It’s tough to deliver a thin and light notebook that doesn’t feel like it will snap apart in your hands.

In order to make the Toshiba Portege Z830 and Z835 strong and thin, Toshibput  considerable time and thought into the internal layout of the notebook, the build materials and even the layout of the motherboard and components.

The key to the strength of the Toshiba Portege X830 is a honeycomb structure which Toshiba showed off on the showfloor at CES in a transparent model of the company’s latest Ultrabook. While they didn’t let us take photos of the internals, the layout of the honeycomb pattern was impressive.

In order to stay thin without giving you a mushy keyboard, the honeycomb pattern extends underneath the keyboard, but not in a haphazard way. Toshiba tells us that engineers spent a good deal of time figuring out where to place components on the circuit board so that any raised components bumped up where the honeycomb holes were.

Toshiba wouldn’t allow us to take photos of this demonstration, but if you look at the exploded illustration of the an Ultrabook from Intel, you can get an idea of what goes in to an Ultrabook.

If you want to see the latest Ultrabooks from Intel, check out our Ultrabook coverage from CES 2012.

How Ultrabooks Stay Thin and Strong is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

At Computex 2011 Intel announced a new plan to help usher in a new class of thin ultraportable notebooks that cost less than $1,000. Intel is calling these new notebooks “Ultrabooks” and wants to move at least 40% of the consumer notebooks to this thin form factor by the end of 2012. The new Ultrabook notebooks will measure under .8 inches thick and will come to market under $1,000 starting with the ASUS UX21 ultraportable in September and followed by other designs from major manufacturers.

What is the Ultrabook?

Intel is banking on the Ultrabook to deliver an ultraportable notebook with Intel Core i processors that breaks below the $1,000 mark into mainstream notebook pricing. These notebooks will arrive with low power Core i series processors later this year, with greater availability predicted in 2012. Future Ultrabooks will use the next generation of Intel processors, code named “Ivy Bridge” which is expected to be formally shown off at CES 2012.

Ivy Bridge uses Tri-Gate transistor design will continue the push for better visuals and a focus on power efficiency which will allow for thin and light notebooks to make fewer compromises. We anticipate that Ultrabooks will have at least one USB 3.0 port or one Thunderbolt going forward.

Why is the UltraBook Important for PC Notebooks

If Intel can drive the design of these thin and affordable notebooks, Intel stands to profit from increased sales, but there are also a number of other winners like major manufacturers and consumers.

The vision behind these new notebooks is to deliver performance and portability in an affordable package, an important combination that has been difficult for PC notebooks to hit. The current crop of ultraportable notebooks, like the Samsung 9 Series for example, meet the thin factor, but fail on pricing. The high prices of ultraportable notebooks are one of the key factors keeping them out of the hands of consumers.

Consumers will win with cheaper notebooks that bring greater power and longer battery life in a smaller package. While there are no shortage of ultraportable notebooks, most users are still stuck with larger notebooks due to their lower prices. The Ultrabook has a long road ahead to reach 40% of the consumer notebook and laptop market, but given the trend towards thinner and lighter smartphones, notebooks and tablets we expect to see consumers drawn to Ultrabooks class notebooks as the platform matures and prices come even lower than $1,000.

The Future of the Notebook and Laptop

With a desire to make the Ultrabook cover 40% of the consumer market in just 18 months, Intel has a lot of work ahead. Given the longer PC upgrade times and lack of additional Ultrabook devices currently announced it will definitely be a challenge. We expect to see additional Ultrabook class devices for the holidays of 2011, but CES 2012 will be the real showcase for the Ultrabook, and the chance for this new class to emerge and be defined by manufacturers.

As we move out into 2013, Intel tells us to expect Ultrabooks powered by a processor code named “Haswell” which Intel says will be part of, “reinventing the capabilities of the laptop.” The Haswell processors will cut the power needed by processors to half of what today’s processors use, allowing for even thinner and lighter designs.

