Joining ASUS and LG, BenQ is the latest to offer laptops with an external Side-Show LCD screen.

Side-Show is one of the little touted features of Windows Vista. It allows playback of multimedia files as well as email and calendar appointments access all without having to boot up the machine. Unfortunately, one pays a premium for this feature. For example, the Side-Show LG R200-Q compared to the cheaper LG R200-G variant costs an extra S$800 (US$526.32). For that price one can get a basic PDA which serves a similar function.

The BenQ Q41, however, ups the ante by adding Skype to the mix. Using the external LCD, you can connect, call and talk to your pals over the internet without booting the machine. Though it may not be the killer app for Side-Show to really take off, this is a promising step in the right direction.

Unfortunately, the other specifications for this Core 2 Duo machine does not really impress. It uses an integrated SIS Mirage 3+ graphics engine, which means hardcore gaming is out of the equation. Its memory support ends at 2GB of RAM, and only has a 10/100 Ethernet port and 802.11b/g compatibility. This 14.1-inch laptop weighs 2.1kg and is rated for 2.5 hours of uptime. Hence, other than the external Side-Show LCD, the BenQ Q41 is really a basic computing system. No pricing and launch date are available at this time.