Crusoe-based PCs to be sold in Europe

Fujitsu Siemens will launch a notebook computer based on Transmeta's low-power Crusoe chip for the European market early next year.

Fujitsu Siemens will launch a notebook computer based on Transmeta's low-power Crusoe chip for the European market early next year.

Europe has not featured in the roll-out plans of other vendors who plan to launch Crusoe-based notebooks. Hitachi, Sony and Gateway will unveil products by the end of this year, but only for the Japanese and US markets. IBM has not specified which markets it plans to target.

Transmeta, which is planning a stock market flotation, launched its Crusoe chip in Europe at the start of the year.

It claims the processor increases battery life in lightweight notebooks to eight hours, at least doubling the two to four hours provided by equivalent Intel chips. The company also claims that notebooks running the chips are quieter because Crusoe does not need noisy cooling fans.

Tony Reilly, customer focus marketing manager at Fujitsu Siemens, said it would be a "500Mhz processor in a very small form factor. It will be the lightest notebook we have ever made."

A representative said the notebook is expected to debut at the CeBIT trade show next March.