November 2009 Archives

PC Magazine have published a review of the M&A Companion Touch netbook/convertible PC. 'The M&A Companion Touch ($500 direct) is a netbook-size convertible PC that aspires to be a take-along pal for elementary school children. But the 2.8-pound device barely gets a passing grade, due to a flawed touchscreen and a haphazard approach to creating a kid-friendly interface. Compared with more splashy kids' netbooks like the Dell Mini Nickelodeon Edition and Disney Netpal by ASUS, the M&A Companion Touch is generic and a bit dull, with a touch-sensitive screen that isn't finger-friendly (it practically demands a stylus for input). On the other hand, this junior convertible isn't gimmicky, which could broaden its appeal to some grade-school upper classmen.'

CNET Asia have published a review of the HP ProBook 5310m (Core 2 Duo SP9300 LV Processor 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM) Notebook. 'To survive the daily rigors of commute, the ProBook 5310m is encased in a brushed aluminum chassis and magnesium-alloy base. This 1.72kg and 23.5mm-thin HP business machine is even lighter and slimmer than its consumer equivalent, the Pavilion dm3. Chiclet keys seem to be in fashion and they make an appearance on this ProBook. However, the area between the keys comprises of glossy plastic which picks up fingerprints a tad too easily. The keyboard has a slight rubberized texture and whether that's good or bad is subjective. The touchpad is multitouch-enabled.'

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Sony VAIO CW Series (VPC-CW1S1E/P) 14.1in laptop. 'As for our model, it's powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo P7450 running at 2.13GHz that's supported by a plentiful 4GB DDR3 RAM. Sony has also had the foresight to install a 64-bit version of Windows 7, so all that system memory is being put to good use. A 512MB nVidia GT 230M graphics cards serves up the graphical treats, while for storage you get a 320GB hard drive. Gigabit Ethernet, Wireless-N Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are all present too, completing a thorough specification. Connectivity isn't too bad, either. While the CW does lack eSATA or USB 'sleep and charge' capabilities, it does have mini-FireWire - an increasingly rare connection on laptops of late.'

Notebook Review have published an updated review of the Dell Latitude XT2 convertible-notebook with Windows 7 installed. 'The Dell Latitude XT2 has a very professional or industrial appearance with an all dark-grey design, sharp lines and edges, and even exposed screws. This notebook is definitely not targeted towards those looking for the next designer laptop. Instead, it is aimed squarely at those who just want to get down to business. The brushed metal surfaces are actually specially painted covers that give the look of metal but with the ease of maintenance that paint gives. The finish resists smudges and is much easier to wipe clean than most brushed metal exteriors. If it was painted matte black and had a Lenovo logo printed on it, you would swear it was a ThinkPad.'

The new Acer AOD250-1633 10.1-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 9 Hours of Battery Life, Windows 7 Starter) is om offer for $344.95 over at Amazon.com. 'Browse the Web, check email, share photos, keep up with social networks, listen to music and enjoy a variety of entertainment with the Aspire One AOD250, which features a small compact design that you can take anywhere. Acer makes it easy to stay productive while on the go with the 10.1-inch CrystalBrite LED-backlit screen as well as its excellent near full-size keyboard. A great choice for students as well as business travelers who like to travel light, this Aspire One AOD250 model (AOD250-1633) in black has a 6-cell battery that provides up to 9 hours of battery life on the go and weighs 2.79 pounds.'

The Register Hardware have published a review of the Samsung X520 Notebook PC. 'With smooth, curved edges and an eye-pleasing design, the 15.6in X520 slips into Samsung's new X-series range. There are two other X-series models: the 11.6in X120 and 14in X420. The focus is on mobility here and, as such, all feature so-called CULV - Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage - processors and integrated graphics from Intel. When first announced at IFA earlier this year, Samsung made something of a bizarre marketing move by proudly proclaiming the batteries powering the X-series will not explode. Good news for those with an adverse reaction to spontaneous combustion then, and we're happy to confirm the X520's battery remained free of flames during testing. As well as not exploding.'

