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- vol.11 Image Recognition Service "GAZIRU" Available for Smartphone Built-in Cameras
- vol.10 High-definition image data compressed in an instant!
- vol.9 Linking Japan and South-East Asia!
- vol.8 Backstage of expressway
- vol.7 Secrets behind the development of ultra-lightweight LaVie!
- vol.6 Lithium-ion second-generation batteries
- vol.5 Secrets of how TV works! (Part 2)
- vol.4 Secrets of how TV works!
- vol.3 New biometric identification tools used in theme parks
- vol.2 Secrets of Submarine Cables
- vol.1 Secrets of Submarine Cables
Secrets behind the development of ultra-lightweight LaVie!
- Mita
- I'm sorry for interrupting you but I think that there was also the option of a small 11 inch display instead of the 13.3 inch display to make the computer lighter.
- Suzuki
- Actually, there was discussion about the size of display, whether to choose 13 inch or 11 inch, at the initial stages of development. Put simply, an 11 inch display would be lighter. However, a 13 inch display makes the keyboard wider and the computer easier to use. Also, if we opted for an 11 inch display, the circuit boards would have to be made smaller and this would result in increased thickness. We fretted over other merits and demerits, such as the need to reduce the number of ports and so on. While product planning side was still undecided, the development side gave strong support in one joint session by saying "It'll be all right. We'll achieve the light weight of an 11 inch display in a 13 inch display model." Because of such passionate involvement, everyone agreed that we should go with a 13 inch display.
- Mita
- These passionate exchanges remind me of an adolescent drama on TV.
- Suzuki
- Yet, the development side did not say this off hand. The history of notebook computers in Japan could be termed the history of development at NEC. So, the development team was confident that they could make it lighter if they worked hard at it.
- Mita
- By the way, another thing that's been on my mind is "thinness" and "battery durability." What are the characteristics of these, if any?
- Suzuki
- First, I'll begin with thinness. At 14.9 mm at the thickest part, this is the thinnest notebook computer with a 13.3 inch wide liquid crystal display in Japan. (*1) With respect to the battery, when it is fully charged, it is good for 8.1 hours, sufficient for 8.1 hours(*2) the prospective use. Furthermore, by fixing the battery inside the computer, we realized efficient mounting without adding thickness. Another thing that we felt would make users happy was "rapid charging."
- *1: NEC Personal Computer Survey as of July 3, 2012
- *2: The battery drive time is an approximate time for reference purposes measured according to JEITA Battery Operating Time Measurement Method (Ver.1.0). The actual battery drive time varies according to settings, software used, operating environment, and other factors.
The slimmest body in Japan (*) (photo of prototype)*The slimmest notebook computer with a 13.3 inch liquid crystal display released in Japan. NEC Personal Computer Survey as of July 3, 2012- Mita
- You mean that it can be charged quickly?
- Suzuki
- Yes. In about one hour after charging is started, the battery is charged to about 80% capacity. For example, if you get up in the morning and realize that you have forgotten to charge the battery, you can charge it while you are having breakfast and getting ready to leave for work. You can also recharge it during your lunch break, if you start the day with lots of heavy work and you feel there's not enough power left for work in the afternoon.
- Mita
- It has been designed to be very handy for carrying around and using outdoors, hasn't it? Upon looking at an actual model, I felt the liquid crystal display to be very clear and sharp.Also, it starts up quickly, and I feel it's perfect! Did you pay special attention to anything in this area?
- Suzuki
- Actually, we paid special attention to prevent the computer from being excessively unbalanced. For example, with outstanding personal computers that have a world-first feature, sometimes something is deliberately sacrificed. With the LaVie Z, however, we took great pains to ensure that everything was high level, such as the easy-to-view display and fast startup speed. I'm proud of the fact that we have achieved balance at a high dimension, which I believe is due to our NEC quality. I hope that everyone will pick one up and experience its lightness and ease of use.
- Mita
- Thank you for your wonderful talk today.
- Suzuki
- It is my pleasure, I enjoyed all the questions. Thank you very much.
Conclusion
The light weight of the LaVie Z was achieved by trimming down several grams from materials, paint, and such. I am astonished at the level of technology and the attention to detail that went into this product. If you catch sight of one in a store, please try picking it up. If you remember today's talk, you might perceive its lightness and slimness in a different way. See you again in the next installment of "MiTaTV"!
LaVie is a registered trademark of NEC Personal Computers, Ltd. LaVie Z is on sale only in Japan.
