HP will replace its lightweight Evo Notebook N200 with its upcoming Evo tablet PC, a portable computer based on Microsoft"s Tablet PC software. HP plans to introduce several new Evo models over the next few months.
Tablet PCs, actively touted by Microsoft (- I"ve heard Bill Gates has a thing for them...) as the next wave in portable computing, are small computers that can be "written" on, just as pad of paper, with a pen-like stylus. The Evo tablet PC will be roughly the same size and weight as Evo Notebook N200, a notebook that weighs 2.5 pounds and sells for about $1,500.
The tablet PC, however, is expected to include a faster processor and wireless networking capabilities. It is expected to sell for under $2,000.Incorporating a 1GHz Crusoe TM5800 processor from Transmeta will also allow the upstart chip company to expand into the corporate market.
The Tablet PC is expected to make its official debut at a Nov. 7 event held by Microsoft, sources said. Other manufacturers preparing tablet-style PCs include Acer, NEC, Legend and Toshiba.