Laptop Magazine have published their review of the Acer Aspire 8940G (AS8940G-6865) multimedia notebook. 'Measuring 17.3 x 11.6 x 1.7 inches and weighing 9.2 pounds, the all-black Aspire 8940G is a hefty desktop replacement that users won't tote very far from their desks. Even so, it's lighter than the 10.4-pound, 18.4-inch Toshiba Qosmio X505. The glossy lid collects a fair amount of fingerprints and smudges. This aesthetic extends to the bezel surrounding the display, as well as to the exterior edges of the system's base. A finely textured wrist rest gives the machine a subtle elegance. The large base affords a wide, comfortable, island-style keyboard that offers decent feedback, and it includes white backlighting.'

A review of the Durabook D14RM rugged laptop has been posted over at Geek.com. 'The D14RM starts at $1519, a fairly inexpensive price for a ruggedized computer. In keeping with the tough nature of the computer it has a magnesium case that is able to withstand 26 drops from 76cm (unit off and display closed, as per US military testing specification 810F) as well as a shock-resistant design, spill-resistant keyboard, and dust-proof covers over all external ports. The D14RM also has rubber bumpers on the outside of the case for grip and protection and a lock-able optical drive so it won't pop out by accident. The result is a computer that measures 13.8×10x1.6-inches, weighs 5.5 pounds, and, while certainly tough, looks a little odd. In fact, it looks a bit like a prop from a '90s movie about futuristic police.'

Pocket-lint have published their review of the Samsung X120 Notebook PC. 'The X120's distinctive design features a lip that runs around the edge of the chassis - with the interface sitting slightly lower. It looks great, and with the lip fitting snugly against the screen lid, there's no chance of anything falling between the display and keyboard when you're on the move. The unusual design stretches to the keyboard location, which sits smack in the centre of the chassis with a lot of vacant space above it. As a result, the palm rest is very small, leading to your hands sitting on the desk or hovering as you type. There are no touchpad buttons below the touchpad - they're located on each side instead, which takes some getting accustomed to.'

CNET have published a review of the Sony Vaio L117FX (Core 2 Quad Q8400s 2.66GHz, 6GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Windows 7 Home Premium) all-in-one PC. 'The Vaio L117FX's design is an interesting hybrid between the Sony's last-generation cnet:link int="http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/sony-vaio-js250j/4505-3118_7-33517630.html">JS and LV series. It retains the same size, wall-mounting capability, and HDMI input as the LV, but it also features the JS Series' softer chassis design, complete with the rounded frame-style front support. The new design will work fine on a desktop, but if you mount the system on the wall, the front support becomes superfluous. Unlike the feet on HP's TouchSmart 600, there's no way to remove the front support from the Vaio. The support does no real functional harm, but it would make the Vaio's look awkward mounted on the wall.'

The new HP Pavilion MS214 18.5-Inch Black All-in-One Desktop PC (Windows 7 Home Premium) is on offer for $559.95 with free standard shipping over at Amazon.com.
Primary Features:
• AMD Athlon X2 3250e Dual-Core Processor (1.5 GHz, 1 MB L2 Cache, 2000 MHz System Bus)
• 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 SDRAM memory (2x1024MB ultimate performance)
• 320GB (7200RPM) Serial ATA hard drive; Slim Tray SuperMulti DVD Burner with LightScribe Technology
• 18.5 Inch diagonal High Definition LCD Display with tilt and swivel; ATI RadeonTM HD 3200 Graphics with 256MB graphics memory. Up to 895MB Total Available Graphics Memory as allocated by Windows 7
• Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

The new HP Pavilion DV4-1541US 14.1-Inch Espresso Laptop (Up to 4.25 hours of battery life (Windows 7 Home Premium) is on offer for $739.99 with a $50.00 rebate over at Amazon.com. 'For those who want an all-in-one performance notebook with rich multimedia features, the HP Pavilion dv4 Entertainment series delivers mobile performance that looks as great as it runs, Powered by the latest processor and graphics technologies, it delivers optimal mobile performance to support your lifestyle. Lose up to half a pound by removing the optical drive from the HP SmartBay. Enjoy your photos and videos on HD TVs with the HDMI port (cable sold separately). Chat face to face with the HP Webcam and add special effects. Look good on the go with award-winning HP Imprint finish. Create personalized DVD and CD labels with LightScribe.'

