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As we expected, the Eee PC 1002HA has begun showing up with US based retailers.  The 1002HA appears to be replacing the now fast dwindling 1000H and is retailing for around $500.  Of course, as of now, these listings are simply for pre-order but they are expected to begin shipping shortly. 

The Eee PC 1002HA offers the nice brushed metal design that is found on the S101 and as for features it has a 10-inch display, 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n.  Based on the specification listing it seems the one item that is lacking is built-in Bluetooth.  Otherwise, another potential drawback is that it is shipping with a small 2-cell battery.  If you are looking for something with similar specs and a larger battery, you can always check out the 1000HA, that model is available for around $430 and ships with a 6-cell battery.

Product [ZipZoomFly]  Product [Buy.com]  Product [Amazon]

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Dell has continued to improve upon the Inspiron Mini 9 with new colors along with new features.  We saw those new colors hit the US market just a few days back, and now Dell has followed up with an even more welcomed addition—an optional 32GB SSD. 

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We first saw details on the Eee PC 1002HA back in late-October.  Asus has recently shown the netbook off at a media event and with that comes a nice image. 

Feature wise, this model is nothing to get overly excited by.  Most of the features are the same as we have come to see as “normal” for a netbook.  To begin with, the Eee PC 1002HA will have a 10-inch display, as well as an Intel Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.1n and it will be running Windows XP.  Otherwise, the 1002HA will also have a few available options for storage including both SSD and standard hard drives.

Moving on from the specs, the exterior casing is what makes this particular model stand out.  The exterior is sporting a pretty nice looking brushed metal.  It was also noted as being “a sturdy, upscale-looking chassis.“  In addition to the brushed metal on the exterior, the wrist rest also includes the brushed metal.

As for pricing and availability, the Eee PC 1000HA is expected to begin shipping in early-December and start at $499 and go up depending on configuration.

Read [CNET]

• Asus Eee PC 1002HA now available with US retailers
• Eee box gains home theater features
• Sony preparing a WWAN-equiped VAIO? The FCC says yes

New England Patriots QB Tom Brady has announced he is teaming up with the One Laptop Per Child project and buying 1,500 of them to send to children in Uganda.  They will be shipped to his sister Nancy who works with the Infectious Diseases Institute there.  Continued after the break.

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This is for the folks who had their hearts set on grabbing an Inspiron Mini 9 or Mini 12 netbook from Dell, but were not really feeling the black or white options.  Rest easy, because Dell has announced some new design options as well as the pink and red colors for both the Mini 9 and Mini 12. 

The new colors are officially being called “Cherry Red” and “Pretty Pink” and sadly they are both coming with a $25 premium.  Hopefully, Dell will have a change of heart on that added cost.  If you remember back, the Apline White originally had that same premium, but it was quickly removed.

As for the artwork options, there are five designs available, all of which are from artist Tristan Eaton.  As for that extra cost involved with the artwork, these designs add an additional $50 to the purchase price.  Keep reading to check out some images of the five available artwork designs…

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We haven’t heard from Dospara for a while, so perhaps you were wondering what they have been up to.  Well don’t worry, they have been doing exactly the same as everybody else: making a netbook.
I’m sure you could recite these specifications blindfolded, but in the interest of comparison I will tell you.  It has a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, a 120GB hard drive, 1GB RAM, 1,024 x 600 screen, 802.11b/g WiFi, Linux and a reasonable battery.  To be honest, it is exactly the same as loads of other netbooks, and that is the point that I want to make.  More after the break.

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HP is rolling out their newest TouchSmart and it’s a Tablet PC.  What’s the big deal?  Well, Gadgetell got a chance to actually play with the HP TouchSmart TX2 and it is really something.

At first blush, the TX2 looks like a standard Tablet PC with a hinge that allows the entire 12.1-inch screen to be turned around and folded down for a slate style experience.  The real fun is in the touch screen which is capacitive and not resistive; that means you don’t have to press the screen very hard for the computer to register inputs.  A simple tap to the screen is enough for the TX2.

Multi-touch

The laptop supports multi-touch input as well.  While Windows Vista doesn’t do multi-touch yet, HP has built this technology into the drivers.  The multi-touch inputs are translated into keystroke commands so you can have multi-touch beyond HP’s MediaSmart software. 

Plenty more including more pics and lots of specs after the break.

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We talk a lot about how technology makes things better.  We look to computers and tell ourselves how much better off we are, how much more efficient we are, how advanced we are.  The OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) Give 1 Get 1 program is back again after selling out more than 500,000 units last year.  Now, you can join this movement by purchasing a laptop for yourself and sending one to a child to change the world in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Cambodia, Ethiopia and others that need help. 

The laptop is an impressive piece of kit.  The hand crank allows users to provide their own power to keep it going while the mesh Wi-Fi network allows many users to access the web via just one connection.  The laptop is durable, designed for the regions of the world where it can do the most good.  Keep reading for more details.

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RadioShack’s Black Friday ad is now out and here’s what they are offering to those brave folks willing to wait in line for the 6AM opening:

• Canon PIXMA MX300 Office All-in-One Printer (Requires Purchase of EX-Z9 Camera) - Free after $50.00 MIR.
• Memorex MCC228 HD Digital Camcorder- $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
• TDK DVD+R Discs (50-Pack) - $7.99 (regularly $27.99)
• TDK DVD-R (50-Pack) - $7.99 (regularly $27.99)
• Casio EX-Z9 8.1MP Digital Camera Bundle- $99.99 (regularly $139.99)

Keep reading to see the entire list.

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Dell has officially made their latest Inspiron Mini available in the US.  Customers can now visit Dell and purchase the Inspiron Mini 12, but sadly the configurations seem a little limited and may not be ideal for everyone. 

Dell is offering the Inspiron Mini 12 in three configurations, which begin at $549 and go up as high as $649.  The main drawbacks are that (at least for now) the maximum amount of RAM that you can add is 1GB, and the only option for an operating system is Vista Home Basic.  Personally, I would like to have seen some more RAM as 2GB is becoming more and more of a standard nowadays, but more important is that the only OS available is Vista Home Basic and that is sure to turn some sales away from all those Vista haters.

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