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HP is giving the Mini 1000 netbook a flashy redesign, as if it really needed one. It’s an attractive netbook to start with, but we must admit that the lack of a VGA-out port and the slow hard drive were definite downsides.

The netbook manufacturer is hoping to amend those issues with the HP Mini 110 and 1101, which incorporate VGA alongside bigger, faster HDDs. Additionally, we’re going to get new designs, a Broadcom HD decoder chip, and Syncable software.

The 10-inch LED widescreen and 92% keyboard are going to stay, but the HDD is getting bumped up 1200 rpm and 80 GB to a 5400 rpm, 160 GB version. Thankfully it comes with a 6-cell option, which is much more viable than the 3-cell.

How about those designs? PCWorld had a few things to say:

“Since HP is widely reputed for its signature imprint designs, the [Mini 110] will have several new ones: the Pink Chic and White Swirl versions are expected to be available in the United States on July 8, via hpdirect.com. A Black Swirl option will be available even sooner, beginning June 10.”

The Mini 110 comes in XP Home ($329) or the HP Linux OS ($279). The new Broadcom HD decoder will encompass both 720p and 1080p HD video.

Via PCWorld.

A recent leak by Verizon is suggesting that the cellular provider is thinking of subsidizing HP Mini 1000 netbooks for its 3G mobile broadband plans in the near future.

The document in question is an employee training manual which features the Mini 1000 netbook in a variety of upcoming plans. The netbook, which has a massive keyboard, 10.1-inch display and 80 GB HDD, runs XP and has a traditional 1.6 GHz processor.

This is as much info on the leak as we have for the time being, but check back soon for updates.

Via CheapLaptops.

The birth of netbooks was an entirely pragmatic one – cheap Linux devices, meant for pure mobility and efficiency. Since their birth, however, they’ve gone through all kinds of transformations, and people are starting to have a lot of fun with them.

That’s exactly what NY fashion designer Vivienne Tam has tried to do, decking out the HP Mini 1000 netbook with her trademark style. Take note, manufacturers: red netbooks look good. Take a look:

The HP Mini 1000 netbook underneath the flashy veneer is the same as always – a 10.1″, 1.6 GHz, 60GB HDD, 1 GB DDR2 machine running Windows XP Home with a 3-cell battery.

The top cover has flowers in eight shades, with “a vibrant design of peony blooms that signify good fortune and prosperity.”

Inexplicably the new Vivienne Tam edition of the netbook comes with a hand strap for… we’re not quite sure. I hardly think anyone wants a few pounds of computing machine dangling from his or her wrist like a camera.

The keyboard looks amazing too. The contrast between the lettering and the keys isn’t fantastic, but for most people it shouldn’t be an issue. The new keys don’t have a matte finish like the original version, however.

You do have to add a hefty $245 to the price for the designer name, but that’s what fashion’s all about, isn’t it?  If you’ve got the cash for it the HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition will look great under your fingertips, and we can’t complain about that.

If your wallet really needs emptying, consider investing in a 6-cell battery for your netbook as well.

Via TheGadgeteer.

If there’s a plan in motion to make Linux netbookers everywhere HP addicts, this is it. Hewlett Packard has released a customized version of Ubuntu Linux developed specifically for the HP Mini 1000 netbook, and it’s got some tricks in the bag you’ll definitely want to check out.

The new OS is based on Ubuntu Hardy Heron and manages to run pretty much anything Ubuntu does. It specifically comes preloaded with Firefox, Thunderbird, Pidgin, OpenOffice.org.

HP’s new 6-cell battery for the HP Mini 1000 was a welcome enough development on its own, but combined with the famously-efficient Ubuntu Linux? That’s a force to reckon with.

While it is based on the Ubuntu GUI, the new customization doesn’t look that much like Linux. ZDNet found a quote from Brad Linder of DownloadSquad as follows:

“If you click the Start New Program button, a program launcher will open that separates your applications into Internet, Media, Utilities, Work, Play, and All tabs. The settings manager shows you everything you’d find in the typical Ubuntu settings screens, but it’s arranged in a new way that makes it easier to find what you’re looking for with fewer clicks.

HP has also added a custom media player called HP MediaStyle that resembles Apple’s FrontRow.”

But how much will the new HP version of Linux affect your netbook? According to Linder, the idea is to make “basic tasks basic” but keep the do-it-yourself style that characterizes the OS: “experienced Linux users can always fire up a terminal window by hitting Alt+F2 and entering ‘gnome-terminal.’ ”

HP will be preloading their version of Linux inside a bunch of new netbooks made by the company. Interestingly enough, HP is also planning to put a utility on its site in the near future, allowing you to “create a system restore USB flash disk from Windows.” Here’s some advice:

“You can already create one if you’re running Linux. You can use this utility to either restore a Mi Edition netbook to factory default settings or to turn a Windows XP HP Mini 1000  into a Mi Edition device. I would not advise anyone to try using this install disk on unsupported hardware as you’ll probably end up with an operating system that doesn’t support your WiFi card or other hardware.

It’s not clear whether HP plans to offer the software for non-netbooks. But if you want to try adding installing the user interface over a normal Ubuntu installation, you can try adding the HP repositories and using the Synaptic package manager to install a package called glassy-bleu-theme.”

