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We just got wind of some new information about Acer’s first Intel Atom N450 netbook, the Aspire One 532h. This 10.1″ computing machine has 1280×720 resolution, is powered by an Intel Atom N450 processor and Intel GMA3150 chipset (an upgraded version of the current Intel GMA950), and comes with 1 GB of RAM and either a 160 GB or 250 GB hard drive.

Other specs include Wi-Fi, a memory card reader, optional Bluetooh, three USB 2.0 ports, a D-sub connector, a webcam, and Windows 7 Starter Edition. There’s an option for either a 3-cell or 6-cell battery as well.

The base price for the Aspire One 532h netbook is €299 (or ~$441 USD), slightly more expensive than its predecessor, the Aspire One 531h, but as there’s nothing exceptional about Acer’s newest Intel Atom N450 netbook, if you have a netbook already, you need not worry too much about upgrading.

Via SemiAccurate.

Take a look at the Moneual MiNEW N20U netbook from Korea. Pretty stylish design, yeah, with the snow white casing and red highlights?

Otherwise, the netbook is pretty standard of its kind, featuring a 10.1″ screen display with 1024×576 resolution, a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1 GB of RAM, and either a 16 GB or 32 GB solid state drive. The N20U has 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi capabilities too.

Its weight is 950 grams and its dimensions measure 245.5mm x 165mm x 197mm. No details on pricing or availability have been released yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you posted.

Via GeekyGadgets.

The Acer Ferrari One netbook is finally available for purchase. Some specs of this fully-loaded 11.6″ netbook include:

• 1.2GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor
• AMD M780G chipset
• ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 graphics chipset
• High-definition widescreen display
• 250 GB hard drive
• Built-in optical drive
• Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth
• Optional WLAN
• Windows 7 Home Premium

The netbook’s weight falls roughly around 3.31 pounds and its height is about one inch.  To learn more, check out one of our previous articles.

You can get your very own Acer Ferrari One netbook with a 6-cell battery for a higher-than-average $599.99.

Via Engadget.

Smartphones come with pre-installed GPSes, so why shouldn’t netbooks? Onkyo Japan has addressed this gap in their newest tablet netbook, the NX707A4.

Onkyo’s 7-inch netbook (1024×600 resolution) is powered by a 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z520 processor and has an Intel US15W chipset, 1 GB of RAM, and an 80 GB hard drive. Other tech specs include 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, an ExpressCard/34 slot, SD/SDHC/MMC/Memory Stick Pro slots, two USB ports, and two webcams – a 3.0 megapixel one and a 0.3 megapixel one. The netbook will also be equipped with the Windows 7 OS and have a battery that’s good for 3 hours.

The NX707A4 netbook will start selling in Japan at the end of December for a price of $680, but Onkyo currently has no plans to release the netbook outside of the country. We’ll keep you posted on any new developments.

Via CrunchGear.

SugarLabs has released a new version of Sugar on a Stick. According to an announcement made at the Netbook World Summit in Paris, the new version of the software, nicknamed Blueberry, will include additional educational programs, simplified toolbars, and improved support for wireless networking and for EPUB-formatted e-books and Adobe Flash content.

SugarLabs has also announced that it will be partnering up with Nexcopy, a company in California that specializes in USB drive duplication, to get Blueberry onto used USB drives so the company can distribute them to schools.

Via XConomy.

Some interesting news has just been revealed from the Netbook World Summit in Paris. Samsung Notebook Product Manager, Jaewoo Seo has revealed that Samsung will be revealing their new lineup of Intel Pine Trail platform-based netbooks in January 2010. Surprise, surprise.

Many of the larger netbook manufacturers are already planning to show off their new Pine Trail-based netbooks in January at CES 2010. Samsung claims that their new netbooks will have a superthin design and have longer lasting batteries. Considering that Samsung already makes netbooks that excel in these categories, we can’t wait to see what the manufacturer has in store.

In addition, Samsung is rumored to show at least one netbook with a touchscreen display. Samsung’s new Pine Trail-based netbooks will feature an instant on OS, which will allow quick and easy access to the Internet and to selected software.

Via NetbookChoice.

So while the CrunchPad table netbook is history, the JooJoo web tablet project is full steam ahead, according to FusionGarage CEO Chandra Rathakrishnan. FusionGarage is moving forward with the project, as it is the sole owner of the IP and claims that it did all the work in the creation of such a tablet.

The actual device will be available this Friday, December 11, at http://www.thejoojoo.com, but unlike the original price of the CrunchPad, this 12.1″ computer will boast a $499 price tag instead.

The JooJoo’s OS is Unix-based and the web tablet will come with a 4 GB solid state drive and Wi-Fi capabilities. There is also supposedly “enough graphic power” for full high-def. video playback and the online time for wireless browsing is expected to be roughly five hours.

