Apricot Computers revived: launches new netbook (obviously)

Is there a trend developing for the resurrection of affectionately-held computing brands? First it was Commodore, which just last month was reborn as a manufacturer of netbooks. And now Apricot, which has just been reborn as, yes – a manufacturer of netbooks.

The revived company’s first offering is the PicoBook Pro, a netbook with an 8.9in screen, 1GB of RAM, 60GB hard disk drive and 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi and powered by a 1.2GHz Via C7-M processor. The price? £279 including VAT for the Linux edition, with XP available at "additional cost".

A bunch of additional pictures and the full press release after the cut. Read the latter, incidentally, and you’ll note that the chap behind the new Apricot is a one Shahid Sultan. Who he? Well, he's worth Googling – try adding "Acorn" to the search, too. 

Apricot Computers Makes its Comeback with Entry into the
Ultra-Mobile PC Market
 
Apricot Returns to UK with a Sub-Laptop for
Mobile Business Professionals and Home Users

 
London:  Thursday 16th October, 2008 – Apricot Computers Ltd returns to the UK market today with a strategic entry into the burgeoning Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) market. The latest sub-laptop on the market, Apricot’s PicoBook Pro runs on either Linux or Windows XP, with a 60Gb hard drive, an 8.9” screen and impressive battery life of 4 hours. PicoBook Pro is also very light, weighing in at 0.98kg, yet it still manages to accommodate a generous sized keyboard for ease of typing, complete with WiMAX support, an in-built VGA output, Bluetooth, two USB 2.0 ports and a storage card slot; ideal for the mobile user whether it’s for work or play.
 
Apricot’s PicoBook Pro has been developed entirely with the mobile user in mind and its price of £279 (incl. VAT) gives it mass market appeal. According to the Apricot ethos, an ultra portable computer should be functional with enough hard disk space to run and store multi-media programmes, yet use power conservatively to save on energy and battery life. PicoBook Pro is one of the greenest sup-laptops in the marketplace, using ultra-low voltage (ULV)/1.2 GHz. Users can also boot their PicoBook Pro in under 30 seconds.
 
The new CEO of Apricot Computers, Shahid Sultan, commented on the company’s first product announcement since its re-entry into the UK last month: “Many offerings in the sub-laptop market are missing the point. A mobile PC user fundamentally wants to be able to connect to the internet whenever and wherever they are and to be able to use it for a prolonged period of time, without needing to charge the batteries. We have created a PC that is truly mobile and - despite its high quality credentials, functionality and look and feel – it is also affordable.”
 
Product Specifications:
 
Specification    Details
Dimensions/Weight    Physical size: 230mm x 171mm x 38.7mm
Weight: 0.98kg
Battery/AC Adaptor    4CELL Li-ion Battery, 2200mA, giving up to 4 hours use
International auto-sensing adaptor 110-240V
Display    8.9” Wide Screen WS VGA (1024 x 600)
Supports LCD, CRT, TV, or LCD/CRT Dual Display
Storage/Memory    60 Gigabyte Hard Disk
1024MB (1GB) DDRH RAM 667Mhz
Operating System    Linux: Novell SUSE Enterprise
Windows XP: Genuine Windows XP Home Edition
Communications     Built-in 10/100 based-T LAN
3945 ABG Wireless LAN 802.11abg
Bluetooth, optional WiMAX
I/O Ports    D-SUB 15Pin x 1
USB 2.0 Port x 2
Mic-in Port x1
Line-in Port x1
RJ45 Port x1
Kensington Anchor Point
Processor    VIA C7-M Ultra-Low Voltage 1.2 GHz
VIA TwinTurbo Technology – 400MHz Clock speed
Graphics    High Performance 3D Graphics: VIA Chrome9 HC3 integrated graphics core, full DirectX 9.0 support
Audio    VIA Vinyl HD Audio controller supports up to eight high definition channels with a 192kHz sampling rate, delivering a richer all-round digital media experience.
Chipset    VIA VX800 Unified Chipset
Additional Features    1.3 Mega-pixel Integrated Webcam
Built-in 4 in 1 Card-reader
 
Pricing and Availability
Apricot’s PicoBook Pro is available now and is priced at £279 including VAT, which comes with Linux pre-installed. Customers can opt to install XP at an additional cost.
 
PicoBook Pro is available to buy directly from the Apricot website (www.apricotcomputers.com) from today and production units will ship from 1st November 2008, with 14 day delivery time. Apricot is currently seeking partnerships with UK distributors and resellers for PicoBook Pro.
 
About Apricot Computers
Apricot Computers Ltd was established in the UK in 1965. Formally owned by Mitsubishi Corporation, Apricot is now a manufacturer of ultra mobile personal computers and has its headquarters based in the UK.
 
Apricot was the first company in the world with several technical innovations, including the first commercial shipment of an all-in-one system with a 3.5-inch floppy drive, while in the early 1990's it manufactured one of the world’s most secure x86-based PCs, sold exclusively to the UK government.
 
Apricot continues in its dedication to producing excellent products and services. Apricot has had impressive global successes historically and is now manufacturing products to suit today’s more connected world and mobile lifestyles.

[ Apricot]