Sony to launch Crusoe PC, but Europe must wait

Europe is facing a long wait for PCs featuring Transmeta's Crusoe chip, as first Hitachi and now Sony confirm they have no European launch plans.

Sony confirmed this week that it will launch its Crusoe-based Vaio Picturebook consumer laptop computers in the US in October next month, but has no plans to launch the computers in Europe.

Sony's Transmeta-based laptop will be an ultra-portable device with a built-in digital camera, the company said.

The news comes only a day after Hitachi announced that it would be launching a laptop based on the low-power Crusoe chip. Hitachi also has no plans to launch its machines in Europe - only US and Japanese consumers will be able to buy the systems.

Thomas Reuner, an analyst with industry researcher Gartner, said he is not surprised. "Europe is rarely first for any product introduction anywhere, and Hitachi is very small in Europe so it would be unlikely to launch there first."

Reuner said that initially, Transmeta's chips would only be used in consumer laptop computers.

"Look at AMD, it has had to establish itself in the consumer market first before breaking into the corporate market. Corporations would not switch processors without a long evaluation," he said.