Netbooks fading away into the sunset? Acer's AS1410 - Asus Eee PC1201HA

Two new devices are nibbling away at the boundaries of the popular netbook product category. Acer's AS1410 is netbook-sized, but with a more powerful Celeron CPU, while Asus's EeePC 1201HA has a netbook-style Atom processor but sports an unprecedented, 12.1-inch display.

The new product announcements from Acer and Asus suggest that the netbook -- generally defined as being a mini-notebook with a 11.6-inch display or less, and a low-power Intel Atom processor may be set to fade away, in spite (or even because) of its popularity.

Among other factors, netbooks were distinguished by their use of Windows ULCPC, a loss-leader edition of Windows XP Home. Now, while OEMs can apparently ship this venerable OS until October of next year (see Microsoft's product roadmap, here), newly announced machines appear to be favoring Windows 7, eliminating a key differentiator.

Acer Aspire AS1410

Acer says its new Acer Aspire AS1410 "is the size of a netbook, but is truly a mainstream notebook." According to the company, the device has a 11.6-inch screen, plus netbook-like dimensions of 11.2 x 8 x 1.2 inches, and a weight of 3.08 pounds. However, instead of Intel's Atom processor, the AS1410 employs an Intel Celeron SU2300 clocked at 1.4GHz.

Acer's Aspire AS1410

The 45nm SU2300 has dual cores, a 10-Watt TDP, and works with the GS45 Express chipset (82GS45 northbridge and ICH9M-SFF southbridge), Intel says. Unlike typical netbooks, therefore, the AS1410 provides DirectX 10 support and HD video playback, and it's also expandable to 4GB of memory, according to Acer.

The AS1410 capitalizes on its graphical talents by including both an HDMI port and a VGA port, Acer says. Other interfaces are said to include an RJ45 connector, a microphone input, three USB 2.0 ports, and an audio output that allows connecting headphones, speakers, line-level equipment, or an S/PDIF optical digital cable.

Acer cites an 84-key, "full size" keyboard, plus an 11.6-inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels and a multitouch trackpad. The AS1410 also includes a webcam, stereo speakers, a "5-in-1" (SD/xD/MMC/Memory Stick/Memory Stick Pro) card reader, 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, and a six-cell battery that provides up to six hours of operation, the company says.

Features and specifications cited by Acer for the Aspire AS1410 include the following:

• Processor -- Intel Celeron SU2300 clocked at 1.2GHz
• Chipset -- Intel GS45 Express
• Memory -- 2GB of DDR2 memory, expandable to 4GB via two slots
• Display -- 11.6-inch display with 1366 x 768 pixel resolution
• Keyboard -- "full size," with multitouch trackpad
• Storage -- 160GB or 320GB hard disk drive (5400rpm)
• Expansion -- 5-in-1 (SD/xD/MMC/Memory Stick/Memory Stick Pro) card reader
• Networking:
  • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
  • LAN -- RJ45 port
• Other I/O:
  1 x HDMI
  • 1 x VGA
  • 3 x USB 2.0
  • 1 x microphone input
  • 1 x headphone/line/speaker/digital optical output
• Battery type/life -- 6-cell, 4400mAh battery provides up to six hours of life
• Dimensions -- 11.2 x 8 x 1.2 inches
• Weight -- 3.08 pounds

Asus Eee PC1201HA

Asus is also planning an entry in the new "when-is-a-netbook-not-a-netbook" sweepstakes, but coming at it from the opposite direction. The company's new Eee PC1201HA includes netbook ingredients, but wraps them up in an oversize package with a 12.1-inch display, according to the Notebook Italia website.

The sleek Eee PC1201HA joins Sony's recent Vaio X notebook in using an Intel Z5xx processor; in this case, Asus has selected the 1.33GHz Z520, Notebook Italia claims. It's said the device will have 2GB of RAM, a 250GB hard disk drive, and operate for up to eight hours via a six-cell battery.

Asus's Eee PC1201HA
(Click to enlarge)

Notebook Italia also says the Eee PC1201HA will weigh just 1.4 pounds. While the device does appear to be notably sleek, as the picture above discloses, we expect this statistic to be erroneous. After all, Sony's pricey Vaio X has a smaller display, includes SSD (solid state disk) storage rather than a hard disk drive, and makes extensive use of carbon fiber in its construction, and still weighs between 1.5 and 1.5 pounds.

Availability

Acer says the Aspire AS1410 will be available in black, blue, or red "this holiday season" for prices starting at approximately $400. More information on the device may be found on the company's website, here.

Notebook Italia says the Asus Eee PC1201HA will be available in mid-November for 399 Euros (approximately $600). For more information, see the publication's website, here.