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        Netbook sports optical drive, convertible display

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Aug 21, 2009 | Comments: 1


        Kohjinsha has announced a netbook that features both an integrated optical drive and a 11.6-inch touchscreen that pivots into tablet position. The EX6 features dual webcams, an ExpressCard/34 slot, a fingerprint reader, plus both microSD and SD slots, the company says.

        Kohjinsha pulled off the trick of incorporating an optical drive into a small device once before with its SR8 (right), a UMPC (ultra mobile PC) that measured just 9.2 x 7 x 1.3 inches. The SR8 had a pivoting, seven-inch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution, plus an 800MHz Intel A110 processor and a 60GB hard disk drive.

        Kohjinsha's interesting new EX6 seems less revolutionary, since it has typical netbook dimensions (11.8 x 9.11 x 1.33 inches) and ingredients. For example, there's a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 CPU, 945GSE chipset, 1GB or 2GB of DDR2 memory, and a 160GB hard disk drive.


        Kohjinsha's EX6

        Yet again, however, Kohjinsha has fitted an read/write optical drive (as did Asus on its PC 1004DN netbook) plus a touchscreen display that pivots into tablet mode. This time, the screen offers 1366 x 768 resolution and measures 11.6 inches diagonally.

        Other relatively unusual features on the EX6 include an ExpressCard/34 slot plus microSD, Memory Stick, and SD card readers. Also, the netbook has dual cameras -- one on the front and one on the back -- plus a fingerprint reader, according to the company.


        Kohjinsha's EX6 sports separate microSD, SD, and Memory Stick card readers

        Bluetooth 2.0 is an available option, while both 802.11b/g/n wireless networking and a gigabit Ethernet port are listed as standard. The EX6 also has two USB 2.0 ports and a VGA port, says Kohjinsha.

        Features and specifications listed by Kohjinsha for the EX6 include the following:

        • Processor -- Intel Atom N270 clocked at 1.6GHz
        • Memory -- 1GB of DDR2 RAM, expandable to 2GB
        • Display -- 11.6-inch touchscreen display with 1366 x 768 resolution
        • Storage -- 160GB SATA hard disk drive (5400rpm), plus read/write CD/DVD drive
        • Cameras -- Dual (one front, one rear), resolution not specified
        • Wireless:
          • LAN -- 802.11b/g/n
          • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0 (optional)
        • Networking -- Gigabit Ethernet port
        • Other I/O:
          • 2 x USB 2.0
          • 1 x VGA
        • Expansion:
          • ExpressCard/34 slot
          • SD slot
          • microSD slot
          • Memory Stick slot
        • Battery -- 2600mAh; life not specified
        • Dimensions -- 11.8 x 9.11 x 1.33 inches (300 x 231.5 x 33.8mm)
        • Weight -- 3.74 pounds (1.7kg)
        Further information

        The Kohjinsha EX6, which runs Windows XP, is said to be available now in Japan for 59,800 Yen (about $632). It is also being offered by the importer Conics.net for approximately $836, though our enthusiasm was tempered by the fact that there's a $120 shipping fee on top of that.

        For more information about the EX6, see Kohjinsha's website, here, or Conics.net, here.

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