HP 2133 Mini-Note PC
Encyclopedia
The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC is a full-function netbook
aimed at the business and education
markets. It is available with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
, Windows Vista
or Windows XP
. Its retail price starts at US$499 for the Linux
version with 4GB
of flash memory
. According to DigiTimes
, the netbook is manufactured by Inventec
.. However, according to apcmag, it is built by Compal Electronics
who also make the MSI Wind
and the Dell Inspiron Mini 9. The system was replaced in early 2009 by an upgraded model, the HP Mini 2140
, which is also aimed at the education and business market.
buttons are to the sides of the pad itself, rather than below it. There is a small button above the touchpad to enable/disable the pad and buttons. The machine's shell is aluminium
, while the inner chassis is anodised magnesium. The screen is protected by a layer of PMMA ("plexiglass"). The system has an accelerometer
-based hard drive shock protection feature called "HP 3D DriveGuard".
As of October 2008, the HP 2133 is one of the few netbook
s to feature an ExpressCard
/54 slot, other ones being the Lenovo IdeaPad S9, Lenovo IdeaPad S10, NTT Corrino W 100I and the Gigabyte M912
. The machine is available with a three or six cell battery, which provide approximately two and four hours of run time respectively on the high-end Windows Vista Business configuration shipped to reviewers. The larger battery projects downwards out of the rear of the machine, tilting it upwards – some reviewers have commented that this improves keyboard ergonomics.
A variety of CPU, RAM and mass storage
configurations are available, and Bluetooth
is available on high-end models. All of the current configurations of the machine feature a webcam, however in HP's press release it is listed as an optional feature. Operating systems available range from SuSE Linux to Microsoft Windows Vista Home and Business. Though the machine qualifies for Microsoft's "downgrade program", allowing units to be shipped with Windows XP Professional and with the option to upgrade to Windows Vista Business in future, this comes with the expectation that the customer order at least 25 units per year.
However, the unusual touchpad
, with buttons placed at its sides, caused some usability issues for some users. The high reflectivity of the screen also caused difficulties in operating the netbook
in bright environments. Performance was also cause for concern, with neither speed nor battery life particularly impressing reviewers.
Review machines also became hot in places on the underside of the chassis. In many revisions of the notebook, the fan vent had an additional dense plastic grill which impeded airflow greatly. The heat problem could mostly be eliminated by removing this inner grill. As of September, 2010, the previous two years have seen a significant number of system board failures rendering the unit useless. At some point, when the unit is turned on, while the power light will illuminate, there is no other activity and no boot activity. Several owners have been successful in restoring functionality after removing the system board and heating it with a heat gun or "baking it" in an oven for a limited time. A web search for problems with the 2133 returns a large number of links to forums and discussions regarding the problem.
Several of these reviewers hoped that the machine's performance would be improved by a CPU update, to a next-generation VIA Nano
, or perhaps the Intel Atom
. HP notebook product marketing manager Robert Baker remarked that the decision to launch the machine with current-generation processors was driven by the education market's purchasing schedule, and that they would consider new CPUs for an "interim refresh" about six months into the machine's life.
, and has a 10-inch screen, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom
processor, 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB hard disk drive. A few days later, a black notebook of otherwise similar appearance called the "HP Mini 1000
" was informally revealed by a banner on the company's store, and officially announced on the 29th of October 2008. Unlike the 2133, this device is meant for the home market.
An upgrade to the 2133, the HP Mini 2140
, was announced by HP in January 2009.
Netbook
Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
aimed at the business and education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
markets. It is available with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop , formerly introduced as Novell Linux Desktop, is a Linux distribution supplied by Novell and targeted at the business market. It is targeted for desktops. New major versions are released at an interval of 24–36 months, while minor versions are released every 9–12...
, Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...
or Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
. Its retail price starts at US$499 for the Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
version with 4GB
Gigabyte
The gigabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage. The prefix giga means 109 in the International System of Units , therefore 1 gigabyte is...
of flash memory
Flash memory
Flash memory is a non-volatile computer storage chip that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It was developed from EEPROM and must be erased in fairly large blocks before these can be rewritten with new data...
. According to DigiTimes
DigiTimes
DigiTimes is a daily newspaper for semiconductor, electronics, computer and communications industries in Taiwan and the Greater China region. It was established in 1998...
