The 16″ AOC e1649Fwu Portable USB Monitor isn’t a groundbreaking technology or even the best quality external monitor you can buy for your laptop, but the mixture of value, simplicity and weight make it a decent option for anyone who wants dual displays on the road, as long as you’re very careful with it and you can overlook some significant problems.

I tote around a 13.3″ MacBook Air and occasionally a 14″ Samsung Series 3 notebook. Both computers offer decent screen real estate for simple tasks, but I miss my larger display attached to my computer at home. You can use your iPad with something like AirDisplay, but I also like to have my iPad free for other tasks while using two monitors for a total of three.

With two displays I open two or three windows research for writing, which takes about 75% of my computing time. Adding this light 16″ USB powered monitor to my computer bag makes me more productive as I’m out and about while only adding a couple of pounds.

The AOC monitor has some flaws, which I hope they will address with a refresh, like display image quality and a couple of strange hardware choices.

Display Quality

The 16″ e1649Fwu AOC Portable USB Monitor display quality won’t wow anyone. Images seem soft and text looks slightly dull. Before I updated the driver text looked washed out. Compared to my laptop displays I noticed a big drop in quality. Like nearly every other laptop and even desktop monitor the AOC uses a glossy screen. The AOC screen almost looks like a mirror in bright settings when you’re viewing dark images or interfaces. It’s more glossy than most.

You’re not going to use the monitor for Netflix or other DRM protected video because it’s not HDCP compliant. That means you’ll get the following error after you press play.

I don’t often watch DRM video on a second monitor while I’m using my laptop, so that wasn’t a problem for me. I see the AOC as a business tool. If you planned to watch video on an external display then don’t get this one.

Build Quality & Design

The AOC Portable USB Monitor is light and feels flimsy. When you carry around a product you hope it will hold up to the rigors of a mobile life. If you don’t drop it, you should be alright so long as you protect it in a padded computer bag. That’s what I did and had no problems, until my bag unexpectedly opened and it fell out display side down. The display died leaving a mess when you turn it on (see below).

I dropped the screen when my laptop bag opened unexpectedly and this was the result

I don’t fault AOC entirely for this. They didn’t drop my monitor. However, if it had some protection on the screen maybe it would have held up better. A plastic cover over it or a case around it, like a screen I’ve seen from Toshiba might have helped.

Before I dropped it, putting the screen in my bag uncovered made me nervous. I had no problems since I put it in my bag so that the screen side of the AOC faced my laptop giving it some protection. I’m careful not to put anything with sharp points in that pocket. I still wish it had a cover to protect the screen.

AOC curved the back of the display to give it a sturdy form factor so it won’t bend easily. Its thicker than my laptops. I feels like it’s probably hollow inside the curved back, which give it strength and holds the leg that props the display.

The leg flips out on the back of the display and recesses into the back so that it won’t snag as you pull it out of your bag. It flips out to prop the monitor and the leg rotates so it can hold the display in either portrait or landscape mode. The leg connects to a round disc recessed into the back of the display. It doesn’t rotate easily, a good thing while you use the display but a pain when you’re trying to turn it to move between portrait and landscape mode. You have to use some force to turn it.

AOC provided a USB cable with a mini connector on one side, which you plug in to the display unit. The other end offers full-sized dual USB connectors so you can plug it into a computer. I only need to plug in one USB connector since my MacBook provides enough juice to power the display. The secondary connector plugs into machines that don’t have enough power using one connector. If you’re laptop can’t power it using one connector and only offers one USB port per side, you’ll need an extension cable to make it work.

I hate where the mini-USB connector plugs into the back of the AOC. You flip out the leg and it plugs into the back where the leg would be when it’s not flipped out to support the monitor. I struggled to connect it in this awkward place because of the lack of space in that recessed location. I wish it connected along one of the edges that not resting on the table in either portrait or landscape mode.

To get the e1649Fwu to work in portrait mode on a Mac running Lion you need an updated driver

One thing to remember. Since your computer powers the monitor it drains the battery faster. This morning my MacBook Air drained from 100% to 40% in half the time it normally takes.

