Gateway today unveiled its new lightweight performance Gateway(R) M255-E notebook, which provides usability and IT-friendly features that make it ideal for professional customers such as businesses, educational institutions and government organizations that need to balance performance with IT simplification and cost-savings.

Building on the company’s award-winning Gateway M250 notebook, the Gateway M255-E has been redesigned to provide even more benefits for networked professional environments. For example, the M255-E helps reduce costs and ease support issues by providing stable images and sharing components and accessories with the company’s award-winning E-Series M-465 and M-685 notebooks for professional customers.

The Gateway M255-E also delivers a leading-edge balance of performance features and mobility. The system boasts advanced features for on-the-go computing, including WiFi connectivity, optional integrated Bluetooth, an integrated optical drive and a large 14.1-inch widescreen display. Delivering the latest in processor technology, the new notebook utilizes Intel(R) Centrino(R) Duo Mobile Technology and an Intel(R) Core(TM) Duo processor, which houses two execution cores that can perform multiple computing tasks at once for a superior computing experience(1).

“The Gateway M255-E builds on our popular M250 with a redesigned form factor and an ideal combination of features for professionals,” said Chad McDonald, director of notebook product marketing, Gateway. “Shared components and accessories like the port replicator, modular bay optical devices and batteries make the M255-E and the entire Gateway E-Series professional notebook line IT-friendly, since they are easy to deploy, maintain and service. Plus, the addition of a Smart Card reader for advanced security takes the M255-E notebook to the top of the must-see list.”

Lightweight Notebook Delivers Performance, Flexibility, Security The Gateway M255-E is truly a mobile powerhouse. Customers can choose from four Intel Core Duo Processors all featuring Intel Centrino Duo Mobile technology for fast handling of multiple tasks(1). Weighing only 5.21 pounds(2), the lightweight PC delivers extended battery life of up to nine hours on a single charge using a combination of the high-capacity (12-cell) and modular bay batteries(3). Plus, optional integrated Bluetooth technology allows customers to break free from cumbersome cables in order to wirelessly connect to peripherals such as printers and headsets. The new Gateway M255-E features technology extras that boost customer enjoyment and productivity, such as a stunning 14.1-inch widescreen display that provides 25 percent more pixels over non-widescreen 14-inch displays. The integrated hot-swap modular bay gives customers the flexibility to choose the functionality they need without the extra weight of unnecessary accessories. Customers can fill the modular bay with a double-layer DVD-R/RW drive or other optical drives, 6-cell modular battery, floppy drive, second hard drive or weight saver. Other cutting-edge features such as fast SATA hard drives and dual channel DDR2 memory further optimize performance. The performance notebook also helps professionals remain secure on the go. It boasts an integrated Smart Card reader for businesses, government agencies and educational institutions that want to reduce security risks by verifying identity and authenticating access. Like Gateway’s entire line of professional notebooks, the Gateway M255-E also features the company’s GatewayShield security offering, described in detail below.

Leading Investment Protection for the Enterprise In addition to sharing components and accessories with other E-Series notebooks, the Gateway M255-E offers image stability and managed lifecycles of more than 12 months. The highly scalable M255-E notebook platform can be configured to order, so professional customers have the ability to customize key features and standardize on a single platform to reduce costs, while still meeting a variety of needs. A number of options may be customized, such as the processor, hard drive and memory. The Gateway M255-E comes standard with Microsoft Windows(R) XP Professional Edition and meets or exceeds Microsoft’s Windows Vista Planning Guidelines.

Model for Home Customers and Students In addition to the M255-E for business, education and government customers, Gateway will offer the same lightweight notebook called the Gateway NX260X optimized for home, home office and small business customers. The new notebook comes standard with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center and is priced starting at $999.99. As with its professional counterparts, this notebook can also be configured with several options.

Comprehensive Security Solutions via GatewayShield GatewayShield(7), a comprehensive security solution that combines hardware, data and Internet protection, is offered to support the new Gateway M255-E and NX260X. The notebooks are available with optional technology that tracks it if lost or stolen, either Computrace(R) Complete embedded in firmware for professional customers or Lojack for Laptops(R) for home customers(4). Additionally, the M255-E for business and professional customers is TPM 1.2 hardware ready, providing compatibility for data protection through encryption user authentication and comprehensive password management.

Gateway helps customers protect the data on their notebooks from online attacks. The new Gateway M255-E for professionals comes with a 90-day complimentary subscription of Symantec Client Security(8), which protects the systems from security risks and intrusions such as spyware, unauthorized network access and mass mailer attacks. The NX260X for home and home office customers are pre-installed with a 90-day trial of McAfee Internet Security Suite(TM) (Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam, Anti-Spyware, Firewall and Parental Control)(8) and also come with a complimentary pro-active upgrade tool called BigFix(R), which identifies and sends messages offering updates and general PC maintenance(5).

Pricing and Availability The M255-E is priced starting at $1,399.00.

Source: News Release

Laptop Magazine reviews the Gateway M255-E and writes - ‘We tested the M255-E’s 2-GHz Intel Core Duo processor by performing two system-taxing duties simultaneously: watching a DVD while running a virus scan program. The notebook ran both programs without a hitch. In fact, this thin-and-light notebook maintained smooth performance even when we added opening e-mail attachments to the mix. The system’s MobileMark score of 208 is a bit below average, however, and the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 chip managed a paltry 952 in our 3DMark03 test.’

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This entry was posted on Friday, March 31st, 2006 at 3:30 pm and is filed under Miscellaneous Laptops and Notebooks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.