If the design of the Novero Solana netbook/tablet looks familiar, it is. The last time I saw something like this was the Dell Inspiron Duo. Back then the design struck me as a good idea, but in practice the Duo didn’t live up to its promise.

That doesn’t mean the same fate awaits the Solana, but the $699 asking price is a concern. It might be hard to convince consumers to pay that much for a netbook, even if it does have some impressive specs.

The system runs on a dual-core Intel Atom processor and 2GB of RAM (twice as much as one usually gets) plus an SSD instead of a hard drive, raising the potential for a snappy machine. The Solana comes with Windows 7 Home Premium (not Starter) and Android 2.3 Gingerbread that users will be able to switch between “with a push of a button.”

Users will be able to upgrade to Windows 8 easily since the Solana has the specs for it. I’m disappointed that the 9.7-inch touchscreen only has a 1024 x 768 resolution, but that’s the minimum required for full screen Metro apps.

In addition to WiFi and Bluetooth the Solana also has a configuration with an HSPA+ 3G modem for mobile broadband.

As laptop/tablet hybrids go, I am a fan of this solution for dealing with the screen. The Lenovo Yoga is still a favorite, but swinging the screen around in this manner just seems like more fun. Plus, it covers the keyboard so I don’t have to worry about it.

As Dana Wollman of Engadget points out, the 4:3 aspect ratio on the display makes the overall system a little on the awkward side, size-wise. Plus, the hinge mechanism isn’t as smooth as it could be.

On the software side, I’m also none too excited to see Gingerbread instead of Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich in the Android half of things. I’m willing to deal with it for smaller devices like phones or 4-inch PMPs, but on a tablet-size device I want my tablet operating system.

The other issue is apps. Right now the Solana doesn’t have access to the official Android Market, thought he company is working on that. Still, not all Android apps can run in an x86 (Intel/AMD) environment, being specifically for ARM chips. This may change in the next few months, especially if manufacturers launch a bunch of dual Windows 8/Android machines. Until then finding apps that work may be a crapshoot (sound familiar?).

The good news is that the hardware doesn’t seem like it will be a problem. Wollman reported snappy performance on the pre-production model she saw at Mobile World Congress, both for Windows and Android.

Novero expects to launch at the beginning of the second quarter (April or so) in the US and Europe. The standard configuration with a 64GB SSD will cost 500€/$699 according to their press release.

$699 Novero Solana Hybrid Netbook/Tablet Coming To U.S. In April is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

Lenovo isn’t makein netbooks, but if you want a small, portable and affordable machine, the IdeaPad S Series is as close as you’ll get.

Officially called Mini-Notebooks, these 11.6″ notebooks use the same Intel Atom processors found on most netbooks, which is enough for our own K.T. Bradford to call them a netbook.

During CES 2012 we stopped in to the Lenovo trailer to check out the latest IdeaPad notebooks and K.T. found herself immediately drawn to these small notebooks, even as the IdeaPad U310 set right next to it.

IdeaPad S Series Hands On Video

The IdeaPad S200 and S206 measure 11.8 x 7.6 x 0.8 inches and weigh just 2.8 pounds, light for an 11-inch notebook. Unfortunately, these notebooks only have a 2-cell battery. Sure it’s rated at 4 hours, but in real life expect that to drop and to be on the lookout for an outlet.

The IdeaPad S200 has an Intel Atom processor, while the S206 rocks an AMD C-60 processor. The S200 can be configured with a 32GB SSD, and both can be configured with a 320GB or 500GB hard drive option.

The mini notebooks come with 2GB RAM and Windows 7 Home Premium as well as a Lenovo Accutype keyboard that delivers a very nice typng experience, even if it isn’t up to par with the ThinkPad line.

You can order your IdeaPad S series starting in June for $349.

IdeaPad S Series Mini Notebook Hands On Video is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Acer has updated the Aspire One netbook line with a collection of new Aspire One Happy 2 netbooks which come in a variety of festive and fruitful colors. While you won’t be picking up one of these to use at work, well most of us won’t, the Happy 2 netbooks are definitely eye catching.