Setup

You will need driver software to run the display on most machines. Be sure to download the latest driver from DisplayLink, which makes the software. The drivers that came with the monitor don’t work properly on the latest build of Mac OS X 10.7.3 Lion or Windows 8.

In OS X 10.7, the display won’t rotate into portrait mode properly with the included drivers. For users of Windows 7 the included drivers work fine, but I’m running Windows 8 now so I had to get the update.

Once you install the alpha drivers from DisplayLink, you can plug the display into your computer and it should immediately connect in any environment. Windows handles screen rotation well. Just open the display properties in the computer’s Device Manager. To access the rotation setting in OS X Lion, hold down the COMMAND+OPTION key. Click on System Preferences and Displays while still holding the keys down. You’ll see the Rotation drop down box. Rotate 270 degrees to make it work.

Without the updated drivers, you’re Mac will show a Blue screen and the e1649Fwu display will be black. You get higher quality text with the updated drivers too.

Value and Recommendation

Despite the weaknesses, its nice to have a second display connected on the road. At only $150 you can’t expect too much. I really like the added screen space, so I willingly compromised on the display quality issues and the awkward USB connector. It’s good enough to keep your Twitter client and a chat client live as you work. You can watch a video podcast or keep your music player open and viewable. The wide-screen format makes it great for keeping a couple small windows open. I put my Bible software on it as I write my sermons.

The lack of screen protection worries me. I’m really interested to compare this portable USB monitor to the one I saw from Toshiba with 14-inch USB Mobile LCD Monitor with Matte Finish. It costs a little more but seems to solve a couple of the problems that I discovered with the AOC. It has a matte finish, which won’t reflect as much in bright light. It places the USB connector along the side and comes with a case to protect it. It’s also thinner.

If you can get one for close to the $100 price (Amazon has it for $114) and don’t mind the weaknesses, then I recommend you give it a try if your retailer has a good return policy. Otherwise take a look at the Toshiba mentioned previously. I hope to get one of those in for testing soon.

16″ AOC e1649Fwu Portable USB Monitor Review: Light and Cheap 2nd Screen is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

I installed Windows 8 Consumer Preview today and tested it out on my MacBook Pro via Parallels. If you own Parallels you can easily do the same by creating a new machine in the Parallels wizard. It includes the Windows 8 Consumer Preview as one of the optional operating systems.

After using the consumer preview of Microsoft’s new operating system, I decided that it really needs some work before I’d willingly upgrade. Based on how things went last time around with the public betas of Windows 7, I’m not going to hold my breath. We likely won’t see much change in the final version coming later this year.

With hope, I offer 8 things that Microsoft needs to fix in Windows 8.

Scrolling Vertically on a Mouse Wheel Moves the UI Horizontally

The new Metro UI scrolls horizontally. The more apps you load the longer it takes to get from the first to the last tile. If you use a trackpad on a notebook, then swipe horizontally and your screen moves to show apps to the right.

I hate trackpads so I plug in a mouse with a scroll wheel. It scrolls vertically. The Metro UI will scroll horizontally while I scroll my wheel vertically, but it feels wrong.

Accessing the Corner Popups

8 Things I Hate About Windows 8 is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The HP Pavilion dm4 Beats edition adds Beats Audio to the portable dm4 14-inch notebook frame, but that’s not all that sets this special edition apart from the average dm4.

HP packs in a flash hard drive for faster resume from sleep, a high-resolution matte display that is easy to use outdoors and a beautiful black finish.

Who is the Pavilion dm4 Beats Edition for?

The HP Pavilion dm4 Beats edition is a good fit for students and consumers looking for a portable stylish notebook. The high-resolution display is enormously helpful in comparing several documents or working in multiple windows at the same time, and thanks to the matte finish it is perfect for working from the park. Users listening for better sound form a notebook will enjoy Beats Audio paired with a decent pair of headphones.

