With the IdeaPad S12, Lenovo is first to offer a netbook based on Nvidia’s Ion chipset. So far, we like what we see. The 12-inch netbook will give you the whole HD, game-playing thing for about $500. Nividia’s Ion is basically Intel’s Atom processor combined with the Nvidia 9400m graphics unit.

The resulting performance offers smooth 1080p video, accelerated h.264 playback, Blu-ray playback and moderate gaming capabilities. When it’s in a netbook, you get a midrange, 12-inch netbook with a multimedia slant.