Netbooks are still a popular choice among students, writers, and anyone who needs to buckle down and write on the go. They’re available at various price points, but I believe the cheapest netbook I know is the Neo B3325. Priced at just P9,999 and weighing less than a kilo, this device makes its presence barely felt in your wallet and in your bag! The netbook is equipped with a multi-card reader and powered by Intel Atom. For more information, visit neo.com.ph

I’m not a fan of netbooks anymore, but the new Asus Eee PC X101 caught my attention for two reasons. First was the ultra-low SRP of $199. Second was the announcement that the Eee PC X101 will be running on MeeGo, a Linux variant built by Intel as their answer to the Apple iOS and Google Android. The MeeGo version equipped by this netbook has everything you need for a decent experience, though sophisticated users may be annoyed by the lack of office productivity suites. The OS has several panels that let you access the most important programs on your device. The “People” panel gives you access to chat clients and social networks, and a Status panel where you can view your social network feed. The AsusVibe panel plays various media, while the Internet panel uses the Chromium browser to surf the net.
It’s also worth noting that the Eee PcX101 Asus’s thinnest netbook, measuring only .7 inches at the thickest point.

The Asus Eee PC X101 will be available by July in four colors, white, red, brown, and black.

Source

A few months ago, Google announced the Chromebook, a netbook-like device that runs on the Chrome OS and uses the Google cloud service. Both the Samsung and Acer models are now available on Amazon – the Acer WiFi is priced at$349, while the Samsung WiFi + 3G is selling at $499 (the WiFi-only model is priced at $429). All three Chromebooks have the same specs, except for the screen size. Acer has a 11.6 inch wide-screen display while Samsung has a 12.1-inch screen. US residents who get the 3G models also enjoy 100MB/month free on Verizon.

Check out the Chromebooks here.

If you must get a notebook, get the new Samsung Notebook 9 Series, which debuted at CES 2011 in Las Vegas. This 13-inch notebook is one of the lightest, most compact devices around, with a weight of only 1.31kg (2.88lbs.) and just 16.3mm(0.64inches) thick. But there are more reasons to grab one besides the sleek design. The Samsung Notebook 9 Series have a vivid ‘SuperBright Plus’ display (400nit) with 16 million color reproduction and 400nit brightness – twice as bright as the conventional display on a netbook. This promises users a bright, crystal clear viewing experience no matter where you are. An Auto Display Brightness control measures light levels in the vicinity of the notebook and automatically adjusts the brightness of the display to ensure an optimized user experience, all the while conserving battery life.


The Samsung Notebook 9 Series is powered by Microsoft Windows 7 and the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i5/i7 Processor with up to 8GB memory. Using Intel’s intelligent Turbo Boost technology 2.0, users can do things smarter and faster while conserving energy. Its 128/256GB solid state drive (SSD) gives you enough space for documents, music, and movies. Samsung is a little vague on the battery life, only saying that it’s three times the length of the average notebook. However, the Samsung Notebook 9 is equipped with PowerPlus, an optimized battery charging technology that extends battery life together with the notebook’s power-efficient lithium-polymer battery.

Other nice features to look forward to are a larger, fully touch sensitive advanced gesture pad, a Fast Start feature that lets you start working within 12 seconds of powering up, the advanced sleep mode that saves data on the SSD even if the battery suddenly dies, and a 1.3M HD webcam.

No news on availability and price just yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

The compact Toshiba Mini NB255 netbook is a stylish, portable companion with comfort-driven features. Featuring an Atom processor, 8-hour battery life, and high speed connectivity, this netbook lets you enjoy the benefits of a digital world as you move from place to place. And though it’s small enough to place in a purse or bag, you won’t have a hard time reading and viewing media on the 10.2-inch LED display, and the full-size keyboard will prevent you from making typographical errors. It’s also one of the more affordable netbooks at $279.99 on Amazon.

