You know the Envy is well designed when you experience the initial unboxing. Generally, we're bored by the very notion of "unboxing" these days, but word is that Voodoo's chief designer is a packaging fanatic, you can totally tell by the elegantly nested, extra-heavy packaging that so carefully holds such a light, thin little notebook.

Once you have it out of the box and ready for action, you really notice how closely the Envy resembles a miniature black MacBook Pro, with a few distinct design choices to separate itself from an Apple: It's got a continuous glass face with embedded screen, so the whole front except for the webcam is seamless. And it's made of carbon fiber, which means it can be thinner (at the widest point) than a MacBook Air, but have a removable battery like a MacBook Pro.

The carbon fiber, along with a rather noisy fan, lets heat dissipate easily, so there's no sudden burning sensation on your legs when you're using it on your lap. I don't know if carbon fiber is a better sound resonator than aluminum, but the Envy's speakers sound great for being so small. They're not just better than MacBook Air's mono speaker but MacBook Pro's stereo speakers too. The carbon fiber is slick but smudgy. It didn't take long to make it look used, though a quick wipe will make it good as new—for like five minutes.

Sizemodo: Voodoo Envy 133 vs MacBook Air

To put it as bluntly as Voodoo boss Rahul Sood puts it, "This laptop is not a gaming product." It's not going to play Crysis at all, though it might achieve other, lesser games with the settings dialed down. You can tell it's not a gaming laptop because of the fact that Vista gives it a 3.1 rating out of 5 due to its integrated graphics and shared video memory; that PCMark gave it 2100 (the world's hottest machines top 15000); 3D Mark won't run because Envy's nice 13.3" 1280x800 screen is nevertheless too low rez to test; and it's not covered with flared plastic and blinky LEDs that go from green to red as you take hits during a game.

As you might know, the basic design was Intel's. The original Metro concept had some shortcomings though. It was made of plastic and had some questionable heat management. "There's no way you could sell the Metro because it would fall apart," says Sood.

Besides heat management, the key was to make the Metro design capable of carrying a removable battery that is nonetheless super thin. And it's a good thing, because the battery life on the Envy isn't great. In the most extreme situation, where it was powering the outboard DVD player and playing a movie, I could only get it to run for an hour before completely crapping out. That means no watching movies on airplanes, I'm afraid. In other less strenuous tests, the battery dwindled fast. Let me make this clear: The battery life on this baby sucks.The DVD player connects in an ingenious way. It uses an eSATA port that doubles as a USB port. Since eSATA doesn't yet have a bus-powered spec yet, the Voodoo guys figured out a way to draw power from the USB part of the jack, while doing data i/o through the faster eSATA jack. Sood says that they actually patented this technique and that's good for Voodoo, since it's certainly bound to catch on.

The little laptop even has an ExpressCard slot, which makes up for its lack of SD card reader—SanDisk makes a very nice multi-card reader for ExpressCard. It also means it won't take up a USB port to run a 3G modem, if you can get an ExpressCard version instead.

As you may recall from the launch, it has a few other gimmicks, like a slightly oversized power brick that, for its bulk, contains a mini Wi-Fi router, so you can plug Ethernet directly in. It also ships with a smart HDMI-to-VGA dongle for people who want to use it in presentations but don't want to convince corporate IT dudes that HDMI is in fact a viable video standard.

It also has a pseudo-multi-touch "pinch" feature like on a MacBook Air (or an iPhone), but instead of a smooth flow, I noticed it was kinda jerky. It could still come in handy, but to be honest, I am not sure how handy the Air's multi-touch is at this point. I consider all of this proof of concept for now.

Speaking of the trackpad, it's supposed to lock down when you have two hands on the keyboard. I don't know if I have funny shaped hands, but from time to time, I still find the trackpad acting up while I type, executing weird app and system requests, but given the fact that I have typed an awful lot with my hands touching much of the trackpad as I went along, I can easily say the auto-safety works 99% of the time.

