Both Dell and Fujitsu introduced new models of netbooks today based on Intel’s latest Atom model processor. The netbooks are smaller the previous models and offer battery lives of 7-10 hours.

Both the Lifebook MH380 and the Dell Mini 10 sport the Atom N450 processor. The single-core Atom N450 chip is 60 percent smaller than its predecessors are and consumes close to 20 percent less power, Intel officials said.

The Dell Mini 10 also supports high-definition video on a 10.1 inch display. It starts at $299 and offers nine and half hours of battery life.

Dell will also offer consumers an optional HD display and Broadcom Crystal HD media accelerator for users to see full high-definition 1080p video and plans to bundle an optional HD tuner for over-the-air TV broadcasts.

Fujitsu’s MH380 offers superior processor and graphics performance than previous models, the company said in a statement. The Lifebook MH380, which is priced at $449, weighs 2.97 pounds and includes a 10.1-inch display. It comes standard with a six-cell battery that offers seven hours of battery life. Other technologies bundled include a webcam, b/g/n Wi-Fi wireless networking, Bluetooth support and hard-drive storage. The MH380 will be available worldwide in January, the company said.
VGP-BPS10 VGP-BPS13 VGP-BPS13/S

FirstCall/ — IBM ( IBM) today announced that it has signed an eight-year agreement with Essex County Council to help the Council deliver enhanced services and savings to achieve its declared vision of providing the best quality of life in Britain for its residents.

As strategic partner, IBM will provide a range of transformation services that may include the design, management and delivery of front-end customer services, back-office and corporate systems; together with business consulting and technology.

As part of the agreement, IBM and Essex also today announced the signing of the first two projects, which are the initial stages of the transformation program and will involve the modernization of the Council’s back-office function and streamlining of procurement.

Brendon Riley, Chief Executive of IBM UK and Ireland said, “Essex County Council is recognized as one of the most innovative councils in the UK. Drawing on IBM expertise, we will work closely with the Council as it moves towards a more efficient, customer-focused organization that delivers first class front-line services.”

Leader of Essex County Council, Lord Hanningfield said, “IBM has demonstrated its ability to help us deliver our vision of providing the very best quality of service for our residents. Working together we will also be able to keep council tax low and deliver real value for money for Essex residents. This is the most ambitious project that the Council has undertaken, and finding the right partner to help us deliver it is a vitally important step.”
VGP-BPS9/S VGP-BPS9/B VGP-BPS10

IBM Corp. said Wednesday it has agreed to buy Lombardi Software Inc., a company that makes software for automating back-office functions such as supply chain management and human resources. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“This is very exciting for us,” Lombardi CEO Rod Favaron said. “We’ve been building this business for a number of years, and this is a tremendous next step. This marketplace is really exploding, and, frankly, the demand is outpacing our ability to scale.

“Getting to plug into a global leader like IBM is a great next step for us,” he said.

Lombardi, based in Austin, Texas, “fills out our company’s portfolio in this key area,” IBM said in a statement.

IBM shares were up 21 cents to $128.70 in premarket trading.
VGP-BPS10 VGP-BPS13 VGP-BPS13/S

In the beleaguered music industry’s latest bid to generate more money from its content, two top music labels on Tuesday will introduce Vevo, a Web site for music videos.

Vevo is co-owned by the Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and the Abu Dhabi Media Company. Vevo said Monday that it had signed up a third major music label, EMI Music, as a video provider, leaving only one holdout among the big four labels, Warner Music. Vevo said conversations with Warner were continuing.

Videos on Vevo will be hosted and streamed by YouTube, the video site owned by Google.

The site will come online in the United States and Canada on Tuesday evening.

“It will be a higher-quality experience around music and videos than anything else that’s currently out there,” Rio Caraeff, Vevo’s chief executive, said in an interview. Mr. Caraeff said the site would host 30,000 music videos by the end of the year. To underscore the exclusive nature of the Web site, Vevo will also carry original programs by artists for their fans.

The company, which was announced last spring, is similar in some ways to Hulu, the Web site for viewing television owned by a group of TV networks. Vevo will syndicate videos to an array of sites — including YouTube — and promote Vevo.com as a destination of its own.

“Vevo will work to restore the premium luster around music video inventory,” Mr. Caraeff said.

Music companies have licensed their videos to sites like YouTube for years, but have sought higher advertising rates and a greater share of the revenue.

Vevo intends to announce 15 advertising partners on Tuesday.
VGP-BPS9/B VGP-BPS10 VGP-BPS13

Acer plans to launch a Google Chrome operating system-based netbook, which the company has been developing since mid-2009 in the second half of 2010, according to industry sources.

Acer chairman JT Wang also expressed his confidence that the company will be the first vendor to launch Chrome-based netbook in the market during a recent interview with Digitimes.

Acer was the first first-tier vendor to launch a Google Android-based netbook in the market. Although demand for the model was not as strong as expected, it did not dampen Acer’s willingness to develop netbooks with non-Microsoft operating systems.
VGP-BPS8  VGP-BPS9 VGP-BPS10