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Unlike PCs that are complex, hard to maintain and designed primarily for work, the litl webbook was created with a fresh approach that makes enjoying online photos and using the web simple, enjoyable and fun.
"As everything from music and photos to email and social networking moves online, it s clear that the web is transforming personal computing. And yet, most homes are still using computers and software based on thinking from more than 30 years ago," says litl s founder and CEO John Chuang. "We knew that to really meet the needs of home users from kids to parents and grandparents we needed to design an entirely new system that would make the web engaging, entertaining and fun."
According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 69% of Americans online use webmail services, store photos and other data online, or use software programs such as word processing applications whose functionality is located on the web. The web s convenience and flexibility are driving these users to adopt online services: 51% cited easy and convenient , 41% cite ease of access from any computer , and 39% cited ease of sharing information as major reasons. A third of this group also cited that their data is better protected from computer failure."
Uniquely Versatile Design
When not used as a conventional laptop, the litl webbook s 12 screen and keyboard flip around its patented hinge so the computer can stand upright like an easel. With its screen exposed, the litl webbook is now ideal for passive or lean back web activity like enjoying photos, listening to music, or consuming news, weather, and other web content.
The litl was designed to enhance home web use like this with a bright screen featuring a revolutionary 178-degree viewing cone . Most traditional computers are designed for a single user, but the litl s unique screen technology allows a group of people to clearly view the screen at the same time. For an even more social experience, the litl webbook also offers plug-and-play connectivity to large screen, high definition televisions by way of a convenient HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output port.
An innovative hinge-mounted scroll wheel for changing web channels and an optional remote control further enhance this TV-like experience.
Easel Mode
litl stands alone among laptops with its innovative easel mode. In this mode, we get the computer hardware out of the way so there is as little as possible between you and your content. Useful 24/7 displaying information you need or photos that make you smile. Easel mode's small footprint makes it perfect for a kitchen counter, or a night table, or a living room. Let's face it; computers don't always match a home's dcor. But litl can work anywhere a picture frame can because we hide the keyboard.
The Wheel
But with the keyboard and trackpad hidden, how do you control content? We thought about lots of alternatives but were ultimately inspired by our childhood. Old TVs were sure easy to use, one dial for channels and the other for volume. I bet nobody ever needed to call tech support! So we added a wheel. Yup, the invention that spurred civilization has done it again. This time, it will allow you to easily control your content when your keyboard is hidden away. Let's say you are watching your favorite channel. How do you get to the next one? Turn the wheel. Let's say you are looking at a photo. How do you get to the next photo? Turn the wheel.
Next comes the remote — very different from the remotes lying around your house. There's practically nothing on it, but it's everything you need. The wheel on the remote operates the same way as the wheel on the computer. How do you change content using the remote? Turn the wheel.
Screen
Because litl was designed for the home, we had to pay special attention to the screen. The needs of the homeowner are greater than those needs of the company. Office computers, which almost all computers are, are used at a desk while sitting on a chair. The needs of the office worker can be met with a low cost screen that has a viewing cone of about 60-degrees.
However, at home the computer finds itself in far more locations than a desk. A screen could be as low as a coffee table or as high as the kitchen counter. The people viewing the screen could be short as toddlers or one of those teenagers that grows like bamboo. Plus, wouldn't it be nice to see the computer while walking by? If you use almost any laptop on the market at home, even the most expensive ones, you will invariably find yourself outside the 60 degree viewing cone and will get a distorted image.
litl "killed this problem" (as our mechanical engineers like to say) with a whopping 178 degree viewing cone. You can see our screen from almost any angle, which means no more fighting when your pre-schooler and your teenager want to see the same video on the kitchen counter at once. No distortion or ghosting while lying in bed watching a movie. Place your litl down and everyone will be able to see everything from anywhere.
One more screen fact. It's unbelievably bright. It's practically sunlight readable.
TV Connection
Even with litl's fantastic screen, sometimes you just want to see things bigger. We thought about a using a 17-inch screen but that just raised costs tremendously and made us less portable around the house. Plus, larger laptop screens aren't really much larger than our 12.1 inch screen. You still have to "look over the shoulder."
