FRLN Impressive, but not a Threat to MacBook Air

Apple has managed to release products that are unlike any other. This triggers a plethora of releases by other companies claiming to be just as good as Apple's product, but in actuality, it isn't. That is what I see anyway. A good example of this is the Zune. Microsoft stated that the Zune would be the true iPod killer. Although the Zune has done OK, statistics show that the iPod is clearly the winner making the iPod a Zune killer instead.

According to Electronista, “Frontier put out an aggressive challenge to Apple by claiming a system which is both lighter and tougher than the MacBook Air.” That’s all well and good but it’s thicker than the Air and the screen’s only 12-inches.

It is true that I am somewhat of an Apple evangelist, however, these companies that put out thicker-but-lighter notebooks and then smile at Apple, indicating "bring it on," is somewhat annoying. I digress...

Regardless, the FRLN by Frontier of Japan is impressive, so let’s try take a look at it without comparing it to the Air. The big news here is that the FRLN only weighs 2.5 pounds but can take a drop from 2.5 feet and withstand 265 pounds of pressure. It uses a somewhat puny 800MHz Intel processor that’s commonly found in UMPCs but the battery lasts about four hours and it uses a smaller power plug, not a conventional laptop brick.

The system is preloaded with Windows XP and comes with 1GB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, fingerprint reader, and a 12.1-inch widescreen LCD with a 1280×800 resolution. Don't get your hopes up because it’ll be available in Japan by the end of the month for about $1300. There are no plans to release it in the US....Yet

More info can be found here (translated from Japanese).