Little known and obscure device manufacturer Hercules have today rolled out a couple of new ARM netbooks into the UK market, dubbed the “Slim HD” and “EX HD,” running Ubuntu Netbook Remix.

They’re a wee bit garish to look at, but the “world’s slimmest netbook” weighs under 2 pounds and is less than an inch thick, although the 88% real-size keyboard may leave your fat fingers yearning for more.

The specs are pretty bog standard for netbooks these days, apart for the processor.

The Slim HD and EE HD sport a Cortex A8 ARM processor and a tiny (by today’s standards) amount of RAM, so it’s understandable that Hercules have opted to ship them with an Ubuntu based OS rather than the more demanding Windows 7 or XP. (Can you even get XP anymore? Don’t answer that.)

Coupled with zero licensing fees, choosing a derivative of Ubuntu Netbook Remix from circa-2008 seems like the perfect option for a budget netbook.

Ubuntu Netbook Remix on the eCAFE Hercules Slim EX HD

Surprisingly, the EX HD comes with HDMI out although the likelihood of successfully rendering 1080p video on a 50″ flatscreen is probably equal to the likelihood that I’ll get a gold jetski with spinners on for Christmas.

But both models can handle 720p without a hiccup.

The eCAFE Slim HD in white (also comes in black)

Interested? You can pick them up in the UK from £180 for the Slim HD or £230 for the EX HD variant with a larger battery, HDMI and a few other bells and whistles (see specs below).

eCAFE Hercules Slim HD Specs

  • Display: 10.1 inch LCD (1024*600) with high brightness
  • Storage: 16GB iNand Flash memory (extendable via SD card slot)
  • CPU: ARM Cortex A8 Freescale i.MX515 @ 800 MHz
  • RAM: 512 MB DDR2
  • Battery: 6800 mAh (for 13 hours+) for EX HD, 2400 mAh in Slim HD
  • Ports: 3x USB 2.0, 1x Mini USB, LAN RJ45, 3.5mm audio out, mic port
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
  • HDMI output (EX HD only)
  • Multimedia touch controls (EX HD only)
  • Ambient light sensor (EX HD only)
  • Chiclet-style keyboard with flat, separate keys @ 88% full-size
  • 0.3MP webcam with built-in microphone
  • DIP Switch

Thanks Kamal DS