Ubuntu Unity is a cool feature of Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook edition (or Ubuntu 11.04), but it doesn’t do justice with netbooks that are really low on CPU, graphics. Unity 2D is lighter version of the interface that should fix most of the jitters. Unity 2D is still in early phases, but does the job quiet nicely coz the fact it has actually reduced a bit of 3d eye candy, but adds significant boost in return.

Install Unity 2D (Qt) on Ubuntu 10.10, Ubuntu 11.04

Simply run the following commands in Terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:unity-2d-team/unity-2d-daily
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install unity-qt-default-settings

The above commands would point to the right PPA and install Unity 2D. You will have to Logout and select “Unity Qt” instead of the “Ubuntu Desktop” or “Netbook edition” while logging back in.

On a typical 1.5Ghz Atom netbook, a lot of difference was observed. What’s your experience?

Related: Tweak Windows 7 for Netbook

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Ubuntu has announced that full multitouch gesture-based support will arrive in Ubuntu 10.10, the next major version of the popular Linux distribution. Multitouch will be coree component of Unity UI (the netbook distro).

A new software framework called uTouch has been developed intended on simplifying gesture handling. Some of the common grammar of gestures that will be incorporated in Ubuntu 10.10 has been demonstrated in an early draft.

The uTouch wont do all this on its own. Unless and until you have a kernel that’s touch aware, user experience will suffer. That’s why Ubuntu’s multitouch relies on some of the recent improvements in the Linux kernel, the Xorg display server, and the Gtk+ toolkit. Multitouch X Input Extension is the heart of all these improvements that would enable multitouch-enhanced user experience on the desktop.

However, there is still a lot more work to do before touch will be a first-class input mechanism for the platform. The standard applications that are included in the GNOME desktop environment are not particularly touch-friendly and will need some significant user interface refactoring.

“In Maverick, quite a few Gtk applications will support gesture-based scrolling. We’ll enhance Evince to show some of the richer interactions that developers might want to add to their apps,” Shuttleworth wrote in his blog. “The roadmap beyond 10.10 will flesh out the app developer API and provide system services related to gesture processing and touch. It would be awesome to have touch-aware versions of all the major apps—browser, email, file management, chat, photo management and media playback—for 11.04, but that depends on you!”

Another problem would be to overcome hardware compatibility. Initially, it plans to support convertible notebook/tablet devices such as the Dell XT2 and HP tx2. But the Canonical, founder of Ubuntu assures this would be taken care over time as they plan to cover all touch devices including laptop touchpads and devices like Apple’s Magic Trackpad.

Canonical’s multitouch efforts could make Unity an appealing option for users to lookout for Linux and Open source projects.

We write about Latest in tech, Apple, iPhone, Android, Tablets, Gadgets, Open Source, Programming. Grab them @taranfx on Twitter or below:

Install Android on PC Natively

Note: If you have troubles with getting your internet to work in it  put your Phone in USB tethering mode, plugged it into your PC.

1. Download Android from here android-x86-1.6-r2.iso
2. Download UNetBootin

Step 1. Run UNetbootin and use it to prepare your usb flash drive.  Once finished, reboot with USB set to highest precedence in BIOS boot preferences. (alternatively you can use CD/DVD with a image burning tool like poweriso to achieve the same)

Step 2. Simply reboot your computer with the USB drive, select “Live CD” – which Runs Android-x86 without installation.

Step 3. After a couple seconds, you’ll see the Android desktop on your netbook or computer! You can quickly access one of the apps on the home screen, or open the menu to see more options.

It works very good as a quick way to get online; you can use it for quick boots, or a portable alternate for Puppy linux. Here’s a working demo:

Update: Install Android Froyo on PC

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Luckily, the idea created a new Niche though was exaggerated by several big brands. Watching the growing success, Intel now upgrades existing line of Atom Processors. Intel’s latest offering is N450 processor and NM10 Express chipset also referred to as “Pine Trail”. Intel Plans to debuts this in CES 2010 January. Side-by-side HP, Acer, Dell, Asus, Toshiba, Lenovo and others are expected to announce new systems with the latest chips.

The single-core Atom N450 chip is 60 percent smaller than existing Atom processors, and consumes close to 20 percent less power. The resultant chip draws about 5.5 watts of power, that’s crazy low!

The Atom N450 will run at a clock speed of 1.66GHz, which is the same as an existing Atom N280 netbook chip. However, the improvements in the N450 come from the smaller chip size, achieved by integrating the graphics and memory controller into the CPU, which makes it one step closer to System on a Chip.The new processor is supposed to process multimedia faster and free up bandwidth for the processor to communicate with other components and have 512KB L2 cache, Hyperthreading, and 64-bit support.