Acer Aspire AO533-23571 is another great choice at a great price. It’s powered by a 1.83 GHz Intel Atom N475 processor, has a 160GB SATA hard drive, and 1GB of installed DDR3 RAM. The 6-cell battery can give you up to eight hours of Internet connectivity and mobile computing, as well as long video conversations through its Crystal Eye webcam and built-in mic. Other features include a multi-gesture touchpad, the 84-key Acer Fine Tip Keyboard, and WiFi connectivity. All this for $279.99 on Amazon.

The Asus Eee PC T91SA seems like a great netbook for students. It’s got a useful feature most netbooks do not have – a screen that rotates 180 degrees into tablet mode, which can be used for presentations and viewing photos. The device is powered by an energy efficient Intel Atom Z520 processor, a touch-optimized software suite, and provides complete wireless connectivity via WiFi and Bluetooth. Battery life is a little on the short side at just 5 hours but the portable size and features make it a good investment despite this limitation. Available for $343.30 on Amazon.

In just a few hours’ time, Steve Jobs will be unveiling the new MacBook Air at the Back to Mac event. Meanwhile, we can whet our appetites with these rumors from Cult of Mac, who discovered that the new incarnation of the MacBook Air will pack up to 10 hours of battery life. The MacBook Air is rumored to come in two sizes – one with a 13.3″ display and a netbook-type one with a 11.6″ display. And according to early testers, it has a fast boot time, a boxy design similar to the iPhone 4, and an aluminum unibody lighter than 3 lbs. You can also expect it to have 2 USB ports, an SD card slot, a mini DisplayPort adapter, and 2GB or 4GB RAM (which you can upgrade with the SSD). Price-wise, the 13″ model is said to be priced at $1,000, while the 11″ one will sell for $999. Guess we’ll soon find out if these rumors come anywhere close to the actual specs and prices.

Recently, Vivienne Tam designed yet another HP Mini but this time, she was inspired by the delicate figure of the butterfly. To her, butterflies symbolize love, freedom, transformation, and independence – exactly what the modern woman wants out of her devices and out of her life. The laptop first made its debut at New York Fashion Week as part of the designer’s spring 2010 collection, and even made an appearance in Sex and the City 2.

The HP Mini 210 Butterfly Lovers digital clutch runs on Windows 7 with an Intel Atom Processor N450. It’s equipped with all sorts of convenient features like HP QuickWeb, which provides instant access to social networks, Skype, email, and other web resources. Accessing files on your main computer is also made easier with HP QuickSync. With the Compact Mirror mode, you can use the 10.1″ diagonal BrightView Inifinity Widescreen Display to discreetly check your appearance and make small retouches on your makeup. And since it’s less than 1″ thin and as light as 2.69 lbs, it’s easy to bring this with you wherever you go.

Other features include a 2GB memory and 1 SO-DIMM slot, 93% full size keyboard, and a gold 3-cell battery that provides up to 5.5 hours of battery life.

There’s also a coordinated HP 2.4GHz Wireless Optical Mouse sold separately.

Although the butterfly design is not as iconic or memorable as Vivienne Tam’s peony design, I think the HP Mini 210 grabbed the attention of women searching for more fashionable devices.

Samsung N150 Plus

Don’t you hate it when the cover of your netbook attracts fingerprints, scratches, and marks? You don’t have to worry about that with the stylish and reliable N150 Plus, which comes with a scratch-resistant Samsung durable casing that will maintain the pristine appearance of this device. Its user-friendly design makes it easy to flip open the netbook, and the 10.1″ anti-reflective LED display lets you view the brightest images and boldest colors without the annoying mirror effect under sunny weather or bright lights. The N150 Plus also comes with an 11-hour battery life, a Digital Live Cam with integrated mic for video conferencing or voice chat, and Intel’s latest processor, the Intel® Atom™ N450, for an amazing Internet experience. Available at all Samsung dealers for a standard retail price of 21,900 pesos.

