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2009 Netbook Review • 05.08.09

It’s time for a “2009 Netbook Review”. I’ve down a few reviews of Netbooks in the last year, and I figured there must be more out there since it’s almost mid-year. It’s funny, google netbooks and get 28 million results. This time last year there were only a few models to even blog about. There’s even a Wikipedia entry about them. Even though this sub-compact laptop segment started as a way to get a mini-notebook under $300, prices now range from $250 - $1,200.

I’ve reviewed the MSI Wind, HP Mini-Note, and Acer Aspire One, so it’s time to take a look at some of the new Netbooks out there this year. Here’s five that I hadn’t seen before.

Asus Eee PC 1000

Asus pretty much created the Netbook segment all on their own, the new Asus Eee PC 1000 is the latest model they offer, coming in at just under $500. It’s about 3 pounds, and it’s a bit bigger than it’s predecessors, but it’s more what people are looking for because it has more keyboard space, battery life, storage, and screen.

Asus claims the 6-cell battery can last up to almost 8 hours. It has 1GB Ram, an Atom processor, and both an 8GB solid state drive (SSD), and a 32GB Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) drive. You also get 1024×600 resolution, bluetooth, wifi, and built-in webcam and microphone. Most ratings I’ve read in Asus Eee 1000 reviews were 3.5 out of 4 stars.

There are quite a few models of Eee 1000, and you can choose from either Windows XP or Linux versions.

Roadster Scroll Mouse USB Optical ASUS EEE 1000 Slive
US $0.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 21:18:19 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

2GB 667 Memory For ASUS EEE PC 901/900/701/1000 -c
US $32.99
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 8:06:10 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $32.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

2GB 667 Memory For ASUS EEE PC 901/900/701/1000 -c
US $32.99
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 20:00:00 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $32.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

10"water-proof breifcase fr Sony Asus EEE pc 1000 965Y
US $4.69 (0 Bid)
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 0:49:09 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

ASUS EEE PC 1000HE BLACK 10" NOTEBOOK 1000 HE LAPTOP XP
US $378.88
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 1:04:30 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $378.88
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dell Inspiron Mini 9

I’ve pretty much always hated Dell, but it’s no surprise that the big computer manufacturers have come out with their own models of netbooks. The mini 9 is loaded with Ubuntu and carries an Atom processor - like the Asus Eee, but it only has a 4 cell battery (versus the 6 in the Eee). You get built-in wireless and Lan ports, but the bluetooth will cost you $20 extra (well worth it). You get a 16GB Solid State SSD drive for storage, but it does have a 3 in 1 card reader. Most reviews I’ve read have been 2.5 out of 4 stars for the Mini 9, and quite a few say the Webcam sucks.

Brand New Dell mini 9 Inspiron 910
US $245.00
End Date: Sunday May-24-2009 23:50:11 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $245.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dell Inspiron mini 9 Netbook BLACK 8 GB WebCam BLUTooth
US $279.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 1:34:03 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $279.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dell Inspiron Mini 9-910 Laptop PINK @ ndc 5966
US $319.00
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 10:21:05 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $319.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dell Inspiron Mini 9-910 Laptop BLACK @ ndc 5989
US $319.00
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 10:21:20 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $319.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Dell Inspiron Mini 9-910 Laptop PINK @ ndc 5942
US $329.00
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 10:21:25 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $329.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Sylvania G Netbook

When I started this review I certainly didn’t think I’d be reviewing a subcompact laptop by Sylvania! The last thing I owned by that company was a 70’s TV. Because this is their first foray into the laptop markets, you won’t see very many reviews of this model online. The ones you will find say the keyboard is too small and missing the right shift key and some of the darker colors look weird.

However, it does have 1GB Ram, an Atom processor, three different SD card slots, and an 80GB hard drive. It is a SATA hard drive (not SSD), but it is more storage than any of the netbooks with SSD’s. It comes with Ubuntu as well. The reviews I was able to find were 2.5 out of 4 and 3 out of 5 stars, making this an ‘average’ netbook.

