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A few months ago, the mobile tech net was abuzz with news that a Chinese company called HiVision had produced a sub-$100 netbook. Last week I had a chance to catch up with HiVision at CES, and I think I can safely say that there was a slight misunderstanding. The company isn’t looking to sell a $98 computer directly to consumers, but rather is looking for distributors who may be able to place bulk orders for the product at that price and sell it at a small markup. That still means the company’s 7 inch netbook could be available for under $150, but you probably won’t find it for $100 anytime soon. 

HiVision is also bringing three new netbook models to market, with 8, 8.9, and 10.2 inch screens respectively. 

8 inch model: 

• OS: Windows XP
• CPU: 1GHz PDX-600 
• RAM: 512MB
• Storage: 8GB SSD
• Display: 8 inch, 800 x 480 pixels
• Expansion: SD card slot
• Connectivity: WiFi, 3G W-CDMA, CDMA2000, TD-SDCMA, WiMax(opt)
• Battery: 3400mAh
• Weight: 1.9 pounds

8.9 inch model

• OS: Windows XP
• CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
• RAM: 1GB 
• Storage: 120GB HDD
• Display: 8.9 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels
• Connectivity: WiFi, 3G W-CDMA, CDMA2000, TD-SDCMA, WiMax(opt)
• Camera: 0.3MP
• Battery: 3 cell, 3 hours

10.2 inch model:

• OS: Windows XP
• CPU: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270
• RAM: 1GB
• Storage: 160GB HDD
• Display: 10.2 inch, 1024 x 600 pixels
• Connectivity: WiFi, 3G W-CDMA, CDMA2000, TD-SDCMA, WiMax(opt)
• Camera: 1.3MP
• Battery: 3 cell, 3 hour
• Weight: 3.1 pounds

There’s no word on pricing for the new models yet, and probably won’t be until some distributors commit to rebranding and selling the netbooks.