Reports are circulating that Lenovo and Samsung will be among the first companies to use VIA’s new VX900 media processor in low cost netbooks, launching as early as June of this year.

The VIA VX900 claims to bring 1080p video playback and DirectX 9 support to netbooks. Coupled with the Nano processor that is cheaper and more powerful than Intel’s Atom, although a bit more power hungry too, VIA has quite the technology advantage in the netbook arena. Unfortunately they have nowhere near the market saturation of Intel and while consumers will get a cheaper netbook option, don’t expect the added competition to cause Intel to lose a wink of sleep.

Lenovo already uses the VIA Nano 2250 in their 12-inch IdeaPad S12 netbook, undercutting the equivalent Atom model by $40. The new media processor could bring forth an updated S12, or perhaps serve as a more cost effective option to the NVIDIA Ion?

Either way, Lenovo’s 12-inch netbooks are due for an update. Perhaps we will see the VX900 and other new technologies in an S12-2 this summer.

Read our Lenovo IdeaPad S12 review

Source: [DNA India] via [Lilliputing]

Lenovo has released a second configuration of their IdeaPad S12 netbook with NVIDIA Ion chipset, this one with a boost in specs.

Just last week we brought you news that Lenovo had finally released their IdeaPad S12 12-inch netbook with the NVIDIA Ion chipset. While that first model featured boosted specs over a standard netbook with Windows 7 Home Premium, 2GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, and Bluetooth, this new model builds on that even more.

The IdeaPad S12 model 295954U is upgraded to 3GB RAM and a 320GB hard drive over the other NVIDIA Ion model, with a $50 price bump to $649.

Unfortunately this new model isn’t eligible for a discount just yet, but you can still get the lower spec’d model for $579.

We’ve been waiting a long time for this, but Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 is finally available for purchase with the NVIDIA Ion chipset.

The IdeaPad S12 model 29595FU is the only S12 loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit) and since its not bound by the WinXP licensing, it can be sold with 2GB RAM. You also get a larger 250GB (vs 160GB) hard drive and Bluetooth, which none of the other S12 models have.

All of these new features, along with NVIDIA’s slick Ion platform, will run you $599 and it should ship within 11 days or so. It is even on sale $20 off, see how to get the deal below.

What about you?
How appealing is the NVIDIA Ion chipset to you? Do the gaming capabilities matter on a 12-inch netbook? What about the forthcoming Flash acceleration coming from Adobe next year?

How to get the deal

1. Choose the accessory & warranty options for your IdeaPad S12 (29595FU, column on far right)
2. Apply coupon in shopping cart with no spaces before/after: USP11THINLGT

Lenovo’s 12-inch netbook, the IdeaPad S12, will finally be available with the NVIDIA Ion chipset on October 22nd in Japan according to reports.

A post on PC Watch, a Japanese news site, apparently indicates the arrival of the S12 with Ion goodies as the same date of Microsoft’s official Windows 7 launch. NVIDIA Ion will add HD video playback capability to the S12, something a regular Atom or VIA Nano powered netbook couldn’t touch. It should even play a good variety of games, including the pretty recent Call of Duty 4 as indicated by the HP Mini 311.

It will also add an HDMI output, although unfortunately the Atom chip probably still won’t be able to handle HD Flash video like Hulu or YouTube. You’ll have to wait until sometime in 2010, when Adobe adds NVIDIA GPU acceleration support for Flash and every NVIDIA Ion PC gets an instant leg-up on its competitors. You may not realize it, but Flash animations eat a lot of your CPU and just having this update should give your system a decent performance boost.

Back in May when Lenovo announced the IdeaPad S12, a $499 target price was indicated for the NVIDIA Ion version, although this could go up to $550 according to current rumors. Other netbooks with the NVIDIA Ion platform are the HP Mini 311 and Samsung N510.

Source: [PC Watch] via [Netbooked]

In my review of the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 12-inch netbook, I doted on the S12 for offering a solid keyboard, good key placement, and competitive features at a good price. I also noted that one of the best things the S12 has going for it is the choice between an Intel Atom and VIA Nano platform, with NVIDIA Ion coming soon.

