d hard drive capacity, these new ultraslim notebooks don't have everything. Unlike other ThinkPads, for example, the 560 doesn't have an internal CD-ROM drive as an option.
"This new type of thin notebook is designed to satisfy the user who is sensitive to size and weight in their notebook," says Eric Shuster, business unit manager for value portables at Compaq. The company reportedly will release later this summer a thin notebook with a flexible design. "But unlike before, these new notebooks satisfy budget-conscious and many power users."
Shuster advises buyers of slim notebooks to check: screen size; keyboard design (Is it full size? Does it have arrow keys in an inverted T?); battery life and power management; RAM expandability; pointing device options; and upgrade
options. Users wanting many features may have to get a heavier notebook.
And what of even wider designs? Compaq says the 12.1-inch size will remain mainstream this year. Kevin Clark, product manager for mobile marketing at IBM (Research Triangle Park, NC), agrees. "We're not seeing a demand for anything larger than the A4 paper size."
photo_link (31 Kbytes)
A rigid hinge holds up the screen.
Heavy items like the hard drive and lithium-ion battery are in front to weight it.
12.1-inch active matrix SVGA display; 810-MB hard drive (expandable to 1.08 GB); only 4.1 pounds; starts at $2699; 100- or 120-MHz Penti
um; 133-MHz model to ship in July.
Richer, Thinner Notebooks Arrive
