Designed for businesses needing a stylish, affordable, 13.3 inch notebook, starting at 4.34 lb / 1.97 kg. The HP ProBook 4310s, as the most miniscule member of HP’s new small-business line, takes many of the qualities of its bigger brothers (the 4510 and the 4710) and packs them into a chassis that will appeal to road warriors looking for an excellent deal and unencumbered shoulder. wPrime processor comparison results (lower scores mean better performance): PCMark05 measures overall system performance (higher scores mean better performance): 3DMark06 measures overall graphics performance for gaming (higher scores mean better performance):
HP ProBook 4310s is a thin bezel that measures12.8 x 9.0 x 1.1 ” and weights 4.4 pounds. Your eyes will definitely focus on its 13-inch LED lit LCD that has 16:9 ratio and 16M color display that provides a cinematic view . It also features an island-style keyboard that has textured, scratch resistant and spill-proof finished keys. The 1.4×2.8-inch rubber-texture touchpad is large and gives a sufficient amount of friction.HP ProBook 4310s specs
Display: 13.3" (1366 x 768) WXGA
Operating System: Vista Business / XP Pro downgrade
Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.1 GHz - 2.26 GHZ
Memory: 2 GB - 4 GB
Hard Drive: 320 GB Serial ATA (7200 rpm)
Graphics Card: GMA 4500MHD / Mobility Radeon
Optical Drive: DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM
Connectivity :
* Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
* Ethernet (RJ-45 connector)
* Wireless LAN
Ports and Expandibility
* Audio in
* Audio out
* VGA port
* Express card 34
* Card reader
Battery
* 5.25 hours
* 4 cell lithium ion
Dimensions: 12.8" x 9" x 1.1" (32.5cm x 22.9cm x 2.8cm)
Weight: 4.4 lbs (2 kg)
Built in Extras: Webcam
Price as configured: $779Design
The ProBook 4310s, like the rest of the ProBook line, looks similar to a HP EliteBook with the square, industrial-looking exterior and recessed keyboard area. The shiny top, which is a breeding ground for dust and grime, is bland and lacks the appeal of the EliteBook's metals. It's boxy and thick, too, measuring 12.75-by-8.9-by-1.5 inches (HWD).
The chassis has a mix of textures: a glossy keyboard deck, a satin palm rest, and a speaker strip lining the top. Because the bezel is thin, it’s easy to focus instead on the bright 13-inch display. As an added touch, the power and QuickLook 2 buttons and LED lights all glow turquoise blue, which also keeps the design interesting.
The plastics used in the 4310s should hold up fine if the notebook is being used as an office desktop replacement, but the chassis might not survive multiple drops off a desk or the kind of abuse you expect from a mobile workforce.
Your eyes will definitely focus on its 13-inch LED lit LCD that has 16:9 ratio and 16M color display that provides a cinematic view . It also features an island-style keyboard that has textured, scratch resistant and spill-proof finished keys.
The 13.3-inch widescreen, while offering plenty in screen real estate, is a pleasure to use because it's matted. The LED-backlit panel offers excellent brightness and we typically left the brightness set to between 50% and 70% when using the notebook indoors.Keyboard and Touchpad
The 1.4×2.8-inch rubber-texture touchpad is large and gives a sufficient amount of friction.The full-size keyboard on the 4310s is a chiclet style design and provides fantastic spacing between keys for typing. Each key is relatively flat with a nice matte texture and the keys sit above a glossy black support frame.
The touchpad is very responsive. On the flip side, the touchpad buttons are a very stiff and require a deep press in order to register a click. Unlike other HP consumer notebooks, there is no dedicated touchpad disable button on 4310s.Performance
HP ProBook 4310s is build for small and medium businesses that is why it is packed with an Intel T6570 processor running at 2.1GHz and integrated intel graphics. HP also provides the option of discrete graphics (ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 with 512 MB dedicated video memory) at an additional cost. The 320GB hard drive spins at 7200rpm, so applications load without much lag.
This notebook didn't really exceed our expectations in terms of performance, but the 4310s has more than enough power to handle Microsoft Office or even very basic video work.
With that said, let's jump into the performance benchmarks.
