[bertz white via technabob]

Here's your list of drive options: 80/120GB 1.8-inch SATA drive plus optical drive, dual 1.8-inch SATA, 120GB 2.5-inch 5400RPM, 160GB 2.5-inch 7200RPM with DriveGuard or 80GB SSD. So yeah, it's pretty flexible.

It also has all of the usual HP business stuff like a biz card reader, lots of security and encryption tools, and the trackpoint nipple if you don't like trackpads. Display is LED-backlit and you have a few different battery options. And hey, besides being touch, we're always sort of a sucker for brushed metal.

With a starting weight of just 3.19 lb /1.45 kg, the HP EliteBook 2530p Notebook PC meets the military standard MIL-STD 810F for tests including dust and high temperature17 and keeps you going without weighing you down. Keeps the ultra mobile—ultra-productive Strengthen security measures and remotely monitor, diagnose, and repair PCs over the network with Intel® Centrino® 2 with vPro™ technology.11 The HP EliteBook 2530p also gives you flexible solutions that work best for you: 1.8-inch or 2.5-inch hard drive, and Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage2
(ULV) or Low Voltage (LV) processor. With two memory slots, you can increase your system’s performance, enabling a quicker boot-up and the ability to run multiple programs simultaneously.

Empower your business
Benefit from the mercury-free, 12.1-inch diagonal widescreen HP Illumi-Lite LED display which is lighter and more energy-efficient than standard CCFL display technology. The HP EliteBook 2530p also offers three flexible battery solutions for
lightest weight configurations or all-day computing.

Whether you’re across the street or across the country, integrated HP Mobile Broadband, Gobi technology, 4 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ WLAN5 and Bluetooth® help you stay connected in more places. You also get the flexibility to add HP Mobile Broadband at a later date.

Built to last. Enhanced reliability features such as HP DuraCase, HP DuraKeys, HP DuraFinish, and HP 3D DriveGuard give you a durable device so your notebook can go the distance. Built to simplify. Boost your productivity while maximizing ease of use. The 2 MP Webcam with Business Card Reader software means you will never forget a name, e-mail or phone number. The webcam is also perfect for video, web conferencing, and VoIP.

Built to protect. HP ProtectTools provides an array of multi-layered, customizable security solutions help defend your network, your applications, and your data.

Operating system Preinstalled:
Genuine Windows Vista® Business
Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic
Genuine Windows Vista® Business with downgrade to Windows® XP Professional custom installed
FreeDOS

Supported:
Genuine Windows Vista Enterprise
Certified:
SuSe Linux Enterprise Desktop 10

Processor Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage2 or Low Voltage
Chipset Mobile Intel® GS45 Express Chipset ICH9M-Enhanced (supports Intel® Centrino® 2 with vPro™ technology)11

Memory DDR2 SDRAM, 800 MHz, two slots supporting dual channel memory,15 1024/2048/4096 MB SODIMMs, up to 8192 MB total

Internal storage7 80/120 GB 5400 rpm1.8-inch SATA hard drive, 120 GB 5400 rpm 2.5-inch SATA hard drive, or 160 GB 7200 rpm 2.5-inch SATA hard drive (with HP 3D DriveGuard); 80 GB Solid State Drive

Removable media Fixed 9.5 mm SATA optical drive (available only with 1.8-inch hard drive): DVD+/–RW SuperMulti DL LightScribe,DVD-ROM

Display 12.1-inch diagonal Illumi-Lite WXGA (1280 × 800)

Graphics Mobile Intel GMA X4500 HD, up to 384 MB of shared system memory

Audio High Definition Audio, integrated speaker, stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in, integrated dual-microphone array

Wireless support Optional HP un2400 EV-DO/HSPA Mobile Broadband Module (requires mobile network operator service); Intel 802.11a/b/g/draft-n, Broadcom 802.11 a/b/g/draft-n, a/b/g; Bluetooth™ 2.0, HP Wireless Assistant

Communications Intel Gigabit Network Connection9 (10/100/1000 NIC), 56K v.92 modem

Expansion slots 1 ExpressCard/54 slot, Secure Digital slot

Ports and connectors 2 USB 2.0 ports (third USB available with 2.5-inch hard drive), VGA, stereo microphone in, stereo headphone/line out, 1394a, power connector, RJ-11/modem, RJ-45/ethernet, docking connector for HP 2400/2500 Ultra-Light Docking Station