The graphics improvement will come as relief to netbook users who have criticized the chipset in current Atom netbooks for its limited graphics compared to Nvidia’s Ion platform, which plugs a GeForce graphics core into an Atom chip to deliver full 1080p graphics.

The integrated graphics processor in N450 is capable of 720p high-definition graphics natively, but Intel claims that the N450 processor is meant to consume Internet content, not to play graphics-intensive games or view high-definition movies. However, different vendors will integrate broadcom cards to get FullHD and BluRay playback.

Netbooks powered by Atom N450 will run Windows 7 out of the box.

Method 1. Right Codec (Software)

Earlier we made a comprehensive post on how you can get 1080p fullHD Video Playback on any PC. Follow the guide, it will help you do it with software upgrade.

Method 2. Video Decoder accelearator (Hardware)

Most Light and portable Netbooks will even cry while playing 720p because of limited Intel Atom CPU Power and onboard Intel GMA chipset. In such cases, it’s better to give your hardware an upgrade using external video accelerators.

These hardware are capable of H.264 and VC-1 video compression algorithms to netbook and nettop applications like the playback of streaming media and downloaded media as well as Blu-ray discs. The chipset is capable of full HD real-time decoding. The high performance and low power consumption of the solution allow reduced CPU utilization and support for mobile platform designs. A typical such chipset supports any compliant resolution from QVGA up to 1920 x 1088.

Broadcom BCM 70012

Here are the Popular Choices:

Broadcom BCM 70012

It connects to your Laptop via Mini PCI-e interface.

You can buy them from eBay for approximately $20.

How to install: Open your laptop and look for PCI-e slot. Get it done from a hardware expert, in case you find it difficult. Aldo, there are pci-e to USB adaptors too.

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For complete HD Home Theater Experience, do checkout Suggested Reading below-

The Experiment started on lighter Notebooks, then started to be known as Netbooks. Luckily, the idea prevailed and sales grew in number, and finally found a space in market as  new niche segment.

Now that Netbooks are popular, every chip manufacturer wants to jump-in. We’ve seen Nvidia’s initiative with Nvidia Tegra, and of course large no. of Atom based machines. So, why should ARM, most popular chip manufacturer for smartphones, stay back?

ARM announced that it will begin offering its customers ARM’s Cortex A9 processor on its 28nm process. This extends the reach of ARM’s top-end core, which is taking direct aim at Intel’s Atom.

GlobalFoundries, AMD’s subsidiary,  would work with ARM on a 28nm A9 implementation, and it’s a win for ARM because it makes any GlobalFoundries customers into potential ARM customers.

A bit of background: an system-on-a-chip (SoC) provider who is already using GlobalFoundries to produce its SoCs can more easily mix its own technology with ARM’s to produce SoCs based on Cortex A9. This is the same reason that Intel ported Atom to TSMC—so that existing TSMC customers can also mix Atom with their own IP to make Atom-based SoCs. (Of course, what was a shocking move for Intel is standard procedure for ARM, which is a fabless semi company whose total revenues are less than what Intel spends to develop one processor.)

The most interesting aspect of today’s announcement surrounds AMD as a possible Cortex A9 user, because AMD is still GlobalFoundries’ main customer.

Given that AMD was just in the ARM business and got out of it just 9 months ago, it’s seems unlikely that it will jump back in with another ARM-based SoC courtesy of GlobalFoundries. This is too bad, though, because there’s a ton of enthusiasm around A9-based “smartbooks,” and an A9-based Imageon would’ve provided a great basis for a high-powered, low-cost, long battery-life Linux portable. But AMD has gotten out of the SoC game just as it’s getting interesting.

Given the scope of GlobalFoundries’ ambition and the recent uptick in global semiconductor demand, this ARM announcement seems logical and timely.

If one screen suffices the requirement, you can slide the other one behind the main one hiding it for good. What’s good is the base can rotate horizontally.

Specs: The Netbook has an onboard DirectX 10-compatible graphics powered by AMD Athlon MV-40 1.6Ghz, with a 2.5-inch SATA HDD, up to 4GB DDR2 memory, and Windows 7 Home Premium

Price was it’s bit hefty will cost something around $560 in the U.S, when released. There is no word on the battery life, I’m really not sure what kind of battery can power two 10″ screens for long. All in all, first Netbook with dual screen and good specs. Checkout the Video Below.

via Engadget

[engadget]

Specs: This sleek device has a remarkable 5-inch touchscreen and Ultra Wideband HDMI (with receiver) to connect to your HDTV.

The Eee Keyboard’s netbook-like specs also include a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 16- or 32GB solid-state hard disk, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI, Wireless HDMI, a USB 2.0 and ofcourse battery (of unknown capacity). And of course standard stuff – Ethernet, audio, etc.

