Datawind Ubisurfer netbook comes with free internet access

30 hours free a month for the first year

9 July 2009 22:02 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Datawind, the makers of the PocketSurfer range of internet handsets, has announced that it is entering into the netbook market, creating a netbook that comes with 30 hours of internet connectivity for the first year within the initial price.

Called the UbiSurfer, the new model will cost £159.99 and offer users keen to avoid contracts the chance to stay connected via a GPRS or Wi-Fi connection when out and about.

The laptop, which isn't very heavy on the specs compared to offerings from Toshiba, Samsung or Acer, will feature a 7-inch (800 x 480) screen, 1GB Solid State Drive (SSD) and 128MB of RAM. Elsewhere users will get a built-in microphone, speaker, and earphone jack, touchpad mouse pointer, SD card slot, and 3x USB ports.

Software will include datawind's own browser web browser, calendar, media player, XIP Office (word processor, spreadsheet, presentation) PDF viewer, Email, Paint and games.

Although not needed to run the device, Datawind has teamed up with Vodafone to offer an embedded SIM and GPRS modem within the price allowing access to the Internet away from a Wi-Fi connection.

Like the company's PocketSurfer handsets, users get 30 hours of free surfing a month for 12 months (£29.99 thereafter) and 5p per minute roaming in Europe and the USA. Upgrading to an unlimited usage package is available for an additional £5.99 a month or £59.99 if you want it for the life of the product.

The UbiSurfer is priced at £159.99 and is available now.