Samsung N220 Plus

If your work keeps you glued to your computer for hours on end, you need a device like the Samsung N220 Plus. Its impressive battery-powered performance provides you with up to 14 hours of secure connected mobility, and the energy-efficient LED display further reduces power consumption. The device is also equipped with display features that will make mobile computing an easy and convenient experience. Like the N150 Plus, the N220 Plus has a 10.1” LED anti-reflective display and an integrated Digital LiveCam for video chat. However, it also has the Phoenix Hyperspace™ “Instant ON” capacity allows the devices to turn on and immediately go online without having to wait for Windows to boot. And if you’re worried about your device getting stolen, it comes with a Phoenix FailSafe ® software that will help you track the thief down. Available at Samsung dealers nationwide with a standard retail price of 24,900 pesos.

Samsung R480

Multitasking mavens who are into visual arts, music, or gaming will enjoy using the Samsung R480. Designed for power-users on the go, the Samsung R480 is equipped with advanced communications technologies like a 802.11bgn wireless, which provides high-speed, efficient and convenient access to the Internet and your data anytime and anywhere. It also has the AnyPC remote PC access application, which allows you a secure one-click connection to a home or office PC. And like the N220 Plus, it has the unique Phoenix FailSafe ® anti-theft software. Other features include a scratch-resistant Samsung durable casing, LED touchpad lighting, a proper 16:9 aspect ratio, and the advanced 3D graphics processing power of the latest NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M graphics card. So whether you’re creating HD videos, editing photos, or composing digital tracks, the R480 is the device that lets you do this on the go.

Samsung R440

The Samsung R440 also has the same LED touchpad lighting and scratch-proof case as the R480. However, it also has a super Silent Mode that you can access by pressing the Fn+F8 keys so as not to disturb sleeping travelers or members of the household.

Both R-series devices are available at the nearest Samsung dealers.

At the launch of the Sony Vaio Summer 2010 line, we were introduced to the affordable Sony Vaio M. This light and compact netbook allows you to chat, update your social networking accounts, and check your email wherever you are through its Integrated Wireless LAN and three-and-a-half-hour battery life. It’s also equipped with an extra-wide 10.1-inch LCD screen with an LED backlight, and its 16:9 aspect ratio gives you ample space for web browsing, photo viewing, even watching movies. Did I mention that it comes in summer colors? Choose from fuschia, eggshell blue, and white with a hint of creme.

My HP mini conked out on me last week and I requested for a review unit from Sony. Voila, they lent me this fuschia Sony Vaio M which matches my pink eyeglasses and purple canon camera. So pretty in pink.

It’s been a week now and I am loving the Sony Vaio M experience. You might get a chance to own one through their contest.

The Sony Vaio M is available in all Sony stores at P29,999, but you can also win one through Sony’s latest contest! All you have to do is find 29 hidden Sony treasures. Visit www.sony.com.ph and click on the Vaio M banner ad, which will bring you to the contest website. Download the contest sheet, spot and mark the 29 items using Paint or Photoshop, then submit your entry to 29sonythings@gmail.com with your name, address, and cellphone number. You can also obtain the contest sheet at Sony Philippines’ official Facebook account or by visiting Status Magazine. Deadline for submissions is at 12:00 noon on August 6. Winners will be announced on August 9.

Good luck!

At an intimate dinner at Je Suis Gourmand last night, we got the rare opportunity to see and experience Sony Vaio’s summer 2010 line for ourselves. The Vaio is Sony’s best-selling line of laptops, not only because they look polished and fashion-forward, but because their features are closely integrated to all facets of your lifestyle. This summer, Sony is bringing you a bunch of new laptops and upgraded versions of older models – the Vaio E, Vaio J, Vaio M, Vaio P, Vaio S, Vaio X, and Vaio Z.