It would be priced bit on the higher side – $400-$500. And with Windows 7 debuting on October 22, hopefully the Eee Keyboard will ditch XP altogether or may be Linux to cut costs ont hat front.

A PC in a Keyboard?

The idea is new and will prevail for a new segment in the market. A segment which would go mainly with the multimedia and Internet freeks. Playing a HD movie wireless from your keyboard(oops PC) to HDTV, streaming online content, browsing the web would be a new experience altogether.

The built in screen is good, features full 16bit colors, though resolution is still unknown. It shouldn’t be less than that of iPhone (320×480). Though you can’t do much over the 5″ touch display, Asus has still smartly added a Cellphone like interface which runs apps like Doc, Facebook, browser just like your iPhone. I’m not sure how much will that be of utility, since it’s not a phone-like gadget. But still, it will primarily serve as Info and Media controller.

Fair deal. The only thing that remains in question is How far will battery’s juice last when you are streaming HD movies to your TV? If Asus does well over this, we are sure, they got it all.

The October launch is set for U.S and Europe. Meanwhile, get the feel by watching this Hands-on Video (via netbooknews.com)

Let us know what you think.

Nokia unveiled its first netbook. Called the Nokia Booklet 3G, the long-rumored device features a 10-inch screen, weighs 2.75 pounds, runs Windows, and has Wi-Fi 802.11g as well as to cellular 3G wireless networks.

Throw a stone in the dark with All Electronics companies around and chances are high that you will hit a company who has a Netbook  released or upcoming. Whether it’s a Graphics leader like Nvidia or a small computer manufacturer like CompuTex any brand can have a Netbook.

All you need is marketing and a supplier. This Finland based comapny already has a Big Marketing thick on the ground.

Specs:

You could call it a fancy netbook, what with its Atom processor and 10.1-inch display, but that screen is higher res than your average Eee, and it also sports integrated 3G wireless and a hot-swappable SIM card, so it’s definitely trying to define its own niche. It looks to be running Windows 7, which isn’t particularly netbooky, and also has integrated A-GPS with a copy of Ovi Maps, HDMI output, a rated 12 hour battery life, and the usual Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, all in Dimensions of 2cm (.78 inch) and weight of 2.7lb aluminum body that’s understated, sophisticated, and should make most Nokia fans very happy.

There’s a fancy promotional video after the break, and while we don’t have any anticipated release date or price just yet, we’ll be learning more at Nokia World 09 on September 2.

Here’s what distinguishes this Netbook from others -

1. It’s a HD Multimedia Netbook
A 10.1-inch screen is par for the netbook course, but a glossy screen promising HD isn’t. Nokia hasn’t said what the resolution is, but we reckon it’ll spit out 720p no problem – unlike the Sony VAIO P, which bucks the low-res trend too, but can barely handle video at all. Though Nvidia TEGRA Netbook would be even better but since that will run windows CE, Nokia takes advantage over here.

The Nokia Booklet 3G will be one of a select few 10-inch laptops to pack HDMI, so you’ll be able to hook it up to your flatscreen and playback hi-deffy video on it whenever the urge grabs you – and since it’s so small you know it’ll be ninja silent too.

2. Great battery life
When Nokia says the Nokia Booklet 3G will run for 12 hours, you know it means it. The chaps at Espoo are legendary for cranking out phones with battery lives that last longer than most celebrity marriages – don’t expect the Nokia Booklet 3G to be any different.

3. Hot swappable SIM slot
So you pick up the Nokia Booklet 3G subsidised with a 3G mobile broadband bundle. Imagine the horror when you turn it on one day to discover no signal where you are. The horror! Not to worry though, you can just swap it out for your phone’s SIM card instead and you’re away surfing.

4. GPS
The Nokia Booklet 3G comes with it out of the box. Add that to Nokia’s powerful Ovi Maps service and you’ve got one convenient way to get around. Nokia says an Ovi Maps “gadget” will be included – we’re hoping that means as an instant-on app. Though there exists other Netbooks which have it too.

Who could beat this Netbook?

1. Nvidia Tegra

2. MacBook Air look-alike Alternative – iiView

Nokia’s Plan

This may be a move by Nokia to grab initiative from rival Apple. In the past several years, the iPhone maker has managed to grab significant share in the lucrative, fast-growing market for smartphones away from Nokia. Apple is also rumored to be developing a tablet netbook. With this announcement, Nokia may be trying to beat Apple to the punch.
Netbooks should help fuel Nokia’s growth, which has slowed down in recent months. The cell phone business is not what it used to be. Amidst the global economic downturn, the industry’s sales of handsets should decline 10% this year, according to Nokia’s forecasts. Meanwhile, netbook shipments should double this year, according to analyst estimates.
Many netbooks are sold through traditional Nokia customers, carriers, and, thus, represent a natural extension of the company’s business. In Europe, wireless service providers account for more than 25% of all netbooks sold, according to consultant IDC. The carriers typically sell the small, cheap notebooks bundled together with Web connectivity services.
Carrier subsidies on netbooks are roughly similar to those for smartphones, which is why, for Nokia, entering this market makes perfect sense. Nokia is entering a market that offers fairly good margins.