Sylvania G Wireless Netbook Laptop Computer
US $105.50 (13 Bids)
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 8:58:35 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Sylvania G Netbook 13001 1.2GHz 7" Laptop Notebook
US $199.99
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 12:25:55 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $199.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Sylvania G Netbook 13001 1.2GHz 7" Laptop Notebook
US $199.99
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 12:26:15 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $199.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Sylvania G-Netbook C7-M 1.2GHz 1GB 30GB 7 Inch gOS Rock
US $179.99
End Date: Saturday Jun-20-2009 9:42:23 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $179.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Lenovo Ideapad S10

Lenovo is the company that has been manufacturing IBM “Thinkpads” for years, it’s no surprise that this would be called an “Ideapad”. It should be durable as hell too! This one carries an 80GB hard drive, but only 512MB ram standard (ouch!). You do get wifi, lan, AND bluetooth. It may only have 2 USB slots, but it does have an express card slot - something most of the others don’t. It has a 10″ screen, but only a 3-cell battery. Most reviews I’ve read give it 3 out of 4 stars.

BRAND NEW Lenovo Y530 Ideapad T6400 C2D Laptop
US $574.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:38:12 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $574.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

500GB SATA 2.5" SEAGATE LENOVO IDEAPAD S10E HARD DRIVE
US $134.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:20:02 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $134.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Lenovo IdeaPad Y510 15.4" Laptop -intel Dual Core T2390
US $949.00
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:57:34 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $949.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

NEW BLACK LENOVO IDEAPAD NETBOOK S10 1.6GHz 320GB 2GB
US $329.99 (6 Bids)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 9:10:25 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

NEW PINK LENOVO IDEAPAD NETBOOK S10 1.6GHz 320GB 2GB
US $305.00 (25 Bids)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 9:19:57 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Fujitsu Lifebook U810

The Fujitsu Lifebook is the only ultra-portable that’s also a tablet PC! For that kind of functionality - you will pay about double the price of most netbooks though. It has an atom processor, 1GB ram, bluetooth, LAN, and wifi. You get a 40GB hard drive and 4 cell battery. The biggest con is that the screen is only 5.6″, which works great for a tablet, but is nearly HALF the size of most the popular netbooks on the market. It does have an SD card reader, but only a paltry single USB connection! It has a built-in webcam and mic, but most would say the keyboard is cramped. Most reviews I’ve read give it 3 out of 4 stars.

Fujitsu LifeBook P1610 Mainboard w/ CPU CP307206
US $499.00
End Date: Sunday May-24-2009 22:29:59 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $499.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Fujitsu LCD Cable for LifeBook B 2545 B2620 B2630
US $13.99
End Date: Sunday May-24-2009 22:57:32 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $13.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

MainBoard for Fujitsu LifeBook E8210 CP297916
US $499.00
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:09:17 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $499.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Fujitsu Lifebook P1120
US $270.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:33:35 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $360.00
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Gorgeous Lightweight Fujitsu LifeBook Laptop Steal Blue
US $31.00 (5 Bids)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 6:30:07 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Conslusion

There are definitely lots of entries in the netbook segment now, and it’s no surprise that the best one of the lot is from the manufacturer that started this new netbook category - the “Asus Eee 1000″. The others are viable entries, but have some maturing to do. Just make sure that you do your homework before buying, so you can get the one best suited to your needs. That are tons of review and comparison sites out there, but the only ones I really pay any attention to (and would recommend) would be the netbook reviews at test freaks, and also about.com, and c|Net.