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 Netbooks Come in Fruity Colors

The Happy 2 netbooks look like a summer party on the outside, but you can get down to business with the Intel Atom N570 dual core processor, 1GB RAM, 1 250GB hard drive, 10.1″ display and 93% full size keyboard.

The netbook is an inch thin and weighs 2.5 pounds, so it can slide into a summer beach bag quite easily. If you need to touch base with the folks back home, hop on Skype with the included .3MP webcam. The Aspire One Happy 2 series include Windows 7 Starter and Microsoft Office Starter (including Word and Excel with ads).

The Acer Aspire One Happy 2 netbooks come in four colors which are definitely an acquired taste.

• Banana Cream
• Blueberry Shake
• Papaya Milk
• Strawberry Yogurt

Netbooks like these won’t replace your full fledge computer, but thanks to the dual core Atom N570 processor you should be able to tackle numerous work tasks like Word, Excel and web browsing without waiting around for your computer to catch up. The Happy 2 netbooks will also handle video playback with the integrated video card, a task which single core netbooks usually have trouble with.

You can purchase the Acer Aspire One Happy 2 netbooks are available starting today with a suggested price of $269. At this price, the Happy 2 series of netbooks is particularly attractive considering the dual core Atom processor.

If you need to get a lot of mobile work done, you will be better suited with a larger notebook like the MacBook Air, Samsung 9 Series or MSI X370, but all of those notebooks have significantly higher prices. If you want a capable and bright netbook for around $250, the Happy netbooks are worth a look.

Acer Aspire One Happy 2 NetBooks Offer Fruity Colors is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Asus is set to unveil a new line of Eee PC mini-notebooks and netbooks at Computex in Taipei next week, with a teaser of “The next evolution of the Eee PC” on Facebook. Asus hasn’t given up any details, and the only image is a shadowed teaser shown below. However, if you are unable to wait, you can check out the fist image of the new Eee PC notebooks, that take on a MacBook Air like Wedge shape, courtesy of Notebook Italia.

The new Eee PC notebooks are taking on a bolder look, that based on one image, we like. Of course we will need to see what Asus packs inside these mini-notebooks and netbooks to make final judgement, but at first light, they look pretty nice. We aren’t looking at a MacBook Air clone by any means, but we do like the angled front edge on the MacBook Air which appears to be similar on the leaked Asus Eee PC image.

Notebook Italia tells us that we may see versions of the new Eee PC with something other than Windows, so perhaps Asus will put some form of Ubuntu or Android on these notebooks. WHen they come stateside, expect to see your standard Windows 7 versions, which is what most consumers want. No word on pricing or availability has been announced, but we expect to have more details as Computex gets up to speed starting May 30th.

Eee PC Netbook with MacBook Air Styling Coming at Computex is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Apps, Apps, Apps. IT seems all the cool devices these days have apps. While tablets and smartphones may be getting the most attention, you can add apps to your netbook and notebook with the Intel AppUp store. The Intel AppUp store has a collection of popular apps and works on Windows notebooks and netbooks running Windows XP and Windows 7.

How to Install Apps like Angry Birds on Windows

1. Your first step is to install the Intel AppUp Center which is available for free from Intel and runs on anything from an Intel Atom powered netbook to a Core i7 notebook. Unfortunately, you can’t use it on MacBooks.

2. After you Install the App Up Center, you can browse the games like Angry Birds, Flight Control, Fruit Ninja and more as well as apps for education, business, productivity and more. Basically, you have access to a wide range of software in one location, just like the app stores you are used to on your phone. The Intel AppUp store has an added bonus of being chock full of apps that will work on low power netbooks.

3. When you find an app you want, you just click install and the app will download and install so that you can play it or use it whenever you want to.

Favorite Intel AppUp Apps for Notebooks and Netbooks

• Angry Birds for Windows – $4.99 – Need we say more?
• Fruit Ninja for Windows – $4.99 – Slice and Dice fruit before it falls off the screen.
• Flight Control HD for Windows – $4.99 – Free for a limited time – Land planes in this fun and crazy game
• Alchemy Classic – Free – Fun game has you match elements to form new elements
• Boxee – Free – The entertainment of Boxee on your netbook.

