Running on an Intel Core 2 Duo SU 9400 processor, there's 3GB DDR2 SDRAM and a 320GB HDD. Loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium, the LED-backlit TFT LCD screen is a portable 13.3-inches.

On sale tomorrow in Japan, it's set to retail for 100,000 Yen—around $1,132. [Akihabara News]

They are two new Kesington Universal Notebook Docking Stations, both powered by the DisplayLink DL-195USB graphics processor. That means that your notebook graphic card would not be used. The DL-195USB will process all the graphics and send it to your monitor, so your build-in fancy GPU will sit idling and whistling.

The $149.99 K33926US can connect to DVI or VGA monitors at that resolution, providing with Ethernet connectivity at the same time. The $129.99 K33930US will do the same, sans the Ethernet. [Kensington ]

Unfortunately, that extra inch it's packed on to be 13 inches with a full keyboard means it's also priced like a real notebook now, starting at $699 with a Celeron chip, or $899 with the Core 2 Duo. But man, it's a damn fine piece of hardware (on the outside anyway). Below is the full spec sheet.

On the slightly lower end of things, HP's dm3 swings both ways—AMD and Intel—with each chip titan's take on low voltage processors. What's common is that both versions start at $550 (Update: AMD is $550, Intel $650), they're just over an inch thick and come with 4GB RAM and Windows 7 64-bit.

HP ProBook 5310m Notebook PC Windows®. Life without WallsTM. HP recommends Windows 7.
offered upon general availability from Microsoft)
Operating system
Preinstalled:
Supported:
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 321
Genuine Windows 7 Enterprise 321
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 321
Genuine Windows Vista® Enterprise 3219
(Windows® 7 will be
Genuine Windows 7 Home Basic 321
Genuine Windows Vista® Business 3219
Certified:
Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic 3219
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
Genuine Windows® XP Professional available through
downgrade rights from Windows 7 Professional1,20
Genuine Windows XP Professional available through
downgrade rights from Windows Vista Business2,19
FreeDOS
Red Flag Linux (PRC only)
Processor
Memory
Removable Storage14
Graphics18
Wireless support5, 6, 7,14
Expansion slots
Input device
Security
Weight
Expansion Solutions14
Intel® CoreTM2 Duo3 SP9300 (2.26 GHz, 6 MB L2 cache) Intel® Celeron3 SU2300 (1.20 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache)
DDR3 SDRAM, 1333 MHz (running at 1066 MHz), one slot supporting 1024/2048/4096 MB SODIMM11
Optional HP External USB 2.0 CD/DVD R/RW Drive
Mobile Intel GMA 4500MHD
Optional HP un2420 EV-DO/HSPA Mobile Broadband Module (requires mobile network operator service); Intel 802.11 a/b/g/n draft 2.0; Broadcom 802.11 a/b/g/n draft 2.0, b/g; BluetoothTM 2.1, HP Wireless Assistant
Secure Digital slot: supports SD (Secure Digital), MMC (MultiMedia Card)
Full-sized keyboard, touchpad with scroll zone, gesture support capable
HP ProtectTools, Device Access Manager, Enhanced Pre-Boot Security, HP Spare Key, HP Disk Sanitizer,8 Drive Encryption for HP ProtectTools, Credential Manager for HP ProtectTools, File Sanitizer for HP ProtectTools,8 Kensington Lock slot, McAfee Security Solution15
Starting at: 3.79 lb / 1.72 kg (weight will vary by configuration)
HP USB 2.0 Docking Station, HP Essential USB Port Replicator, HP Basic Adjustable Stand
Chipset
Mobile Intel GS45 Express Chipset ICH9M-Enhanced
Internal Storage12
160/250/320 GB 7200 rpm SATA with HP 3D DriveGuard (supported on Windows models only);
or 80/128 GB Solid State Drive
Display
13.3-inch diagonal LED-backlit HD4 (1366 x 768) (BrightView or antiglare)
Audio/Visual
High Definition Audio, stereo speakers, combo stereo headphone/mic jack, integrated dual-microphone array;
integrated 2 MP webcam
Communications13
Marvell Ethernet (10/100/1000 NIC)
Ports and
(3) USB 2.0 ports (1 powered), DisplayPort, power connector, RJ-45/Ethernet, combo stereo headphone/mic
jack
connectors
Software
HP QuickLook 3,9 HP QuickWeb,16 HP Softpaq Download Manager, HP Recovery Manager (Windows Vista
only), Roxio Creator 10 (requires separately purchased external optical drive),14 Microsoft® Office Ready10
Dimensions
.93 x12.9x8.7in/23.5x328x221mm
Power
4-cell (41WHr) Lithium-Ion battery, 6-cell (62WHr) Lithium-Ion battery, 65W HP Smart AC Adapter

