One of the first H/PC Pros to hit the street will be the Clio, by Vadem. We asked Vadem for the inside scoop on their new machine and they gave it to us, so we're passing it on to you. As you know, many users need some computing power when they're away from the office but don't want to carry a heavy laptop. You also know that although the H/PC and P/PCs are great for some people, others find that they need a little more than the smaller machines offer. Well, the Clio fills the gap between the handheld machines and the full-sized laptops and it does it with style. It is no doubt the coolest machine I've seen to date!

The Features
The Clio has several new features that take it a step above the H/PC as we have known it thus far.

• 9.4" VGA color touch screen display.
• Near full-size keyboard.
• Support for other input devices like a mouse.
• 12 hour battery life.
• Weight of 3.2 lbs.
• One PC card slot and one compact flash slot.
• Superb software bundle which includes ParaGraph's CalliGrapher handwriting recognition software, and Vadem's own ViewFinder.

The Best Feature
Although the features listed above are nice, the best thing about the Clio is that it is just so darn cool looking. Well okay, maybe that's not the best feature, but in a world where packaging means so much in terms of perceived value, it certainly doesn't hurt. Let's say the cool looks are the second best thing about the Clio. The best thing about the Clio then has to be its innovative display. The display pivots so you can use your Clio in 3 different positions. You can use it as a regular notebook computer, or you can pivot the display so you have a tablet. If that's not enough you can pivot the screen into a presentation mode where the unit will stand on a desk propped up by itself. Now that's cool!

The Pictures
Like I said, Vadem gave us the scoop on the Clio and here are the pictures they gave us. The Conclusion
If these pictures don't push you to get one, wait a few weeks and stroll into your favorite CompUSA or similar store. There you'll find the Sharp TriPad (a repackaged Clio) live and in person. I think it's obvious that this is a big step in the right direction for Windows CE. I like this new offering from Vadem and I'll have to say this is a must buy. I can't imagine any techno geek being without one of these. I must also say though, that I hope these new machines don't push the smaller H/PCs and P/PCs into the same graveyard that calls the Betamax one of it's tenants, because I really like my Velo. I think there is a place in the world for both platforms and frankly, I think I'll take one of each.