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A Ream of Features in Computers the Size of a Memo Pad Most of the attention in notebook computing has been on full-size models, the hefty laptops with 15- or 17-inch screens that can replace desktop units. But a spate of new ultraportable notebooks have also recently emerged, in the category often called subnotebooks or ultralight laptops. These much smaller notebooks have screens of 12.1 inches or less and are compact enough to use in cramped places like airplanes. They are also light enough, in the range of two to four pounds, to tote for extended periods without much strain. The new models include features like built-in optical drives with DVD burners, improved battery life, fingerprint readers and new processors. Wi-Fi wireless networking is a standard feature. For a very small notebook, the Libretto U100 from Toshiba ($2,099; www.toshibadirect.com) lives up to its name, which in Italian means little book. Its screen measures only 7.2 inches diagonally, and its dimensions are trim: 8.27 inches wide, 1.31 inches thick and 6.5 inches deep. Despite its small footprint, the Libretto comes with significant computing power and features. It has a 1.2-gigahertz Pentium M processor, a 60-gigabyte hard drive, built-in Bluetooth and a fingerprint reader for additional security. The unit is light, at just over two pounds, and it includes a dock with an optical drive that both records and plays DVD's and CD's. A tradeoff on the Libretto, however, is its small keyboard. The keys are much smaller than normal and close together, which can slow typing significantly. I made many typos while typing quickly in a word processor, and I had to keep looking down at the keys to find my way. Another tradeoff is the small display. At the device's highest resolution, 1,280 pixels by 768 pixels, I had to move closer to the screen to see what I was typing. But the screen's clarity and brightness are strong, bolstered with an L.E.D. backlight, and the 1,280-by-768 resolution allows much content to fit within view. On the other end of the size spectrum, the Asus W5A ($1,649; www.asus.com), comes with a 12.1-inch screen, a 1.73-gigahertz Pentium M processor and a full-size keyboard. The device weighs about four pounds, and as with the Libretto, the display is a wide screen using the WXGA standard (for example, compared with conventional screens, you see more columns on a spreadsheet). The W5A has a built-in 1.3-megapixel Web camera and optical drive with a DVD player and CD-RW. As with a few of the other new models, the W5A includes Intel's new generation of Centrino technology, which brings some speed and graphics enhancements, but no major improvements specifically for ultraportables. It has a white exterior of carbon fiber, and three U.S.B. ports - one in the back and one on each side. But the W5A is somewhat larger and heavier than most units with 12.1-inch screens. A new model from Sony, expected to be available in early June, is the Vaio T350 (starting at $2,200; www.sonystyle.com). More compact than the W5A but larger than the Libretto, the new Vaio includes a wide screen that measures 10.6 inches diagonally, and a keyboard slightly below full size. It includes a 1.2-gigahertz Pentium M processor, one with lower voltage and less battery drain, and a built-in optical drive that records and plays DVD's and CD's. The main new feature of the T350 is Internet access through a built-in wireless modem and subscription service from Cingular. Three plans are offered, from $50 to $80 a month, and each enables Internet access from within the Cingular Edge network, a high-speed wireless data service available in the most populated areas of the country. Typical connection speeds are 70 to 135 kilobits a second, and in tests it was easy to use the service. And with an included connectivity program called SmartWi, you can toggle between the Cingular connection, available Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth-enabled devices within range.
http://www.nytimes.com
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