Gateway's sleek Centrino notebook reads memory cards

Gateway Inc.’s 450X notebook with Intel Corp. Centrino mobile technology delivers desktop replacement performance and features in a sleek, light package. It also offers an unusual feature: the ability to read memory cards.

The memory card reader is a modular drive with two slots that accommodate a total of six types of cards: CompactFlash, IBM Corp. Microdrive, Memory Stick, MultiMediaCard, Secure Digital and SmartMedia. The drive fits into the single multibay also used by the CD-RW/DVD combo drive and the floppy drive.

Centrino is Intel's brand name for its power-optimized technology that offers improved wireless performance and longer battery life in thinner and lighter form factors than previously available at current processor speeds. Centrino-branded mobile devices include built-in support for 802.11b and 802.11a/b wireless networks.

At 6.2 pounds, the 450X is surprisingly light considering its roomy 15-inch SXGA+ thin-film transistor active-matrix display. The 1.3-inch-thin notebook packs a 1.5 GHz Intel Pentium M processor, 512M of DDR SDRAM, a 40G hard drive and a V.92 56 kilobits/sec modem.

It also features integrated 802.11b wireless networking, an integrated Intel PRO 10/100 Ethernet network controller and an ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics controller with 32M of DDR video memory.

A full set of ports includes two USB 2.0, PS/2, serial, parallel, VGA, FireWire and TV out. Sound jacks include microphone, line in and headphone. The PC Card slots hold two Type II cards or one Type III card.

The 450X ships with Microsoft Corp. Windows XP Professional and includes Microsoft Works Suite 2003 and a Norton AntiVirus 90-day introductory offer from Symantec Corp.

The limited warranty includes one year for parts and labor, one year of technical support and no on-site service.