, the netbook is manufactured by Inventec
Inventec
Inventec Corporation is a Taiwan-based Original Design Manufacturer making notebook computers, servers and mobile devices. Originally established in 1975 to develop and manufacture electronic calculators, the company has since grown significantly to become one of the world's top computer...
.. However, according to apcmag, it is built by Compal Electronics
Compal Electronics
Compal Electronics is a Taiwanese original design manufacturer , handling the production of notebook computers, monitors, and televisions for a variety of clients around the world, including Acer Inc., Dell, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, and Fujitsu Siemens Computers...
who also make the MSI Wind
MSI Wind Netbook
The MSI Wind Notebook is a family of subnotebooks / netbooks designed by Micro-Star International . Wind stands for "Wi-Fi Network Device". The first model was announced at CeBIT 2008, and first listed for pre-orders on May 9, 2008. While initially 8.9- and 10.1-inch screen versions existed, as...
and the Dell Inspiron Mini 9. The system was replaced in early 2009 by an upgraded model, the HP Mini 2140
HP Mini 2140
The HP Mini-Note 2140 is an update to the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC which was announced in early January 2009.The new components are a 1.6GHz single-core Intel Atom processor, a 10.2-inch "standard definition" or "high definition" LED-backlit LCD display , an Intel GMA 950 graphics adapter, and a 160GB...
, which is also aimed at the education and business market.
Features
The machine has a spill resistant 92%-of-full-size keyboard which Hewlett-Packard says is specially coated to reduce wear on the keys. Unusually, the touchpadTouchpad
A touchpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. Touch pads are a common feature of laptop computers, and they are also used as a substitute for a mouse where desk...
buttons are to the sides of the pad itself, rather than below it. There is a small button above the touchpad to enable/disable the pad and buttons. The machine's shell is aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
, while the inner chassis is anodised magnesium. The screen is protected by a layer of PMMA ("plexiglass"). The system has an accelerometer
Accelerometer
An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, also called the four-acceleration. This is not necessarily the same as the coordinate acceleration , but is rather the type of acceleration associated with the phenomenon of weight experienced by a test mass that resides in the frame...
-based hard drive shock protection feature called "HP 3D DriveGuard".
As of October 2008, the HP 2133 is one of the few netbook
Netbook
Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
s to feature an ExpressCard
ExpressCard
ExpressCard is an interface to allow peripheral devices to be connected to a computer, usually a laptop computer. Formerly called NEWCARD, the ExpressCard standard specifies the design of slots built into the computer and of cards which can be inserted into ExpressCard slots. The cards contain...
/54 slot, other ones being the Lenovo IdeaPad S9, Lenovo IdeaPad S10, NTT Corrino W 100I and the Gigabyte M912
Gigabyte M912
The first netbook offering by Gigabyte, the M912, is a hybrid tablet device able to function in both a standard laptop arrangement or, by twisting the screen, able to function as a Tablet PC device. It features an Intel Atom processor and comes preloaded with either Windows XP, Windows Vista or a...
. The machine is available with a three or six cell battery, which provide approximately two and four hours of run time respectively on the high-end Windows Vista Business configuration shipped to reviewers. The larger battery projects downwards out of the rear of the machine, tilting it upwards – some reviewers have commented that this improves keyboard ergonomics.
A variety of CPU, RAM and mass storage
Mass storage
In computing, mass storage refers to the storage of large amounts of data in a persisting and machine-readable fashion. Devices and/or systems that have been described as mass storage include tape libraries, RAID systems, hard disk drives, magnetic tape drives, optical disc drives, magneto-optical...
configurations are available, and Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
is available on high-end models. All of the current configurations of the machine feature a webcam, however in HP's press release it is listed as an optional feature. Operating systems available range from SuSE Linux to Microsoft Windows Vista Home and Business. Though the machine qualifies for Microsoft's "downgrade program", allowing units to be shipped with Windows XP Professional and with the option to upgrade to Windows Vista Business in future, this comes with the expectation that the customer order at least 25 units per year.
Reception
Reviewers have been impressed by the notebook's comfortable keyboard, the high-resolution display, aesthetic design and overall build quality.However, the unusual touchpad
Touchpad
A touchpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. Touch pads are a common feature of laptop computers, and they are also used as a substitute for a mouse where desk...
