5 insanely thin and light laptops that are coming soon

An army of ultrabooks on display

There's a whole new wave of gadgets right around the corner that you might not have even known you needed — until now, of course. Meet the ultrabook, a class of super-slim, considerably powerful notebook computers that are cut from the same cloth as Apple's MacBook Air. "Ultrabook" might not be a word you've heard before, but the idea is meant to inspire a category of laptop that is nearly as mobile as a tablet, but that doesn't sacrifice power for portability — the ultimate pitfall of thenetbook.

Ultrabooks are on the way, but choosing between them won't be easy. Assuming you don't take the Mac route and opt for Apple's own offering, the members of this tidal wave of featherweight computers running Windows will share most of their features in common by definition. In fact, the term "ultrabook" is a trademarked term, owned by Intel. To qualify as an ultrabook, a notebook computer should hover around the $1,000 mark, be no more than .8" thick, weigh less than 3.1 lb., and boast a respectable battery life and an efficient solid-state drive (SSD) rather than a traditional mechanical harddrive.

As you'll see, these rules were meant to be broken, but even some of the notebooks that stray a little from the mold are interesting enough to keep an eye out for. Here are five favorite ultrabooks, some available now and some on the way soon, and what sets them each apart from the pack.

Samsung Series 9 is a handsome, high-end choice

Samsung's sleek premium notebook

The new Samsung Series 9 is a shoo-in. Last year's Series 9 ultralight was already ahead of the curve — in fact, it made a point of asserting itself as the lightest notebook on the market. Samsung has had a year to refine its ultra-portable model, and the new Series 9 is as polished and good-looking as it is powerful.

The Series 9 offers a surprisingly sharp, matte 1600 x 900 13" display, an SD card slot, Core i5 processor, and a 7-hour battery life. Of course, you'll pay $1,399 for the feature set, which is considerably more than the $1,000 target price point. If you have the cash and are taken (like we were) with the notebook's striking black alumninum, watch for the Series 9 from Samsung in February.

Dell's value-minded XPS 13 balances features with a friendly price tag

Dell's XPS 13

As Dell's budget-minded follow-up to its head-turning notebook the Adamo, the XPS 13 is no slouch. The XPS doesn't reinvent the wheel, but starting at $999, it really doesn't need to. The XPS 13 is comfortably rounded off (unlike the razor-sharp design of the Asus Zenbook), with a solid build, and a comfortable backlit keyboard. Notably, the XPS 13 crams more screen real estate into dimensions usually reserved for its 11" peers, thanks to a super-slim bezel around the Gorilla Glass screen and a thoughtful design.

At 3 lb. even, this light 13.3" laptop can clock in 8 hours of battery life, and it predictably packs a Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM, and a 128GB harddrive in its starting configuration, much like its peers. The XPS 13 will be available in February, and offers a very nice blend of features for its reasonable price.

The HP Envy 14 Spectre may be a bit thick, but we loved its stylish glass exterior

HP Envy 14 Spectre is on the higher end of pricing but packs interest features like NFC support

The HP Envy 14 Spectre has a design, feature set, and price that put it in line with premium ultrabooks like the Samsung Series 9. The Envy 14 Spectre sports a mirror-like black Gorrila Glass lid, integrated support for NFC, and a 1600 x 900, ultra-sharp 14" Gorilla Glass screen. At .78" and 3.79 lb., the flashy notebook might not be as "ultra-portable" as many of its peers, but you're getting some seriously tough (and seriously good-looking) glass in the trade-off, not to mention Beats audio, and a reported 9-hour battery life. Like the majority of notebooks in its class, the ultrabook includes a mini-HDMI port, dual USB ports, and an SD card slot. HP's Envy 14 Spectre goes on sale February 8, and starts at $1,399 for a basic configuration with a Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD, and 4GB of RAM.

Asus Zenbook UX31 features an eye-catching, razor-sharp design

Asus 13" Zenbook

We found Asus's ultrabook somewhat ironically named. With its combo brushed/polished aluminum frame and jagged edges, the 13" Zenbook was striking for the severity of its design. While the Zenbook's angular look will boil down to a matter of preference, its insides stack up with the competition: the notebook packs a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, one USB 2.0 port and a USB 3.0 port in the mix as well. Though the Zenbook has been knocked for its less-than-stellar trackpad, it does sport Bang & Olufsen speakers, which could set it apart from the pack if you like to rock out on the go via your ultraportable computer. The 13" Asus Zenbook is available now for $1,099.