In Nokia’s case, to sell it’s Ovi data services, Maps, photo exchanges, data syncing — sure sounds like PC data. So why not put it into a PC while you work on a handheld people will buy?

It’s the connection between hardware and services that makes this story of interest to open source users. Services are the key open source business model. You can’t make someone buy a support subscription, but if they are buying the services provided by your software their checkbook is open to you.

“Learn from Nokia – meld a kick ass, industrial design with customized software experience and have it subsidized by an alternative business model, be that subsidy or services offering, movies and entertainment – that’s a better way to skin this cat,” Zemlin told in March.

This is what Moblin is about, what Android is about, and what Nokia’s own open source Symbian is about. Service revenue driving open source adoption.

That netbooks would offer good margins may seem counterintuitive. After all, traditional PC industry’s margins are razor thin. But consider: In its latest, second quarter, Nokia’s devices and services business’s margins hovered around 4.3%. PC maker Hewlett-Packard’s operating margins in personal systems, which encompass PCs and notebooks, fell to 4.6% in the quarter ended July 31. So, in actuality, Nokia’s and H-P’s financial metrics are not that different.
Meanwhile, netbook margins should be fatter. Here’s one reason: Nokia’s Booklet comes bundled with Nokia’s Ovi services, which will, in the long run, allow Nokia to make additional revenues on mobile e-commerce and extra features.
The big question that remains: Will consumers love Nokia’s netbook? Nokia has a strong brand and a loyal following in most global markets, except for the U.S. The netbook comes equipped with Windows, which consumers want.

But it’s going to be a multi-corner race among open source, Apple, Microsoft, and RIM. The Netbook gets Nokia into that game.

But can everyone afford a shiny notebook that starts from $1500 ?

Answer is NO. That’s why, here is an alternative for you, which ofcourse doesn’t match Hardware configuration of Air, but somehow manages to live upto the expectations of design.

iiView, a Singapore based manufacturer, comes with something that can replace Air, atleast design wise. iiView is actually a Intel Atom Based Netbook.

Cyril Alonzo, CEO of iiView, said that instead of making just another Netbook to feed into the already saturated market, he aimed to create a desirable product. Taking a page from the Apple MacBook Air, the iiView A2 is a sleek Atom-based minilaptop, but at an affordable price of around S$699 (US$467.78). In fact, the design is so similar that even the monitor-out and USB port are hidden within a flip on the side.

iView’s iiView A2 is hitting Singapore market next week and, running Windows 7 RC 1.

Sleek and sexy, this Netbook looks good enough to slice cake with just like Air. Its design mimics that of MacBook Air right down to hidden monitor-out and USB ports. No word on how the lack of an optical drive is being dealt with though.

Brief look at both -

iiView

MacBook Air

The specifications don’t have anything special except for that last item:

• Atom 1.6GHz processor
• 2GB RAM
• Intel 945 chipset
• 12.1-inch 1,280 x 800-pixel resolution
• 320GB HDD
• Two USB ports, mini-HDMI port, 2-in-1 headphone/mic jack
• 802.11b/g, 10/100 Ethernet
• Six-cell battery
• Windows 7 RC1 with Vista Home Premium license

Yes, the iiView A2 runs Windows 7 RC1, but comes with a Vista Home Premium license so that you can upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium when the time is right. iView explains that this OS decision was made because Vista just doesn’t “provide an adequate experience” on netbooks. (Does it provide an adequate experience on anything? I haven’t seen adequate experience even on quad cores!)

This is the sexiest netbook I’ve seen so far and a great deal for those craving the style of Apple’s line, but dreading the price tag. All that’s left is the wait until the iiView A2 hits US shelves.

Taking a step ahead, let’s take a look at the few Facts we know about the Chrome OS at this point.  Later, we will look at the reasons why it can Matter for you and the reasons why it may turn out to be Irrelevant for rest of us.

