Android OS Powers HP's New Smartbook
HP Spain is launching the smartbook seen at CES 2010 in January.
In January HP was showcasing a prototype smartbook at CES 2010, however the company said that it had no plans to bring the device to the market. However Engadget is now reporting that HP Spain is bringing an identical product to the market called the Compaq AirLife 100, describing the device as having a netbook body with the guts of a smartphone.
The Compaq AirLife 100 was spotted on the FCC's website by the end of January, however there weren't any real details on the product save for one illustration. At the time it was speculated that the device would eventually head to AT&T based on the bandwidth frequencies used by the device. It also didn't seem to be a coincidence that the device filed with the FCC and the prototype shown at CES 2010 displayed similar features.
According to Engadget Spain, the current specs reveal that the smartbook uses an Android OS platform powered by a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU. Also thrown into the mix is a 10.1-inch touchscreen display, a 16 GB SSD (!), a 12-hour battery life (10 days on standby), Instant-On for quick booting, and 3G and WiFi connectivity.
As it stands, the AirLife 100 smartbook will be available in Europe and Latin America, offered as a subsidized part of mobile broadband plans provided by Telefonica. Engadget believes that HP may rename the device under the HP Mini branding when it arrives here in the States.
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Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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greatsaltedone I can't wait for all these non-cell phone devices sporting android to hit the market so we can see what the OS is really capable of. Add in intercompatibility with Chrome OS and I really believe that we will have a smart home networking winner.Reply -
JohnnyLucky The market if going to be flooded with all the small devices. There are simply too many products.Reply -
loomis86 They're gonna have to start coming up with something completely different pretty soon. Smaller-cheaper-lighter netbooks aint gonna cut it much longer.Reply -
buwish When these devices start sporting more powerful hardware in small form, I think that they'll really start to catch on with more groups and in turn be more successful. Of course, it will be awhile before we see that.Reply