Lenovo's U300s ultrabook offers a comfy keyboard paired with solid value

Lenovo Ideapad U300s

At under 3 lb. and just .58" thick across the board, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s is in many ways a prototype of the ultrabook class. Lenovo put plenty of thought into the design of the little notebook's keyboard, and the pleasantly rounded keys don't have the same uncomfortably shallow feel to them as many of its peers that cut corners to shave off inches.

Beyond its thoughtful design, the IdeaPad U300s felt solid, and it offers the standard i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, all in a sub 3 lb. shell. While it doesn't sport an SD card slot, Lenovo's ultrabook is a solid choice in an 13" ultraportable, and it's available now for $1,199. Did we mention that it comes in orange?

Kodak files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

Yet another classic camera manufacturer was unable to stay afloat in a digital age

A sad day for lovers of classic photography: Famed camera and film manufacturer Kodak has officially filed today for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to the filing, Kodak owes about $6.75 billion in debt and has just over $5 billion in assets.

The company isn't folding completely, per se — Chapter 11 bankruptcy is a reorganization process designed to stave off shuttering the company. Many companies have been able to successfully come out of Chapter 11, such as clothing retailer Macy's. To provide information to Kodak customers and debtors, a website has been launched to provide more information about the restructuring process at www.kodaktransforms.com.

The company has struggled in recent decades. It lost a court battle to Polaroid in the 1980s, forcing Kodak out of the instant camera business. Of course, neither Kodak nor Polaroid were able to develop the following in the digital camera market needed for either company to stay afloat. Polaroid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2001. It's assets were sold at auction, leaving stockholders with nothing and employees out of work.

Support for PIPA collapses in blackout aftermath

18 U.S. Senators withdraw support of the controversial bill, but the fight isn't over

Yesterday's internet blackout may have had some success changing minds and winning hearts in the nation's capital. In the last 24 hours, a total of 18 U.S. senators have publicly withdrawn support of the controversial Protect IP Act, better known as PIPA.

[Related: PIPA/SOPA timeline]

Though on the internet the issue has largely been bi-partisan, the recent withdrawl of support has largely come from Republicans. Many of the defections have been high-profile, including former PIPA co-sponsors Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sen. John Boozman (R-AR),Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), and Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD).

According to an informal head count at opencongress.org, 33 senators currently stand in support of the bill, while 36 remain opposed. A total of 51 votes are needed to defeat this bill for sure; though the bill could be killed with as few as 40 votes if Senate Republicans decide to mount a filibuster. The PIPA legislation is still slated for a vote on January 24.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor announced Monday that PIPA's sister bill, SOPA, would not be coming to a vote in the House after the White House announced its opposition.

Watch a very lucky snowmobiler get buried by — and then rescued from — an avalanche

There are a lot of fun things you can do in the snow, whether it's just a little flurry or an unexpected blizzard. Things can go south in a hurry, though, when an avalanche occurs. That's what happened to John Swanson when he and his friends went out for an afternoon of snowmobiling in Stampede Pass on Mount Washington, about 18 miles south of Seattle.

One of his friends was shooting video from his helmet-mounted camera, and first caught Swanson taking a tumble off his snowmobile near the top of a hillside clearing. As Swanson made his way down to the bottom, a small avalanche caught him unaware and quickly buried him. Luckily, since his friends were watching, they knew exactly where to dig to get him out, and he escaped the ordeal without injury.

With avalanche danger currently extremely high in the Northwest, this is one example of how all outdoor enthusiasts need to be on their guard as they enjoy the winter weather. While this incident ended without tragedy, it's always best to be prepared.

AppSpeed RC truck turns your iPhone or iPad into a wireless controller

iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad have made mobile apps and games a major pastime for many. And while games like Angry Birds and Doodle Jump can keep you occupied for hours in their virtual worlds, sometimes we crave something a little more real. It's times like those when we could see the new AppSpeed monster truck being a fun diversion.

