As you may or may not know, the word netbook will soon be replaced by smartbook, a device that is just as small (or smaller) than a netbook but with extremely increased performance and power efficiency. In other words, a smartbook is an upgraded netbook. And the first to be officially announced is the Mobinnova elan, powered by the NVIDIA Tegra technology.

What's so special about this machine? Well, it can show 720p video on an 8.9-inch screen, supports hardware-accelerated Flash video (this means that finally netbooks, nettops and so on will be able to play Hulu or YouTube), can play video for up to ten hours and has Windows CE, complete with an “innovative 3D graphical user interface” that makes it a very attractive operating system. If the pricing is right, this baby might be what it takes to start of a new trend; however, it remains to be seen what the price will be.

KC Kuo, Chairman and CEO of Mobinnova, had an interesting statement to make, “This truly portable device is a pleasure to hold and to use. It offers 720p high-definition video playback, full Internet browsing and an impressive battery life. […] We like to say it 'runs on fun'. It's a real game changer.” I guess you can never go wrong with a statement like “It runs on fun,” can you?

Just in case you needed more proof of the maker’s excitement, Mike Holland, Vice President of Business Development for Mobinnova, added the following, “It's the most powerful mobile Internet device you can easily pack in your purse, backpack or briefcase. You can use the élan for hours, even days between charges. […] The élan's advanced power management means hours of viewing pictures, HD videos, Internet browsing, and reading and responding to email.”

You will be able to use it anywhere you want and still have a great time, whether you are in a Parisian cafe or surfing the web from the comfort of your bed.


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