Battery
The base configuration comes with a 4-cell 37WHr battery. A larger 8-cell 73WHr battery is also available. The 4-cell battery will provide up to 4 hours of up time.
The Studio 14z is indeed the thinnest and lightest 14-inch notebook Dell has ever produced and promises more than 6 hours of battery life, but you might have to make a few sacrifices.
The 14z weighs in at 1.95 kg with the six cell battery option which isn’t bad for a laptop sporting a 14 inch display.
Dell Studio 14z Specs
* Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 (2.4GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 3MB L2 cache)* OS: Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 (64 bit)
* Memory: 3GB Shared DDR3 at 1066MHz
* Storage: 320GB SATA Hard Drive (5400RPM)
* Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G
* Screen: 14.0” High Definition (1600 x 900) LED Display with TrueLife
* Software: 15-month McAfee SecurityCenter subscription, Microsoft Works
* Other: Ruby Red lid, LED Backlit keyboard
* Wireless: Dell 1515 Wireless N
* Battery: 8-cell 74Whr Li Ion Battery
* Dimensions: 0.79"-1.2" x 13.2" x 9.0" (H x W x D)
* Weight: 4 lbs, 9 oz
* Price as Reviewed: $749
* Retail Price as configured: $979
Design
Like other laptops in this price range, the 14z has the plastic build of a budget notebook but subtle design flourishes that lend it a higher-end feel.The notebook chassis is constructed from a combination of plastics and magnesium alloy for a balance of light weight and durability.
Colors cost $40 extra (our unit was Ruby Red; other colors include Midnight Blue, Spring Green, Plum Purple, and Promise Pink). Inside, the chassis mixes a matte silver palm rest with a glossy black strip above the keyboard, which is also black.
The most distinctive element of the 14z's design, however, is that, despite its fairly large screen size, it has no optical drive. For some shoppers, this will be an instant turnoff. But other users, such as students, who are accustomed to downloading software, consuming digital media, and streaming clips on sites such as Hulu and YouTube, won't miss having an optical drive.
Screen
The 14-inch high-definition panel on the Dell Studio 14z easily rates as one of the better screens we've seen with vibrant colors, excellent contrast, and good viewing angles. The LED backlighting in our review unit is pretty even and offers a range of brightness settings. Yes, it is a 16:9 screen ratio, if you buy the 14z through Dell.com, you can configure it with a higher resolution 1600 x 900 screen, which gives you a lot more screen real estate.
Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard on our review unit has full-sized keys with good key spacing and an excellent depth to the key throw. Each key has a textured black finish and a relatively flat surface. More importantly, the keyboard is available with optional backlighting for easy typing in a dark classroom or dorm room. The only complaint that I have with the keyboard on the Studio 14z is the surprising amount of flex across the entire width of the board.
The multi-touch, gesture-based touchpad is reasonably large for a thin and light 14-inch notebook and the dual touchpad buttons have deep feedback with quiet clicks. The touchpad itself is an ALPS model that uses Dell proprietary touchpad drivers. I'm not a fan of the Dell touchpad drivers, but the touchpad was reasonably responsive with good sensitivity and very little lag.
Battery
The 14z's 8-cell battery lasted 5 hours and 25 minutes on the LAPTOP battery test, which is 1:10 longer than the typical thin-and-light. Moreover, it beat out similarly sized systems with integrated graphics: the HP Pavilion dv4t (a variation of which is also being sold as part of Best Buy's Next Class line) lasted just 3:08 in our tests.Source: notebookreview
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Ever since Apple released its MacBook Air, no 13-inch notebook has come as close to being as slim while also being affordable for the average consumer. MSI’s X340 changes that.
The X-Slim X340 measures just 19.8mm at its thickest point, meaning it’s marginally thicker than the MacBook Air, but the Mac’s design means that it gets progressively thinner as you get closer to the leading edge. If it weren’t for the glowing white MSI logo on the lid, you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a newer, slightly fatter MacBook Air.
