The dark satanic rumour mill is predicting that from the second quarter of 2009 there should be shedloads of netbooks based around the Intel GN40 and Intel Atom N280 which can manage speeds from 1.66GHz.

At CES Asus was showing off its Netbook 10.2-inch Asus Eee PC 1004DN which was based around a previously unknown variant of the Intel Atom N280 unknown chipset Intel GN40. According to the Italian IT press Asus, Acer and Gigabyte Technology will produce a new Netbook-based chipset GN40 and Atom N280 processor.  This includes the mysterious Asus Eee PC 1004DN.

The Intel Atom N280 will have a clock frequency of  1.66GHz with 667MHz FSB. The unit cost will be between $60 and $65.  This is pricey in comparison to the $46 Intel Atom N270 will set you back.

But the reports point out that Intel's Pineview chip is due out around the release date of the new Netbook so it is possible to guess that what was being seen at CES was none other than a Pineview prototype.