Input devices Full-sized keyboard, enhanced dual pointing devices (touchpad and pointstick) with scroll zone, optional 2 MP Webcam with Business Card Reader Software

Manageability Intel® Centrino® 2 with vPro technology capable,11 HP Recovery Manager, HP Client Manager Software, HP Client Configuration Management Agent

Security Standard: HP ProtectTools, TPM Embedded Security Chip 1.2, Enhanced Pre-Boot Security, HP Spare Key, HP Disk Sanitizer, Enhanced Drive Lock, HP Fingerprint Sensor, Drive Encryption for HP ProtectTools, Credential Manager for HP ProtectTools, File Sanitizer for HP ProtectTools

Optional: Smart Card Reader,12 Kensington lock, HP Privacy Filter, McAfee Security Solution16

Dimensions (h × w × d) 0.99 in (at front) x 11.11 in x 8.44 in / 25.2 mm (at front) x 282.3 mm x 214.3 mm

Weight Starting at: 3.19 lb / 1.45 kg (weight will vary by configuration)

Power 9-cell (83 WHr), 6-cell (55 WHr), or 3-cell (31 WHr) Lithium-Ion battery, 65W HP Smart AC Adapter, HP Fast Charge10

Expansion solutions12 HP 2400/2500 Ultra-Light Docking Station, External MultiBay II, HP Monitor Stand, HP Adjustable Notebook Stand
Warranty Limited 3-year,1-year and 90-day warranty options available depending on country, 1-year limited warranty on primary battery. Optional HP Care Pack Services are extended service contracts which go beyond your standard warranties. For more details visit: http://www.hp.com/go/lookuptool.

[HP]

Operating system Preinstalled:
Genuine Windows Vista® Business
Genuine Windows Vista® Business with
downgrade to Windows® XP Tablet Edition custom installed
FreeDOS
Supported:
Genuine Windows Vista Enterprise
Certified:
SuSe Linux Enterprise Desktop 10

Processor Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Ultra Low Voltage or Low Voltage2

Chipset Mobile Intel® GS45 Express Chipset ICH9M-Enhanced (supports Intel® Centrino® 2 with vPro™ technology)11

Memory DDR2 SDRAM, 800 MHz, two slots supporting dual channel memory,15 1024/2048/4096 MB SODIMMs, up to 8192 MB total (systems with ULV processors run at a maximum of 667 MHz with 800 MHz memory modules)

Internal storage 80/120 GB 5400 rpm 1.8-inch SATA hard drive (with HP 3D DriveGuard); 80 GB Solid State Drive

Removable media Optional fixed 7-mm DVD+/—RW SuperMulti DL Drive available for HP 2700 Ultra-Slim Expansion Base

Display 12.1-inch diagonal Illumi-Lite WXGA with Digitizer (1280 × 800), 12.1-inch diagonal Illumi-Lite WXGA with Digitizer and Outdoor View (1280 × 800)

Graphics Mobile Intel GMA X4500 HD, up to 384 MB of shared system memory

Audio High Definition Audio, integrated speaker, stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in, integrated dual-microphone array

Wireless support Optional HP un2400 EV-DO/HSPA Mobile Broadband Module (requires mobile network operator service); Intel 802.11a/b/g/draft-n, Broadcom 802.11 a/b/g/draft-n; Bluetooth™ 2.0, HP Wireless Assistant

Communications Intel Gigabit Network Connection9 (10/100/1000 NIC), 56K v.92 modem

Expansion slots 1 ExpressCard/54 slot, Secure Digital slot

Ports and connectors 2 USB 2.0 ports, VGA, stereo microphone in, stereo headphone/line out, 1394a, power connector, RJ-11/modem, RJ-45/ethernet, docking connector for HP 2700 Ultra-Slim Expansion Base

Input devices Full-sized keyboard, enhanced dual pointing devices (touchpad and pointstick) with scroll zone, digital eraser pen, Jog dial, optional 2 MP Webcam12 with Business Card Reader Software

