flash drive will load your software (MS Office for example) onto your Acer problem-free.

In a nutshell, the Acer is a nice package for compact mobility. However, you will need to spend a few more dollars on a better battery for full-day use. In addition, make sure to have a good USB flash drive for transfer and software loading. So your additional cost outlay aside from a netbook appropriate bag will be probably another $120 ($100 for the extended battery and $20 for a decent flash drive).

By Tim Pecunia

The design of the Samsung NC10 10.2″ netbook will have to be one of its biggest selling points. It was love at first sight the moment I laid eyes on it. Its covers have a glossy finish to it that reminds me of a piano’s finishing. Among the many models of netbook that I have considered purchasing, I must say that the NC10 has the most contemporary and ‘modern’ feel to it.

For such a small laptop it carries a mean punch. It has a powerful 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor that works like a dream, enabling the use of multiple programs at once (as much as a netbook can handle). The touch-pad is a little small, but it is sufficient for light navigation needs. If you need to use the mouse pad often for your work, you can always plug in a mouse for greater maneuverability.
Thanks to the power efficient Atom processor and the netbook’s small size, the Samsung NC10 has a very impressive battery life. On average use, it can last up to 7 hours on a single charge. I was able to play about 3 movies on it without plugging in the power point.

The only shortcoming I can imagine is the 10.4-inch screen that may prove a wee bit small for watching videos. But then again, it is a netbook after all. Any bigger and it would be just another ordinary laptop. If you need a ‘larger’ display, you can always set the start bar to ‘auto-hide’ mode where you can gain approximately ½ an inch of extra screen space. The Samsung NC10 also has a 1.3 Mega Pixel webcam that is great for video conferencing and recording videos.

For more real reviews and product information on this netbook, visit Samsung NC10 10.2-Inch Netbook

For reviews on other laptops and netbooks, click here

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By Troy Richards

The Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Netbook comes with a fascinating deep blue chassis with a smooth surface. It only weighs three pounds, hence it is very suitable for business, men and academicians who would love to move around with a light gadget. Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Netbook has several unique technical features which include; A 6-cell battery which can last up to 6 hours for extended use and productivity, An atom processor which is an high performance piece of material in terms of power and efficiency; a crystal eye webcam that delivers good video streaming and pictures, and several others.

The Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Netbook has an hard drive memory of 160 GB which means you can store unlimited digital and video library. It also comes with a RAM size of 1.5GB maximum, memory card reader, multiple USB ports, a 54 Wi-Fi Networking, an built-in email, web browsing, and digital media applications.

The Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Netbook , has a 10.1-inch screen which comprises of a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and support for up a 262K color depth. With a 54g wireless LAN that is compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks, a user can have unlimited connectivity to the internet. The Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Netbook has two memory allocations which are; SD memory card slot as well as a second multi-in-one card reader. Other features included in then the Acer Aspire One AOD150-1165 10.1-Inch Netbook include; a VGA monitor port, a headphone jack and a microphone jack, three 2.0 USB ports which can help you connect to several other peripherals and many more.

For more real reviews and product information, visit Acer Aspire One. For reviews and product info on other laptops and netbooks, visit http://laptops.treeso.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_Richards
http://EzineArticles.com/?Acer-Aspire-One-AOD150-1165-10.1-Inch-Netbook—The-Best-Netbook-in-the-Market&id=2088700