Tiny notebook computer hopes to make big splash in RI

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia's growing laptop market has prompted Italy-based computer manufacturer Holbe Dialogue Europe (HDE) to introduce its 8.9-inch display portable notebook, the smallest ever to enter the Indonesian domestic market, the company claimed.

The notebook, called Flybook, is the size of an A5 piece of paper and comes with the integrated functions a computer, cellular phone, as well as a personal digital assistant (PDA).

Indonesia's Flybook distributor PT Datascrip is targeting for sales of 5 percent of this year's potential notebook market of 100,000 units.

Datascrip marketing director Mary T. Oetomo said during the press launching on Wednesday that the notebook, which was aimed at the upper end of the market, would be released next month at a price of US$2,500.

Flybook's international project manager Kaber Ahmed said that the computer enables users to access the Internet and make phone calls, and is equipped with built-in bluetooth, GPRS, tri band frequency and wireless LAN. The screen can be rotated 360 degrees (see picture).

"Flybook is suitable for executives, public figures and lawyers, or people with high mobility who demand high connectivity," he said, adding that the computer has the ability to apply 3G technology.

Flybook uses a Transmeta Crusoe processor and has a memory capacity of 512 kilobytes and a 40 gigabyte hard disk.

Ahmed added that HDE would be producing a second version of Flybook that will be smaller and lighter. The current Flybook measures 235 x 155 x 31 millimeters and weighs 1.23 kilograms.

Flybook is available in various colors, namely platinum, deep black, blue, red, yellow and white. (001)