"Low cost small notebook PCs" might not have the ring we want but if it sticks, Microsoft might reap ready benefits from it.

CORP TALK: Considering that Psion has decided to give the all-clear for the usage of the netbook term as reported by The New York Times here, we hear news that Microsoft wants to redefine mini-notebooks with a new term - low cost small notebook PC.

This was expressed by Mr. Steven Guggenheimer, General Manager for the Application Platform and Development Marketing Division for Microsoft at Computex 2009, as reported by DigiTimes.com here.

According to Guggenheimer, the term netbook is misleading, because these mini-notebooks have feature capabilities that allow a user to not just surf the Internet but do a great many other things. According to the DigiTimes report, market watchers are speculating that this renaming strategy by Microsoft is aimed at distinguishing mini-notebooks/netbooks from regular notebooks, so that the company can reduce the number of low-end Windows shipments.

This way, mid- to high-end mini-notebooks can benefit from the adoption of higher-end versions of Windows 7, recently announced for launch on October 22. In addition to this, Microsoft has also lifted the 3-app restriction on Windows 7 Starter Edition when there were plans to originally allow only three concurrent apps to run on the PC at any one time.

HP's new 10.1-inch Mini 110 mini-notebook comes in three colors with options for storage (solid state or 2.5" HDD), OS (Win XP or HP's Mobile Internet), resolution and battery.

SHOWCASE: The HWM Malaysia and Singapore team were flown to Beijing last week to cover HP’s Touching the Future product unveiling by the Personal Systems Group (PSG) from HP Asia Pacific and Japan.

According to HP, consumer habits and usage of the Web have changed so much, that products today need to integrate these activities into their functionality to satisfy the need of the current Web generation.

Anticipating this shift, HP unveiled mini-notebooks, laptops, all-in-one PCs to regular desktops at the event. The star of the show was naturally the new HP Mini 110, which comes in three color options, two storage options and two resolution options on a standard 10.1-inch screen.

What’s impressive this time though is the option of two battery packs - the standard 3-cell Lithium-ion battery keeps the weight at 1.06kg but the 6-cell battery option lets the user use it two times longer than usual.

The HP Mini 110 is expected to cost US$299 and up and will be available from 28 May 2009 (Black Swirl version). The Pink Chic and White Swirl versions will be due 30 June 2009. (more…)