Dubai: A Hong Kong-based company Join Technology Limited (JoinTech) is set to launch an ultra low-cost laptop in Dubai for Dh550.
The company claims the laptop is the world's cheapest and smallest
The JPro JL7100 will be available in the second week of September in three colours - black, sliver and white.
"We have shipped in 1,000 units. We plan to sell 25,000 units in the Gulf this year, of which 15,000 is expected from the UAE. Globally we plan to sell 50,000 units in 2008. We have advance booking for 20,000 from around the world," said Ahtsham, JoinTech's regional director in Dubai.
He said if a customer booked 5,000 units, he paid only $99 (Dh363.33). This special price offer is for corporate clients, schools, educational institutes and charity organisations.
A few days ago Carapelli Computer announced the launch of the smallest and cheapest computer in the world, the Impulse NPX-9000, for Dh699. It weighs 725 grams, but JPro JL7100 is lighter at 680 grams.
The JPro JL7100 has a seven-inch digital LCD monitor, a 400 MHz Samsung processor with a 4 GB SD-Card storage, built-in LAN, three USB ports, VGA port, extra long battery time, shock and vibration resistance and free software. It runs on Windows CE 5.0 operating system.
Windows CE is a lighter version of Microsoft Windows. It requires less resources then Windows XP, and is ideally suited to mobile devices because of more battery backup time and other advantages.
The JPro JL7100 will also run on Linux. It comes with free software including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, internet, email, Media and Flash Players, drawing and paint, games, basic and advance education, accounting, antivirus, compilers, dictionaries, maps, eBook, tools and utilities, music, VoIP and online applications.
"Our ultra low cost is really helping us penetrate the global market rapidly but our complete range of free yet unique Windows-based professional software together with direct end user support is what is bringing the new mobile computing revolution," Ahtsham said.
We will decrease the prices next year at the launch of new models. Models to follow include built-in GSM, 3G, GPS, and WiMAX," he said.
"We have carefully designed the whole product and selected our component suppliers wisely to make sure the total cost is very low. There are some other tips that we will not disclose at this stage. Little higher prices could easily be managed but pulling it below $100 was the challenging task that we have successfully done," he said.
