Looks like Creative will upgrade its ZMS-05 processor to a next-gen version called the ZMS-08. The new system-on-a-chip is powered by a 1GHz ARM Cortex-8 processor, with support for 1080p H.264 video playback, OpenGL ES 2.0 and Flash acceleration.

It will find it’s way into portable media players and offers “low power, high performance” to devices like netbooks, web tablets, TVs, etc. The chip is supported by ZiiLABS’ version of Google Android and the company’s Plaszma operating system. Shipping is expected in early 2010.

Netbooks have been very popular since they launched and the economy went bad. Many consumers are finding the low price point of the typical netbook to be hard to pass up. As sales of netbooks soar, overall revenues in the notebook category are slipping.

Research firm DisplaySearch has released its latest numbers for the notebook and netbook category and the value of the notebook PC market as a whole was $26.4 billion, up 10% quarter over quarter, but down 5% year over year. The netbook segment was the biggest growth category with an increase from last quarter of 37% and a year over year increase of 264%.

It’s finally here. Chrome OS will be an open source platform that can “power computers ranging from small netbooks to full-size desktop systems,” and they claim the OS will be virus free and run a newly-designed windowing system on top of a Linux kernel.

It will be capable of running on x86 and ARM chips. It’s separate from Android, but there will be some overlap in concept and functionality between the two platforms. A large chunk of its Google Apps suite already supports an offline mode, so it’s all ready to go. The company says it’s currently working with several OEM manufacturers and it will initially appear on a number of netbooks coming to market sometime in the second half of 2010.

Soon Dell Netbooks, specifically the Dell Mini 10, will be available with a $69 Wireless 700 Card which will make the netbook navigation capable, just like your smartphone. The Wi-Fi enabled card would let you navigate just like with other devices.

The Wireless 700 card uses a combination of Broadcom’s GPS technology and Skyhook Wireless’ Wi-Fi positioning solutions. The integrated navigation software will provide 2D and 3D map viewing and will help save addresses for trip and route optimization. Users could also geo-tag photos to flickr and get weather updates for a specific location.

The netbook will soon get a graphics boost, with a number of companies preparing to announce Nvidia ION powered models. Word is, there should be some big announcements from “key” players at Computex, the annual PC trade show in Taipei at the beginning of June. This thanks to Pocket-Lint’s man inside.

The computer uses an Intel Atom chip as standard netbooks, but uses the new graphics chip from Nvidia called ION to allow users to use more demanding applications. Users will be able to view 1080p content and play games like Spore and Portal.

The upcoming Windows 7 Starter Edition seems kinda lame when you consider that it can only run three applications at a time, but if you are using it with a netbook, it makes a little more sense. Most people use netbooks to browse the Internet and maybe check their email, with some MP3s playing in the background.

And since more applications are becoming Web-based, those applications can be stored online instead. We will be keeping an eye on Windows 7 Starter Edition to see just how well it fares. Of all the Windows 7 editions, this one is the oddest.

MSI has decided they needed to offer more options. That’s why they will be launching the Wind U123, U123H, and U123T that feature a 1.66GHz Intel Atom N280 CPU, a 10 inch LCD screen (1024 x 600 pixel), 1GB of RAM, up to 160GB hard drive, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, a webcam, an optional 3 cell or 6 cell battery, and Microsoft Windows XP Home OS.

These netbooks come with the Easy Face Manager function that can scan the face of the user and record reorganization through eyes, cheekbones, jaw line, and nose. The user can adjust the level of personal security identification. (up to ten facial images per person).

Rumors continue to swirl around whatever(if anything) Apple is building. Reports are that Apple has ordered 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan. That part is looking more like fact. So the question is, will those screens end up in a netbook?

Andy Ihnatko of the Chicago Sun-Times has a slightly different and interesting theory about the device. He thinks it might be an ebook. Which makes more sense as the only real competitor they would have is Amazon.

Asus is preparing to release into retail a new Eee PC netbook. This one is called the 1000HE and it retails for around $400.

The Asus 1000HE Eee PC, available in black or blue body colors, weighs around 3.2 pounds and is powered by an Intel Atom N280 processor which draws not too much power. Battery life on this netbook is rated for around 9.5 hours, made possible in part by a special power management feature called the Super Hybrid Engine.

Archos is taking its first step into the world of laptops, announcing today its first mini laptop. It is called the Archos 10 and it prices around $400 for a three-cell battery model and $450 for a six-cell battery model.

The Archos 10 is pretty much a netbook, the latest category laptops to be garnering the attention of consumers. This particular model runs off of an Intel Atom processor and 1GB of memory. The operating system is Windows XP, 160GB of hard drive storage are available and it sports a 10.2-inch display.

HP unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show this week a new netbook PC for the on-the-go crowd. It is called the Mini 2140 and it starts pricing around $500.

The Mini 2140 is a 10.1-inch display PC built into a simple aluminum case and starting around 2.6 pounds. It sports a nearly full size QWERTY keyboard, runs off of an Intel Atom processor and has an option available to carry an 80GB solid state drive.