When I first saw the Folio I remarked that it fits right in with HP’s ProBook line, just thinner. That’s exactly the impression I have now, all the more impressive given some of the other ultrabooks I’ve seen lately.

The thin profile and light weight are wonderful for someone as mobile as I am, but unlike other ultrabooks I don’t feel like the Folio is out to impress me just with how thin it is. There’s no taper to a razor thin edge, just a curve that makes the notebook comfortable to carry. The Folio isn’t afraid to be the thickness it is from front to back, and the reward for consumers is a full range of ports.

You get 2 USB ports (2.0 and 3.0), an SD card slot, HDMI, Ethernet, and a combo headphone/mic. I’d like to see ultrabooks at least try for a third USB port, but otherwise this is acceptable.

So far I’m impressed with the performance, though I haven’t heavily taxed the system yet. In editing the pictures for this post the Folio took a noticeable second to crop or resize, but not enough of a lag that I got impatient.

The glossy display offers pretty rich colors, but only within a specific rage. Lighter colors looked blown out at more acute angles. I have to push the display back as far as it will go to get the depth I expect. And, of course, the glossiness can be an issue.

The keyboard is decent, though I am less and less willing to give flat keys a pass the more I use them. The keys have a faint matte coating that helps with accuracy but feels odd as my nails make contact.

The wide clickpad is this ultrabook’s Achilles heel. It does all right when doing basic mouse stuff, but as soon as you bring a second finger in — say when you want to click and drag or just rest the finger on the left mouse button area — the touchpad gets all confused and jumpy. Two-finger scrolling is satisfactory so far, but other multi-touch gestures aren’t smooth at all.

I know I’ll be calling on my friend the external mouse to get through this review.

Check out the gallery below for new pics. I’ll have the review up soon. In the meantime, what do you want to know about the HP Folio?

HP Folio Review: First Impressions of the First Business Ultrabook is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

Not content to rest on their laurels, Lenovo’s engineers looked at the X1 and thought: “This could be a little more sonic.” They set out to make the X1 more versatile and to up its battery life (the notebook’s one weakness), and the result is the ThinkPad X1 Hybrid.

The hybrid aspect does not represent better mileage, but a notebook that has a dual personality. The Windows operating system shares the chassis with something the company has dubbed Instant Media Mode (IMM), which runs off of a separate processor and has a separate Linux-based operating system.

If this sounds familiar, it is reminiscent of the dual-boot experiements of the past that involved an unholy union between Android and Windows or even notebooks with an instant-on environment that boots quickly and allows basic access to the web, email, etc. The X1 Hybrid is different to those in that users can switch back and forth between Windows and IMM at will, no having to reboot to get back to the energy-saving OS.

As mentioned, the IMM is Linux-based, though once I started to play around with the OS it became clear that it’s heavily based on Android. A look at the now-familiar launcher is the first clue. Lenovo even says that when in Instant Media Mode “the laptop operates much like a smart phone, remaining turned on and requiring fewer charging sessions.”

Lenovo X1 Hybrid Video Tour

IMM runs on a dual-core 1.2-GHz Qualcomm 8060 processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, so it’s about as powerful as a Honeycomb tablet. There are apps for media, web, and working on documents. When I saw an early version there wasn’t any communication between the two operating systems similar to the U1 Hybrid tablet (that broke my heart by never coming to America…), which shared some files and browser sessions.

In this mode, Lenovo claims that the X1 Hybrid will get 10 hours of battery life. That’s quite a feat for a 13.3-inch laptop.

This ThinkPad will come with a variety of configuration options that emphasize power and business acumen: Second generation Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors, quadruple the graphics capabilities of previous 13-inchers, choice of hard drive, combo hard drive/SSD, or just SSD for storage, USB 3.0, an HD webcam, Rapid Charge, WiDi, a backlit, spill-resistant keyboard and more.

Measuring 13.3 x 9.1 x 0.84 inches and weighing 3.73 pounds, the X1 Hybrid remains light and slim. The extra slice battery will be available on this model.

The company is not only aiming the notebook at the SMB crowd, but also larger corporations (with some features IT managers will appreciate like hard drive encryption and remote management), and even consumers looking for a durable notebook that isn’t too hard on the eyes.

