Subnotebook

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sony VAIO model C1 subnotebook
Sony VAIO model C1 subnotebook

A subnotebook is a small and lightweight portable computer, with most of the features of a standard notebook computer but it is either substantially smaller or lighter. As opposed to palmtop portables running Operating Systems like Windows CE, a subnotebook will run full versions of Windows or Linux.

Subnotebooks are generally smaller than a laptop computer, but larger than handheld computers and ultraportables. They often have screens that are 10.4" (diagonal) or less, and weigh less than 1 kg; as opposed to full-size laptops with 12" or 15" screens and weighing 2 kg or more. The savings in size and weight are usually achieved partly by omitting ports and/or have removable media/optical drives; subnotebooks are often paired with docking stations to compensate.

Subnotebooks are a niche IT product and rarely sell in large numbers.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] –1990

The Compaq LTE, launched in 1989, was the first to be widely known as a "notebook computer" because its relatively small dimensions — 1.9 x 8.5 x 11 inches — were similar to an A4 paper notebook. The Compaq was followed by the very popular IBM ThinkPad, which was the first to include a 10.4 inch screen in a notebook measuring 2.2 x 8.3 x 11.7 inches. Portables with smaller form factors thus became known as subnotebooks. The term was also applied to the NEC UltraLite, unveiled in 1988, although its dimensions (1.4 x 8.3 x 11.75 inches) were very similar to the Compaq LTE.

Smaller DOS-based PCs such as the Poqet PC and the Atari Portfolio — both released in 1989 — were called either "pocket PCs" or handhelds.

[edit] 1991–1995

One early subnotebook was the Gateway Handbook, originally released in 1992 and updated to use a 486 processor in late 1993. This computer was only 9.7 inches (246 mm) wide, 5.9 inches (150 mm) deep, and 1.6 inches (41 mm) high, and weighed less than three pounds (1.4 kg).

Another one of the first subnotebooks was the Hewlett-Packard OmniBook 300, which was launched as a "superportable" in 1993. It measured 1.4 x 6.4 x 11.1 inches, and was available with an optional Flash memory disk instead of a hard drive, to reduce the weight.[1]

Toshiba, which had concentrated on portables in the 1980s, also entered the market that year with the Portege T3400, claiming that "It's the first subnotebook computer with all the functionality of a much larger computer".[2] The version with an 8.4" monochrome screen measured just 1.7 x 7.9 x 9.8 inches and weighed 1.8kg.

Then Toshiba really put the subnotebook PC format on the map in 1995 with the Libretto 20. This featured a 6.1" screen and 270 MB hard disk. CNet reported about the Libretto 50CT that "[it] is the first full-fledged Windows 95 notebook in the United States weighing less than two pounds".[3]

[edit] 1996–2000

In 1997, Apple launched the light-weight (4.4 lbs), but short-lived PowerBook 2400, which was co-designed by IBM and made for Apple by IBM Japan. However, this measured 1.9 x 10.5 x 10.5 inches, so it was actually bigger than a Compaq LTE notebook.

IBM had sold "thin and light" models in its ThinkPad range, such as the ThinkPad 560 ultraportable (1996) and best-selling ThinkPad 600 (1998). It entered the subnotebook market in 1999 with the ThinkPad 240, targeted at business travellers.[4] The 240 and 240X had 10.4" screens. After the 240X, however, IBM concentrated on the "ultraportable" X range, with 12.1" screens. At 1.1 x 8.3 x 10.6 inches, a system like the ThinkPad X40 only just qualifies as a subnotebook.

Sony launched an ultraportable less than an inch thick in Japan in 1997, the PCG-505, which reached the US in 1997 as the VAIO 505GX. This was followed by the even thinner Sony VAIO X505, which measured just 0.8 x 8.2 x 10.2 inches, and reached 0.3" at its thinnest.[5] However, it was very expensive and had poor battery life, and was soon withdrawn.

Sony also launched the C1 range of subnotebooks, starting in Japan in January 2000.

[edit] 2001–

One of the most notable Sony models was the Transmeta-based Vaio PCG-C1VE or PictureBook (2001), which measured only 1 x 6 x 9.8 inches. It had a digital camera built into the lid, which could be used for video conferencing or swivelled round to photograph a scene.[6]

In 2006, Microsoft stimulated a new round of subnotebook development with the UMPC or Ultra-Mobile PC format code-named Origami. These are basically small versions of Tablet PC computers, which originally shipped with the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.

Rumors in 2007 indicated that Apple may yet again enter the subnotebook field.

[edit] Recent models

Examples of recent subnotebooks sorted by weight are:

Model Specifications Dimensions (mm) Mass (g) Year
Sony Vaio PCG-U3 Transmeta TMS 5800 933 MHz CPU, 256 (232) MiB or 512 (488) RAM, 20 GB hard disk, 6.4" XGA display 184.5 x 139 x 30.6 820 2004
Fujitsu Lifebook P1510 Intel Pentium M 1.2 GHz CPU, 512 MiB RAM, 60 GB hard disk, 8.9" SVGA display 232 × 167 × 34.5 990 2005
Toshiba Libretto U100 Intel Pentium M 1.2 GHz CPU, 512 MiB RAM, 60 GB hard disk, 7.2" LCD display 210 x 165 x 29.8 999 2005
Panasonic R4 Intel Pentium M 1.3 GHz CPU, 512 MiB RAM, 60 GB hard disk, 10.4" XGA display 229 x 183.5 x 24.2 999 2005
Fujitsu Lifebook P1120 Transmeta TMS 5800 800 MHz CPU, 256 MiB RAM, 30 GB hard disk, 8.9" SVGA display 231 x 158 x 34.5 1000 2002
Dell Latitude X1 Intel Pentium M 1.1 GHz CPU, 512 MiB RAM, 30 GB hard disk, 12.1" WXGA display 287 x 196 x 25.4 1130 2005
FlyBook V33i Intel 1.1 GHz Pentium M, 512 MiB RAM, 80 GB hard disk, 8.9" LCD display 235 x 135 x 31 1230 2006
Sony Vaio VGN-TX series Intel Pentium M Ultra Low Voltage 773 1.1-1.3 GHz CPU, 512-1.5 GiB SDRAM, 60-80 GB hard disk, 11.1" WXGA display, internal DVD optical write-capable drive 272.4 x 195.1 x 21-28.5 1250 2005-2006

[edit] Other examples

Other recent models include the Averatec 1xxx series, Sony Vaio UX Micro PC, OQO, and Vulcan FlipStart, although the latter two are more often referred to as "Ultra Personal Computers", as they are barely larger than a typical palmtop.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../s/u/b/Subnotebook.html"
In other languages