This is not confirmed by Lenovo, but more details about the ThinkPad netbook rumored for a January release have appeared on the web. The ThinkPad X100e is unusual, not just for being a ThinkPad netbook, but for the AMD processor it’s reported to use to run things. The 11.6-inch screen pushes the netbook classification a bit, but the $449 price if accurate is firmly in netbook territory. The specs are very ThinkPad-like, and that dual trackstick/trackpad is definitely ThinkPad material.

• Display: 11.6″ 1366 x 768 screen
• CPU: AMD Athlon Neo MV-40
• OS: Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Pro (32 bit or 64 bit)
• Memory: Up to4GB
• Storage: 160/250/320GB 2.5″ 5400rpm HDD
• I/O: 3 USB ports, VGA output, 4-in-1 card reader
• Connectivity: 802.11b/g/n WiFi, optional Bluetooth, 3G
• Input: Trackpoint and multi-touch touchpad
• Camera: 0.3MP
• Battery: 3 cell (2.2 hour) or 6 cell (5.1 hour)
• Dimensions: 11.1″ x 82.” x 11.2″ (w/6 cell battery)
• Weight: 3.3 pounds (w/6 cell battery)

Here are some of today’s phone conversations I enjoyed reading or viewing on the web, along with some brief thoughts:

Google’s real phone is yet to come? (TechCrunch) — That’s the alleged inside scoop from yesterday, although today the rumor was softened a bit to include VoIP and data only. All in all, the truth is likely somewhere in the middle. After developing Android for the past two years and working with partners on over a dozen handset, Google isn’t likely to tick them all off by creating their own handset. They’re actually in the same boat as Microsoft with Windows Mobile licensing at this point and it would be difficult to reverse course.

Sprint’s Hero is more super now (BGR) — The Android totin’ Hero on Sprint’s network has new firmware ready for delivery. It’s not a major update, but word on the street says there’s better battery efficiency due to an SMS fix. The new version is 1.56.651.2, so check for it — it’s an over-the-air update, so it could hit at any time for Sprint customers.

Palm’s Pixi costs less than five lattes (Engadget) — Amazon might be the best place to pick up a Pixi right now — $25 with a new plan and this skinny webOS handset it yours. At this point, it might as well be free. The question is: even at these prices, will it be a hit for Palm? Early reviews generally agreed that the phone was a little sluggish — both due to the processor and the variability of Sprint’s EVDO, since there’s no Wi-Fi radio. At this price, even with those niggles, the Pixi could still be a good first smartphone. It’s like the webOS Centro, no?

The debate between netbook and notebook might have found some middle ground with the ASUS Eee PC 1201N. I just caught the LAPTOP Magazine hands on with this device and that’s the impression I came away with. Why is that? Mainly because the 1201N offers specs closer to a notebook, but has the price and size near to a netbook. The $499 price tag competes well with many high-end netbooks and offers:

• Microsoft Windows 7 Premium
• 12.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution
• Intel Atom 330 dual core processor
• 2GB of RAM
• Nvidia ION graphics
• Hard drive of 250GB (plus 500GB online storage)
• VGA, HDMI, 3 USB 2.0, Ethernet, headphone and microphone port
• Memory card slot
• 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
• 11.7 x 8.2 x 1.3 inches
• 3.2 pounds weight

LAPTOP hasn’t done a battery test yet, but ASUS expects five hours with their Super Hybrid Engine. The notebook is patterned after the Eee PC 1005 / 1008 models, also known as Seashell, so it’s based on the thin, wedge-shaped design of those netbooks. Although this is just a first look, I’m intrigued and impressed — and looking forward to the detailed review that’s sure to be coming.

Word has slipped out of Seattle that the beta version of Office Mobile 2010 is now available for Windows Phones on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile. That means you need WinMo 6.5 to download this early version of Office Mobile that includes mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and the new SharePoint Workspace Mobile 2010. I can’t find it on the web version of the Marketplace, so you may need to be on a Windows Phone to get it.

