netbooks - News, Features, and Slideshows

News

• Intel's tablet adventure looking more like its netbook disaster

  Intel's rise and fall in tablets are starting to resemble the company's misadventures in netbooks less than a decade ago.

• Chromebooks getting VMware virtual desktop service

  VMware will offer virtual desktop services for Google's Chromebooks, allowing them to run Windows applications on the pared-down laptops based on the Chrome OS.

• Lenovo and Apple grew as bottom fell out of PC market in Western Europe

  PC shipments in Western Europe declined by 20.5 percent during the first quarter: The only vendors to see shipments grow were Lenovo and Apple, which returned to the top five.

• End is in sight for Intel's Atom netbook-specific processors

  Intel's Atom processors designed for netbooks could be on their last leg, with analysts saying that the chip maker could be tweaking its product road map as PC sales tumble and tablet adoption widens.

• Acer ships $199 C7 Chromebook

  Acer has started shipping the C7 Chromebook netbook starting at US$199 with Google's Chrome OS and Intel's Celeron processor.

• Dell pulls back from netbook market

  Dell has confirmed that it has ceased production of its Inspiron Mini netbook computer, in effect ending its pursuit of the receding netbook market, at least for consumer sales.

• Hard drive shortages will result in more expensive PCs: Gartner

  Enterprise users and consumers who have held off buying new PCs recently may come to regret their decision as a hard-drive shortage following floods in Thailand is expected to result in higher prices, according to Gartner.

• Sprint cutting unlimited 4G data plans

  Sprint Nextel is ending unlimited data plans for all devices except smartphones, bringing the era of all-you-can-eat mobile data in the U.S. nearer to a close.

• Amazon said to weigh subscription plan for coming tablet

  Amazon's coming tablet could feature an annual library subscription model that would let readers access older books, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

• Amazon redesigning site for tablets, report says

  Online retailer Amazon.com is reportedly redesigning its Web site, which sells everything from books to electronics and handbags, with a focus on supporting tablet computer users.

• Acer ships first Chromebook in US for $349

  After a short delay, Acer has started shipping its AC700 laptop with Google's Chrome OS in the U.S., priced at US$349.

• Intel: Atom's multiple OS feature an edge over ARM

  Intel officials say vendors are beginning to use Atom processors to power tablets not only because the chips can run Windows 7, but also because they allow the devices to run multiple OSes, providing an advantage over rival ARM Holdings.

• Acer to launch tablet running Intel's MeeGo

  Acer will launch a 10-inch tablet at the end of this year using both Intel's Atom processor and its mobile operating system MeeGo.

• Intel's new Atom processor to lower netbook prices

  Intel on Wednesday said it has introduced a new Atom processor to bring down the price of netbooks in emerging markets to under US$200, but the lower price may come at a performance penalty.

• Intel: Ultrabook is not a sign it failed in tablets

  Intel's proposal of a new class of laptop, the Ultrabook, isn't an admission that it is losing the battle to put its microprocessors in tablets, according to a company executive.