Acer and Asus may shrink down their 2012 notebook and netbook lineup

Consumers will probably see fewer notebooks and netbooks from Acer and Asus in 2012 to make decision-making simpler. Acer and Asus are reportedly taking a cue from Apple and will simplify their notebook and netbook lines for 2012. According to original design manufacturer (ODM) contractors, the two want to trim costs and improve their overall profit by having fewer but clearer models, reducing inventory risks. They are also seeking to raise brand power in 2012 by offering focused products rather than a wide spread.

One of the factors in this decision is the emerging ultrabook market. Contractors claim that Asus already has at least 50 notebook and netbook projects on the table, but these will reportedly be thinned out to squeeze in ultrabook development over the next three years. These ultrabooks will supposedly be crammed within its mid-range notebook projects.

For the beginning of 2012, Asus is expected to reduce the number of Eee PC models down from ten to just a maximum of five. These will be divided by entry-level, mid-range and high-end designs. However the number may be reduced even more in the second half of 2012.

As for Acer, ODM contractors said the company will focus on competitive and profitable products in 2012 rather than launch numerous projects. Like Asus, Acer too wants to reduce its number of notebook projects by 3Q12.

Sony VAIO VPCEL22FX/B 15.5-Inch Laptop For Just $349.99

If you're in the market for a new laptop, then I suggest you to check out the Sony VAIO VPCEL22FX/B over at BestBuy. Priced at just $349.99, the system comes with a 15.5-inch 1366 x 768 LED-backlit display, a 1.65GHz AMD E-450 dual-core processor, an AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics, a 4GB DDR3 RAM, a 320GB hard drive, a webcam, a DVD writer, a media card reader, WiFi, an HDMI port and runs on Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS. [Product Page]

Sony Vaio VPCSB31FDR 13.3-inch Laptop

The Sony Vaio EVPCSB31FDR laptop comes jam packed with a fast 2.40GHz Intel Core i5-2430M with the Intel Turbo Boost Technology and a 4GB of RAM to provide outstanding performance from multitasking to multimedia. The laptop also features a 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) widescreen LED backlit display, a 512MB AMD Radeon graphics, the USB 3.0 technology, a built-in Intel Wireless Display technology (WiDi) and an HDMI output. [Future Shop]

AMD may introduce ultrabook alternative next month

Despite earlier talk about not competing directly with Intel starting 2012, AMD is reportedly going after its rival anyway with the possible introduction of the “Ultrathin,” a super-thin MacBook Air and Ultrabook clone that uses AMD processors instead of ones supplied by Intel. Even more, Brian Slattery from AMD Australia reports that the new form factor just might become available locally next month.

AMD is reportedly taking a different approach than Intel, refraining from commanding specific configurations and aesthetics. There's speculation that AMD will be using the Brazos 2.0 platform sporting an updated Zacate APU and a Radeon HD 7000 series GPU. Slattery said that it was up to the Ultrathin manufacturers to decide how they adopt the platform.

“They can do what they want with them,” Slattery said.

He also added that AMD had conducted talks with a number of manufacturers about ultrathins and one of them was “particularly advanced.” Unfortunately, Slattery didn't go into further detail about AMD's ultrathin form factor, only stating that Apple had previously prepared a version of its MacBook Air running on an AMD processor, but decided to discontinue the project before its release.

Given that AMD's Ultrathin may be introduced in Australia next month, there's a good chance we'll see a few working demo units running at CES 2012 next month. We're also hoping AMD will choose an alternative name to differentiate its own design from rival Intel's ultrabook now appearing on store shelves.

HP Folio 13 Ultrabook Price Cut

The HP Folio 13 Ultrabook is now available for only $849.99 for a limited time. The 13.3-inch ultrabook features a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-2467M dual-core processor, an Intel HD 3000 graphics, a 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 128GB SSD, a 6-cell battery, a 1366 x 768 LCD dislay, an HD webcam, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. The HP Folio 13 runs on the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS. [LogicBuy]

Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (1012) Netbook On Sale For Just $299.95

Here's another hot deal from All4Cellular, they offers you this Dell Inspiron Mini 10 (1012) Netbook for just $299.95 (normal price $499.99). This mini laptop is packed with a 10.1-inch 1366 x 768 display, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450 processor, an Intel HD graphics, a 1GB RAM, a 250GB hard drive, a card reader, a webcam, an integrated mobile broadband card AT&T 3G, WiFi, a 6-cell battery and runs on Windows 7 Starter OS. [Product Page]

Razer Blade Gaming Laptop Will Be Released This Month

The Razer Blade gaming laptop will be available later this month. The laptop comes jam packed with a 2.8GHz Intel Core i7 2640M processor with an 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, a 17.3-inch LED backlit display (1920 x 1080), a 2GB GDDR5 nVidia GeForce GT 555M graphics chip, a 320GB hard disk drive, a built-in HD webcam and WiFi b/g/n. The Razer Blade retails for $2,799.99 each. [Ubergizmo]

LG Z330 Ultrabook Reviews

LG has unveiled the LG Z330 Ultrabook, which has a similar design to the Apple MacBook Air. Measuring 0.6-inch thin and weighing 2.7 pounds, the LG Z330 features a 13-inch display with a choice of a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 or a 1.8GHz Intel Core i7 processor. The ultrabook also provides up to 256GB SSD, an integrated Intel HD graphics, USB 3.0 ports, a microSD card reader, Bluetooth 3.0+HS and WiFi connectivity. The LG Z330 Ultrabook is priced at between $1,509 to $2,307, depending on the specification. [Electronista]

LG X-Note Z330 Ultrabook Reviews

Not to be confused with the bulkier P330 13.3-incher we saw last month, the new X-Note Z330 looks to have toned up to gain membership to the mwah-mwah Ultrabook clique. It's a mere 14.7mm (0.58-inches) in thickness, 1.21kg (2.67 pounds) in weight and sports a solid state drive to help it boot up in under ten seconds. What's not so Ultrabookish, however, is the price: the Z330 has been announced in Korea starting at ₩1,700,000 ($1,500) for the Core i5 variant with 4GB RAM, a 120GB SSD and a fairly usual range of connectivity, including HDMI, USB 3.0 and Intel WiDi for streaming content wirelessly to your HDTV. Opting for a Core i7 and a 256GB SSD will add a hefty ₩900,000 ($800) on top of that. We've duly prepared a rant about value for money, but we're going to save it until there's official US price tag instead.

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420 14-inch Laptop For Just $495

LogicBUY has started offering the brand new 14-inch Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420 laptop for only $494.10 with free shipping. The laptop comes jam packed with a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-2620M processor, a 15.6-inch HD LCD display, an Intel HD graphics, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, an optional fingerprint reader and a 720p HD webcam. Other features include up to 750GB 5400rpm hard disk drive, an optional Intel 80GB micro-SSD, a DVD burner, a 9-cell battery, WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0. [Product Page]