The gimmick I am most interested in is the lightweight Linux OS called Voodoo IOS. It's the Splashtop instant-boot OS we've started to see in other places as well, and having finally sat down and played with it, I see a lot of promise. At startup, you can select to enter Windows or choose Skype, media player, web browser or photo viewer to take you into the VIOS environment. I was eager to try this out and can say that it works as billed, though I'm still divided on its ultimate practicality.

It is very handy to hop into VIOS instead of launching Windows when you want to do something minor, like launch a web browser or Skype, but I am vexed by the fact that, to enter VIOS, you have to shut down Vista and reboot—rather than choose it as a reboot option from Vista. Once in VIOS, the apps have certain limitations: The Linux version of Skype can't support the built-in webcam, copying photos from a memory card to the photo browser seemed impossible (if I'm wrong I'll settle for unintuitive), and the music program worked but just made me miss iTunes. The browser was fine—a Linux version of some Mozilla variant, if I'm not mistaken. Over all, it seemed like a pretty nice Linux environment, clean and fun, with quirky interface features like a flaming Voodoo face signifying a short wait. Who knows, it may even be a fertile ground for savvier software tweakers to play around in. Update: Just got a couple of nuggets regarding VIOS/Splashtop: Its hacker friendly open-source info is here, and it's up to Voodoo (and HP) to update the Skype on the VIOS in order for the webcam to work, so get crackin' Voodoo!

Voodoo IOS app walkthrough

Overall, I can safely say that this was the most satisfying experience I've had with a Vista notebook, and I've tried quite a few. Even while I was prepping this, my Mac started acting funny and I realized that if I had to switch to it full time, it would be far from disastrous. The only reason besides the questionable battery life that I am not gushing is that this laptop costs a hell of a lot of money. The fairly basic config with an 80GB 4200rpm hard drive that I tested starts at $2,450, and the 64GB SSD versions don't even kick in till $2,900. (The most barebones unit available is $2,100.) If these babies could come in even $500 lower, I could see a value proposition, but as it is, it's too high a price, especially when something this nice is still so far from perfection. [Voodoo Envy 133]

Available in good or evil—I mean, white or black—the Envy will weigh 3.4 lbs., heavier than the bulimic Metro, but still respectably light. It's also got a healthy 13.3" display, and for a starting cost of $2,100, it had better. For being so thin, it's also got a surprising number of tricks hidden in its carbon-fiber microweave case, like a Linux alter-ego, a "multiple gesture" touchpad and a secret Wi-Fi-to-Ethernet bridge. Update: Full meaty specs below.

That Linux alter-ego I mentioned is called Voodoo IOS (VIOS, get it?). This Splashtop-style bootware launches fast to give you Skype, Firefox and other simple apps when you don't feel like booting up Windows Vista. I am a fan of this, but I'd really like to see customizable configs—maybe I want Picasa and a music player, while you want access to e-mail.

The touchpad lets you do a few touch tricks, such as chiral (that is, circular) scrolling, and the pinch maneuver known from Apple products. There's no word on if this represents true multitouch, but hopefully we'll learn more soon.

The Aura PowerConnect Ethernet port found on the power brick gives you point-to-point Wi-Fi from powerbrick to laptop, so that in a hotel room, you can plug your Ethernet in and get connected. Even if you unplug the laptop from the power brick itself, you'll still have the wireless connection, so it's like carrying a little router wherever you go.

It's also got a proximity sensor for shutting off the touchpad when you're typing to avoid cursor hop. It's got Dolby Sound Room surround-sound processing for speakers or headphones. The keyboard is backlit and there's pre-installed LoJack software.

The Voodoo folks like to point out that even with the MacBook Air-beating thinness spec, the 133 still has two USB ports, one which doubles as an eSATA jack, plus an HDMI port. There's no internal optical drive, but every 133 ships with an external drive in the box.

Voodoo, you say, that's a gaming brand. Yes, but this comes from the new Voodoo Business Unit, which is trying to branch out with non-gaming systems that "combine luxurious quality, personalized styling and unmatched technology innovation." Sounds good to me, although some gamers I know might not agree.

UPDATE: Here's our full review of the VoodooPC Envy 133!