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Wireless Skype Phone • 04.07.09

If you get a wireless Skype phone chances are you’ll ditch your landline for VOIP (if you haven’t already). A lot of people have switched over to Vonage already, and it appears that the idiot proof gadget the “magic jack” has sold millions as well. Skype started years back and you had to hook up a headset with microphone to use it. It caught on in droves because you could “call” anyone anywhere in the world using the service for FREE (as long as they also had a “skype” account). The ability to call anyone anywhere in the world for free was quite the incentive to sign up. Then Vonage came along and made it easy to just plugin a tiny box to your router and use a regular phone to make calls over the web unlimited for just $24.95 a month.

Now it appears that Skype has kind of caught up, because you can now buy a wireless skype phone - so not only do you not need the headset, but the phone works automatically over the Internet just like your land line! They’re pretty reasonable too, I’ve seen them for as little as $30-50. Skype has been growing in popularity, but in the last year it’s probably exploded due to the constant promotion of “Oprah” - every time she interviews guests now outside of the studio they’re shown on video “Skyping” in.

Here’s some wireless skype phones in auctions ending soon:

USB Wireless Phone for Skype with Large Graphic LCD
US $80.02 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:09:54 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Bluetooth Wireless Cordless USB VoIP LCD Skype Phone NI
US $23.90 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 12:08:54 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Linksys wireless VOIP CIT200 Skype phone Complete NEW
US $18.00 (1 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 13:43:43 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

New Belkin Wireless Wi-Fi Phone Skype,No PC,Free Ship
US $129.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 17:56:57 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $139.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Bluetooth Wireless VoIP Skype Phone (White) * NEW NIB *
US $29.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 18:06:26 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $29.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Bluetooth Wireless VoIP Skype Phone (White) * NEW NIB *
US $32.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 18:21:38 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $32.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list

NEW Linksys CIT300 Wireless Skype Phone Dual Phone Voip
US $54.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 18:22:37 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $59.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Star Wars R2-D2 RC Wireless Webcam Skype VOIP Phone NEW
US $51.05 (7 Bids)
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 12:07:31 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

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Linux Game Console EVO • 04.03.09

I heard about the Linux Game Console “EVO” quite a long time ago - and I guess I forgot about it. Looks like it’s finally ready for shipping on April 17th for $380. Seems like a lot doesn’t it? I mean compared to a PS3 or XBox 360 it seems like the price is pretty much the same.

So what do you get for $380 on a linux console gaming system? Here’s what I read on a recent post from Linux Devices:

  • an Athlon 2.4Ghz 64X2 processor
  • 2GB of RAM
  • ATI HD 3200 graphics processor
  • supports up to 1080i or 1080p for HD Hi-Def gaming
  • DVI and HDMI outputs
  • 120 GB Hard drive
  • CD/DVD ROM
  • Biometric scanner
  • Two 10/100 ethernet jacks
  • Six USB ports
  • Mirrors Evolution linux (based on Fedora)
  • Video on Demand
  • Nearly unlimited storage through cloud computing

Here’s a video commercial I found on YouTube from December 2008:

With those specs, it seems to blow traditional main stream gaming consoles away - doesn’t it? Well after I watched the video I went to the EVO Smart Console web site to get the lastest info. The web site boasts a DVR to pause and record live TV, video on demand, and streaming of TV, photos, or music to any web enabled device. The web site says you can get “extras”, such as a logitech wireless keyboard and mouse, biometric fingerprint scanner, 10GB of online cloud storage, and play HD video games.

Then I click for “more specs” on the EVO web site to find that you can get the EVO smart console with all the “extras” for $599, but the big shocker was that you could get loaded with Windows Vista Home for $799!! WTF!? I guess the almightly dollar reigns supreme showing that (to stay viable) even people working 5 long hard years on a Linux gaming systems offer a Windows PC version in the end! It does list a “DVD burner” in both of these versions. I click one more time to find a smart console “HD” option for $699 that includes an SD card reader and wireless network, in addition to an HD tuner so you can record in Hi-Def with the DVR. You even get “Windows emulation plug and play software” to play PC games in HD. The EVO Game Store is now online as well.

