These Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz Windows Home Servers can back up to 10 PCs and serve all the files you want. It has two 3.5-inch bays for up to 2 terabytes of storage space, with one Gigabit Ethernet port, and six USB 2.0 ports to add more storage or whatever you want. [Asus via Hot Hardware via Engadget]

Let’s first look at the BeBook Mini’s better qualities. It runs e-ink. Nice. It’s easier to read than a backlit screen, though you can’t read it in the dark, but seeing how readers of books have been getting around this problem for centuries, we’ll count it as no biggie. Besides, e-ink is readable in sunlight. Backlit screens not so much.

It’s compact. More so than the Kindle. I could find a space for it in my overnight bag where the Kindle would not have fit. The Mini’s dimensions are 150 x 105mm. The 8-level greyscale screen is five inches (125mm, diagonal). The Kindle’s dimensions are 203 x 135mm with a 6-inch screen.

The Mini has an SD slot for memory expansion so together with a standard USB port, that makes two ways to get stuff into the Mini. Supported file formats run to ePub, PDF, doc, html, bmp, jpg, png, gif, tif, djvu, fb2, wol, txt, ppt, pdb, lit*, chm, rar, zip, mp3, mobi*, prc*, htm and mbp. (*=non DRM). It’ll also do text-to-speech for popular file formats, although the cyberbabe voice could take some lessons in diction from the talking GPS girl.

There are 10 numbered buttons underneath the screen, five of which have a second function. Menu mining is a matter of point by numbers. Page navigation has three methods. The left/right buttons on the left side of the screen, the 9 and 0 buttons underneath the screen, and the toggle on the right side of the device, which is the best method for flipping pages. Battery life is excellent. I had it on for days at a time and read hundreds of pages and the battery meter barely dipped down to the 25 per cent mark.

You can see from the picture there are two other buttons on the left of the number pad underneath the screen. The bent arrow takes you backwards, the menu button on the right of it pops up an options menu for the current page.

Expected features are here. Bookmarking, three-level page zooming, go to page, etc. The BeBook will connect to Mac or PC and mount as a USB drive. It has 512MB flash memory. But adding new books is not nearly the seamless process it is with the Kindle 2’s 3G-based downloads. You can download 20,000 classic book titles, all of them free, from the BeBook web site but new releases require you find a place to buy them.

And where would that be? BeBook’s site has a bunch of links to commercial ebook sellers but none of the links work. I tried Barnes & Noble but this leading seller requires a credit card with a US billing address. Oh. Google search? Yeah, sure, that turns up sites to get content from. But, well…it’s all a bit hard, really, except, I suppose, for those early ebook adopters who with their healthy bookmark folder full of places to buy know exactly where to go. And speaking of hard, the Mini has a search function but entering text via the number buttons is a pain.

In use, the menus and navigation took little effort to get used to, but compared to the Kindle’s elegant control layout and keyboard, the BeBook Mini looks a bit primitive.

But the crunch factor is the price. And this is going to hurt the BeBook, which is priced at $389. The Kindle is expected in Australia at about the $300 mark. A bit less for quite a bit more, including the Kindle’s killer feature of content updates and purchasing over 3G, which as I saw the other night works in Australia via an AT&T roaming partner.

(You can get more info on AT&T’s roaming arrangement with international partners over at Fierce Wireless.)

When you consider the competition growing in the e-reader market, which Gizmodo’s Dan Nosowitz has well summarised here, the BeBook looks a bit lacklustre. By itself, not a bad device. But out on the playing field, it’s gonna find the Kindle 2 and other products a bit hard to contend with, both on features and price.

That said, the BeBook may find itself a niche among those who have for years been reading books on a smaller device such as a Palm and don’t need lots of whiz-bang features, but do lust after a simple device with a bigger screen. They may also like the fact it’s not tied into any single online reseller. It can be ordered online from the BeBook Australia web site.

The Price: $US40

The Verdict: It works. IT WORKS! Playing back 1080p trailers in Quicktime, powered by a MacBook Pro, on our plasma TV was fantastic. And the part where it actually has audio? Yes please.