The solution: use the TV that just happens to face a big comfy sofa. We just need to connect the computer to the TV. Easier said than done. Most computers come with a VGA port or a DVI port. That's the right call for the office, but it doesn't work for the home because 1) most TV's don't have VGA or DVI ports, and 2) these ports don't carry audio. However, today's giant flat screen TVs almost always have an HDMI port.
So we are proud to say that unlike any of your work computers, your litl comes equipped with a plug and play HDMI port to connect HD video and stereo audio to your TV. Since we designed the litl side of things there is nothing to do but plug it in. There are no settings, no configurations, no messing around with drivers. (Unfortunately we didn't engineer the TV side so you will need to select HDMI as the input on the TV, which is easy but we would have made automatic.)
As a litl customer you know how awesome it is too see larger than life sized photos of your kids. And don't even get us started about HD home videos. Funny, it takes a company called litl to give you the biggest pictures!
Laptop Mode
Back in laptop mode, you'll immediately notice differences between litl and regular laptops. Take our keyboard for example. litl eliminated the inscrutable function keys and buttons with weird symbols. We also took out the cap locks key, which everyone uses only by mistake.
The home is much quieter than the office (at least when the kids are down) so we made sure our computer makes the least possible noise. It's very quiet. It also doesn't get hot so you won't burn your lap. It sports a built-in contoured handle that also houses the batteries, so the laptop feels good when you carry it around the house. It's only 3 pounds anyway, but feels even lighter.
While many computer companies give you a dizzying matrix of hardware options, we don't. Why? Because we don't need unnecessary complexity. litl is focused around typical web use at home, so hardware specs can be standardized. Software users' needs vary (are you word processing or decoding the human genome?) hence the need for customization. But home web needs are more fixed (are you rendering web pages or rendering web pages?) hence the opportunity for standardization.
Processor
We asked our engineers to determine the optimal hardware for litl OS. They gave it a 1.6 GHz Atom processor which is plenty fast to render web pages. Our graphics chip can accelerate H.264 video and give you 720p on a large screen TV through HDMI. As drivers catch up to hardware we expect wait time to decrease. Yes, your realized speed will increase over time with litl! We have a camera, a mic, two speakers, 1 gig of ram, 2 gigs of flash (the long lasting kind), wifi/g, headphone jack, USB 2.0 and two infrared ports.
Enhanced Photo, Facebook, and Web Content Experience
Popular websites, particularly those with RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds, can already be enjoyed in the litl webbook s new easel viewing mode. The litl will also launch with several proprietary channels developed by the team that transform content from Flickr, Shutterfly, and Facebook in new and exciting ways:
* Flickr (flickr.com) and Shutterfly (shutterfly.com) channel to organize online photo collections, conveniently display them, and simplify sharing with loved ones;
* Facebook (facebook.com) channel to visually display social network updates in a fun, engaging mode.
The company has additionally worked with The Weather Channel (weather.com) to develop a channel that visually displays local weather conditions and 5-day forecasts. Technical information for independent developers, potential partners, and others interested in developing custom channels will be announced shortly.
Easy-to-Use Interface
The litl webbook makes it easy to connect and stay in touch with friends and family. Because of its unique design, content from one litl to another is automatically synched, making content available ubiquitously. This feature allows users to instantly access and share content any time, any way, and any place they desire. For example, photos of the grandkids on a litl in one house can be instantly shared with grandma using a litl at her house%even viewed instantly on her TV, without ever sending an email.
In addition, with its specially-designed user interface and browser, the litl webbook is always on, with no need to log in to an operating system or launch a browser. The litl has an interface that is extremely easy to use, eliminating cumbersome menus, folders and icons.
Maintenance-Free
While most computers require administration, upgrades, updates, downloads and backups, the new litl webbook was designed to eliminate maintenance hassles and related expenses. The litl automatically updates itself, patches security gaps, and optimizes its technical performance. With no hard drive, the leading cause of failure in traditional computers, the litl webbook will be exceptionally reliable.
The litl webbook is available immediately online at litl.com. The price for the litl is $699, with an optional remote control for $19. The litl webbook includes a free two-year unconditional "satisfaction guaranteed or your money refunded" warranty%double the industry standard of one year and significantly more consumer-friendly. Customer support is always available from litl's friendly customer service team, via email at , Twitter at twitter.com/asklitl, or phone at 800.878.0900.
For more information, visit:
http://litl.com/
Tags: Hardware ď