The VIA Nano platform offers better performance with a small hit in battery life and a bit of a price drop. Right now Lenovo is taking $20 off instantly, but also has a limited stackable $50 coupon that brings the price of a VIA Nano based IdeaPad S12 to $379 with free shipping. Check out the specs and details on how to get the deal below

• VIA Nano ULV 2250 1.3GHz; 1GB DDR2; VIA Chrome9 HC3
• 12.1″ WXGA; 160GB HDD; 6-cell battery; 802.11b/g; XP Home

How to get the deal

• Choose your accessories & options on black Lenovo IdeaPad S12 netbook with VIA Nano (295956U)
• Apply coupon in shopping cart with no spaces before/after: USPNTBKSV09
• Deal expires 9/30

In honor of my review of the Lenovo IdeaPad S12, I thought I would share a deal around the 12-inch netbook.

Both the Intel Atom and VIA Nano versions of this machine are on sale, although the deal on the Atom one expires TODAY. Remember that the VIA Nano processor and graphics chipset should noticeably increase performance to a more usable level, but you will take a penalty in battery life.

The Atom-based S12 is available in black or white at $449 after a $50 instant discount. If you want the more powerful VIA Nano version, Lenovo is taking $20 off instantly and adding a $50 coupon on top to bring the price down to $379. Details on how to get the deal below

How to get the Atom-based IdeaPad S12 deal

1. Choose a black IdeaPad S12 (295954U) or white IdeaPad S12 (295955U) with Intel Atom
2. Discount applied automatically – EXPIRES TODAY 9/14

How to get the VIA Nano-based IdeaPad S12 deal

1. Choose the black IdeaPad S12 with VIA Nano (295956U)
2. Enter coupon code in shopping cart with no spaces before/after: USPNETBOOK09

Quick Glance

The Good: ExpressCard/34 & 3 USB ports, good keyboard feel, available VIA Nano processor, NVIDIA Ion forthcoming

The Bad: Iffy touchpad, no dedicated Home/End keys

The Rest: Just like every other netbook

Find the latest deals on Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 netbook

Design
Our model is the jetblack S12, sporting very little color on it. The LCD top cover has a design similar to all IdeaPads, there are a couple silver Lenovo logos splashed about, and the usual stickers on the palm rest. If you are a fan of ThinkPad design and want the minimalist look, this is the machine to go for. Lenovo also sells a white one on their U.S. website, but other colors appear to be absent.

The chassis is made entirely out of plastic, as are most netbooks, but it still feels very solid. There is some flex in the base of the system, but it is overall so light you don’t notice it. The LCD top cover is exceptionally rigid, showing very little deformation when taunted.

The only real failure in the design, at least on the black model, is the system button markings. Those handy buttons like Power, “NOVO” (aka recovery software), Volume, and QuickStart are near impossible to recognize without bright ambient lighting. The markings on the keys are a dull grey and the keys themselves are entirely black, blending into the surrounding chassis. You either need to memorize their locations & respective functions, or peer closely at the laptop. I will touch on this later, but there are also ZERO on-screen indicators for things like volume and screen brightness, making the key situation even worse.

Keyboard & Touchpad
The keyboard feel and touch is excellent, a trademark of Lenovo notebooks. There is no flex to speak of and the key travel is nice. Keyboard layout is a whole other matter and one that is highly personal. I love the near standard layout offered by the 12-inch chassis, compared to 10-inch netbooks, and I even like the PgUp/PgDn keys on either side of the arrow keys, they are very convenient for scrolling and almost make up for the lack of a TrackPoint.

My gripe about the keyboard comes from someone who writes a lot on a computer and thus I use Home & End extensively when browsing documents. These keys are embedded into Fn actions of the aforementioned PgUp/PgDn keys. You have to compromise something, but I’d rather have seen Pause & Insert made into Fn keys rather than Home & End.

The touchpad is functional, if on the small side. I found the very slick texture of the touchpad to be a little off-putting, as it was hard to judge just how much pressure I needed to apply. The mouse buttons have very shallow travel, but work just fine. Unfortunately I could never get used to the scroll bar, it just seemed to be very inconsistent, depending on exactly where and how I applied my finger. The rest of the touchpad feels the same way at first, but I was able to adjust to normal pointing motions.

