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Netbooks are renowned for their maneuverability; but not so much for battery life. Pixel Qi, an American brand company that manufactures energy efficient computer displays technology, may be destined to make a change. Mary Lou Jepsen, the founder of Pixel Qi, announced last Sunday that the company will begin offering display screens specially designed for netbooks.

These new displays function by utilizing traditional LCD’s, but become power efficient by being able to turn off the backlight and switch to a low-power mode. As a result, the power consumption can be reduced up to 75%. Another useful feature is how the screens are designed to reduce glare and maintain readability on screen in bright outdoor conditions.

Some people may be deterred by this product due to the need for manual labor in switching the screens. However, the operation is simple enough a 5-year-old could do it, and not even the most brilliant 5-year old either. According to Jepsen, “One of the reasons I’m personally committed to doing this goes back to my One Laptop per Child experience and girls in a poor rural part of Nigeria… An 11 year old girl decided to open a laptop hospital [and] she eventually recruited girls as young as 5 to help out in the hospital. This group of girls armed with screwdrivers starting taking apart the laptops and reseating the cables. Sometimes they’d change out a screen, or a speaker.”

If battery life and readability increases are important to you, definitely look into Pixel Qi.

Via ZDnet.

One aspect that netbooks and laptops are consistently inferior to desktop computers in is within the sound department. Due to the countless high-tech external speakers for desktop computers on the market today, the weaker internal speakers on the majority of netbooks seem insignificant in comparison.

But earlier today, Logitech released the external laptop speaker Z205. This new speaker model boasts an internal sound card and stereo speakers to augment quality of sound as well as projection. The slim efficient design is meant to sustain portability in the netbook and is meant to be simply inserted in a USB port and docked right above the netbook’s screen.

Whether you strive for a more immersive experience in gaming, less sound distortion in YouTube videos, or simply more thorough enjoyment when casually listening to music, Logitech’s laptop speaker Z205 will surely help get the job done. If you’re looking to boost your audio experience on your netbook, Z205 speakers should be a primary option.

Models are sold at a sensible $39.99 and should be available for sale in the next couple days.

Via EverythingUSB

Just recently, a laptop in a hospital located in Gainesville, Florida, with personal information of over 12,500 patients was stolen. Names, addresses, medical records, and even social security numbers are all lost to an unidentified criminal.

Portability is what makes laptops and netbooks so efficient and attractive for consumers; however, this convenience factor can also create a pronounced disadvantage: lack of security. Although it is currently impossible to protect against the physical threat of laptop/netbook theft, we can protect the device’s data.

Check Point Software Technologies has just launched a software called ZoneAlarm DataLock to protect against netbook thieves. The newly released software is designed to encrypt data and requires a username and password to access any files. As a result, when one’s device is stolen, the thief will not be able to access any data.

Zone Alarm is usually sold for $29.95, but can be bought from the ZoneAlarm Website for an introductory cost of $19.95. And with over 60 million computers already utilizing its security benefits, Zone Alarm rivals other major security software manufacturers such as McAfee or Symantec.

Via VentureBeat.

The iPhone was the device that made multitouch mainstream and popular, and now, three years later, multitouch is ubiquitous in our world, seen in the Droid, the iPad, and now the common keyboard. Microsoft’s Sidewinder X4  uses an array of resistive touch sensors instead of the traditional switch system.

The old switch system had limitations in that after a certain number of keys were pushed down at once, the keyboard controller can’t detect which keys are pressed, which doesn’t exactly seem like a big limitation except for CAD users and hard-core gamers. The Sidewinder’s resistive touch sensors can detect which order they were pressed in which would allow much longer finger combinations. In other words, spell chaining in WoW just got much more interesting.

Via ZDNet

This isn’t exactly a traditional article for a site that claims to write about netbooks, but considering the primary functions of netbooks – portability, accessibility, and convenience – I thought it would be worth writing about. If the number of computers you own is greater than one, read on.

