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Mobility is key in the netbook world, and manufacturers are always racing to pack the most punch into the smallest space, provided they can do so at a price amenable to consumers. New technology has a huge impact on netbook makers’ ability to do just that, and the new SkyCross iMAT antenna is the next logical step in netbook improvement.

The Skycross iMAT antenna is meant to combine multiple functions into one device – an antenna that supports simultaneous Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection. By providing 35 dB of isolation between Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals, the new antenna will allow netbook users to access both without interference.

By cutting out the need for Wi-Fi cards and Bluetooth models, some netbooks implementing the SkyCross iMAT antenna will have room for accessories like 3G cards or flash memory.

Via I4U.

What would you do with your 6-cell netbook if you could leave it on for 36 hours at a time? It sounds pretty insane, but JKOnTheRun has unearthed information about some very realistic ionic battery advances from one Arizona State research team.

Batteries haven’t gotten a technology boost in ages, but in a time where mobility is key to much of the consumer electronics sector, upping the juice could have a tremendous effect. While netbooks have been taking massive strides into the developing world, for example, it’s still not economical to take a laptop or netbook on trips where reliable power outlets are few and far between.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The technology is currently directed at cranking battery life in electric vehicles, but it’s only a matter of time before the technology shrinks down to PC level. In the words of JKOnTheRun’s Kevin Tofel:

“Some quick math using the project’s median target shows why I’m hoping this comes to pass. If a 1 kilogram / 35.5 ounce ionic battery can hold 1250 Whr of juice, that’s about 125 Whr per 0.1 kilograms / 3.5 ounces. That works out to an energy density of 35.7 Whr per ounce of battery weight. The battery of my Toshiba NB205 battery weighs 11 ounces, so an ionic battery of similar weight could offer 392 Whr as opposed to the 63 Whr my current battery offers. I’m all for more efficient electric cars, but the ability to run my netbook for nearly a week of work time is pretty appealing too.”

Be sure to check out TechnologyReview’s focus on the technology itself here.

It can be a bit annoying to deal with Wi-Fi issues, which definitely put a damper on your netbook experience if you’re just trying to check something online or print a document at a friend’s house. Wi-Fi currently requires Wi-Fi devices to connect to each other through the medium of a home network, making them far less efficient than Bluetooth.

Thankfully, the Wi-Fi Alliance has taken the hint and introduced the all new Wi-Fi Direct.

The idea is to slim down the connecting process by eliminating one leg. It would allow wireless devices to connect to each other directly without joining a network – just connect your netbook to the printer and print. The applications of this are quite interesting to think about -  playing music on Wi-Fi speakers though they’re on a different network, for example. Wi-Fi direct will make things faster and easier, which is the whole point of netbooks.

The new specification should be available by mid-2010.

Via I4U.

Chip maker Broadcom, known for its communication technologies, recently launched their new tool for enabling HD video on netbooks – the Broadcom Crystal HD Enhanced Media Accelerator.

The company may have also licensed ARM Cortex A9 multicore processor technology in order to implement the Media Accelerator. If their chips are widely implemented in netbooks or MIDs the results could be devices with stronger, cheaper media capabilities.

The fact that the Broadcom Enhanced Media Accelerator is based on ARM architecture means we can also expect it to use less energy than products from Intel, VIA, or AMD. However, most major Windows OSes won’t work on ARM devices.

The Intel Developer Forum this Monday will introduce a new SATA interface, designed to standardize solid-state storage components to be used in netbooks and notebooks.

The new interface will be called the mini-SATA )or m-SATA) and use IDF as a platform. It will be the smallest connector ever for SATA, and will be similar in part to those currently used in desktop hard drives to connect to the rest of the computer.

Netbooks and laptops have made quite a bit of use of SATA SSDs, as they are smaller and more efficient than hard disk drives. Most SSDs fit a 2.5-inch or 1.8-inch form factor. However, smaller modules can be used by some smaller devices. This created a need for mSATA, which will ship a standard setup in order to reduce drive costs.

Knut Grimsrud of the SATA International Organization explained that the interface are specified for 32 GB and 64 GB chips, supporting transfer rates between 1.5 and 3 GB/s. This could mean SSDs will finally be cheaper for netbooks.

Via PCWorld.