14 DAY TRIAL // Whether meant for business use or for basic web browsing on the go, netbooks are known for their affordability and long battery life, which makes them excellent secondary PCs or travel partners. Because of this, they were able to create their own market rather quickly. However, there are still emerging markets where such devices have not become overly widespread, which is exactly why IBM, Simmtronics and Canonical have teamed up and created one that has a price of under $200.
The product developed by the three is a Simmbook powered by an Intel Atom N270 CPU, which has a frequency of 1.6GHz. This chip is backed up by 1GB memory and a hard disk drive with a capacity of 160GB. Furthermore, the configuration includes 10/100 Ethernet, a 1.3-megapixel webcam and a 10.1-inch display with a maximum resolution of 1,024 x 768. Hardware is only half of what makes the netbook appealing, however, the other being the IBM Client for Smart Work, a software suite that merges IBM Lotus Symphony with access to IBM LotusLive cloud collaboration services.
"Netbooks are quickly becoming the norm instead of desktop computers for many businesses worldwide," said Indrajit Sabharwal, Founder and Managing Director, Simmtronics Semiconductors Limited. "In emerging markets such as South Africa, businesses need a solution that addresses both price and value. The Simmbook solution does just that - delivering a cost effective, high value and performance system with access to the collaborative tools that businesses need to run efficiently, including email, Web access and instant messaging. Its an ideal product for low total cost of ownership."
The Simmtronics Simmbook is fueled by a three-cell battery, which can be upgraded to a six-cell one, and runs the Ubuntu distribution of Linux. It is already available for pre-order at a price of only $190.