Kingston Digital to Create Certified USB Flash Drive for Windows To Go

A developing trend of late in business has been the “bring your own device” movement, where employees use their own smartphones or tablets for work instead of relying on company issued equipment. Now Kingston wants to step this up a notch with the announcement that it is planning on offering the entire Windows 8 experience on a bootable USB flash drive.

Called “Windows to Go”, this a new feature in Windows 8 Enterprise that allows for a full corporate desktop on an external USB drive enabling users to boot and operate from multiple PCs. Kingston says that their new Kingston DataTraveler Workspace USB Flash drive is the first available that has full Windows 8 certification requirements — meaning it can provide SSD-like performance.

“We are excited to have Kingston as an associate on Windows To Go. Our joint innovation will further enable mobile work styles. Kingston’s DataTraveler Workspace will give our customers the performance and endurance required to deliver a great experience when running Windows 8 Enterprise from a USB drive,” said Karri Alexion-Tiernan, Director of Product Marketing, Windows Enterprise, Microsoft in a statement.

“Kingston has been working together with Microsoft for over a year in developing a USB Flash drive capable of meeting the requirements of Windows To Go. We are excited to offer this drive to our enterprise customers later this year,” said Andrew Ewing, Flash memory business manager, Kingston.

“We appreciate the work from Genesys Logic, Inc., who have helped ensure that the drive is compatible and can boot from the latest systems. Kingston would also like to recognize the work of LSI Corporation in helping to ensure the forthcoming USB Flash drive with their SandForce Flash Storage Processor meets the performance requirements of Windows To Go.”

Kingston currently has a beta version of the drive available for enterprises or organizations in need of evaluating the Windows To Go feature of Windows 8 Enterprise. For more information visit www.kingston.com/wtg.

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Synaptics Introduces the Future of Mobile Computing Interaction

Synaptics first introduced the TouchPad to laptops in the mid-1990s, which was seen as a revolution to the paradigm of mobile computing interaction. Now the company has introduced what it promises to be the next generation of mainstream mobile computing interaction: the ForcePad.

The ForcePad uses the same multi-gesture capacitive touchpad found in virtually any netbook on the market that uses a Synaptics TouchPad with one caveat: as the name implies the ForcePad is pressure sensitive. Synaptics says the ForcePad  can detect up five fingers at once, with sensitivity to detect up to 1000 grams of force.

For ForcePad users, the most notable difference will be the lack of a ‘click’ button. The user simply applies concentrated pressure in a specific area.

Utilizing the device’s pressure sensitivity, the ForcePad supports a variety of new pressure sensitive gestures. One example could be for toggling fast-forward during movie playback: instead of tapping a touchpad’s click button a number of times to make the fast forward faster a user could simply increase pressure on the touchpad.

Critics have often praised the integration of gestures into Mac’s UI as one of the stronger aspects of the system. With these new gestures offered by the TouchPad, the Windows world is certain to leapfrog Apple in this regard.

Synaptics is planning on spinning off their pressure tracking research into more than just touchpads. The company is planning on integrating this technology into a keyboard called ThinTouch. Because of Synaptics’ pressure sensitive technology, this keyboard would not require springs — making the keyboard 40% thinner. According to Synaptics’ press people, focus grounds that have done blind tests of this technology say the experience is as good as Apple’s keyboards — the apparent standard to beat.

“If the ForcePad had been around 15 years ago, I don’t know if we would ever have used the mouse,” said Rick Bergman, the chief executive of Synaptics, to VentureBeat. “This is the biggest thing in touch innovation since the launch of the TouchPad in 1995.”

Writing in Techpinions Patrick Moorhead, of Moor Insights & Strategy fame, said that he is “excited” about the ForcePad because advances in human-computing interaction have historically defined winners in the tech sector.

“I believe that many PC makers will quickly adopt these Synaptics technologies to differentiate themselves from Apple and from each other, and some will even drive them across mid-range product lines, too. Unfortunately, some OEMs will continue to count pennies as they lose dollars,” wrote Mr. Moorhead .” When Apple comes out with their next generation of HCI, they will wish they had invested that dollar.”

OEMS are expected to have units offering ForcePad support in 2013.

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Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720 Review

The Inspiron 17R Special Edition is like a Toyota decked out with all the bells and whistles. While it's not as sleek as Dell's Lexus-like XPS, this 17-incher does have a lot of power and premium features under the hood. For $1,099, you get a quad-core Ivy Bridge processor, a 2GB Nvidia graphics card for gaming and a matte 1080p display. Plus, the built-in Skullcandy speakers promise to give your favorite tunes and flicks some added oomph.