The new Toshiba Mini NB205 Netbook is available for $389.99 with free standard shipping over at Amazon.com. 'Small enough to throw in a purse or bag, the affordable, super-compact 10.1-inch Toshiba mini NB205 netbook--which weighs just under 3 pounds--is designed with smart features like a full-sized keyboard and touchpad, long battery life, 3 USB ports (including one Sleep and Charge port) and a hard drive impact sensor that protects your data. You'll also get excellent battery life with the included six-cell battery that provides up to 9 hours of battery power--enabling you to go through an entire day of school, work or errands without worrying about a recharge.'

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Toshiba Satellite U500-178 - 13.3in laptop. 'Coupled with a 64-bit install of Windows 7, the U500-178 absolutely flies, showing a clean pair of heels to many previously reviewed systems in PCMark Vantage. Gaming performance isn't too shabby, either - we managed a smooth 31.8fps in Trackmania Nations on the high detail settings. Consequently you could play older titles, such as the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Half-Life 2 (and related episodes) and casual games such as Spore with no real problems. There are plenty of other reasons for cheer, too. This version has the ever sought after backlit keyboard, as well as a smart slot-loading DVD drive.'

Digital Trends have published their review of the HP Mini 5101 netbook. 'Tear away the outside, and the main parts driving the Mini 5101 would resemble any other netbook: An Intel Atom processor running at 1.6GHz, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, and a 160GB hard drive, all hooked up to a standard 10.1-inch LED-backlit display. But look a little closer, and you'll find traces of a real business machine. For instance, this little guy sports the same HP 3D Drive Guard tech as HP's bigger notebooks, which detects falls and braces the hard drive for impact. HP's DuraKeys resist both visible wear better than ordinary keys, and spills. And the webcam offers 2.0-megapixel resolution for videoconferencing, up from the typical 1.3-megapixel model you might find in a typical netbook. It even comes preloaded with Corel Office - not the Microsoft suite we're all used to, but an affordable way to get cracking on documents, spreadsheets and graphics.'

PC Magazine have published a review of the HP TouchSmart 300-1007 Windows 7 all-in-one PC. 'The TouchSmart 300 looks like a shrunken down version of the TouchSmart 600-1055, with the same black glossy look and the screen dominating about 80 percent of the front surface of the unit. It's also got a speaker bar below the screen, but lacks the ambient lighting that the 600 series systems have. Again, there's a single "home" button on the front of the TouchSmart 300, which brings up the same HP TouchSmart program we saw on the 600. The TouchSmart program is a central interface where you can enjoy videos, music, photos, browse the web, keep a shared calendar, send notes to other members of your family, send tweets to Twitter, and keep recipes.'

The Sony VAIO VPC-W121AX/T 10.1-inch brown netbook (Up to 7 hours of battery life, Windows 7 Starter) is on offer for $489.95 over at Amazon.com. 'Featuring an ultra-portable design, the Sony VAIO W Series mini notebook is perfect for using as a secondary PC, for surfing the web, checking e-mail, and social networking. It delivers the essential laptop experience--email, instant messaging, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter--in a size so small you can take it anywhere. This model (VPC-W121AX/T) comes in cocoa brown, but it's also available in sugar white and berry pink.

A review of the Alienware m15x notebook PC has been posted over at NotebookReview.com. 'The M15x is unusually large for a 15.6-inch notebook, measuring almost two inches thick and weighing over nine pounds! The front of the M15x is striking; it is slightly pointed outward towards the user and is flanked by two menacing speaker grilles. The front of the M15x is not vertical but angled downward as well. The lid has a unique look; it is very tall and angled at the top to match the chassis front when closed. I like how there is a dedicated area for grabbing the lid at the top. The M15x is a very well-built notebook. It has a strong internal frame and takes significant force to flex. The lid is impressively strong; it resists twisting noticeably better than other 15.6" notebooks thanks to is one-piece wraparound backing. The lid is firmly secured to the chassis by a strong hinge. Generally speaking this notebook is extremely solid.'

