A deluge of HP netbooks followed, each featuring similar technology, but tweaked somewhat to suit consumer, enterprise, or educational markets. (You'll find many listed in our netbook showcase or netbooks news section.)

Now, while the netbook mania has subsided in favor of alternatives like tablets and smartphones, HP apparently reckons there's still demand for these products among "students and business professionals." Its new Mini 1104 (below) is a revamp of the Mini 1103 announced in 2010, which featured a 1.66GHz Atom N455 processor or, optionally, a 1.83GHz Atom N475.

HP's Mini 1104
(Click to enlarge)

The main change in the new device is a switch to the 32nm-fabbed Atom N2600, which includes dual cores, modestly enhanced graphics performance, and a 3.5-Watt TDP. Offering the Mini 1104 with either a three-cell or six-cell battery, HP says the netbook can operate up to nine hours on the latter.

Business users being treated to the Mini 1104 would have to rank pretty low on the corporate totem pole, however, since the netbook is still limited to a screen resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. (For those who might care, this limited work area prevents the device from being upgraded to the forthcoming Windows 8 operating system and running "Metro-style" applications, according to Microsoft's specifications.)

Given that the Mini 1104 is a pared-down, cost-reduced netbook, the only real point of technical interest is that the device is optionally available with a cellular modem/GPS receiver. It also is configurable with Bluetooth 4.0 plus either 802.11b/g/n or 802.11a/b/g/n wireless networking, according to HP.

Unlike HP's consumer netbooks, the Mini 1104 is offered with a choice of operating systems: Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Profesisonal, or FreeDOS. The netbook comes with 1GB of RAM (expandable to 2GB), a 320GB hard disk drive spinning at 5400rpm, three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA port, an Ethernet port, a microphone input, and a headphone output.

According to HP, the Mini 1104 also has a spill-resistant keyboard, a VGA-resolution webcam, and an SD slot. Security features include a TPM (trusted platform module), a security lock slot, and Computrace Persistence Module software, the company adds.

Specifications listed by HP for the Mini 1104 include the following:

• Processor -- 1.6GHz Atom N2600
• Chipset -- Intel NM10
• Memory -- 1GB or 2GB of DDR3 RAM
• Display -- 10.1-inch screen with 1024 x 600 pixels
• Camera -- VGA-resolution webcam
• Storage -- 320GB hard disk drive (5400rpm)
• Expansion -- SD slot
• Networking:
  • LAN -- 10/100 Ethernet
  • WWAN -- HSPA+ mobile broadband with GPS support (optional)
  • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n or 802.11a/b/g/n
  • PAN -- Bluetooth 4.0
• Other I/O:
  • 3 x USB 2.0
  • 1 x VGA
  • audio I/O (mic in and headphone out)
• Battery -- six-cell or three cell; up to nine hours' battery life
• Dimensions -- 10.55 x 7.52 x 0.89 inches
• Weight -- 2.78 pounds

Further information

According to HP, the Mini 11034 is available now, with prices starting at approximately $400. More information may be found on the company's website here, respectively.

Jonathan Angel can be reached at jonathan.angel@ziffdavisenterprise.com and followed at www.twitter.com/gadgetsense.

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