Increasing convergence
Giant PC maker HP has announced the launch of the HP Mini 5101, a 10 inch netbook designed specifically for business users.
There's lots of talk light of metal alloys and ‘soft-touch paint' but what caught our eye was the optional addition of Qualcomm's Gobi technology, which is essentially integrated, carrier agnostic, 3G connectivity for notebooks.
The alliance between Intel and Nokia announced yesterday means the battle lines in the PC/telco convergence space are being more clearly defined. An enduring partnership between HP and Qualcomm, which also makes processors and graphics usable in netbooks, could end up being antagonistic to the Intel/Nokia clique.
The HP Mini 5101 is expected to be available in the States next month for $449, but there was no mention of international availability. Here's a photo of the 5101 and the full spec sheet.
