Lenovo this morning unusually let its Malaysian branch be the first to introduce the 3000 G Series notebook. Previously leaked with few details, the finished 14-inch notebook is aimed at the budget-conscious with a 1.86GHz Pentium dual-core at its root along with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard disk, and a DVD burner. In an unusual move, the Malaysian version comes preloaded with MS-DOS and lets users install Linux, Windows, or another choice of operating system.

The system is otherwise barebones with Intel's X3100 integrated graphics for video and 802.11g Wi-Fi for wireless. Malaysians can order the system now for the equal of $613, putting it within range of high-end netbooks. A US release is expected and will likely see multiple configurations, including a G430 model based on Intel's Centrino 2 mobile platform and faster Core 2 Duo processors. [via Engadget]