BenQ rolls out Joybook Lite U101 – the Dream Netbook Perfect for the Net Generation

BenQ rolls out its market-first netbook with superior visual and mobile technologies

BenQ today announced launch of its first netbook, Joybook Lite U101. Responding to consumers’ demands and integrating BenQ’s core competencies, Joybook Lite U101 is designed to fully address Net Generation’s primary requirements for netbooks.

BenQ netbook weighs a mere 1.1kg, boasts a large 10.1” LED backlight screen, ample 160G storage capacity, a bigger and more user-friendly keyboard (90% of a standard keyboard) and longer battery life.

Netbooks are aimed at a range of consumers from students to business travellers and they are viewed by the industry certainly not as a laptop replacement but more of a companion device.
“The ultra-portable, affordable netbook, could well be the driver of the PC industry and well be a popular niche in the coming months. Not surprisingly, we only see things go up from here,” said Manish Bakshi, General Manager BenQ Middle East and Africa.
“While notebooks and netbooks are currently driving PC market growth, they also allow the PC to enter a more personal and consumer-oriented sphere where product designing is critical. This is where we come in as an innovative product design expert, which is also one of our core competencies. Plus our long standing in the consumer electronics industry has resulted in better understanding of consumer demands than others. Joybook Lite not only blends with fits with our brand value proposition and commitment to consumers, it is also the field ield where we can best leverage our strengths.”
The devices have re-energised the regional PC market, with the most recent figures from International Data Corporation (IDC) indicating that the additional momentum created by netbooks contributed to a 27 per cent increase in PC shipments in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region in the third quarter of 2008.

Joybook Lite U101 is the market’s first netbook to adopt a 10.1”, 16:9 wide LED energy-saving screen, offering users the perfect native aspect ratio to enjoy video content without black bars and distortion. With a 8ms fast response time, users no longer need to endure ghosting or motion blur around picture edges; instead, they are able to relish the best video entertainment experience while on-the-go, claims BenQ.
To ensure utmost product quality, Joybook Lite U101 underwent 28 strict product testing methods including hard-wearing testing on its IMR cover, palm rest & keyboard and 15,000 times hinge test. It is highly reliable and durable, with the ability to withstand a weight pressure of up to 50 kg and a 76-cm drop.
At the same time, Joybook Lite U101 features a faceplate patterned with emoticons on a scratch-free IMR cover. The universally-known “emoticon” (emotion icon) is the core design concept behind Joybook Lite U101’s faceplate. This concept is derived from BenQ’s full understanding of Net Generation’s behaviors over the Internet- they are used to supplementing their text communications with emoticons to express non-verbal cues and feelings more clearly and on-the-spot..

“The future of the netbook market looks increasingly bright. We are expecting a lot of casual users moving to netbooks rather than feature packed cell phones. This is due to the netbook’s enhanced features of a that make it a perfect mobile internet device and combinationalong with of reasonable pricing & portability,” concluded Bakshi.

About BenQ Corporation
BenQ Corporation, a leading provider of networked digital lifestyle devices, is a multi-faceted company with strengths in product design, visual technology and mobile technology. BenQ offers unrivalled breadth and depth of products and integrated technologies across platforms through the brand promise of “Bringing Enjoyment and Quality to Life,” including digital projector, LCD monitors, LCD TVs, digital cameras, laptop PCs, storage devices, mobile phones, storage media and human interface devices such as mice and keyboards. 2007 revenues of BenQ Corporation exceeded US$1.83 billion dollars.*1

About BenQ Group
The BenQ Group is currently comprised of 12 companies that operate independently while sharing resources and leveraging synergies among them. The BenQ Group companies include BenQ Corporation, AU Optronics Corporation (world’s top 3 manufacturer of large-size TFT-LCD panels), Qisda Corporation, Darfon Electronics Corporation, Daxon Technology Inc., Daxin Materials Corp., BenQ Guru Software Co., BenQ Hospital, Darwin Precisions, Ltd, Raydium Semiconductor Corporation, Cando Corporation and Wellypower Co., Ltd. 2007 revenues of BenQ Group exceeded US$23 billion dollars.

For more information, please visit our website at BenQ.com.

*1 including consolidated revenue of branded business before being separated from manufacturing business. (USD: NTD=1:30.8)

For further information please contact:
Chandrima Dutta
MCS/Action
chandrima.d@actionprgroup.com