Fact List:

• Segment Targetting: It will be Targetting primarily at Netbooks, and eventually, Notebooks, Desktops in later half of 2010.
• Architecture: It will run with a Linux kernel as its core. On boot, it will directly go into the Chrome Web browser
• Platform: It will run on both x86 and ARM processors. On the Graphics side, Nvidia is excited about it & AMD’s ATI Graphics support/interest is still unknown.
• Key Features: The Top 3 Features will be 3S Strategy. “Speed, Security and Simplicity”. It will encourage cloud, and will not probably need to have local storage i.e. diskless, thin clients. All the user data/docs will be stored in the Google cloud. Small local SSD may though be used.
• Developers: Google will not entertain software Native Application Development on Chrome OS; Rather, they encourage developers build Web apps that will run on any web based browser.
• Release Dates: Google will release the software to the open source community near the end of 2009
• Partners & OEM : Google’s announced Chrome OS hardware partners: Acer, Adobe, ASUS, Freescale, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Toshiba and Platform partners like Intel.

Google explains Why we need to switch the context of current OS to a world where we leverage the Cloud computing. Official explanation of the problems that Google is trying to solve with Chrome OS are:

People want to get to their things on web instantly. Things like quick applications, email, without wasting time waiting for their computers to boot and browsers to start up. They want their computers to always run as fast as when they first bought them. They want their data to be accessible to them wherever they are and not have to worry about losing their computer or forgetting to back up files. Even more importantly, they don’t want to spend hours configuring their computers to work with every new piece of hardware, or have to worry about constant software updates. And any time our users have a better computing experience, Google benefits as well by having happier users who are more likely to spend time on the Internet.

Why it Matters

1. It’s from God of Web (Google)
Google is god of the Internet. Because of its brand strength and star power, it’s always a big deal when Google enters new markets. Nothing that Google does will go unnoticed or fail simply because it didn’t get enough exposure.

2. Chrome OS will be Free
Google has confirmed that the Chrome OS will be open source and will not have any licensing fees. That will enable Chrome OS-based netbooks to be cheaper than both Windows-based netbooks and ARM-based smartbooks. Plus, once we start talking about nettops, it’s entirely possible that we could see a $100 PC (without monitor) running the Chrome OS. Also, they have partnered with Intel for Atom based netbooks.

3. Because Windows deserves Better Alternatives
Nearly two decades after Microsoft Windows conquered the PC, very few real challenges have been mounted against its dominance. Long-time rival Apple Macintosh has recently had a resurgence, but it’s still hovering at less than 10% of the total market. This market is ripe for innovation and a new competitor. In many quarters, Windows fatigue has set in, especially in the notoriously price-conscious consumer market and in light of the Vista debacle. The virus, spyware, and security troubles of Windows are its biggest weaknesses and Google is wise to target those soft spots with Chrome OS.

Why it’s Irrelevant

1. Chrome OS runs on “another” Linux
Every year  is supposed to be an attempt claiming “The Year of Linux on the Desktop.” So is google trying this again for 2010?. It hasn’t happened and it’s not because it was an idea ahead of its time or it needed a stronger champion. The consumer mass market has rejected Linux on the desktop. Linux is easy, but it takes a genious to understand the simplicity. Today, Linux is nothing more than a niche OS loved by a group of highly technical users phrased as “Geeks”. the current Desktop trend, even Google can’t change, unless it’s prepared to write Linux device drivers for all of the world’s peripherals which would never happen.

2. It’s too late
By the time Chrome OS is released, Windows 7 will be everywhere (at least in the consumer market) and Mac OS X Snow leopard will be faster and simpler. If Google really wanted to make a powerful entrance into the OS market, the time to do it would have been mid-2007 when it was obvious that Windows Vista was a failure and it would take Microsoft a couple years to fix it. The opportunity for an OS to make a major impact on the PC market has passed. The OS just isn’t that important anymore. Windows and Mac both do a pretty good job of making the OS get out of the way as quickly and easily as possible. Chrome OS probably won’t be able to do that because it will start out with massive device driver incompatibilities with PC accessories and struggle with it for a year or so.

3. Google has no Experience on OS
Till Date, we haven’t seen a power packed OS from Google. Google hasn’t exactly knocked anyone’s imagination off with Android, its mobile OS. While Android has potential and still has time to develop, it feels like beta software in a market that demands greater “finish” and attention to detail when comapred to iPhone or Pre. Also, Android itself was originally interpreted to be a netbook OS. Therefore, the release of Chrome OS is a de facto conflict against Android, despite the fact that Google executives have tried to damp it. Maybe Google has realized that the Java software sitting on top of a Linux codebase in Android would have severe performance limitations on a PC. The fact that Google will have overlapping netbook operating systems does not inspire a lot of confidence that Google knows what it’s doing in the OS market or has a sound strategy, which I’m not sure if they have at this point of time.

4. It’s Targetting Netbooks
Netbooks have two simple and good features: They are more portable and cheap. Don’t be dragged away by two advantages. They also have two big drawbacks: They are terrible and a lot of consumers regret buying them because of the small screen and the smaller hardware which has no juice.

