Small is big at Computex 2008

TAIPEI, TAIWAN--If there is one category of product which is capturing the imaginations and desires of consumers, it would have to be sub-notebooks. Making 12.1-inch ultraportables look heavy and big in comparison, just what is it about these portables that allow them to move from niche products into mainstream?

The original Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) concept was for a small and light laptop which is powerful enough for basic productivity tasks and Internet surfing, with a long battery life and a petite form factor. But it was the price factor, pioneered by the Asus Eee PC 701, which propelled UMPCs into the limelight. In fact, price has become such an overwhelming factor that subsequent models got larger while battery life remained modest at best.

The new line of sub-notebooks do not seem to buck the trend, hovering between 8.9- and 10-inch displays, though battery life seems to be improving, with Intel's new Atom platform playing no small role in the latter.

We take a peek at the new range of UMPCs showcased at the Computex Taipei preview. These are small, yet powerful enough to handle your daily dose of Internet pleasures.

Everex OpenBook