One for the Road

Sometimes even a notebook computer is too bulky to carry around. But so far, tinier mini-PCs haven’t taken off. Vulcan Inc., started by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, may change that with its new FlipStart PC. Weighing in at less than half a kilo and powered by a 1-GHz Transmeta processor, the FlipStart measures just 15 cm wide, 10 cm deep and 2.5 cm thick, yet packs in a 30-GB hard drive and 256 MB of memory. Available in late 2004, it also has special touches to make navigating its bright 6-in., HDTV-quality display easier. A unique “Middleman” button pulls up a short list of commonly used functions so you don’t have to wade through menus. And there’s a small touchpad for quickly moving the cursor around. It’s so light and easy to use you may forget you’re carrying it with you.