I have to hand it to them, the EVO has come a long way in 5 years - but is it really competition to the XBox 360 and Playstation 3? It certainly doesn’t have game studios with million dollar budgets behind it. And really - it’s not a gaming console at as is it? It’s a fully fledged Linux PC in a small form factor box. The fact that it has windows emulation software to play PC games and makes it so. I think it’s a great idea, but maybe it should be marketed as the “Linux Living Room PC” or something like that.

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New Eye-FI Share and Explore Video SD Cards • 03.03.09

Last year I blogged about the Eye-Fi Wireless SD cards that were oh so cool! Eye-FI SD cards have an onboard chipset that access your wireless network and automatically uploads your pics and videos to flickr and YouTube among other places! What could be better - right? I’ll tell you what, they have 2 new versions, the “Explore Video” and “Share Video”. They are both 4GB capacity (double the old versions), and the Explore version adds geotagging and hotspot wifi service on top of the old features.

With the new models out, you can find some great deals on the old 2GB versions - as well as deals on the new share and explore Eye-FI versions in auctions ending soon:

Eye-Fi Lexar 2GB SD Card. Wireless Shoot-n-Sync wi-fi
US $31.00 (6 Bids)
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 11:11:37 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Eye-Fi Share 2GB Secure Digital Memory Card SD
US $50.00
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 17:00:50 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $50.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

4GB Eye-Fi Wireless SDHC Card Anniversary Edition NEW
US $85.95
End Date: Friday May-29-2009 12:04:52 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $85.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list

EYE-FI Wireless 2GB SD Memory Card for Digital Camera
US $18.00 (1 Bid)
End Date: Monday Jun-01-2009 13:43:50 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Eye-Fi Share Wi-Fi Enabled 2GB SD memory Card
US $89.99
End Date: Tuesday Jun-02-2009 22:02:12 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $89.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Eye-Fi Share - Wireless Photo Uploads
US $59.99
End Date: Wednesday Jun-03-2009 23:49:50 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $59.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

NEW Eye-Fi SHARE Wireless 2GB SD Memory Card BUY IT NOW
US $84.99
End Date: Friday Jun-05-2009 9:25:09 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $84.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

NEW Eye-Fi HOME Wireless 2GB SD Memory Card BUY IT NOW!
US $79.99
End Date: Friday Jun-05-2009 14:55:10 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $79.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

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Power Outlet Wireless and Ethernet adapters • 02.24.09

An AC Powered Wireless Ethernet Adapter can help you get devices connected in your home that are either not wireless or too far or inconvenient to run wires too. For example - let’s say that you have a tivo or cable box that needs to be connected to the Internet. May an older computer that doesn’t have wireless capability? You could even connect an XBox 360, Playstation 3, or Wii with these devices. All you need is a power outlet - and problem solved! What a wireless power adapter does is plug into any standard power outlet and connects to your wireless router. It has a ethernet jack, and you just plugin your cable box or computer and voila - Internet connection! It couldn’t be any easier.

The Panasonic BL-PA100KTA is an HD-PLC device, or High Definition Power Line Communication. Basically you get an Internet connection through ordinary AC power outlets. This particular device comes with 2 adapters, and one connects to your router and a power outlet, and then other plugs in any outlet in the house making your electrical wiring a network to connect to the Internet through. Error correction and encryption is available, and the devices can be used up to 490 physical feet. Here’s are some great deals on Panasonic Internet power adapters right now:

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor BL-PA100A
US $37.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 16:15:08 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor BL-PA100A
US $37.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 19:16:19 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor BL-PA100A
US $37.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 19:10:52 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $44.95
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor BL-PA100A
US $37.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 16:10:28 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $44.95
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor BL-PA100A
US $37.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 19:10:53 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $44.95
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor Starter
US $93.95
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 19:22:08 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $93.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor BL-PA100A
US $37.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Thursday May-28-2009 19:20:09 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $44.95
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Panasonic BL-PA100KTA HD-PLC Ethernet Adaptor BL-PA100A
US $37.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday May-29-2009 16:05:18 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $44.95
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

