14 DAY TRIAL // This year's CeBIT show in Hanover, Germany was definitely packed. Now that the IT industry is recovering from the downturn it saw during 2008 and 2009, companies seem quite enthusiastic, an effect being an expo quite full of innovative products. However, besides just new product types, some companies, like Sapphire, are still building upon the ideas that worked during 2009. Seeing that netbooks were among the main reasons why the industry didn't fare any worse, the company has brought along its N450 Netbook. Still, to still give a taste of innovation, the company paired the laptop with a Mini Projector.
The Sapphire N450 Netbook will most likely not surprise many consumers with its specifications. The system is powered, obviously, by the Intel Atom N450 central processing unit, with a clock speed of 1.66GHz and 512KB cache. This chip is supported by 1GB DDR2 DRAM, at 667MHz.
The mobile PC comes with a 10.1-inch, LED-backlit WSVGA display, with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600. Graphics are provided by the integrated chipset and, as far as storage is concerned, a 2.5-inch SATA HDD with 250GB and a speed of 5400RPM is used.
The I/O capabilities of Sapphire's netbook include HD Audio, with 5.1 channel stereo output and support for multiple data card types (SD, MMC, MMC Plus, XD and MS). The device also comes with a 0.3- or 1.3-megapixel webcam and, while the spec sheet doesn't mention connectivity, it can be assumed that Gigabit LAN, WiFi and 3G are implemented.
The Sapphire N450 netbook was on display alongside the Sapphire Mini Projector. With a long-life LED Light source that lasts up to 20,000 hours, the product can project bright and clear images in the 640 x 480 VGA resolution. The image size can range between 7.5 inches and 65 inches and the battery used is an NP60 1200mAh, for a life of up to 140 minutes. Finally, in addition to laptops, the accessory is compatible with iPods, mobile phones and digital cameras.
Unfortunately, as it has been the case with most products showcased at this year's expo, pricing and availability details have not yet been disclosed.
Live report by Traian Teglet from CeBIT 2010 in Hanover, Germany.
