Lenovo challenges ASUS’s core segment in India with entry into sub-notebook segment

Mumbai: Lenovo has announced that it will enter the ultra-portable notebook PC segment, better known as ''netbooks,'' with its IdeaPad S9 and S10 netbooks in September this year. 

The two super-slim, super-small netbooks are designed to complement a customer's primary Lenovo PC, or serve as a first-time, introductory PC purchase. Netbooks allow users to do simple activities such as connect to the internet, check and write emails, listen to music and perform basic applications, with an accent on portability, as netbooks typify thin and light design. At approximately one-inch thick, the models weigh around just over two pounds. 

Lenovo says that consumer demand for netbooks is witnessing rapid growth globally, with IDC forecasting worldwide shipments of ultra-low cost notebooks rising jumping a relatively small 430,000 units in 2007 to around 9.2 million by 2012.

Liu Jun, senior vice president, consumer business group, Lenovo, says, ''IdeaPad netbooks are the latest in a string of recently announced Lenovo products, designed specifically for consumers worldwide and developed through our heritage of technological innovation and exceptional engineering. As rapidly as the technology changes, today's consumers are looking for mobile products that feature the best of basic computing functions in an extremely compact and affordable form, and Lenovo designed the IdeaPad netbooks for that purpose.''

Competition heating up for first mover Asus
The segment thus far has been dominated by the EeePC range of computer and mobile phone manufacturer ASUS, who is looking to fortify its presence in the segment. After initiating the segment with its 7-inch Linux based Eee PC, it is the only one offering Netbooks thus far, having recently announced the launch of its 10 – inch and 8.9 inch netbooks. HCL is the only other player with a solitary offering in the ultra – small Netbook segment. 

With it ultra-portable segment offerings, ASUS is aiming at changing the way computing is perceived by user segments like housewives, senior citizens, travellers, social networking enthusiasts, teenagers and for people who desire an extra PC for basic computing applications, listening to music, e-mailing and surfing the Internet.

The recently launched Eee PC 1000H features a 10-inch display, the ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine for longer battery lifespan of upto five hours, Dolby Sound Room, built-in Bluetooth and a keyboard that's 95 per cent size of generic notebooks facilitating easier typing and relaxed usage. The netbook pairs a 1.3 mega pixel webcam with its wireless Internet connection capabilities for web conferences anywhere, anytime for easier web communications and increased work efficiency.

ASUS' other offering, the Eee PC 904H features an 8.9" screen, 1024x600 resolution display and ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine for longer battery lifespan upto 4.5 hours. ASUS expects the 904H and 1000H are to retail at approximately Rs26,990 and Rs29,990 respectively, across major retail outlets in India.

Both of ASUS' Eee PCs come pre-installed with Windows XP, Microsoft Works, ASUS exclusive Super Hybrid Engine for longer battery lifespan, fast and complete connectivity (Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, Wi-Fi 802.11n), Eee Connect for an easy way to connect two or more users through a remote desktop feature for easy troubleshooting. The PCs feature more than adequate storage capacity in the form of a 80GB SATA hard disk drive. A Linux option is also said to be available.

Gopal Swaminathan, general manager - OEM business for Intel South Asia had said that the Eee PC uses the Intel Atom processor, which is based on ''an entirely new micro architecture specifically for small devices and low power, while maintaining the Intel Core 2 Duo instruction set compatibility.''
 
The Atom is Intel's smallest processor, built with the world's smallest transistors and is a fundamental shift in design. ''It is small yet powerful enough to enable a big Internet experience on devices such as the Eee PC,'' he had said in a statement by ASUS announcing the availability of the Eee PC range in India a couple of weeks ago.

Lenovo singing note-for-note
Lenovo's 8.9-inch screen IdeaPad S9, and 10.2-inch screen IdeaPad S10 netbooks sport glossy colours such as deep blue or ruby red, apart from the traditional black. The keyboard is designed to be 85 per cent of the size of a full-function notebook PC's keyboard, and an energy-efficient LED backlit display helps provide longer battery life than traditional displays. 

Lenovo's netbooks feature WiFi and optional Bluetooth connectivity, and also have an Express Card slot so users can enable the netbook for optional high speed mobile broadband connectivity.

Often used as a social networking device, Lenovo's netbooks come with tools that optimize the experience such as a built-in web camera for video messaging, and its two USB ports and a 4-in-1 multi card reader make connecting other devices and transferring photos, music and videos simple.

Lenovo's IdeaPad netbooks too come equipped with either Microsoft Windows XP or Linux. The same Intel Atom processor that powers ASUS' Eee PC also powers its competitor Lenovo's IdeaPad netbooks.

Lenovo's netbooks too offer up to 1GB of memory and either 80GB or 160GB hard disk drive space, which can well hold a user's digital music inventory and more. The netbooks also feature Lenovo's OneKey Rescue System on Microsoft Windows-based netbooks to help users recover data at the touch of a button should a system error or virus occur. The IdeaPad netbooks will be available in September in India at all Lenovo authorised store fronts, close on the heels of the ASUS offering.