Asus has unveiled its second netbook using Intel's 1.66GHz Atom N280 processor. The "Eee PC 1008HA" is just an inch thick, weighs 2.4 pounds, has a 10-inch LED-backlit display and 160GB hard disk drive, and delivers five-hour battery life, the company says.
Asus's PC 1000HE (Click image for further information)
Asus became the first -- and still only, as far as we're aware -- company to announce a netbook based on Intel's 1.66GHz Atom N280, in the shape of the Eee PC1000 HE pictured at right. Focusing on long battery life, the 3.2 pound PC 1000HE is claimed to allow up to 9.5 hours of run time.
The PC 1008HA, being shown off at this week's CeBit tradeshow in prototype form, obviously has a smaller battery, since it's said to weigh just two pounds as well as being just an inch thick. Still, Asus says the device will be able to operate for up to five hours away from an AC outlet.
Asus's PC1008HA (Click to enlarge)
The latest in a mind-numbing array of netbooks from Asus, the PC 1088HA apparently targets fashionistas rather than techies, as did the company's earlier S101. As a consequence, the device's CeBit debut offered mostly discussion of optional metallic colors, and relatively few technical details. By studying Asus's terse press release and videos of its exhibit, though, we were able to glean the information presented here.
Notably, as mentioned, the new netbook is said to feature Intel's semi-secret Atom N280 processor. We say "semi-secret" because as of today, the chipmaker isn't offering any public information about this CPU. Sales documents, formerly located on the Intel site and referenced in our earlier story about the N280, confirmed the processor's existence, citing a 1.66Ghz clock speed, 667MHz frontside bus, and 512K of second-level cache.
The enigmatic N280 ...
Third-party reports, including this one in the Taiwanese publication Digitimes, have claimed the N280 will be offered with a new companion chipset, the GN40, replacing the 945GSE (945GCSE northbridge and 82801GBM southbridge) chipset that typically accompanies the Atom N270. When reviewers got their hands on Asus's N280-equipped PC 1000HE, however, they found that the netbook retains the 945GSE. Apparently, the PC 1000HE's stamina comes not from a more parsimonious northbridge and southbridge, but rather from its massive 8700mAh battery.
Adding to the confusion have been a multitude of rumors about Intel's next-generation "Pine Trail-M" platform, which will reportedly combine a "Pineview" CPU with "Tigerpoint," an integrated northbridge/southbridge. By using 45nm technology for the CPU and companion chip both, Intel will reduce the amount of board real estate used by up to 60 percent compared to the N270/945GSE, another Digitimes story claims, adding that the products will be released during the second half of this year.
Less revolutionary than "Pine Trail-M," the Atom N280 appears to be merely an "off-roadmap" offering that, thanks to a 667MHz frontside bus, delivers slightly better performance than the N270, and can be paired either with the 945GSE or with the GN40. The latter chipset provides HD video playback, but bumps overall power consumption up to 16.5 Watts, according to a purported Intel roadmap (below) that was leaked on the HKEPC website and widely reproduced elsewhere.
A roadmap showing Intel's future Atom CPUs Source: HKPEC.com (Click to enlarge)
Ironically, Asus isn't claiming HD video playback for the new PC 1008HA, which does not include HDMI, and most likely sticks with the 945GSE. The company's reason for switching to the N280 with this new netbook, then, is presumably just manufacturing economy.
... and the rest of the story
According to Asus, the PC 1008HA includes 1GB of RAM -- possibly expandable, though this wasn't specified -- and a 160GB hard disk drive (HDD). The device has a 10-inch, LED-backlit display, 10/100 Ethernet, two USB ports, audio jacks, and an MC/SD/SDHC memory card reader, according to the company.
The PC 1008HA also sports a new keyboard design, with an enlarged right-hand shift key, plus hardware buttons that can turn its trackpad and wireless networking off when they're not required. More controversially, it also employs a "mini-VGA" connector, Asus says. Mini-VGA connectors, seen on only a few laptops in the past, output only analog signals and are considered obsolescent for that reason, but do provide composite and S-Video output with the help of external adapters.
Asus says the PC 1008HA includes 802.11b/g/n wireless networking plus Bluetooth, and will be offered with "3.75G" and WiMAX broadband options too. The device also has a "digital array" microphone, 1.3 megapixel camera, and a multi-touch keypad, the company says.
Finally, Asus has dressed up the netbook's standard Windows XP Home operating system with "EEE Docking," an application launcher that gives "one-click access to a full suite of exclusive software." An "EEE Sharing" feature is touted as making it easy to share messages and documents with other computers, "even without Internet access," though no further explanation was provided.
Features and specifications provided by Asus for the PC 1008HA include the following:
Processor -- Intel Atom N280 clocked at 1.66GHz
Memory -- 1GB of RAM (potential expansion not listed)
Display -- 10-inch display; resolution not cited
Camera -- 1.3 megapixel webcam
Storage -- 160GB hard disk drive
Networking -- 10/100 Ethernet port
Wireless:
802.11b/g/n
Bluetooth
WiMAX and "3.75G" cellular (promised options)
Other I/O:
1 x mini-VGA port
Audio headphone out and mic in
2 x USB
Expansion:
SD/SDHC/MS card reader
Battery life -- Five hours
Dimensions -- n/s, except "an inch slim"
Weight -- 2.4 pounds (1.1kg)
Shot at CeBit, this video offers a further look at Asus's PC 1008HA Source: Jkkmobile.com (click to play)
Availability
Asus did not release pricing or availability information for the PC1008HA.
