Anybody know what this is? It looks pretty neat. This looks like an unidentified slate-style MID running Android. Honestly, it looks really beautiful and it’s like an overgrown iPod touch.

See for yourself:

Some names have been floating around for this device. It’s been called the Apple inetbook, the android iMid, and most recently the Android MID. Read more…

Intel has recently made a move to give renewed life to the Pentium brand by positioning it as the main “performance brand” for the mobile computer segment of the market. The move is expected to create an ultrathin notebook segment that is placed just above netbooks.

The company acknowledges that the netbook segment is enjoying great sales and is expected to still grow this year. But Intel also believes that by 2010 and beyond, the traditional laptop market will make a stronger impact and go back to double digit growth rates. Although the key to success will lie on how the laptops will be designed and marketed. This opinion was based on an Intel study conducted in 2008 which showed that only 11.6 percent would take their laptop outside. But 23 percent would consider lugging around an ultraportable device.

Intel said that it firmly believes that it can create new device category where what it calls as ultra thin laptops will be lumped with.

MSI has announced an upgrade to its bestseller MSI Wind netbook.

The new version, although basically identical to the first generation model, will now have WiMax capability as one of its upgrades. Users can also put a 3G card to the unit. Other additions include a bigger storage space at 160GB. All other features are similar like the 10-inch display, 1.6Ghz Atom processor, a 4-in-1 card reader as well as connectivity for a mouse.

MSI will show the new Wind at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Samsung is entering the US laptop market.

The consumer electronics company has produced laptops before but never for North America so this is potentially a big move for the company.

Among the new laptops that Samsung has announced is its netbook, the NC10, that hopes to compete with the MSI Wind and the Lenovo Ideapad S10. The NC10 has a 160gb HD, a 10-inch screen, 6-cell battery and an Intel Atom processor.

Microsoft recently released a software package that is aimed squarely at a new affordable laptop that is being introduced by the Portuguese government for its schools.

The Magellan computer began deployment last month in Portugal’s schools. The objective is to distribute a total of 500,000 laptops that cost only 50 euros to school children, their homes and eventually even export it to Africa and Latin America.

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO, officially introduced the Suite Magellan that will be bundled with the laptops. The package includes Windows XP and Home, a number of development applications, as well as free email and messaging functions.