Manageability Intel® Centrino® 2 with vPro technology capable,11 HP Recovery Manager (Windows Vista only), HP Client Manager Software, HP Client Configuration Management Agent Security Standard: HP ProtectTools, TPM Embedded Security Chip 1.2, Enhanced Pre-Boot Security, HP Spare Key, HP Disk Sanitizer, Enhanced Drive Lock, HP Fingerprint Sensor, Drive Encryption for HP ProtectTools, Credential Manager for HP ProtectTools, File Sanitizer for HP ProtectTools

Optional: Smart Card Reader,12 Kensington lock, HP Privacy Filter, McAfee Security Solution16

Dimensions (h × w × d) 1.11 in (at front) x 11.24 in x 8.35 in / 28.2 mm (at front) x 290.0 mm x 212.0 mm

Weight Starting at: 3.74 lb / 1.70 kg (weight will vary by configuration)

Power 6-cell (44 WHr), optional HP 2700 Ultra-Slim Battery,12 65W HP Smart AC Adapter, HP Fast Charge10

Expansion solutions11 HP 2700 Ultra-Slim Expansion Base, HP External MultiBay II

Warranty Limited 3-year,1-year and 90-day warranty options available depending on country, 1-year limited warranty on primary battery.

[HP]

Lenovo Expands Ultra-Thin, Ultra-Light ThinkPad X300 Notebook PC Family
Delivers Next-Generation Processing, Greater SSD Storage and Enhanced
Multimedia Experience

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – August 18, 2008 – Lenovo today announced the
ThinkPad X301 notebook PC, taking the thinnest and lightest full-function
notebook in its class1, to new heights in performance. Like its predecessor,
the industry-acclaimed ThinkPad X300 notebook, the ThinkPad X301 notebook
offers cutting-edge features and technologies in a thin and light form
starting at less than three pounds and one-inch thin. The notebook offers
even greater storage capacity with choices of either 64 GB or new 128 GB
solid state drive storage available in September. The ThinkPad X301 notebook
provides on average nearly 20 percent better performance over the ThinkPad
X300 notebook due to the latest DDR3 memory and the latest Intel(R) Core 2 Duo
ultra low volt processor2.

"Lenovo continues to push the technology envelope by giving road warriors
the latest enhancements in solid state drive storage and digital display
technologies with the new ThinkPad X301 notebook PC," said Sam Dusi, vice
president, worldwide notebook product marketing, Lenovo. "This announcement
extends our commitment to blending ultraportability and functionality, and
equipping today's business users with the most advanced, highest-performing
computing tools."

New support for DisplayPort makes viewing high definition content easy and
ideal for models with the ultra-thin DVD burner. With support for both
DisplayPort and VGA, users can even watch high definition content on
multiple displays. Designed for maximum options for wireless connectivity,
the ThinkPad X301 notebook offers models with high-speed mobile broadband3
and WiFi3 to connect wirelessly to the Internet, and also with Bluetooth and
Ultra-Wideband technology to connect wirelessly to other devices. Lenovo
offers improved uplink performance by up to 250 percent for models with AT&T
mobile broadband over previous ThinkPad notebooks with AT&T mobile
broadband4. Models supporting WiMAX will be available later this year.
Additionally, GPS on notebook models with high speed mobile broadband5 allow
travelers to more easily navigate to the office or airport.

The notebook also includes Lenovo's ThinkVantage Technologies, unique
hardware-software tools designed to maximize user productivity. With
Lenovo's improved Access Connections tool, users can navigate a
user-friendly interface to easily find and access Internet and network
connections. Also, Lenovo's improved Power Manager gives users more control
over notebook functions to enable longer battery life.

The ThinkPad X301 notebook also continues Lenovo's focus on
environmentally-responsible design. Its 13.3-inch LED backlit display, solid
state drive storage and other energy-efficient technologies help make it
rated Gold by the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool. This
designation adds to Lenovo's portfolio of Gold-rated ThinkPad notebook and
ThinkCentre desktop PCs.

Pricing and Availability6
Pricing for models of the ThinkPad X301 notebook starts at approximately
$2,599. The notebook will be available on August 26 through Lenovo Business
Partners and www.lenovo.com.

The FlyThru series consists of a "Tech Collection" with a mesh-covered removable laptop sleeve for 15.4” laptops and a clamshell “Mini Instant Messenger” that holds an 11” netbook (pictured above). There will also be a "Classic Collection" with a "clamshell portfolio for 15.4” laptops that will lay flat across the X-ray belt during screening. Plus, an “AlwaysOn” FlyThru sleeve is in the works that will "securely hug the laptop" and provide a vented opening in the back that makes it possible to use the laptop while it is still in the sleeve. Exact pricing and a release date have not been announced, but Solo notes that all of its products will fall within the $30 to $60 range.