It’s quite easy to use. The USB and Mini DisplayPort goes into the MacBook Pro (or Mac Mini), and the other end takes an HDMI cable. Your Mac should automatically detect the new display, but you have to manually switch the audio output to the USB audio device. If you’re planning on using a new Mac Mini, this is the way to go. The video quality is pretty much what you’d expect from a clean 1080p source, and those trailers look good.

And with the problems Apple’s own Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapters are having, using this and an HDMI-capable monitor might be a smart idea.

The adapters will be available later in the week. I suggest you pick one up if you have any kind of Mini DisplayPort-capable computer you want to throw up onto your TV once in a while. Also, Monoprice has a unit coming up soon as well that’s pretty similar. [Kanexlive]

The starting price will be $799, although you’ll be able to upgrade to a six-cell battery, or opt for an SSD which will drive up the cost. They’re also planning on releasing a USB 2.0 docking station which will house a heap of connections like audio, video and USB. Should hit shelves next month…

HP Blends Functionality, Durability and Style with New HP Mini Notebook PC

SYDNEY, Australia, July 29, 2009 – Hewlett-Packard (HP) Australia today announced the HP Mini 5101, its new mini top-of-the-line notebook PC for on-the-go professionals.

The HP Mini 5101 features a sturdy, lightweight anodised aluminum display enclosure with a black, brushed finish. Complementing the aluminum is the use of magnesium alloy in the lower case of the Mini frame. Soft-touch paint on the base and palm rest further advance the mini notebook PC’s look and feel. This combination of materials, an industry first in the mini notebook PC category, delivers an eye-catching design and improves durability.

Furthering the stylish look of the HP Mini 5101 is a newly designed, spill-resistant keyboard that is 95 per cent of a full-size QWERTY keyboard. It features a visually open and spacious keyboard design with keys raised from the surface. HP DuraKeys, a clear coating over the keys, makes the keyboard 50 times more resistant to visible wear than keyboards without it.(1) In addition, the mouse buttons are located in the traditional space below the touchpad, making for a familiar user experience.

“HP Mini PCs have no equal when it comes to cutting edge, industrial design; use of innovative materials; and overall feature sets,” said Kerry Pynor, Market Development Manager, Commercial Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP Australia. “Starting at 1.18 kilos,(2) the HP Mini 5101 is perfect for professionals who need a lightweight, portable device that delivers on functionality, and will survive the everyday bumps and knocks a business notebook PC should.”

It features a large 10.1-inch diagonal LED display available in either WSVGA or high-definition (HD)(3) resolutions. Customers can also choose either the four-cell battery for lighter weight or six-cell battery for longer battery life. When configured with the optional six-cell battery, the HP Mini 5101 delivers up to nine hours of battery runtime.(4)

Mobile professionals can stay ultra-productive with the small, low-power Intel® Atom processor found in the HP Mini 5101, which enables the unit to run cooler, use less power and improve battery life. A fast-performing 7,200 RPM hard drive comes standard with the unit. Alternatively, an optional Solid State Drive (SSD) is available in either 80 or 128 gigabytes.

An optional, integrated Gobi-powered HP Mobile Broadband module allows users to conveniently access the Internet, corporate intranet, email and other critical information around the world.(5) Other wireless technologies include integrated Wi-Fi Certified WLAN(6) and optional Bluetooth® 2.0. An integrated 2-megapixel webcam allows for easy still-image capture, web-conferencing or video-enhanced instant messaging with no additional hardware.

HP QuickSync software, planned to be available as a web download in September, allows quick synchronisation of the HP Mini with notebooks or desktops so users can avoid maintaining multiple documents, media files and email. Information can also sync to portable storage devices.

The HP Mini 5101 is built to last, featuring HP 3D DriveGuard, which offers a three-axis digital accelerometer chip that sends a signal to shut down the hard drive upon sudden movement or shock. The HP Panel Protection System includes a scratch-resistant acrylic LCD cover and magnesium hinge bracket for added durability in demanding environments.

The HP Mini 5101 has been engineered for reduced impact on the environment by eliminating or reducing substances of concern, using fewer resources and reducing energy consumption. Configurations of the HP Mini 5101 are ENERGY STAR® qualified when shipping with a Microsoft Operating System.