SPECIFICATIONS
OPERATING SYSTEM
PROCESSOR
PROCESSOR SPEED PROCESSOR CACHE BUS SPEED
MEMORY
ACCESSIBLE MEMORY SLOTS
VIDEO GRAPHICS
HARD DRIVE
FINISH AND FEATURES
DISPLAY NETWORK CARD
WIRELESS OPTION DIGITAL MEDIA
AUDIO KEYBOARD POINTING DEVICE
EXTERNAL NOTEBOOK PORTS
DIMENSIONS
WEIGHT SECURITY
• Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit(1)
• AMD AthlonTM Neo X2 Dual-Core Processor for Ultrathin Notebooks L335(2a)(3a)(4b)
• 1.60 GHz(4)
• 512MB L2 Cache
• Up to1600 MT/s system bus running at AC/DC mode 18 watt
• 4096MB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm) • 2
• ATI RadeonTM HD 3200 Graphics with 128MB Display Cache Memory AMD M780G with 64MB GDDR2 (sideport memory) with up to 1982MB total graphics memory(6)
• 320GB (7200RPM) Hard Drive (SATA)(7)
• Brushed Aluminum finish in Modern Argento & HP Webcam with integrated digital microphone(15)
• 13.3" Diagonal High-Definition(8) HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1366 x 768)
• Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)(9)
• Wireless LAN 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN & Bluetooth(10)(10a)
• 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards(17a)
• Altec Lansing with SRS Premium Sound
• Full size chicklet keyboard
• Touch Pad supporting Multi-Touch gestures. With On/Off button and dedicated vertical Scroll Up/Down pad
• 4 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0: 1 Headphone out • 1 microphone-in • HDMI • 1 VGA (15-pin)
• 1 RJ -45 (LAN)
• Unpackaged: 12.83"(L)x 9.06"(D)x 0.96"(min H)/ 1.23"(max H)
• Packaged: 17.9"(W) x 4.3"(D) x13.6"(H) • Unpackaged: 4.21 lbs(12)
• Packaged: 9.2 lbs
• Kensington® MicroSaver lock slot • Power-on password • Accepts 3rd party security lock devices

SPECIFICATIONS
SOFTWARE
OPERATING SYSTEM
PROCESSOR PROCESSOR SPEED PROCESSOR CACHE BUS SPEED MEMORY
ACCESSIBLE MEMORY SLOTS
VIDEO GRAPHICS
HARD DRIVE
FINISH AND FEATURES
DISPLAY
NETWORK CARD WIRELESS OPTION DIGITAL MEDIA
AUDIO KEYBOARD POINTING DEVICE
EXTERNAL NOTEBOOK PORTS
DIMENSIONS WEIGHT SECURITY
POWER
OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES
WARRANTY AND SUPPORT
• Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium 64-bit(1)
• Intel® Pentium® Processor SU4100(2c)(3)(4b) • 1.30 GHz(4) • 2MB L2 Cache • 800MHz FSB(4a)
• 4096MB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm) • Max supported =8192MB
• 2
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (shared) with up to 1695MB total available graphics memory(6)
• 500GB (7200RPM) Hard Drive (SATA)(7)
• Brushed Aluminum finish in Modern Argento & HP Webcam with integrated digital microphone(15)
• 13.3" Diagonal High-Definition(8) HP LED BrightView Widescreen Display (1366 x 768)
• Integrated 10/100BASE-T Ethernet LAN (RJ-45 connector)(9)
• Intel® WiFi Link 5100AGN(10b)
• 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards(17a)
• Altec Lansing with SRS Premium Sound
• Full size chicklet keyboard
• Touch Pad supporting Multi-Touch gestures. With On/Off button and dedicated vertical Scroll Up/Down pad
• 4 Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0: 1 Headphone out • 1 microphone-in • HDMI • 1 VGA (15-pin)
• 1 RJ -45 (LAN) • Unpackaged: 12.83"(L)x 9.06"(D)x 0.96"(min H)/ 1.23"(max H)
• Packaged: 17.9"(W) x 4.3"(D) x13.6"(H) • Unpackaged: 4.21 lbs(12)
• Packaged: 9.2 lbs
• Kensington® MicroSaver lock slot • Power-on password • Accepts 3rd party security lock devices
• 65W AC Adapter • 6-Cell Lithium-Ion battery
• HP 90W AC Adapter - KG298AA#ABA • HP FD06 Notebook Battery - VG586AA#UUF • HP USB Essentials Port Replicator - NK398AA#ABA
• 1-Year Limited Hardware Warranty with Toll Free Support (NA) • 1-Year Free Hardware Technical Support • 30-Days Free Limited Software Support with 1-Year (from date of
purchase) Free Limited Software Support with Product Registration.

