By Fei on March 1, 2011
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Photo shows Maricel Almazan (center), winner of a brand new Acer eMachines along with Maurice Altar, AVP-Marketing & Communications, MSI-ECS and Agnes Espino, Marketing Director, Acer Philippines during the awarding last February 24, 2011 at the MSI-ECS Taguig Service Center.
By Fei on December 3, 2010
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SAN FRANCISCO – For months we’ve been hearing that tablet computers–led by Apple’s iPad–are hurting netbook sales in a big way. But are they really? It depends on whom you ask. For now, touchscreen tablets do appear to be luring consumers away from netbooks. In the long term, however, netbooks will likely hold their own in an increasingly fragmented mobile device market, particularly as computer makers address user complaints by enhancing netbooks with faster processors and new capabilities.
Dueling Data
Tech industry analysts can’t seem to agree on whether tablets are harming netbook sales. Changewave Research in October surveyed more than 3100 consumers and found that only 14 percent of those who planned to purchase a laptop within 90 days would get a netbook–a significant drop from 18 percent at the start of 2010, and 24 percent in June 2009.
But ABI Research says the netbook market will not be “gravely injured” by the iPad and similar tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Research In Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook. “This is a rumor perpetuated by Apple fanatics,” wrote ABI Research mobile device analyst Jeff Orr in an e-mail to PCWorld.
Orr points out that annual netbook shipments continue to grow, and that the top isn’t in sight. Specifically, about 36 million netbooks shipped worldwide in 2009, and an estimated 43 million will ship in 2010. The netbook is the first ultramobile device to reach “mass-market appeal,” which Orr defines as a product that ships 40 to 50 million units annually. He acknowledges, however, that netbook sales are slowing, and says that today’s shipments don’t match the “meteoric growth” of the past two years.
Blame the iPad?
Netbook shipments in the United States fell 34 percent from the third quarter of 2009 to the same period in 2010, according to research firm Gartner. The likely culprit? A certain tablet from Apple comes to mind.
“Yes, there was some displacement of mini-notebooks by the iPad in the U.S., but determining how much is not an exact science,” wrote Gartner client computing research director Angela McIntyre via e-mail. She estimates that Apple’s bestselling tablet “displaced” 10 to 20 percent of netbook shipments in the United States in the third quarter of 2010, which suggests that a sizable number of consumers chose the iPad over a netbook.
Consumers appear not to be as enamored of netbooks as they once were. But tablets aren’t the sole cause.
In fact, netbooks weren’t the only computer devices to suffer from sluggish back-to-school sales in the third quarter of 2010. “Many factors contribute to this, such as the down economy, few new compelling PCs on the market, and a wait-and-see attitude about new PCs and media tablets coming to market next year,” wrote McIntyre.
Twice the Price
“We are seeing a slowdown–a pretty dramatic slowdown–in the netbook market. And a reasonable amount of that is from the iPad,” says IDC computer analyst Bob O’Donnell. Netbooks and touchscreen tablets are both secondary computing devices, and the consumer’s dilemma is deciding which gadget to buy.
However, the disparity in netbook and tablet prices makes the iPad-is-killing-the-netbook argument “a little hard to swallow,” says O’Donnell. For instance, the average selling price for netbooks is under $300, according to IDC. But for the iPad it’s $630–more than twice as much.
“Right there’s a big disconnect between [average selling prices]. That’s why it’s hard to say that there’s a direct, one-for-one knocking off, because of that huge price gap,” adds O’Donnell, who sees a correlation between today’s tablet-versus-netbook battle and the netbook-versus-laptop debate of 2008.
“This is sort of a netbook redux. Two years ago, netbooks were going to cannibalize notebooks,” he says. “There was a period when a whole bunch of people bought netbooks, and it somewhat skewed the view of the notebook market. But at the end of the day, when people needed to upgrade a notebook, they did.”
Even if the iPad-induced sales hit proves to be temporary, the bigger issue is how netbooks will rise to meet the tablet challenge. “Nobody is saying that a netbook or a tablet is a must-have, primary device. That’s where desktops and laptops fall,” says Cindy Ng of Intel’s netbook marketing team. “It’s a similar market because they’re both companion devices and nice to have. But at the same time, I think there are different types of consumers who value different usages.”