PC Advisor have published a review of the ASUS G60J gaming notebook. 'Its CPU is an Intel Core i7 Q820 Mobile Processor, which runs at 1.73GHz and has four cores. Those four cores use Hyper-Threading, so what you end up with is a CPU that processes up to eight threads simultaneously. The graphics card is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M with 1GB of DDR3 video RAM, and the system has 4GB of 1066MHz DDR3 RAM. The ASUS G60J runs Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit and it has two 500GB hard drives installed (they are partitioned into four 232GB drives).'

Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Hercules eCAFÉ EC-1000W netbook. 'The 10.8 x 7.7 x 1.3-inch eCAFÉ EC1000-W blends design flourishes reminiscent of other popular netbooks into its design. The squared-off lid with rounded corners evokes the body of the original Lenovo IdeaPad S10, as does the hinge. Taking a cue from the Samsung NC10, Hercules integrated the power button into the hinge, but on the left side. Under the lid we found a chiclet keyboard that aesthetically recalls the Toshiba mini NB205. There are a few singular touches on the EC-1000W: The lid features an "in-mold" design that reflects metallic-like swirls of color when you look at it from different angles.'

A review of the HP Pavilion Elite e9240f desktop PC has been posted over at PC Magazine. 'The e9240f follows HP's familiar design structure is one that we've come to expect in the Pavilion series sharing the same uniform black glossy tower as the HP Pavilion Elite e9120f and e9160f. The front of the system features a 15-in-1 card reader and composite video and S-video AV inputs, which make it extremely easy to get all of your photos and videos into the PC. There is also a drive bay on the front of the machine for HPs Easy Backup Personal Media drives. If the included 1 TB of storage is not quite enough you can quickly slot in a few more gigs of storage and back up your data via the HP "Easy Backup" button also located on the front of the machine.'

The Register Hardware have published a review of the Samsung N510 Nvidia Ion-based netbook. 'Beyond the usual netbook array of three USB ports, three-in-one memory card reader, 3.5mm audio jacks, VGA port, Bluetooth, 1.3Mp webcam and 10/100Mb/s Ethernet, the N510 also serves up 802.11n Wi-Fi and said HDMI port. The installation of an 11.6in screen hasn't had too drastic an impact on the N510's size. Yes, at 289 x 199 x 26.5-30.3mm and weighing 1.5kg, it is both larger and heavier than the N110 and N120, but not monstrously so. If you managed to carry either of the older machines around without a problem, you'll be able to do the same with the N510.'

The Dell Inspiron 1545 15.6-Inch Jet Black Laptop (Up to 4 hours 34 minutes of battery life, Windows 7 Home Premium) has been reduced from $619.99 to $599.99 over at Amazon.com. 'Weighing just under 6 pounds, it's a great choice for both work and play with the screen's high-definition resolution and included DVD drive (which can also burn dual-layer DVD and CD media). You'll enjoy dual-core productivity from its 2.1 GHz Intel Pentium T4300 processor for excellent multitasking. Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to.'

A review of the Acer Aspire 8940G desktop replacement system has been posted over at NotebookReview.com. 'The Acer Aspire 8940G shows quite a bit of resemblance to the Acer Aspire One ... keeping the same hinge shape and position as well as the protruding rear-edge of the main body that you can see when the lid is closed. The side profile of the 8940G doesn't look much thicker than a smaller 15" or 17" notebook. The sloped front and rear edge do a great job of masking thickness even further while also making it more comfortable to carry. Inside you have a completely flat surface containing the keyboard, touchpad, speakers, and multimedia keys. The keyboard is even recessed just enough so the flat keys lay flush with the outer bezel.'

IT Reviews have published a review of the Asus W90 laptop. 'A colossal 18.4-inch screen dominates the laptop's lid, and as you'd hope it boasts a full-HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. That extra 1.4 inches on the screen means the W90 is considerably easier on the eyes when reading text compared to most desktop replacements, and makes the system better suited for watching movies at medium viewing distances. That said, the screen is not as bright or vibrant as we would have liked, and certainly doesn't boast contrast levels as rich as those we have seen in Clevo alternatives, or MSI's £1,200 GT725.'

