Kohjinsha and MSI could be the first companies to build TV tuners into their netbooks.
The MSI Wind U123T, one of a few new netbooks on the way from MSI, includes an integrated tuner that allows users to watch and record programs on the computer. An antenna must be attached, though it's not clear whether this will be included or sold separately.
While MSI is an established player in the US netbook market, Kohjinsha's MT6WX16AR netbook is slated for Japan. The 1seg tuner is perhaps the only noteworthy feature of this netbook, which otherwise looks a lot like its competitors. The €370 price tag is pretty reasonable, though.
We can expect other netbooks to follow this emerging trend. In January, Telegent announced the first free-to-air, single-chip tuner for netbooks and laptops, claiming that laptop manufacturers were showing great interest.
Meanwhile, Dell has hinted at a built-in tuner for its Inspiron Mini 10 netbook, but the current model that's shipping doesn't include it. Instead, the company sells a USB add-on that works for the entire Mini line.
It is easy to see the utility in having a built-in netbook TV tuner. It should be great while sitting in the airport or on a train.
There's no word yet on pricing or availability for the Wind U123T.