Netbook users, for instance, really want a physical keyboard. “For doing Twitter feeds and social networking updates on Facebook, clearly the netbook with a physical keyboard really enables that ease of use much more than a tablet would with a virtual keyboard,” says Ng. And for frantic classroom note-taking, a netbook usually tops a tablet.
Netbooks, Phase II
Intel Atom processors power many netbooks, and the chipmaker predicts that a netbook renaissance will occur in the first half of 2011.
A new crop of netbooks will add wireless syncing capabilities that allow users to sync data easily among multiple devices, such as their smartphone, laptop, and desktop. Intel’s new dual-core Atoms are more powerful and allow netbook makers to build sleeker, slimmer devices that are “potentially as thin or comparable to the new MacBook Air,” says Ng. Another as-yet-unnamed feature would make it easier for netbooks to stream music to a home stereo or speaker system.
AMD’s upcoming Brazos-platform processors will combine low-power dual-core and single-core CPUs together with a DirectX 11-capable GPU on the same chip. If it ends up as good as it looks on paper, it should provide better performance than today’s Atom-powered netbooks do, while still preserving battery life and allowing for small and thin laptops. We should see premium netbooks and inexpensive ultraportable laptops in early 2011 with the new chips.
Acer’s Take
Few computer makers in the United States are more closely associated with the netbook than Acer, which helped define the genre with its Aspire One netbooks in 2008. Not surprisingly, the company believes that the tiny portables will thrive even as tablets take hold.
“While the netbook market has matured and is no longer experiencing the explosive growth we saw initially, it is still a key product category that will generate significant sales for consumers looking for both productivity and entertainment in a mobile device,” wrote an Acer spokesperson in an e-mail to PCWorld.
Acer, which in November announced plans to enter the tablet market, sees a clear distinction between slates and netbooks. “Tablets…represent a different product segment that caters primarily to gaming and content consumption in the $400-$600 range,” the Acer representative wrote.
But netbooks typically sell for less. Most cost between $300 and $350, says Intel’s Ng, though new features and innovations may cause prices to inch closer to $400.
In the coming years, tablets and netbooks will take divergent paths–the former focusing on entertainment, communications, and convenience, and the latter adopting a more work-friendly role. Each will carve out a niche in the personal computing landscape. One will not kill off the other, however. After netbooks succeed in boosting their processing power and adding new capabilities, they’ll appeal to users who want a lighter and smaller version of a full-size laptop.
By Fei on October 19, 2010
Have you thought about what to get for yourself this Christmas? How about a brand new laptop?
MSI-ECS, the country’s leading IT distributor, is raffling off a brand new Acer e-Machines laptop!
All you have to do to get a raffle entry is have your defective laptops repaired at MSI-ECS’ new service center in Taguig City from October 1, 2010 to January 31, 2011. MSI-ECS offers service for the following brands: HP, Lenovo, Acer, Apple, and Samsung.
MSI-ECS Taguig Service Center is located in Ground Floor, Shop #10, PhilPlans Corporate Center, 1012 North Triangle Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
To know more about this promo, please call MSI-ECS Service at 688-3555-57 / 828-2105 or MSI-ECS MarComm at 688-3180-83.
By Fei on October 11, 2010
Acer Philippines announced that a new line of netbooks based on Intel’s new mobile dual-core Intel Atom processors has been rolled out across the Philippines and will be available in authorized dealers and resellers. The two new lines of netbooks called the Acer One D255 and the Acer Aspire One Happy offer new designs and specifications that will appeal to a wide range of Filipino netbook users, the company said.
The Acer One D255 features an outstanding design and full-day power and comes in coffee brown, red, black, blue and white. Meanwhile, the Acer Aspire One Happy comes in bright colors such as Hawaii blue, lime green, candy pink and lavender purple, making it the perfect digital accessory for young, fashionable people who are highly mobile and constantly connected with their social network.
The dual-core Intel Atom processor N550 enables new levels of support for applications like games, as well as Adobe Flash technology for access to some of the country’s most visited Web pages including online air ticket booking systems and multimedia sites such as YouTube. With these added functionalities, consumers can enjoy Internet access on the go with a more responsive experience in the same compact form factor, DDR3 memory support and similarly long battery life as the single-core Intel Atom processor N450. Intel shipped about 70 million Intel Atom chips for netbooks since the company launched the category in 2008, signifying that the market for these devices continues to grow worldwide.