New accessories designed for use with the HP Mini include a USB 2.0 Docking station that adds a variety of audio, video, networking and USB ports to allow for greater productivity. A lightweight, functional messenger bag, designed specifically for the HP Mini, or a neoprene slip case offers added protection for professionals while on the road. Other accessories available for the HP Mini include an external optical drive or USB-powered external speakers.

For further information, product specifications and high resolution images, or to request a review unit, please contact Alan McGuinness on 02 9928 1519 or alan.mcguinness@bm.com.

Pricing and availability
The HP Mini 5101 will be available in Australia in August with a starting RRP of $799.

The weird, chewy line between netbook and notebook gets blurrier with a standard 7200RPM hard drive that has an accelerometer in it for sudden motion protection, like on real laptops. Though that faster hard drive means you’ll need the fatter six-cell battery to get their claimed eight hours of battery life, not the standard four-cell pack.

It’s still got an Atom processor inside, so it’s not gonna be as fast as a Core-powered notebook by any means, but thankfully, even though they showed it off with Vista, you’ll have other OS options that won’t make it unusable.

It’ll start at $US449 late next month. That’s at the high end of the netbook prices, but at the same time, as strange as it is to say, this is actually a high-end netbook (if you still believe in the term “netbook,” anyway). Course, we’ll have to beat it up more extensively before we can actually call it tops, but it’s looking pretty good so far.

HP Blends Functionality, Durability and Style with New HP Mini PC

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 24, 2009 – HP today unveiled its top-of-the-line Mini PC for on-the-go professionals who demand a stylish, yet durable fully functional companion PC.

The HP Mini 5101 features a sturdy, lightweight anodized aluminium display enclosure with a black, brushed finish. Complementing the aluminium is the use of magnesium alloy in the lower case of the Mini frame. Soft-touch paint on the base and palm rest further advance the PC’s look and feel. This combination of materials, an industry first in the netbook category, not only delivers an eye-catching design, but also improves durability.

Furthering the stylish look of the HP Mini 5101 is a newly designed, spill-resistant keyboard that is 95 percent of a full-size QWERTY keyboard. It features a visually open and spacious keyboard design with keys raised from the surface. HP DuraKeys, a clear coating over the keys, makes the keyboard 50 times more resistant to visible wear than keyboards without it.(1) In addition, the mouse buttons are located in the traditional space below the touchpad, making for a familiar user experience.

“HP Mini PCs have no equal when it comes to industrial design, use of innovative materials and overall feature sets,” said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “The HP Mini 5101 is truly a work of art, a sophisticated companion PC crafted for the trend-savvy mobile professional who needs functionally, durability and style.”

Starting at 2.6 pounds,(2) the fully functional and durable HP Mini 5101 is an ideal companion PC for the on-the-go professional. It features a large 10.1-inch diagonal LED display available in either WSVGA or high-definition (HD)(3) resolutions. Customers can also choose either the four-cell battery for lighter weight or six-cell battery for longer battery life. When configured with the optional six-cell battery, the HP Mini 5101 delivers up to eight hours of battery runtime.(4)

Mobile professionals can stay ultra-productive with the HP Mini 5101 PC’s small, low-power Intel® Atom processor, which enables the unit to run cooler, use less power and improve battery life. A fast-performing 7,200 RPM hard drive comes standard with the unit. Alternatively, an optional Solid State Drive (SSD) is available in either 80 or 128 gigabytes.

An optional, integrated Gobi-powered HP Mobile Broadband module allows users to conveniently access the Internet, corporate intranet, email and other critical information around the world.(5) Other wireless technologies include integrated Wi-Fi Certified WLAN(6) and optional Bluetooth® 2.0. An integrated 2-megapixel webcam allows for easy still-image capture, web-conferencing or video-enhanced instant messaging(7) with no additional hardware.

HP QuickSync software, planned to be available as a web download in September, allows quick synchronisation of the HP Mini with notebooks or desktops so users can avoid maintaining multiple documents, media files and email. Information also can sync to portable storage devices.

The versatility of the HP Mini 5101 can change how students learn and is the practical answer to providing each student continuous access to a PC in one-to-one computing. Its suite of wireless, (6) multimedia and security capabilities allows students to learn wherever they have Wi-Fi access – from the classroom, to the library, to their homes.

