Gateway Convertible Notebook Puts a New Spin on Classroom Studies, Office Productivity

April 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gateway today unveiled the new Gateway E-155C Thin & Light Convertible notebook, which gives customers the benefits of Tablet computing with digital pen and touch screen capabilities in a sleek, thin-and-light form factor.

The Gateway E-155C infuses keyboard, digital pen, and touch-screen input capabilities into a single mobile device optimized for Microsoft Windows Vista. Customers can use the Gateway E-155C to access information, applications and multimedia content as well as take handwritten notes, draw diagrams, edit documents and enjoy full PC functionality, making it the ultimate productivity tool for education and business environments.

One of the thinnest and lightest convertible notebooks on the market with an integrated optical drive, the Gateway Convertible Notebook will impress customers with its features optimized for mobile computing, such as a 12-inch widescreen display, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a biometric fingerprint reader. Plus, the Gateway E-155C has a new industrial design that starts at only 4.5 pounds.

"Gateway has been leading the Tablet market with innovative products since 2002, and this product rounds out our portfolio, giving customers a family of Convertible Notebooks from a single provider," said Ray Sawall, Gateway's senior manager of mobile computing. "The Gateway E-155C's touch-screen and digital pen capabilities powered by leading-edge hardware and Microsoft Windows Vista add the flexibility that makes Tablet computing so effective in non-traditional environments, such as learning labs, meetings, the sales field, and anywhere customers learn, work and live."

Gateway is introducing the new E-155C at an ideal time. The America's Digital Schools 2006 report, conducted by The Greaves Group and The Hayes Connection, forecasted that Tablet PCs are one of the fastest growing product segments for students over the next five years. An overview of the report findings is available at: www.ads2006.org/main/pdf/ADS2006KF.pdf

Tom Greaves of The Greaves Group stated, "While we see substantial growth in both the mobile PC and Tablet PC spaces in this year's educational spending mix, the expected sales growth of Tablet PCs is approximately three times higher than the sales growth of traditional notebook PCs. We anticipate that as more user-friendly, performance oriented models like the Gateway E-155C come to market, a growing number of educational institutions will consider them for their students, faculty and staff."

Several education customers have used previous generation convertible notebooks and are now considering the Gateway E-155C for their faculty, staff and student populations.

Dr. B. Keith Rowland, Radford City Schools' director of elementary education and instructional technology, stated, "Our teachers are very impressed with the flexibility that the Gateway convertible notebook affords them. It lets our educators be more creative in developing interactive lesson plans, which improves student engagement. We look forward to taking our Tablet PC program a step further by rolling out these notebooks to our students in the future."

The system's vibrant 12-inch WXGA widescreen TFT Active Matrix Display is the perfect palette for accessing applications by digital pen or touch screen. When used with Microsoft Windows Vista, customers will experience improved writing recognition, greater pen accuracy, improved hardware button support and more flexibility in user-configurable commands. The new touch-screen capabilities mean customers can access information by touching the screen with a fingertip or other pointing device. Also, the widescreen format gives customers ample room for viewing new features in Microsoft Windows Vista such as Sidebar mini-applications as well as multiple applications or documents at once. In addition, the display's anti-reflection polarizer improves viewing in sunlight and bright conditions, extending the unit's usability outdoors and making it ideal for students and organizations with field personnel.

A pioneer in the Convertible Notebook market, Gateway understands the unique requirements for the segment and has developed the Gateway E-155C with an all new industrial design that is easy-to-use. Measuring 1.17-inches thin, the new Thin & Light Convertible has room for an integrated optical drive, so an external model isn't required to read DVD and CD applications. Plus, the lightweight Gateway E-155C provides several battery options so the PC can be optimized for mobility or long battery life. A number of design features let customers make the most of battery life, including a dedicated wireless on/off switch and an ambient light sensor that detects the light atmosphere and adjusts the display brightness.

The notebook also features an integrated UPEK fingerprint reader that can be used for user authentication and data protection as well as for mouse-like cursor movement and scrolling in Tablet mode. Making navigation even easier, the new Gateway E-155C features dedicated "enter" and "back" buttons to the right of the finger print reader.

Additional design enhancements include the unique double swivel hinge, which lets the display swivel 180 degrees in either direction. The notebook even provides a "reminder" to store the digital pen; if the system is turned off without the digital pen in the garage, the user is alerted with an audio alarm and flashing LED. The notebook was also designed with a high-impact magnesium casework, which improves durability and strength, while minimizing the notebook's size and weight.

Pricing and Availability
The Gateway E-155C is available for order now at prices starting at $1,849.99. For configuration details, go to www.gateway.com/lightconvertible. In early May, Gateway will offer a version of the product for home and home office customers, the Gateway C-120X, which will be priced starting at $1,499.99.

Additional Key Features

• Intel PRO/wireless 3945 802.11a/b/g
  
• Wacom digital pen with digital eraser
  
• Support for Intel Core 2 Duo U7500 Ultra Low Voltage Processor
  
• Mobility center button gives customers one-touch access to mobility settings when used with Vista
  
• SATA 5400RPM hard drive in 60GB, 80GB or 120GB capacities
  
• Advanced security with optional Computrace Complete tracking software
  
• Fixed CD-RW/DVD, DVD Burner and Weightsaver options
  

Warranty, Service and Support
The new Gateway E-155C is supported by the company's standard limited warranty options. Additional service and support options are also available. Gateway's commitment to quality and reliability is evident in its award-winning line of PCs as well as in its exceptional service and support programs. The company's extensive online support center helps customers maximize their PC investment; it gives them easy access to customer support representatives and information on important issues such as warranties, technical issues and upgrading.

SOURCE Gateway, Inc.