Advent 4211: It's the MSI Wind, but cheaper

Want an MSI Wind but can't afford the asking price? You have two options: Start selling the Big Issue or run down to PC World and cop yourself an Advent 4211--a virtually identical, but far cheaper alternative to the Wind.

It uses the same chassis, has the same specification, but it costs just 280 pounds (about US$551). How? It's quite simple: MSI is an ODM (original design manufacturer), which means it makes bare-bones chassis for its own use and to sell to other companies, known as SIs (system integrators).

Via Crave UK

Acer's new Netbook quietly pops up in online stores

If you dug the pictures of the upcoming 9-inch Acer Aspire One Netbook that have been flying around online, you'll be pleased to know that with no official notice from Acer, the Intel-Atom-powered system has been spotted for sale at a handful of US retailers, including CDW.

We've seen two models offered online. Both have the 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 Processor and 1,024 x 600-pixel resolution 8.9-inch displays. The US$399 version (model number A110-1295) has 512MB of RAM, Linux, and an 8GB solid-state hard drive, while another version (A150-1006), for US$422 (from CDW, at least), has 1GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive, and Windows XP. Both are cheaper than the 9-inch Eee PCs from Asus, which run US$550-US$599. Of course, being able to place on order for something online and actually receiving it are two different things, and we haven't heard of anyone getting their hands on one of these yet.

Besides the Atom-powered version of the popular Asus Eee PC, there's even more competition on the horizon, from MSI's long-delayed Wind, which is just hitting store shelves, and Dell's upcoming E series.

Via CNET Crave

Toshiba R500 with 128GB SSD hits Asia

While other vendors are still fiddling with 32GB and 64GB SSDs in their laptops, Toshiba has decided to jump straight into 128GB devices in its flagship model, the Portege R500.

This unit was one of the lightest 12.1-inch models with an integrated optical drive when it was launched last year, and now its already anemic weight has been dropped further with the inclusion of a solid-state drive. Weighing a mere 979g, it comes with an ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor with 2GB of RAM and 128GB SSD. Unfortunately, to maintain the zen of balance, the price has been bumped up to S$4,699 (US$3,144.62).

For those with a weaker stomach, the 120GB HDD version will still be available for a relatively cheaper S$3,799 (US$2,542.33). The SSD Portege R500 edition is sold in stores now.

MSI begins shipping the Wind (we think)

Has anyone received an MSI Wind yet? CNET Reviews is still waiting for its promised evaluation unit to arrive, but MSI put out a release today that says the company, after a number of delays, is finally shipping its mini-notebook to those who preordered it. MSI must be working through a large backlog of preorders because a quick scan of the sites listed in the release reveals nary single unit in stock. Fry's, Newegg, and ZipZoomfly don't even have it listed. Mwave and Buy.com list it as out of stock, while Amazon estimates it can ship you one in three to five weeks.

To recap, the MSI Wind is a 10-inch, 2.3-pound laptop that looks to be a serious challenger to the ASUS Eee PC. The model found online today is the US$499 unit that features a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU, Windows XP Home, and a three-cell battery. MSI states a Windows-based model with a six-cell battery will be available in September along with a Linux-based model with a three-cell battery.

Those orders that have shipped should be arriving via overnight delivery, per MSI's earlier promise to those patient customers who preordered a unit. If you've received an MSI Wind, please let dear Crave know. And we'll do the same as soon as an MSI Wind shows up for its benchmarking at CNET Labs.

Via CNET Crave

Gigabyte UMPC goes tablet style

Better known for manufacturing mainboards than end-user systems, Gigabyte has just announced its latest entree into the Atom banquet.

The last foray in the UMPC market wasn't exactly an astounding success. Though the Gigabyte U60 was not exactly a bad machine and had more expansion options than its competitors, the high price didn't seat well with most consumers. The latest addition to the UMPC family is the M912 which, in the style of Kohjinsha mini-laptops, is a convertible tablet PC rather than a slate Mobile Internet Device or a clamshell Netbook. Based on the Atom chipset with a 1.6GHz processor, the 8.9-inch touch panel is lit via LEDs and powered by an integrated Intel graphics processor.

Feature-wise, the Gigabyte M912 doesn't break any new ground, going with a standard 2.5-inch harddisk, 802.11b/g and Bluetooth radios as well as an integrated Webcam. Weighing 1.3kg, which is rather hefty for a device this size, it does not have an optical drive under the hood unlike the Kohjinsha SX3.

Though pricing details are not given, word on the Net is that the M912 is expected to retail for around US$699 (S$953.64). Singapore users can expect to see these units in stores come early August, though availability in other regions are not available at this time.

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