Intel Attempts to Define Computing Future with Thin “Ultraboooks” Starting under $1,000 is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

Canoe Lake, it sounds like a summer camp destination, but it’s the future of ultra-thin netbooks powered by Intel. We shared video of the crazy thin netbooks from NetbookNews earlier this week and now we have more details to share, including more specs and a price point.

This time Sascha from Netbooknews.com was able to take the reference design back to a hotel room and give it some more attention. He was able to find out what’s powering the Canoe Lake reference design netbook and shares what will be in your next netbook.

Specifically; an Intel Atom N550 dual core processor, 2GB RAM, a 120GB HDD and Windows 7 Ultimate. All shown off on a 10.1″ display with a resolution of 1366×768 in a case that is 14mm thin. Did we mention that the price tag will come in under $600!

Granted this device won’t come to market as is, but it is a pretty safe bet that some manufacturer will use this design as a starting point and build a smartphone thin dual core Intel Atom netbook.

I wholeheartedly agree with Sascha and the NetbookNews.com team when he says, “If you listen closely what you are hearing from us is a huge sigh of relief that there is once again innovation in the netbook market.”

Hat tip to NetbookNews for the excellent coverage of Computex!

World’s Thinnest Netbook w/ Dual Core Intel Atom Hands On (video) is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

2010 looks to be a year of reinvention for the netbook. At Computex in Taipei, Intel showed off several next generation netbooks that are crazy thin, offer a higher res screen and dual core atom processors. Best of all, Sascha from NetbookNews.com was there and got his hands on, “the thinnest laptop I’ve ever had in my hands!”

The new Canoe Lake platform from Intel will allow thee ultrathin devices, as thin as 14mm, to play 720P video and give consumers more power than they are used to in a netbook thanks to an Intel Atom N550 Dual Core processor.

Check out the video below of the Canoe Lake reference netbook. In this case the netbook reference is a demo unit created to show what manufacturers can do with the new technology, but sadly this is not yet for sale.

What we know so far is that the unit has a 10.1 1280 x 1024 screen, Intel Atom N550 Dual Core processor, a GMA 3150 GPU and supposedly a 1.8″ HDD not an SSD. If this video left you wanting more, be sure to check out the Intel Ultra-Thin Netbook Reference design that was also caught on tape by NetbookNews.com.

With the iPad giving netbooks a run for their money for simple web tasks netbooks need to differentiate themselves to continue earning a place in consumer backpacks. Even if these ultra-thin, powerful netbooks don’t replace iPads they may carve out a new use for many consumers. I know I want one to fill a computing gap between a heavy notebook and an iPad.

For a closer look at what has happened to netbooks since the iPad Launch, check out the graph below and the full iPad v. netbook study by Retrevo.

Crazy Thin Canoe Lake Intel Dual Core Netbooks on Video is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

If you’ve been lusting after the Dell Adamo; but can’t give up a few month’s rent for a super thin computer then perhaps you should look at the new Dell Vostro V13 a thin and light notebook from Dell’s Small Business line.

Gizmodo had some hands on time with the super thin V13 and despite its compromises, which err on the side of design instead of power, found it to be the notebook that Bruce Wayne would carry — that is assuming the Adamo is Batman’s laptop and Bruce sprung for the $600 version of the Vostro V13 that has Windows 7 and a ULV Core 2 Duo processor.

Even with its non removable 4 hour 42 minute battery and so-so starting specs the Dell Vostro V13 looks pretty and, for the price, will likely attract budget buyers who want a cheap portable notebook.

The Dell Vostro V13 is available in the Dell Small Business store. It starts at $450 with a Celeron processor and Ubuntu and can be upgraded to a ULV Core 2 Duo processor for better performance and Windows 7 for $650.