Lenovo X1 Hybrid: Behind the Design

The ThinkPad X1 Hybrid will be available in the second quarter and pricing starts at $1,599. It’s steep, yes, but this is the flagship ThinkPad, so it’s not surprising. We’ll have a chance to go hands-on with the X1 Hybrid at CES next week, so keep an eye on the blog for more pictures and video.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Hybrid Combines Two Operating Systems in One Notebook is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

Maybe your laptop is too heavy to carry around or too slow to deal with a huge novel file or all the tabs you keep open in Firefox. Is that netbook screen proving too tiny for comfortable editing? That keyboard too shitty for words?

I feel your pain. Trying to find the right computer for writing has consumed much of my writing life. Ever since I started reviewing laptops I’ve become aware of the vast choices available and been exposed to some of the best and most heinous machines in existence.

There is a good laptop for every need. Below are some of my recent favorites. If you don’t see one that fits your needs, let me know what you’re looking for in the comments. You should also check out our Notebook Gift Guide for more favorites.

Ultraportables

These very thin and light laptops fall into two basic categories: affordable ultraportables that don’t cost much and make good companion laptops and traditional ultraportables that are powerful enough to be your only computer and have hefty price tags.

Having a laptop dedicated to just writing is nice, and for that I look to the affordable models. However, if you need a new notebook and have the budget, why not go for one you can carry around everywhere on top of everything else?

HP Pavilion dm1

My top affordable ultraportable right now is the dm1. It has an AMD Fusion processor inside, which means that it performs better than a netbook but won’t be happy with too many heavy duty tasks.

The 11.6 inch display is big enough to fit a good amount of text on screen so both writing and editing will be comfortable. It weighs 3.3 pounds, which is just light enough to carry around all day if you pack light. It’ll last you that long as well.

One nice bonus is the inclusion of Beats Audio, so when you fire up the playlist your music will sound rich, full, and motivating.

Starts at $399 at HP.com.

Ultrabooks

Recently the Windows PC world has decided to join Apple in making super slim and light laptops called Ultrabooks. Right now we’re really liking the Toshiba Portege z835 and the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s. Both are very light and thin, weighing a little more or a little less than a netbook, depending on the configuration, but both bearing 13.3-inch displays.

The Portege has an ultra low voltage Intel Core i5 processor inside, which can handle mainstream tasks easily. If you do something very resource-intensive like edit videos or rock Photoshop for more than just cropping and minor adjustments, then you may be more comfortable with the IdeaPad and the Core i7 CPU inside. But for normal use, the Portege should be plenty of oomph.

Another hallmark of ultrabooks is long battery life. The Toshiba claims 9 hours, the Lenovo 8. We’re still testing them, but it’s been my experience that you can shave about 2 hours off the claimed battery life to calculate what you’d get under normal usage.

Both have comfortable keyboards, but the Portege has an extra that may appeal to those who don’t touch type: backlit keys.

The Toshiba Portege z835 is available for $799 at Best Buy, which is a good price for something this thin and speedy. The Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is hovering around $1,000 – $1,200 right now, but will likely come down as the holiday season gets in full swing.

Samsung Series 9

If a 13.3 inch screen is too big for you, check out this sleek little guy from Samsung. The 11.6-inch Series 9 comes with a Core i3 processor and either a 64GB or 128GB SSD. This ensures you’ll get speedy performance, though if you’re a heavy multitasker it may not be quite powerful enough for your needs.

The Series 9 is made from a strong metal called duralumin that is sturdy but light. The keyboard offers decent tactile feedback and the touchpad won’t get in your way. Due to the size you won’t get a lot of ports. You will get a nice 5 hours of battery life.

This sweet number costs quite a bit of money. However, it comes with a 3 year warranty out of the box, so it’ll be with you that long, at least. If you like the look but need more power, there’s a 13-inch version with better specs.

$1,049 and up at Samsung.com.

Business Notebooks

Don’t skip over this section just because you’re not a corporate type. So-called business laptops are often better for consumers than the stuff you’ll find on the shelf at Best Buy. They’re sturdy, have good keyboards and touchpads, come with a ton of ports, give you robust security options out of the box, and often have useful pre-loaded software.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1

If there’s one thing writers should know about Lenovo’s business laptops it’s that they have the best keyboards around. Even though it looks different from the Lenovo keyboards of old, the new style found on the ThinkPad X1 is just as easy and comfortable to type on as it is attractive. It offers strong tactile feedback, good travel, and just enough dip in the center to keep fingers on the right keys.

The X1 isn’t quite an ultraportable as it weighs 3.8 pounds. Not too heavy, but not super light. It’s also pretty thin, measuring just 0.8 inches thick.

