Dell Shrinks Vostro Business Notebook Down to 12 Inches

Dell's new Vostro 1220 Notebook aims at businessfolk wanting ultraportable machines with more oomph - and a bigger display - than a netbook.

Computer maker Dell has expanded its line of Vostro notebook computers with the Vostro 1220, a new ultraportable model with a 12.1-inch 1,280 by 800 display. Traditionally aimed at corporate and business users, the Vostro line had traditionally featured staid looks and an emphasis on basic productivity, security, and IT-friend management. The Vostro 1220 is no exception, but it packs the necessities into a 3.36 pound package that can get as much as 9 hours of use out of a 6-cell battery.

“Today’s globe-trotting entrepreneurs need a laptop that is powerful and long-lasting,” said Dell’s global VP for small and medium business Sam Burd, in a statement “The Vostro 1220 combines performance, built-in security and long battery life with useful features like video conferencing to be the ideal weapon of choice for any road warrior.”

The Vostro 1220 is available with up to a 3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and supports up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 500 GB of hard drive storage (SSD drives from 16 to 128 GB of also available). The unit sports a 1,280 by 800-pixel display driven by Intel GMA X4500HD graphics, and optical drive options include an 8× DVD±RW drive or Blu-ray combio drive. Of course, the Vistro 1220 offers options for 802.11n and Bluetooth wireless networking, along with an option for a combined Wi-Fi/WiMax card. The unit also offers VGA output, 3 USB 2.0 ports, a 3-in-1 card reader, and a 34mm ExpressCard slot. Other options include a fingerprint reader and trusted platform module; Dell also preloads Dell Video Chat software if the unit is purchased with an optional integrated Webcam. Dell will also pre-configure the system with any flavor of Windows Vista, with Windows XP, Ubuntu, and FreeDOS available as options.

The Vostro 1220 is available today in black and red, with prices starting at $799.