elitebook

LAS VEGAS--At CES this week, Hewlett-Packard hardware got my attention.

Though the company has been savaged in the media because of dubious acquisition decisions and a falling stock price, its brief exhibition of new Windows 8 laptops and hybrids at CES was impressive.

I'll focus on two, the EliteBook Revolve and Spectre XT TouchSmart ultrabook-- both touch-capable Windows 8 laptops. The systems were fleetingly exhibited at CES by HP during an event at the MGM Grand event on Monday night.

I'll start with the Spectre XT TouchSmart because it was also at Intel's CES booth all week … Read more

Hewlett-Packard has been in the PC business for more than 25 years. And, needless to say, it had some good designs. It's worth a quick look at select models that stood the test of time in the wake of the disclosure today that the company is trying to unload its PC business.

Let me preface this with a caveat that was buried in the various HP statements today about its PC business: "There can be no assurance that any transaction regarding PSG (Personal Systems Group) will be pursued or completed." So, it's not a done deal. … Read more

Hewlett-Packard will unleash a business ultraportable with Intel's most power-efficient Sandy Bridge processors and USB 3.0 ports, according to reports and HP's Web site.

The upcoming EliteBook 2560p follows HP's successful--and very durable--EliteBook 2540p, which is built around a 12.1-inch display and weighs about 3.5 pounds.

HP has already revealed some 2560p specifications on its U.S. Web site and those of its close cousin, the 2760p, which adds a touch interface, like its predecessor, the 2740p.

Highlights include a range of Sandy Bridge processors, such as Intel's most power-efficient Core i5-2537M and … Read more

USB 3.0 has been slow to arrive in laptops, but there are a few models on the market that boast this high-speed connection technology.

The current USB 2.0 standard, which is found on virtually all laptops today, has been around a long time. Intel laid the groundwork for widespread use on PCs and devices in spring 2002 when it put the technology in its silicon. Eight years later, the advantages of moving to a faster standard are clear for devices like digital cameras, camcorders, and hard drives: transfer rates jump from 480 megabits per second on USB 2.0 to as much as 5 gigabits per second with USB 3.0. And reviews testify to a significant speed increase.

One of the sticking points, however, of mass adoption by laptop makers is the lack of direct support in Intel chipsets, as this blog posted on a Dell-hosted Web page explains. One of the oft-cited reasons put forth by analysts for the lack of broad USB 3.0 support is that many devices, like printers, simply don't benefit from moving to 3.0. Another reason: a number of laptops already ship with the faster eSATA standard, which Intel supports in its mobile chipsets, not to mention desktop variants. (Many HP Pavilion laptops, for example, also come with eSATA.)

Moreover, other technologies lurk as potential replacements for USB 3.0--at least in its current format. Light Peak, for instance, offers even greater transfer speeds and has received support from high-profile companies like Apple and Sony. That said, Light Peak won't appear… Read more

In case you hadn't already read the leaks, HP's updated its 17-inch EliteBook mobile workstation with Intel Core i5 and i7 processors; three 1GB graphics card options; support for up to 16GB of 1,333MHz DDR3 memory; an option for a 256GB SSD; and mobile broadband with GPS for asset tracking, mapping, or navigation. Returning is the 17-inch LED-backlit WUXGA+ antiglare display with HP DreamColor technology for professional color reproduction.

The component offerings should allow for some serious desktop-like performance while still being mobile. The workstation measures 1.4 inches high by 15.6 inches wide by 11.… Read more

Lest anyone be left out of the tablet/slate wave that's currently crashing over the laptop and ultraportable industry, HP has announced a new 12.1-inch EliteBook convertible tablet for the business-minded who feel the need for pens and capacitive multitouch displays at the same time.

Equipped with a stainless steel finish and magnesium casing, the EliteBook 2740p tablet PC will be available with either a Core i5 or Core i7 processor, a reinforced glass screen, and a touch interface that will also work with an included pen. The 2740p (and its non-tablet sibling, the 2540p below) also meet … Read more

Hewlett-Packard is refreshing its business ultraportable laptop and hybrid laptop-tablet with Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, becoming one of the first major PC makers to squeeze these powerful processors into a small, lightweight design.

Intel announced the Core i series of processors last year, but to date the chips have been limited mostly to desktops and large-screen laptops. HP's compact EliteBook 2540p and 2740p have 12-inch screens and weigh in at about 3.4 and 3.8 pounds, respectively.

The 2540p can be configured with standard-power Core i5 or Core i7 processors or a Core i7 that draws less power--a so-called low-voltage processor. Graphics are provided by Intel's integrated graphics silicon.

Like the prior-generation 2530p model, the 2540p can be ordered with or without a built-in optical drive. Units without an optical drive, can take 2.5-inch 7200RPM SATA II hard disk drives ranging up to 500GB in capacity. Units ordered with an optical drive use smaller 1.8-inch 5400RPM SATA II drives, ranging up to 320GB in capacity.

The 2540p is also available with 2.5-inch and 1.8-inch solid-state drives that max out at 160GB.

Other features include USB 2.0, VGA, DisplayPort, 1394a, and gigabit Ethernet ports. And an option for an integrated EV-DO/HSPA 3G modem is available too.

Battery life for the 2540p is rated by HP at up to 10 hours… Read more

Is the MacBook Air overpriced? Competitive offerings from Dell and Toshiba reveal that the MacBook Air may not be so extortionately expensive.

Of course, it all depends on your perspective: $2,499 for a laptop is a lot of money. But put the Air into the context of its product category--ultraportable laptop--and you see that, by comparison, it's not necessarily overpriced.

(Note: Here we're talking about the just-announced update to the MacBook Air.)

Let's start with Dell's recently announced ultraportable laptop (or 'subnotebook," choose your nomenclature). The 12.1-inch Latitude E4200 is priced at $2,… Read more

Intel said Tuesday that solid-state drives can extend battery life up to 30 minutes compared to hard disk drives.

Add the speed advantage of solid state drives and that's two strikes against hard disks. Price parity--strike three--is still a ways off, however. That--and the fact that hard drives offer much larger capacities--will keep hard drives competitive next year.

For now, Intel is evangelizing the benefits of speed and power efficiency.

Most independent benchmarks show that solid state drives perform better than hard disk drives. In some cases, a lot better. That's a given now. One area, however, that … Read more