“JooJoo” is an African term for “magical,” but for $500, a web-based tablet with only Wi-Fi capabilities doesn’t sound so magical to me.

Via JKOnTheRun.

Ad-hoc network sharing wasn’t originally a function of the Windows 7 Starter Edition OS, but lo and behold, you can find such a feature by typing the right phrase into the Start Menu search — it doesn’t get much easier than that.

As the dialog that normally starts the ad-hoc networking process is disabled in the Windows 7 Starter Edition software, a simple search for adhoc is all it takes for you to start it up on your netbook. Viola! You’re now able to connect to other Wi-Fi enabled devices when your netbook has a network connection.

Of course this may not be as convenient as Virtual Wireless Networking, but hey, at least it works.

Via LifeHacker.

Two more versions of the MSI Wind netbook were recently spotted on the FCC’s website. The model numbers for these netbooks are MS-1241 and MS-1243. One model has an 11.6″ screen display while the other has a 12.1″ screen display and both are equipped with AMD processors. The MS-1243 netbook may actually be the MSI Wind U230 that is going through its final checkup before being confirmed for release.

Some other tech specs for the MSI Wind netbooks include b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G WAN, a multicard reader, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, HDMI out, and VGA out. A TV tuner will be optional. The OS is assumed to be Windows 7, as Windows XP is quickly being phased out. The overall weight for these netbooks will fall around 3 pounds.

Via NewNetbookReviews.

Lots of new technology and applications will be coming out in 2010. Intel, for one, will be jumping into the competition with an app store that will be exclusively for netbooks. In fact, it’ll come pre-installed. Of course the 50 million expected shipments of netbooks in addition to the release of the Intel Pine Trail Atom processor also provide an incentive for Intel to launch an app store.

Fortunately, the director of Intel’s Developer Network, Scott Apeland, says that “The Atom Developer Program doesn’t favor one OS over another, and at its core, the program is meant to facilitate development across multiple OSes… we plan to expand support to different run-time environments, including Adobe AIR and Microsoft Silverlight.”

Developers will be raking in the dough with this new rollout, getting 70% of revenues made, similar to the system in place for Apple. Launch dates for Intel’s new app store are currently up in the air, but no worries, we’ll keep you posted.

Via FierceCio.

The Hewlett-Packard Envy 13 laptop is the sleekest netbook killer ever — not considering its price. This HP powerhouse has a aluminum and magnesium frame, sculpted to perfection. It’s also only 0.8 inches thick and weighs a mere 3.74 pounds, which gives a new meaning to thin and light, especially for a notebook.

Some other tech specs of the 13.1″ HP Envy laptop include 1600×900 resolution, a 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 processor, and special “Beats” circuitry for superb audio performance. Furthermore, the HP Envy 13’s screen display quality/contrast is particularly awesome and is one of the best OLED panel options out there (for laptops, at least). And to top everything off, this laptop comes with a battery that’s rumored to last up to 16.25 hours. Wow.

Curious about the price for all this amazingness? Brace yourself… $1,699.99 straight from HP. Ouchie.

Via DVice.

Measuring 4 in. x 4.5 in. x 1.05 in., the CompuLab fit-PC2i nettop is no doubt a tiny machine. In fact, it’s rumored to be the world’s smallest dual gigabit ethernet-equipped PC.

Other tech specs of the CompuLab nettop include a (11.GHz to 2GHz) Intel Atom Z5xx processor, up to 2 GB of DDR2 RAM, room for a 2.5 in. hard drive, Wi-Fi, 4 USB 2.0 ports, audio in/out, and Windows 7 (optional). The nettop also has a 100% aluminum die-cast body and at full load only consumes 8 watts of power.

Interested? Unfortunately, you’ll have a bit of a wait. The nettop ships in January 2010.

Via Engadget.

Viruses. For the average computer junkie who’s constantly surfing the web, they’re inevitable. That’s why we’re giving you three great ways to help protect your netbook from settling in harm’s way.

1. Immunet Protect

Immunet Protect is a cloud-powered application, so unlike many virus prevention and detection software, there are no definition downloads necessary. The application’s still in the early stages of development, so the interface is not the best, but Immunet is fully capable of performing its intended duty. The application is light on the resources (uses < 5 MB of memory), particularly CPU power. There are also slide-out alerts indicating whether or not sources are “trusted.”

2. Microsoft Security Essentials

Like traditional anti-virus applications, Microsoft Security Essentials requires definition downloads in order to be fully functional (updated). On the bright side, the scans are fairly quick, can be scheduled, and are expected to detect ~98.5% of malicious files. Unfortunately though, there is no heuristics-based protection for this application. On the Windows 7 OS, this application is pretty light, but it’s not so light on Windows XP.

