Washington (eCanadaNow) - Hewlett-Packard announced a new low-cost mini-notebook on Tuesday, the HP 2133 Mini-Note.  The notebook, priced at $499 to start, is aimed at students as well as business professionals on the go, looking for a rugged and low-cost PC.

The $499 base model of the mini-notebook will run on the SUSE Linux operating system.

It will also feature 1.2 GHz VIA C7 processor, an 8.9-inch WXGA screen, 802.11 Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.

A $599 model will ship with 2GB of RAM as well as Windows Vista Business and an extended battery.

The mini-notebook will be rugged, safely secured via an aluminum shell, as well as a scratch-resistant screen and coated keys on the keybaord.

HP is expected ot begin selling the low-cost mini-notebook this month.