It’s spring, and low-end miniaturized notebooks are in bloom.
Today Hewlett-Packard announced its new Mini-Note PC, a fully-functioning 2.6-lb notebook with an 8.9-inch diagonal screen. Machines start at $499 for Linux-based models, and can be purchased with a variety of add-ons such as a Webcam and Windows Vista.
The Mini-Note competes with other low-cost mini-notebooks marketed to students, such as the revamped Classmate PC announced by Intel last week in a 9-inch, 3.3 lb model and expected to be sold for around $300 to $350. Other popular scaled-down laptops in this emerging market include Asustek’s Eee PCs (various models, running about $300 to $500) and One Laptop Per Child’s XO laptops (7.5 inches, about 3 lb, $200). Both the Classmate PC and the XO were designed for use by students in developing countries.
The Mini-Note’s most competitive selling point, however, seems to be its keyboard size. With keys 92% the size of those on a normal QWERTY keyboard, the Mini-Note will be marketed to young students and adults alike. —Catherine Rampell
