14 DAY TRIAL // I am sure that few of you have heard of the Tennessee-based Dialogue Technology company, the baker of one of the smallest Vista-capable laptops available. If you haven't, don't feel ashame, it was a surprise for me too. I had the first hands-on experience with the device during the CeBIT expo and I must say that the tiny device got me pretty convinced.
The Flybook V5 weighs about 1.1 kilograms and is slightly larger than an A5 notebook (22.8 centimeters by 16.5). Under the hood, the device is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo ULV (ultra low voltage) processor running at 1.2GHz. The default 2GB of system memory can be expanded up to 4 GB. Data storage is handled by an 80 GB conventional hard-disk drive.
The connectivity options are well covered and include built-in Bluetooth and 802.11 a/b/g wireless networking, as well as an HSDPA/ UMTS/ EDGE/ GPRS/ GSM data card. The integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam can be used together with the HSDPA connectivity for video-conferencing, should the need arise.
The 8.3-inch LCD widescreen can reach a maximum resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels and comes with a passive digitizer which supports usage in either landscape or portrait orientation. The swivel screen features tablet functionality, which means that the device can be controlled with the touch of a fingertip. That's the main reason why the notebook lacks the mouse pointer.
The company claims that the V5 can enjoy a total autonomy of five hours while under workload, which means that the tablet PC is quite energy-efficient. Moreover, if you're picky in terms of color, you have no excuse to refuse the V5: it comes in either black, silver, gold or pink to match your outfit or nail polish.
The V5 is available immediately for an estimative retail price starting at 1,700 Euro, but a full-option model would punch a 2,000 Euro hole into your pocket.
Live report by Bogdan Popa and Alex Vochin from CeBIT 2008 Hanover, Germany.