The HP Mini 311-1000NR 11.6-Inch Black Netbook (Up to 6.25 hours of battery life) has been reduced from $449.99 to $399.99 over at Amazon.com. 'Powered by energy-efficient Intel Atom processors, the HP Mini 311 is optimized for Web access and can handle standard productivity apps - but is light enough to carry everywhere at just 3.22 lbs. Its 16:9 11.6-Inch diagonal HD LED BrightView display makes viewing HD content and two documents side by side possible. The 92% of full-size keyboard enables much more efficient and comfortable use than texting (or typing on smartphone keyboards) for most. The touchpad has buttons at the bottom for intuitive use. The HP Mini 311 is the perfect device for staying productive, informed, in touch and entertained on the go.'

Trusted Reviews have published their review of the MSI X-Slim X600 - 15.6in CULV (consumer ultra-low voltage) laptop. 'You get an Intel Core 2 Duo SU9600 CPU running at 1.6GHz with 3MB L2 Cache, a plentiful 4GB of RAM and a massive 500GB hard drive. There's no optical drive, though, which to us is just silly. At the very least you ought to get an external drive, but instead MSI offers a serviceable, plain carry bag, which while nice is about half as useful. Wireless-N Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet and Bluetooth round-off the otherwise competent feature set, while a two year warranty is very welcome, but MSI's obsession with the X-Slim aesthetic ultimately comes at the expense of practicality.'

A review of the Eclipse Fusion Crossfire i792R585 Windows 7 desktop PC has been posted over at PC Advisor. 'The Eclipse Fusion Crossfire i792R585 picked up 133 WorldBench 6 points, the lowest score here, but performance is still good; most users wouldn't notice the difference of a few points. With 6GB of RAM fitted into the Biostar motherboard, three slots remain for future expansion. The Eclipse Fusion Crossfire i792R585 also offers support for CrossFireX, enabling to you to boost gaming performance with a second card. A terabyte (1TB) of storage is provided with the Eclipse Fusion Crossfire i792R585 in a single drive. This doesn't offer the performance boost of our Best Buy machine's Raid 0 arrangement, but it's less prone to data loss.

CNET have published a review of the Sony Vaio L117FX (Core 2 Quad Q8400s 2.66GHz, 6GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Windows 7 Home Premium) All-in-One desktop PC. 'Being a Windows 7-based all-in-one, the Vaio L117FX also comes with multitouch support. For traditional desktop use, the appeal of touch is minimal, but we can see an argument for touch if you mounted the Vaio on a wall or set it up in a kitchen. Sony joins Acer/Gateway and HP in introducing a multitouch-capable all-in-one this fall, and of the three companies, Sony has put the least effort into bundling any touch-specific software. You get the basic Microsoft Surface applications (some games, a 3D globe, and a few others), but Sony has no proprietary touch software to show off this new feature. With so many underwhelming touch-specific programs so far, we can't say we were looking forward to another half-baked note-taking program or redundant media browser. Thus, we don't really blame Sony for simply including touch support as a situational convenience in the Vaio. If third-party touch software takes off, perhaps touch will become more useful.'

The HP Mini 110 Series 10.1-Inch Netbook (6.75 Hours of Battery Life, XP Home) is on offer for $339.95 over at Amazon.com. 'Whether computing within your home, around town and campus, or across the country, the ultra-portable HP Mini 110 can keep you connected with built-in Wi-Fi(2). It has the performance you need to surf the Web and use your standard productivity software apps--but is light enough to carry everywhere at just 2.89 lbs. It syncs files, photos and videos easily with your primary notebook or desktop PC whenever connected to the same network with the integrated Syncables™ app. After initial Syncables™ setup, the file updates will occur in the background for a truly seamless experience. The HP Mini 110: The perfect mobile companion.'

A review of the Toshiba Satellite P300-212 notebook PC has been posted over at Notebook Check.net. 'The Toshiba P300-212 is equipped with the most common connections expected on a notebooks in its class, which are confined to the well- thought out and neatly arranged front and backsides of the notebook housing. Due to the relatively long battery, the backside offers no space for any sort of terminal connection. The interfaces are therefore concentrated on the front and sides. The front side's connections are very neatly laid out. Next to the switch for the WLAN one finds a card reader (5-in-1 Bridge Media drive - supporting SD™ Cards up to16 GB, Memory Stick® up to 256 MB, Memory Stick Pro™ up to 4 GB, MultiMedia Card™ up to 1 GB and xD-Picture Card™ up to 2 GB), two audio interfaces (Microphone and headset) and the volume adjustment on the front.'

