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Nvidia and Intel Team Up For Ion Netbook Platform

Nvidia, the #1 graphics chip maker in the computer industry, has finally decided to enter the netbook race. They have recently announced their newest platform, the ION. While it is not a revolutionary new chip (it has in fact been around a while), it’s pairing with the Intel Atom processor is what really makes it important to netbook owners and addicts.

About Ion

Ion is a combination of the current Intel Atom processors, used in most netbooks, with Nvidias 9400M mobile GPU. The 9400M is currently used in many budget laptops and is also the GPU you will find in Apple’s Macbook Pro line. The new chips will offer up 5x faster graphics as well as up to 10x faster video transcoding.

So what does this mean to you?

The Ion will allow you to run video much, much faster. For those of you that have a first generation netbook (like my HP mini), you have probably noticed that the video can cause serious hiccups. With the 9400M, you can now run HD Video in full 1080p and Nvidia even went as far as to say that the platform will be capable of Blu-Ray playback. Not only that, but Nvidia has been quoted as saying that the new platform can run Call of Duty 4 with 25-30 fps consistently. That is quite a feat considering my current netbook can barely run the simple games on Yahoo. What that also means is that this new line of netbooks should also be able to run World of Warcraft on decent quality settings. I must be honest when I tell you that this has me VERY excited. Read more

August 11, 2009 · Filed Under Netbook reviews, Nvidia

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How to choose between: Netbook vs Laptop

Share of netbooks at PC market has rapidly grown recently. They are more often considered as a future replacement for regular laptops that used to utilize before. However there is an inherent confusion as to what exactly a netbook is and how it compares to a laptop. Undoubtedly both of them have their own advantages and shortages. In order to make your life easier when choosing between 2 gadgets we have listed below points to consider before purchasing:

Size. What you surely feel in the first instance about netbooks is their size. Netbook’s display usually ranges from 7 to 10 inches whereas laptops normally start from 14 inches. This consequently makes netbooks much smaller and lighter comparing to laptops. They are so portable that you may carry them in a purse or small backpack.

Resolution. Most of netbooks currently allow for maximum screen resolution at 1024×600. Anything below doesn’t let you to view whole width of the web page at any one time. So the user has to scroll the page back and forth to read a full line of text. However most recent netbooks are usually produced to allow 1024×600 which is ok for comfortable surfing over majority of web-sites.   Read more

August 9, 2009 · Filed Under Netbook reviews

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How to Buy a Great Netbook

Why lug a massive 17″ laptop around when you can now buy an ultra portable netbook? Netbooks are getting more popular every single day. Here’s some tips to follow when you are out shopping for a new netbook.

Purpose

This is something that many people fail to think about. you really need to carefully think about how you are going to use your new netbook and what software you need to run on it. Are you going to be using it just for email and web surfing or do you want to do some serious graphic design and video editing? Checking emal, browsing the web and composing Word or Office documents are all easily handled by netbooks. For anything really processor intensive, you might want to consider a full size notebook instead.

Size and Weight

Are you going to be carrying your new netbook around a lot? If so, size and weight is a huge factor. Netbooks are already tiny and low in weight compared to big and bulky laptops but there are still several sizes to consider. In addition, you’ll want to take the battery weight and size into consideration as well. Some power bricks are almost as heavy and large as the computers themselves! This is a big tip that not many people will tell you to look out for.

Features

Here’s some important netbook features to consider. Do you need a DVD drive? Many netbooks don’t come with an optical drive. You may have to purchase and external drive. Is the memory and hard drive upgradeable? Sometimes these upgrades will actually void your warranty. Keyboard size is also a big issue with these little computers. You want to make sure that you’ll have no problems typing on a small keyboard. You’ll also want to make sure that the trackpad and mouse buttons are placed in comfortable position and easy to use. If either of these are difficult for you to use, you’re not going to enjoy using your computer very much!

Follow this advice and you’ll be on your way to purchasing the best netbook that works for your needs. Good luck!

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Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/laptops-articles/how-to-buy-a-great-netbook-1098536.html

August 5, 2009 · Filed Under Netbook reviews

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NetBook or Laptop: Which Should You Choose?

So you want to be more mobile in your home computing but are having some trouble deciding between a traditional full sized laptop and a netbook or mini-laptop. Well, it just happens that I have had a netbook for almost a year and can share what my experience has been.

First the pros and cons of the netbook: under the pros heading; I love the small size and light weight of it for carrying it around. I just throw it in my briefcase or suitcase for travel or just carry it around like I would a book. I also like the price, though the smaller (15 inch or so) laptops are starting to rival the netbook prices. I chose Windows XP (a trademark of Microsoft Corp.) as my OS rather than Linux, so there’s not much change from my desktop in that respect. I love the netbook’s display; it’s very sharp and crisp and I really don’t mind the small size. In fact, I’m writing this article from it right now, sitting in my den. Still addressing the pros; it has a built-in wireless card, three USB ports, and the usual input/output receptacles you’d expect. Lastly, the speed is not blinding, but is surprisingly quick for a device of this size and price.

Now for the cons: I wish I’d paid a little more for a longer-lasting battery, but that’s my fault. I also wish the keyboard was a little larger. I’ve got large hands and it’s a little uncomfortable to use. I’ve gotten use to holding my hands closer together on the keyboard, but I still fumble-finger keys more than on a full-size keyboard. That being said, I love to use it and do almost every day. The last item that I consider a con is that the netbook has no optical image drive for watching videos or transferring data. However, even this item can be overcome with a little planning and a large capacity thumb drive.

Overall, I’m pleased with my little buddy and enjoy it’s portability very much. I recommend that you go to your local computer store and do a little typing on the netbook of your choice, or several of them to see if the keyboard size is a problem for you. If not, go for it and get a little buddy of your own to keep you company in your den.

Paul Lubic is a seasoned IT guy who’s used computers at home for more years than he’d care to say. His objective is to use this article and his blog site to pass on lots of valuable information that you can use in your home computing endeavors. Check back often to see what he’s up to at Paul’s Home Computing Blog at http://www.paulshomecomputingblog.wordpress.com.

Remember, home computing is a blast…keep it productive and enjoyable.
Paul E. Lubic, Jr.
paulshomecomputing@yahoo.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/laptops-articles/netbook-or-laptop-which-should-you-choose-1091744.html

August 4, 2009 · Filed Under Netbook reviews

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