, with buttons placed at its sides, caused some usability issues for some users. The high reflectivity of the screen also caused difficulties in operating the netbook
Netbook
Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
in bright environments. Performance was also cause for concern, with neither speed nor battery life particularly impressing reviewers.
Review machines also became hot in places on the underside of the chassis. In many revisions of the notebook, the fan vent had an additional dense plastic grill which impeded airflow greatly. The heat problem could mostly be eliminated by removing this inner grill. As of September, 2010, the previous two years have seen a significant number of system board failures rendering the unit useless. At some point, when the unit is turned on, while the power light will illuminate, there is no other activity and no boot activity. Several owners have been successful in restoring functionality after removing the system board and heating it with a heat gun or "baking it" in an oven for a limited time. A web search for problems with the 2133 returns a large number of links to forums and discussions regarding the problem.
Several of these reviewers hoped that the machine's performance would be improved by a CPU update, to a next-generation VIA Nano
VIA Nano
The VIA Nano is a 64-bit CPU for personal computers. The VIA Nano was released by VIA Technologies in 2008 after five years of development by its CPU division, Centaur Technology...
, or perhaps the Intel Atom
Intel Atom
Intel Atom is the brand name for a line of ultra-low-voltage x86 and x86-64 CPUs from Intel, designed in 45 nm CMOS and used mainly in netbooks, nettops, embedded application ranging from health care to advanced robotics and Mobile Internet devices...
. HP notebook product marketing manager Robert Baker remarked that the decision to launch the machine with current-generation processors was driven by the education market's purchasing schedule, and that they would consider new CPUs for an "interim refresh" about six months into the machine's life.
Similar products from HP
A new HP notebook similar in appearance to the Mini-Note, called the "Digital Clutch", was unveiled in October 2008, with a launch expected for December that year. The small pink computer is a collaboration with fashion designer Vivienne TamVivienne Tam
Vivienne Tam is a fashion designer based in New York City. She was born in Guangzhou, China and moved to Hong Kong at the age of three. She attended Hong Kong Polytechnic University....
, and has a 10-inch screen, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom
Intel Atom
Intel Atom is the brand name for a line of ultra-low-voltage x86 and x86-64 CPUs from Intel, designed in 45 nm CMOS and used mainly in netbooks, nettops, embedded application ranging from health care to advanced robotics and Mobile Internet devices...
processor, 1GB of RAM, and an 80GB hard disk drive. A few days later, a black notebook of otherwise similar appearance called the "HP Mini 1000
HP Mini 1000
The HP Mini 1000 is a netbook by HP, adapting that company's HP 2133 Mini-Note PC education/business netbook for the consumer market. A similar but cheaper model named the HP Compaq Mini 700 will also be available in some regions with different cosmetics. A special edition machine named the Digital...
" was informally revealed by a banner on the company's store, and officially announced on the 29th of October 2008. Unlike the 2133, this device is meant for the home market.
An upgrade to the 2133, the HP Mini 2140
HP Mini 2140
The HP Mini-Note 2140 is an update to the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC which was announced in early January 2009.The new components are a 1.6GHz single-core Intel Atom processor, a 10.2-inch "standard definition" or "high definition" LED-backlit LCD display , an Intel GMA 950 graphics adapter, and a 160GB...
, was announced by HP in January 2009.
Reviews
- HP 2133 Mini-note Review (tracyandmatt.co.uk)
- HP 2133 Mini-note Review (bit-tech.net)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note Review (NotebookReview)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note PC (pcmag.com)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note PC (Via C7-M 1.6 GHz, 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD, Vista Home Basic) (cnet.com)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note (laptopmag.com)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note: Videos, Specs, Photo Gallery (notebooks.com)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Full Specs at WikiSpecs (wikispecs.org)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note Review (Gadget Zone)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note PC video review (jkontherun.com)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note PC video review Wall Street Journal (Gadget of the Week)
Media
- HP unveils small laptop for schoolkids (news.yahoo.com)
- HP launches Linux-loaded Eee PC rival (reghardware.co.uk)
- HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Video (cnet.com)
- Hands-on with the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC (infosyncworld.com)
- First Look HP 2133 Mini-Note PC (tabletpc2.com)