The Register Hardware have published a review of the Toshiba Satellite L450 affordable notebook PC. 'On its underside, the Satellite L450 provides easy access to the two memory slots and the Realtek 802.11n wireless card. The 250GB Sata hard drive, which ticks along at 5400rpm, is also accessible through a flap of its own. A circular grille allows the laptop fan to draw air in - this is then expelled via the large vent on the left side of the chassis. This fan regularly fired up during testing, even when the laptop was idle. Fortunately, it's reasonably quiet and shouldn't be a cause of irritation. It also seems to do a good job of keeping everything cool, with the trackpad being the only section that got slightly warm after extended periods of use.'

Laptop Magazine have published their review of the Nokia Booklet 3G netbook. 'The glossy black lid (also available in blue or white) and aluminum-covered body give the Booklet an attractive, MacBook-like look when the system is closed. When you open the lid, you see the aluminum extends to the system's deck, and a tasteful, glossy black bezel borders the screen. However, it's hard to miss the cheap plastic keyboard, which contradicts the otherwise upscale design. At 10.4 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches and 2.8 pounds, the Booklet is a little bit smaller than competitors such as the Toshiba mini NB205 (10.4 x 8.3 x 1.3 inches, 3.0 pounds), the Samsung N120 (10.7 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches and 2.8 pounds), and the HP Mini 311 (11.4 x 8.0 x 1.2 inches, 3.2 pounds). This netbook is very easy to tote, but you have to make some tradeoffs.'

The new Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 TruBrite 15.6-Inch Grey/Black laptop (2 Hours 25 Minutes of Battery Life (Windows 7 Home Premium) is on offer for $577.12 over at Amazon.com. 'Offering solid performance and impressive affordability, the Toshiba Satellite L505-S5993 laptop is a great choice for handling computing essentials at home, school or work--from surfing the web and downloading video to managing household finances or studying for finals. This all-purpose, eco-smart machine features a stunning 15.6-inch display with 720p native high-definition resolution. And thanks to the built-in webcam and Toshiba Face Recognition software on this machine, you'll enjoy a more convenient way to communicate, log on or share your laptop among the family. To top it off, the L505 features a brilliant high-gloss Fusion Finish design with a Breeze pattern in Graphite Gray that's sure to turn heads.'

CNET have published a review of the Dell Inspiron i1545-4374PBU laptop. 'The entire chassis of the i1545-4374PBU (and all Inspiron 15 models) is made from plastic, giving it a fairly cheap feel; this would be more upsetting if the system weren't in fact cheap, but it is. The lid (an attractive dark blue), the black display bezel, and the keyboard surround are all a glossy fingerprint-collecting plastic, while the bottom is matte black plastic. On the upside, all the plastic keeps the system light enough that should you want to take it on the go, it won't be a back-breaking experience. Above the spacious keyboard sits a silver power button. There are no extra media controls, though Dell clearly marks the function keys so that adjusting things like screen brightness and volume can be done quickly. The keys are the more traditional tapered type, with good spacing and response, which makes typing pleasurable. Below the keyboard are a touch pad and two well-sized accompanying buttons.'

A review of the HP Pavilion dv7-3080us laptop has been posted over at PC Magazine. 'The Pavilion dv7-3080us features HP's standard Pavilion ID, with an imprint design on the lid and keyboard deck, chrome edges, and all surfaces buffed to a high gloss. The chassis is a deep brown color (HP calls it Espresso) with thin, curved pinstripes running across it, which are occasionally interrupted with a round shapes that look either like bubbles or, as my colleague John Delaney classified them, crop circles. I like the look of this particular Pavilion, but overall I'm not a fan of HP's current laptop design. I think its Pavilions are over designed, with too much polish added. The glossy surfaces look nice on store shelves, but they'll be covered in fingerprints and smudges by the end of the first day of owning one.'