Certain consumers have already given up Netbooks.

Verdict:

Netbooks is a niche segment for the type of users who prioritize portability over all that is offered by technology. However, powerful Netbooks have started to emerge, we could see a strong wave in rise of Netbooks popularity again in the coming year.

Chrome OS targetting to redefine the portability has a market it can dare to capture. It may not be on the desktop, I`ll never see an application which can replace my native IDE like eclipse, tools like Photoshop, video editing, and Games and graphics like NFS etc; but yes, it’s for MIDs the long hyped gadgets of the future.

Now, sources say that Google approached Intel a while back to work together closely, to design Chrome OS suited for Intel architecture. The reason is but obvious, nearly 80% of the PCs/Notebooks/Netbooks are equipped with Intel processors.

Google has plans for release of Chrome Os in later half of 2010, with the first phase targetting to capture Netbook market, and eventually they will target NoTebooks and desktop PCs. On Netbooks, Intel Atom processor is a clear majority, capturing 97% of the market. So its pretty justified why Google chose Intel. Though there is a twist over this. Intel already had been working on a Portable computer OS called the Moblinfor it’s so called MIDs. Intel had been working over this OS for the last 6 months atleast. Intel wants to target Mobile devices. They are serious on getting Atom processor to the mobile platform.

Google made no mention of Intel in a blog posting earlier this week when it named companies already working with the Chrome OS. The list includes PC vendors HP, Acer and Lenovo and mobile phone chip makers Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and Freescale Semiconductor. Chrome OS  is being  developed as Linux-based operating system for heavy Internet users.

Today, most of the smartphones run on ARM architecture. ARM is good on battery power but limited in the processing side. With Intel taking Atom processors to Mobiles, they can pump the capacity of the mobile devices to run Typical “Desktop applications” on their phones.

Strategy from Intel and Google seems to be converging, and It’s quiet evident that their vision of MIDs can converge innovation that can lead to much more powerful portable devices for the future. What would we call it ChroIntel or Googintel ?

Like many of you I loaded Windows 7 on my netbook and it performed just OK.  The key to speeding up Windows 7 on a netbook with limited resources is to turn off and disable features that you don’t need. After all, it’s a netbook and there are many Windows components that will never be used. Additionally, disabling un-needed components will extend your battery life since fewer processes will be using the CPU running in the background.

1. Fine Tune Visual Graphics/Animation Settings

The Windows 7 eye candy is the main cause of GUI slowness. While my netbook has a decent graphics card that can display Aero Glass it can be choppy at times.

Click on the Start Button and type in adjust the appearance and hit Enter. This will load the Visual Effects performance options.

On this screen I suggest disabling the following settings by removing the check:

• Animate controls and elements inside windows
• Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing
• Fade or slide menus into view
• Fade or slide ToolTips into view
• Fade out menu items after clicking
• Show window contents while dragging
• Slide open combo boxes

Click OK when you are finished.

2. Remove Startup Programs

Nothing wastes resources more is startup programs that you don’t need. Click on the Start Button and type in msconfig and hit Enter.

When the System Configuration utility is loaded click on the Startup tab.

Remove the check next to any applications you don’t need and click OK.

3. Disable Services

Now it’s time to trim the Windows services running in the background of your computer.

Click on the Start Button and type in services.msc and hit Enter.

When the Services management console is shown you can stop and disable services by selecting the service, right clicking and selecting Properties. Then change the Startup type to Disabled and hit the Stop button. Finally click OK to return to the Services management console.

I recommend disabling the following services on a netbook:

• Block Level Backup Engine Service
• Certificate Propagation
• Homegroup Provider
• Offline Files
• Portable Device Enumerator Service
• Software Protection
• SSDP Discovery
• Windows Defender
• Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
• Windows Search

Other services you can play around with:

1. Application Experience
2. Computer Browser
3.Error Reporting Service
4. Desktop Window Manager Session Manager
5. Diagnostic Policy Service
6. IP Helper
7. Offline Files
8. Portable Device Enumerator Service
9. Print Spooler
10.Distributed Link Tracking Client
11. Protected Storage
12.Secondary Logon
13. Server (If your computer do not connect with any network)
14. Tablet PC Input Service
15. Themes
16. TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
17. Windows Media Center Service Launcher
18. Windows Search
19.Remote Registry
20. Windows Time
21. Windows security center
22. Windows updates
23. Windows firewall(Provided you have a security software installed)
You can disable more services which you feel you won’t use. Keep in mind that if you use any of these services or applications that depend on them they will no longer function. E.g. if you are a homegroup user don’t disable the Homegroup Provider.

.

