September 8th, 2010
Pharmacy chain CVS started selling a $99 netbook on Sunday, and most stores sold out within hours. The device is manufactured by Sylvania, and while its price is definitely right, it’s really not worth buying.
Here is a run-down of what this machine has hiding under its admittedly sleek exterior:
• Via 8505 processor
• 128 MB of internal memory
• 2 GB of NAND flash
• 7 “ 800×480 display
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Windows CE 6.0
The components are mostly off-brand, and the specs are pretty bad, but what is really discouraging is the operating system. Windows CE was designed for use with mobile phones, not with netbook computers. It severely limits what this little guy can do.
The netbook comes with an app that can play YouTube videos, but according to reviews that are popping up, it doesn’t even do this very well. If it can’t handle a basic video, then the $99 Sylvania netbook doesn’t stand a chance at running online casino games.
If anything positive can be said about this device, it’s this: it has better specs than last year’s $119 Kmart netbook! Beyond that, it’s a machine to avoid. Anybody serious about picking up a netbook for playing at the top online casinos, it is worth spending a little extra to get a proper device.
Tags: netbook computers, Sylvania
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September 2nd, 2010
Hewlett-Packard has broken their own speed barrier with the announcement of a huge upgrade to the current HP Mini 5103 line, making it the fastest netbook they have ever produced.
This powerhouse sports an N550 dual-core processor, which runs at a speed of 1.5GHz, giving the netbook a 20% boost in speed over all current HP netbook computers.
The netbook will have intense graphic capabilities, making it great for gaming. The standard model will offer 720p playback, while an optional video acceleration card will give the machine the ability to play 1080p video. A 10.1-inch display is perfect for showing off what this little guy can do.
The best part about this new netbook is its price: the line will start at just $399 (but this is for a weaker single-core version). While a dual core netbook is probably overkill for playing online casino games, a little extra computing power never hurt anyone! Plus, with a battery life of between 10 and 11 hours, this is definitely a netbook to look forward to.
Tags: HP Mini 5103, HP Mini 5103Hewlett-Packard, netbook computers, online casino games
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August 26th, 2010
A new gadget has just hit the internet that turns an Apple iPad mobile device into a basic netbook computer. One of the iPad’s most exciting features is its multi-touch display, but because it has no keyboard to speak of, all typing has to be done on the touch screen, which can be a bit cumbersome.
This new device is called ClamCase and it will be available for purchase soon. The device is totally wireless, and communicates with the iPad using BlueTooth. Users just slide their iPad sideways into the shell, and watch as the iPad becomes the screen of what looks like a standard netbook computer.
In truth, the ClamCase is no more than a BlueTooth keyboard with an iPad holder built in. While it offers a more tactile typing experience than the iPad’s touch screen can provide, it does little to enhance the device.
This is especially true of online gambling with the iPad. In fact, mobile casino games don’t make use of a full keyboard, since most mobile devices don’t have one. Instead, games available in an iPad casino are played using the touch-screen, so a device like the ClamCase would just get in the way of having fun gambling on the go.
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August 18th, 2010
It’s sleek, it’s light, it’s ultra-portable – the HP Mini 1137NR seems like a winner. It’s powerful enough to run the toughest no download casino games flawlessly, and sexy enough to look good on anyone’s desk. But all these good things fall away once you notice that its battery life is limited to a mere 2 hours. Netbook computers are meant to be used on the go, but this machine will only last about as long as the average movie.
The HP Mini 1137NR does have some nice features. Its 10.1 inch screen is bright and sharp. It weighs just 2.45 points and is less than an inch thick, making it one of the slimmest netbooks on the market today. An 80gb hard drive offers plenty of storage, and a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor packs a nice punch. Its 1gb of RAM is a bit slim, and the machine has a fairly limited integrated graphics processor, but it’s still plenty strong for running online casino games.
