Packard Bell comes up with clone netbook and perfect name
Packard Bell's first foray into the netbook market is basically the same as every other one out there: a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, a 3-cell battery, an 8.9-inch screen at 1024x600, a 160GB hard drive, even the 5-in-1 card reader. The price is even roughly the same as all the rest at €399 (expect $399 or lower when it's released in the States).
But I've got to hand it to Packard Bell in one regard: they've given their netbook a perfect name. The Dot. In a sea of hideously branded netbooks (the Eee PC, the Wind, the Mini 9) it just stands there, as button-cute as the punctuation mark that inspired it. And their press release metaphor — The Dot is to notebooks what the scooter is to cars — is absolutely adorable as well. Kudos!
Press Release [Packard Bell via Shiny Shiny]
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According to Wikipedia, Packard Bell pulled out of the U.S. eight years ago. Does this mean that they are returning to America?
Ten years ago, I hated all PB stuff. I wonder if they have changed at all.
My guess is that this is just another badge licensing, like how Polaroid TVs really have nothing to do with Polaroid except a few licensing fees paid by a nameless Chinese manufacturer. This sounds very similar to the Commodore netbook from awhile ago.
That said, I have difficulty seeing why anyone would want to revive a brand that stood for floor-sweepings components stuffed into a bleached, grade-C plastic case bearing a wavy composite of 1990s industrial design cliché.
calling a rectangular laptop the dot reminds me of data calling his striped cat spot.
never, ever be the first on your block.
Packard Bell was garbage back in the day. I wonder if they (or the company using their name) has improved.
Packard Bell are trying to come back. This is why they came out with this gadget. Looks like a winner to me.I want to get me one of these. Elegant and very compact.
It doesn't bode well for this laptop that the Boing Boing entry for it contains more typos than any BB entry I've ever read....
You mean "ONE?" Fixed, by the way.
speaking of rebadging... the pdf is named 02_acer.pdf, leaves little wonder as to who they are rebadging :)
@ GUY JIN:
Packard Bell was gobbled up by Acer. Who knows, maybe this might turn out to be ok!
Are you feeling well Mr Brownlee? This is more like you.