If you are among those people who believe that beauty and brains do not go together, take a look at the latest notebook series announced by Intel (code-named Intel Mobile Metro) and you will be forced to think again.

This collaborative, no-holds-barred effort from Intel and Ziba Design has resulted in what is poised to be a trailblazer among laptops. Needless to say, Intel must be mighty pleased with the final specs. At a mere 0.7 inches thick, the notebook is the thinnest in the world, satisfying the company’s intention of making it the Razr among laptops.

The improvements are simply iconic. Starting from the lovely colored, magnetically-attached folios that serve the dual purpose of being a fashion accessory as well as a wireless charger for the notebook. And ending at matching leather straps that you can attach to the notebook, turning it into a chic purse to carry along.

And thrown in-between (though not casually) are other irresistible features. Check emails or schedules on an external display screen attached to the folio, without even opening the notebook. Once you open the notebook, indulge in the sleek end-to-end monitor that gives you the experience of a high-end flat-panel TV. Icing on the cake is the always-on, built-in wireless internet connectivity via WiMax, Wi-Fi and EV-DO to target users on-the-go.

Taking the prohibitive cost factor into consideration, it remains to be seen whether all of these features will make it into the version that finally goes into production. I fervently hope that at least most of them do, even if it places this notebook in the luxury segment. The beauty is expected to hit (shake) the market by the end of 2007.