Design

The dm4 Beats edition has a striking black and red design looks great, and the notebook is slim enough to go to class or to the cafe without a second thought.

The black metal lid adds to the overall durability of the notebook, but it attracts fingerprints and smudges quite easily. The big red Beats Logo dominates the lid so everyone around knows your computer has Beats Audio.

The notebook exhibits little flex around the corners and on the display, thanks to the metal lid. There is some flex on the middle of the notebook and in the keyboard, but overall the dm4 Beats edition feels sturdy.

Keyboard and Touchpad

For everything HP got right, the keyboard isn’t on the list. The keyboard is incredibly mushy, especially on the left side of the notebook. Combine this with flat keys and we have the makings for many typos.

The dm4 keyboard does offer good key spacing and placement, though the split arrow keys cause some errant cursor movement. The keyboard has red backlighting that looks great and makes it easier to work in low light conditions.

The touchpad on the dm4 Beats Edition is surprisingly good. I experienced no palm movement while typing long documents like this review. Users who prefer external mice will appreciate the ability to turn off the touchpad with a double tap in the upper left.

The touchpad was accurate and the smooth finish provides an excellent mousing surface. Two finger scrolling  was smooth even in troublesome text boxes.  I wish every Windows notebook mousepad was this good.

Display

The HP Pavilion dm4 Beats edition uses a 1600 x 900 resolution 14-inch display with a matte finish that is amazing.

It’s tough to find a high-resolution display on a 14-inch consumer notebook, let alone one with a matte finish and a $800 price.

The 1600 x 900 resolution display is perfect for working on two documents side by side or surfing the web, controlling music and chatting without switching between windows.

Thanks to the matte display the dm4 Beats Edition is easy to use outdoors, even in the bright sun. I wrote this review on my patio in direct sunlight. I would prefer a slightly brighter display but the display was easy enough to see in the sun.

Features

Beats Audio – Beats Audio delivers higher quality notebook audio with 2 speakers and a subwoofer, and shines with headphones.

HP Launch Box – HP bundles a number of commonly used apps into a single Windows 7 Taskbar shortcut box.

HP SimplePass – Easily log into websites with a swipe of a finger or fast switch between different users.

HD Webcam – The TrueVision webcam delivers better than average images for Skype and Google Hangouts.

HP Premier Experience – Like the Lenovo Enhanced Experience, the HP Premier Experience includes a number of user experience improvements, highlighted in the video below.

Performance and Graphics

HP didn’t skimp on the Beats edition of the dm4, which ships with a 2.5GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 6GB RAM and a spacious tk hard drive that gets a boost in speed thanks to a small flash cache. This makes the notebook resume from sleep faster and provides other speed enhancements without the need for a small and expensive flash drive.

When it comes to working in multiple apps and listening to music or watching streaming video from Netflix or Hulu there was no slowing down.

The Integrated Intel graphics and 2.5GHz processor deliver enough power to use apps like Photoshop Elements and do light movie editing before sharing clips on YouTube.

The notebook uses integrated graphics, which limits the gaming potential, but doesn’t rule out gaming on the go. I wouldn’t suggest playing the latest Call of Duty games, but casual flash games and games like Portal 2 are perfectly suited for the dm4 Beats Edition.

Audio

The Beats Audio sounds good on the dm4′s speakers, but the audio really sparkles when paired with a good pair of headphones.

Listening to a bit of everything from Van Halen’s Hot for Teacher and Foster the People’s Pumped Up Kicks to Bruno Mars’ Lighters and a bit of Frank Sinatra was a delight with Beats Audio and my Nox Audio Scout headphones.

No matter which genre I’m listening to I was impressed with the clear audio. From the crisp sound of drums on Hot for Teacher to the floating piano and bass of Lighters it was clear that Beats Audio delivers a better audio experience than the average notebook and most gadgets for that matter.

Even with the volume at 60% music was loud enough to drown out any surrounding noises and deliver a great listening experience.

HP explains Beats Audio in the video below:

I’m not going to pretend to be an audiophile, but I love it when music sounds good and that’s an area where the dm4 Beats edition delivers.