Specifications Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720

CPU	2.3-GHz Intel Core i7-3610QM
Operating System	MS Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
RAM	8GB
RAM Upgradable to
Hard Drive Size	1TB + 32GB SSD
Hard Drive Speed	5,400rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive + mSATA SSD
Display Size	17.3
Native Resolution	1920x1080
Optical Drive	DVD /-RW
Optical Drive Speed	8X
Graphics Card	Intel HD Graphics 4000/Nvidia GeForce GT 650M
Video Memory	2GB
Wi-Fi	802.11 a/g/n
Wi-Fi Model	Intel Centrino Advanced-N 2230
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0
Mobile Broadband
Touchpad Size	3.9 x 2.25 inches
Ports allow you to connect to external devices such as monitors, printers, MP3 players, and hard drivse. Learn More Ports (excluding USB)	Ethernet; HDMI; Headphone; Kensington Lock; Microphone; USB 3.0; VGA
USB Ports	4
Card Slots	8-1 card reader
Warranty/Support
Size	16.41 x 10.87 x 1.25-1.46 inches
Weight	7.4 pounds

Design

Click to EnlargeMade from anodized aluminum, the Inspiron 17R SE's Stealth Black lid panel is awesome to look at and touch. The panel has a slightly raised honeycomb pattern that adds a nice level of depth and texture. However, all that gratuitous groping left a lot of smudges. The trademark chrome Dell logo sits in the middle and the entire panel is surrounded by a thick gray plastic border.

Those who prefer a bit of variety can purchase additional SWITCH lids, which start at $29.99 each. Removing the panel is as easy as sliding the chrome gray switch at the bottom of the lid to the right and popping off the panel. We did experience some trouble snapping the lid back into position, however.

The notebook's interior features the same Stealth Black aluminum honeycombed panel as the lid, complete with plastic gray border. The big chrome power button, next to the left hinge, was easy to locate. The three utility keys (Windows Mobility Center, Waves Maxx Sense control pane, Dell Instant Launch Manager) located in the top right corner of the deck were proved useful. The keyboard resides in a recessed glossy black plastic panel.

At 7.4 pounds, the 16.4 x 10.8 x 1.3-1.5-inch Inspiron 17R SE is definitely a heavyweight. The HP Envy 17 weighs the same 7.4 pounds but is thinner at 16.4 x 10.7 x 1.3 inches. The Samsung Series 7 Chronos, by comparison, is significantly slimmer (15.9 x 10.3 x 0.98 inches) and lighter (6.3 pounds), but it also costs a few hundred dollars more.

Display

Click to EnlargeThanks to its matte finish, the Inspiron 17R SE's 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080-pixel display delivered wide viewing angles, able to accommodate three people comfortably. When we browsed sites such as CNN.com, we saw sharp text with vibrant color.

However, as we watched the 1080p trailer for "The Man With the Iron Fists," the colors seemed muted due to the matte display. For example, Lucy Liu's golden robes looked slightly washed-out, as did many of the pinks and reds throughout the trailer. Still, the display delivered a serious amount of sharpness, as witnessed in the delicate etchings of the golden throne as well as the earthenware vases decorating the room.

In terms of brightness, the Inspiron 17R SE measured a luminous 304 lux, much brighter than the 250 lux desktop replacement average. The Series 7 Chronos and the Envy 17, both of which have 1080p displays, were dimmer at 222 and 188 lux, respectively.

Audio

Click to EnlargeThanks to Waves Maxx Audio software, the bottom-mounted Skullcandy speakers on the 17R SE delivered loud audio that easily blanketed our small test room. We found that the speakers were easily muffled, however, by placing the notebook in our lap. Dialogue during "The Man With the Iron Fists" was clear and nuanced, balancing a myriad of war cries against the staid voice of the narrator.

Waves Maxx Audio comes with five presets (Voice, Music, Gaming, Movies and MaxxSense) that can be accessed using the Waves Maxx button above the keyboard. Switching through the presets predictably delivered different results, but what was surprising was how much the audio differed from song to song.

As we listened to Mary Mary's "Walking," we heard a lot of low-end distortion on the Music setting, which threatened to overtake the highs. When we played Guns N' Roses "Welcome To The Jungle," the track became rather muted and hollow. We found a more balanced sound when we switched to MaxxSense or Gaming, the latter delivering the best sound in terms of audio quality and volume.

Don't get us wrong. The Inspiron 17R SE gets plenty loud and offers above-average sound quality, but the JBL speakers Dell used last year on its XPS line were better.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Click to EnlargeWe liked typing on the Inspiron 17R SE's island-style keyboard. The black matte keys had generous spacing and were nice and springy, but we noticed a small amount of flex. During the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, we scored our usual 50 words per minute with a 1 percent error rate. Our only quibble is that the keyboard backlighting is too dim.

The 3.9 x 2.25-inch Elan touchpad is plenty large, providing us enough space to navigate websites and documents. Multitouch gestures including pinch-zoom, and three-finger flick were relatively easy to activate, but we had to be more deliberate than usual to perform two-finger rotates.