These are just the tip of the iceberg, the Intel App Up Store has a large number of fun games and apps as well as business and productivity tools to keep you productive on your netbook or notebook.  If you have a favorite, let us know.

How to Get Apps On Your Notebook and Netbook (Angry Birds, Flight Control, Fruit Ninja & More) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

HP has updated the HP Mini 210 netbook with a new design and look as well as the addition of Beats Audio, a first in an HP netbook. The new HP Mini 210 will be available starting on June 15th with a new lower $299 starting price tag.

HP Mini 210 Quick Specs

The new HP mini 210, updated for summer 2011, will use the Intel Atom N455 processor (expect Intel Atom N570 options soon), come standard with 1GB RAM and include a 250GB hard drive.The Mini 210 keeps the same 10.1″ display with a 1024 x 600 resolution. The Mini 210 also includes wireless networking and a built in webcam.

The HP Mini 210 comes with a spill resistant 93% full size keyboard and a mousepad with built in buttons.  Also included is the new HP QuickWeb 3.0 which allows you to quickly hop online to check email or social networks in less time than it would take Windows to boot.

HP Mini 210 Hands On Video

HP Mini 210 Design Changes

The new HP Mini 210 keeps much of what we liked on the last version, included a 6 cell battery that fits into the body without jutting out the rear, a fold flat display and a collection of colors. New to the updated Mini 210 is a wrap around color, that starts on the lid and continues over to the palmrest for a more unified look.

The new HP Mini will come in charcoal, crimson red, luminous rose, ocean drive and sweet purple.

HP Mini 210 Beats Audio

The HP Mini 210 comes, for the first time, with Beats Audio. Beats is an audio technology exclusive to HP that delivers a higher quality audio experience, with music that sounds like how the artiste intended it.

On a netbook, you obviously won’t be experiencing music exactly how the artist meant it to be experienced, but HP has taken steps to ensure that the line out, or headphone jack, is optimized to deliver the best audio possible. You should be able to notice this with a decent pair of headphones or when connected to a stereo system. The speakers in the Mini 210 won’t knock your socks off, but HP claims that they are optimized to deliver the best sound possible in a small netbook form factor.

HP Mini 210 Battery Life

The standard 6 cell battery is rated for 9.5 hours of battery life. Based on past models, this will likely be less in real life, but the netbook should last most of the day.

HP Mini 210 Pricing and Availability

The HP Mini 210 will be available on June 15, 2011 with a starting price of $299.

HP Mini 210 Gallery

HP Mini 210 Specs (Summer 2011 Refresh)

HP Mini 210 Updated With Beats Audio & New Design (Video) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

It looks like Samsung will release a new notebook with the Google Chrome OS according to reports of a leak a Dutch site ChromeNieuws.nl (Google Translation). The original site at Google Chrome OS code site where the leak first showed up is no longer available.

Below is a screen shot of it.

The beginning of the Chrome invasion we reported before will begin with this notebook codenamed Alex. It will have the following specs:

• 1.5GHz Atom N550 CPU
• 2GB of RAM
• A SanDisk SSD drive – total capacity unknown at this point
• Display with a resolution of 1280×800
• 3G support
• Synaptics TouchPad
• Wi-Fi
• Ethernet
• Bluetooth
• Namuga Webcam
• Realtek ALC272 audio
• Flash memory card reader
• USB ports
• VGA output

These details sound very netbook-like to us, although we don’t know the size of the device. Because it is running the cloud-based Chrome-OS it doesn’t need to be that powerful a system.

Chrome OS was developed by Google with a lot of fanfare last year when they gave away notebooks called Google Chrome CR-48 for testing last year. We got a look at one and the reviews were mixed.

Next month is the Google Chrome developers conference called I/O. Expect to hear more about this and other Chrome devices.

Will Chrome OS devices sell? That depends on two primary details – price and capability. What price point would entice you to forgo an operating system that runs everything locally for a cloud based system like Chrome? And what functionality would have to be present for such a device to sell? One possible business model would be for Google to subsidize these devices. Their business is advertising and if they can get more people looking at their ads, they make more money. Profit on the device itself is not as big an issue for Google. OEMs like Samsung need to make money. Unless Google subsidizes the cost of the notebook, this model doesn’t work for third-parties like Samsung.

