Fujitsu has rolled out three new notebook PCs, including a mini-notebook that is squarely aimed at field workers and mobile sales teams.
Powered by Garmin’s Mobile PC navigation software, the LifeBook U820 arrives preloaded with maps of the U.S. and Canada, together with data covering millions of destinations and points of interest. Weighing just 1.32 lbs, the mini-notebook delivers turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation that eliminates the need for workers to carry a separate navigation device, according to Paul Moore, senior director of mobile product management at Fujitsu.
“Full GPS navigation in a mini-notebook not only makes sense, it also reduces the number of devices mobile consumers and professionals need to carry while on the road,” Moore said.
Accelerating Demand
Under the hood, the LifeBook U820 sports an Atom Z-series Intel processor featuring low power consumption; Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/draft-n) radios; a pivoting 5.6-inch touchscreen with support for 1080-pixel high-definition video; a 1.3-megapixel Webcam; and the user’s choice of a maximum 120GB hard disk drive or a 64GB solid-state drive. The mini-notebook also integrates several security features, including a fingerprint sensor, a BIOS lock, and a Kensington lock slot to deter physical theft.
The LifeBook U820 is capable of delivering up to 3.5 hours from the machine’s standard two-cell battery or up to 7.5 hours from a four-cell battery option that increases the product’s weight to 1.6 lbs. The mini-notebook ships with the user’s choice of Windows Vista Business or Home Premium.
With the launch of the LifeBook U820, Fujitsu hopes to benefit from the recent popularity of mini-notebooks worldwide, driven in part by deals between PC manufacturers and system operators in the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) region and elsewhere overseas.
“Mini-notebooks saw a surge during the back-to-school season with IDC estimating over two million units shipped in EMEA in the third…