SOLO® WILL HELP PASSENGERS FlyThru™ AIRPORT SECURITY WITH NEW LINE OF
CHECKPOINT-FRIENDLY LAPTOP SLEEVES AND CASES

New Assortment of Sleeves and Cases Allow Airport Screeners to
X-Ray Laptops While Still Inside Bags

Hauppauge, N.Y. – SOLO, a leader in lifestyle-focused collections of laptop and business cases, is developing an innovative new assortment of checkpoint-friendly laptop cases called FlyThru™. FlyThru™ bags will allow airline passengers to quickly travel through airport security without removing laptops from their cases. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has recently given manufacturers guidelines to manufacture and market checkpoint-friendly bags. The new FlyThru™ cases from SOLO have been independently tested at test centers by SOLO. In addition Travel Sentry, a longtime partner with SOLO, has approved the new cases as meeting all current checkpoint security guidelines.

Travel Sentry® has released its standards for laptop-friendly bags. SOLO is the first laptop case company to have fulfilled the design and testing requirements to be Travel Sentry® Approved. Travel Sentry creates and manages standards which improve travel security in cooperation with government security agencies, airlines, airports and the travel goods industry.

By the Fall, SOLO plans to provide consumers with several FlyThru™ options within its various collections to meet the needs of the marketplace:

— A Tech Collection mesh-covered removable laptop sleeve for 15.4” laptops that features cut-out windows for easy identification by airport security.

— A Tech Collection clamshell “Mini Instant Messenger” that holds an 11” netbook.

— A Classic Collection clamshell portfolio for 15.4” laptops that will lay flat across the x-ray belt during screening.

SOLO is also marketing a patent pending “AlwaysOn” FlyThru™ sleeve, which will securely hug the laptop while also featuring vented openings in the back for cord pass-through. This will allow the user to utilize their laptop while it is still in the sleeve. The dual functionality not only protects laptops, but acts as a portable workstation. The “AlwaysOn” sleeve will be available to accommodate various sized laptops among several collection styles.

All of the products will be extremely affordable, priced from $30 to $60 and available at major office and consumer electronics stores.

Leticia Vargas, Director of Marketing at SOLO states, “SOLO has been working to create checkpoint-friendly cases for a number of reasons: to speed up airport security clearance, make traveling more convenient, and also to radically reduce the risk of lost or damaged laptops. The TSA reports that more than 25% of travelers are now traveling with notebooks, and studies show many laptops are damaged or lost due to chaotic removal of items at security checkpoints. Our consumers are road warriors! We are excited to offer additional innovative, consumer-focused solutions that aid in the protection of laptops and makes traveling faster and more convenient.”

[Solo]

•Ridiculous battery life—some configs will go to 19 hours.
•Wireless N, Bluetooth, Ultra-wideband, mobile broadband, WiMax and GPS options
•Hardware disk encryption, Dell ControlVault, fingerprint readers and other security stuff
•Full-frame magnesium alloy construction
•Backlit keyboards, USB Powershare, DisplayPort
•E4200 and E4300 have Dell Latitude ON, an instant boot mode for email, contacts, internet, etc., that supposedly will give you multi-day battery life via a dedicated low-voltage sub-processor

Get the full monty on every model here: [Direct2Dell]

The Price: The X200 starts at $1434 at Lenovo's store, though they initially announced it at $1199. The model we tested was close to $1800.

The Verdict: On the whole, the X200 has more going for it than against it. We think 12 inches is the sweet spot for a compact but full-fledged notebook, and the X200 is just 0.8 inches at its thinnest point. It's actually smaller than it looks—Lenovo seems to employ reverse optical trickery to make it look bulkier than it is.

A few exceptional points: The keyboard really is fantastic to type on. Battery life is damned impressive too, delivering between five and six hours of standard use (browsing, video watching, music playing) with the brightness turned most of the way up. There's a lot of power and battery management tools too, for the power anal. And it's got the usual Lenovo build quality.