[HP]

It's a simple idea, but I like the design: Soft cushion on the bottom, flat hard surface with nice built-in speakers on the top. Girl on spandex not required.

Spandex is never a good idea.

The Philips Notebook Sleeve also has a soft cushion built-in and, what is more important, "an extra HeatProtect layer prevents overheating by allowing good air flow." Sounds good to me and to my private parts. The design is good too, with a suede-like lining and a rubberized zip, so your notebook doesn't get scratched.

Though laptops without optical drives have become more and more common, a 14-inch laptop is quite large to go that route. But we're impressed with the 14z's benchmarks, mostly due to Nvidia's 9400M graphics chip—it outperformed other machines in its class at almost every turn, only failing at "greenness," as it's not particularly energy-efficient. But battery life was excellent at 5.5 hours, it's nicely thin and light (only .8 inches and 4.4 pounds) and the price is certainly appealing: Best Buy is selling a model for $750 with 3GB RAM, a 320GB HDD, 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo, and HDMI-out, which is great for such a lithe machine. Seems like it's worth your time if you're looking for a cheap optical drive-less Windows machine for travelling. [Laptop Mag]

If you still don't trust wireless or your batteries die, it has a breakaway USB cable—though Razer claims 1-3 months of juice under "normal usage." What exactly is normal usage, you ask? I don't know. [Razer]

The two did say that they're going to be sharing Nokia's HSPA/3G modem technology so Intel can put those into their own equipment, and that they're going to be all up in the open source world. Other than that? Not a whole lot going on. Sounds to us like Nokia's going to be making some more N800-like devices with Intel inside. [Nokia]

The NW features a 15.5-inch widescreen display (albeit 1366x768), along with a HDMI output connector for plugging it into a TV, so you can enjoy the full 1080p goodness of your Blu-ray discs. There is also a "display off" button, which does exactly what you would expect, ideal if you have got this plugged into a big screen in a darkened room.

Specs include an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB RAM, up to 400GB hard drive and an optional dedicated ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 graphics card to improve your movie watching. Slot-wise there are three USB ports, ExpressCard, SD and Memory Stick PRO.

Available this summer the Vaio NW can also come without the Blu-ray drive for a saving of $80... but given this is all about HD and movie watching I really don't know why. [Sony]

Think about it: Right now a single, lonely model bears the name MacBook. A model that's been around forever, too. On the other hand, there are three sizes of MacBook Pros in six, count 'em, six flavors. Lopsided much? The poor thing gets no promotion, either. It was quietly updated to be as fast as the aluminium MacBook last week, warranting just a one-line mention during the WWDC Philnote. And where's the splash pic for Apple's most affordable Mac on the Mac page?

So, why is Apple basically wasting one of their most powerful brands, their "most popular Mac"?

Because they're about to call something else MacBook.

It's the only logical explanation for the muddled, complicated and totally un-Apple product line. Why all of their core notebooks are now called MacBook Pros. Why MacBook denotes a single notebook, one that perpetually seems like it's on its way out—because it very likely is on its way out.

There are two possibilities that stand out for MacBook: A new, even cheaper notebook, following the hard price cuts across the iMac and MacBook Pro lines. Or at the very least, a completely redesigned MacBook family that looks way different than what Apple is currently calling MacBook Pro, and maybe even the current MacBook. That's the more conservative take.

The other possibility is mostly in fap-fap fantasyland, but we can't rule it out: What if Apple calls that tablet thing MacBook? (Indicating it's at least somewhat different than most people have been imagining.) What better way to use one of their most iconic brands than to signify a complete shift in mainstream computers? Calling the tablet a MacBook would be incredibly ballsy, but an incredibly powerful signal, too.

Either way, we're pretty sure Apple isn't just going to let the MacBook wither and die—something new has to be coming that's gonna be called MacBook, and we'd wager relatively soon, too.

Or maybe Apple's just becoming a little bit more like every other PC maker and doesn't know what the hell they're doing with their brands anymore. But I somehow doubt that.

It's possible that when the subsidized iPhone 3G dropped last year for $199, a new Apple was born. We just didn't see it clearly until today, with the announcement of the iPhone 3GS and new MacBook Pro line.

"Pro" used to be a real designation: A Pro machine was designed and built for working professionals. It had more power, better build quality and "top 10 percent" features for the users who needed it—or at least wanted to pay a lot more for it. Now, it's just a brand.

It's true that the unibody MacBooks were more like their brawnier "Pro" siblings than ever before—it was even the rationale behind our dual review. But there were still very real dividing lines between them: Most importantly, Pro machines had dedicated graphics cards. As of yesterday, that's not true. The $1700 15-inch Pro doesn't have one, and none of 13-inch newly designated Pro models have them either. Also, what kind of professional machine lacks a removable battery, anyway? (Swapping out batteries is how we got through the back-to-back Nintendo and Sony keynotes at E3 this year, though admittedly, the significantly improved battery life might be part of the answer.)

