|
|
|
And then enters the FlipStart
11:25 a.m. EST Feb 25, 2004
One year ago we first heard about Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's company, Vulcan, entering a mini-PC dream project: To get a laptop down to the weight of a PDA, but bring a full XP OS and a QWERTY key-board to the package.
This week the mini-lap was pre-launched at DEMO 2004 in Seattle and it is a little beauty.
The FlipStart is not for release until later this year, but this is what you get:
Weight 1 lbs (450 gr)
Dimensions 14.8 x 10.1 x 2.6cm (5.8 x 4 x 1in)
Processor 1 GHz (still secret)
Hard drive 30GB
Display 5.6in 1024 x 600 (HDTV) quality
Wireless 802.11g built in – Bluetooth option
Ports USB
Extras Built in 1.3 mega pixel camera
Keyboard QWERTY thumb keyboard
Closing the lid, the FlipStart enters an efficient sleep-mode that according to the PR people will last you a day without charging. When the lid is closed you will still have a small lid navigation window (optional) that allow users to check email, play MP3s or check personal information without having to open up the machine.
So, will this guy kick out the PDAs from the high-end expedition market? Well, if this works the way we hope it will - it will be a serious contender at least. The problem though is that the FlipStart is still twice as heavy as a PDA, and - more important, will probably require 5-10 times the power.
However, the XP OS will enable basic expedition video editing, something the PDAs are still years from achieving.
The price is not yet available, but hopefully Paul Allen is going for a big market share and sets an affordable price. We might not ditch our PDAs just yet, but will for sure try out the FlipStart when it arrives. Stay tuned.
|
