Packard Bell Packs More Power into an UMPC

Packard Bell announced the launch of a new ultra portable mini computer system, the EasyNote XS, which is a seven inch notebook featuring advanced technologies that allow it to run Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition. In fact, because of its processing power and features the latest product from Packard Bell is almost a fully fledged laptop which happens to be packed into the small form format of an UMPC unit.

Ultra portable computer systems appeared as a response for the growing demand of easy to transport, store and use IT technology and the EasyNote XS is as portable as it gets because it tips the scales at only 950 grams while being 3cm thick. The manufacturing company, Packard Bell, designed this ultra mobile computer system not as a replacement for a desktop or a laptop but instead as a "everyday mobile companion" and according to the news site pocket-link, it is targeted at customers that find a fully grown notebook to be too cumbersome, while disliking the PDA systems as being too simple and limited.

"For all of us who wants to stay connected in a comfortable way, this is the perfect companion" says Emmanuel Fromont, sales and marketing vice president, Packard Bell. "It has all the functionalities of a notebook - it just happens to be very small." In order to pack as many features as possible into such a small form factor while maintaining a high battery life, Packard Bell centered the EasyNote XS UMPC around the VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform which is well known and liked because it combines processing power with energy efficiency.

The EasyNote also comes with a full sized keyboard, wireless networking, a VGA capable Web camera, a multi format card reader and stereo speakers. In order to be able to connect with the growing number of peripherals that are using the high speed USB version 2.0 port, the EasyNote XS integrates two such ports. The VIA computing platform is backed up by a 30GB hard disk drive as well by a 1024MB random access memory and it is capable to run the very same Windows XP Home Edition as a desktop PC does. Because the VIA platform is extremely energy efficient, the XS is able to run on a single battery charge for up to three hours. While Packard Bell did not made the price tag and the area of availability public there is only to say that the EasyNote XS will come in stores at the end of the year.