The potential dealbreakers: There's no trackpad—it's just you and the nipple. If you love the nip, ignore this point. Not ignorable, though, is that the screen is way too dim, even on max brightness. On a screen that small, brightness and clarity are paramount. So that's a big ol' suck. The mono speaker is fairly atrocious (and our headphone jack was bad on this unit, so it was a definite sore point). Oh, and it's not pretty. In sum, it's not a sight and sound machine.

It doesn't have a built-in optical drive, but honestly, that's a consideration more than a black-and-white downer. (They do include the external gratis.)

Here's what the X200 comes down to: If you want a solid but small notebook for reliably getting work done, this is it. If you want more than that, you probably want something else.

Dan Nosowitz contributed to this review.

[Project Page via Swissmiss via Likecool]

It's for the second generation of their upcoming Nehalem based processors (specifically Clarksfield and Auburndale), and it'll drop Intel's current northbridge and southbridge chipset arrangement—stuff like the memory controller will be integrated with the CPU (AMD style) for more bandwidth and lower latency, while a single integrated chipset codenamed Ibex Peak-M picks up the rest of the slack.

Wireless will be pretty similar to Montevina, with two wireless module options—Pumka Peak will have 802.11 a/b/g/n while Kilmer Peak will roll with WiMax. [Digitimes via Inquirer

UPDATE 2: Someone who placed an order and called in to Lenovo has told us that Lenovo will be contacting everyone who went for the SSD and letting them know they won't be getting it, sadly. They will be offering their student discount rate though, which is nice. Thanks Alvin! [Lenovo]

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On a related note, have you ever spent a minute or two counting the people using a laptop in your local Starbucks? DavidJr.com did. He walked into 10 locations in NYC and started counting. I have to admit that the results are kind of surprising. Hit the link to check out the vid. [David Jr]

The seizable items list is almost a formality, since it basically means "everything:"

The policies cover "any device capable of storing information in digital or analog form," including hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers, and video and audio tapes. They also cover "all papers and other written documentation," including books, pamphlets and "written materials commonly referred to as 'pocket trash' or 'pocket litter.' "

Granted, I would not be too surprised to find out that most countries with semi-hardened borders have similar policies. And Homeland Security claims that the guidelines for information seizures at the border have "long been in place" but came to light last month because of "public interest in the matter" (which doesn't make it any less of a big deal). Still, it's a little Iron Curtain-esque, don't you think? US senators like Russell Feingold are understandably pissed, and hoping to soften the policies through legislation. [Washington Post]

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The Price: $68 for the small and $88 for the large.

The Verdict: Is it enough to replace the Timbuk2 laptop messenger as our go-to bag of choice? Not quite, but at 2/3 the price, it's good enough for toting around your laptop, camera, cellphone and other gear when your pockets just won't do.

There's no dedicated laptop compartment like the Timbuk2, and it has fewer internal pockets, but it functions just fine as a city bag or man purse. The bonus here is that Gama-Go has a more inspired and trendy design, whereas Timbuk2 has the classic three-stripe motif. (Timbuk2 does have artist-designed bags, but cost around $150 each.) Gama-Go fans should give this one (the large one—the small doesn't fit a laptop) a look, but hardcore mobile workers will want to go for the higher priced and higher quality solution. [Gama-Go]

The Price: $39.99

The Verdict: Alright. It does what it says, which is giving you a small cushion between your laptop and your thighs. It's better than a normal pillow because it's flat, and gives adequate airflow for proper ventilation. The little hiding hole is enough for you to shove your iPod, wallet, or various computer accessories into, but it's really meant for you to put your laptop into for storage when you're not using it.

The only thing we have a problem with is the price. $40 seems to be too high for something like this (it was listed incorrectly as $64.99 on their press release) when you can get something like the Kangaroom Bamboo Laptop station for $45. Or, you can wait for Belkin's other laptop cooling devices like the Cooling Lounge, which cost the same but have a fan on board for extra ventilation. [Belkin]

Update: The version commenters are seeing at Costco for $19 is actually the previous design, not this current one which retails for $39.

Inspiron: Simple, Yet Smart PCs for the Family

Dell also expanded its Inspiron family with the addition of the Inspiron 518 desktop and Inspiron 13 laptop. Both systems deliver solid performance and smart style at a great value.