Sony VAIO E

First up is the colorful E-series line, an easy-to-use device with a 16:9 real wide full HD display. It comes with a full-pitch keyboard that houses convenient shortcuts like the “Assist” button, which takes you directly to VAIO Care software; the “VAIO” button, which will bring you to the media gallery; and the “Web” button, which will bring out your web browser. Browsing is easy even without a mouse because of the touchpad’s new multi-gesture features. This allows you to scroll up and down, zoom in, and zoom out with certain gestures of your fingers. The E series comes in matte and vibrant glossy colors that is sure to stand out, as well as 14-, 15-, and 17-inch models.

Sony VAIO J

The Sony Vaio J reminds me of the family computers of old, except in a much nicer package. The new Vaio J series is designed just for home PC users, especially those who don’t have a lot of space for a clunky CPU. The Vaio J makes use of an intuitive 21.5″ touch screen on a breathtaking HD display, which allows you to browse and read documents without a mouse or a keyboard! It’s powered by an Intel® Core™ i5-520M Processor 2.40 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz, plus a performance-enhancing 4GB memory. With a roomy 500GB hard disk, you can store a ton of music, movies, and photos, and sync them to your portable devices. The vivid graphics are supported by NVIDIA® GeForce® 310M GPU with CUDA™ Technology with 512MB video memory, and the glossy black finish will add instant style to your living room or bedroom.

Sony VAIO M

The Sony Vaio M series is the most affordable in the Vaio line. It sure doesn’t look it though – the pretty pink color is high-class all the way. The Sony Vaio M has an extra-wide 10.1 inch LCD screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio for browsing and viewing in vivid detail. Equipped with a 6-cell battery and comprehensive wireless capabilities, you can surf and work for an uninterrupted three hours. The new Sony Vaio M can also hold up to 320 GB of your favorite music, videos, photos, and movies – more than enough for a notebook!

Sony VAIO P

The darling of the evening was the new Sony Vaio P, an updated version of last year’s clutch-purse-turned-notebook. It’s lighter than a purse and comes in an ultra-slim design so you can bring it with you wherever you go. Besides summer-appropriate fuschia and orange colors, the Sony Vaio P has two great new features. If you don’t like using the stick pointer on the keyboard, you can hold the device much like a Nintendo DS and browse undisturbed, thanks to the the mouse buttons and touchpad to the left and right of the screen, respectively. It also has a built-in accelerometer, which allows you to read documents and websites like you would an actual book if you turn the device to portrait mode. To change the page, tilt the notebook to the left or right.

The Sony Vaio P will be available in two limited edition colors, fuschia and orange. Only 20 of each color will be brought to the Philippines, so grab them when you see them at your nearest Sony dealer. Retail price is around P59,999.

Sony VAIO S

The new Sony VAIO S comes in lovely pastel colors, but this device is more than just pretty. It’s equipped with a fast Intel Core i5 processor, a comfy keyboard, and Intel’s Wireless Display technology. It’s also one of the lightest laptops in the Vaio line.

Sony VAIO X

The lightest Sony VAIO laptop award goes to the Sony VAIO X, slim, sexy-looking device with an Intel® Atom™ Processor Z540 and a 11.1″ wide (WXGA: 1366 x 768) TFT colour display. Not a big fan of the glossy finish though – it’s a total smudge magnet! No word on pricing and availability yet.

Sony VAIO Z

Finally, there’s the Sony VAIO Z, probably the most expensive laptop I’ve ever laid my hands on. Just how expensive is it? The Sony VAIO Z will retail for about P179,999 because it’s powered just like a desktop PC. It runs on Intel® Core™ i7-620M Processor 2.66 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.33 GHz, and has a 13.1″ wide (Full HD: 1920 x 1080) TFT colour display. You can expect crisp graphics and smooth video thanks to its NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M GPU with CUDA™ Technology. But is it worth the high price tag?

The Sony VAIO Summer 2010 line is expected to hit Sony retailers by the end of June.