New HP Mini 5101 Announced

[Warder]

Yup, the 2140 is soon to be history (actually I can't pull up the product page any more...)

http://www.hp2133guide.com/hp-mini-5101/

[luvit]

oooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[azotyp]

I like desing of 2133 more than this thing but 100% alluminium + magnezium case is big +

[Jurisprudence]

This looks like it wants to be a Vaio T series, which in reality for all the manufacturers out there is the ultimate target. Luckily for them the target is made by Sony and therefore overpriced and isn't really a moving one in this economy. So fair play HP.

But wait a minute. Isn't this the forth base model of the Mininote series (not including variants of each base or regional re-branding) in a little over a year. There's the 2133, 1000, 2140 and now the 5101. Correct me if I'm wrong but the 2xxx series are the only ones which share compatible accessories (is a battery really considered an accessory for a laptop outside legal circles), the 1000 series had a proprietary usb port which wont be usable in the future most likely and the 2140 HD barely made it out the door before being shot in the head and discontinued. And the expresscard slot on the 2 series is now also a dodo so I hope nobody invested in an expresscard firewire or audio card and wanted to use it in an upgraded model.

Apart from giving HP's design team a reason to not get sacked what is going on here. Where is the end game. In 3 years time will we have had 16 Mininotes, only 1 in production, each one using its own distinct accessories.

It reminds me of the Nintendo Wii. People went on talking about how it was cheaper and smaller than the PS3 or Xbox. Then they ended up buying all the bits for it and when you went over to your mates half the room is full of plastic crap and he looks embarrassed when you tot up the total cost of ownership. Wii muppet.

Asus are even worse in this respect in producing 30 variations of the same crap but I expect that from a company which commits theft against its customers (yes the legal definition). Their products are rubbish anyway so life-cycle is not an issue for them. I thought it was important for HP though. Certainly if HP want these in the corporate environment or classrooms changing models every 3 months will have any CTO running to the hills. Total cost of ownership and long-term parts support and interchangeability is more important to them than having a shiny new design.


I mostly love the design of this thing, I may even get one. Sony's (not Apples) chiclet key style is fantastic if done right but I have heard concerns raised over keyboard flex being present in the 5101. Also happy they have kept the 21xx series magnesium alloy construction which is extremely durable. Glossy screen persists like a bad smell but at this price its horses for courses. You could also smuggle refugees in that bezel but its a clear sign of an 11" model probably arriving 4 minutes after someone buys this one. Same very old GMA950 but at least that means you can run OSX.

But if I want to have an ultraportable which will not be discontinued in 3 months and disposed of like a nappy I'll keep looking for a 2nd hand Vaio TZ or TT at least knowing that even though the TZ is discontinued I can still get parts for some time to come. Its a benefit of an 18 month lifecycle.

[rlarson_mn]

Well I guess that takes care of my MoGo 54 blue tooth mouse. No place to plug it in for power. Oh well isnt the first KWEL device I have gotten only to find it is no longer able to be used. LOL

[Warder]

I think it's important to note that the 1000 series is technically a different line than the 21xx/5101. It's kinda like the difference between the macbook and macbook pro

That said it's definitely very strange of them to kill the 2140 and release the 5101 just under seven months after releasing the 2140. The release schedule between the 2133 and the 2140 seemed about right, especially considering they were basically the same.

[Jurisprudence]

Nice overview of the new 5101 below. Looks like the rumoured 2150 3G model is not going to happen either if liliputing is to be believed

http://www.liliputing.com/2009/06/fi...s-netbook.html

I like the ease of upgrading the ram on the 5101 although with a max of 2gb it doesn't seem like a major benefit. Open once, never again kinda thing.

Warder I understand what your saying regards the 21xx/5101 and 1000 series being for different markets but I don't think thats quite true. The 1000 and 2140 had the same CPU, graphics, audio, keyboard, trackpad, screen, switches, curved chasis (though different materials/colours). There wasn't that much between them in reality IMHO. If these were truly for different markets the 5101 and 21xx series would have matte screens. There should be a matte option. Business people and corporates do not enjoy using glossy screen, some simply refuse. HP have been using the two different sales lines as a test bed to determine where best to sell these products long term, consumer channel or business channel. They are using customers as guineapigs. Thats what market strategists do. Thats how they have to do business and I respect that from a business perspective. They remain consumer products irrespective of their different designations or HP's attempts to sell into certain markets. Such testing doesn't help early adopters or those intending to keep their expensive accessories active. Product cycles this short do nothing to help confidence in the business market and HP know that. They are consumer products.


Apple don't actually have a business line. There head is too far up their corporate rears to contemplate a business line. To me there are 3 base categories of users, consumer, professional and business. Apple only previously actively produced laptops for the 1st two. The use of integrated batteries and glossy screens in the Unibody MBP's has effectively degraded their reputation in the professionals mind. The Unibody Macbook is now called the pro as well as they have amalgamated the lines. They now just do consumer gear under the pro name . Seems like glossy = consumer, matte = pro or business depending on OS. BTW I own 2 2007 matte MBP's, 2 iPods, iPhone, lots of accessories etc and I use them for home business/study using 3rd party software, but they are not business models. I wish they did make one but they don't have the mentality. I have to use matte PC's for my legal work in the business environment in the real world.

Small , light, non-glossy, long battery, built like panzer, 3G, parts availability, power. I hope the 5101 marks a move towards those facits. It has some of them already. For now I'll wait. I think my 2133 is crying in the corner (or could be a bad earth). It thinks I don't want it anymore :lol: .

[Jurisprudence]

Get this, Portablemonkey are reporting that the display on the 5101 is not glossy but MATTE. This will be the netbook for the competition to beat. Reservations as regards other things mentioned above put aside I reckon this is the new king of netbooks. Cant wait to see one in the flesh. Long live the king.

http://portablemonkey.com/article/hp...ures/#comments

[daniel.azy]

on sale now @ $399, i'm so very very tempted!

[billpool]

OOops.....

but where's the Express 54 card slot????

:lol: