The new HP Mini by Studio Tord Boontje : coming soon!

The HP Mini 1100 Vivienne Tam Special Edition has been hugely successful that I hear a Version 2 is in the works. Ever since I’ve written about it here before, I’ve been eyeing the netbook as a suitable companion to my aluminum Macbook which I don’t take out of the house too often, due to my tendency to lose things – even the most valuable ones, ahem.

A netbook also appeals to me because it is simply nifty to bring around wherever you go. This probably explains the growing fashion phenomenon of selling laptop bags and sleeves, in different patterns and colors. I like the fact that you can carry the netbook with a firm grip on the handle or close to your chest. Its extreme portability simply means that there’s no reason to leave the house without it.

Anyhoo, HP seems to be setting the trend for tapping well-known designers to design their laptops and the latest to work for them is Dutch-born Tord Boontje. He’s probably not as familiar to us as Vivienne Tam (Vivienne is into fashion, Tord is into product design), but his bio lists him as having made chandeliers for Swarovski and assorted products for Alexander McQueen, among others.

The new HP Mini by Studio Tord Boontje should delight lovers of white. Its pristine, lace-like effect stems from the first-ever three-dimensional PC surface technology called the HP Imprint 3D. This gives the HP Mini an edge over the classic white Macbook or those of other brands.

I do like how the floral pattern extends to the notebook’s palm rest and touchpad. There’s nothing quite like it 😉

Photos taken from the launch party. When this HP Mini was offered to Asia-Pacific media at a 50 per cent discount, prior to its release later this month, I couldn’t help but sign on the dotted line. Prayers heard. It was as if the forces of the universe conspired to help me get this netbook at the least pain on my (wailing) wallet 😀

Here are more specs of this wonderful HP Mini:

Weight – 1.06 kilos

Memory – 1 GB for Windows XP and 2 GB for Windows 7

Display & Camera – 10.1 Diagonal HD LED Anti- Glare Widescreen Display; webcam with integrated microphone

Wi-Fi with Bluetooth, HSPA Mobile Broadband (configurable)

5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for SD cards, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro or xD picture cards, 3 USB 2.0, VGA, Headphone-out, Microphone-in combo

92% full-sized keyboard, Touchpad with dedicated vertical Scroll Up/Down

Kensington MicroSaver lock slot, Power-on password

3 or 6-cell battery

Fast access to the internet with HP QuickWeb, even without booting up

Built-in tools like Windows Live Writer for blogging and Seesmic social networking desktop client for quick access to popular social networking sites

15 wallpapers designed by Boontje and a customized Stardock MyColors desktop theme

Prices: Windows XP edition starts at US$549 from September 2009 onwards, and with Windows 7 Starter Edition at US$599 from October 22, 2009 onwards