HP has high expectations for their sub-notebook: 2 million ordered
We weren't kidding when we said that 2008 will be the year of small inexpensive computers. According to DigiTimes, the OEMs in Taiwan are predicting up to 13 million units produced in the space this year. Out of those numbers, HP has apparently contracted Wistron to make 2 million units of the HP 2133, the 8.9-inch, low-cost sub-notebook that we've been been hearing about for the past week or so. Now what's been contracted for vs. what's actually going to be produced and sold could change, but the number is staggering. To put it in comparison: the original Samsung Q1 UMPC series has sold a few hundred-thousand units in the past two years. One other tidbit in case you were wondering: DigiTimes shows that the HP unit will have a traditional hard drive only, so folks holding out for SSD might be left wanting for more. I was thinking that HP might consider a low-capacity flash storage model similar to the Asus Eee PC, but it doesn't appear so at this point.
It all comes down to price and specification - A machine with 1GB RAM and a 1024+x768 Screen with the HP name for $500 or less would stop the EeePC in its tracks.
You can always pull the HD and insert a SSD... I feel that for most people SSD are at least a year out.
Posted by: PJE | February 26, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Are people forgetting that the iPod Touch now offers **32GB** of Flash? And according to analyst reports I've read, Apple has been able to do that because Flash prices have plummeted. In fact, they are able to make a *bigger* profit on them now.
So what's the holdup here? Even a 32GB SSD would be great.
Personally, I'd rather have an HD right now, so it makes no difference to me. Just saying.
But: any word on when when when?!!?
Posted by: Mike Cane | February 26, 2008 at 10:34 AM
If a hard drive makes it considerably cheaper, I'm all for it.
To me, price is the killer feature of these machines. I'm not even looking at the specs, if the price tag isn't under 500.
Posted by: Nate | February 26, 2008 at 11:27 AM
Is the flash memory in an iPod the same as the memory in an SSD or is it more like the memory in an SD card? I'd assume the latter and if this is the case then that memory isn't fast enough to be used in place of a HDD.
I do agree, however, that it is taking far too long for SSDs to become more mainstream.
Posted by: Jake | February 26, 2008 at 11:28 AM
It is a nice looking device and it has a great price. If it was a tablet I would be all over it.
mobiletechfan.com
Posted by: Alslayer | February 26, 2008 at 11:46 AM
ppplllzzzzzzzzzzzzzz let it be a 2.5" HDD.
it probably will be, the unit is big enough to hold 1 & they are vastly cheaper to produce.
i know some even larger laptops like Sony/Fujitsu use 1.8", but thats because they were looking to squeeze more battery life, their customers are use to paying a premium, have profits to be made in that sector.
Posted by: kjhgf | February 26, 2008 at 11:47 AM
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4258
Taking a look at this, and assuming that the flash memory of the ipod touch is similar to that found in cheap sd cards or usb sticks, you'll see that genuine SSD's are in a league of their own in terms or speed and price.
Also a 32 gb genuine SSD would cost almost as much as the ipod touch at about 450 to 800 depending on brand. So its safe to assume that aint in a ipod touch.
Posted by: ChangBM | February 26, 2008 at 11:57 AM
I predict for all to see that Kevin will own one of these shortly after release. :)
Posted by: James Kendrick | February 26, 2008 at 12:25 PM
The HP strategy: We lose a little on every unit sold but we make it up in volume. It's definitely an interesting product, and I'm anxious to see the final specs. It seems destined to be from the disposable-consumer-product side of HP rather than the hiqh-quality-business-machine side.
Posted by: nomo | February 26, 2008 at 12:47 PM
I predict I will own one of these too. :) Gimme a decent sized drive so I can dual boot XP with Ubuntu and I'm set!
Posted by: Aaron | February 26, 2008 at 12:57 PM
ARGH! I didn't know there was a difference in SSD Flash versus iPod Flash.
As Emily Litella would say, Never mind...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Litella
Posted by: Mike Cane | February 26, 2008 at 01:30 PM
I'M BUYING THIS ONE DEFENITELLY
I'M SELLING MY 13,3 INCH RIGHT NOW :D
Posted by: YEA BABBBY | February 26, 2008 at 03:12 PM
anyone know of any good forums groups for this thing yet like we have seen with the EEE
Posted by: dave | February 26, 2008 at 04:13 PM
A new HP 2133 forum now exists on leog.net:
http://www.leog.net/fujp_forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12357
Posted by: nomo | February 26, 2008 at 08:51 PM