The price comes in at around $500, which is a lot for a machine with these specs. It bills itself as being light and portable, and as long as you never need to use it away from a power outlet for more than 2 hours, it certainly fits that description. But for users who expect to play the best online slots on their netbook computer for a whole afternoon, the HP Mini 1137NR isn’t worth the price.
Tags: hp mini 1137nr, netbook computers
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August 12th, 2010
Now this is a mobile computer! The swivel display on the Lenovo S10-3T multi-touch device lets it play the role of both a netbook and a tablet. Strong specs make it a powerhouse for both work and play, and an overall excellent design gives it a “wow” factor that many devices these days just don’t seem to have. One question remains: is it worth $500?
First, a quick look at what’s under the hood:
• 1.66GHz Intel Atom Processor
• 1GB 204 Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM Memory
• 250GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
• 802.11 b/g/n Wireless Adapter
• 10.1″ 1024×600 LED Multi-Touch Display (16:9)
• Intel GMA 3150 Graphics
• Windows 7 Starter
A large display and strong graphics adapter make this device excellent for use with netbook casinos. The hard drive is big enough for most purposes, and while it could do with a little more RAM, 1GB is plenty for tackling even the most demanding online casino games. Windows 7 Starter edition doesn’t come with fancy Aero effects, but it gets the job done.
This netbook’s best feature is its multitouch display. Combined with the touch features in Windows 7, the Lenovo S10-3T is sure to be a lot of fun to use. It will let players take control of their favorite online slots, blackjack, and other casino games by simply touching the screen. Overall, this tablet/netbook makes an excellent iPad replacement. If you ask me, the price tag is more than reasonable.
Tags: netbook computers, online slots
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August 6th, 2010
The buzz around the tech blogs this week is that HP is working on a new model in its business line of netbook computers. It’s called the HP Mini 5103, and judging by the specs, it looks like it will be a perfect netbook for online gambling.
Of course, the machine will be great for general business too, offering enough power to get just about any job done. But business isn’t everything, so it is good to know that a machine like this will also give you a chance to kick back and relax with some online slots or blackjack.
Here’s what the HP Mini 5103 will offer:
Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 or 1.86GHz Intel Atom N475
Memory: Unknown, but will support high-speed DDR3 RAM
Video: Broadcom HD video accelerator for ultra-sexy visuals
Hard drive: Shock-proof 7200RPM HDD or a solid state drive
Shell: Tough yet light magnesium alloy case
OS: SUSE Linux, Windows 7 Starter, or Windows 7 Home Premium
Optional: Touchscreen display
All of this power will be packed into a sleek, professional system that is sure to turn a few heads. The machine’s fast processor and HD graphics accelerator will let it run no-download casino games flawlessly, while the optional touchscreen display will add a new layer of fun to the mix.
The machine is only on sale in Italy at the moment, but it will soon be rolled in other countries around the globe. Its price? Somewhere in the neighborhood of €550 ($725). This is a small price to pay for so much power packed into a netbook.
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July 29th, 2010
US retailer Kmart has begun to sell ultra-cheap Android tablets and netbooks manufactured by a company called Augen. They are not yet available in all stores, but stocks should be arriving over the weekend. The devices are definitely not powerhouses, but for $99, that is to be expected. Here are the specs of one Augen device that a customer recently purchased from his local Kmart:
Augen GenBook 74
• 400MHz CPU
• 7 inch, 800 x 480 pixel display
• 128MB of memory
• Android 1.6 OS
The user reported that the machine comes with Android pre-installed, along with a web browser, a Gmail app, Google Maps, and a few other programs.
It is hard to say how this ultra-low-budget netbook would handle no download casino games. The specs are about the same as you would find in a ten-year-old desktop computer, so don’t expect much. The tiny screen, slow processor and miniscule amount of memory probably won’t run the average online casino game. In fact, users won’t be able to do much at all these days with such a slow computer.
