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TOKYO--NEC has developed a laptop computer targeted at corporate users that doesn't include a hard-disk drive, the company said today.

The "PC Parafield" has been developed as a replacement for existing thin-client systems and combines both high data security with the ability to be used anywhere, says Hitoshi Onodera, a spokesman for the Tokyo company.

Conventional laptop computers can work anywhere but represent a potential security threat should they be lost or stolen. Thin-client systems get around this by working off a corporate server. However they require a network connection to work properly, and such a connection is not always available, says Onodera.

The NEC laptop aims to combine the strengths of both systems while avoiding the weaknesses, he says.

Flash Memory the Key

The operating system and application software are stored locally in flash ROM, so the machine can function in the absence of a network. Flash ROM memory is typically used to store a PC's BIOS or an electronic device's firmware, and allows limited reprogramming.

Local storage resides in the computer's RAM, which is cleared when the machine is switched off, thus removing any potential security risk from data theft but also requiring a backup before the computer is switched off. This can be done with a central server or, should a network not be available, to a USB memory device, Onodera says.

From the outside, the PC Parafield looks like a standard B5-size laptop computer and its specifications are fairly standard, except for the absence of a hard-disk drive.

Specs

The machine uses an Intel Pentium M processor running at 1.73 GHz and runs on the Windows XP Professional operating system. It has 3GB of ROM space for the operating system and other software and 512MB of main memory. The 12.1-inch TFT (thin film transistor) LCD has a resolution of 1024 by 768 pixels. The system also features a PC Card slot, an ethernet socket, and a USB 2.0 port.

The laptop measures approximately 10.8 by 9 by 1 inches and weighs 2.8 pounds. It's available immediately in Japan for $3742. NEC says this works out to be cheaper on a per-user basis than a thin-client system because the PC Parafield doesn't require a company to deploy a comprehensive network access system or central server.

At present, there are no plans to sell it overseas.

"We haven't heard of another company offering such a product, so at first this is something like a concept product," Onodera says. "We'll launch it and see what the market response is before considering an international launch."