PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Chinese laptop giant Lenovo has begun marketing a new netbook based on Intel’s brand new Cedar Trail Atom but New Technik noted that a YouTube video called the Ideapad S110 a ‘mini notebook’ rather than a netbook.
There had been some earlier speculation from the notebook supply chain gossips that Intel would move to kill off the Atom brand, given that it was associated with the netbook category which, some argued, was a brand tarnished by low performance expectations.
Intel appear to have scotched that idea that with the recent launch of a new range of 32nm Cedar Trail Atom processors but we could well imagine that Intel might suggest to partners that the ‘netbook’ term be retired.
The new Lenovo IdeaPad S110 features the lower end Atom N2600 with 1GB of RAM, 320GB hard drive and 10-inch screen described as HD. The latter point hopefully means it’s more than the horrific Windows-breaking 1024 x 600 and Lenovo’s YouTube video looks like it’s about 1280 x 720 to us. That’s HD isn’t it? Of a sort.
Add in USB 3.0, webcam and a variety of colours and the IdeaPad looks like a nice little number priced at around US$320.
Perhaps with the new Cedar Trail Atom, the bad rap of the netbook is a thing of the past. Not the least since Intel sacked themselves from providing the graphics and instead have turned to PowerVR for pixel-pushing duties. Not up to AMD’s Fusion, no doubt, but if you want 10 hours of battery life then Intel have you covered.
Oh yes, check out Lenovo’s little video tease of the S110 via the blatant demographic-fawning account of CC Marquee, the P-Rock journalist. Buy a Lenovo notebook and get to be one of the cool kids hanging out backstage with the stars! Ahem. At any rate, one wonders if this demographic is terribly aware of a netbook/mini notebook distinction?
We’re going to keep calling them netbooks anyway. People can change their minds you know?