Our advice? Skip these dirt-cheap Augen netbooks and spend a few hundred more to get an entry-level Asus Eee PC or one of our recommended netbooks. These $99 Kmart netbooks just aren’t worth the money.
Tags: android netbooks, netbook computers
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July 22nd, 2010
While Apple’s iPad offers beautiful touch screen support for all its apps, the device does not run Flash, which is the technology that powers most no-download casino games. This means that iPad users can’t simply log-on to their favorite instant play casino and start enjoying touch screen slots, blackjack, and other games.
Fortunately, there are alternatives. News has just surfaced of an upcoming Hewlitt-Packard touch screen tablet PC that will be powered by Windows 7. This means that the device will run all no-download casinos without problems. Basically, anything that works on your netbook computer will also work on the new HP Slate 500.
While touch screen tablet PCs are nothing new, most are powered by Android OS or other mobile operating systems, and are therefore unfamiliar to Windows users. The comfortable Windows 7 interface on the new HP Slate 500 means users won’t have to learn anything new, other than getting used to using their fingers to control online casino games instead of a mouse or trackpad.
Full specs for the HP Slate 500 are not yet available, but according to Netbook Updates, the device will probably offer the following:
• 8.9 inch display
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Two cameras for shooting photos or video and web conferencing
• 1.6GHz unspecified processor (probably Intel Atom)
HP says the Slate 500 in customer evaluation phase, and no release date has been given.
Tags: hp slate 500, netbook computers
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July 8th, 2010
It’s strange to see the words ‘gaming’ and ‘netbook’ together like that. Traditionally, netbooks are tools more than toys, and their computing power is far too average to please hardcore computer gamers. But Alienware is a big name in gaming computer technology, so we’ll take their word for it. They call the M11x the “world’s most powerful 11-inch gaming laptop”, and judging by the specs, they’re probably right. The question is – is it worth the $1,099 price tag?
M11x gaming netbook: Essential specs
• Intel Core i7 processor
• Nvidia GeForce GT 335M graphics card with 1GB memory
• Intel HD Graphics Media Accelerator
• 2GB of DDR3 RAM
• 160GB hard drive
Clearly, the M11x is a beast of a machine. It weighs in quite heavy at 4.4 pound, but it is compact and packs a powerful punch. For proper computer gaming, the processor and graphics card are definitely up to speed, but the RAM is a bit low, and the hard drive is pathetically small. Consumers must also be aware that they are paying quite a lot extra for the Alienware brand.
For casual gamers, or for anyone who uses their netbook for online casino games, the Alienware M11x is overkill. It’s killing a fly with bazooka overkill. No download casino games don’t need much computing power to run, and users can find much, much cheaper netbooks that are more than powerful enough to get the job done.
My advice? Skip the M11x and go for an ASUS Eee PC, or check out our netbook reviews for more options.
Tags: M11x gaming netbook, netbook computers
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June 30th, 2010
Microsoft has spoken (again). I’ve lost track of how many times Microsoft has change the date they will kill off the nine-year-old Windows XP once and for all. The new date is October 22, and it seems like this is the real, final, official death date for this popular PC operating system.
The reason for thinking things are getting serious is that Microsoft has been talking to OEMs, reminding them that they should stop pre-installing XP on new netbooks. What is the alternative? Windows 7 of course.
According to Microsoft, a full 88% of new netbooks are already shipping with some version of Windows 7 installed. If you ask me, this is a good thing. Windows 7 and netbooks go hand-in-hand. As netbook technology becomes more and more powerful, users are able to make better use of the features that this new operating system has to offer.
In truth, the change won’t have much of an effect on netbook casino gamblers. Since the no download casino games that netbookers play run completely online, they are independent of the operating system installed on the computer running them. In fact, no-download casino games run equally well on Windows netbooks as they do on Linux machines and Macs.
Whichever OS your netbook happens to be running, there are piles of great instant play casino games out there waiting to be explored, so choose one that looks good to you and start winning!
Tags: casino, netbook computers
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