Gigabyte is getting ready to unleash the M1022 Booktop netbook on the world, and a number of videos related to the upcoming mini-laptop are showing on up on YouTube. The Booktop’s claim to fame is that it ships with a unique docking station that lets you stand the computer on its side, plug in a mouse and keyboard, and treat it like an old fashioned desktop computer.
Sascha from Netbook News.de got a chance to spend some time with a Gigabyte M1022 Booktop recently, and he’s posted a hands-on video in English. Unfortunately this video doesn’t really show off the docking station. But Sascha did spot another video (not in English) already online which does show the docking station — and suggests that the netbook looks a bit like a bigger, uglier Nintendo Wii when you stand it on its side.
Meanwhile, Johannes at Eee PC.de posted an unboxing video of his own, which I’m sure is quite informative if you speak German more fluently than I do. If you don’t, you can still get a good look at the netbook, docking station, and retail packaging by checking out his video and/or photos.
You can watch all three videos after the page break. You can also read more about the Gigabyte M1022 Booktop netbook in the Liliputing Product Database.
This is cute and nifty, and I’m sure would impress anyone who saw you whip it out of your valise and set it up as a desktop… but couldn’t you just put your regular netbook between a couple of bookends and do the same thing?
Yes, but you’d have to plug in your monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, etc, every time you came home! Hardly convenient. And think of all the cables that would litter your desk when the netbook wasn’t plugged in.
If the docking station is inexpensive, it will well worth it for the convenience.
Well, you could plug all of those but the monitor into a USB hub, which you could duct-tape under the table and just have two things to plug into the netbook… but you’re right of course, it wouldn’t be very suave… even if you substituted a 2 by 4 wood block bracket for the bookends 😉 The dock really is a clever idea. It’s one more example of the versatility of the netnook.
I like the docking station. Even better, it sounds like it will soon come with a HD screen (1366×768) according to Sascha’s video (middle one).
And also a high capacity 6-cell battery that fits flush with the system (7800 mAh?)
Not bad! I wonder if these things will make it to the US and at what price…