Hewlett-Packard Co. has joined with Microsoft Corp. to produce HP's first notebook PC, a super-light machine that comes with a pop-out mouse and pre-installed software.
The OmniBook 300, which measures 61/2-by-11 inches and weighs 2.9 pounds, comes with Microsoft's Windows operating system, word processing and spreadsheet software, as well as HP's agenda, phone book and financial calculator programs.The OmniBook, which Hewlett-Packard calls a "superportable," requires no "boot up" time and runs for up to 10 hours on AA batteries.
The software operates in ROM, or read-only memory, rather than in the memory in a hard disk drive, for quick start-up and switching between applications.
Omnibook features a a high-quality reflective monochrome display and a full-size keyboard. It's driven by Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s 386 microprocessor. Microprocessors are the "brains" of a computer.
The computer has a unique pop-out mouse and a tiny rechargeable battery pack that can run for up to nine hours, depending on model.
Recently developed infrared technology will allow the machine to communicate with other portable or desktop computers and printers within about three feet.
"For years, people have been making computers smaller and lighter," said Lou Platt, Hewlett-Packard's president. "We're the first companies to design a mobile system specifically designed for convenience of use while on-the-go."
Platt and Microsoft CEO Bill Gates were scheduled to demonstrate the computer Monday at a news conference in San Francisco.
List price for the OmniBook with a 40 megabyte hard disk for data storage is $1,950. The company expects stores to price the computer at about $1,795, making it competitive with notebooks made by Apple Computer Inc., Compaq Computer Corp. and International Business Machines Corp.
"We're quite a bit later than the rest," said Bob Frankenberg, vice president and general manager of HP's personal information products group.
Size, weight and difficulty of use have kept many computer users away from notebooks, Frankerberg said. Hewlett-Packard has incorporated two decades of experience making advanced measurement devices and palm-size calculators, and capitalized on its close ties with Microsoft, to make the Omnibook.
Microsoft developed the first ROM-based versions of Windows and Windows-based applications for the OmniBook.