Dropbox is one of many services that allow you to store your information online, a feat called cloud storage, which constitutes anything from that place you store those pictures of sexy wome – ahem – tax documents you don’t want your wife or kids finding, to essentially becoming the online equivalent of your backup drive. Dropbox is also available for smartphones – a special, mobile-optimized version for Blackberries and an app for iPhones, though this isn’t the first cloud app by Apple.

Where Dropbox rises head and shoulders above the crowd, though, is that while the actual storage is located or some remote server in a building somewhere, it’s also located as a physical folder on every machine that you’ve installed Dropbox on. A file dragged into this folder on one computer instantaneously exists not only on the cloud folder but also every other machine you have logged into Dropbox.

This is incredibly useful. Why? Start a paper on your desktop in the morning, continue on your netbook on the train, write the conclusion on your computer at work and finish editing on the train back. This is the future at work here, people.

Via Suntimes.com and TechCrunch

People might have thought Acer, the new rebellious teen on the block and netbook powerhouse, would have come out full throttle into this tsunami of tablet products.  Instead, however, they plan to go against the tide, refusing to take part in the tablet war.  Acer’s champion of choice will instead be the ultra-thin laptop, a form factor that has never truly realized its full potential.

Acer Taiwan’s President Scott Lin simply retorted to Digitimes that, while there would be no difficulty in developing such a tablet, it simply has no place in the Acer business model.  He estimated that 20-30% of their business this year would come from ultra-thin laptops, a surprisingly large statistic for what has remained a niche market for so long. This is indeed a peculiar and unique announcement, given the current climate where the public’s attention is fawning over tablets.

He also mentioned models thinner than 2 cm (0.7 inches) coming out this year.  Most likely, some of those fabled Chrome OS netbooks will be tossed into this mix.  Whether or not they will be ready to compete with the tablets will be seen in due time.

Via Engadget

Everyone’s looking for mobility in new gadgets, but there’s one frontier few manufacturers have sought to expand – the path to the dark side.

Sometimes you just have to take things into your own hands, and that’s just what some hackers at HackADay have done. By adding an LED light into the lid of the netbook, the keys will be illuminated for a very low cost.

While USB powered reading lights accomplish the same thing, hacker Vikash didn’t want to carry around another device to light up his machine – a Dell Vostro, or Dell Mini 9.

To get this one done, you need to hook up the LED to the Ctrl key with a small programmable chip, controlling the LED light independently of the OS. He’s got the code for that, if you want to go all out.

Check it out here.

Image via HackADay.

CaseCrown’s soft suede netbook sleeve is a classy but functional piece that’s will complement any 10-12 inch netbook on the market today. It has a faux-suede exterior and a bright orange nylon interior lining, which adds a bit of energy to the setup.

The CaseCrown netbook sleeve has an exterior zipped pocket, ideal for accessory storage and transport. It comes with a detachable shoulder strap, so you can travel light with just your netbook or stow it in your backpack or briefcase when you have more to lug around.

The 7mm thick lightweight padding on the inside will protect your netbook from light knocks and falls, and the non-scratch zipper will ensure that your machine remains pristine.

You can get this piece of art from Gearzap for only £19.47 ($31.50) with a 12-month warranty.

Most student netbook users probably drop cash on Microsoft Office or go for OpenOffice for notetaking purposes. However, the new PerfectNotes software may prove to be a superior solution.

Rachel Rehm, VP of PerfectNotes Corp., says that PerfectNotes will fill a void for netbook users:

“Netbook computers are popular because of their low price and small size, but they are short on software that can run on them. As they come, netbooks are really only practical for surfing the Web. When I got my netbook, I was delighted at the size, but there wasn’t much I could do with it. After installing PerfectNotes® note taking software, it became much more useful. Now I take it with me wherever I need to take notes.”

PerfectNotes has a sound recording mechanism that uses “a unique way of cross linking a real-time sound recording with a visual timeline of the class,” showing when in a recording you took your notes. Students can bookmark moments in a recording for instant review later, allowing for a more engaged review when students need it most.

