Bonsai, HP’s answer to Mac Cube

With so much talk about miniaturization, one wonders why the size and shape

of the average personal computer has changed so little since the early 1980s.

This summer, Apple changed that perception radically with its 8-inch Macintosh

Cube. Now Hewlett-Packard is getting into the "smaller-is-better"

trend with a new line of ultra-compact Pavilion home computers.

The "Bonsai" machines, about the size of a telephone book

(13x14.74x4 inches), are designed to be a more stylish part of the electronic

home, and less of an eyesore that defines standard personal computer

configurations. The Bonsai systems run under an 800-MHz Pentium processor, come

with 128MB of RAM, 11MB of shared graphics memory, a 20GB hard drive, a 4X CD-RW

drive, an integrated modem and network card, and the Windows Me operating

system. All that can be had for a list price of $1,049. A matching stylish

flat-panel display is available for another $900.

Analysts said the system's only potential drawbacks are its relatively

low-powered, non-upgradable graphics accelerator and the absence of a DVD drive,

which has become almost a standard equipment in home computers. On the other

hand, many potential buyers will appreciate the system's CD-RW, which lets users

create music CDs, archive photos or back up data. HP is targeting the more

experienced PC users with the Bonsai, as well as people living in small

apartments and homes where making room for any kind of appliance requires

careful deliberation.