Dell today announced the latest addition to its expanding line of Vostro laptops, the 12.1-inch Vostro 1220. This stylish, ultraportable laptop was designed exclusively for business travelers who are unwilling to compromise performance, battery life and security for a thin and lightweight design.

According to IDC, worldwide commercial shipments of 12-inch widescreen laptops are expected to grow almost 35 percent from 2008 to 2009. “This trend supports what Dell has been hearing from our customers”, said Sam Burd, global vice president, Dell Small and Medium Business.

The laptop available in Obsidian Black or Deep Cherry Red, the Vostro 1220 starts at a mere 3.36 lbs, is equipped with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and features up to 9 hours of battery life on a 6-cell battery, making it an ideal travelling companion for on-the-go, global entrepreneurs.

Also coming with a 1.3 megapixel integrated webcam as well as a 3-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard slot, VGA-out and 3 USB 2.0 ports whilst the 12″ display offers up 1280×800 resolution. You also had the choice to choose between Windows Vista (32/64-bit), Ubuntu Linux and FreeDOS. Other specs include HDD capacities up to 500GB or the option to upgrade to a 128GB capacity SSD (Linux based systems are limited to a 16GB SSD) whilst, you can also factor in an optional fingerprint reader or, if you’re really looking for enhanced data security, a 250GB encrypted HHD (inclusive of Wave software).

However, starting at $799, the Vostro 1220 is available worldwide today. For additional information, please visit on the official Dell Vostro 1220 product page.