14 DAY TRIAL // The success level of netbook devices and the netbook form factor have enabled a number of companies to provide their supporting solutions for said segment. Such is the case with VIA Technologies, which is actively promoting the low-power specifications and features of its Nano platform as a potential solution of lightweight and small-form factor PCs. Taking the opportunity offered by the Computex 2009 trade show, the chip maker highlighted the launch of another Nano-powered PC, coming from one of China’s leading notebook providers, Tonfong. The system builder is one of the first companies to enable VIA’s Nano platform on a 13.3-inch device.
“VIA is delighted that Tongfong has selected the VIA Nano processor for their new Tongfong S30A,” said Richard Brown, vice president of marketing, VIA Technologies, Inc. “With its advanced processing performance, DX10.1 graphics support, and stylish 13.3-inch design, the Tongfong S30A sets a new standard for the fast growing thin and light notebook segment in the China market.”
The 13.3-inch laptop has been built around VIA’s 64-bit 1.3GHz+ Nano U2250 processor, which has been coupled with the unified VIA VX800 chipset, featuring the discrete S3 Chrome 435 ULP graphics unit and 2GB of DDR2 system memory. This enables Tonfong’s S30A ultrathin notebook to provide users with support for HD video and DirectX 10.1 graphics. The platform also enables the netbook to provide a built-in HDMI port for a true HD experience.
Additional features of the Tongfong 13.3-inch S30A laptop include a 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, a DVD Super Multi Drive, 10/100Mbps Ethernet and wireless 802.11 b/g connectivity. There’s also a 4-in-1 card reader, express card slot, two USB 2.0 ports and a six-cell battery pack. All of these are packed inside a system that weighs in at just 1.4kg, offering support for both Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista Home operating systems. Unfortunately, there’s no word on pricing.