News Bits: New Clevo Notebooks Leaked, Low-cost Netbook Hard Drives, Intel Classmate Tablet

[Charles P. Jefferies]

New Clevo notebooks leaked: Pre-CeBIT 2009

Clevo, a second-tier Taiwan-based notebook manufacturer, will be introducing several new netbook and notebook models at the CeBIT 2009 technology show in Germany.

Netbooks

Several new netbooks will debut at CeBIT: The TN70xM, M71xL, and M81xL. They all feature Intel Atom processors and have screen sizes ranging from 7 to 10.2 inches. The TN70xM is most interesting, since it is a convertable tablet netbook with a touch screen. It also has a passive cooling design and claims an eight-hour operating battery life. The M71xL will have an integrated optical drive, which is a first in a netbook.

Desktop Replacement Notebooks

Two new desktop replacement notebooks will be introduced: the D90xF and the N98xNU. There is limited information about the D90xF; it will have a 17-inch display, Nvidia SLI dual video cards, and be based on the "new Intel desktop platform"; we have not been able to confirm whether this means it has a Core i7 processor or not.

The M98xNU is a notebook we talked about the other day. This notebook will have an Intel mobile quad-core processor, dual Nvidia 9800M-GTX video cards in SLI, and an 18.4-inch widescreen display.

In addition to the above-listed models, Clevo will also be introducing several more contemporary notebooks. The W76x series will be a 15.6-inch mainstream notebook based on the new Intel Centrino 2 platform. The TN12xT is an ultraportable convertible tablet netbook model with a 12.1-inch touch screen display, and the R13xT is a 13.3-inch ultraportable with an Ultra Low Voltage Core 2 Duo processor. The R13xT has an integrated optical drive and a 2.5-inch hard drive. Both models are also based on the Intel Centrino 2 platform.

Read More in the Forums

Choiix Air-Through notebook cooler review

The Choiix Air-Through notebook cooler is a brand-new product developed by Cooler Master. This cooler is unlike others in that it is designed for notebooks with a 14-inch screen and under. It has two fans and retails for about $35(US). This is the first full-length review of this product.

Read More in the Forums

Low-cost 2.5" hard drives for netbooks

Several hard drive makers including Seagate, Western Digital, and Hitachi are developing low-cost 2.5-inch hard drives for netbooks and low-cost computers. The new drives are expected to carry a pricetag 40-50% lower than their current entry-level offerings. At current, the hard drive is one of the most expensive components in a netbook. Storage capacities are expected to range from 80GB to 120GB. They are expected to be available in the second half of 2009.

Full Story (DigiTimes.com)

Intel convertible tablet Classmate PC

Intel will introduce a convertible tablet model of its Classmate PC soon. It has typical netbook specifications, including an Intel Atom processor and Windows XP. The convertible Classmate will have an 8.9-inch touch screen display and special software called Vision Objects Pen, which enables tablet input on the XP Home operating system (which it lacks by itself).

Full Story (Blog.LaptopMag.com)
Via (Engadget.com)

[Xirurg]

OMG @ Clevo!

P.S. thx for news Chaz!

[whizzo]

Clevo's really churning out new models, aren't they? the D90xF sounds very interesting... imagine a laptop with a Core i7 desktop CPU, 4-8Gb DDR3 RAM (possibly desktop as well!), and SLI'd 9800m-gtx's... 3dmark score off the charts

[Clutch]

I know for the netbook optical drive someone will want blueray and HDMI.

[Gophn]

for a netbook, it will be hard to drive blu-ray or other 1080p videos with the limited low resources (Intel Atom and Intel GMA950).

So using it for a portable DVD player is more plausible.

[Clutch]

But still someone will want it.



I like the tablet netbook. I wish more of them came with an option for big parts. As in Vista, 300+GB HD, and 2GB ram. Because I would just put these in myself and it would not cost them much more to have to option of getting those things.

[Han Bao Quan]

what's with up the 16:9 aspect ratio??? I hate those pathetic resolutions screens.

The new clevo laptop looks interesting, however.

[whizzo]

what's with up the 16:9 aspect ratio??? I hate those pathetic resolutions screens.

i totally second. it seems like every manufacturer is suddenly jumping on the 16:9 bandwagon. i've used both, and imho 16:9 is just too wide, you give away too much vertical space/resolution.

[gengerald]

Gar, I had a feeling Clevo would break into the netbook market...I just can't imagine how awesomoe they would be :P If they have a standard res, I will kick myself and possibly my EEE.

[Cin']

Thanks, Chaz

And, ooh sweetness.. Those Clevo's look very good!

The TN70xM....I really like that one A Netbook w/a convertible tablet & a touch screen. And that passive cooling design w/potential 8 hour batt' life...OH YEAH!


Cin