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Samsung X120 (JA01UK) - 11.6in CULV laptop. 'Our version of the X120 is powered by a dual-core Intel Pentium SU4100. It runs at 1.30GHz, has 2MB of L2 Cache and is supported by an ample 3GB of system memory. A 250GB hard drive provides the storage and graphics come courtesy of Intel's GMA 4500M HD integrated chip. Wireless-N Wi-Fi is included for speedy wireless performance, as is Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR for peripherals, though wired networking is the standard 10/100 LAN rather than the faster Gigabit variety. Most people will use Wi-Fi, though, so the latter isn't a great concern.'

The Dell Inspiron 545 Piano Black Desktop PC with 22-Inch HD Monitor (Windows 7 Home Premium) has been reduced from $709.99 to $679.99 over at Amazon.com. 'The Inspiron 545 desktop is optimized to provide the entertainment features you need for a price you want. Watch your screen come to life with the integrated ATI Radeon HD3100 graphics with optional ATI discrete graphics that further maximize your viewing experience. Quickly transfer your digital photos and music from your digital camera with the optional 19-in-1 media card reader. Immerse yourself into a cinematic experience by connecting to your 22-Inch HD monitor or TV with the HDMI port.'

A review of the Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 (2847-22U) laptop has been posted over at PC World.com. 'At 15-by-9.7-by-1.4 inches and weighing 5.7 pounds, our review unit was big, but not too bulky. The latchless case opens easily, and the join between screen and laptop feels rock-solid. Our review unit's 15.6-inch screen was matte, not glossy, which means a bit less brightness and color but makes the screen easy to view under just about any lighting you like (a glossy screen is available). The native resolution is just 1366 by 768, but going any higher would have required Lenovo to pack a little more graphics.'

IT Reviews have published a review of the Medion Akoya E3211 laptop. 'The Akoya E3211 is powered by an Intel Pentium SU2700 processor, which is an ultra-low voltage chip and therefore uses less power than standard Core 2 Duo models. As you might expect, it's also not particularly fast. It has a clock speed of just 1.3GHz, and the fact it's a single-core processor means it's not best suited to multitasking. The processor is backed up by 4GB of RAM, while graphics are taken care of by Intel's GMA 4500M integrated chipset.

HotHardware have published a review of the Toshiba Satellite T135 Win 7 CULV (Consumer Ultra Low Voltage) Notebook. 'Once you open the T135's lid, you'll notice the Fusion finish continues around the keyboard. The TouchPad has the same finish though the actual TouchPad itself is slightly indented from the rest of the machine. Below the TouchPad, there's a solid chrome mouse button and a bar of LED indicators. The T135's keyboard is solid and comfortable to type on. The keyboard actually felt roomy--something we weren't expecting in such a small machine. The TouchPad is comfortable to use as well and the multi-touch functionality seemed to work fairly well, allowing us to zoom in and out of documents and pictures. Below the TouchPad, you'll find a solid chrome left/right click bar and a row of LED indicators.'

A review of the Acer Aspire 1410 (2936) ultraportable has been posted over at LaptopMagazine.com. 'From the outside, the Acer Aspire 1410 looks the same as the Acer Aspire Timeline 1810T; in fact, at 11.2 x 8.0 x 1.2 inches and weighing 3.2 pounds, it's the same size and weight. Our review unit had a glossy, Ruby Red lid with Acer's metal logo impressed in the lower corner; the lid picks up fingerprints fairly easily. The same color extends to the deck, which is offset by the matte black keyboard and glossy black bezel. Unlike the Acer Aspire One 751h netbook, the 1410's six-cell battery does not bulge out the back. Instead, it bumps out of the bottom, tilting the 1410 at a slight downward angle towards the user.'

The MSI Wind U120-001US 10-Inch Netbook is on offer for $326.99 over at Amazon Marketplace. 'The Wind, an acronym for "Wi-Fi Network Device," features a speedy and energy-efficient Intel Atom 1.6GHz Processor to provide longer operation hours and better mobile lifestyle. This notebook, or "netbook" is lightweight and ultra-portable, measuring about 7 inches wide by 10.23 inches long, and weighing just 2.6 pounds. Being small doesn't mean ultra-small keyboard, the Wind features an ergonomically designed keyboard that is only 20% smaller than a full sized notebook keyboard, with keys spaced a comfortable 0.68 inches apart.'

