Fukato's Jupiter UMPC Joins the Cheap Linux PC Army

The market defined by Asustek's Eee PC is getting more and more crowded as both large and small PC manufacturers are flooding it with inexpensive, low-performance devices. Hewlett-Packard's 2133 Mini-Note UMPC triggered the release of another wave of products to join the Linux-based PC army.

German manufacturer Fukato has just announced its Datacask Jupiter ultra-mobile PC, that comes with a 500MHz AMD Geode LX processor, 60 GB of storage space on an 1.8 inch miniature hard-disk drive, an 8-inch LCD display able to deliver maximum resolutions of 800 x 480 and a Linux-based operating system.

The notebook comes with basic network connectivity in the form of an 802.11 b/g wireless adapter. There is no Bluetooth option or integrated WiMax module. More than that, the notebook is pretty bulky for its thin specifications, but weighs 1.1 kilograms and sports a battery autonomy of three hours.

The notebook's hardware configuration is more of a joke, especially the 500MHz AMD Geode LX processor, that would have been suitable for the likes of OLPC's XO rugged sub-notebook than for an Asustek Eee competitor. However, more and more system integrators come with low-performance, low-cost alternatives to the Eee PC, that has a similar price tag, but less fortunate designs and technical specifications.

The Fukato Datacask Jupiter PC is expected to hit the European market sometime in May, at an estimative retail price of about �279 ($440). Pricing is as unfortunate as its name, given the fact that it will have to compete on the same market with HP's all-in-one wonder, the 2133 Mini-Note PC.

More ultra-low-cost notebook PCs are expected to arrive in the second half of the year, right after Intel officially unveils its Atom line of energy-efficient processors.