Dell has announced the launch of Vostro V13, which is a new addition to its small-business Vostro line of laptops. This is the first time when dell has entered the business sector of 'ULV thin-and-light' laptops, with a view to target the small scale business entrepreneurs, who have been looking for affordable portables.

The new Vostro V13's structure, which is specifically meant for industrial use, is made up of anodized aluminum, and is 0.65 inch thick and weighs around 3.5 pounds. Its features include a Webcam, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and an ExpressCard slot standard, a single-core Celeron processor and Ubuntu Linux operating system.

The laptop's starting price is fixed at $449, which increases for the machines having Windows 7 and a Core 2 Duo ULV processor to $600. Even with this advanced configuration Dell is providing cheaper laptop as compared with the HP Pavilion dm3 and Asus UL30A-A1.

The Vostro V13 can support up to 4GB of RAM, and can be optionally upgraded with 3G mobile broadband. Powered by sealed-in six-cell battery, it can give a power back up of around five hours. One can order for Vostro V13 from the Dell's site.

The V13's launch is expected play a significant role in helping Dell to improve its market share, which has been declining recently. The financial results have not been good for Dell in the near past. The computer manufacturer's revenue fell by 15 percent in the recent third quarter.