HP Expands Mini Notebook PC Line With $399 Model

HP on Wednesday expanded its HP Mini family with three new configure-to-order models, all of which weigh about two pounds and are powered by the Intel Atom N270 1.6-GHz processor.

The HP Mini 1000 features a piano-black finish, and is available with an 8.9-inch or 10.2-inch display. It is only 1 inch wide and weighs 2.25 pounds, but includes integrated wireless and a built-in Web camera. It is currently available starting at $399.

The HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition comes with a flowered design to match the designs of clothing designer Vivienne Tam. It has a 10.1-inch display, is 1 inch wide, and weighs 2.45 pounds, including the built-in Web camera. It is expected to be available in mid-December with a price of about $699.

The HP Mini 1000 with Mobile Internet Experience software includes an on-screen dashboard for organizing entertainment applications. When turned, applications automatically start running. It also includes a built-in Web camera. It is slated to start shipping in January with a price of $379.

The new mini notebooks come in the middle of a major ramp-up in notebook PC sales. Analyst firm IDC this week reported that 55.2 percent of all PCs sold in the U.S. during the third quarter of 2008 were notebook PCs.

The high ratio was a result of record volume sales of 9.5 million notebook PCs in the U.S. during the quarter, which was over 18 percent more than were sold in the last quarter and during the third quarter of last year, IDC said.

The new mini notebooks also give HP a bit of competitive breathing room as new vendors including Samsung and Asus turn their sights to the U.S. market.