Battery Life

I tested the HP Pavilion dm4 beats edition with the Laptop Magazine battery test, which simulates web browsing with the screen set at 40% and the notebook lasted 5 hours and 52 minutes.

Even under a full load, with the screen at full brightness, multiple Chrome Windows open and music at full blast the Pavilion dm4 lasted a respectable 4 hours. That’s great considering I paid no attention to activities that drain the battery.

The Bottom Line

The HP Pavilion dm4 Beats Edition delivers great sound and performance with an elegant design.

Despite the keyboard issues and integrated graphics performance the HP Pavilion dm4 Beats edition offers a lot of value.

The HP software extras and great price combine to offer a wonderful package.

Gallery

Specs

HP Pavilion dm4 Beats Edition Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The moshi iGlaze hardshell MacBook Air cover is my new favorite MacBook Air case.

While moshi isn’t a household name, the iGlaze is a great case and the company makes many cases for Apple and other notebooks.

The moshi iGlaze hardshell MacBook Air cover looks really nice, adds almost no weight or thickness and protects the soft aluminum that Apple uses to encase their computers. You’re less likely to get dings and scratches with one of these elegant cases covering your MacBook Air.

While you’re using your MacBook Air you’ll hardly notice the moshi iGlaze. That’s likely the biggest compliment I’ll ever give a case that stays on your computer while you use it. You want it to disappear so you can enjoy computing on the Air.

I use a similar style of case on my MacBook Pro. I liked the Speck SeeThru shell case, but I now wish moshi made one for my MacBook Pro also.  I’d gladly switch. The moshi case looks and feels better than Speck’s case because it elegantly disappears for the user.

I experienced one issue with Speck’s case. The sharp front edge irritated my wrists as I typed on my MacBook Pro. I don’t experience this on the moshi iGlaze case.

There’s good news for those who buy the latest MacBook Pro when Apple launches it, most likely sometime soon. That won’t help those of us with older MacBooks if Apple changes the case design like we expect them to.

The case fits snugly and covers all the corners, the top and the bottom. The cutouts give you access to all the ports and the back includes an opening so your computer’s vent stays unobstructed.

The cover allows the Apple logo to shine through while your computer’s powered on thanks to the translucent material. You can also get a clear, white or black case all three of which lets the Apple logo shine through.

The bottom covers the rubber feet on your Air with rubber disks so you still get the non-skid feet.

I really like the moshi iGlaze. It’s not intended as a rugged protective case so don’t drop your MacBook Air assuming its protected. It keeps your computer safe from scratches and light dings. If you carry your computer around the office or throw it in a bag for transport most of the time, then you don’t need much more protection that the iGlaze offers.

They offer the three colors mentioned above for both the 11 and 13 inch MacBook Air. The 11″ iGlaze case costs $55 and the 13″ costs $60 directly from Moshi.

moshi iGlaze MacBook Air Hardshell Case Review: My New Favorite is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

Beginning May 20, students going back to school can get a steal on an Xbox 360 when they buy a qualifying Windows PC for $699 or more. I say a steal because, you’ll feel like your stealing since the 4GB Xbox 360 is free.

That’s right! Get a free Xbox 360 with a band new PC for back-to-school.

Microsoft offered his promotion last year and it they will repeat the offer this year. In the United States you must buy a $699 PC, while in Canada you’ll get a free Xbox with a $599 Windows PC.

Outlets offering the deal in the United States include the following:

• Best Buy
• Dell
• Fry’s Electronics
• HP
• Microsoft Stores
• NewEgg

Canadian buyers can shop at:

• Best Buy
• Dell
• Future Shop
• Staples
• The Source

Many students will either start or return to college this summer and fall. A new notebook and an Xbox 360 will come in handy.

Use the computer for all those papers and projects. Get on the Xbox to play some games or use one of the many video apps, like Netflix or Hulu to watch TV and movies over the campus network. You can hook them up and play movies, videos, music and slide shows streamed from your computer. Maybe your dorm room will serve as the hub of fun and entertainment on your floor.