Performance-wise, this is a workhorse machine that can handle Scrivener, MS Office, Firefox, iTunes, and way more without breaking a sweat. Well, not heavy duty games, but you’re here to write, not play WOW.

The only downside to this notebook is a short battery life: around 4 hours of real life usage. You can get an optional battery slice for $150 that will make it last twice as long. However, it adds weight and thickness.

Configurable at Lenovo.com, the ThinkPad X1 starts at $1,199.

HP Probook 5330m

HP has produced some really worthwhile business laptops lately. The ProBook 5330m looks pretty slick for a corporate type thanks to the brushed aluminum casing.

The backlit keyboard is really comfortable to type on and even has a trackpoint, so you can manipulate the mouse without having to move your hands from the keyboard. Inside you’ve got guts powerful enough for mainstream tasks and even some heavy duty stuff.

If you’re concerned about security, this laptop has some heavy-duty options for you. You can register your face for facial login, any of your fingers for one-swipe login, plus add a password. On top of that, you can set it so that not only do you need one or more of these logins, but also a registered Bluetooth device nearby, such as a phone.

It starts at $799 at HP.com.

Mainstream Notebook

Sony VAIO SE

This is another laptop that isn’t an ultraportable, but is designed with portability in mind. It has a 15-inch screen but doesn’t have a 15-inch bulk. For a laptop with this size screen it’s very thin and light, measuring just under an inch thick and weighing 4.4 pounds, making it reasonably mobile.

The screen is not only big, it also has a full HD resolution (1920 x 1080), so you can fit a lot of text on one screen or keep all the different little windows and panels in Scrivener open and still have enough room for your text. It’s also useful for looking at two different windows side by side.

The keyboard is comfortable, though doesn’t have the really strong tactile feedback of a Lenovo. Inside there’s a processor powerful to handle everything up to light video and photo editing and heavy multitasking.

Since it’s such a big system, it probably won’t last more than 5 hours on a charge. However, you can pick up a battery slice that covers and integrates with the bottom of the notebook. This adds some thickness and raises the entire notebook to 5.8 pounds. It’ll get you to 9 hours, though.

It starts at $999 at the Sony store.

MacBooks

You may have noticed a distinct lack of MacBook in any of the categories above. That’s because they deserve their own section.

Many writers swear by their MacBooks and say they can’t write without them. If you’re contemplating a new one or making the switch over from the PC, which should you pick?

MacBook Pro

Don’t be fooled by the “Pro” in the name. The 13-inch model is a pretty basic mainstream laptop at this point, though it is plenty powerful enough for most people.

Thanks to the aluminum casing it’s heavy enough that you will notice it if you carry it around a lot. But it’s not so heavy as to be prohibitive.

The flat keys are well-spaced but don’t dip enough for my tastes. Still, they have a snappy return. And the touchpad is one of the best I’ve ever used, hands-down.

If portability isn’t a concern and you just want a solid, powerful laptop, consider the 15-inch model. Again, because it’s all aluminum it’s going to be on the heavy side. But you’ll get a good keyboard, and nice big screen for editing and writing, and good performance for all your other tasks.

Starts at $1,199 at Apple.com.

MacBook Air

If portability is your main concern then you’re probably eying the MacBook Air. It is wonderfully thin and light and has the same good keyboard and excellent touchpad as the Pro line. You won’t get very many ports, but you will get most of the important ones.

The 11.6-inch model makes a good, but expensive, companion computer. It’s not going to deliver stunning performance, but it’s more powerful than a netbook or even an affordable ultraportable.

The 13.3-inch model is good enough to be a primary computer as it has a good processor and at least a 128GB SSD inside.

You’re going to pay for that power, though. It’s a Mac, so you knew that.

Starts at $999 at Apple.com.

These suggestions represent some of my favorite computers, but I’d love to hear what computers my fellow NaNoWriMo writers are using to get their daily wordcount. Tell us what you love or hate about your computer. What’s your ideal writing machine?

Looking for more tech suggestions for writers? Check out the NaNoWriMo tag over on GottaBeMobile.

NaNoWriMo: Best Notebooks For Writers is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

With every company and their mother getting into the ultrabook business, you’d think it would be hard for laptops to stand out. However, the HP Folio distinguishes itself in several ways.

