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| Source: Reuters |
Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone Group (NYSE: VOD), will start selling Hewlett-Packard’s netbook computers starting May 17, according to a statement from Verizon Wireless.
The netbook is priced at $199.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and with a new two-year activation on a mobile broadband plan, the statement said.
The netbook will have a Windows XP Home edition operating system and will weight 2.4 pounds, Verizon said. The service plan will begin at $39.99 for monthly access, it said.
The still-evolving netbook market is growing thick with players from all over the tech sector. Wireless carriers such as AT&T are helping lead the charge, while graphics chipmaker nVidia, wireless chipmaker Qualcomm and Freescale Semiconductor have all designed ARM-based processors that can be used in netbooks.
The U.K.-based ARM Holdings licenses the chip technology.
The netbook phenomenon took off in 2008, with sales of 11.7 million units, led by companies such as Acer and Asustek Computer that were quick into the market. Nearly every PC vendor offers an Intel Atom-based netbook, including Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) and Dell.