4. Turn off Windows features

Microsoft gives you much more flexibility with Windows 7, allowing you to turn off Windows components — such as Internet Explorer, Windows Search, the Gadget platform, and media features — that you couldn’t disable in earlier versions of Windows. Here’s how:

1. Click Start | Control Panel and select Programs And Features.
2. In the left pane, click Turn Windows Features On Or Off.
3. Simply select or deselect the check boxes to enable or disable the various Windows features then click OK.

You can easily turn Windows features on or off in Windows 7.

5. Turn off Aero Snap (optional)
A new feature in Windows 7 is Aero Snap, which causes your application windows to automatically snap into a preconfigured place when you move them to the edges of the screen. Drag a window to the far right, and it will size itself to fill exactly half the screen. Drag it to the top corner and it will maximize to fill the whole screen. This can be handy, but it can also be annoying if you prefer that your windows stay the size you made them. Luckily, you can easily turn Snap off. Here’s how:

1. Click Start and select Control Panel.
2. Click Ease of Access Center.
3. Click Make the Mouse Easier to Use.
4. Select the Prevent Windows From Being Automatically Arranged When Moved To The Edge Of The Screen check box and click OK.

6. Install More RAM (optional)

There is really no good substitute to having plenty of ram in a computer. You can use ReadyBoost but with memory prices so cheap why not just buy more. I purchased a 2GB chip for my netbook for $16 (hopefully the mail-in rebate will come through).

The popular Intel Atom processor netbooks use the Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset that has a max of 2GB of ram supported. The amount of expansion slots or if your netbook even has one depends on the vendor and model of your netbook.

Finally, Your  Netbook is snappy and you are happy!

I doubt it will be so easy to get consumers to give up on the idea of buying a device costing $200 or $300, rather than $500 or more. Once established, new low price points rarely just disappear.

We could see from all this, Microsoft is not bothered about small scale cheap market alternatives. they know what is wise, the mid-end and high-end hardware market.

The responses by these high-tech companies will be a hot topic at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show. They include not only new netbooks — which typically cost $300 to $500, and often use Intel Corp.’s Atom chip — but products that address shortcomings of the new category and other portable PCs.

Netbooks, for example, tend not to be very good at displaying graphics and playing videos. So Hewlett-Packard Co., for example, on Tuesday introduced a $699 laptop that beefs up those capabilities with chips from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. H-P’s new dv2 model is less than one inch thick and offers many features found in higher-end products such as Apple Inc.’s MacBook Air, which starts at $1,800.

Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard’s thin new dv2 has features of high-end laptops but a price closer to low-end netbooks

Another problem with netbooks, and other laptops, is that they tend to start up too slowly and run out of power too quickly. Phoenix Technologies Ltd. is trying to address those issues with a downloadable layer of software, called HyperSpace, that lets users do simple chores such as calling up Web sites without waiting for an operating system to boot up.

The activity is the latest sign that technology segments are converging at an accelerating rate, driven by competitive pressures that the recession is amplifying. Companies including Phoenix are trying to help netbooks and other portables work as simply as cellphones, just as makers of those pocket-size devices are improving their ability to tap into the Web.

In another tactic, Qualcomm Inc. and Freescale Semiconductor Inc., which make chips for cellphones, are discussing plans at CES to offer their technology for netbooks, too. Henri Richard, Freescale’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, predicts that new entrants such as cellphone makers will join the race to make portable computers. “Netbooks change the paradigm for how you enter the computing space,” Mr. Richard says.

The new products, sometimes called mini-notebooks, were exemplified by the success of the Eee PC that Taiwan’s Asustek Computer Inc. introduced in 2007. Its initial models started at $299, had a seven-inch screen, used Linux rather than Windows and had no disk drive. The portables stored a small amount of data on flash memory chips.

Since then, companies such as H-P, Dell Inc. and Acer Inc. have introduced machines with a range of features, including larger screens, disk drives and Microsoft Corp.’s Windows XP software.

One of the biggest cheerleaders has been Intel, which helped popularize the term netbooks and this past spring introduced the low-priced Atom chip as a calculating engine for the new devices. “Suffice it to say, demand turned out to be much larger than we anticipated,” says Bill Calder, an Intel spokesman.

Gartner analyst Mika Kitagawa estimates that more than 10 million netbooks were sold in 2008, surpassing the research firm’s earlier estimate of eight million — and leaping from the hundreds of thousand believed to have been sold in 2007.

Some companies initially predicted that netbooks would find their biggest audience as a first computer purchase for customers in emerging economies. Now, though, many industry executives agree that netbooks are mainly being purchased as a second or third computer in more affluent households — good for quickly checking Web sites, but not powerful enough for chores such as burning DVDs.

Another issue has been whether netbooks are expanding the PC market, or taking sales from more expensive laptops. “This is a class of PC devices that is much more incremental than it is cannibalizing,” argues Brad Brooks, corporate vice president of Windows consumer product marketing.