The other option is to include some killer feature that will draw users. Very few OEMs have succeeded in doing this kind of marketing, so we doubt this can work either unless the killer feature is simplicity. If you can make a notebook that is as simple as the iPad and cheaper, then you might have something that will draw users to buying. If Samsung can provide the cheap hardware and Google the simple interface, then a $200-$300 netbook-like device with a slightly bigger screen (12-13 inches) than most of the 10-12 inch devices out now might have a chance.

Samsung Alex Coming wth Chrome OS: Google Chrome Notebook is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

A recent FCC application was spotted for a Dell Panerai, which may suggest that Dell may be looking to expand its Inspiron Duo line in the convertible netbook market. While many have praised the original Inspiron Duo for its unique swiveling screen design in the convertible form factor netbook market, the device suffered from poor battery life and sluggish performance with its Atom processor.

Hopefully, with the Panerai, which may be a codename, the Dell netvertible will rectify the shortcomings of the original.

The original Inspiron Duo could either be used in tablet mode or in laptop mode with its convertible design. Rather than a swiveling hinge at the base of the screen and the chassis, Dell had moved the swivel mechanism to two points on the screen’s frame. That way, when closed in tablet mode, the sleek curves would still be maintained as it looks like the laptop is closed, but with the screen on the lid side.

Via: Engadget

Dell Panerai Hints at Second-Gen Inspiron Duo Netvertible is a post by Chuong Nguyen from Notebooks.com.

The Toshiba NB505-N508 netbook is a new Intel Atom powered netbook with incredibly long battery life and a lovely green textured lid that won’t collect finger prints. Overall the $299 netbook is worth a look, but you may be hampered by the cramped keyboard.

Toshiba NB505 N508GN

Toshiba NB505 Quick Specs:

The Toshiba NB505 netbook we tested is powered by the Intel Atom N455 1.66Ghz processor, 1GB RAM and a 250GB 5400RPM hard drive. The netbook has WiFi, Ethernet and a webcam and microphone built into the bezel. The 10.1″ LED backlit display has a 1024×600 resolution that is par for the course with $300 netbooks.

Who is the Toshiba NB505 For?

The Toshiba NB505 is designed for students and home users looking for  portable computer or a second device. The long battery life makes it ideal for students to take to class or to take on a trip without worrying about running out of juice. The keyboard leaves something to be desired, so we’d suggest that anyone who wants to make this their primary computer invest in an external keyboard for use at home.

Toshiba NB505 Hands On Video:

Toshiba NB505 Build and Design:

The build of the Toshiba NB505 is decent, with a sturdy hinge and a nice overall feel, but the body could be a little firmer. With a bit of pressure on the edges, the middle of the NB505 flexed. This wasn’t an issue when it came to typing, but it did make us want to treat the NB505 with extra care.

The lid of the NB505 has a soft plastic feel and has dimples like you would find on a golfball. This delivers an eye catching look that is accentuated by the bright green color on our model.

The dotted design carries over to the palmrest area with a soft plastic feel that is nice for resting your hands on without getting sticky like some hard plastic finishes. Overall, the look and feel of the NB505 is nice, we only wish the nicer feel carried over to the keyboard which unfortunately feels a bit cheap.

Toshiba NB505 Features:

The NB505 is a fairly average netbook, but the look and all day battery life help set it apart in a crowded netbook arena. At 2.9 pounds it’s extremely portable and powerful enough to tackle your office and web surfing needs.

The inclusion of a memory card reader, webcam and VGA out are also pretty standard on netbooks these days, but round out the overall experience and allow you to make use of the NB505 on a desk with a collection of accessories.

Toshiba NB505 Display:

The Toshiba NB505 has a 10.1″ display with a 1024 x 600 resolution. It is LED backlit and has a glossy finish which limits the usefulness in harsh lighting, but it is not as glossy as some netbooks we have used. The resolution is a bit low for our tastes, but again is on par with $300 netbooks.

The viewing angles are pretty good, with a wide angle for side to side viewing that will allow you to share the small screen with another person. The colors quickly fade as you look at a vertical angle, but this isn’t an issue in most use cases. While the display doesn’t tilt all the way back, it is able to open up far enough that the viewing angle isn’t an issue.