The innovative little vehicle throws out normal RC controls in favor of an iPhone or iPad that's already on your coffee table. After purchasing the tiny truck, buyers can download a free controller app to their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. A small RF transmitter then plugs into the bottom of smartphone or tablet and lets you control the vehicle with either touch controls or by tilting the device from side to side.

What's more, the AppSpeed won't eat up your precious cache of expensive batteries, as it can be recharged when it runs out of juice simply by plugging it into any USB port. The diminutive off-roader is just the first in a line of iOS-controlled vehicles that manufacturer Dexim hopes to introduce in the coming months. The first run of AppSpeed vehicles will hit stores this coming fall for $69.99, but you can check out the video above for free.

BMW shows off Concept e electric scooter and Husqvarna E-go motorcycle

The luxury automaker is taking on two-wheeled electric vehicles

Today at the Frankfurt Motor Show, automaker BMW demonstrated their dedication to electric vehicles by introducing a pair of zero-emission cycle concepts. Both vehicles are bold in terms of design, and BMW promises that along with their new-age appearance, they are made with the utmost in mobility in mind.

The first is a scooter named Concept e, an urban cycle with a futuristic design and vibrant green side panels. The Concept e features a shortened front windshield and acrylic glass battery covers. The driver is treated to readouts of speed and other vehicle essentials as well as a pair of LCD monitors near the handlebars that show live feeds of the road to the back and sides, negating the need for traditional mirrors. The Concept e can be completely recharged in less than 3 hours, and a full battery can power the sleek speedster for up to 60 miles.

While the Concept e is designed for an urban environment, the Husqvarna-branded Concept E-go is more at home on dirt. BMW bought Husqvarna four years ago, and the E-go is the electric cycle concept from the new BMW subsidiary. Designed to be light and fast, the E-go weighs in at just 176lbs. The single-seater is clearly targeted at young people, and BMW even likens driving the new bike on city streets to playing a video game.

No word on pricing or even the likelihood of the new concepts making it to dealerships has been revealed, but with electric vehicles already dotting the roadway, the "e" concepts may very well have an audience.

Husqvarna E-go electric motorcycle concept

Sony is expanding its unlimited media options, but can it beat iTunes at its own game?

Sony wants to be your go-to spot for music and movies

Like so many other companies attempting to catch up to Apple's undisputed dominance of the digital media space, Sony is grooming its Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited services to make a run at the iTunes monolith. The services got off to a modest start in 2010 and early 2011, and while customers have been slowly dipping their feet in Sony's movie and music pool, their new focus on making a cohesive experience across a litany of devices may well pay off.

PS Vita

Sony's Music Unlimited service debuted early last year, and its basic model remains relatively the same: $3.99 per month gets you access to commercial-free streaming music stations covering a long list of genres and artists, while a $9.99 monthly charge lets you select specific songs from its vast library as well as curate and save your own playlists.

The Video Unlimited service — which has been a PlayStation 3 staple since early 2010 — works on a slightly different model: standard definition content rentals start from $2.99 and HD version run $3.99 and up. You can also purchase movies outright for varying prices depending on their age and popularity — much like the already established iTunes model.

But this is nothing we haven't heard before, so why does Sony think its media offerings are going to take off? It's as simple as the lineup of new products the company is releasing over the next 12 months. the Music and Video unlimited services will be available on Sony game systems, tablets, smartphones, and Bravia HDTVs, and if you own more than one of these devices, the experience is designed to be seamless.

Sony's tablets are becoming media powerhouses

So while right now you may be enjoying the ability to purchase digital movies through your PlayStation 3 in the living room, you'll soon be able to watch that same content on your PlayStation Vitawhile on the bus to work, catch a few more minutes of it via your Experia smartphone during that boring office meeting, and then resume it on your Bravia television while relaxing in bed. The services will have the same scope as the various versions of Netflix for smartphones, tablets, game consoles, and smart TVs, but will offer Unlimited Music integration as well as the ability to purchase and save content on any device with a storage drive.

