Giga-byte shows CULV laptop, netbooks with Windows 7

Giga-byte Technology revamped a netbook that takes advantage of touchscreen and tablet functions in Microsoft Windows 7 and put its first laptop with an Intel CULV (consumer ultra-low voltage) microprocessor inside on display at Computex Taipei 2009 on Monday.

The TouchNote T1028 netbook sports a 10.1-inch touchscreen that swivels so that the screen can be turned around folded down to transform it into a tablet PC. The netbook is an update to its first netbook with the same function, but the main difference this time is the Windows 7 software, which includes functions that support both the touchscreen capability and the tablet mode.

Windows 7 is Microsoft's latest operating system, but so far only a beta (test) version has been released. The company has not yet announced a formal launch date for the software.

Giga-byte's new T1028 will include Intel's latest 1.66GHz N280 Atom microprocessor. It will cost around US$599 and could be on the market globally as early as July or August, according to a company representative.

The representative said the launch date will partly be determined by when Microsoft releases Windows 7. Should the T1028 launch early, it could come with Windows XP and will be upgradeable to Windows 7.

Giga-byte's first CULV laptop is part of its Booktop family of products, the M1305.

Intel's CULV microprocessor is small, thin and energy efficient and designed for thin portable laptops.

The Booktop M1305 sports a 13.3-inch screen and can hold up to 8G byte of DDR3 (double data rate, third generation) DRAM, which is a newer version of mainstream DRAM that has not yet caught on widely.

The M1305 laptop that Giga-byte displayed Monday used Windows 7 as its operating system. A Giga-byte representative said the company hopes to launch the M1305 in September or October armed with Windows 7.

The laptop is only an inch (2 centimeters) thick and is built light as an alternative to netbooks, but includes a key feature lacking in netbooks, a DVD drive, as well as a larger screen. Pricing information was not immediately available. The representative also did not know the expected battery life of the device.

Giga-byte also showed off another new netbook on Monday, the Myou S1024. The netbook is designed to be ultra-small despite its 10.1-inch screen, which is a big size for netbooks.

The Myou S1024 weighs 900 grams and is less than an inch thick. Giga-byte managed to put a 6-cell battery inside the device despite its small size for long battery life. The Giga-byte representative was unable to immediately say how long the battery might last.

The S1024 will be available globally within the next few months and will cost around US$599, the representative said.

The three new devices can all be used with a number of wireless technologies, including 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Giga-byte will offer optional WiMax and 3.5G (High-speed packet access) modules.

IDG News Service

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