Looking for a notebook but not in the mood to lug it around? Do netbooks look rather appealing but just don't have enough meat to chew on? VIA may have found a solution for the consumer looking for the in-between product, the missing link in the evolution from netbook to laptop. Called the NetNote, the device combines netbook portability with notebook HD entertainment capabilities, and is expected to hit the market later this month.
VIA's two Surfboard models--the VIA VT6552 and VIA VT6549--are the first on this platform, providing 10.2-inch and 12.1-inch screens, both supposedly providing flawless video playback of high bit-rate 1080p HD video. On a whole the platform features the VIA VX855 media system processor, and also provides consumers a choice of VIA C7-M ULV or VIA Nano processors, both utilizing a 800 MHz FSB.
On the graphics front, the new NetNote platform uses VIA's Chrome9 HCM integrated graphics processor, offering support for H.264, MPEG2, MPEG-4, WMV9, and VC1 decoding acceleration. The system specs say that the built-in display supports up to 1366 x 768 pixel, whereas external displays will offer up to 1920 x 1440 pixels. For consumers wanting a portable media player but not the bulk of a laptop, these two NetNote Surfboard systems may be the ticket.
"NetNotes are illustrative of the type of device that is possible after artificial restrictions on screen size, resolution and connectivity are removed," said Richard Brown, Vice President of Marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. "Light, snappy ultra mobile devices with notebook-level functionality are what consumers want and what the NetNote category of device provides."