Geek.com have published a review of the Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 laptop. 'The new SL510 marks a slight change to the SL series. It seems that despite some ThinkPad fanatics' claims that the SL was not a "real" ThinkPad (which were met with protestation from Lenovo), the SL510 looks a lot more like a classic ThinkPad than the SL500. The new system has a matte lid, more ThinkPad-like materials, drops the light in the LED, and changes the body design making it seem a lot more like a R or T series system. It's a welcome change to anyone looking to buy a classically-styled ThinkPad.'

A review of the ASUS G51VX-A1 15.6-inch gaming notebook has been posted over at TweakTown.com. 'The screen of the G51VX is large, bright, has good color reproduction and works very well for gaming and for watching movies. The thing has gobs of glare, but we should all be used to glare with notebook screens today. Matte finish screens are rare. ASUS didn't scrimp on the sound system for the notebook either. The bottom of the machine has a large subwoofer that takes up a large section. You aren't going to get massive levels of bass, but the bass you do get is head and shoulders above what most notebooks offer.'

CNET have published a review of the Sony Vaio X (VPC-X115KX/N Signature Collection, gold) netbook. 'The Vaio X is the latest, and like Sony's previous Atom-powered high-concept P series, it has only one foot in the Netbook camp. Incredibly thin and light, thanks to a carbon fiber chassis and solid-state hard drive, the 11-inch Vaio X looks like a high-end ultraportable. It's so weightless that several people picked up our review unit and asked if it was a dummy mockup build, instead of a fully functioning PC.The extreme design doesn't seem out of place for $1,499, if the performance could keep up. Instead, the Vaio X uses Intel's 2.0GHz Atom Z550, a small step up from the same Atom CPUs found in $299 Netbooks. Adding 2GB of RAM and Windows 7 helps, and the system is slightly faster than other Atom-powered notebooks we've tested, but Vaio X still offers essentially Netbook-level performance in an extremely expensive package.

PC Magazine have published a review of the ASUS UL80Vt-A1 laptop. 'At 14 inches, the UL80Vt's widescreen is a good balance between portability and screen real estate. At these prices, don't expect advanced screen technologies; it gives you average brightness levels and viewing angles and a plain 1,366-by-768 resolution--the same resolution found on its 13-inch counterpart, UL30A-A1. Most ASUS laptops are also moving toward a tiled keyboard, instead of a traditional one where the keys are interconnected. With the UL80VT's keyboard, all the keys are raised and isolated from one another. The touchpad has built-in multitouch gestures that are useful when scrolling and panning through Web pages. The mouse buttons, meanwhile, were hard to press and can use some fine tuning.'

The ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1008HA-PU17-WT 10.1-Inch White Netbook (6 Hours of Battery Life, Windows 7 Home Premium) is available on pre-order for $479.00 over at Amazon.com. 'The ultra portable Asus Eee PC 1008HA Seashell weighs only 2.4 lbs and measures a mere one inch thin. Within its slick shell it packs the latest ATOM CPU from Intel, the N280, which offers 667MHz FSB, the fastest in its class. With a 6-hour battery, built-in Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, as well as a 0.3MP webcam and Digital Array Mic, the 1008HA allows you to stay connected wherever you go and do so comfortably. Its 92%-scaled ergonomic keyboard and Multi-Touch touchpad make it a breeze to type and navigate through content. But the feature that truly captures most attention is its innovative design. Inspired by one of nature's most beautiful creations, the seashell, the 1008HA's slick curves and smooth lines offer contemporary style and effortless sophistication.'

A review of the Sony VAIO VPC-X11Z1E/X ultraportable has been posted over at Pocket-lint.com. 'The 11.1-inch led-backlit screen is excellent, and every bit the equal of other similarly priced ultraportable laptops. The resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels results in sharp image quality, and colours are also vivid and true. With a screen coating that sits somewhere between matt and glossy, brightness levels are good, and reflections are also well suppressed when working outdoors. The keyboard is tiny, but is surprisingly usable, even for those with larger hands and fingers. The keys themselves are also small, but it's not problematic due to decent spacing between each one.'