The pair of discrete mouse buttons delivered firm feedback with a swift, accurate response.

Heat

After watching 15 minutes of "The Colbert Report" on Hulu at full screen, the touchpad registered a cool 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The space between the G and H keys and the underside measured 87 and 86 degrees, respectively. We noticed a 92-degree pocket of heat along the bottom of the notebook along the left front corner.

When we played "Batman: Arkham City" for 15 minutes, the touchpad and bottom of the notebook measured 83 and 85 degrees. The space between G and H keys registered a hot 99 degrees, surpassing our 95-degree comfort threshold. The bottom right front corner of the notebook also measured 95 degrees.

Webcam

Click to EnlargeThe 1-megapixel webcam inside on the Inspiron 17R SE captured our skin tone accurately when we recorded a quick video. However, we found that our hair color looked fairly washed-out, particularly the reddish tips. There was also a noticeable amount of visual noise. However, you can make HD video calls on Skype.

Ports

Click to EnlargeA pair of USB 3.0 ports, a tray-loading DVD burner, Ethernet and a Kensington lock slot sit on the Inspiron 17R SE right. The left side houses another pair of USB 3.0 ports, VGA, HDMI and jacks for headphones, microphone and the AC adapter. An 8-in-1 card reader sits on the front lip of the notebook.

Performance

The Dell Inspiron 17R SE delivered solid performance on our real-world and benchmark testing. We were able to open eight tabs in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome while running a full system scan and stream "Thor" with minimal hiccups.

Click to EnlargeThe Inspiron 17R SE's 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-361QM CPU with 8GB of RAM notched 4,007 on PCMark07, beating the 3,524 desktop replacement average. The Apple MacBook Pro, which has the same CPU and GPU, but an SSD, scored 4,779. The Samsung Series 7 Chronos' 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-3615QM CPU with 8GB of RAM only managed a score of 2,881. The HP Envy 17, which we tested with a second-generation 2.2-GHz Intel Core i7-2670QM CPU and 8GB of RAM, scored 2,790.

We booted Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) in 32 seconds with the Inspiron 17R SE's 1TB 5,400-rpm hard drive and 32GB mSATA SSD. That's 22 seconds faster than the average and enough to beat the Envy 17's (750GB 7,200-rpm hard drive) time of 49 seconds, the Series 7 Chronos' 44 seconds (1TB, 7,200-rpm hard drive), and even the MacBook Pro's (256GB SSD) 36-second time in Boot Camp.

When we ran the File Transfer Test, the Inspiron 17R SE duplicated 4.97GB of mixed-media files in 3 minutes and 52 seconds, a transfer rate of 21.9 MBps. That's well behind the 51 MBps average, but still enough to top the Series 7 Chronos' 19.7 MBps. The Envy 17 did a little better with 31.6 MBps while the MacBook blew past the competition with a searing 196 MBps.

During the OpenOffice Spreadsheet Macro test, the Inspiron 17R SE matched 20,000 names to their corresponding addresses in 4 minutes and 26 seconds. That's 1:43 faster than the 6:11 category average. The Series 7 Chronos was only a couple seconds slower at 4:28.

Graphics

Click to EnlargeThe Dell Inspiron 17R SE is tricked out with Nvidia's Optimus technology, so it can automatically switch between its Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU and Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of VRAM depending on the task(s) at hand.

During 3DMark11, the Inspiron 17R SE scored 2,089, which failed to meet the 2,659 desktop replacement category average. To be fair, this average includes a number of high-powered gaming rigs. The Apple MacBook Pro and the Samsung Series 7 Chronos, which both have an Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU, notched 2,275 and 2,170, respectively. The HP Envy 17 and its AMD Radeon HD 7690M XT with 1GB of VRAM scored 1,583.

The Inspiron 17R SE redeemed itself on the "World of Warcraft" test with a frame rate of 156 fps on autodetect at 1920 x 1080 pixels. That's slightly below the 168 fps average, but on a par with the Series 7 Chronos (157 fps). The Envy 17 mustered 90 fps. Cranking the settings to maximum dropped the Inspiron 17R SE's frame rate to 78 fps, matching the Series 7 Chronos, but falling short of the 87.4 fps category average.

When we moved on to the more demanding "Batman: Arkham City," we notched 80 fps from the Inspiron 17R SE at its native full HD resolution and effects set on low. That was enough to beat the 64 fps desktop replacement average and the Series 7 Chronos' 36 fps. On the highest settings, the Inspiron 17R SE dropped to 28 fps, below the 33 fps average. The Samsung only managed 19 fps, though.

Dell Stage

Click to EnlargeComprised of 14 tiles, Dell Stage sits near the bottom of the display as a large navigation bar. We were able to create additional tiles by dragging icons on the desktop to the bar. Clicking on some tiles simply launch a program or utility while others open a mini-window displaying our recently used content. While we found this software useful, others may not like the amount of desktop space it takes up.

