Given the huge growth and popularity attributed to penny-saving and ultra-portable Netbook computers, you’d think hardware manufacturers would perhaps lean away from producing new conventional notebooks – not so Packard-Bell as it strives to polish its brand perception.
Sure, Packard-Bell’s new EasyNote Butterfly and EasyNote TR85 platforms might not sport ‘trendy’ form factors or boast the brand draw associated with the likes of ASUS and Dell, but parent company Acer is certainly a manufacturing frontrunner thanks to popular traditional and ultra-portable lines such as the Aspire.
First up for assessment is the Butterfly, which – effeminate name aside – is less than an inch thick and offers up a backlit 13.4-inch LED display (16:9), ATI Radeon HD4330 graphics, data storage via a choice of either a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), Dolby Sound Room audio, an onboard Web cam, Bluetooth, HDMI, and a lockable multi-touch trackpad.
While Packard-Bell has not yet confirmed the chip and network muscle responsible for powering its Butterfly (or the range of its data storage), current chatter suggests the inclusion of a dependable Intel processor while optional 3G connectivity will also be included.
Those looking for optimal usage while on-the-go will likely be thrilled to learn that Packard-Bell claims the Butterfly’s battery and PowerSave button will provide single-charge power for up to eight hours when interaction is limited to word processing and Web browsing – though multimedia activities and downloads will impact that longevity significantly.
If the aesthetically simple but elegant Butterfly doesn’t blow your tech skirt up, then how about the slightly more glossy and outgoing EasyNote TR85, which has design notes from Pininfarina and comes equipped with a backlit 15.6-inch LED display screen (16:9), Intel processing, NVIDIA GeForce graphics, up to 500GBs of storage, a Web cam with privacy cover, a slot-in optical drive, and a ramp-shaped Dolby speaker.
While neither slice of Packard-Bell’s hardware will be the easiest to cart about when compared to an Eee PC, an Inspiron Mini 9 or an Aspire One, both will likely offer solid portable performance without requiring the help of a golf caddy – Packard-Bell claims the Butterfly weighs “500 grams less than a standard notebook.”
That being said, clean design and a selection of pleasing features and functions won’t tempt the masses out of the shadows of recession unless the price is right – excuse the cliché. And, surprise, surprise, Packard-Bell has not yet announced its price points for the Butterfly – although the TR is expected to come attached to a €699 price tag.
The EasyNote Butterfly is expected to hit retail in June, while the EasyNote TR85 has been pencilled in for a release in May.
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