By focusing its attention on Linux-loving consumers in such a specific way, HP is likely to build up a nice base of supporters of its customizing ways. Linux has been used to great as a primary netbook OS in the past, and its affect on the mainstream OS market is undeniable. This new development shows that, at least for now, Linux is staying big.

Via ZDNet.

A new product recently appeared in the annals of the HP Parts Store, and the quick eyes of PortableMonkey caught it for what it was: a new 6-cell netbook battery for the HP Mini 1000.

The battery hasn’t been officially announced yet, but it turns out its specs are 2.4Ah and 53 Wh. It’s in stock and available for order at an immense $153.90, plus shipping and handling. Yikes.

It may not be cheap, considering that the HP Mini 1000 netbook group starts at just over $300. Of course, double the battery life is an enticing prospect. If you’ve got the cash, it’s worth it.

Of course we also aren’t figuring in the bulk the battery might add – consider the hilariously massive 10-cell battery for the ASUS Eee PC.

You can’t get the product directly from the products page, however. If you seriously want this for your netbook, go here, choose where you’re from, and search for product code 517581-001.

Also, if you really like the HP Mini-1000 netbook, be sure to check out the mobile broadband netbook deal we covered a while back.

Nice find!

Via PortableMonkey.

The HP Mini 1000 has been getting a lot of hype recently, but that doesn’t mean HP is backing off. It has returned to its original netbook series, the Mini-Note 2100, and has delivered a new one: the HP Mini-Note 2140. And if we may professionally say so, it looks extremely cool.

The new netbook has dropped the VIA C7-M processor of previous machines and replaced it with the now-standard 1.6 GHz Intel Atom. It is supposedly being developed for businesses, and has a HDD which can encompass 80 or 160 GB of space.

It has a 10-inch screen with some strange resolutions – 1366 x 768 or 1024 x 567. It’s keeping the ExpressCard slot, and on most counts, the HP Mini-Note 2140 stays the same as its predecessors.

The new netbook will start at $499 with choices of XP Home or Pro, SuSe Linux, FreeDOS, Windows Vista Home or Premium. It’s a great improvement over the Mini 1000 so it should do well on the market.

Following HP’s $40 price cut on their Mini 1000 last week, Lenovo has recently reduced the price of its IdeaPad S10 netbook by $50. While Lenovo still trails HP’s 5% share of the netbook market with a mere .7% share, they are working hard to increase that market share by being as competitive as possible in terms of price. Will that ultimately help them overcome HP? Only time will tell.

via jkOnTheRun

This just in – HP has announced that its Mini 1000 netbook, its stylish new addition to the netbook market, can now be augmented with mobile broadband provided by AT&T or Verizon. We were pretty excited about the Mini 1000 in our December 2nd article, and this news is only making us happier.

3G has been rearing its head on new devices since it was included on Apple’s recent iPhone update. The massive sales of the new iPhone showed that, for those on the go, Internet that doesn’t require Wi-Fi is immensely useful. HP is surely hoping to cash in on that preference.

However, HP’s deal is a bit pricey. The 3G option will cost an additional $199, which makes me wince, but that figure doesn’t include some subsidies from the carriers. The other downside is that, for some reason, you can’t get both SSD and 3G loaded in your netbook. The Mini 1000 with WWAN forces you to use the HDD.

The cost is the only obvious downside, but don’t sigh and turn away just yet – another announcement from HP may put the bounce back in your step.

The HP is also due for a price cut! You can now get a new HP Mini 1000 for $40 less than the original price of $399. While it’s still not the cheapest on the market, the $359 HP Mini is a great bet. It sports an 8.9″ screen, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom, 1 GB RAM, 8 GB of space, a 3-cell battery and XP.

The new addition to the Hewlett-Packard netbook family is called the Mini 1000, an attractive new netbook with some solid specs to boot. While comparisons to HP’s 2133 Mini-Note may be easy to pick out, there are also some huge differences. If you don’t like the changes to the HP formula an updated 2133 is expected in early February, so don’t despair.

The Mini 1000 will keep most of the 2133’s hallmarks – the aluminum exterior, spill- and wear-resistant keyboard, ExpressCard capability, and a shock-protected hard drive with an option to take a SSD instead. The tough little netbook has an 10.2″ screen, and has upgraded from the previous Via C-7M chip to the Intel Atom netbook chip.

Aside from these perks, the Mini 1000 runs the familiar setup: 1.6GHz N270 processor, 1GB of RAM and Windows XP. However, for those so inclined, an Ubuntu Linux version is on the way for the end of January. Another change is that the HDD has shrunk to a tiny 80 GB instead of the now-standard 160 GB.

The keyboard is a welcome alternative to those currently available – it works fantastically well and offers some gently curved keys to appeal to your fingertips. HP is known for its excellent keyboards, and this one is no exception – it is 92% the size of a regular keyboard and extremely easy to use. To those turned off by the tiny keyboards of some of the earlier Eee PCs or Dell netbooks, the HP Mini 1000 will be a popular choice.

With its $399 price tag (which can go as high as 899 with all kinds of upgrades), the Mini 1000 has a lot to offer consumers at a decent price. It looks amazing, and the keyboard is particularly excellent, but there are a few downsides. Nevertheless, it should be a hardy competitor to the 10.2″ ASUS Eee PC 1000H or Lenovo IdeaPad, which are in the same price range and power category.