Don't get us wrong, we love that Apple brought many of the Pro hallmarks down to their consumer machines, like the aluminum chassis, and that now high-end Apple laptops are more affordable than ever. But now real pros probably won't even look at most of the Pro line.

The new products also don't show how special you are for paying the most to buy the best. The cheap models and the pricey ones are identical. Your crazy high-end 32GB iPhone 3GS looks just like that other guy's $99 iPhone 3G. Every unibody MacBook is now a Pro—whether you spend $1200 or twice as much. The old distinctions have been erased.

A leveling of class distinctions in Apple products is going to sting people who valued the affectation of elitism that came with using Apple's top-of-the-line products. Even subtle differences—like the premium paid for the matte black MacBook over the otherwise identical shiny white one, were signals, beamed out to the others in the coffee shop, declaring who was "da boss." You know, the guys who wore the white earbuds with pride five years ago. Admittedly, sometimes those guys need a left hook to the kidneys (and sometimes, we are those guys). Maybe it's good to make the best technology accessible to everybody, with no indicators of who paid more for what.

Maybe Apple is trying to create good design that works for anyone and everyone. I can respect that. Still, the question remains: Does this make rich people look like poor people, or poor people look like rich people? The privileged must know.

It's for unspecified 15 and 17-inch models, but our unibody 15-incher said it didn't need the update, so it's probably for previous-gen models confirmed to have bad graphics cards. [Apple via ars]

You can also stuff it with up to 8GB of DDR3-1333 RAM, 1TB HDD or 512GB SSD, Blu-ray and all important for gaming, an edge-to-edge 1920x1200 display. It has an Nvidia GeForce 9400M integrated GPU, so you can boost our battery life from 15 seconds to 26.3 seconds when you need to go that extra mile. And ports, ports, ports—the thing is so beastly the USB ports are arranged vertically: 4 USB, eSATA/USB combo, DisplayPort (go Dell) and HDMI.

And yes, it's completely blinged out—lights pour out of it like it just landed on earth after a long trip from a planet populated entirely by a evolved race of disco lights. It's heavy, too—almost 12 pounds—but despite being thicker than a 18-wheeler it's easily the best-looking machine Alienware has put out (at least once you turn off the lights). It starts at $1800, but don't expect to stay that way once you start tricking it out with heavy-duty firepower. [Alienware]

Alston was showering when he heard a thump. After coming out of the bathroom he noticed all his gadgets missing, including his laptop. Fortunately, he had installed a little program called LogMeIn, which allowed him to securely and remotely log into his notebook. He waited until the thief got online to start getting information that would allow him to pinpoint his location and go to the police.

While some cyberdetectives get to watch porn on the thief's computer, Alston had some fun with him. He deleted any music he uploaded to the system, keep messing around with anything he did and, on April 1st, changed his desktop picture to feature him photoshopped as a lepper.

And all thanks to a remote login program. The moral of the story: Get a waterproof laptop and shower with it. [Newsweek]

"When I'm looking at what's sold in the netbook market, I see cramped keyboards, junky hardware, very small screen, bad software. Not a consumer experience that we would put the Mac brand on. As it exists today, we're not interested in nor would it be something customers would be interested in the long term. We are looking at the space. For those who want a small computer that does browsing/email, they might want an iPhone or iPod Touch. If we find a way we can deliver an innovative product that really makes a contribution, then we'll do that. And we have some interesting ideas in this space."

In some ways, it's the same answer Tim and Steve give every time someone asks.

But the somewhat rambling way he arrived there—first talking about the iPod touch and iPhone fulfilling some of the needs of people who want a small computer, was definitely different. Meaningful? Take it for what you will. Update: Filled out the beginning of the quote using Mac Rumors' transcript. [Apple]

Spec-wise, it's a 15.6-inch notebook with a 16:9 aspect ratio LED-backlit screen, Dolby speakers and multi-touch gesture trackpad (like much else Acer's rolling out tonight).

I want them all. On second thought, I will go with a yellow neoprene skin. It matches my favorite latex chicken outfit. [The Post Family via Unplggd]

The most realistic and likely biometric tool is a hidden sensor within a touchscreen or notebook's trackpad that would detect fingerprints, vein patterns or even the shape of your ear when you use the phone or notebook like normal, making the whole process nearly invisible. The patent also considers face recognition using the webcam—but considering our past experience with VeriFace's tech and iPhoto's face recognition, that sounds kinda lousy. The "ew, creepy" solution they propose is collecting a user's DNA to recognize their genetic makeup when they come into contact with the machine.

Oh and there's a couple ideas like arranging shapes or patterns that are sorta Android's neato puzzle lock. [AppleInsider]