Mr. Brooks estimates that more than 80% of netbooks now ship with Windows, compared with less than 10% when the devices first went on sale. But most run XP, and analysts believe that Microsoft receives less revenue and profit from that product than the newer Windows Vista software that comes with other laptops. Intel has said its prices and profit margins on Atom also are lower than on some other chips.

Any line between netbooks and higher-end laptops stands to get even blurrier, as competition causes companies to add more features to their products. Dell, for instance, now sells a $499 netbook with a screen measuring 12 inches, essentially a scaled-up version of an earlier product with an 8.9-inch screen. H-P, in addition to its higher-priced dv2, at CES is introducing a $499 extra-durable netbook with a 10-inch screen that is aimed at business customers.

Jonathan Kaye, the marketing director for H-P’s consumer notebooks division, said that until recently, PC companies have been building machines that conform to “a fairly strict definition of what a netbook is,” set largely by Intel’s specifications. But, he adds, “that could change over time” as manufacturers add more sophisticated features.

Roger Kay, an analyst at Endpoint Technologies Associates, says H-P’s new laptop is evidence that netbooks and the competition they have spurred are dragging down PC prices and taking sales from more-expensive models. PC makers are “eating their children,” he says.

Chip makers certainly don’t intend to let Intel run away with the market. Via Technologies Inc. is expected to discuss its competing microprocessors for netbooks at CES.

AMD, though not selling a chip for netbooks, says that most consumers will prefer machines like the dv2 that use its microprocessors and more powerful graphics circuitry, in a combination code-named Yukon that it is announcing Tuesday. Nvidia Corp., another maker of graphics chips, wants to convince netbook makers to use one of its graphics chips alongside Intel’s Atom — providing what it estimates to be 10 times the performance of the accessory chips Intel offers with its microprocessor.

Then there is the issue of the time it takes to start Windows. Phoenix, which sells PC makers built-in programs that control the boot-up process of their systems, estimates that its HyperSpace software can let users start surfing the Web in a few seconds, save energy and avoid security problems associated with Windows. The software comes in two versions, priced at $39.95 and $59.95 for a year of use.

If you are in the market for a Netbook computer there are many decisions to be made. The pictures here may help with a couple of them. Shown below are an Acer Aspire One and an Asus Eee PC 1000.

The Acer Aspire One (left) and the Asus Eee PC (right)

The machines are as different as any two Netbooks can be. The Acer runs Windows XP, the Asus runs Linux. The Asus has an SSD, the Acer a traditional hard disk. The Asus supports Wi-Fi N, the Acer doesn’t. The smaller Acer machine has a weaker battery and was significantly cheaper.

But the picture above points out other differences (see a larger version of the picture).

The smaller Acer has a 9-inch screen, the larger Asus is 10 inches (approximately). Measuring the other sides of the triangle, the Acer screen is (approximately) 7.5 by 4.5 inches, whereas the Asus screen is 8.5 by 5 inches. Both screens have the all-but standard Netbook resolution of 1024 x 600, which means that everything is just a bit bigger and easier to see on the Asus machine.

And, the picture points out a sometimes often overlooked aspect of the screen, a matt versus glossy finish. It’s fairly obvious that the Acer has a glossy screen whereas that on the Asus has a mat finish (you also see this in the picture below). Personally, I prefer the mat finish, but this is a matter of opinion. Cheaper machines will tend to have glossy screens because they’re cheaper to manufacture.

Another difference between the machines is the placement of the mouse buttons. On the smaller Acer Aspire One, they are on the side of the trackpad; on the larger Asus Eee PC they are in the more traditional location, underneath. Using the Acer machine, I have found the placement of the right mouse button to be an annoyance, but, this too, is a matter opinion.

Netbooks compared to VHS video tapes

If you haven’t seen a Netbook in person, then perhaps the picture above (larger version), with a VHS video tape in front of each machine, can help put the size in perspective. It offers an even more dramatic example of the mat versus glossy screen.

Taking a step back, my opinion is that a 9-inch screen is too small. While the smaller screen allows the machine to be smaller, I don’t need my Netbook to be that small. Plus, smaller Netbooks have smaller keyboards. Anyone with adult hands and less than perfect eyesight is better off with a 10-inch model Netbook. Children may have a different perspective.

From a woman’s perspective, the 9-inch Acer Aspire One could fit in some pocketbooks, whereas the 10-inch Asus Eee PC 1000 is likely to be too big. From a man’s perspective, each will easily fit in any briefcase.

When the Asus Eee PC 1000 was first released, way back at the end of August, it sold for $700. Now, the price is around $500 and I’ve seen it on sale for even less.