Toshiba NB505 Keyboard and Touchpad:

The NB505 keyboard is a rather large disappointment thanks to the rather small keys and cramped placement. While many netbooks have switched over to the island or chiclet style, the NB505 continues to use the standard notebook keyboard which means that there are several sacrifices that come with this old style of keyboard including key placement, spacing and size.

The biggest issue is the small key size, which is compounded by poor spacing and a very plastic feel. The key placement is OK, but it becomes rather tedious to type for long periods on the NB505. The keyboard will suffice for mobile work, but you’ll definitely want an external keyboard while you are at home.

The mousepad on the NB505 is decent for a netbook with a rather wide mousing area and two hard, dedicated, mouse buttons that offer a nice tactile feel. The mousepad supports multitouch gestures and is one of the best we have used on a netbook. The two finger scrolling was incredibly responsive and unlike many Windows two finger scrolling experiences, rather smooth.

Toshiba NB505 Processor and Performance:

The Intel Atom N455 processor is powerful enough to handle web or office tasks and even handles local HD content and Netflix streaming. While other methods of HD video worked out well, the NB505 couldn’t handle Youtube HD videos.

If you plan to use the NB505 primarily for work, with a little bit of play mixed in, the NB505 has enough power, but don’t expect to edit video or photos on the NB505 or other heavy processor needs.

Toshiba NB505 Audio and Speakers

The audio is about what you would expect on a netbook with speakers built in below the palmrest, which is to say sufficient, but not mind blowing. While listening to music we found that the music was usually a bit muffled thanks to the speaker location and lacking any bass. It will suffice on the go, but even in your hotel room you’ll probably want headphones for watching a movie on Netflix.

Toshiba NB505 Heat and Noise

The Toshiba NB505 doesn’t get noticeably warm during normal usage and the noise is also not noticeable during standard web surfing. While watching Youtube videos, the base did get a little warm, but not warm enough to bother most users, unless you plan to watch 8 hours of Youtube videos everyday.

Toshiba NB505 Battery Life

The Toshiba NB505 comes with a 6-cell battery rated for over 8 hours of battery life. While the NB505 didn’t achieve 8 hours, it did reach 7 hours and 25 minutes which is an impressive feat. To test the NB505′s battery life, we ran a web browsing test that visited a collection of popular websites over and over with the screen set at 30% brightness, which is a bit darker than we would want, but still very usable when battery life was an issue.

Toshiba NB505 Connectivity:

Right: USB 2.0, USB 2.0

Left: Kensington, Power, Ethernet, Vent, VGA, USB 2.0, Mic, Heaphone

Front: SD card Slot

Rear: Battery

Toshiba NB505 Webcam:

The built in webcam ont eh ToshibaNB505 won’t win any awards, and isn’t spectacular in low light, but it will work for short chats with friends or family. Below, you can see a sample image taken in a well lit room with the NB505 webcam.

Toshiba NB505 Webcam Sample

Toshiba NB505 Software:

The Toshiba NB505 comes with a collection of Toshiba software that we like, such as the eco utility that helps you monitor energy use and get a longer battery life, and a collection of software that we don’t like.

Norton Internet Security constantly pestered us to update this or click that and agree to renew something or other which was absurd for a netbook which was just turned on. At the least there could have been a trial that lasted long enough for user to see if they wanted the tool. Next up was the Toshiba Bulletin Board software which alerts the user to various updates and system needs. Normally this software tool is OK, but we found it popping up much too often on our test machine.

The final straw, was the collection of various toolbars installed on Internet Explorer right out the box. The usable screen space was chopped dramatically by these extra toolbars which most users won’t know how to quickly remove. Thankfully, Google Chrome comes installed straight from Toshiba, but we wonder how many users will click on it first.

Toshiba NB505 Value:

At $300 the Toshiba NB505 isn’t the best value. While the notebook looks nice and has pretty much everything you would expect in a $300 netbook, the keyboard is disappointing. If you can look past the keyboard, and appreciate the long battery life and nice mousepad, this netbook might work for you, but there are other options you should consider.