3. Panda Cloud Antivirus

The first cloud-powered antivirus program in existance, Panda is another great netbook anti-virus application. Like Microsoft Security Essentials, scans are fast, and like Immunet Protect, CPU power usage (~ 8 MB) and the memory footprint created is minimal. This application even protects when it’s disconnected from the Cloud, thanks to a local cache of Panda’s signature files.

Know of any more anti-virus software out there that’s great for use on netbooks? Let us know — we’d love to hear about them!

Just today, Intel released a software developer’s kit for netbook applications. The kit includes tools that are compatible with netbook’s Intel Atom processors. More specifically, Intel claims that the new SDK beta kit will allow computer programmers and developers to create applications that are customized for netbooks and that will be able to be sold as retail products.

The new SDK beta kit will be based on C++ and Mobilin programming languages and will be able to be used on desktop and mobile versions of the Windows OS as well. If you’re interested, click here to download the software from Intel’s website.

In fact, if you’re up for a competition or even a chance to show off some of your mad programming skills, Intel’s hosting a Developer Challenge for developers to submit their newly created applications.

Via Examiner.

The ASUS Eee PC 1008HA netbook had its pitfalls, but no matter! It’s successor, the ASUS Eee PC 1008P or Seashell 2, will soon be in town. This newer netbook model will feature upgrades to the hardware and design of the previous model. For starters, the 1008P netbook will include a slide-out battery and the oh-so-popular chiclet-style keyboard.

In terms of hardware, the ASUS Eee PC 1008P netbook will pack a 1.8GHz Intel Atom N450 CPU, which will give the netbook better graphics capabilities. In addition, the ASUS Eee PC 1008P will also run Windows 7 out of the box and feature a new VGA adapter that connects via mini-USB — camouflaging itself on the underside of the netbook.

Other than that, the Seashell 2 will pretty much be similar to the original. (You can check out the original’s specs here.) If you’re interested in learning more, check out the CES in January 2010.

Via Geek.

Various rumors have been flying around about the CrunchPad tablet netbook, but here’s some shocking news.

TechCrunch founder, Michael Arrington, had been working together with a small group on creating a tablet netbook device nicknamed the CrunchPad. It was a device that was designed mainly to surf the web and have little local storage space. It was even starting to look more and more like a netbook the further it got into production.

Unfortunately, the company that Arrington partnered with to produce the CrunchPad tablet netbook got into a quarrel with Arrington. The latest word on the street is that Arrington said the company planned on kicking him off the CrunchPad project and selling the device under a different name. And so that put an end to the partnership.

No details are set in stone yet, but we’ll keep you posted on any developments we hear about.

Via TechCrunch.

There hasn’t been much news in North America about Medion netbooks, but they’re a pretty hot commodity in Europe. The company has just released their latest netbook, the Akoya Mini E1217, on their website.

This sweet looking netbook is pretty standard of its species, with a 10.1″ screen display, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1 GB of DDR2 RAM, and a 160 GB SATA hard drive. It also has an 802.11 N-capable Wi-Fi adapter, Bluetooth, and the Windows 7 Starter OS.

The Medion Akoya Mini E1217 netbook boasts a price tag of 329€ (nearly $500 USD), a bit on the high-end, if you ask me.

Yep, that’s right. The sleek prototype of a tablet/netbook device is experiencing higher-than-expected production costs and repeated delays, which are rumored to lead to its demise. Earlier, this year, Michael Arrington had said the CrunchPad tablet netbook would be ready for sure by the end of this year, but sadly, the device’s release deadlines have already been passed multiple times. Last we heard, it was supposed to be available in late July or early August.

The proposed price of the CrunchPad tablet netbook had originally been rumored to range from $200 to $400, but seems like the feasibility of the product is coming to an end. Perhaps there’ll be more luck with Apple’s rumored tablet netbook device. Either way, it doesn’t keep the CrunchPad from being named to Popular Mechanics’ 10 most brilliant products of 2009 list.

Via Wired.

Claiming that it’s this year’s “showpiece” of the netbook world, MSI has recently introduced the Wind12 U230 netbook. Not unjustly named the “showpiece” of the year, this masterpiece of a netbook features a dual-core CPU, an integrated ATI Radeon HD3200 GPU, and the capacity for 4 GB of RAM and a 320 GB hard drive. The Wind12 netbook also has an HDMI output port, Ethernet, and three USB ports, and ships with Windows 7 Home Premium. Might as well call it a laptop, no?

MSI has also expanded the surface of the keyboard to cater to users’ needs of comfort. Overall, the Wind12 netbook weighs roughly 1.3 kg, including a 3-cell battery that holds about four hours of juice. Overall, not bad specs compared to other netbooks, considering its performance capabilities.

Via TechSpot.