FlipStart Micro Laptop Finally Available

After many years in development, the FlipStart 1.0 can now be purchased.

This device is neither a handheld nor a UMPC, but it is nevertheless small enough warrant interest from those who want something much less bulky than a typical laptop.

From its 5.6-inch display to its miniature keyboard, just about everything about the FlipStart is small… except the price. It sells for $2,000.

An Overview of the FlipStart 1.0

This device has the typical clamshell shape of a laptop, but is just 5.9 inches wide, 4.5 inches tall, and 1.6 inches thick and weighs only 1.8 pounds (with extended battery).

It is bigger and heaver than some of its competition, like the Sony Vaio UX180P or OQO’s model 02, but has a larger screen and keyboard.

In addition to its 5.6-inch, 1024-by-600-pixel (SVGA) primary display, it has a 1.9-inch, 220-by-176-pixel external screen that can show information from Microsoft Outlook, including the user’s email, calendar, and contacts.

The FlipStart 1.0 uses a 1.1 GHz Intel Pentium M processor to run Windows XP Professional or Windows Vista Business. It also sports an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator.

This PC has 512 MB of RAM and a shock-mounted 30 GB hard drive.

For wireless connectivity, it includes Wi-Fi b/g, Bluetooth, and the 3G cellular-wireless standard EV-DO Rev A. Service for this is provided by Sprint.

It also has a USB 2.0 port, an Ethernet port, and a VGA port.

To learn more about the FlipStart or to make a purchase visit the FlipStart Labs web site.