HP are preparing for the launch of their next generation laptop products, including the new HP Mini 311, a netbook that will come with the new Nvidia ION LE graphics platform. On the HP website we now have links to two HP Mini 311 models, the 311-1011TU and the 311-1012TU. No price is published on the site yet but other mininote blogs are saying that models will start at $399.
Here’s my initial take on the specs published.
Pro’s:
- 11.6″ HP LED Widescreen Display (1366 x 768)
- 6-Cell Battery
- HDMI
- 3 USBs
- Price - starting at $399
Con’s:
- No Gigabit NIC, only 10/100
- No Wireless N, only b/g
- Heavier than I expected at 1.46 kg (3.2 lbs)
What’s interesting is HP have decided to ship this laptop with Windows XP Home, in advance of the Windows 7 launch (probably with a free upgrade when 7 becomes available). Both Samsung & Lenovo are waiting until the Windows 7 launch to bring their ION based products to market.
I must admit I’m tempted.
If your a HP2133 mini note gamer, you might want to consider picking up a mini usb Game pad. I found this gamepad at my local Walmart and was very impressed with the size, sturdiness and general build quality. At $11 and requiring no drivers to work with your mini note (Windows XP), I think it was a real bargain. You can also find them on ebay.
Gamemon USB Game pad in action with the HP2133 mini note
Gamemon USB Game pad is slightly thicker than the mini note
The Gamemon USB Game pad has a retractable USB cable (ideal for traveling)
A quick size comparison of the Gamemon USB Game pad with the mini note
The Gamemon USB Game pad in the retail packaging (from Walmart)
It looks like HP have got around to publishing the ISO of the default HP2133 SuSE 10.1 installation on their driver/download page.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription….
Mininoteuser.com have already got a discussion thread started on the subject, if you prefer to not be the first to experiment with it.
http://forums.mininoteuser.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=233
It looks like HP is starting to get their act together to support the Mini-note. They have just posted Microsoft Windows XP drivers for most of the hardware in the Mini-note. The drivers can be found at:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/…
