Mio joins the Netbook party

John Chan | Jun 05, 2009

The Mio Litepad N890 Netbook with built-in GPS and HSDPA connectivity. (Credit: John Chan/CNET Asia)

Mio is a company most well-known for its personal navigation devices and GPS-enabled smartphones. Now, it looks to expand that portfolio with computers, starting with an 8.9-inch Netbook and a 12.1-inch thin-and-light notebook.

The Litepad N890 looks pretty much like your generic Netbook with a lightweight chassis and containing the Intel Atom processor. What's interesting is that Mio has made 3.5G connectivity and GPS standard in this model, setting it apart from other Netbooks.

The Litepad N890's SIM card slot behind the battery. (Credit: John Chan/CNET Asia)

The company will manufacture the N890 in its own plants but will not be selling it under Mio's brand name. Instead, it will rebranded by other companies or operators that buy the product from Mio. Expect those to reach the market in Europe and parts of Asia from July.

The Mio Litepad N1210. (Credit: John Chan/CNET Asia)

The Litepad N1210 is pretty much your generic thin-and-light with 3.5G connectivity. No mention was made about its GPS capabilities, though we do know it will make use of one of Intel's CULV processors for a thinner design and longer battery life.

Filed under: Notebooks
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