Some tiles such as Organizer, Books and Magazines are simple shortcuts that launch Cozi Family Organizer, Blio and Zinio. The most compelling applications can be found in the MusicStage, VideoStage and PhotoStage tiles that deliver a number of interesting ways to interact with your multimedia content. For example, MusicStage gave us access to our music collection, but we were also able to access RadioTime, a program that let us stream music and podcasts from around the world. There's also Noisey, Vice's music channel dedicated to showcasing emerging artists.

In VideoStage, we shopped for movies and TV shows, watched Hulu and video podcasts in addition to viewing our video library. We could organize our photos, create albums in PhotoStage as well as upload photos to Shutterfly and order prints. Users can also check out their friends' photos with the Facebook utility and the Flickr utility.

Dell Stage Remote enables streaming of music, photos and video from other DNLA-compatible sources such as smartphones and televisions. Setup was relatively easy; After connecting the notebook and our Samsung Galaxy III (Verizon) phone to the same Wi-Fi network, we used the Stage Remote settings panel to scan for compatible devices. From there, a small panel appeared in the lower right corner where we could select videos, music and photos. We simply clicked on the content we wished to stream and chose the device. It then took about 30 seconds for Stage Remote to access content from other devices.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeDuring the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi), the Dell Inspiron 17R SE clocked just 3 hours and 19 minutes. While we don't expect all-day endurance from desktop replacements, that's still about half an hour less than the average (3:50). The Samsung Series 7 Chronos and the HP Envy 17 nearly doubled that with times of 6:06 and 6:12, respectively.

Software and Warranty

Click to EnlargeDell packs the Inspiron 17R SE with a number of utilities and other apps. Dell DataSafe Local Backup enables users to create backup discs and initiate system restores. There's also DataSafe Online that gives users 2GB of storage free for a year. Additional storage space can be purchased starting at $29.99 a year for 10GB. Dell Digital Delivery automatically updates any preinstalled software. Other branded utilities include Dell PC Checkup and Support Center.

Dell also included some goodies designed to enhance your multimedia creation experience. On the editing/creating side, it's an Adobe trifecta with Photoshop Elements 9, Premiere Elements 9 and ExtendScript Toolkit CS5.

There's also the Nero-powered Dell SyncUp, which compiles all your photos, video and music in one spot. Users can also upload media to the Web and synchronize content with other devices. Zinio Reader 4 and Blio provide a seemingly endless supply of magazines and books.

Other third-party apps include Skype, Internet Explorer, Adobe Reader X, Windows Live, Cozi Family Calendar, Microsoft Office Starter and a 15-month free trial of McAfee SecurityCenter.

Configurations

As opposed to its regular (and less expensive) Inspiron line, Dell's Inspiron Special Edition notebooks place more of a focus on high performance and a high-definition multimedia experience. For example, the Inspiron 17R SE has Nvidia discrete graphics, a mSATA SSD cache and a high-res 1920 x 1080p display, whereas the Inspiron 17R has integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU, a 1600 x 900p display and no SSD cache. Regular Inspiron 17R users also miss out on the SE's Skullcandy speakers. However, both regular and SE models feature the Adobe software bundle. Of course, this all comes at a premium: The 17R SE starts at $999, whereas the 17R starts at $599.

Our $1,099 review unit features a 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-3610M CPU with 8GB of RAM, a 1TB 5,400-rpm hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU and a Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of VRAM. The $999 base model has a 2.5-GHz Intel Core i5-3210M CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1TB 5,400-rpm hard drive, Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU and a Nvidia GeForce GT 650M GPU with 2GB of VRAM. The high-end model costs $1,499 and is equipped with a 2.3-GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-3610M CPU, a 2TB 5,400-rpm hard drive with a 32GB mSATA SSD cache, a Blu-ray player and a 3D-capable 1080p display.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeDell crams a lot into the Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720 for a rather affordable price. For $1,099, consumers walk away with a 17-inch notebook that has a bright full HD display, powerful graphics for playing the latest games and a robust suite of software for content creation and consumption. While the sound isn't best in class and the design is on the husky side, overall this multimedia notebook shines.

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Lenovo ThinkPad T430s review

A thinner and lighter version of Lenovo's popular ThinkPad T430 business notebook, the 14-inch ThinkPad T430s provides equal doses of power, portability and usability. With its light-weight chassis, industry-leading keyboard, high-res screen and more than 8 hours of battery life, this $1,145 business system ($779 to start) is well worth the price for anyone who cares about productivity.