By Fei on September 15, 2010
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SAN FRANCISCO – Acer is working on a dual-touchscreen multitouch laptop with no physical keyboard or mouse that would be available by fall 2011, according to several reports. Instead of using physical inputs, one touchscreen would function as the display and one would act as the keyboard and trackpad, similar to Toshiba’s Libretto W100. Acer’s device is reportedly sporting two 15-inch touchscreens, runs Windows 7 and has an Intel Core i5 2.67GHz processor under the hood, according to TechReview Source.
No further specs about the device are available, such as RAM, storage capacity, or whether the it will handle pen-based touch inputs as well as Windows 7′s multitouch.
Biggest Dual-Screen Yet
However, Acer’s device could be the largest dual-screen laptop so far. Toshiba’s limited edition Libretto W100 features two 7-inch touchscreens.
Computer manufacturer MSI was showing off a dual-touchscreen laptop with 10-inch screens during the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
Asus has also been discussing a smaller dual-touchscreen device called the Eee Reader since early 2009.
Unannounced CPU, Too?
If you take a quick look at Intel’s current list of Core i5 processors, you’ll notice the only processor that fits TechReviewSource’s specs is the Core i5 750, a desktop chip. It’s not unheard of for a manufacturer to try and cram a desktop processor into a laptop, just look at the Eurocomm D901C Phantom-X, for example. But what’s more likely is that the rumored Acer laptop is sporting the equally rumored Intel Core i5 580M. The 580M reportedly runs at 2.66GHz and could be available before the end of the year. Another possibility is that the rumored device would not run a Core i5 at all, but the Intel Core i7 620M launched in January.
TechReviewSource claims it is trying to get a video of Acer’s dual screen laptop in action, but an anonymous source tells the blog Acer’s prototype is “slow and buggy.” That wouldn’t be surprising considering the device is supposed to be in development and wouldn’t launch until late 2011.
But a 15-inch dual screen laptop is an awfully large and presumably expensive device to produce — especially when it’s not clear if anyone would even want a dual-touchscreen laptop. However, Engadget reported in August that the Libretto W100 sold very quickly during its debut on Amazon.
So, who knows? Maybe double-screened laptops are the future, as electronics makers experiment with virtual keyboards in place of physical keys on more than just mobile devices.
By Fei on August 27, 2010
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Intel Corporation announced that a dozen of new netbooks based on its new mobile dual-core Intel Atom processors are available in stores today. The netbooks – available now and through the end of the year from manufacturers including Acer, ASUS, Fujitsu, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, MSI, and Toshiba – enable new levels of support for applications like games, as well as Adobe Flash* technology for access to a number of Web pages including online hotel booking systems and multimedia sites such as YouTube* and Hulu*.
“Acer strives to continually improve on our customers’ total mobile experience, whether it is increased responsiveness or extended Internet interactivity through longer battery life,” said David Lee, associate vice president of Acer’s Mobile Computing Business Unit. “We are pleased to select dual-core Intel Atom processors for Acer netbooks, helping to empower netbook users achieve even more – both at work and at leisure.”
With the dual-core Intel Atom processor N550, consumers can enjoy Internet access on the go with a more responsive experience in the same compact form factor, DDR3 memory support and similar great battery life as the single-core Intel Atom processor N450.
“In their short history, the netbook category has experienced impressive growth,” said Erik Reid, director of marketing for mobile platforms at Intel. “Having shipped about 70 million Intel Atom chips for netbooks since our launch of the category in 2008, there is obviously a great market for these devices around the world.”
New netbooks based on dual-core Intel Atom chips arrive in stores today and are available at a variety of consumer-friendly price points. For more information, visit www.intel.com/products/processor/atom/index.htm.
By Fei on August 25, 2010
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SAN FRANCISCO – Intel has launched the Atom N550 today–its first dual-core Atom processor. The next-generation Atom processor boosts the power and capabilities of smaller mobile computers–providing businesses with even more cost effective options for portable computing.
The Atom N550 processors is available on the shelf as of today in a dozen or so different netbook models. The manufacturers that are already on the dual-core Atom bandwagon include Acer, ASUS, Fujitsu, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, MSI, and Toshiba.