You could also use the Netgear HDX101, which can be purchased as a single adapter to connect to the Internet (very popular for DVR boxes and XBox 360’s). You can use this device in up to a 5,000 sq foot home! Get speeds up to 200Mbps over a your power lines and transfer large files. This is a great little device at a very reasonable price. Find one now:

POWERLINE HD ETHERNET ADAPTER HDX101 NETGEAR
US $68.00 (10 Bids)
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 17:48:44 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Three Netgear HDX101 Powerline HD Network Adapters
US $49.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 12:06:21 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

TWO NETGEAR POWERLINE HD ETHERNET ADAPTERS (HDX101)
US $60.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday May-29-2009 12:32:56 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Netgear HDX101 Ethernet 200 Mb/s Powerline Adapters
US $25.00 (1 Bid)
End Date: Saturday May-30-2009 15:07:31 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Netgear HDX101 Ethernet 200 Mb/s Powerline Adapters
US $25.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Saturday May-30-2009 15:09:06 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $50.00
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Netgear HDX101 Ethernet 200 Mb/s Powerline Adapters
US $25.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Saturday May-30-2009 15:09:44 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $50.00
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

NETGEAR HDX101 200Mbps HD Powerline Ethernet AC Adapter
US $39.99
End Date: Monday Jun-22-2009 6:21:13 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $39.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

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MSI Wind Netbook Review • 02.05.09

This “MSI Wind Netbook Review” shows that there actually are some differences between all the sub and ultra compact laptops flooding the market right now. The biggest complaints about these little netbooks are that they keyboard is too small, the screen is too small, or the processor is too slow. The MSI Wind doesn’t really seem to have any of those problems since it boasts a 10 inch screen, a pretty good sized keyboard, and a Ghz atom processor that’s overclockable. It’s 2.6 lbs and just a bit more in physical size than the eee PC. It’s got jacks for LAN, headphone, mic, VGA, a memory card reader, decent speakers, and about 4-5 hours of battery life. The MSI wind has a 6 cell battery (most of the netbooks have only 3), and the right shift key is actually normal sized. Oh - did I mention that it also had integrated wireless bluetooth built-in?

Here’s a video review of the MSI Wind:

Sony External USB DVDRW Burner for MSI Wind U100 (New)
US $89.00
End Date: Sunday May-24-2009 21:55:50 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $89.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

MSI WIND NB umpc n270 1gb 160gb 10" 6 cell U100-280US
US $309.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 0:58:55 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $309.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

MSI Wind 10" U123 MSI Wind Notebook Ultra portable
US $599.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:08:54 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $599.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

MSI Wind 10" U123 MSI Wind Notebook Ultra portable
US $469.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:09:48 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $469.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

MSI Wind 10" U123 MSI Wind Notebook Ultra portable
US $569.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:15:51 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $569.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

MSI Wind U100 U90 SLim External CD DVD RW Burner Drive
US $67.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:12:27 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $67.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list

USB External CD DVD Burner Drive MSI Wind U90 U100 8.9"
US $65.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 6:00:56 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $65.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

MSI Wind U100 External USB DVDRW DVD-RW Drive Burner
US $65.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 6:01:05 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $65.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

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Posted in gadgets, gift ideas, hardware, netbookswith 1 Comment →

HP Mini-Note Netbook Review • 02.03.09

Since I’ve been looking at Netbooks, the HP Mini-Note should definitely not be overlooked since it was one of the first to be classified in this category as an ultra subcompact laptop gadget. I like the fact that it’s not Intel, and that you can configure the hard drive and memory to your liking, in addition to both Windows and Linux flavors. It can be a little more pricey than the others depending on how it’s configured, but it was one of the only ones to pack a 1280×768 resolution into the tiny 7.8″ screen! What more could you ask for though - you get Wi-fi, a webcam, and both express and SD card slots - in addition to the normal USB connects. All in a little 2.8lb case!

