SideShow Notebook, New Charger

A laptop from ASUSTek Computer Inc. has a 2.5-inch secondary liquid crystal display that allows people to check recent e-mails, photos, videos and calendar items using the "SideShow" feature of Microsoft Corp.'s latest operating system, Windows Vista. "If I'm in the elevator, in the hallway, or even in my car, or in a meeting or something and I want to check my last e-mail or show pictures to somebody, I can just use this 'SideShow' feature," said Raymond Chen, ASUSTek's marketing vice president. The external display has 1 gigabyte of flash memory and, because it uses little power, should be able to last 50 hours before recharges, Chen said. The display module can programmed to sync up with selected data on the computer regularly, such as every hour or when the computer powers down. Information is viewable even when the computer is off. The laptop, which will cost $1,799 to $1,899, is expected to be available after Vista's Jan. 30 consumer launch.

On the Net: ASUSTek Computer Inc.: http://www.asus.com