Interestingly, the Beam couldn’t be more different to the Skylight. Whereas Lenovo’s machine packs a 10-in. display and Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, the Mobinnova Beam has a smaller 8.9-in. screen, and is based on Nvidia’s Tegra 2 platform. Memory is 512MB of DDR2 RAM, and it uses a small 512MB SSD which can be expanded via the SD card slot. Finally, Mobinnova has opted to use Windows CE for the OS (the Skylight has a custom Linux build) with an Android version in the pipeline.

So how does it feel? I found the Beam to be somewhat mixed. While undeniably portable, its 1.84-lb (836-g) weight is little lighter than the Skylight’s sub-2 lbs., and its prominent battery makes it awkward to pack into a case. That said, it does have the flipside of keeping the smartbook nicely angled when in use. As for performance, this was impressive, with Windows CE zipping along and web browsing (courtesy of Wi-Fi or the integrated 3G) worked well with snappy page rendering times. Given Nvidia’s graphics expertise, the Beam also has superb video capabilities, with a demo showing it smoothly playing back Full HD 1080p content to a 42-in. Philips TV. Adobe Flash 10.1 is pre-installed too, enabling graphics acceleration for online content such as YouTube videos, meaning there is no worry about dropped frames.

Less positive, however, was the construction – something I found to be a notable strength of the Skylight. By contrast, the Beam build materials feel cheap, and the keyboard has a shallow and not particularly endearing action with disappointing rattle and flex. I also didn’t get on with the trackpad which has no physical buttons, meaning you can’t navigate with one finger and left or right click at the same time with another. Trying this will just confuse the trackpad which jumps the pointer around the screen. Still, it’s something you could learn to live with, especially with Mobinnova quoting battery life of up to 10 hours for continuous video playback, or up to a huge 24 hours for audio (with the screen switched off). Sadly we are unable to verify these claims without taking the smartbook home with us!

Availability? At present the Beam will only be sold with a bundled contract through AT&T. This rather limits your options, but at the same time does ensure you’ll use it as the portable web device it is intended to be.

If I had a choice would I pick the Lenovo Skylight or the Mobinnova Beam? I’d have to go with the Skylight because of its larger screen at almost no weight penalty and far superior build quality, though the Beam does feel slightly more powerful in the video department.

“We like to say the Mobinnova Beam is a ’smartbook on steroids’,” says KC Kuo, CEO of Mobinnova. “The Mobinnova BeamTM meets our company’s goal of providing next generation, ‘cloud ready’ products that allow easy, enjoyable and instant access to content for hours, even days. We look forward to connecting this device to AT&T’s mobile broadband service, the nation’s fastest 3G network.”

“The Mobinnova Beam is a sleek device that will deliver a unique mobile media access experience,” said Glenn Lurie, President, Emerging Devices, Resale and Partnerships, AT&T Mobility. “We look forward to working with Mobinnova to deliver entertainment and social networking over AT&T’s nationwide mobile broadband network.”

Features Include:

* NVIDIA Tegra – mobile web processor, which includes the world’s first dual-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU running up to 1GHz, that provides blazing performance, while maximizing power efficiency and battery life.
* Browse more websites, watch streaming HD movies, and check email faster than any mobile device ever before. Enjoy hours of 1080p HD video by connecting it to an HDTV or high quality video “on the go,” along with crystal-clear audio playback.
* Roxio CinemaNowTM
* Entertainment Platform-Now you can seamlessly access premium entertainment from virtually anywhere. Instantly browse, purchase and enjoy a broad catalog of digital movies and TV shows while on the road.
* Adobe Flash 10.1 support gives a superior graphical experience and enhanced browsing compatibility. 3D Interface provides a simple, elegant and engaging way to intuitively access the world of entertainment. With customizable home screen widgets and RSS feeds. Always On, Instant Start-up ensures that no time is wasted booting up. Customized social networking through Facebook**, Twitter**, YellowPages**, and RSS reader widgets, integrated into the 3D interactive home screen interface. Capable of supporting up to 64GB of removable memory, storing music, movies, pictures, games and more.
* Full-page web browsing and realistic 3D graphical performance for amazing gaming/ viewing experience on an 8.9 inch screen.
* Ultra-light, stylishly slender design at 1.84 lbs (836g), 9.1 inches (232mm) x 7.3 inches (186 mm) x .8 inches (20.5 mm).
* Wi-Fi capable and with a qualified AT&T Data Connect plan, you can access AT&T’s 3G and Wi-Fi networks. Check your email, social networking accounts, and search the internet at home and on the go. Webcam and fast, high resolution photo rendering, upload and download.

Hardware Specifications:

* Processor Type: NVIDIA® Tegra 250
* Display: 8.9″ TFT 1024 x 600 non-touch
* Memory: 512MB DDR2-667 system RAM, 512MB NAND OS storage
* Storage: 8-64GB SSD with expandable SD memory up to 64GB (sold separately)
* Communications:
Connections & Expansion:
UMTS 850/1900/2100 HSPA 7.2/5.1 Mb/s
GSM 850/900/1800/1900
GPRS EDGE Class 12
Wi-Fi: 802.11b/g
Bluetooth**: BT 2.1 EDR
Ethernet: 10/100Mbps (with expansion option)
* USB (USB 2.0, Host) X2 3.5mm jacks X2 for microphone and line-out HDMI for digital video out Extension port for VGA and Ethernet adapter SD/SDHC (SD2.0) card slot SIM card slot