MSI plans to preempt the rest of the market by launching the first netbooks based on Intel's Pine Trail Atom platform, according to PC industry tips. Still maintaining that the smaller, much more integrated processors may not be officially ready until early 2010, DigiTimes has heard that MSI intends to ship portables in December rather than wait for the rest of the market. The lead time would let it avoid competing on price for weeks or more.

The new systems would also be some of the first built for Windows 7, and in some cases would have touchscreens. Acer and ASUS are also believed to have Pine Trail netbooks virtually ready but are clinging to Intel's schedule for their own launch plans.

Pine Trail is the first Atom design to include both graphics and memory controllers inside the processor die and reduce the footprint of the system considerably. The change should also improve performance and potentially battery life.