Accoring to DigiTimes, Asus has high hopes for LED backlighting on notebooks. The company expects for the technology to really take off in 2008 and capture as much as 10% of the notebook backlighting market. LED backlighting allows thinner, brighter screens, sharper colors and reduced power requirements on notebooks. Average power consumption is reduced by 1-2 watts when compared to traditional cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL). The reduction in power requirement could add up to 45 minutes of battery time according to Tony Chen of Asus' notebook division. Asus is getting the ball rolling with the LED-based U1F ultraportable. This 11.1" WXGA+ (1,360x768) notebook uses a mix of high-grade plastic, steel accents and genuine leather to give it a professional appearance. The Vista-based notebook is equipped with an ULV Core Duo processor and weighs in at a low 2.2 pounds.

Asus will first unveil the new notebook at this year's CeBIT expo in March.