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There may be a rumor going around that Microsoft doesn’t want to sell cheap Windows XP licenses for netbooks that offer a dual SSD/HDD storage system. But that doesn’t appear to be stopping MSI from moving ahead with its first hybrid storage netbook, the Wind U115. The company is now taking orders for the netbook on its web page. The price? $499.

While that price tag may seem a bit high at a time when you can buy dozens of netbooks for less than $400, the MSI Wind U115 is somewhat unique due to its combination of a SSD for the operating system, a hard drive for files and data, and a low power Intel Atom Z530 CPU. Basically, the CPU uses less energy than your typical Atom N270 processor, and the hard drive can shut down when you don’t need it.

In some tests, the netbook has run for over 13 hours with a standard battery, and up to 25 hours with a high capacity 9 cell battery. Try doing that with a $300 netbook.

Still, $499 is the price that MSI is charging when you place an order through the company’s website. Perhaps we’ll see this netbook go for a slightly lower price once it’s available through big name retail outlets.

thanks Neel!