Here’s a video review:

You can find the HP Mini-Note for pretty reasonable new and used prices on ebay, here are some ending soon:

HP 2133 Mini-Note netbook, VIA C7-M 1.2GHz ULV 8.9 "
US $299.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 0:39:41 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $312.00
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

HP 2133 8.9" Mini-Note Mini Notebook PC Laptop NEW
US $344.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 3:57:56 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $344.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list

HP 2133 Mini Note PC LCD Screen 483384-001
US $40.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 10:16:28 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $50.00
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

HP 2133 Mini Note PC KS174UT Laptop 8.9" WXGA NIB
US $202.50 (13 Bids)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 12:32:32 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

~HP 2133 Mini-Note 120GB , 8.9" WXGA, Bluetooth Webcam~
US $309.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 14:19:33 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $309.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Brand New HP 2133 8.9" Mini-Note Notebook Netbook
US $349.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 17:33:28 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $349.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list

HP Mini-Note 8.9" WXGA, 2GB ram, 4GB SSD netbook
US $155.50 (19 Bids)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 18:19:56 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

HP 2133 Mini-Note 8.9" Laptop C7-M 1.2GHz 120GB 1GB,CAM
US $300.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 18:20:12 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $300.00
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

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Acer Aspire One Netbook Review • 01.22.09

I’ve recently discovered the wonder of the “netbook” that everybody seems to be clamoring about. Basically the sub-compact or “mini-notebook” is very popular and this category is now dubbed the “netbook”. Probably because it’s small, about the size of a book, and primarily used do do things on the ‘net.

I’ve reviewed one before, but at the time the phrase “netbook” wasn’t yet coined. I posted twice about the original Asus eee PC review (linux), and the Asus eee PC Windows XP review.

Although there seems to be quite a few “netbooks” out on the market now, the one that every seems to know other than the eee is the Asus Aspire One netbook. I can only imagine what kind of problems this is going to cause for the tech clueless since the names are so darn similar (Acer, Asus).

If you’re in a hurry and want the short version, here’s a video review you can watch of the Acer Aspire One:

The Acer Aspire one is a 2 lb wonder. Depending on model screen size varies from 7-10″, same for HDD size 120-160GB+ (unless you get one with a SSD, which would probably be 8GB or less). Most units seem to have 1GB Ram, and I’ve seen a few claiming to be able to run Vista Ultimate. They all seem to come with a webcam (although crappy .3 megapixel), and a headphone jack. You also get 3 USB jacks, a microphone jack, and even a monitor out if you need to hookup to a projector. You get of course a LAN jack and Wireless b/g, speakers, a card reader, and usually Windows XP loaded on the system. There is of course a Linux version too. Supposedly the new Windows 7 is designed to run on portable netbooks as well (without the hardware constraints of Vista).

You’re probably wondering - what do people that bought the Acer Aspire one really think of it? Well I can tell you that PCWorld gave it a damn near 5 star review. The same goes for nearly all the reviews on Amazon. Boot time is just over 20 seconds, and normal tasks like Facebook, Myspace, watching video on YouTube, using Firefox, and copying over your favorite album are all quick and easy.

If you’re up for one of these little wonders, I would definitely check out some of the latest auctions for both new and used ones on eBay right now:

BRAND NEW ACER ASPIRE ONE 8.9 in SAPPHIRE LAPTOP BLUE
US $200.05 (16 Bids)
End Date: Sunday May-24-2009 23:32:46 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

