Sharp unveils slim and trim notebook PC

Thin is in -- especially when it comes to portable PCs. On Tuesday Sharp Systems of America unveiled an ultra-slim notebook for business travelers that weighs in at under three pounds and measures less than an inch thick.

The PC-UM10, which will be available at the end of September, is priced at $1999.

The notebook features a 600-MHz ULV (ultra-low voltage) Pentium III processor from Intel. It is Sharp's second notebook released in the United States. In June, the company made its notebook debut with the PC-AR50, which is more than two pounds heavier and features an 850-MHz Pentium III processor.

To keep its new notebook as slim as possible, the company designed the keyboard in such a way that it sinks into the body of the machine when the screen is closed.

Peripherals including the docking station, CD-ROM drive, floppy drive, and a longer-life battery are offered as options, so users looking to maximize portability can order a system without them.

Like its predecessor, the new notebook features 128MB of memory and a 20GB hard drive, but it has a smaller, 12.1-inch XGA display. The display makes use of Sharp's antiglare, low reflection technology and has a range of 16 million colors, Sharp says in a statement.

The PC-UM10 has a magnesium case and runs for up to three hours on the standard battery or up to nine hours on the longer-life battery, depending on the applications being used, Sharp says.

Information about international availability was not immediately available.