To start, there are plenty of ports to be had: full size Ethernet, HDMI, SD card slot, and USB 3.0. Being an ultrabook, it’s not surprising to see a speedy 128GB SSD inside. The backlit keyboard is definitely a nice touch, especially on a system as thin as this.

One of the things that struck me about the Folio when I first saw it was how light it felt for something this size. The 3.3 pound weight is a bit above a few other 13-inch ultrabooks we’ve seen, but that’s still very light. Slip this in your briefcase and you’ll hardly feel it.

As I said, the Folio looks very much like HP’s ProBooks, just sleeker. The keyboard had a nice, springy feel and good tactile feedback. We’re faced again with an HP clickpad, but the company’s recent efforts have been decent at least and sometimes surprisingly good.

I didn’t get a chance to see the notebook in action, but given that customers will have a choice between Intel’s second gen Core i processors, you can make it as powerful or as power-saving as you choose.

The HP Folio will go on sale December 7th with prices starting at $899 — a sweet price for a laptop this thin and powerful. It’ll be interesting to see how it stacks up against the Toshiba Portege z830.

New HP Folio Enterprise Ultrabook Coming December 7th for $899 is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

The HP 3115m’s only processor option is the AMD Fusion E450 APU, which is the more powerful of the two offered for the dm1. Businesses will get a choice between a 320GB or 500GB hard drive or 128GB or 160GB solid state drive. 4GB of RAM comes standard, but the notebook can handle up to 8GB. In addition to Windows 7 Professional, the FreeDOS OS is available.

Otherwise, it has the same size, design, screen and port spread as the dm1. That’s a good thing, since the refreshed dm1 is a pretty sweet machine. HP also claims it’ll last 11.5 hours on a charge, which will get most people through the day and then some. Sounds like it would be a sweet laptop to give your mobile workers and road warriors.

HP 3115m Notebook is the Pavilion dm1 in Business Clothes is a post by K. T. Bradford from Notebooks.com.

These new processor options allow HP to deliver a low-cost notebook that delivers a very capable processor, GPU and many of the durability and security features that businesses require.

HP ProBook B Hands On Video

HP ProBook S and B Quick Specs

The new HP ProBook models biggest difference from the previously announced ProBook s and ProBook b business notebooks is the use of the new AMD Fusion A series processors. The various ProBook models will include options for dual core and Quad Core AMD Fusion A series processors to deliver a range of price and power combinations.

The HP ProBook B series will come with the option of a 2.1GHz Dual Core AMD A4 processor, a 1.6GHZ Quad Core A6 processor or the 1.8GHz Quad Core A8 AMD Fusion processor. The HP ProBook S series will have these same processor options as well as one more lower end option, the 1.9GHz Dual Core AMD A4 processor which is in line with the budget focus of the ProBook s series. All of these new AMD Llano A series processors feature the ability to Turbo up to 2.3GHz to 2.5GHz when you need extra speed to finish a demanding work task.

Along with the new processor comes a decently powerful AMD Radeon HD 6000 series GPU which should deliver better 3D Graphics and a top-notch multimedia experience. These integrated graphics beat out some discrete graphics solutions when it comes to power and performance.

HP ProBook S Hands On Video

HP ProBook S and ProBook B Models with AMD Fusion

• HP ProBook 4435s
• HP ProBook 4436s
• HP ProBook 4535s
• HP ProBook 6465b
• HP ProBook 6565b

HP ProBook S and ProBook B Features

The HP ProBook b series includes an array of usability and security features including HP Power Assistant to ensure longer battery life, SRS Premium Audio for better sound while presenting and the ability to dock so that you don’t need to plug and unplug all the time.

The HP ProBook s series include security minded features like a fingerprint reader and facial recognition as well as a speedy USB 3.0 port to allow for faster file transfers. The ProBook S series is a more affordable business notebook, but these notebooks do come with an anodized aluminum finish to prevent wear, which is especially important on machines that may be in the field for 3 to 5 years.

HP ProBook S and ProBook B Pricing and Availability

The HP ProBook b series starts at $679 and is expected to be available on June 27. The HP ProBook s series starts at $519, but no release date has been given.

