MSI's 14-hour Wind U160 netbook now available in US

Unveiled at CES, MSI's Wind U160 is finally shipping to US customers. The system is readily available online for under $400 shipped. Powered by Intel's Pine Trail platform, the system carries a 1.66GHz Atom N450 processor and GMA 3150 graphics, a 10-inch 1024 x 600 glossy display, 1GB of RAM, and a 250GB HDD.


Among the most noteworthy features is the U160's promised 14 to 15 hours of run time on a six-cell battery when in "ECO mode." It has the usual I/O connectivity, including 802.11b/g/n wireless, 10/100 LAN, Bluetooth, three USB ports, VGA-out, and headphone/mic jacks. The netbook also has a built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam, speakers, a chiclet-style keyboard, weighs 2.40lbs, and ships with Windows 7 Starter as well as a one-year warranty.

Newegg seems to offer one of the best prices at the moment at $379.99 with $4.99 for shipping.

Dell's Adamo XPS pulled from stores?

It seems that Dell may have pulled its pricey ultra-thin Adamo XPS notebook. The system's product page no longer functions properly. If you click "continue" to purchase the laptop, an error is presented suggesting the Adamo XPS is no longer in the company's system. The notebook is still available in the UK through Dell's exclusive deal with retailer John Lewis, but the store only has eight units in stock.


Having first launched in December, this would mark an extremely brief lifecycle for the Adamo XPS. Some speculate that an updated model may be on the way. Considering its $1,800 asking price, the XPS has probably been slow to move off shelves, as other popular ultrathins are more wallet-friendly. For instance, Apple's MacBook Air starts at $1,499, and Dell's own Adamo 13 was recently cut to $999.

Pixel Qi to offer DIY swap-in screens for netbooks

Pixel Qi is readying a do-it-yourself kit that will allow users to swap out their netbook's existing LCD screen with one from the startup. The 3qi display can not only switch between an efficient e-ink-esque grayscale mode and a high resolution color screen, but also to a hybrid transflective mode, which keeps the full color display but lets the mirror at the back of the screen use sunlight as the backlight for outdoor use.


The company says its LCD screens consume between half and a quarter as much power as a standard screen. This could mean a significant boost in battery life for your netbook -- naturally, at the cost of invalidating the machine's warranty. Writing on her Pixel Qi blog, company founder Mary Lou Jepsen said the whole process is just "slightly more difficult than changing a light bulb." Basically it involves removing six screws, pulling off a bezel, disconnecting the old screen and swapping it with the new one.

The kits should be available by the end of June, with the first product being a 10.1-inch display. Pricing isn't known yet but it will have to be low enough to make it tempting. The tech is undoubtedly clever. However, not everyone will be comfortable performing the upgrade themselves and voiding the warranty at the same time. It seems Pixel Qi is having a hard time breaking into the supplier chain between screen makers and PC manufacturers.