fauxtrabook

Sleekbooks: A slippery slope

I've been thinking about HP's announcement of its new ultrabooks and "sleekbooks" all day today, because I've had to explain the lineup of products to several people. The idea's simple, really: Intel processor-equipped thin laptops get to be called ultrabooks because that's Intel's marketing term, while non-Intel processors (aka, AMD) in a similar chassis have to be called something else. Like, say, Sleekbook.

However, it opens a big can of worms.… Read more

HP updates Pavilion laptops, including new m6 fauxtrabook

In addition to new Envy ultrabooks and fauxtrabooks, HP's mainstream Pavilion laptops have also gotten an update. While these midprice systems are not as exciting as the ultrabooks and high-end Envy models, there are a couple of noteworthy twists, and one promising new system.

All the new Pavilions fall under a new HP design philosophy called HP Mosaic, which is apparently a follow-up (but not a replacement) to the last HP design philosophy we heard about, called Muse (materials, usability, sensory appeal, and experience).

The company says: "The Mosaic design fuses together the multifaceted elements of Muse, including … Read more

Meet the Fauxtrabooks

Much digital ink has been spilled over ultrabooks, the new pseudo-category of very thin, very light laptops.

The idea behind the ultrabook is an excellent one: to create slim, powerful, long-lasting laptops that can compete with Apple's MacBook Pro and Air, but the name itself is a trademarked Intel marketing term. That means a PC maker has to play by Intel's (not always clearly explained) rules in order to qualify for an official ultrabook sticker.

Both before and after the launch of the ultrabook platform, there have been laptops that are as thin and light as official ultrabooks, … Read more