HP ProBook S and ProBook B Gallery

HP ProBook S and B Business Notebooks Gain AMD A Series APU Options is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Smartphone and Tablet News for the week of May 13th

• Samsung Droid Charge Launches May 13th
  The Droid Charge will finally launch on May 14th. Saturday is an odd day to launch a phone, but it’s been confirmed by Verizon.
• Can the Verizon 4G Network Handle More Phones
  The 4G LTE network has experienced growing pains, is it ready for more devices?
• Verizon Answers 4G LTE Network, Device Questions…Sort Of…
  Chuong gets answers, about the ability of Verizon’s 4G network to handle more devices
• The cost of switching from Android to iPhone
  Kevin explores how much it costs to switch from Android to iPhone in part 3 of his switching series.
• Will an Amazon Tablet Succeed?
  Hugo Ortega explores what it will take for Amazon to bring a viable tablet to market.
• Netlfix Launches on Android
  Netflix lands on five Android devices. Find out if yours is one of the few supported devices.
• Google I/O 2011 Roundup
  All the big Android news from Google I/O
• Google’s ChromeBook Shakes Up the Status Quo with Offline Access
  Warner looks at what it means for Google to deliver offline access on the Chromebooks
• Motion Computing CL900 Tablet PC Goes on Sale
  The Motion Computing CL900 Tablet Pc is now available for purchase.
• Google Aims to Succeed Where Microsoft Has Failed
  Sumocate explores Google’s new strategy.
• The Best iPad and iPad 2 Apps [May 2011]
  Our top iPad and iPad 2 apps for gaming, productivity, photography, productivity and entertainment.
• Google Confirms New Nexus Device Is Coming
  A Nexus 3, or some yet to be determined name will grace the next Nexus device which was confirmed by Andy Rubin of Google.
• Google Confirms New Nexus Device Is Coming
  Photoshop lands on the iPad in the form of three apps – Adobe Eazel, Adobe Nav and Adobe Color Lava

New Notebook for the Week of May 13th

• HP EliteBook 2560p Combines Optical Drive and Small Form Factor (video)
  The new HP EliteBook 2560p brings an optical drive to the small 12.5″ form factor.
• HP EliteBook 2760p Tablet Announced
  HP adds Sandy Bridge processors to the Elitebook convertible tablet and keeps the 16:10 aspect ratio and 12.1″ display.
• HP ProBook 5330m Arrives with Consumer Features
  Hp’s new probook brings Beats Audio and other consumer features to enterprise users. Hands on Video.
• HP Mini 210 Gets Beats Audio and New Look
  Hands on Video of the new HP Mini 210 netbook with Beats audio and a slight design change.
• The HP Pavilion dv4 Gets Updated (Video)
  Hands on with the new HP Pavilion dv4 which will provide an option of Intel and AMD processors.
• HP Envy 14 Updated to Sandy Bridge and Gains a New Trackpad
  The popular HP Envy 14 gets Sandy Bridge Intel processors and a new trackpad with an image sensor, but no new high-res display.

Notebook News for the Week of May 13th

• Samsung and Acer Google Chromebooks Launch June 15th: Details, Specs & Pricing
  Google Chromebooks from Samsung and Acer are announced with a June release date. You can purchase outright or if you need 10 or more units, lease starting at $20 a month for schools and $28 a month for busineses.
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Arrives May 17th: Struts Thin & Rugged Design (video)
  Video of the ThinkPad X1 ultraportable arrives and shows off the rugged nature of this ultrathin notebook.
• Panasonic Announces Toughbook 53 w/ Sandy Bridge and Updates Toughbook 52 Rugged Notebooks
  Panasonic introduces a new business rugged notebook in the Toughbook line with Sandy Bridge processors.
• Dell Precision M4600 and M6600 Available For Sale With Speedy New Promo (Video)
  A look at what some customers can do with the powerful mobile workstations from Dell, which are now available for purchase.

Notebook, Tablet and Accessory Reviews for May 2011

• GBM InkShow: ARMOR X7 Rugged Tablet PC – “Tough Enough”
  Sumocat reviews the rougth and tumble ARMOR X7 Rugged Tablet in a GBM Inkshow. Watch it now. You know you want to!
• HP ProBook 6560b Review
  Check out this business class notebook from HP. Designed for the mobile professional this notebook doesn’t disappoint.
• Toshiba Satellite E305 Blue Label 3.0 Review
  The Toshiba Satellite E305 takes home an Eidtor’s Choice Award for overall value and performance. Definitely one of the hottest consumer notebooks of 2011.
• Antec soundscience rockus Speakers Offer Good Affordable Sound
  Kevin reviews a nice set of speakers that can go from your desk to the backyard and kick out enough sound to handle a outdoor movie this summer.
• Verbatim Tuff-N-Tiny USB Drive is Both Tuff and Tiny (Rugged USB Drive)
  Kevin reviews a small thumbdrive that can take a beating without losing your data.