Specifications Lenovo ThinkPad T430s

CPU	2.6-GHz Intel Core i5-3320M
Operating System	MS Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
RAM	16GB
RAM Upgradable to	4GB
Hard Drive Size	500GB
Hard Drive Speed	7,200rpm
Hard Drive Type	SATA Hard Drive
Display Size	14
Native Resolution	1600x900
Optical Drive	DVD+/-RW DL
Optical Drive Speed
Graphics Card	Nvidia NVS 5200M
Video Memory	1GB
Wi-Fi	802.11 a/g/n
Wi-Fi Model	Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205
Bluetooth	Bluetooth 4.0
Mobile Broadband
Touchpad Size	3 x 1.75 inches
Ports (excluding USB)	DisplayPort; Ethernet; USB 3.0; VGA
USB Ports	3
Warranty/Support	One year standard parts and labor
Size	13.50 x 9.05 x 0.83 - 1.02 inches
Weight	4 pounds / 4.4 pounds with bay battery

Design

Click to EnlargeNo surprises here. The T430s has the same black ThinkPad aesthetic as its predecessors. While some will find this design boring, we like this classy and understated look. The soft-touch carbon-fiber reinforced plastic lid and smooth magnesium alloy bottom feel luxurious to the touch and resist fingerprints. The classic design theme continues on the all-black deck and bezel, with only the red TrackPoint and small red stripes on the TrackPoint buttons providing a splash of color.

At just 4 pounds (4.4 pounds with bay battery) and 13.50 x 9.05 x 0.83 - 1.02 inches, the ThinkPad T430s is significantly thinner and lighter than the ThinkPad T430 (13.8 x 9.13 x 1.18 inches, 4.8 pounds / 5.2 pounds with 9-cell battery) and the Dell Latitude E6430 (13.9 x 9.5 x 1.3 inches, 5.2 pounds). When we tried picking up both notebooks, the 0.8-pound difference between the larger T430 and the T430s seemed particularly great. We would much prefer to travel with the T430s.

Keyboard

Click to EnlargeLike the T430 and W530, the ThinkPad T430s's island-style, spill-resistant keyboard provides the best typing experience you can get on a notebook. The keys provide extremely strong tactile feedback and an audible clack that reminded us of the pleasant sound on IBM's old Model M keyboards. Because of the excellent feedback and key spacing, we managed a 92 word-per-minute score on the Ten Thumbs Typing Test, which matched our all-time best.

Click to EnlargeThe optional backlight provided bright illumination even at the lower of its two settings. However, the glossy keys, which are necessary for the backlight, seemed slippery in comparison to the matte keys we've used on recent ThinkPads (like the T430), which came without the backlight option. Because of this slight slipperiness, we got a higher-than-normal 2 percent error rate. If you can live with the overhead light that comes standard, we recommend choosing the non-backlit, matte keys that are easier to grip.

Touchpad and TrackPoint

Click to EnlargeLike all other ThinkPads, the T430s offers two pointing devices: a TrackPoint pointing stick and a standard touchpad. We prefer the TrackPoint because it offers the most accurate way to navigate around the desktop and lets you move the pointer without lifting your hands off the home row.

Users who don't like pointing sticks will appreciate the comfort and accuracy of the 3 x 1.75-inch touchpad. In our testing, the pad's textured surface provided just the right amount of friction as we navigated around the desktop without a hint of jerkiness. We also appreciated the two discrete mouse buttons that offered firm feedback.

The pad also supports multitouch gestures, including pinch-to-zoom, rotate, three-finger flick and three finger press to launch an app of your choice. While all of these gestures worked for us, we found ourselves having to repeat the pinch and rotate gestures to make them work.

Display

Click to EnlargeThe 1600 x 900-pixel, 14-inch matte display on the T430s offers sharp, bright images and wide viewing angles. When we watched a 1080p Quicktime trailer for "The Man with the Iron Fist," the edges of objects were crisp and images barely washed out at even 90 degrees to the left or right. However, colors such as the red in curtains and walls appeared dull and pale.

At 249 lux on our light meter, the T430s's screen is about 20 percent brighter than the thin-and-light notebook category average and double the brightness of the ThinkPad T430 (with 1366 x 768 screen). The Dell Latitude E6430 comes close at 237 lux.

Audio

Click to EnlargeThe T430s's dual speakers - located on either side of the keyboard - offer sound that's accurate, but a bit hollow. When we played the bass- heavy "Forget Me Nots," the guitar-centric "Shout at the Devil" and the synth-laden "Summertine Madness," audio was accurate but flat. Still, we were able to hear a separation of sound between instruments as guitar twangs emanated from one speaker and drum beats from the other.

Even at maximum volume, the music was loud enough only for a small space. The bundled Dolby Home Theater v. 4 audio software has profiles for music, movies and games, along with an equalizer and volume leveler. Disabling the software, which is on by default, made music sound completely hollow.

