EEE PC Competition - HP Compaq MiniNote 2133 for sale!

Yet another competitor for the EEE PC and MSI Wind: the subnotebook HP Compaq MiniNote 2133.

To be noted that all of them are based on VIA C7-M CPU at different clock (1.0, 1.2 and 1.6). 8.9-inch display and especially 4 USB 2.0 ports and one ExpressCard/54 slot (to be checked).

HP MiniNote 2133 KX872AA / FF009AA, between $600 and $750

• CPU VIA C7-M 1.2GHz
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM and Linux for KX872AA, 2GB SDRAM and Windows Vista Business for FF009AA
• 120GB hard disk
  
• 8.9-inch display, resolution
• Bluetooth, Wifi
• 4xUSB
  
• ExpressCard/54
• 3-cell battery (KX872AA) or 6-cell battery (FF009AA)
  

HP MiniNote 2133 KR922UT for about $500

• CPU VIA C7-M 1.0GHz
  
• 512MB DDR2 SDRAM
• Linux
• 4GB hard disk
  
• 8.9-inch display, resolution
• Wifi
• Not sure about 4 USB 2.0 and one ExpressCard/54
• 3-cell battery

EEE Journal Home Page

HP Mininote with Intel Atom for sale

The HP Vivienne Tam edition is going to be marketed in December 2008, the 10-inch class netbook is equipped with Intel Atom processor. This is a big news since the HP Vivienne Tam can be considered the first model of the new generation HP Mininote netbook. As you remember the current generation of HP Mininote 2133 is equipped with a not soooo fast VIA C7-M processor. According to some voices HP placed significant orders for the new VIA Nano (Isaiah) processor, the major concurrent for the Intel Atom CPU.
With the announcement of the HP Vivienne Tam it is clear that HP built a netbook using Intel Atom technology and it is very unlikely that (for such a low margin market) HP is going to built netbooks based on two different platforms.
Another possibility, not very likely though, is that the HP Vivienne Tan is not built by HP, it'is just HP branded and that the next generation HP Mininote PC will be based on VIA platform.

Posts on HP Mininote
Posts on VIA Nano / Isaiah processor

EEE PC Competition - next HP Compaq MiniNote with Intel Atom or VIA Isaiah (C8-M)?

It seems that for the next MiniNote, HP Compaq is picking the CPU between Intel Atom and the new VIA Isaiah (C8-M).
Actually I'd be surprised if HP Compaq changes platform and use Intel, this would be a major change from current HP Compaq MiniNote 2133 with VIA C7-M.
The VIA C8-M Isaiah should be significantly more faster than the C7-M, especially because of much bigger caches.
According to first rumors the C8-M should be able to decode blue-ray films without problems. I'll let you know more in next posts.
About Isaiah vs Atom: You can find around a lot of posts about a CrystalMark benchmark where the Isaiah performs better than the Atom. Actually I have some doubths about test methodology, for this reason I'll wait for serious benchmarks on real products to come.

EEE Journal Home Page

HP Mininote PC 2133 for sale below $300

Major price drop for the HP Mininote: it is currently on sale at Amazon for $299. Ok, it isn't the top featured anyway the HP Mininote PC 2133 is very well built and I especially like the keyboard, one of the best you can find in the netbook segnment. Also not common are an ExpressCard/54 slot and a Gigabit Ethernet interface.
Weak points are the low performance processor (VIA C7-M) and just 4GB SDD storage.
You can order it at Amazon with 512MB SDRAM for $299 with Linux operating system.
Don't worry about the little memory, it is possible to expant the SDRAM up to 2GB (as in the MSI Wind).
According to voices, the next HP Mininote PC will have the new, more powerful VIA Nano processor. According to first benchmarks the VIA Nano CPU should beat the Intel Atom.

Bluetooth for Aspire One A150, Samsung NC10, Medion Akoya Mini E1210 netbooks

UPDATE: Netbook and Bluetooth - Integrated vs USB Dongle

Please go directly to the newest post, since the Bluetooth dongle suggested in this post may have major software problems!

You want to buy the netbook that best fits you (e.g. using the netbook features database),
you are close to buy a top class netbook/mini laptop, such as the Samsung NC10, the Acer Aspire A150 or the Medion Akoya Mini E1210 when you see that it is missing a Bluetooth interface. What to do? You really need Bluetooth in the netbook to synchronize the mobile phone calendar or just to listen to music!
My suggestion: Bluetooth support in the netbook shouldn't be a go/not go criteria, you can simply add Bluetooth support using a Bluetooth USB dongle, there are many starting just below $10 (USD) and some of them are so tiny that you even won't see it.
This micro USB Bluetooth adapter simply disappears in the USB port of your netbook, so you can plug it once and forget it. You won't notice it! No damage to break it!
The Samsung NC10 or the Acer Aspire A150 got 3 USB ports so you'll have "just" two USB ports left, however it is far enough for 99% of us!

(At the time of writing) Beside the mentioned one, many other netbooks aren't equipped with a Bluetooth port: the HP MiniNote 2133, Acer Aspire A110, Fukato Jupiter, Lenovo Ideapad S9/S10, Fujitsu Amilo Mini Ui3520, Gigabyte M912, EEE PC 700/701/900/901. So if you really like the netbook however you miss Bluetooth, just buy an USB dongle/adapter!

Important! Installing a Bluetooth USB dongle/adapter is matter of minutes with Windows XP, for a Linux netbook the installation is a bit more complex and you need a minimal linux experience, look here for instructions on EEE PC (mostly similar for other netbooks).

UPDATE: Netbook and Bluetooth - Integrated vs USB Dongle

Please go directly to the newest post, since the Bluetooth dongle suggested in this post may have major software problems!


Remember that using the EEE Journal Netbook database helps find your dream netbook, with or without Bluetooth and refining the search with many other paramenters (operating system, size, battery, etc...)
http://www.eeejournal.com/2008/12/netbook-feature-database.html

HP Mini 1000 on sale with Atom CPU

After many contradicting rumors, now it is official: the new HP Mini netbooks, on sale starting from December 2009, will be equipped with the Intel Atom CPU N270 1.6GHz and not the Via Nano/Isaiah CPU, and a choice of 8.9 and 10 inch display. According to the HP press release also Bluetooth and webcam are included, not clear whether or not in the base configuration. Option of SDD or "normal" mechanical hard disk.
Something not sooo nice is that the HP Mini has only 2 USB interfaces. However it is possible to live with.
Starting price about $380, max $600.

Other HP Mini and HP Mininote 2133 News