The Atom was designed by Intel to provide a more energy-efficient alternative to the Celeron-M processors that were being used in netbooks at the time. The launch of the Atom made the netbook a more powerful mobile computing platform and basically ignited the explosion of the netbook market.
“In their short history, the netbook category has experienced impressive growth,” said Erik Reid, director of marketing for mobile platforms at Intel. “Having shipped about 70 million Intel Atom chips for netbooks since our launch of the category in 2008, there is obviously a great market for these devices around the world.”
As the high end of notebooks–the larger and more powerful cousins of the netbook–evolve from dual-core to the more powerful quad-core processors, the Atom N550 moves the diminutive netbook platform into the dual-core era. The Atom N550 processor runs at 1.5GHz, and includes support for DDR3 memory as well.
Netbooks are the first out of the gate with the new Atoms–and the netbook market represents the most obvious benefactor of the transition to dual-core processing–but there are wider applications for the new Intel processors as well. The more powerful processor also opens the possibility of dual-core smartphones and tablets as technology continues to migrate to mobile platforms.
Intel’s work with Nokia to develop the Meego mobile operating system, and its purchase of McAfee to provide better security for connected devices of all shapes and sizes also hint at what may be on the horizon for Intel.
Companies that want to provide employees with portable computers, but don’t need mobile users to have top-end computing power can explore the possibility of deploying dual-core netbooks rather than full-blown notebook PCs. Even single-core netbooks are capable of completing the vast majority of tasks that mobile workers might need to perform.
Netbooks are smaller and lighter than notebooks, making them easier to lug around while on the go. They also have significantly better battery life than typical notebooks–lasting six hours or more on a single charge. And, let’s not forget that netbooks are generally much cheaper than typical notebook PCs.
Smartphones and tablets have pushed netbooks to the back of the mobile computing bus, but those platforms have limitations and sometimes mobile workers need a “real” computer. The Atom N550 processors bring dual-core power to netbooks, and expand the possibilities for computing on the go.
By Fei on August 25, 2010
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
SANTA CLARA, Calif., – Intel Corporation announced today that a dozen of new netbooks based on its new mobile dual-core Intel® Atom™ processors are available in stores today. The netbooks – available now and through the end of the year from manufacturers including Acer, ASUS, Fujitsu, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, MSI, and Toshiba – enable new levels of support for applications like games, as well as Adobe Flash* technology for access to a number of Web pages including online hotel booking systems and multimedia sites such as YouTube* and Hulu*.
“Acer strives to continually improve on our customers’ total mobile experience, whether it is increased responsiveness or extended Internet interactivity through longer battery life,” said David Lee, associate vice president of Acer’s Mobile Computing Business Unit. “We are pleased to select dual-core Intel Atom processors for Acer netbooks, helping to empower netbook users achieve even more – both at work and at leisure.”
With the dual-core Intel® Atom™ processor N550, consumers can enjoy Internet access on the go with a more responsive experience in the same compact form factor, DDR3 memory support and similar great battery life as the single-core Intel® Atom™ processor N450.
“In their short history, the netbook category has experienced impressive growth,” said Erik Reid, director of marketing for mobile platforms at Intel. “Having shipped about 70 million Intel Atom chips for netbooks since our launch of the category in 2008, there is obviously a great market for these devices around the world.”
New netbooks based on dual-core Intel Atom chips arrive in stores today and are available at a variety of consumer-friendly price points. For more information, visit www.intel.com/products/processor/atom/index.htm.
By Fei on August 3, 2010
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August 3, 2010
MSI-ECS, one of the largest IT distributors in the country, has opened its first DigiCARE computer service lounge and facility in Taguig to further accommodate service requirements for Acer, Apple, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung IT products. The new facility was designed to be convenient for customers who are situated in neighbouring cities as it is strategically accessible through public transport.
“We hope that existing customers will gain full confidence on these brands as they are assured that their IT investments are protected and that they are guaranteed that the life of their unit is prolonged. We have industry-certified engineers and technicians to address whatever service requirements they may need,” said Jimmy Go, president and CEO, MSI-ECS Philippines. “We are also putting up this facility as a testament of our commitment to our resellers and customers that we are here to provide them with the best possible service for their IT needs. Aside from offering repair and services, the center also holds certification trainings to our channel partners to uplift their competencies and thus enable them to acquire latest skill-set.”
