Frontier promises rugged MacBook Air rival
updated 08:30 am EDT, Fri March 14, 2008
Frontier FRLN
Frontier today put out an aggressive challenge to Apple by claiming a system which is both lighter and tougher than the MacBook Air. The FRLN is thicker than its American counterpart but occupies less space through a smaller 12-inch, LED-backlit screen and weighs just 2.75 pounds, all the while being more resilient against everyday use. The chassis of the FRLN can withstand up to 265 pounds of pressure and survive drops from up to 2.5 feet; it also comes with a water-resistant keyboard that guards against rain or spills.
In an unusual move for this system class, Frontier is opting to use the same 800MHz Intel A110 processor as found in UMPCs, providing four hours of battery life even with the small standard battery. An extended battery runs the system for up to 8.5 hours. The notebook is also supplied with 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, and 802.11g Wi-Fi. It ships to Japan in late march for the equivalent of $1,291 and will not be officially released in the US. [via Impress]
FRLN
03/14, 08:41am reply
Is that supposed to be pronounced Forlorn? Like RAZR?
cmoney
Dedicated MacNNer
Joined: Sep 2000
ugliness
03/14, 08:53am reply
ugly machine ugly OS
Thermaikos
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Joined: Jan 2007
x
03/14, 08:57am reply
MacBooks have see through characters that can be lit in the dark, which the Frontier doesn't have, instead it has the typical PC notebook stickers for characters that wear-off in a couple of months. It's thicker, and runs Windows, comes with less RAM, smaller screen and costs a measly $300 less. And I don't know about it being "stronger", the MBA can also be dropped from 2.5 feet or 30", that's not very high.
Although I'm not a big fan of the MBA, Apple's model makes more sense. It comes with software to remotely install apps from your desktop, and did I mention that it runs OS X?
BelugaShark
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not really a rival...
03/14, 09:08am reply
... given the processor.
it's more like an oversized UMPC.
adrianm
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Joined: Nov 2005
High tech
03/14, 09:22am reply
It even comes with VGA! How 1998!
Pismo
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Joined: Feb 2006
New Light Laptop
03/14, 09:35am reply
Hey... No doubt a lot of machines are just great. Windows Windows Windows Windows Windows Wind.
Guest
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Joined: Nov 1999
It still runs.......
03/14, 10:37am reply
Yea! But it still runs......
Windozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzezzzzzzzzzzzze!
So it is still a piece of c***!
jhawk95
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Joined: Oct 2006
More like
03/14, 11:07am reply
a competitor to the Asus EEE PC, not the MBA.
leamanc
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Joined: Oct 2003
Strong Competition
03/14, 11:35am reply
This Frontier (who?) thing competes with the MacBook Air about as well as a set of hedge trimmers - with the hedge trimmers faring a little bit better than the Frontier in actual tests.
Foe Hammer
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Fugly
03/14, 11:38am reply
I don't see the folks at Apple shaking in their boots over this offering. Compared to the Air, its fugly.
Monde
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