The good folks at Acer sent a giant notebook to Mobile Tech Manor, and I have a quick look to share. The Acer Aspire 8940G is a monster of a notebook with a screen that is 18.4 inches. It’s only been here an hour but here’s the skinny (it is surprisingly skinny for a big laptop):

• Intel Core i7- 1.6 GHz
• 4 GB memory
• 500 GB HDD
• 18.4-inch 220 nits screen- 1920×1080
• NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M — 1 GB DDR3 VRAM
• BluRay drive
• 5 speaker surround sound audio with bass boost
• Windows Home Premium — Windows Experience Index 5.7

There will be more to come as I get some time with the Acer. Here are some photos to give you a look:

Notebook computers present a special support problem. They are self-contained systems, all-in-one devices, so when something goes south the whole thing is often out of action. A failed laptop is a miserable thing to have on your hands, as it usually means the whole thing goes back to the repair center to get made whole again. Reports that denote the failure rates of notebooks are good to follow, as it makes sense to purchase brands that do better than others. One such report was mentioned by Techblog, and while some of the findings were expected others were surprising.

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Time for our Wednesday feature that highlights some of the latest iPhone news! On a personal level, the biggest iPhone news for me is the arrival of Star Wars: Trench Run (iTunes link). The $4.99 title offers intuitive gameplay and controls, but can be quite challenging. And the graphics are more than adequate for a handheld game. What I like most about it is what I like about many iPhone games — you don’t need to block an hour or more out of your day. You can simply play whenever you find a few free minutes, which ironically holds true for most iPhone apps: they’re generally offering bite-sized chunks of functionality when you need them.

While I’ve been honing my Jedi skills, the rumor mills have ripened with news of an expected Concierge application for iPhone and iPod Touch devices. AppleInsider explains that the Apple-created software will assist with scheduling appointments at the Genius Bar or for Apple’s One on One training services. Normally, most folks would use the phone to call for an appointment, but a few button presses might be quicker and give us more training time in our X-Wings.

My training got a boost this morning, but not in my fighter — my knowledge of what’s really in the iPhone App Store. Sure, we all know that there’s a 100,000 applications, but I read this morning that 1 in 5 apps added to the store last month was actually a book. If that’s the case, does Apple really need to enter the e-book market as some have said? I’m not sure they do because they’re already earning revenue from the phone as well as the e-book applications. What’s to be gained?

Earlier today, I was less than enthused with BenQ’s e-book entry, but Qualcomm rejuvenated my e-book excitement with this news from SlashGear — color e-book screens will ship in 2010. The chipmaker’s mirasol color display has the potential to shake up the e-book industry — and possibly others in the portable space — just as much as Pixel Qi’s, in my opinion. The magic behind mirasol is the inspiration, which comes from the wings of a butterfly. Mirasol displays reuse external, ambient light, so no backlighting is needed. The company won several awards in 2009 for its 0.9″ mirasol display, but now it’s ready for a bigger footprint — say hello to a  5.7″ mirasol screen.

Image Credit: SlashGear

This larger panel is color-capable and, like traditional eInk displays, requires power only when refreshing the view. SlashGear says the new panel is even capable of video playback, but at usable frame rates, you’ll understandably see a big hit to the battery life, Still, Qualcomm figures that a Kindle equipped with a color mirasol display could last for a full week on one charge. I’m topping off my Kindle’s battery every three weeks these days, but I’d make it weekly for a color display.

I’m also interested in this display technology from a phone and handheld perspective. From what I’ve seen so far, a mirasol display would look fantastic outdoors, which can’t be said about many other traditional screens. Using it for primary computing might not provide huge battery savings, but on a phone, the overall benefits might outweigh the cons. I’d even like to see it on a smartbook. Who’s getting ready to power those devices? Oh, that’s right… Qualcomm.

The company behind Fring has announced it has landed on the Android platform. Android joins the iPhone, Windows Mobile, Symbian, S60 and other platforms to support the ability to make free calls using Fring. The app is available in the Android Market and works with Skype, MSN, GoogleTalk, ICQ, Twitter, Yahoo! and AIM for both calls and chat sessions.

Image Credit: Digitimes

Yet another e-book device is coming to market — if you live in Taiwan, Japan or China, that is. Digitimes says BenQ is joining the ranks of Sony, Amazon and Barnes & Noble, to name a few, by offering its own branded electronic book reader. Dubbed the nReader, it uses eInk technology for the 6″ display, offers 2 GB of internal storage and can handle up to a 16 GB expansion card.

But “content is king,” as they say — and by content, I mean “supported formats.” The nReader is pretty bland in that regard: PDF, HTML and TXT are what’s expected to appear on that screen. Pics are viewable through standard formats and you can listen to MP3 tunes as well. Without wireless support or compatibility with ePub or any other major book-specific format, I don’t envision the 300,000 units sold in 2010 that BenQ sees. Watch for it to hit in January for around $280.