Display
Netbooks generally don’t have exceptional displays, but they can certainly have bad ones. Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 comes off as perfectly sufficient, with okay viewing angles, brightness, and colors. The S12, like all netbooks, aren’t very well suited for multimedia, but you won’t be disappointed if you did try to watch some video. It is a glossy screen, but the gloss level is fairly minimal. Viewing angles don’t matter much when you consider that the hinge prevents the LCD from rotating too far back that you lose the optimal angle.

Multimedia
As previously mentioned, netbooks just aren’t cut out for multimedia on the whole. Most units only have Intel integrated graphics which leave all the graphics workload on the wimpy Atom processor. HD video is out of the question and even decent resolution Flash video (aka Hulu or YouTube HD) can be choppy.

Audio, on the other hand, is pretty decent. The speakers have about the same quality as any other average notebook and get sufficiently, if not overly loud. You also have integrated volume and playback controls via Fn-key combinations.

Features & Technology
It’s a netbook, what were you expecting? Seriously though, most netbooks have the same standard round of features. The S12 stands a bit out from the crowd with an ExpressCard/34 slot and a total of 3 USB 2.0 ports, which should offer numerous expansion options. A 2.5-inch hard drive is used, so you can upgrade with any number of standard, low cost notebook drives; just don’t spring for the uber-fast SSD, as hard drives are limited to the 1.5 Gbps standard.

The most notable technology available in the IdeaPad S12 is VIA’s Nano processor & graphics. The Nano processor should offer a good deal more performance than the Intel Atom, and the same goes for its graphics chipset. I don’t know if that is good enough to watching some HD Hulu without skipping frames, but it should be a noticeable difference. You will of course lose some battery life, as you can’t get something for nothing.

Connectivity & Ports

Right side (front to back): ExpressCard/34, Headphone output, Microphone input, USB 2.0 port, VGA output, Ethernet, Kensington lock slot

Left side (front to back): Card reader, (2) USB 2.0 ports, wireless switch, fan vent, AC plug

Front: speakers

Software Preload
Given the lack of multimedia capabilities, and of course optical drive, in the IdeaPad S12, you won’t find as many applications installed out of the box. This is overall a good thing, as it helps from slowing down the already barely-fast-enough netbook. You get the ubiquitous Office 2007 and Norton Internet Security trials, the latter of which was punted as soon as it turned on. There is also a utility for the webcam, but that is about it; overall, nice and light.

Battery Life
Most netbooks show the same battery life, due to the same size battery coupled with the same technology platform. There are a few exceptions, as some manufacturers have slightly higher capacity batteries tied with software that eeks out every last watt. Lenovo does have power management software, but unfortunately it doesn’t even allow you to change when the display powers off and it had to be removed for our battery tests. You may see better runtime with the utility, but will also be at the mercy of the program’s idle timers. I’m a bit too much of a control freak for that, plus it would disrupt our battery tests.

As you can see above, the Lenovo IdeaPad S12 performed respectably in our tests. Since it doesn’t have a built-in DVD drive, we instead played DVD images from the hard drive since that would be the equivalent multimedia usage. Doing so only dropped an hour off of our “normal” usage test, and you can expect a minimum runtime of just under 4 hours.

Real World Usage
This was my first opportunity to use a netbook extensively “in the real world,” and I better understand their value. Multitasking is non-existent and performance sluggish at best, but what you have is a low-cost PC that will go nearly anywhere with you and provide excellent runtime for its size. Pull up a web browser, or an e-mail/document, and go to town. Don’t get too crazy and load up a bunch of browser tabs or try to run Photoshop, but if you stay within its means, the netbook will please you with its utility.

Let me stress this: multi-tasking is non-existent. The single-core processor that is based on Intel’s older microprocessor architecture just isn’t optimized for handling parallel tasks well and even loading several web pages at once will give it pause. Some of this inadequacy is due to the Microsoft-imposed limit of 1GB RAM from the factory, but don’t kid yourself and think that you can simultaneously have several cycle-hungry applications running and be satisfied with the performance.

As for the IdeaPad S12 itself, I found myself really liking the nearly standard keyboard layout. Having tried a few 10-inch netbooks, and with the IdeaPad S10-2 up for review next, I was glad to avoid the dismal key arrangements of those designs. I never found myself trying to adjust the screen nor having to remove it from my lap due to heat.

