We’ve already taken a look at some of the cooler laptop accessories on display at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, but the picture obviously wouldn’t be complete without looking at the actual notebooks and netbooks too, right? Since it would be virtually impossible to cover all of the new laptops at CES, I think it is much more fitting to look at a few that could prove to be real game-changers. The notebooks and netbooks featured in this article each bring something special, innovative, or unique to the table. The industry is pushing forward and these could indicate the direction that it is taking.
Asus Eee PC T91 Convertible Tablet Netbook
By most accounts, the original Asus Eee PC is what popularized the netbook format in the first place. There may have been other small form factor notebooks, but there was something about that Eee PC that skyrocketed it to the top. In continuing with this trend, we see the revealing of the Asus Eee PC T91, the first convertible tablet PC to join the Eee PC line of netbooks.
Featuring an 8.9-inch touchscreen display that can rotate and swivel, the Asus T91 could really bring the tablet PC format into the mainstream. Looking at the rest of the specs on the T91, you’ll find that it is more or less in line with the Eee PC 901 and Eee PC 1000H.
Some of the more notable features include the Intel Atom Z520 processor, Windows XP Home, and WiFi, as well as options for integrated GPS and TV tuner. The Asus T91 is about an inch thick and weighs just two pounds. I hope Asus keeps it affordable.
Sony VAIO P Lifestyle PC
Who said that netbooks had to be cheaply built and cheaply priced? Sony doesn’t want us to think of the new VAIO P-series as a netbook, instead referring to the little laptop as a “lifestyle PC”, whatever that means. Interestingly, it’s even smaller than most of the current netbooks offered on the market.
Featuring an extra wide 8-inch LED backlit display (1600×768), the Sony VAIO P series (the P stands for Pocket) has nearly a full-sized keyboard but it does away with the trackpad, opting instead for that little tracking nub in the middle of the keyboard. By getting rid of the trackpad, the VAIO P shortens the overall depth.
Highlights include an Intel 1.33GHz processor, Windows Vista Home Premium (or Home Basic), up to 60GB hard drive or 128GB SSD, 2GB of RAM, integrated WiFi and Verizon 3G wireless broadband, real-time GPS, MOTION EYE webcam, and Bluetooth connectivity. Prices start at $900, ramping up to $1500 for the top-end model.