But despite this seemingly spot-on approach to digital content, Sony still has a massive hill to climb in order to be spoken in the same sentence as the Netflixs and Spotifys of the world. At this point, the competition is firmly entrenched, and it's going to take a lot for your average consumer to cancel their current accounts in order to adopt a platform housed on a single company's devices. With that said, Sony has a lot on its plate for consumers in 2012, and if you find yourself with a PS Vita, Sony TV and an Experia phone, by year's end, your decision to go with the built-in content services should be a no-brainer.

Casio creates wild art images with 3D printing

Turn your 2D images into 3D art with Casio's 3D painting technology

From making hermit crab shells to creating vases based on the shape of your face, 3D printing seems to be doing everything these days. So, really, we shouldn't have been surprised to see Casio showing off their own 3D printing tech on the CES show floor.

Casio's gallery of 3D artwork was created from 2D images and their own 3D printing technology. It comes in two flavors: relief paintings, like the image above, which are subtly textured; and 3D digital paintings, like the ones below, which make a big jump into the third dimension. (We can't lie: while the technology at work here is definitely impressive, some of their pet photos were a bit on the creepy side.)

Though it's not on the market yet, Casio hopes to offer this wild 3D printing technology as a service at some point in the future — so if you're interested, you should start looking for your best pet photos to digitize right now.

Creepy or cool? You decide

Nokia N9 Review!

• 
  The N9 has a bright and crisp screen.

After our quick hands-on at the Nokia N9’s launch in September, we came away impressed. The hardware was stunning, and MeeGo was a solid operating system in general which brought fresh concepts to the table.

We’ve since had the opportunity to play with the N9 a little bit more, and despite its many flaws we still feel that it was a great phone which should have been given more time to shine instead of getting cancelled. Let’s dive deeper into the review, shall we?

Hardware and design

We’ve covered the N9’s hardware and design before, so we’ll keep it brief. Quite simply, the N9 is the most beautiful phone Nokia has ever produced. Fit and finish was top notch, and the polycarbonate body felt sturdy with just the right amount of heft.

The design is all-round minimalistic, with clean lines and subtle curves. It’s a little fat, but the smooth curves around the sides make it comfortable to hold. But this attention to quality is somehow neglected on the volume and lock/unlock keys at the side: those feel loose and rattled about when we pressed them.

A strip of metal which houses the camera lens provides a classy accent on the back. The front of the phone is, of course, dominated by the 3.9-inch screen, and its lack of buttons a signature feature of MeeGo inside.

The brilliant display looks great even in direct sunlight. This is most evident on the app screen, where the colourful icons pop vividly out of the black background. Viewing angles, however, wasn’t that great as the screen takes on a slight greenish hue when view from the side.

You’ll be able to chuck the N9 in your handbag or pocket full of keys or coins without a worry, as the display is made of Gorilla glass. We stabbed the screen several times with our keys and no scratch appeared.

The only downside to the hardware is how slippery the plastic can feel. Exceptional care must be taken when taking the phone out of your pocket or you risk the whole thing sliding out of your hand.

Nokia opted to go with the micro-SIM card and a non-removable battery, which can turn off some consumers. Plus, the lack of storage expansion slots brings down its desirability.

Unsurprisingly, reception and call quality was excellent, as always on Nokia phones. Clarity remains one of Nokia’s true strengths, as no other phone we’ve tested can come close.

Software

This is the most defining and unique feature of the N9 – it’s the only commercial phone in the world running MeeGo. And it’s likely to be the last, too, as Nokia is now fully committed to Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform.

There are a lot of things to love about MeeGo. The phone’s user interface, while having a slight learning curve to it, feels natural enough once you get used to it. Scrolling was smooth, and it was pretty responsive all around.

But MeeGo is not completely flawless.

For one, there’s no way to organise your apps on the app screen in folders or pages. That’s going to be a problem if you install a lot of apps.

Performance was mostly decent, and the N9 could handle our demands without making much complaints. But once you get more than 10 apps running on the background, the phone starts to choke a little.

The “perfect fluidity” tagline used to market the N9 is really not that “perfect”. The bezel-swiping navigation style seems to be the phone’s only trick, and once you delve deeper into individual apps, everything becomes more or less similar to other smartphone platforms.