The Inspiron 13 laptop is a great choice for back to school shoppers looking for a smaller, lighter, more efficient mobile PC. With a starting weight of just under 5 pounds, the Inspiron 13 combines a simple and clean design encased in glossy Pacific blue with black trim. Smart features include a 13-inch high definition display, capacitive touch media buttons, 8-in-1 media card reader and slot-load DVD drive. Optional features include built-in wireless networking, built-in webcam and Bluetooth connectivity. A special $699 configuration of the Inspiron 13 will be available at Wal-Mart in the U.S. starting Aug. 3. Fully configurable systems will be available on www.dell.com on a global basis later in the month.

The Inspiron 518 desktop features a gloss-black exterior with chrome accents. Families will appreciate the top media tray with two easy-access USB ports for quick MP3 player syncing and cell-phone charging. It provides performance to meet the most typical family PC activities, like faster networking connections with Gigabit Ethernet, DX10 integrated graphics for casual gaming, optional 500GB hard drive for storing digital images and music libraries, and optional quad core processors. The Inspiron 518 starts at $349, and is available immediately on www.dell.com.

Finishing Touches:

Dell offers a variety of service application and software programs that help ensure consumers’ PCs stay up and running and easy to use, including:

· Dell Support Center: Centrally located, easy-to-use application providing personalized support resources with quick links to service, support and system information resources www.dell.com/dellsupportcenter.

· PC TuneUp: An easy-to-set-up smart tool that helps manage regular maintenance of a consumer’s PC. Automatically finds and fixes issue that slow down system performance. Available for $39.95 at www.dell.com/pctuneup.

· Dell Dock: Automatically sorts pre-installed software into user friendly categories placing the most frequently used programs front & center.

· Dell Video Chat: A one-click easy to setup and use video and voice communication program that can be shared with friends and family, www.sightspeed.com/dellvideochat.

[Dell]

The Price: $50

The Verdict: Let me preface this by saying THE THING COSTS FIFTY DOLLARS. Yes, it's constructed in typical Timbuk2 fashion — which is to say, well — and it would sufficiently protect your Air from scratches, but it costs FIFTY DOLLARS. Ridiculous pricing aside, it's made from a durable material recycled from plastic bottles, has welded seams, and is apparently 100% recyclable. Inside, it has a soft material that keeps your Air happy. However, the Steve Sleeve isn't waterproof and provides no impact protection. So, if you really want a manila folder sleeve for your Macbook Air, this is a good choice based on quality alone. Otherwise, you're paying a decent amount for a novelty item which does the same thing a generic $10 sleeve could. [Timbuk2]

Zumo says it's got a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, Intel's 945 Express Graphics chipset, an 8GB SSD, Wi-Fi and a memory card reader, with a 1240x600 resolution screen (that looks a bit off—1024x600 seems more likely). Reportedly, mass production of a Linux model with extra Dell productivity apps starts next month (in time for back to school). It all seems reasonable enough (and a steal for $299 if true), though I wouldn't consider this dipped-in-blood solid, yet. [Zumo]

The Price $299 for 15-inch MacBook Pro, $319 for the 17-inch MacBook Pro, $159 for the 13-inch MacBook, $274 for 15-inch PowerBook G4 and $179 for 12-inch PowerBook G4.

The Verdict: BookEndz does exactly what it advertises it does well. Slide your laptop onto the tray—which is exactly form-fitted for your size laptop—and flip the lever up. The two ends will dock neatly into your laptop's ports in a manner similar to the 2001 Spaceport scene, but without the Blue Danube playing in the background. It's very nice. To de-dock, just turn the lever the other way and all your ports will come ripping out of its sockets like Phil Hartman in the SNL all-drug Olympics.

But what you want to know is if it's worth it for yourself to pay $299 to automate the 60-second activity of finding all your cables and plugging it in. The answer? Maybe. If you're like us and you dock and de-dock your laptop multiple times a day, it's slightly easier to justify the price. If you're only occasionally going to be plugging in your monitor or USB cables, or going to replace your laptop with a newer model in the next couple years, then stick with what you have.

Nevertheless, this is as smooth an implementation of a laptop dock as we've seen. [BookEndz]

The only concrete example in the article to warrant this concern is the aforementioned lack of profit margins, and there are still plenty of people who need more from their computers other than web browsing and micro-sized keyboards. But hey, if analysts are worried, should the rest of the world be? [NYT]