Posted 01/07/09 at 04:18:39 PM by Paul Lilly

Consumers have shown they care more about portability than raw computing power, as evidenced by how well netbooks continue to sell. So while we fully expect to see speed gains in upcoming netbook models, the real battle might come down to battery life, and HP says its new Mini 2140 will run for up to 8 hours before needing a lifeline to the nearest power outlet.

To make the "all day" battery possible, HP combines a six-cell battery with Intel's power friendly Atom N270 (1.6GHz) processor. But even for those who wish not to opt for the larger battery, HP says its three-cell version will keep the Mini 2140 chugging along for four hours, or about twice as long as the new netbook's predecessor, the 2133. Apparently the updated model's ability to better dissipate heat is paying significant dividends.

Asus and Acer take note; HP may not be a distant third in the netbook market for very long.

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