Here's a Smartbook prototype from Freescale Semiconductor that unfolds to provide keyboard and mouse functionality.

A modular Smartbook concept that enables customization.

T&A: Nikkei Electronics Asia has released a report comparing the potential pricing differences among different portable computing devices hitting the market over the next few months.

One of the key predictions is that the low prices of smartbooks might cut into the netbook market.

Basically, as the small yet delicate functional gap between smartphones and netbooks entice more players into this segment, manufacturers of Smartbooks, mobile internet devices and more will gradually segment the market for portable computing devices even further.

Not only that, within the netbook space, the ultra-thin notebook, or consumer ultra low voltage (CULV) notebooks are also attracting a lot of attention.

The Smartbook is the brainchild of Freescale Semiconductor and Qualcomm Inc., first unveiled at Computex Taipei in June 2009. Here’s a promo video on what exactly a Smartbook entails:

(Editor opinions: 2)

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