Weekly Wrapup: Notebook, Tablet and Smartphone News (May 13th) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

The Dell Latitude E5420 is a 15.6″ business class notebook with a metal finish that is designed to handle the hazards of working in mobile business setting. The 13″ Dell Latitude E6320 has many of these same features, but is designed to meet tougher ruggedness ratings ( MilSpec810G) and has a smaller 13.3″ display. Essentially, the E5420 is designed with a desk user in mind and the E6320 is more optimized for a business traveler that needs a more rugged machine.

The Dell Latitude E6320 which we had limited time to play with is a fully spec’d system with a speedy SSD that booted quite quickly, noticeably faster than what our standard hard drive equipped E5420 could do, but if you want, you can opt for the SSD on either model.

The primary thing that stood out to us during this hands on comparison was that the Latitude E6320 has incredibly nice lines and design. We are fans of the slanted edges which are more pronounced on the E6320 as well as the slightly brown finish which warms up the device. The design is very similar to the E5420, is bolder on the smaller notebook. Another thing we noticed on the inside is that the E6320 has silver bevel and visible screws, whereas the E5420 we have in for review keeps the screws behind a black finish

Inside, the keyboards look and feel the same with a backlight option, though the E6320 has an orange accent running around the edge of the notebook.

While there are several differences, the Latitude E5420 and E6320 do have some things in common. Both notebooks use the same Latitude E Family docks, both can use the same battery, and both of these models offer easy access to the internals with a two screw cover. Additionally, the keyboards are the same, including backlighting, but there is an orange accent on the E6320.

Dell Latitude E5420 and Dell Latitude E6320 Gallery

Dell Latitude E6320 and Latitude E5420 Hands On is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Samsung Series 2, 4 and 6 Pricing and Availability:

The Samsung Series 2 and Series 4 business notebooks will be available in April and the Samsung Series 6 will be available in May 2011. There is currently no information about pricing on these models.

Samsung Series 2, 4 and 6 Features and Specs:

The new Samsung business notebooks use the new 2nd Generation Intel Core i family of processors with the latest integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics. Unlike previous integrated graphics options, the new integrated graphics are built into the CPU which allows for a much better user experience and greater capabilities without the need for a discrete graphics card. Select models will be available with NVIDIA graphics cards and Optimus technology to provide longer battery life with intelligent graphics switching.

The Series 2, 4 and 6 notebooks come in several sizes and use a 300-nit 16 million color display to provide a brighter display than you find on standard notebook displays.

• Samsung Series 2 – 12.5″
• Samsung Series 4 – 14″
• Samsung Series 6 – 15.6″

The notebooks have a full size keyboard which looks similar in design to what we have seen on ThinkPad notebooks. The new Samsung business notebooks can be configured with a Trackpoint pointer stick in addition to the mousepad.

The Samsung Series 2, 4 and 6 notebooks come with USB 3.0 support for quickly moving files and the Samsung Migration tool to make transferring files a snap.

These new business notebooks also have a built in 1.3MP webcam and array microphone for video conferencing.

Samsung Series 2, 4 and 6 Security:

The new Samsung notebooks have a variety of security features. The Series 4 and Series 6 notebooks have a built in fingerprint reader to keep your data locked away. Additionally, the Series 6 come with Intel vPro technology for enhanced security management.

Samsung Series 2, 4 and 6 Durability:

Each of these Samsung Series 2, Series 4 and Series 6 laptops come with a hard external casing and metal hinges which translate into increased durability. The Samsung Series 6 notebooks have a magnesium alloy construction for greater durability.

There are also anti-spill features such as sealed components to help prevent damage form a spill and a hard drive free fall sensor to lock the hard drive if a fall is detected.

