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Unboxing the Toshiba Libretto W1001

By: Cisco Cheng

The Toshiba Libretoo W100 arrived at my doorsteps early Wednesday morning, and it wouldn't be right if I didn't give it a proper un-boxing before putting it through its paces.

According to Toshiba, the device is already sold out through ToshibaDirect.com, while retail channels have them in very limited quantities. It's an interesting little device, and frankly, I'm not sure what to call it. Is it a netbook, an iPad competitor, a laptop? Toshiba is calling it a dual-screen laptop, and from the slideshow, you'll at least get a sense of why it's called that. And as always, stay tune for my full write up.

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Unboxing the Toshiba Libretto W1001

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Hands On: HP Pavilion dm3 with CoolSense

By: Cisco Cheng

When the first model launched last year, the HP Pavilion dm3 was undeniably thin, having done away with the optical drive and opting for low-powered processors—the kind that we refer to as CULVs (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage). But there's always room for improvement. The latest dm3 is redesigned from the ground up, retaining the same level of thinness (less than an inch) but with a look previous Pavilion users won't recognize.

HP is also placing a big emphasis on cooling, introducing its CoolSense technology with the dm3. And of course, it does what a CULV does best—crank out great battery life without sacrificing too much performance.

The entire Pavilion line recently transitioned to aluminum clad cases, and already, we have the first defector. The latest design features a plastic resin that has certain characteristics of metal, like its texture and solid construction. It doesn't feel as cheap as glossy plastics, but keeps their abilities to absorb different colors. Not only will the dm3 sport a variety of colors on the lid, but the bottom of the system can be colored the same way. The advantage of using plastic is its resistance to heat, if used properly.

The dm3 will be the first to showcase what HP calls its CoolSense technology, which includes better part placement and design methodology. It uses a combination of plastic, glass, and soft-touch paint on the outside, while metals are used strategically on the inside to reduce heat conductivity. The air vents are placed toward the back, where the air is blown away from the laptop instead of toward the laptop, which happens when vents are on the bottom. All the heat conducting parts—the ATI graphics and Core i3 processor—reside below the keyboard rather than the area where your palm rests.

CoolSense aside, you still need parts that don't pump out too much heat. The Intel Core i3-330UM (1.2GHz) is based on Intel's CULV technology (a Pentium dual-core processor will be available as well), with which the thermal envelope (and thus, the clock rate) is drastically reduced from a standard volt processor, like the 2.4GHz Intel Core i3-350M. And even though the ATI Mobility Radeon 5430 is a discrete 3D graphics chip, it's capable of switching to an Intel GMA HD chipset—a more energy efficient solution. If you take the CoolSense technology, energy efficient parts, and a bigger battery this time around (62WH from 57WH), battery life should be phenomenal. HP is promising 7.5-8 hours.

In addition to the usual set of ports and slots, including VGA, HDMI, and eSATA, the dm3 will have an option for a backlit keyboard—handy for surfing in the dark. The HP Pavilion dm3 ships Wednesday with a starting price of $549 (with a Pentium dual core). And as always, stay tuned to PCMag.com for the review.

Hands On: HP Mini 210 and Mini 5103

By: Natalie Shoemaker

This fall, students and suits can check out the new Mini series of ultraportable laptops from Hewlett-Packard. The HP Mini 210 is the more vibrant collection, featuring a variety of new colors, while the business-oriented HP Mini 5103 blends an espresso color with black accents.

Both laptops have an ultraportable, light design, weighing under 3 pounds. The Mini 210 and 5103 have the popular island-style keyboard. The exterior of the Mini 210 has a metallic look, but the chassis is actually made of a plastic resin. The battery lies flush with the hinge to reduce the bulk and can easily be popped out for a bigger one, if necessary. The bottom cover of the computer is also easily removed to see the inner workings and swap out any cards or chips.

The laptop comes in a variety of colors, including Ocean Drive (blue), Luminous Rose (pink), Crimson Red, Lavender Frost, and Charcoal. Optional coordinating laptop sleeves and computer mice are also available for each color.

The HP Mini 210 will run off of an optional Intel Atom N550, Intel's latest dual-core processor, or the Intel Atom N455 or N475. These processors are rumored to allow for 10 hours of battery life on the 210's 6-cell battery. The Mini 5103 will offer the Intel Atom N550 with dual-core processing and DDR3 memory support. The hard drive spins at 7,200rpm and there will be a SSD option.

The chassis of the 5103 is metal and has a brushed look to it that I found quite sophisticated. Special features include touch screen, face recognition, and an array of HP software like DayStarter, QuickLook3, and QuickWeb.

The HP Mini 210 is set to release September 1 for the suggested retail price of $329.99, and the Mini 5103 will be available on September 17 for $399.99.