14 DAY TRIAL // Back in October, NEC introduced a netbook of its own, the LaVie Light, which was the company’s contribution to a market that had already seen its share of small-sized, low-power and low-cost portable computer systems.
However, since then, the LaVie Light failed to make its appearance, which naturally prompted many to wonder whether the netbook was ever released on the market in the first place. With all that, it looks like NEC might actually get to unveil its netbook, only that it will do so under a different name, the Versa N1100 – which is said to be a magnesium alloy-based mini notebook capable of withstanding an impressive 150kg of weight.
The Versa 1100 might come in an attempt to differentiate NEC's product from all those similar coming from the competition, while also offering users basically the same technical specifications, but in a more resistant netbook chassis. NEC engineers, for instance, had to come up with a solution to the issue that is apparently plaguing almost every netbook out there and which is specifically due to their small form factor: they break easily when put in tight places, such is the case with public transportation and overhead lockers in planes. This is how the Versa 1100 came into being, providing users with a more resistant, ultra-portable computer system, capable of withstanding 150kg of weight.
According to a news article on APCMag, the NEC Versa 1100 has not only been tested to see if it could withstand pressure, but also to determine the reliability of all its other components. Apparently, the Versa 1100 has been soaked in artificial sweat, dropped on all 6 faces on wooden floors, iron plates and concrete floors, in addition to over 40 other durability tests that it was put through.
Just in case you were wondering about the specifications on this thing as well, you’re about to get your answer. Powered by an Atom N270 processor, the 8.9-inch netbook comes to deliver a maximum storage capacity of 160GB, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 17mm pitch keyboard, wireless connectivity, 1.3MP webcam and a Windows XP Home Edition SP operating system. Equipped with a 3-cell battery, the Versa 1100 comes in at only 1.1kg.