dm1

So, will that be an Intel or AMD ultrabook?

Though Advanced Micro Devices will not be inside branded ultrabooks, it is making a play for that market. Will consumers care which chipmaker is inside?

The quick answer: yes, if you're price sensitive. "They'll come into a market behind Intel and then do what they do at a lower price," said Deron Kershaw, an analyst at Gap Intelligence.

Ultrabooks are skinny, light laptops that attempt to combine the portability of a tablet with the productivity of a laptop.

How low can AMD-based systems go? "Our...solution will enable a full featured, high-performance user experience well … Read more

Updated HP ultraportable with 128GB SSD now $664

Hewlett-Packard has begun selling an updated ultraportable laptop with a robust configuration for $664, far below Apple's competing model, the MacBook Air.

The redesigned Pavilion dm1z is now available on HP's Web site starting at $399.

But the sweet spot for the 3.5-pound, 11.6-inch laptop is probably the configuration that's just over the $660 mark. For that you get Advanced Micro Devices' newest dual-core E-450 processor (1.65GHz) with a Radeon HD 6320M graphics chip built in, a 128GB solid-state drive, 4GB of memory, Webcam, and 6-cell battery. … Read more

Hands-on with HP's updated Pavilion dm1 ultraportable laptop

One of our favorite laptops is getting a welcome update. The HP Pavilion dm1 is keeping its name, but adding some new design and component features to better compete with the streak of 11-inch ultraportables that seem to be flooding the shelves these days.

We recently checked out the new Pavilion dm1 and its slightly updated look. The preview version we saw several weeks ago had a rubberized finish that HP calls its Soft-Touch Imprint technology. Subtle graphics patterns can be inlayed directly into the rubber, rather than simply printed on top, for added durability. Just before this announcement, HP … Read more

AMD updates Fusion E and C series processors

AMD's Fusion series of APU processors first grabbed our attention at the beginning of 2011 for their impressive showing in 11.6-inch ultraportable laptops like the HP Pavilion dm1z, offering great performance and battery life for a good price. The E and C-series APUs representing the entry-level and thin-and-light side of the laptop and desktop universe have been updated, with memory and graphics enhancements and a promised gain in resting battery life.

AMD claims 12 hours of resting battery life on a charge on the C-series APUs, and 10.5 hours on the new E-series. Of course, our battery … Read more

Verizon ships first 4G LTE-enabled HP notebook

If you want to enjoy fast (super fast, that is) cellular Internet access on the go now, you can either get the LG VL600 modem or the Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot and use it with your laptop. But what if you also need the laptop itself?

In this case, it might be a better idea to get what Verizon is about to ship, the first 4G LTE-enabled PC, the HP Pavilion dm1-3010nr Entertainment PC.

The 4G LTE-enabled laptop was first introduced during CES 2011 with the idea that it would allow customers to stream high-definition content, play games, do … Read more

Chromebook, Netbook, iPad: Which would you rather spend $500 on?

Yesterday's formal introduction of Chromebooks marked yet another category of portable computing gadget in a landscape that's starting to feel overrun.

For $499, the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook has its work cut out for it--namely, because tablets and "high-end" 11- and 12-inch laptops and Netbooks (some with faster processors) have already occupied the same landscape.

It's a question we've been pondering for a while now, writ again: what truly constitutes the perfect small-screen portable? Suddenly, instead of one or two OSes to consider, there are four: Windows 7, Apple's iOS, and Google's Android and Chrome.

While the high end of the computer spectrum remains relatively stable (desktops, laptops), the increasingly fertile (or, perhaps, unstable) ground between laptops and smartphones has bred a variety of tech forms that all, in some way, are portable. Options have never been more diverse, or confusing.

Which one would you rather spend about $500 on? Well, let's see what you get.… Read more

MacBook Air too pricey? Thin HP laptop hits $399

Hewlett-Packard is offering a good deal on a well-received ultraportable that is less than half the price of Apple's least expensive MacBook Air.

Why the mention of Apple's MacBook Air? Apple's 2.3-pound laptop is the standard by which all other ultraportables are judged. Like it or not, that's the way things are.

But let's get to the topic at hand. The HP Pavilion dm1z can be had for as little as $399 direct from HP after entering a coupon code. That's a pretty good deal for a laptop that is a cut above … Read more

How do they game? Intel Sandy Bridge and AMD Fusion graphics, overview

Both Intel and AMD, the two main companies that make the vast majority of computer processors, have new platforms for 2011. AMD's Fusion and Intel's second-generation Core i-series (formerly code-named Sandy Bridge) share a common goal: to package improved integrated graphics on the chipset that work much better than the previous generation, making it possible to play better games and stream more HD content without the need for a dedicated video card.

For most people, computers with integrated graphics are the default, because they cost less. Unless you're a serious tech enthusiast, you don't want to … Read more