Introducing Voodoo Envy 133

The Voodoo Envy 133 is sure to invoke pangs of jealousy in everyone who doesn't have one. Measuring .70 inches and weighing less than 3.4 pounds, the Voodoo Envy 133 combines sleek styling and personalization with a full suite of critical functionality for mobile users.

Developed by the HP Voodoo Business Unit, the Voodoo Envy 133 delivers critical features such as wireless and Ethernet connectivity, USB and HDMI ports, a 13.3-inch backlit LED display and more. All of the features are wrapped in a visually stunning package that consumers can customize via a full pallet of Voodoo Allure paint finishes, Voodoo Ink designs and Voodoo Iconograph patterns.

Packed with technologies new to the ultra-mobile market, the Voodoo Envy 133 offers consumers new and exciting features. The proprietary instant-on capabilities of the Voodoo IOS provide users with lightning-fast access to Internet browsers and Skype. The Voodoo Aura PowerConnect allows users to plug an Ethernet cable into the connector located on the power brick and experience an untethered, point-to-point Wi-Fi connection, so they can roam free from the wired connection whenever wireless isn't available.

The Voodoo Envy 133 was developed using the smallest available Intel Centrino technology and elements from an innovative Intel reference design.

Mobility and functionality

• Thin and Light - One of the thinnest, lightest systems in its class starting at 3.373 pounds, .70-inches thin, 9.04-inches deep and 12.65-inches wide (with SSD and battery).

• Durable - A carbon fibre casing with custom microweave design gives this little wonder surprising strength. The 13.3-inch backlit LED screen is covered with a durable fused composite glass.

• Voodoo IOS - Boot up in seconds. Unique to the Voodoo Envy 133, this feature gives road warriors instant access to Skype and Internet browser. (1)

• Voodoo Aura PowerConnect- Unlike other ultra-mobile systems, the Envy 133 recognizes the reality of the wired world. Even when wireless isn't available, the Aura PowerConnect lets users roam free from the wired connection. Users can plug an Ethernet cable into the jack located on the power brick. A point-to-point Wi-Fi connection is automatically established, between the RJ45 and the notebook. (1)

• Multiple Gesture Touchpad - More than a standard touchpad, the Envy 133 features chiral scroll and pinch options.

• Replaceable Battery - The fully-replaceable battery gives the Voodoo Envy 133 approximately 3.45 hours of battery life between charges.

• Integrated Webcam - standard in every Voodoo Envy 133.

• External ODD - An ID-coordinated external optical drive is included with every Voodoo Envy 133. HP engineers took the time to ensure the ODD and other peripheral devices receive the same external styling and attention to detail given to the system chassis.

• Wireless Connectivity - Every Voodoo Envy 133 includes integrated wireless 802.11 ABGN + Bluetooth®.

• Ports - For extensive usability, Voodoo Envy 133 systems come with a variety of I/O ports, including headphone/microphone, HDMI, USB 2.0 (1x) and a shared e-SATA/USB (1x).

• Professional Backlit Keyboard - The system features a keyboard reminiscent of old school tactile desktop keyboards with just enough "click" to get even the most die-hard tech enthusiast smiling.

• Proximity Sensor - This system recognizes when fingers are on the keyboard and turns off the touchpad to avoid any accidental movement of the cursor.

• Dolby® Sound Room® - The Envy 133 offers a stunning personal surround sound listening experience with a suite of technologies designed to provide an enveloping entertainment experience from any pair of speakers or any set of headphones—ideal for environments where using surround sound speakers is not practical.

Design and personalization

• Classic Voodoo Style - The clean lines and square edges that will define the entire Voodoo product line are epitomized in the Voodoo Envy 133.

• Coordinated Peripherals - All external peripherals - including the Voodoo Aura PowerConnect external ODD and HDMI-VGA adapter - are ID-coordinated to complement the Envy 133 notebook.

• Backlit Keyboard - The backlit keyboard adds to the Voodoo Envy 133's aura of sophistication.

• LED Display - The impressive 13.3-inch LED WXGA (1,280 x 800) screen is covered in high-quality fused composite glass that runs from edge to edge, eliminating seams and giving the system a streamlined look.