You’ll have to wait tilt he 20th to see which computers qualify for the deal at the various sites. The HP Envy Sleekbook 4t-1000 might offer a great option at $699.99 from HP directly. Its one of those new and thin 14″ models that offers some decent specs in a smaller form factor. Since you have the Xbox for gaming, you don’t necessarily need a powerhouse machine to carry to class and work on the papers you’ll write in the library.

The Toshiba Portege Ultrabook also might quality at $799.99 over at Best Buy. It offers a 13.3 display along with a 128GB SSD. it should provide enough battery life to get through your day and enough power for your basic student activities.

If you’re not satisfied with just Xbox gaming, then Dell’s Alienware M14x Gaming Laptop might show up on the list at nearly $1100. They build these for power with Core i5 or i7 processors at least 6GB of RAM. You also get at least 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with Optimus graphics powering a 14″ display. If you’re wiling to pay extra you can get 1600×900 resolution display. Dell recently refreshed the processor on these to offer the latest greatest.

You’ll find plenty of options at the above retailers, so check with them Sunday to see what you can get. For further details see the Windows Team Blog.

Students Get a Free Xbox 360 with $699 Notebook Purchase is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The OS X System Preferences app shows all of your useful tools to configure your Mac the way you want, but it also has some that I will never use. That’s why I got excited when I learned your can hide the unused preference apps quite easily. Let me show you how.

Open System Preferences using either your Dock icon or from the Apple Menu in the upper left corner.

Once it’s open, click on the View menu and then on Customize.

All your preferences will now show a check mark next to it.

Uncheck the ones you want to hide.

Why would anyone hide any of these System Preferences?

I got rid of the MobileMe icon because I already migrated to iCloud. I don’t need it any longer. I also removed the Startup Disk icon because I don’t plan to change my startup disk on my MacBook. Since my kids don’t use my Mac I got rid of the Parental Controls icons. You might want to remove the Trackpad icon if you use a desktop without one or the Mouse icon if you only use a Trackpad on your MacBook. Maybe you don’t need the Universal Access tool or never change Spotlight settings.

When you’re finished nuking the unneeded icons, click Done at the top of the window and close it.

Let’s say you discover that you need to get one of these hidden icons back. You can either turn them all back on by clicking on the View menu and choosing Customize again and recheck the hidden icons. This makes them come back.

What if you only need that System Preference app once but don’t want to restore it all the time. You can click on Show All and hold down your mouse or trackpad button until the list of System Preferences Apps shows up listing even the hidden apps. Find the one you need and open it from that menu.

How to Hide Unused System Preferences in OS X is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

WaterField Designs came out with a new Apple MacBook Air case called CitySlicker. This urban MacBook Air case offers a nice custom distressed leather flap in one of four colors that covers the top of their signature ballistic nylon fabric.

The case doesn’t just look nice, with that old-world frontier look, it protects the MacBook Air with three layers. High-grade neoprene and padded inner linings combine with an added impact-resistant plastic covered by the nylon outer layer to keep the MacBook Air’s soft aluminum safe in transport.

The flap covers a four accessory pockets. The pockets house things like pens, an iPhone or Android smartphone, your magic mouse or cables. They’re made of a stretchy mesh material. A back pocket with the same stretchy mess has a locking zipper that lets you store thin items or objects like papers thin books or a magazine or two.

Like most of WaterField Designs cases, you can get just the case and carry it around under your arm. You can also add the rings and include your own shoulder strap or pick from their two different straps. You can also add a handle to the mix to carry it like a briefcase.

The bag comes in one of four colors – black, chocolate, grizzly or camel. The cost of the cases and options are as follows:

• 11″ MacBook Air Case alone $129 and with handle $139
• 13″ MacBook Air Case alone $139 and with handle $149
• Add D-Rings for straps for $5
• With D-Rings and the simple strap add $12
• For the D-Rings and the padded Suspension Should Strap add $22

If you order now, you will get one starting May 28, 2012. This company makes great cases, so the CitySlicker likely won’t disappoint you.

