Linux-based IdeaPad S9 and Windows-XP-based S10

Aug. 05, 2008

Lenovo has announced its entry into the "netbook" market. The Linux-based IdeaPad S9 and Windows-XP-based S10 feature 8.9- and 10-inch displays, respectively, plus 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processors, 1.3 megapixel webcams, 802.11b/g wireless networking, and up to 160GB of storage, says the company.

(Click here for a larger view of Lenovo's IdeaPad S10)

Lenovo, best-known for the business-oriented ThinkPad product line it acquired from IBM, launched its consumer-focused IdeaPad product line in January of this year. The new IdeaPad S9 and S10 now extend this line down in both price and size. For example, the S10 measures just 9.8 x 7.2 x 1.08 inches, and will start at approximately $400 in the U.S.

The basic recipe is similar to other netbooks, starting with Intel's 22mm x 22mm, 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor. The N270 has a 533MHz FSB and 512KB L2 cache, and it operates with the 945GSE chipset, which gives devices based on it enhanced graphics and power-saving capabilities, according to Intel.

Like netbook pioneers such as Asus, with its Eee, Lenovo offers its S9 version of the device with an 8.9 inch screen, 4GB of solid-state storage, and, for "certain overseas markets," a version of Linux (Linpus, in this case -- also Acer's distribution of choice for its Aspire One netbook). 

For the U.S., Lenovo's sole netbook is the S10, featuring Windows XP Home Edition, a 10.2 inch screen, and 80GB or 160GB of hard disk storage. In this configuration, it competes squarely with devices such as MSI's Wind NB U100, and Acer's Aspire