Heat

The ThinkPad T430s stayed pleasantly cool throughout our testing. After streaming a video for 15 minutes, the keyboard measured a cool 85 degrees, the touchpad clocked in at a chilly 77 degrees and the underside hit a reasonable 90 degrees Fahrenheit. We consider temperatures below 95 degrees comfortable and those under 90 degrees imperceptible.

Ports and Webcam

Click to EnlargeThe ThinkPad T430s has a solid selection of ports, but most of them are on the back where it's a little harder to reach them. The back side contains a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port that can charge devices while sleeping, a mini DisplayPort, a VGA-out and an Ethernet port. Considering that many notebooks are ditching VGA and some Ultrabooks such as Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon eschew the all-important Ethernet port, we appreciated having these options on the T430s.

Click to EnlargeThe left side contains a single USB 3.0 port, a headphone / mic jack and a 5-in-1 card reader. The right side houses the optical drive, which can be replaced with an Ultrabay battery.

The 1.3-MP webcam captured sharp, bright images even in low light. When we shot pictures of our face both under the fluorescent lights of our newsroom and the shadowy corner of an unlit conference room, the camera captured bright, colorful images of our features.

Performance

Click to EnlargeConfigured with 2.6-GHz Core i5-3320M CPU, an Nvidia NVS 5200M discrete graphics chip with 1GB of VRAM and Optimus graphics switching, 500GB 7,200-rpm hard drive, and 4GB of RAM, our review configuration of the ThinkPad T430s provided solid performance that's good enough for any productivity task and even some light gaming.

On PCMark 7, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall system speed, the T430s scored a solid 2,460, slightly less than the 2,555 thin-and-light notebook category average. On Geekbench, another measure of total PC performance, the T430s scored 5,529, just slightly above the 5,425 category average.

The 7,200-rpm, 500GB hard drive booted Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) in a speedy 34 seconds, much faster than the 52-second category average and quite strong for a notebook without an SSD. On our file transfer test, where we duplicate a 4.97GB folder of multimedia files, the drive took a reasonable 2 minutes and 25 seconds. That's a rate of 35.1 MBps, slightly higher than the 33.7 Mbps category average, but far slower than systems configured with SSDs such as our review configuration of the Dell Latitude E6430. That notebook copied files at a rate of 169.6 MBps.

Its Intel 3rd Generation Core i5 CPU enabled the ThinkPad T430s to transcode an HD video to iPod Touch format in just 18 seconds using Cyberlink Media Espresso. That time is much faster than the 59-second category average, but slower than the 15 seconds turned in by the Dell Latitude E6430 and its 2.9-GHz Core i7-3420M CPU.

The T430s completed the LAPTOP Spreadsheet Macro Test, which matches 20,000 names with their addresses, in a strong 4 minutes and 26 seconds. That showing is considerably better than the 6 minute and 5 second category average, but a little slower than the Core i7-powered Dell Latitude E6430's time of 4:11.

Graphics

Click to EnlargeThe ThinkPad T430s's optional Nvidia NVS 5200M graphics chip gives it enough oomph to play some mid-range games, watch HD videos and perform graphics-oriented productivity tasks. On 3DMark 11, a synthetic benchmark that measures overall graphics prowess, the T430s returned a strong score of 1,105, significantly better than the 763 category average.

When we played "World of Warcraft," the ThinkPad T430s managed a strong frame rate of 97 fps on autodetect settings. When we turned the effects up, that rate dropped to a still-strong 44 fps.

However, the much more graphically intense "Batman: Arkham City" was barely playable at low settings, managing just 25 fps. At high settings, the ThinkPad T430s provided only a slide show-like 10 fps.

Battery Life

Click to EnlargeWith its optional bay battery attached, the ThinkPad T430s lasted a strong 8 hours and 45 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test, which involves continuous surfing over Wi-Fi. That time is a few hours less than the ThinkPad T430's mark of 13 hours and 25 minutes and the Dell Latitude E6430's time of 10 hours and 37 minutes. However, both of those notebooks weigh significantly more and, on the configurations we tested, came with large 9-cell batteries that jut out of their backsides.

However, without the bay battery, the T430s managed a more pedestrian time of 5:09, more than an hour less than the 6:33 thin-and-light notebook category average. Because of the 3.5-hour improvement in battery life, we highly recommend the bay battery, even though it adds $130 to the system's price and 0.4 pounds to its weight.

Configurations

Our configuration of the Lenovo ThinkPad T430s carries a street price of $1,130. For that, you get the 2.6-GHz Intel Core i5-3320M CPU, Nvidia NVS 5200 discrete graphics, a 500 GB 7,200 rpm hard drive, a 1600 x 900 screen, 4GB of RAM, and the bay battery. However, the T430s starts at just $789 and comes with a 2.5-GHz Core i5-3310M CPU, a 1366 x 768 screen, a 320GB hard drive, and the same Nvidia graphics chip as our unit, but no bay battery and no backlit keyboard.

