All Entries Tagged With: "notebook vendors"
Broadcom single-chip WiFi/Bluetooth combo approved by netbook makers
Broadcom’s new all-in-one chip, which features both WiFi and Bluetooth radio on a single chip has been selected by the various netbook/notebook vendors. This includes the big guys like Acer, ASUS and Lenovo.
This chip will help the manufactures and vendors to lower the cost of their netbooks as-well-as notebooks as they won’t have to buy separate chips and will help them to conserve space on the already cramped logicboards.
Broadcom’s triple combo which includes three radio, WiFi, Bluetooth and FM has been selected by HTC, Acer, Qisda and Foxconn to lower the price of their upcoming models.
Netbook vendors conservative about netbook shipments in 2010?
All the notebook vendors are expected to turn conservative towards their netbook shipments in the coming year, 2010. Reason: thin profits. Interestingly, netbook shipments have increased by 50% compared to the year 2008. However, shipments are expected to drop by 20% next year.
Commentary: Most of the netbook vendors are now jumping to the slim-notebooks as that is the category which would provide these manufactures handsome margins.
MSI X410 officially annouced
Every now and then we keep on hearing about MSI’s slim notebook, X410. Finally, MSI has officially launched the X410 model which is 24.5mm thin and weighs around 1.5kg.
With an 14-inch LED-backlit screen and a 1366×768 resolution, it is powered by the AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 CPU working at 1.6GHz clock speed, AMD’s RS690E+SB600 chipset, up to 4GB of DDR2 memory and Radeon X1250 integrated graphics. The rest of the features are 320 or 500GB HDD, Gigabit LAN, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, HDMI and VGA output. Other features include a 1.3M webcam, 2-in-1 card reader, two USB ports and an optional Bluetooth radio too.
The keyboard does not look cramped to us. In fact, it is the first MSI notebook to use their new EDS (Ergonomic De-Stress) Keyboard which is nothing but wider keys for your fat fingers.
The new X-Slim X410 comes with either 4 or 8-cell battery, and is priced as low as €419.
Commentary: AMD’s Neo processor is getting very popular among the netbook as-well-as slim notebook vendors. We are looking forward to more powerful and power-frugal processors from AMD as monopoly is never good for the end-consumers.