Detailed Dell Vostro V13 specs

Dell Vostro V13:Thin as the Adamo, Fraction of the Cost is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

That’s right, the world’s thinnest notebook that Xavier checked out on video the other day is now available through Dell for $1,799. Though it’ll take some time to ship; I just tried adding one to the cart and the preliminary ship date is listed as 12/24/09, which is more than a month from now. Maybe they are really building these things as you order them… who knows. You can’t customize any of the hardware of the Adamo, but I would say this is understandable considering that they probably have to custom work many of the pieces to get it to fit inside this iPhone thin laptop. Full specs below the image and a shot showing the incredibly thin Adamo after the specs.

via jkOnTheRun

• 128GB Solid State Drive
• Intel® Coreâ„¢ SU9400 (1.4GHz/800MHz FSB/3M L2 Cache)
• 13.4″ WLED HD (720P) LCD Panel with 2.0MP Camera
• 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 800MHz
• Intel® GS45 Integrated Graphics with DVI Video Adapter Cable
• Intel® 5300 WLAN 802.11n (3×3) Mini Card
• 20WHr Primary Battery
• High Definition Audio 2.0
• Dell Wireless 370 Bluetooth Module (2.1 + EDR)
• Ethernet Network USB adapter

Dell Adamo XPS Now Selling for $1,799 is a post by Ben from Notebooks.com.

Dell’s Adamo XPS design concept is seriously thin. So thin in fact that it makes the MacBook Air and other ultra-thin notebooks look fat. I got to spend some time with the Adamo XPS last week and was amazed by it. The Dell Adamo XPS measures just 9.99mm (.39 inch) thick, which is about half as thin as the MacBook Air, which measures 17.4mm (.76 inch) at its thickest point. It is about 25% thinner than the iPhone 3GS. Did I mention it’s thin?

Dell launched a teaser page on its site today that allows interested parties to sign up for updates. Unfortunatley, there’s very little information in the way of specifications or information on the page.

The Dell Adamo XPS is an ultraportable-sized device and not a netbook. I don’t know exactly how much it weighed, but it couldn’t have been more than two pounds.

Dell didn’t allow me to take pictures or videos of the Adamo XPS, but I can confirm that the thing is a working prototype. It looks like something from the future and shows that Dell is serious about pushing the envelope when it comes to design. The Adamo XPS has a full keyboard that flips away from the display.

When the Adamo XPS is on a desk it looks too thin to be an actual computer. It’s just slightly thicker than a MacBook Pro’s display.

A notebook this thin would have to overcome several challenges, including heat and battery life.

I’m not sure if Dell will actually sell the Adamo XPS in the future, but it’s cool to show what’s possible. Stay tuned as Dell said they’ll be sharing more info about the concept in the coming weeks.

Dell Adamo XPS: A 9.99mm Thick Concept Notebook is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

The Dell Adamo is now available for pre-order at AdamoByDell.com. The Adamo is Dell’s most stylish notebook to date and it is sure to turn heads. The Dell Adamo is now the world’s thinnest notebook available, measuring .65 of an inch thick. The Adamo’s display measures 13.4-inches diagonally and has a 16:9 aspect ration. Its battery is rated to last for a maximum of 5 hours.

The $1,999 version of the Adamo comes with 2GB of RAM, a 128GB SSD and a 1.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor. For $2,699 you’ll get an integrated AT&T 3G WWAN card, 4GB of RAM and a 1.4GHz processor.

The Adamo notebook will ship with Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit.

The Adamo comes with a lot more ports and adapters than other ultra-thin notebooks, such as the MacBook Air and Voodoo Envy. The new Dell has two USB ports, a DisplayPor and a combo eSATA/USB port. DisplayPort to HDMI, DVI, and VGA adapters are included so you’ll be able to connect to any external monitor you want.

Adamo buyers will get to choose between Onyx and Pearl finishes. Dell’s shipping the Adamo in a clear case so you can see your pretty purchase before you even open the box.