ACER ASPIRE ONE AOA150-1786 NETBOOK Win XP /white
US $230.00 (1 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 0:58:06 PDT
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ACER Aspire One AOD150-1669 atom n270 1.6ghz 160gb 1gb
US $339.99
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 1:52:16 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $339.99
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19V 1.58A New AC for Acer Aspire One-10.1", AOD150-1462
US $17.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:15:17 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $17.95
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New AC for Acer Aspire One 8.9", AOA110-1995, 19V 1.58A
US $17.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:16:03 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $17.95
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LCD Top Cover&Bezel + Antenna WWAN Acer Aspire One A150
US $49.00
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:27:29 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $49.00
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19V 1.58A AC Adapter for Acer Aspire One AoA110-1722
US $12.54
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:46:00 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $12.54
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Acer Aspire One 8.9" Webcam
US $29.95
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 4:48:23 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $29.95
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Amazon Kindle eReader Review • 09.18.08

Last year in 2007 I remember when the Amazon Kindle was launched, and I thought “that’s kinda cool”. But it’s yet “another device” that does something you can already do on your mobile phone AND computer AND laptop! So, my first impression (back then) was that it was “cool” but not completely necessary. Now, let’s talk about what makes it viable as a gadget and why it’s becoming more popular.

The Amazon Kindle is an “eReader”. It’s meant for you to take it with you and read things, from novels and books, to newspapers and blogs. Battery life is long and it only needs a charge about every other day, and the screen is what they call “ePaper”. It’s not like your cellphone, laptop, or monitor screen - it has no glare (and it’s not backlit). It’s easy to read in any light, just like a book or newspaper.

Kindle has an “EVDO” connection just like the high speed connections of cell phones. This means that it’s “wireless”. The Kindle is different than other eReaders because it can get new content, download new books, or get fresh newspaper or blog content from RSS feeds “on the go” wherever you are. Don’t be fooled - you have to buy the books, but the “e” version is much cheaper. A latest New York Times best seller might be $26.99, but on Kindle it’s probably $9.99. Newspaper subscriptions cost money too, but with Kindle you can download the first few chapters of a book or read two weeks for free on a newspaper subscription before you pay anything. At least you can test drive before you pay. Magazines are available too like Time and Forbes.

You can’t exactly surf the web with Kindle, but one feature that is available is the ability to look anything up on Wikipedia. The included of the New Oxford American Dictionary could be very handy as well. It also has an annotation feature and bookmarking - so you can keep notes or keep track of where you were. One of the more controversial features are the RSS feeds. You can subscribe to any one of hundreds of RSS feeds (which are freely available on the web) for about $2 per month. Many people feel these should be completely free, as they are on the web. What they fail to realize is that kindle has no wireless charges at all - once you buy the unit there are no monthly fees. Your subscription fees basically cover the EVDO wireless access charges.

I didn’t even mention that it has an SD memory card slot, and that you can email documents to your Kindle for review, like pictures, PDF files, and Word docs. Now - it’s a tool you can use to review documents for school or work.

Here’s an Amazon Kindle review from a tech evangelist that has used many other eBook readers before he got the Kindle, this was his first review 12 hours after he got it.

Another Kindle video review:

I think that the Kindle could be one of the few gadgets you could give as a gift to people that are so “geeky” if you know what I mean. It’s easy to use, and Amazon has done a good job of taking away all the technological barriers away. It doesn’t have to be charged that often, and it never has to be connected to a computer or anything to work - it’s completely independent. This could actually be a really cool gift for Mom or Dad, Grandma or Grandpa. If you’re an avid reader or on the go a lot - the Kindle may be for you. There’s two ways to get one, and they are of course “new or used” Amazon Kindle’s. There are some for sale on eBay - check out these auctions.

