Dell intros 12in ultraportable for small business

The Vostro 1220 is available in black or red starting at £389

Dell has added an ultraportable laptop to its Vostro line of PCs designed for small businesses, aimed at mobile users that want a lightweight system with few compromises.

Available immediately, the Dell Vostro 1220 has a 12.1in widescreen display and a starting weight of 1.52Kg. The system is available in black or red colour schemes, with prices starting at £389.

The new ultraportable is designed for business travellers who are unwilling to comprise on performance, battery life and security to get a thin and lightweight design, according to Dell.

Specifications include Intel Core 2 Duo processors up to 3.06GHz with up to 8GB DDR2 memory and storage options including hard drives up to 500GB or Flash solid state drives up to 128GB. A DVD/RW or Blu-ray drive is also fitted, which can be removed for less travelling weight.

Connectivity includes built-in Gigabit Ethernet and 802.11n wireless, with optional mobile broadband and Bluetooth.

Dell offers pre-installed videoconferencing software with the Vostro 1220, and claimed that the device has more security options than rival ultraportables, including a fingerprint scanner and encrypted hard drive

The company also claims a battery life of up to nine hours with an optional six-cell battery pack, but in reality this figure is likely to be much less. The standard battery is a four-cell 32Whr lithium ion pack.

Buyers purchasing a Vostro 1220 between now and October will be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 7, once Microsoft's new operating system becomes available.