Samsung Series 2, 4 and 6 Specs:

Series 2:

• Sizes Available: 12.5-inch, 14-inch,
• CPU:
  • Intel^® Celeron^TM Processor (12.5-inch)
  • Intel^® Core^TM i3 Processor (14-inch)

• Operating System: Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (32 or 64 bit)
• Memory: 2GB ~ 4 GB (expandable)
• Storage (max): 320GB
• Screen:
  • 12.5-inch HD LED-backlit display
  • 14.0-inch HD LED-backlit SuperBright display (300 nit)
• Resolution: 1366 x 768
• Graphics: Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics

Series 4:

• Sizes Available: 12.5-inch, 14-inch,
• CPU:
  • Intel^® Core^TM i3 ~ i7 Processor (3MB ~ 4MB) (12.5-inch)
  • Intel^® Core^TM i3 ~ i7 Processor (3MB ~ 6MB)
• Operating System:
  • Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (32 or 64 bit) (12.5-inch)
  • Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (32 or 64 bit) (14-inch)
• Memory: 2GB ~ 6GB (expandable)
• Storage (max): 320GB ~ 500GB 7200RPM
• Screen:
  • 12.5-inch HD LED-backlit display
  • 14.0-inch HD LED-backlit SuperBright display (300 nit)
• Resolution:
  • 1366 x 768
• Graphics:
  • Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics (12.5-inch)
  • Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics (14-inch)
• Battery: 6-cell; up to 7 hours
• Docking station connector

Series 6:

• Sizes Available: 14-inch, 15.6-inch
• CPU: Intel^® Core^TM i3 ~ i7 Processor (3MB ~ 6MB) (14- and 15.6-inch)
• Operating System:
  • Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (32 or 64 bit) (14-inch)
  • Genuine Windows® 7 Professional (32 or 64 bit) (15.6-inch)
• Memory:
  • 4GB ~ 8GB (14-inch) (expandable)
  • 4GB ~ 8GB (15.6-inch) (expandable)
• Storage (max):
  • 320GB ~ 500GB (7200 rpm sATA)
  • Optional 128GB ~ 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD)
• Screen:
  • 14.0-inch HD LED-backlit SuperBright display (300 nit)
  • 15.6-inch HD LED-backlit SuperBright display (300 nit)
• Resolution:
  • 1366 x 768, 1600 x 900
• Graphics:
  • Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics or nVIDIA NVS 4200M
• Battery: 6-cell; up to 7 hours
• Docking station connector

Samsung Introduces Series 2, 4 and 6 Business Notebooks: Details & Specs is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Dell Latitude E Family Specs:

The Dell Latitude E6520, E6420, E5520 and E5420 use the newest Intel 2nd Generation Core i processor options with new integrate HD 3000 graphics which deliver a better user experience than with previous integrated graphics solutions from Intel. The Latitude E6520 and E6420 can be configured with up to a Quad Core 2nd generation Core i processor. Each of these notebooks can handle up to 8GB of RAM and numerous hard drive and SSD options. The notebooks come with either a 15.6″ or 14″ antiglare display.

Dell Latitude E Family Durability:

The new Latitude line of business notebooks come with numerous improvements to the Latitude family. Most notable are the over 100 improvements made to make the notebooks more durable. Some of these durability enhancements include a solid metal frame, a screen seal to cushion the screen panel, tighter keycaps, wbetter LCD rigidity and a stronger base. Additionally, the hard drives on these units have freefall sensors to protect against damage from a fall.

Dell Latitude E Family Security:

All of these Dell Latitude notebooks come with security options including a fingerprint reader and the option to include a contactless smart card reader. They also use Dell Data Protection and ControlVault which can lock down USB ports.

Dell Latitude E Family Ports

In addition, the Latitude E notebooks also have a new magnesium finish, HDMI ports, 30% larger trackpads and a single access back for easy access by IT workers. There are also integrated antennas for WLAN (MIMO), WiMAX, WWAN, LTE to deliver maximum connectivity options.

Dell latitude E Family Sizes:

The Dell Latitude E5000 Series is a more budget friendly line of business notebooks. Click the model name for specs, images and video of each notebook.

• Dell Latitude E5420 – 14.1″
• Dell Latitude E5520 – 15.6″

The Dell Latitude E6000 Series is designed to handle more demanding tasks and environments. Click the model name for specs, images and video of each notebook.

• Dell Latitude E6420 – 14.1″
• Dell Latitude E6520 – 15.6″

All of these notebooks use the same Dock, AC adapter and internal bay modules which makes deploying them in a larger business much easier.

Dell Latitude E Series Pricing:

• Dell Latitude E5420 –  Starts at $1,193
• Dell Latitude E5520 – Starts at $1,203
• Dell Latitude E6420 –  Starts at $1,284
• Dell Latitude E6520 –  Starts at $1,334

You can see the entire Dell Latitude Family of notebooks at Dell.com and order them right now.

Dell Latitude E6520, E6420, E5520 and E5420 Available For Purchase is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.