The HP Mini 5101 is built to last, featuring HP 3D DriveGuard, which offers a three-axis digital accelerometer chip that sends a signal to shut down the hard drive upon sudden movement or shock. The HP Panel Protection System includes a scratch-resistant acrylic LCD cover and magnesium hinge bracket for added durability in demanding environments.

The HP Mini 5101 has been engineered for reduced impact on the environment by eliminating or reducing substances of concern, using fewer resources and reducing energy consumption. Configurations of the HP Mini 5101 are ENERGY STAR qualified and are identified as HP Mini 5101 ENERGY STAR on HP websites and on www.energystar.gov. In addition the Mini 5101 is EPEAT Gold registered in the United States.(7)

New accessories designed for use with the HP Mini include a USB 2.0 port replicator that adds a variety of audio, networking and USB ports to allow greater productivity. A lightweight, functional messenger bag designed specifically for the HP Mini or a neoprene slip case offer added protection for professionals while on the go. Other accessories available for the HP Mini include a USB 2.0 docking station, external optical drive and USB-powered external speakers.

More information on HP Mini 5101 product specifications, images and other HP mobility solutions is available in an online press kit at www.hp.com/personal.

Pricing and availability
The HP Mini 5101 starts at $US449(8) and is expected to be available in late July.

[HP]

The discussion thread reports that Apple recommends updating the firmware in the adaptor itself to 1.02. Unfortunately you can’t update it at home, so you’ll have to go to an Apple store to trade it in. Even more unfortunate is the fact that users are saying the 1.02 firmware makes things even WORSE. [Mini DisplayPort coverage on Giz]

AU: I imagine this is US only for the time being.

[Dell]

What does this $US8 Radtech ProCable Shortz iPhone charger and Jason Chen have in common? They’re both cute but only 7cm long, fully extended. [Radtech via TUAW via BBG]

But even though there is so much to like about the Mini 2140, there are so many things that could be done better, the biggest of which is the 10.1-inch screen.

My first foray into the wild world with this netbook was an unmitigated disaster, thanks to the Mini 2140’s screen. At 1,024 x 576 pixels, it’s too low a resolution to avoid real world problems. For me, the disaster came in the form of my 3 Internet key, whose software won’t work on anything less than an 800 x 600 screen.

Now that’s a stupid decision on 3’s part, and shouldn’t necessarily affect the HP’s review. Except that every time you turn on the computer, Windows XP itself tells you that the screen resolution is set too low. Now if the OS itself has problems with the screen res, shouldn’t that be an indication that 576 horizontal lines aren’t enough?

Another odd decision was the choice of including an Expresscard slot, especially when there are only two USB ports. Sure, having the ability to add ports and expand functionality is a good thing, but there’s not a lot of extra functions you can’t add through a simple USB 2.0 port, without taking up a latrge chunk or real estate on the side.

The 2140’s trackpad was a little narrow for my liking, and the buttons on the side were frustrating. Still, a Bluetooth or USB mouse fixed that problem easily enough, and considering the amazing keyboard comfort, it was a sacrifice I was willing to take.

The Atom processor handled all the day to day web browsing, post editing, minor image resizing and document writing I threw at it without struggling, which was a bit of a surprise after the Mini 12.

The review model I was sent came with the 3-cell battery option, and it showed when compared to the 4-cell batteries in most of the previous netbook nirvana contenders. I was lucky to get a full trip to work on a charge (about 90 minutes) without the computer dying for me, and days travelling from one event to the next were nigh on impossible to post from the road. Not to mention the fact that the charging cable was of the massive brick type that essentially doubles the netbook’s weight. And while I’d definitely spring for the 6-cell option if I were buying the Mini 2140, the screen is too big an issue to make purchasing a realistic option for me.

And it’s sad, because the Mini 2140 had the potential for greatness. I thoroughly enjoyed using it – moreso than the offerings from Dell and Toshiba – largely based on its fantastic keyboard. I even enjoyed looking at it, thanks to its gorgeous design.

But at the end of the day, the quest for netbook Nirvana just seems that much further out of reach. Maybe we’ll find it next fortnight, when we look at the Asus 1000HE.