Toshiba NB505 Conclusion:

The Toshiba NB505 is a netbook that does everything that you’d expect to do with a $300 netbook and the design, mousepad and battery life do deliver, but the poor keyboard is hard to overlook when the competition has done much better in this area.

Couple this with the fact that you can find a more powerful and arguably useful AMD Fusion powered notebook like the HP Pavilion dm1z for just $100 more and it’s tough out there for a netbook.

Bottom Line: The Toshiba NB505 has long battery life and a great mouse. If you can look past the keyboard and standard netbook limitations this dimpled darling might be a good fit for netbook buyers on a budget.

Pros:

• Wide Viewing Angles
• Great Mousepad
• Look and Feel
• Great Battery Life

Cons:

• Small Cramped Keyboard
• Crapware

Toshiba NB505 Gallery:

Toshiba NB505 N508 Detailed Specs:

• Intel Atom processor N455 1.66 GHz, 512KB L2 Cache
• Configured with 1GB DDR2 (works at 667MHz, max 2GB)
• 250GB (5400 RPM) Serial ATA hard disk drive
• 10.1″ diagonal widescreen TruBrite display at 1024 x 600 native resolution (WSVGA) with a 16:9 aspect ratio and LED backlight
• Genuine Windows 7 Starter 32-bit with a 6 cell/48Wh Lithium Ion battery pack
• Battery Life (measured by MobileMark 2007): 8 hours, 21 minutes
• 3 USB 2.0 ports and VGA connection
• Size (LWH): 7.48 inches, 10.3 inches, 1.4 inches
• Weight: 2.9 pounds

Toshiba NB505-N508 Review (Video) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The MacBook Air is the fastest growing Apple product, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz. Sales of the MacBook Air tripled from the same quarter the previous year. Possible reasons cited were the price cut and hardware improvements. But Moskowitz says newly refreshed form factor has ushered in a brand new category of device.

Moskowitz called it a quasi-tablet, saying:

“We believe the key attributes that distinguish the MacBook Air from standard notebooks and even tablets could help define a new category — ultra-portable devices for productivity users — within the PC market.”

The estimated growth of sales of the MacBook Air was 333% year over year. In that same time other MacBook computers saw a substantial 15.4% increase. Those are impressive numbers. In raw figures the MacBook Air saw 420,000 units shipped in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2010, up from only 98,000 the previous quarter of the same year. Revenues grew by 256.2% for the MacBook Air year over year (definition of year over year analysis).

Apple did a good job of refreshing the MacBook Air. We called it one of the best notebooks we’ve ever seen when we reviewed it at the time of its refresh last fall. Our headline stated that the Macbook Air was an “excellent mix of form and function.” It is a beautiful and incredibly enjoyable computer. But we still would not call this a new category of device. It is Apple’s ultra-portable. Some have said it was Apple’s netbook and that is easy to see why from the size and weight.

The reason one would not categorize the MacBook Air as a netbook is the price and performance. Typically netbooks are less than $400 and only marginally capable computers. Only the simplest of tasks are usually possible on a netbook. The MacBook Air is too expensive and too powerful to fit that category.

Trying to call it a tablet, even a quasi-tablet, is just silly. Tablets are a specific kind of device as well. They have a touch and/or inking interface, instant on speed, and, in their modern iteration run apps, not full-blown software. The MacBook Air meets only one of those requirements – it has an instant-on capability.

The MacBook Air is an ultra-portable notebook PC. It fulfills that role for users who want an extremely portable notebook, but don’t need all the storage of a regular laptop or desktop machine. They also are not expecting it to run power-hungry software, but do want it to run some of the same software they use on a desktop or larger laptop system. The MacBook Air is a secondary computer, like most netbooks, but it is not really a netbook either.

The reason we believe the MacBook Air jumped in sales is the cost made it affordable while the form made it exciting. Finally, the power made it more usable than the average netbook.

What the MacBook Air did do is give us a glimpse of the future of ultra-portables, a long establish category of machine. We are already seeing copycat devices like the Samsung Series 9. With the above sales numbers expect even more of them.

MacBook Air Sales Tripled, Called Quasi-Tablet is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.