Aug
30
Chinese company Norco unveiled the BIS-6550HD, a network digital signage platform powered by Intel Atom platform and with 1080p HD playback. The BIS-6550HD sports an Intel Atom N270 processor with up to 2GB of RAM and a 2.5-inch hard drive. The system gets Norco’s proprietary efficient fanless thermal design.
Other than the integrated GMA950 graphics, the Norco BIS-6550HD is also equipped with an ultra low power HD AVC/VC-1/MPEG-2 hardware decoder that is capable of Full HD real-time decoding. WiFi and TV tuner are available as options. It offers VGA and HDMI dual independent display support, a CF socket and a SD card reader.
Aug
30
Zotac has always had an impressive lineup of barebones Atom based Nettops, but even with the added power of the Ion 2 chipset behind it, 1080p streaming in flash could be hit or miss making them difficult to recommend for anything other than basic standard definition streaming. In response to the critical review the follow up Zboxes are now shipping with optional dual core Intel CULV processors giving them the extra kick needed to make it an extremely powerful HTPC. The appeal of the Zotac Zbox from an enthusiast standpoint is that they come without RAM, Hard Drives, or the OS allowing you to easily open and customize the performance to fit your intended application. You can simply pop in any old 2.5” hard drive you have lying around, or even step up to an SSD.
The new Zbox HD series sports either a Celeron 743 (single-core) or SU2300 (dual-core) processor, can accommodate DDR3 memory, and comes with HDMI / DVI outputs for the video. Additional storage can be added via any of the 6 external USB ports or the single eSATA. Built in Wi-Fi 802.11N, Gigabit Ethernet, and even 7.1 Channel LPCM surround sound round out the features on a box that makes my PS3 slim feel chubby.
Pricing for the new Zboxes haven’t been announced, but it sounds as though the entry level models will retail for around $270 or less according to Engadget.
Aug
29
Asus is just about to roll out its new EeeBox EB1501U Nettop computer which utilizes USB 3.0 connectivity. The nettop is powered an Intel Atom 330 dual core processor, NVIDIA’s ION graphics card and a 320GB hard drive.
In addition to the above mentioned specs, the EeeBox EB1501U happens to be the upgrade to the EeeBox EB1501. There is also an integrated DVD burner and support for WiFi connectivity.
Aug
24
Giada has a decent track record of pumping out lustworthy nettops with super slim, and awfully sleek designs. I’ve seen a few models at trade shows over the past few years, but unfortunately I have yet to see a single Giada nettop go on sale int he US. The fact that the Giada Slim i30 nettop has passed through the FCC though, gives me some hope.
Like most Giada nettops, this skinny little desktop computer looks more like a USB disc drive than a fully functional computer. But it sports NVIDIA ION graphics, a dual or single core Intel Atom processsor, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA and HDMI output, a flash card reader, 2 USB ports and a combo UBS/eSATA port.
