Chip maker VIA has a rather tiny share of the PC CPU market. So perhaps it’s appropriate the company is focusing heavily on CPUs for tiny PCs. And that doesn’t just mean netbooks. VIA is introducing two new desktop motherboards for small form-factor desktop computers, also called nettops. Both are designed to use VIA’s low power Nano processor, which competes…

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VIA is updating its low power line of Nano processors. The new Nano 3000 chips feature a 64-bit architecture and run from 1GHz to 2GHz. They’re all capable of handling 1080p HD video playback. According to VIA, the new chips outperform earlier Nano processors by more than 20% in the PCMark 05 and 3Dmark 2006 benchmarks. In those same tests,…

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While Intel and AMD grab all the headlines in the US netbook and ultraportable market, chip maker VIA is making headway in Asia. The Chupin C855 is a Chinese 12.2 inch laptop sporting a VIA Nano processor and VX855 chipset which is capable of 1080p HD video playback. The C855 isn’t unique. VIA is pushing the platform throughout the developing…

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Big name PC makers are pumping out tiny low power desktops, often called nettops, like nobody’s business. Or rather, like everybody’s business. But while most of the nettops coming from companies like Lenovo, Acer, Asus, and MSI are sporting Intel Atom processors and occasionally NVIDIA ION graphics, things are taking a different turn in Shenzhen, China, where at least a…

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Chip maker VIA isn’t really in the PC making business. But the company does have a history of putting out reference designs that are often adopted by a number of computer makers. And the company’s latest reference design is one that VIA calls the eNote Turnkey Solution. It packs an 11.6 inch, 1366 x 768 pixel display, a 1.3GHz VIA…

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The Asus Eee PC 1002HA is a classy looking netbook thanks to its brushed metal finish and nice wide keyboard and touchpad. But I get the sense that it’s high price tag was holding it back a bit, and the cheaper Eee PC 1000HE, 1005HA, and other more plasticky netbooks from Asus have probably been better sellers.The Eee PC 1001HA…

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The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 laptop is available with a choice of an Intel Atom or VIA Nano processor. And while Lenovo plans to make a third option, with an NVIDIA ION chipset that combines the Atom CPU with an NVIDIA GPU available, right not it looks like if you want HD video performance, you’re better off going with the VIA…

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Taiwan’s Kinpo Electronics has introduced a new mini-laptop that stands out from the crowd a bit in a few areas. First, the Kinpo N03 (PDF link)has a VIA Nano processor. That’s not that unusual these days, especially on an 11.6 inch model with a 1366 x 768 pixel display. But the laptop also has integrated 3G and WiMAX support, as…

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The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 is larger than a netbook, but smaller than most notebooks. It has a 12.1 inch, 1280 x 800 pixel display and a full sized keyboard. But the unit I reviewed has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU and integrated graphics, which means the performance is on par with you average netbook in most circumstances. And thanks…

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At first glance, the F88 netbook looks an awful lot like the Asus Eee PC 1002HA.  But while the Asus netbook packs an Intel Atom processor, the F88 sports a 1.6GHz VIA Nano CPU with VX855 chipset. It also has an HDMI output for pumping HD video to an eternal display. The netbook also includes VIA S3 Chrome 9 graphics….

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The Lenovo IdeaPad S12 with NVIDIA’s ION chipset may be on hold until this fall. But you can already pre-order the S12 with either an Intel Atom or VIA Nano CPU. The company added the Nano option to its web site yesterday. The Nano version will sell for $50 less than the Intel Atom powered version, at $449. It ships…

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Netbooks and smartbooks with Intel and ARM based processors are getting a lot of attention at Computex 2009. But Sascha from NetbookNews.de took a tour of VIA’s showroom where he found dozens of mini-laptops, nettops, and even MIDs using VIA’s Nano and C7-M processors. While many of these devices will never show up in the US, VIA has been working…

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