If you buy the ThinkPad T430s from Lenovo.com, you can configure your system to order with your choice of CPU, screen resolution, storage device, backlit or not backlit keyboard, discrete or integrated graphics, and more. Whatever you choose, we highly recommend the 1600 x 900 screen upgrade ($50) and the bay battery ($130).

Software, Security and Warranty

Click to EnlargeThe ThinkPad T430s comes preloaded with Lenovo's standard set of ThinkVantage utilities, including Power Manager, Airbag Protection that stops the hard drive if you drop the notebook, Password Manager and Enhanced Backup and Restore.

Lenovo's Web conferencing utility is particularly useful because it not only controls the webcam, but also allows you to configure the dual-array microphone for single or multiple voices and keyboard noise suppression.

Lenovo also includes its SimpleTap UI, which provides a simple but attractive, tile-based environment filled with three screens of mini-apps that launch popular websites like Facebook and Wikipedia. Though this is an attractive-looking shell, it doesn't serve much purpose on a device without a touch screen.

ThinkPad T430's fingerprint reader allows users to power on the notebook and log into Windows with just a single swipe. In our testing, configuring the reader was fast and easy. We simply launched the ThinkVantage Fingerprint software, entered our Windows password and then chose to enroll one of our fingers.

After swiping a few times to register our right index finger, we powered down the computer and confirmed that the fingerprint reader remained on, with a flashing green light directly below it. The first time we swiped our finger, the system immediately recognized it and booted us right to the desktop without requiring further input.

Lenovo bundles the ThinkPad T430s with a standard one-year warranty on parts and labor. As with other ThinkPads, Lenovo offers warranty upgrades, the ability to extend your warranty to four years or get on-site service.

Verdict

Click to EnlargeWith its high-res screen, speedy processor options, discrete graphics and best-in-class keyboard, Lenovo's ThinkPad T430s is a superb business notebook. Users who want longer battery life should consider the ThinkPad T430, which weighs 0.8 pounds more but lasts 13 hours on a charge. Those who want the ultimate in business portability should consider the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which weighs just 3 pounds but has fewer ports and lacks discrete graphics. However, if you want a thin-and-light business laptop that provides an optimal balance between mobility and heavy-duty productivity, the ThinkPad T430s is your best option.

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Alleged iPad Mini cases reveal spot for rear camera

Apple's purported iPad Mini could offer a rear camera if the latest scuttbut is on the money.

Alleged Chinese cases for the much-rumored 7-inch tablet posted by Giz-China.com show a plastic clip on the rear cover, a sign that the iPad Mini could provide a rear-facing camera but one without an LED flash. On the front would be a Facetime camera at the top center of the screen, just like on the 9.7-inch iPad.

The cases also seemingly reveal a thinner bezel than the one on the larger iPad. The volume control would rest on the right side, while the headphone jack and rotation/mute toggle switch would move to the left. Another tidbit from Giz-China.com says the speaker would be positioned Apple iPhone 4S - 32GB - black (Verizon Wireless)on the bottom of the tablet rather than on the back.

A mockup of one of the cases also reveals a smaller dock connector. Recent reports suggest that Apple will shrink the size of the dock connector for its next-generation devices to a smaller version using as few as 8 pins.

As always, these rumors should be swallowed with a grain of salt.

At this point, we don't even know for sure whether Apple will unveil a 7-inch iPad. But we could have our answer this fall. Reports say the new iPad could take the stage either at a September 12 event or at its own separate event in October.

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Tablet adoption could give flip phones new lease on life

Commentary Here's a list of people who tell me they want a simple phone: my retired parents who have easy access to a computer and two clunky laptops at home, my nonagenarian grandmother, and the tech-savvy CNET reader who just thanked me for my review of the Samsung t159, a $20 T-Mobile flip phone.

It may sound hard to believe, but basic phones like the t159 and others are poised to see a small uptick among an unexpected demographic. I'm receiving more and more e-mails from CNET readers interested in supplementing their investment in a Wi-Fi-only tablet with a cheap hunk of hardware adept at making calls and little else.

As tablets take off, there's a growing number of people who are interested in a tablet's larger screen, but who don't feel the need to duplicate their apps and tools on two separate devices.

For this set, there are a few practical options to save money and cut back on machinery.

The shift from small-screen phones that compute to larger-screen devices that also make calls is behind products like Samsung and LG's supersize smartphones, which hope to straddle the best of both phone and tablet worlds. Samsung and LG, and perhaps HTC soon, designed extra-large screen phones to nudge on-the-fence consumers toward an all-in-one device. (Of course, they'd love for committed tablet buyers to purchase their slates as well.)

The pickle of motivating customers to pay for two devices is also helping to drive AT&T and Verizon's new shared data plans. Both of the top two U.S. carriers charge a device access fee for data use on smartphones, tablets, feature phones, and hot spots. Beyond that, it won't matter whether you use your phone or tablet to tap data; the two act as one and the same.

