Compaq to unveil 8-hour notebook

Compaq Computer on Wednesday will announce a 2.5-pound notebook computer with an eight-hour battery life, said Michael Winkler, executive vice president of Compaq's global business units. The model, part of the Evo line designed for corporate workers, uses a lithium polymer battery, Winkler said in a news conference at PC Expo, which is part of Technology Exchange Week New York.

"PCs are entering their third generation," with a major emphasis on mobility, he said. Compaq's current top-of-the-line Evo notebook weighs 3.5 pounds and has a 2.5-hour battery life. With a second battery, the existing model can run for five hours without being plugged in, the company said. Winkler also said Compaq will introduce a computer keyboard that can read smart cards--credit cards or other cards with a chip that can run simple programs for tasks such as encryption or identification.