New Laptop Is Tiny, IBM BoastsNew Laptop Is Tiny, IBM Boasts

IBM has introduced what it says is its lightest and thinnest notebook computer.

Designed for users who spend 80% or more of their time on the road, the ThinkPad X40 is 20% smaller and 25% lighter than its predecessor, the X31, says Grant Shenk, worldwide product manager for the ThinkPad X series.

"This is a no-compromise offering," he says. "Not only is it the thinnest and lightest, it also provides the longest standard battery life of any notebook."

With a four-cell battery, the X40 is capable of 3.5 hours of operation and weighs 2.7 pounds. With an eight-cell battery, good for 7.5 hours, it weighs 3.1 pounds. With a snap-on battery base that increases operational battery life to 10 hours, the computer weighs 3.97 pounds.

The computer has a 12.1-inch screen, full-sized keyboard, and should ship Feb. 24 beginning at $1,499 with an Intel Centrino platform running a 1-GHz Pentium 4.

IBM is also preparing its X4 UltraBase Dock, which converts the X40 into a two-spindle computer that supports additional batteries, added media options, and increased storage capacity. The dock weighs 1.3 pounds.