WaterField Designs CitySlicker Case for Protects MacBook Air With Distressed Leather is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

It’s hard to find the perfect bag or backpack, but even harder to find a bag that adjusts to carry a different set of gadgets and gear every day.

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag can do just that, slimming down when I need to carry just a notebook, and expanding when I need to carry two notebooks, two tablets and a DSLR.

For the past 6 months I’ve abused the Tom Bihn Brain Bag from Detroit to Denver and through a long week in Vegas covering CES 2012.

I’m impressed with the versatility and the durability of the Brain Bag. Because I can grow and shrink the bag to fit my needs for that day it is my go-to bag.

Tom Bihn Brain Bag

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag has room for 2 Brain Cell notebook cases. These light, but durable cases lock into the compartment to offer a higher level of protection that can easily be removed to double as a stand alone bag.

Tom Bihn sent over one Vertical Brain Cell with the Brain Bag, and it is a perfectly sized for the MacBook Air. Larger sizes are available for almost any notebook. The Vertical Brain Cell is $60.

Brain Cell inside Tom Bihn Brain Bag.

I like that this is a separate part of the bag, and that it provides protection on the base of the bag, a place where many bags skimp.

I often kept my MacBook Air in this spot, and in a pinch kept my iPad in between this and the remaining room.

Tom Bihn Freudian Slip

The next large section can hold a Brain Cell, but I used the Fredian Slip here to keep odds and ends and paper. The large pockets on the back of the Fruedian Slip proved perfect for any size tablet or a thin notebook like the Toshiba Portege z835.

When carrying two notebooks I keep one in this section behind the slip. I also keep adapters and a portable hard drive in the elastic sections at the base of the removable organizer. I used the Snake Charmer to carry my cables to CES and eventually to hold my iPhone 4S camera rig when not in use.

Tom Bihn Snake Charmer

When I arrived at CES I removed the Freudian Slip and the Snake Charmer to lighten the load without the need to do any real unpacking.

When I was in Detroit to check out how Ford is using technology to make awesome cars I had to have my notebook, iPad and a camera on hand, and the front section of the bag proved large enough to hold my Nikon D5100 DSLR without bulging.

A portion of what I carry in the Tom Bihn Brain Bag.

I really like the ability to use the four straps on the sides of the bag to tighten up the bag when I am only carrying a notebook, or let them out when I have a lot of gadgets in the bag. This versatility allows me to pack heavy for a trip and go slim when I arrive.

In addition to the two main compartments, the Tom Bihn Brain Bag includes a large top pocket that is perfect for iPhone battery cases or a MiFi. On each side there is a pocket large enough for a water bottle complete with interior pockets for pens and papers. There is a mesh pocket on the outside of the left pocket as well.

The Tom Bihn Brain Bag has plenty of pockets.

In between the pockets is a hook and latch system that can hold a water bottle, thermos or an umbrella.

The bag is water-resistant and has a water-repellent finish to keep rain and snow from damaging your gadgets and documents. The overall build of the bag is great with little wear noticeable after six months of use.

The bag is comfortable to wear even when loaded up with multiple laptops and tablets and includes a removable chest strap.

I highly recommend the Tom Bihn Brain Bag and accessories to travelers that need a durable, versatile bag. The Brain Bag is well worth the $150 price, especially considering the ability to do the job of more than one bag.

Buy the Tom Bihn Brain Bag at Tom Bihn for $150.

Tom Bihn Brain Bag Gallery

Tom Bihn Brain Bag Review is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

AMD’s second-generation APU called Trinity, is the company’s new take on low-power high-performance processors.

Trinity will make its first appearance in the HP SleekBook and other sleek and slim notebooks.

You won’t find the AMD Trinity APU inside an Ultrabook, as that trademark is owned by Intel, but sleek & slim notebooks are starting to look a lot like Ultrabooks.

