NEC announced today it had entered the netbook market, with the release of its 8.9-inch Versa N1100 based on Intel's Atom processor.
The NEC Versa N1100
(Credit: NEC)
The netbook, weighing in at 1.17kg, will run Windows XP. Additional specifications include a 160GB HDD, Wi-Fi (a/g), 1GB DDR2 RAM, a 1,024x600 resolution display and a webcam. They keyboard on the N1100 is 10 per cent smaller than a standard keyboard, while the system comes with a one year warranty.
Priced at AU$749, NEC said the netbook would be available in the middle of November this year. Compared to the diverse range of netbooks now available (see table below), NEC's offering is middle of the range in both price and weight.
| Vendor | Netbook | Weight (kg) | Price (AU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asus | Eee PC 1000 | 1.45 | $699 |
| Dell | Inspiron Mini 9 | 1.035 | $599 |
| HP | 2133 Mini-Note | 1.31 | $899 |
| NEC | Versa N1100 | 1.17 | $749 |
| Acer | Aspire One | 0.995 | $599 |
| Lenovo | S10 | 1.2 | $699 |
| OLPC | XO | 1.45 | Not for retail sale |
I love the fact that the 'Industry' seems to have adopted the moniker 'Netbook' for these small form-factor mini notebooks. Considering that the highly underrated Psion series 7 was given the same name way back in the late '90's, I wonder if a little more credit should be given to that rather splendid British company for the concept. Having been an owner of a 3 series and then the 5 series Psions I think that very little credit is given to the company for launching what were in their time, marvellous little devices, with expandability and programs that were easy to use and very flexible, you could even write your own programs. Unfortunately the company's products were doomed as soon as Microsoft saw their potential and they have been relegated to the obscurity of tech history. At least the Symbian system is still alive and well in many Mobile Phones on the market, but I often wonder what the 'Netbook/Series 7 could have become if the line had continued.