You can download a free demo of PerfectNotes at www.perfectnotes.com and convert to the full version for only $30.

Via PRWeb.

If you’re looking for a way to personalize your netbook – or just about any other accessory, for that matter – MusicSkin’s new customizing tool could have you scrambling for your wallet.

MusicSkins offers vinyl protective coverings for all kinds of electronic devices, as displayed below. iPods, netbooks, notebooks, electric guitars, eBook speakers, you name it – with the clever MusicSkins online toolkit, you can upload an image and customize your own vinyl covering to give your device a bit of personality.

The scratch-resistant skins attach with air-release adhesive and remove without a sticky mess. Can you really ask for more?

Via BostonHerald.

7 millimeters. That’s the height of Seagate’s newest ultra-thin netbook hard drives that they’ll be revealing next month at CES 2010. At this height, Seagate’s hard drives would take up 25% less volume than other netbook drives that are currently in production, which may allow netbook manufacturers to make even smaller netbooks in the future.

The capacity of Seagate’s new ultra-thin netbook hard drives is currently unknown, but the drives are rumored to be part of the Momentus Thin Series of hard drives. Price points are also currently unknown, as while the price of the drives is rumored to be relatively lower than that of standard hard drives, because they’re ultra-thin, netbook makers could also jack up the final retail price of their netbooks.

Via GadgetVenue.

Overheating can be a major problem when using laptops in places other than a hard surface like your desk.  Improper ventilation is dangerous as it can cause the device to unhealthily overheat and possibly short circuit. This problem is worst while using your laptop from places such as the comfort of your bed. Who doesn’t enjoy unwinding with a pillow behind their head and laptop in tow to watch a favorite flick?

This is where AViiQ’s laptop stand comes to the rescue. The stand not only prevents your laptop from overheating, but is also incredibly portable. The stand is constructed of aluminum with plastic connecting panels, allowing for the panels to fold over one another, which permits the stand to fold up conveniently for storage.

The only setback for this convenient accessory is the price tag: a hefty $80.

Via Wired.

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.

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.

Laptop and netbook cases are incredibly important if you decide you really want to get the most out of your mobile device. However, they tend to be pretty similar, so if you want something really special you’ve got to look for outstanding features that set your case apart.

Everki wants its Camber netbook case to do just that. It isn’t flashier or more durable than other cases, but comes instead with the ability to double as a lap desk with an angled lid, as pictured below.

While the idea is interesting, I forsee heat issues for laptops and netbooks sitting on an Everki Camber case. Many laptops vent heat out the bottom, and covering the bottom with your case could cause your machine to overheat. Some machines won’t be subject to this, however – check out the design of your machine to make sure.

This particular bag is for netbooks of up to 10-inches, and can be converted between briefcase and sling modes. You can get it now for $49.99.

Via SlipperyBrick.

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.

It’s good not to be too stressed – you live longer and your life is probably better, too. You may think you’ve got your stress levels in order, but the second you drop your new netbook on a hard surface that Zen attitude is going out the door.

What’s to be done? Just be easy – or ‘be.ez‘, a French manufacturer whose new memory foam LArobe netbook cases take the pain out of losing your grip on your netbook. The new Low Resilience Polyurethane works on a slow-depression, slow-return principle, conforming to the shape of your netbook and protecting it from light falls.

The pictured case is 11.6″, perfect for netbooks at or below that size. Its minimalist design features only the memory foam, an inner lip to prevent scratches from the zipper, and the zipper.

Check out the features below:

Key Features
- Low Resilience Polyurethane (LRPu) Technology
- Robe protection Thickness 5mm
- Trendy, Unique Design
- Inner Lip for maximum protection
- Double zipper with lockable metal pullers
- Standalone or in your bag
- No more Scratches for your Notebook

And that’s how it’s done – get over to Gearzap.com now and get yours for only £18.95 ($31). They’ve got all kinds of colors, so shop around!

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.