The graphics power of the new AMD Trinity APU is one of its biggest draws, but we’ve yet to see it go head-to-head with the new third-generation Intel Core i family of processors that are rolling out a new notebooks.

AMD is toting the battery capacity of notebooks with the new AMD Trinity second generation APU, with low power draws. AMD hopes that the AllDay battery life claim holds true when the first notebooks arrive with Trinity. AMD claims that Trinity will deliver better battery life to users for gaming web browsing and even when Windows is idle.

Consumers will love the new AMD Quick Stream technology that prioritizes video streaming over other activities to prevent start-stop-start-stop viewing that can occur.

The new AMD Trinity systems will be capable of AMD Eyefinity, which delivers an immersive gaming experience across three monitors. It is not clear if this will be available on all systems.

The first AMD Trinity powered systems will arrive this summer, but many more will arrive later this year alongside Windows 8. AMD says that the Trinity platform has an advantage thanks to hardware acceleration for the Windows 8 Metro UI and Metro style apps.

The AMD Trinity processor will allow manufacturers like HP, Samsung and others to offer lower priced thin and light systems. The HP Sleekbook with an AMD Trinity processor offers an Ultrabook-esque experience at $599. The 14-inch HP SleekBook with an Intel Core i 3rd generation processor is $100 more.

Look for these new notebooks and AMD powered systems later this year.

AMD Trinity A-Series APU Boasts Power and Battery Life is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon takes the design of the ThinkPad X1, which we loved, and bumps the screen up to a mainstream 14-inch. The X1 Carbon might possibly be the best business notebook we’ve seen so far as it addresses many of the tradeoffs users must typically make when trading in a typical business notebook.

The ThinkPad X1 should be standard issue in corporate America. No, the X1 won’t fit everybody’s needs, but it will make everyone from road warriors to conference room jockeys very happy. The 14″ display means there’s not much to give up when downsizing from a bulkier business notebook such as the ThinkPad T400.

The ThinkPad Carbon X1 has several creature comforts baked in that make it more user friendly, without giving up its ThinkPad pedigree.

Read: ThinkPad X1 Review

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon has about the same footprint as the original ThinkPad X1, which has a 13.3″ display. One thing we really like is that the new X1 Carbon has an anti-glare display like the rest of the ThinkPad lineup. The display has a resolution of 1600×900 pixels, which means users can edit two documents side by side. A 720p webcam that tracks the user is at the top of the display. The keyboard is backlit, making it easier to use in the dark.

We got to take an early look at the ThinkPad X1 Carbon at a Lenovo event in San Francisco last week. Weighing in at almost exactly three pounds, the ThinkPad Carbon X1 feels even lighter than it looks. Part of the reason for that is that Lenovo built its internal rollcage out of Carbon, hence the product’s name.

The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon includes the new 3rd Generation Intel Core family of processors with better power management and enhanced integrated Intel graphics. Lenovo hasn’t provided official battery life numbers yet, but company representatives said it will last longer than the original X1 on a single charge. That’s important considering users can’t slap an extended battery on this notebook as they can with most ThinkPads. One very nice feature is that the X1 Carbon’s battery can go from zero to 80% in just 30 minutes. That means all you need to do is plug in during a coffe break at a cafe or while waiting for your connecting flight and you’re good to go.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon isn’t as thin as the MacBook Air or consumer UltraBooks, but it is a world apart from what most business people lug around.

The left side of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a single USB 2.0 port and wireless on/off switch. Towards the rear of the left side is the power adapter port. It is rectangular in shape since the notebook is too thin to accomodate the standard ThinkPad power adapter, which features a round connector.

The right side of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a Kensignton lock slot, USB 3.0 port, DisplayPort, audio jack and SD card reader.

The rear of the notebook has a SIM slot for 3G and 4G connectivity. Lenovo and its partners will offer users the option of paying per session, which means users won’t have to sign up for long contracts. This is a very nice feature since most people don’t have an ongoing need and bosses aren’t too keen on approving such contracts for people that only travel occasionally.

ThinkPad X1 Carbon: 14 inch Ultrabook for Business is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.