7 ITEM ACCESSORY BUNDLE KIT FOR AMAZON KINDLE 2 NEW
US $21.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Sunday May-24-2009 23:20:57 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $22.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Chargering USB Data CABLE for Amazon Kindle 2 eBook NEW
US $4.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 1:32:33 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $5.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Bundle Accessory Kit FOR AMAZON KINDLE 2 Ebook Reader
US $12.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 1:56:54 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $13.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

7 LOT ITEM ACCESSORY BUNDLE KIT FOR AMAZON KINDLE 2
US $21.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 5:26:55 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $22.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

4 ITEM ACCESSORY BUNDLE KIT FOR AMAZON KINDLE 2
US $12.49 (1 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 6:12:42 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

7 ITEM ACCESSORY BUNDLE KIT FOR AMAZON KINDLE 2 NEW
US $21.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 8:02:33 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $22.99
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

NEW Kindle 2 Amazon Wireless E-Book Reader SEALED
US $382.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 9:01:27 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $386.90
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

100 Classic eBooks formatted for Amazon Kindle 2
US $7.00
End Date: Monday May-25-2009 9:55:42 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $7.00
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In addition, you can buy one new directly from Amazon itself here:

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LG BH200 Blu-Ray HD-DVD Combo Player Review • 08.21.08

The LG BH200 Blu-Ray HD-DVD Combo Player is now much more affordable than ever before, and even though Blu-Ray is now pretty much decided on as the standard for surpassing regular DVD’s in HD format - having the “HD-DVD” format option available is a bonus! If you’re wondering what the big deal is about a Blu-Ray or HD-DVD disc versus a traditional DVD movie - all you really have to know is that it’s displayed at nearly TWICE the resolution! If you thought a traditional or progressive scan DVD movie was a pretty good picture - if you own a flat screen LCD or Plasma television, you OWE it to yourself to upgrade your DVD player to Blu-Ray and HD-DVD!

Having said that - the LG BH200 is the one we picked because it not only plays in full 1080p output, but this player upscales the picture of traditional DVD’s to Full HD as well! It’s already setup to handle the “BD-Live” features touted ahead for Blu-Ray discs, but the LG “Super Blu Player” will also do MPEG’s, H.264 Quicktime, and DTS-HD audio as well. Oh, of course it has HDMI 1.3 out too. It also has S-Video and Component outs, but who would want to use those?

Guess what - it has USB “media host” too so you can set it up to access digital pics and MP3’s. Plugin your external hard drives, portable drives, or flash sticks for quick access and review of your multimedia files. The one thing we noticed was that this thing was practically silent when playing discs. It even has a network ethernet jack!

This would be a good treat for yourself and the old home entertainment center before you have to start saving to buy other people Christmas presents! Or, you could even put it away as an early present for that special someone.

Here are the best prices you can get on the LG BH200 Blu-Ray HD-DVD Combo Player:

[amtap amazon:asin=B000YB2IPK]

LG BH200 Super Blu Region Free Pal with 14 Blu Ray/ HDs
US $499.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Tuesday May-26-2009 11:36:31 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $599.00
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LG Super Blu BH200 - Blu-Ray disc and -Scratch & Dent
US $288.47
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 10:55:54 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $288.47
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LG Super Blu BH200 Blu-ray and HD-DVD Player Used
US $100.01 (4 Bids)
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 11:22:43 PDT
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LG Super Blu™ BH200 Blu-ray and HD-DVD Player
US $56.13 (10 Bids)
End Date: Wednesday May-27-2009 15:29:30 PDT
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AS-IS LG BH200 Super Blu HD Multiplayer w/ 1080p Output
US $100.99 (3 Bids)
End Date: Thursday May-28-2009 8:23:25 PDT
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LG SUPER BLU BH200 BLU-RAY AND HD-DVD PLAYER COMPLETE
US $76.00 (6 Bids)
End Date: Friday May-29-2009 11:50:12 PDT
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LG Super Blu™ BH200 Blu-ray and HD-DVD Player
US $349.00
End Date: Friday May-29-2009 14:58:28 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $349.00
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LG Super BH200 Blu-ray and HD-DVD Player 2in1
US $299.89
End Date: Friday May-29-2009 16:03:20 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $299.89
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  • My name is John Pratt and I like all kinds of geeky, gadget tech stuff. I maintain web sites, write a little code, fool around with Wordpress, Ubuntu, play lead guitar in a band, and have a general fondness for computers electronic 'thingies'!