I’ve touched on a few pain points already, around certain keyboard keys, the system buttons, and the touchpad. Compounding a bit of frustration during general usage is the lack of an On Screen Display (OSD) for key actions like volume, brightness, and other activities. These are a simple, but highly important usability factor that have been on PCs for a very long time, yet this one is noticeably lacking of any OSD.

Conclusion
As with most things in life, there are tradeoffs to everything. Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 offers a strong keyboard, good connectivity features, and the choice of a VIA Nano processor is welcome. Most people will greatly appreciate the 3 USB 2.0 ports and ExpressCard/34 slot, offering robust expandability. Later this year we will see an NVIDIA Ion-based version that will bring decent graphics performance and an HDMI output to the S12, making it a very strong contender for a multimedia netbook.

However, outside of these strong points, the S12 is rather unremarkable. A few simple usability flaws prevent it from having an excellent user experience and the battery life, arguably a very crucial point, is merely competitive. There are other netbooks that don’t have these flaws, but you will invariably trade against some of the S12′s strengths, or its price.

I know some readers are noodling on the value of a 12-inch netbook versus a 12-inch (full power, aka ThinkPad X200) notebook versus an 11-13 inch CULV notebook, and I will have some opinions to share around that very soon. I use a 12-inch ThinkPad X61 on a regular basis, have spent a lot of time with an X200, have an X200s (Celeron) in the lab for testing, and also just received Lenovo’s new IdeaPad U350, so we will definitely delve into that quandary soon.

Find the latest deals on Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 netbook

Lenovo’s IdeaPad S12 netbook was launched back in May with plans for an NVIDIA Ion version available towards the end of Q3. Those plans have been delayed in anticipation of the Windows 7 launch in October.

While some are undoubtably waiting for the netbook with some graphics gusto to make its appearance, Lenovo has decided to maximize their customers’ experience and wait for Windows 7 to be available preloaded on the machines. While there could be other developmental or supply issues preventing an earlier release, the move to wait makes sense. Windows 7 truly will provide the best user experience for the high end netbook and also allow Lenovo to equip the S12 with more RAM than their current license with Microsoft for Windows XP allows, improving the customer experience even further.

Currently there are two versions of the IdeaPad S12 netbook available: the standard Intel Atom platform and one based on the VIA Nano. The VIA Nano platform reportedly offers a strong amount of horsepower over the Atom, even playing 720p HD video and full-screen Flash video, while losing a bit of battery life. The forthcoming NVIDIA Ion equipped netbook will replace the wimpy Intel graphics on the Atom-based machine with NVIDIA’s Ion chipset, adding a whole new level of graphics capabilities with little loss in battery life.

Source: [Gizmodo]

The crew over at CrunchGear got one and put it through some less scientific paces, but found that it handled HD 720p video decently and even played standard definition Hulu video in full screen, but the CPU-intensive Flash video was too much for even the Nano when played in high definition. Hopefully Broadcom’s HD Accelerator will get the promised Flash acceleration support sooner than later and we can all revel in high-def Hulu.

Hit the link below for the full review of the IdeaPad S12 with VIA Nano.

Source: [CrunchGear]

It may not be much, but this $20 coupon isn’t too bad considering the IdeaPad S12 netbook is brand spanking new. The Intel-based S12 models come with the usual 1GB DDR2 RAM, 160GB hard drive, WiFi, Windows XP Home, and a generous 6-cell battery. The $20 coupon brings the price down to $479 with free shipping, but only until July 26!

You can also choose an S12 model equipped with VIA’s Nano ULV CPU and graphics, which are a good bit more powerful than Intel’s Atom, but at the cost of battery life. You also save $50 over the Atom-based units, if you’re so inclined. Find the VIA-based model (295956U) here, although it is only available in black.

Specifications (295955U White or 295954U Black)

• Atom N270 1.6GHz; 1GB DDR2; 12.1″ WXGA; 160GB Hard Drive
• GMA 950 Graphics; 802.11b/g WiFi; XP Home SP3; 6-cell Battery

How to get the deal

1. Click here to choose your IdeaPad S12 model (Right 2 columns only, 295955U or 295954U)
2. Apply coupon code in the shopping cart (make sure no spaces before/after): USPBACKTOSCHOOL

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