• Ambient Sensors - The Envy 133 includes an ambient sensor that adjusts the display brightness according to its surrounding environment.

• Color - Personalization is part of the Voodoo Envy 133 experience. Customers can choose from a full palette of classic Voodoo Allure paint finishes.

• Custom Finish - Customers can choose the custom carbon fiber casing with custom microweave design in black, or choose from a full palette of classic Voodoo Allure paint finishes.

• Laser Engravings - A selection of Voodoo Ink design options and Voodoo Iconograph patterns will be available to customers who want to give their Voodoo Envy 133 a unique look and feel.

Security

• Lojack Recover Software - Every Voodoo Envy 133 includes pre-installed Computrace Lojack anti-theft software. When activated (activation purchase optional), customers can use it to disable and track missing systems.

• Grisoft AVG Professional - Each Voodoo Envy 133 comes pre-installed with Grisoft AVG Professional (1 year base standard).

Pricing and availability

• Starting price is $2,099.(2)

• Starting this summer consumers will be able to use the online configurator to purchase the Envy 133 exclusively at voodoopc.com and at +1 888 708 6636.

(1) Internet access required and sold separately.

(2) Estimated U.S. street price. Actual price may vary.

CASING

• Carbon fiber with custom micro-weave design

DIMENSIONS

• Width (cm): 32.2 = 12.65 inches

• Depth (cm): 23= 9.04 inches

• Height front & rear (cm): 1.79 = .70 inches

• Weight starting at: 1.53Kg = 3.373 lbs. (with SSD & battery)

PROCESSOR

• Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology featuring Intel® Core™2 Duo

processor SP7700 (1.8 GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)

• Intel® Centrino® Processor Technology featuring Intel® Core™2 Duo

processor SP7500 (1.6 GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 800MHz FSB)

DISPLAY

• 13.3" WXGA High-Definition Widescreen LED Backlit Display (1280x800)

• Ambient light sensor

USER INTERFACE

• Large touchpad with multiple finger tracking, supporting chiral scrolling,

pinch and momentum gestures

• LED backlit Keyboard

• Proximity sensor for touchpad disable

GRAPHICS

• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (shared)

HDD

• 64GB Solid State drive or 80G HDD 4200RPM

EXTERNAL ODD

• ID coordinated

• External slot-load eSATA Super Multi drive

• Dual format DVDRW, including both +R and -R in double layer: 24X CD

Read/ 24X CD-R Write/ 24X CD-RW Write/ 8X DVD Read/ 8X DVD+R/R/RW

Write in single layer, 6x dual layer. 5X DVD-RAM Read and Write.

NETWORKING & WIRELESS

• Integrated Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN

• Bluetooth™

• Voodoo Aura PowerConnect - 56W AC Power, plus integrated

802.11b/g wireless personal access point + RJ45

INTEGRATED WEBCAM

EXPANSION

• 34mm ExpressCard

I/O PORTS

• Video: HDMI video port (max resolution 1920x1080)

• Audio: Headphone out shared with Microphone in

Digital array microphone with beam-forming and noise

cancellation capability

2 speakers

• Additional I/O: DC

1 x USB 2.0

1 x e-SATA / USB 2.0 combo

POWER

• 3-Cell, 33 Whr Lithium ion polymer, user replaceable

• Up to 3 hr 45 min battery life, depending on usage

• 56W AC Power (Voodoo Aura PowerConnect)

SECURITY

• (2) Kensington® lock slots

ACCESSORIES

• Included HDMI-VGA adapter (ID coordinated)

OS AND SOFTWARE

• Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium 32-bit

• Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Business 32-bit

• Voodoo IOS - Instant On Solution

• Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe

• Cyberlink YouCam

PRODUCTIVITY

• Microsoft® Office Pro 2007

• Microsoft® Office Small Business Edition 2007

• Microsoft® Office Basic 2007

SECURITY

• Grisoft AVG Professional (1 year base standard)

• Computrace LoJack for Laptops, 1 and 3 year (activation required)

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCS

• Genuine Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Installation DVD

• Driver and Applications Supplemental DVD

[Voodoo]