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        Netbook plays audio even when it's asleep

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Dec 2, 2010 | Comments: 1


        Toshiba announced a pair of netbooks, one of which is touted as "the world's first with embedded premium speakers." The NB520 includes a dual-core Intel Atom N550 processor, Harman/Kardon Audio, and available Bluetooth 3.0, while the more basic NB500 features a single-core Atom N455, according to the company.

        While it pioneered subnotebook computers more than ten years ago with its Libretto product line, Toshiba was late to the netbook market and -- unlike the likes of Dell or HP -- has fielded relatively few entries. However, its first U.S. netbook, the Atom N280-equipped NB205, was acclaimed by reviewers, and wound up being updated as the NB305 and NB250 (both of which featured more up-to-date Atoms).

        The two netbooks announced by Toshiba earlier today aren't much different physically, since both support the usual 10.1-inch screens (with resolutions of 1024 x 600 pixels), have the usual 2GB RAM limit, and include 250GB hard disk drives. The NB520 (below), however, gets DDR3 memory along with a dual-core Atom N550 CPU.


        Toshiba NB520
        (Click to enlarge)

        The NB520 is also said to be the world's first netbook with "premium quality" sound, supplied via Harman/Kardon-branded speakers, Dolby Advanced Audio, and dual two-Watt amplifiers. Usefully, the audio system may be employed even when the netbook is sleeping, allowing music playback from a connected iPod or other device, Toshiba claims.

        One of the NB520's three USB 2.0 ports also is said to provide "sleep and charge" capabilities, allowing it to provide power to a personal music player or phone even when the netbook is sleeping. Other wired connections include a VGA port, an Ethernet port, and audio I/O.

        Wireless capabilities include 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1, the latter said to be software-upgradeable in the future to Bluetooth 3.0. Equipped with a VGA-resolution webcam, the NB520 will operate up to ten hours on the supplied six-cell battery, Toshiba says.

        Features and specifications listed by Toshiba for its NB520 include:

        • Processor -- Intel Atom N550 clocked at 1.5GHz
        • Chipset -- Intel NM10 (presumed)
        • Memory -- up to 2GB of DDR3 RAM
        • Display -- 10.1-inch display with 1024 x 500 resolution
        • Camera -- VGA-resolution webcam
        • Storage -- 250GB hard disk drive
        • Expansion -- "2-in-1" card reader
        • Networking:
            LAN -- gigabit Ethernet
          • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
          • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.1 (upgradeable to 3.0 via software)
        • Other I/O:
          • 3 x USB 2.0
          • audio -- mic/line in, headphone out
          • VGA port
        • Battery -- six-cell, with up to 10 hours' operation
        • Dimensions -- 10.31 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches (261.9 x 189.5 x 35.5mm)
        • Weight -- 2.91 pounds (1.32kg)

        The NB500 is a poor relation ...

        Compared to the NB520, the newly announced NB500 appears to offer little of technical interest, since it has neither the upgraded speakers nor the ability to amplify external audio while the CPU is sleeping. Here we have Intel's single-core Atom N455 processor, teamed with DDR2 RAM rather than the DDR3 memory that CPU also supports.


        Toshiba NB500
        (Click to enlarge)

        According to images posted by NetbookNews.com, however, the NB500 (above) does get a keyboard that has been improved -- in our opinion, at least -- over previous Toshiba netbooks by dint of providing dedicated PgUp and PgDn keys. The device also appears to have left and right trackpad buttons whose color matches that of its outer case, in case that floats your boat.

        Toshiba says the NB500 will operate for up to 4.5 hours on its standard three-cell battery, or up to eight hours on an optional six-cell battery. Like the NB520, the device is equipped with a 32-bit version of the Windows 7 Starter operating system, the company adds.

        Features and specifications listed by Toshiba for its NB500 include:

        • Processor -- Intel Atom N455 clocked at 1.66GHz
        • Chipset -- Intel NM10 (presumed)
        • Memory -- up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM
        • Display -- 10.1-inch display with 1024 x 500 resolution
        • Camera -- VGA-resolution webcam
        • Storage -- 250GB hard disk drive
        • Expansion -- "2-in-1" card reader
        • Networking:
            LAN -- gigabit Ethernet
          • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
        • Other I/O:
          • 3 x USB 2.0
          • audio -- mic/line in, headphone out
          • VGA port
        • Battery -- three-cell, with 4.5 hours of operation, or six-cell, with up to eight hours of operation
        • Dimensions -- 10.31 x 7.4 x 1.4 inches (261.9 x 189.5 x 35.5mm)
        • Weight -- 2.91 pounds (1.32kg) with six-cell battery, 2.53 pounds (1.15kg) with four-cell battery
        Availability

        Toshiba said the NB500 and NB520 will be available during the first quarter of 2011 throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa, but did not announce pricing or a date for U.S. availability.

        NetbookNews -- whose coverage provides additional photos and videos, here and here -- says the devices will sell in Taiwan for NT $13,800 (about $450 U.S.) and NT $18,880 (about $610 U.S.), respectively.

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