Hewlett-Packard has finally introduced its rumored low-cost educational sub-notebook, dubbed 2133 Mini-Note. Previously spotted last month, the device is HP's first shot at the ultra-mobile PC market and represents an optimal balance between low price and computing performance.

The 2133 will reportedly hit the market at a sub-$500 selling price. Initially developed as an educational notebook, the manufacturer performed a couple of tweaks in order to make it appealing to mobile professionals, too.

The miniature notebook weighs a little above one kilo and comes in a 9-inch form-factor, with a 8.9-inch display able to deliver a maximum resolution of 1280×768. The ultra-mobile solution is powered by VIA's low-voltage C7-M processor, with Chrome 9 graphics and VIA's CN896/8237S chipset. The 2133 supports up to 2 GB of system RAM memory on two DDR2 channels.

According to the company, the computer will arrive with plenty of customization options, and users will have to pick between 120/160GB at 5400RPM hard-disk, 120/160GB at 7200RPM hard-disk drives, or for the more sophisticated 64GB solid-state drives.

The 2133 will be able to run a rich variety of operating systems, including Vista Business, Vista Home Basic, FreeDOS, or SuSE Enterprise Desktop 10, that come pre-installed with the notebook. Users who opt for the SuSE 10 OS will receive an optional 4GB PATA flash module.

Despite its small size, the notebook also packs two USB 2.0 ports, an ExpressCard/54 slot, SD card reader, and an optional VGA webcam for video-conferencing or instant messaging, to complete the fully-fledged keyboard and mouse touchpad.

According to Hewlett-Packard, the notebook will ship with either a 3-cell or 6-cell battery packs, but the latter option will slightly increase the notebook's weight. However, don't expect the sub-notebook to be the next MacBook Air: the aluminum casing is 3.2-centimeter thick at its thinnest point.

The HP 2133 Mini-Note might be a serious competitor to Asustek's Eee PC sub-notebook, although the $500 starting price is just an estimation and it is expected that the company will increase pricing up to a less-appealing $700.