The new Litl is basically a web-based netbook designed to work entirely on the web, allowing users to access prominent online applications like Flickr and Google Docs. The gadget, manufactured in China, enjoys the support of a minimalist-oriented marketing and design strategy. The design of the actual unit itself is special, especially as the display hinge flexibility allows the Litl to turn into a dynamic picture frame of sorts, showing pictures, weather forecasts, and of course the time. The emphasis on usability and simplicity looks promising.

Users cannot directly install applications on Litl; updates are streamed automatically via WiFi. There’s also …read more

Looking for a netbook to buy for my girlfriend—she always talked about getting a laptop to work at home, but was too timid financially to walk the walk—I found a vendor selling an MSI Wind U210 for around $485. That’s more expensive than NewEgg’s price of $430, but the extra cash was well-spent on a 9-cell battery. Here’s what I did before handing the netbook over to my girlfriend:
Took Pictures
Here are some pictures of the MSI Wind U210, featuring the netbook in various angles. Click on a thumbnail to see a large-size version of the picture:
Used Ninite
Ninite, if you recall, …read more

So the cat’s finally out of the bag: the Nokia Booklet 3G will cost 575 euros (around $820), as announced in Nokia World.
That’s a bit pricey in my opinion. Sure, the 12-hour battery life and two-centimeter thickness of the gadget justify this price somewhat, but not entirely. For a 10.1″ netbook, nothing probably beats Nokia’s offerings in terms of specs, integrated extras (like HDMI), and battery capacity, but there are surely equally portable offerings that also include a built-in USIM slot.
What do you think? Personally, I’d rather spend my hard-earned money on something slightly more bulky, but significantly more powerful. …read more

It’s true that technology has created new needs for us, which are ultimately not really vital to our existence. Laptops and desktops have made internet access “important” for a lot of people, but they won’t literally die if they can’t go online, right?
Still, the necessity that gadgets create in our lives is still very significant. We use them to work, avoid boredom, socialize with others, collaborate, and a whole lot more—in ways that are constantly changing.
That’s why these essentials also change, based on our changing sentiments. My laptop used to be a frequent companion, letting me work practically anywhere with …read more

Over at Gadzooki, I share five reasons why I’m excited about the Nokia Booklet 3G, the Windows 7 netbook announced yesterday by the dominant mobile company. Now that my initial excitement has worn off, here are four thoughts from my inner late-blooming skeptic:

Specs: Too Good to be True?
12 hours of battery life is awesome! But Nokia has learned to play the battery overestimation game? Will actual battery life be more like 3 hours, as the Booklet’s various connectivity features are generously used?
N-Gage Part Deux?
N-Gage was Nokia’s attempt to enter the portable gaming market through hardware. Will the Booklet 3G become …read more

True or false?

Or say the folks over at Lenovo. In any case, fans of the original Lenovo IdeaPad S10 netbook might be interested.
The S10-2 will come in two variants: The $349 one features a 89%-sized keyboard, an Atom N270 processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 160GB hard disk, an integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam, WiFi up to 802.11g, and a 6-cell battery, all running on Windows XP Home. The $399 variant has the same specs, but is 3G capable through an Ericsson transceiver. And yes, no Bluetooth is available on either build, if Lenovo’s publicity materials are correct.
Both variants will also feature a …read more

Wow, Asus was really active last year! According to the Wall Street Journal, Asus released a new Eee model every six weeks. A little too much you might say? Asus chairman and founder, Jonney Shih agrees with you:

“We might have offered too many models because of our competitive engineering culture,” Mr. Shih said, adding that the company won’t repeat this mistake. This year, Asustek plans to release three new versions.
Aside from competitiveness, another reason cited for this rapid pace of release makes sense: Asus realized that customers weren’t really going for the original Eee’s relatively miniscule keyboard and lack of …read more

Interesting tidbits include the availability of a 250GB, Ubuntu, an internal TV tuner, and a 6-cell battery as options for Dell Mini Inspiron 10 this April 17. The 20th of the month will see 1024 x 600 become the standard resolution, the possibility of 2GB RAM, and the color red.
Not sure if this is legit, but future plans for the Dell’s Mini Inspirons have allegedly been leaked.
Another thing to note is the internal question asking whether future Dell Minis should run on 1.86Ghz Atom processors or not. The additional brain power is a plus, but the $75 addition to the …read more

It’s official folks! At least, as official an informal battery test related through an enthusiast blog can be. The MSI Wind U115’s battery lasts more than 13 hours, with CPU usage at 100% for the whole time.
Then again, WiFi was kept off for the test, and maybe the screen blacked out automatically to save power (it’s hard to understand the source as it’s in German, but I’m assuming the tester kept the display at full power). In any case, this is the longest I’ve heard of any netbook—or portable computer for that matter—lasting on a single charge.
(image and source: eee-pc.de)