Plus, some parts of the user experience are downright un-fluid. For example, clicking on a link in Facebook or an email opens up the browser automatically, but once you’re done with reading the webpage, there’s no way to go back except swipe back to the home screen, swipe to the open apps screen, and then re-open it manually.

Keyboard

We’re picky about software keyboards, as they’re central to our textual communication on smartphones, but the N9’s shouldn’t see many complaints. The light haptic feedback provides a fantastic tactile experience, and the soft click the phone makes when a key is pressed is music to our ears.

On the downside, autocorrect is not a very smooth experience. When you type a word wrong, one suggestion pops up next to the word, like on the iPhone. But unlike on the iPhone, you must reach up and tap the suggested word to replace your misspelled one, instead of correcting itself automatically.

Tapping on the misspelt word itself brings up a list of possible words that the phone thinks can replace your work. Again, it doesn’t feel very fluid to have to hop to another screen when you’re still on the same task of typing.

Copy and paste was the worst. Selecting text was an inconsistent experience, and we can’t figure out where it works and where it doesn’t. When trying to input our username on a site in the browser, for instance, it was impossible to either select text, or move the cursor around.

Camera

Nokia is marketing the N9 as the ultimate phone shooter, and the camera does sound great on paper: 8 megapixels, f/2.2 lens, super wide 28mm lens, auto focus with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. But it falls short of our expectations in reality.

That’s not saying that it’s a bad camera, of course. The N9’s camera works almost instantly, capturing images the moment you press the shutter button and resuming quickly. It handles low light situations admirably and also does an excellent job at close-ups.

However, it isn’t that great at colour balance, and we found the sharpness of captured images wanting.  Images in general also looked slightly washed out.

It’s not going to replace your point-and-shoot, but the N9 has a decent camera which is great for casual photography enthusiasts. And of course, we have to disclaim that good photos are due more to good photographers than good cameras.

Wrap-up

Unless anything happens to change its fortunes, the N9 is dead. Although Nokia promises to update MeeGo for years to come, we don’t know how regularly that will be, or whether it’ll just bring bug fixes or new functionality. Plus, developers will likely shun the platform now that it’s dead, so don’t expect a lot of shiny new apps.

But if you can look past all that, the N9 is a solid phone that we can recommend to the smartphone user who won’t need a tonne of apps beyond the essentials: email, Facebook, Twitter, foursquare, and even exclusive games.

As long as you can manage your expectations regarding software updates and app selection, the N9 isn’t that bad a purchase. We just wish that Nokia had given MeeGo a bit more time to prove itself before killing it off so unceremoniously.

Simplify mobile broadband connections with windows 8

 

Windows 8 will make it easier for users to manage Wi-Fi and mobile connections. Group program manager on Microsoft’s devices and networking team Billy Anders has published a post on the company’s Building Windows 8 blog that outlines steps taken to improve the wireless connectivity experience.

In Windows 8, mobile broadband is being integrated alongside traditional Wi-Fi for a full wireless experience. This was included in Windows 7 as well but there were several hurdles that had to be overcome before connecting through a mobile device such as third-party drivers and software. To eliminate this roadblock, Microsoft worked with mobile broadband hardware partners to develop a universal driver that will work with all mobile devices and eliminate the need for additional drivers or software.

Microsoft has also developed a new networks settings menu that allows you to turn off individual radios (Bluetooth, mobile broadband, Wi-Fi) or disable them all at once with the new airplane mode. This native radio management is said to eliminate conflicts and confusion that is often introduced when third-party manufacturers add their own connection software.

Much like today’s smartphones, Microsoft’s connection manager will attempt to give priority to trusted Wi-Fi devices when you are within range, only defaulting to mobile broadband should you not have Wi-Fi available. When connected to a Wi-Fi network, the application will disconnect you from your mobile broadband connection and even attempt to power down the device, thus saving battery life.

To avoid “bill shock” – that is, receiving an outrageously high bill from your mobile provider for excessive data consumption, Windows will delay Windows Updates until you have connected through a non-metered outlet like Wi-Fi. The system will also attempt to connect you to popular Wi-Fi hotspots using WISPr, EAP-SIM / AKA / AKA Prime and EAP-TTLS authentication types. The new connection manager can even display estimated data usage and suggest ways to reduce mobile data consumption.