Then there's the third route for budget-conscious buyers of personal electronics, using a larger tablet over Wi-Fi for e-mail, entertainment, photography (the horror!), and work, and tucking the inexpensive flip phone into the pocket or purse for routine or emergency calls.

Of course, some people may increasingly pull away from pocketable phones altogether and opt for a 4G or 3G tablet through a carrier and answer calls by way of a Bluetooth headset instead.

It's too soon to say where the trend is headed, but I'll guess that heavy tablet users today will find a waning allegiance to their smartphones tomorrow, and could trade in their do-everything handsets for a much cheaper and more limited model as their contracts end.

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Full steam ahead for 4G in the UK

Hardware makers, get your UK-tailored 4G LTE devices ready: it's just around the corner.

British phone and tablet fans are late getting to the 4G party — it's undeniable. While the UK was one of the first countries in Europe to get going on 3G, it will be one of the last to allocate spectrum to operators for its successor.

Everything Everywhere is now able to start selling 4G services. Are the delays to the spectrum auction process finally over? Image credit: Everything Everywhere

But that is set to change, now that Ofcom has opened the door to operators using the 1800MHz band for 4G services. The move paves the way for the UK to get 4G versions of existing mobile devices, such as Apple's iPad or the Samsung Galaxy range — something people in other countries are already enjoying.

This week, UK telecoms regulator Ofcom gave permission for Everything Everywhere to begin reusing its existing 1800MHz spectrum for 4G services. In quick succession, Everything Everywhere (EE) — the parent of T-Mobile and Orange — announced it is selling portions of that band to rival Three, allowing it too to start planning a 4G launch.

This means that 4G services are likely to start arriving in the UK from at least one of these two operators by the end of the year. But on top of this, the moves should put an end to legal squabbling among operators that was stalling the rollout of super-fast mobile broadband, according to minister Jeremy Hunt.

No more delays?

While EE is the only company that can today start working towards offering 4G services, it doesn't make much sense for rival operators to lodge any further objections to the auction itself.

Other operators (Vodafone, O2) involved in the auction process undoubtedly want to get it moving as fast as possible, as they have a vested interest in playing catch up to Everything Everywhere. Further threats of litigation would make their rival's head-start only longer.

However, a disappointed Vodafone has argued that Everything Everywhere itself now has a reason to further delay the auction process, given its head start.

While as a logical proposition that may be true, it takes a particularly cynical view to reach that conclusion, and the basis for such a challenge from Everything Everywhere remains a mystery.

Three, the UK's smallest major operator, has been fairly outspoken about the lack of spectrum equality in the past. But it too now has a reason — its new 1800MHz band blocks — to stop complaining and start working towards its 4G launch.

Three may not be able to use its two 15MHz blocks of 1800MHz spectrum for 4G services until Everything Everywhere's traffic stops running across it in September 2013. However, there is a chance that the operator could allow Three to use the spectrum for 4G before that point.

Heading off objections

This could also help if Everything Everywhere sees objections filed to Ofcom's decision. If the challenge is that allowing one network to roll out services excludes millions of UK consumers, this can be countered by pointing out that it does make 4G available to 27 million.

It doesn't make much sense for rival operators to lodge any further objections to the auction itself

Complainants could also argue that the move gives the T-Mobile and Orange parent an unfair advantage and creates an uncompetitive landscape. If that does become a barrier, then Everything Everywhere can now turn around and allow Three to start offering 4G services, creating some competition for customers.

While Ofcom's decision was never going to please everyone, the regulators have been quite canny in effectively creating a situation in which no single operator benefits from further delays to the spectrum auction.

The arrival of 4G LTE in the UK has been a long-drawn-out affair, but that looks like it's now coming to an end.

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Logitech Washable Keyboard K310

We all know food, drink and technology don't mix, yet dusty and crumb-filled keyboards are rampant in households and offices across the world. To help out on the housekeeping front, Logitech today unveiled a new PC keyboard -- the Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 -- that could spell the end of the dirty QWERTY.

 

The K310, which Logitech says can tolerate anything from "a light dusting to a rinse in the kitchen sink," can be washed multiple times and can be submerged in up to 11 inches of water, and then left out to dry.

The keyboard has drainage holes at the back, and the characters are laser-printed and have a UV coating to prevent fading caused by water damage.

"We've all experienced that moment of distraction -- followed by panic, when a cup of coffee or a soda spills all over your keyboard," said Sophie Le Guen, senior director of mice and keyboards at Logitech, in a statement. "Because life and its messes will happen, regardless of how careful you are, Logitech designed the Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 to look and function like new, even over time."

The keyboard is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7.

It is expected to be available across the United States this month with a suggested retail price tag of $39.99. The keyboard will get its European launch in October.

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