There’s no question that this is a sharp looking notebook, but the premium price tag is going to be a tough sell in this economy. The Adamo will appeal to the fashion-conscious, but other vendors have had challenges selling thin notebooks in this price range for full price. The Voodoo Envy 133, MacBook Air and the ThinkPad X300 have all had their prices slashed since their debut. I’m willing to bet that the entry-level Adamo will be available for about $1,700 within a few months.

Full Press release from Dell:

DELL INTRODUCES ADAMO BRAND WITH LAUNCH OF THE WORLD’S THINNEST LAPTOP

· Adamo is first product under new Adamo by Dell brand

· Premium craftsmanship and design inspires new aesthetic across Dell family of products

· Adamo by Dell created to disrupt people’s perceptions of what personal computing is today

ROUND ROCK, Texas, March 17, 2009 Style-minded people who place a premium on precision craftsmanship and design can now add Adamo to their list of must-have items for 2009. Dell today unveiled the world’s thinnest* laptop as a kick off to the new Adamo by Dell brand.

Adamo, derived from the Latin word meaning “to fall in love,” will serve as a flagship in a line of products created to disrupt the personal computing space with the combination of new design aesthetics, personalization choices and sought-after technologies.

The News:

Adamo is the pinnacle of craftsmanship and design and features:

· A chassis milled from a single piece of aluminum featuring precision detailing and a scalloped backlit keyboard

· Striking high definition edge-to-edge glass display

· Fully connected with WiFi, Bluetoothâ„¢ and optional integrated mobile broadband** and full complement of connectivity ports with no compromises

· Cool, quiet and robust solid state drives

· Available in Onyx and Pearl colors with a broad range of complementary accessories

· Price starting at $1999

Quotes:

“Great design needs to be timeless and evoke emotion in people”, said Alex Gruzen, senior vice president of Dell’s consumer products. “While a premium computing experience was assumed for Adamo, the intent was for people to see, touch and explore Adamo and be rewarded by the select materials and craftsmanship you would expect in a fine watch.”

“Dell continues to signal a commitment to design and personalization across its entire product line and has made significant strides forward in the past year,” said Rob Enderle, Principal Analyst, Enderle Group. “The Adamo laptop is a showcase for this commitment and a flagship product that will draw buyers to the brand.”

People who choose Adamo will be offered a unique color matched collection of Adamo by Dell branded peripherals and accessories including, in the U.S. an exclusive line of bags fromTUMI. Choices will include:

· External storage option with 250GB*** or 500GB*** external hard drive.

· External DVD+/-RW or Blu-ray disc drive.

· 8GB*** USB drive.

· Connectors and cables including DisplayPort to HDMI, DVI, and VGA.

· Adamo Premium Service (US Only):

o 24/7 access to Dell’s best trained technicians

o Consistent communication with a dedicated personal team

The Adamo by Dell brand is being supported by innovative and new approaches to marketing and promotion for Dell. Designed to challenge people’s perceptions of what a computer is, the Adamo by Dell brand was inspired by fashion, luxury brands and timeless design.

Dell has looked beyond traditional approaches to reaching computer shoppers and launched a provocative campaign featuring:

* A stylish worldwide print campaign shot by acclaimed British-based photographer Nadav Kandar and featuring high-fashion models that reinforces the “fall in love” positioning. Kander, whose work is celebrated in galleries worldwide, also shot the moving portfolio, “Obama’s People,” which appeared in The New York Times Magazine earlier this year.

* AdamoByDell.com, the centerpiece of the campaign and a highly stylized site where viewers can learn about Adamo, register for updates and, beginning today, place orders. Since its launch last month, AdamoByDell.com has attracted nearly 800,000 unique visitors from around the world and more than 1 million page views.

* Artful packaging in which the product arrives “floating” in a clear box with minimal clutter – a beautiful experience for a sophisticated product.

Dell Adamo Available for Pre-order is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.