By Jon on December 21, 2009
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December 21, 2009
Intel has announced new Intel Atom processors that feature integrated graphics built directly into the CPU, enabling improved performance and smaller, more energy-efficient designs in a new generation of netbooks and Atom-based entry-level desktop PCs. Major OEMs have committed to having systems on the new Intel Atom processors and a new companion chipset available within the next few weeks.
The newest Intel Atom platform, formerly codenamed “Pine Trail,” consist of a new Intel Atom processor, the N450, and a new low-power Intel NM10 Express Chipset (for netbooks). For entry-level desktop PCs, it consists of either the Intel Atom processor D410 or the dual core D510, also paired with the Intel NM10 express chipset. The Atom processor was designed from the ground up for small devices and low power, and remains Intel’s smallest chip, built on the company’s 45nm high-k metal gate manufacturing process. The overall package, including the chipset, just got smaller due to the increasing integration and 45nm manufacturing, which means smaller, more compact system designs, lower costs for OEMs and improved performance.
Broad Industry Momentum
Intel continues to see broad industry support for the Atom platform as netbook in particular have been hot sellers during a recessionary year due to their affordability, function and small size (7-10-inch screens). Additionally, Intel is expecting to see broad channel adoption for Atom in a variety of small form factor entry-level desktop PCs at low price points, including ultra-small designs (less than 1-litre chassis), fanless designs, and low-cost all-in-one designs.
Since Intel announced the first Atom processor for netbooks and entry-level desktop PCs in June 2008, the market has expanded rapidly. Since introduction, Intel has shipped over 40million Atom chips for netbooks to every major OEM around the world. In the same timeframe, netbooks have ramped faster and sold more units than Apple‘s iPhone and the Nintendo Wii. According to ABI Research, total Atom shipments for all segments are expected to continue to grow into the 100s of millions by 2011. Intel is not letting up, offering the next-generation platform for OEMs to continue to innovate around.
“The Intel Atom processor has feuled an entirely new category of computing over the last year and a half and we think the growth will continue for devices like netbooks and entry-level PCs built around basic computing and Internet usage models,” said Mooly Eden, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of Intel’s PC Client Group. “We’re excited to be delivering the next-generation Atom platform and working across the industry as we head into a second phase of growth, powering innovative new system designs with better performance, smaller footprints and better battery life.”
Intel has over 80 design wins to-date for the new Atom platform from such leading OEMs as Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, MSI, Toshiba, Samsung and Fujitsu. While the bulk of the systems will feature the new Windows 7 Starter or Home Basic operating system, consumers will have a choice when it comes to selecting an operating system, with some OEMs offering Moblin Linux v2 as an alternative for customers who desire a customizable and differentiated user interface.
Worldwide netbook shipments by telecommunication companies are also growing and expected to fuel another round of expansion. Intel has been working closely with mobile operators and modem vendors to advance 3G capabilities in netbooks in established and emerging markets. To date, approximately a dozen service providers offer netbooks in various markets, and the numbers are expected to grow with the newest platform.
Improved Processor and Graphics Performance
One of the most significant features of the new platform is the integration of the memory controller and graphics into the CPU, a first in the industry on x-86 chips. That means two chips (CPU+chipset) instead of the previous three (CPU+chipset, I/O controller hub), a lower TDP and substantial reduction in cost, overall footprint and power. The netbook platform features a 20% improvement in average power and smaller package size over the previous Atom platform. This translates into smaller and more compact system designs and longer battery life. Because of the integration, the total footprint for the netbook platform has decreased by approximately 60%. For entry-level desktop PCs, it’s nearly 70% reduction in footprint and about 50% lower TDP than the previous generation.
About the Platform
The N450 is a single core atom processor with 512k of L2 cache and a seven-watt total kit TDP including chipset. The D410 for entry-level desktop PCs is a single-core Atom processor with 512k of L2 cache and 12-watt kit TDP including chipset, and the D510 for entry-level desktop PCs is a dual core Atom processor with 1meg L2 cache and 15-watt total kit TDP including chipset. The new chips all run 1.66GHz. Pricing and availability will be announced in January as systems become available from OEMs.
| Cindy Ng, Intel Netbook Marketing Team, demonstrates the Intel Atom Processor N450 for netbooks and the Intel Atom Processor D410 and D510 for entry-level desktops. |
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