The X-Slim X340 is a new 13.4" ultraportable notebook from MSI, offering a super thin chassis and powered by the new Intel Ultra Low Voltage SU3500 processor. At the current price of $899 it is priced between the HP dv2 and Apple MacBook Pro, but can this notebook compete on its looks alone?MSI X-Slim X340 Features:
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor: Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500 CULV (1.4GHz, 800MHz FSB, 3MB cache)
Memory: 2GB DDR2 SDRAM (800MHz)
Internal Storage: 320GB 5400 rpm SATA HDD
Display: 13.4-inch diagonal WXGA (glossy, 1366x768)
Graphics: Intel X4500M Integrated
Wireless: Intel 5100AGN, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Ports and connectors: (2) USB 2.0 ports, VGA, HDMI, 2-in-1 SD-Card reader, RJ-45/Ethernet (Gigabit), stereo headphone/line out, stereo microphone in, 1.3 megapixel webcam
Dimensions: (LxWxH) 13" x 8.82 " x 0.24"-0.78"
Weight: 2lb 14oz (not including weight of AC adapter).
Power: 4-cell 32Wh battery
Warranty: Three-year standard warranty
MSRP: $899Pros
* Super thin and lightweight, attractive design
* Snappier performance than netbooks
* Comfortable keyboard
* More than 3 hours of battery lifeCons
* Flexing keyboard
* Weak graphics performance
* Not as fast as MacBook Air or HP dv2zUltra Slim Design
It certainly looks dashing enough to be one of Apple's own: measuring a svelte 20mm at its thickest point, the X340 find itself in a slimming race with the Air's dangerously skinny 19.4mm frame. But it's when both laptops step onto the scales that the X340 has the last laugh, weighing 1.3kg to the Air's 1.38kg. MSI's predictable marketing tag-line for the X340? You guessed it, "Lighter than Air."
At 13 x 8.8 inches, the X340 takes up the same desk space as the MacBook Air, but the X340 is slightly thicker, measuring 0.24 inches at its thinnest point, and 0.78 inches at its thickest. (The MacBook Air, by contrast, is 0.16 to 0.76 inches.) At 2.9 pounds (and 3.6 pounds with the charger), the X340 is 1.6 ounces lighter than the Air, and its rounded corners give it a stylish aesthetic.
Unlike Apple, MSI uses plastic instead of aluminum for the shell of the X340. While plastic might weigh less and be easy to shape, it doesn't give the notebook a high-end appearance.
Build quality is nice when compared to low-cost netbooks, but doesn't measure up to high-end ultraportable notebooks. The plastic construction shows a good amount of flex in areas like the screen bezel, on the palmrest around the touchpad, and areas underneath the keyboard.Screen And Display
The X340’s glossy 13.4-inch LED-backlit screen features a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, and it looked crisp and bright. The 13.4" glossy display on the MSI X340 is of average quality with decent color saturation and good contrast levels thanks to the glossy screen surface.
Backlight levels are good for viewing in bright viewing conditions, such as a bright office or classroom, but the screen gets washed out quickly when using it outdoors.
The 1.3-megapixel webcam above the display provided clear images in a video call. The other caller could make out our new hair cut and hear our voice clearly with the built-in microphone located to the left of the cam.
While only slightly thicker, the X340 uses its extra girth to store plenty of port. The left side houses VGA, Ethernet, HDMI, and a 2-in-1 card reader. Two USB ports and headphone and mic jacks line the right side of the machine. On a machine this small, it’s nice to see this much connectivity.Keyboard and Touchpad
The MSI X340 offers a full-size keyboard that is comfortable to type on, but lacks proper support to prevent flex. The keyboard on the MSI X340 is plenty large for touch typists, but the keys feel cheaper than the rest of the system. While the keyboard had a little flex, the keys didn't feel too soft under our fingers.
The touchpad appears to be an ALPS or similar model, but doesn't use any special driver, only the native Windows touchpad control. The 3.4 x 2.1-inch touchpad is plenty large and allowed us to navigate the desktop smoothly. The touchpad has a noticeable amount of lag as you change pointer direction or initially start moving.
he touchpad buttons are loud when clicked, and they take a significant amount of pressure to activate. The button throw is shallow with a solid click when pressed.Battery
MSI has clearly been listening to the outcries hurled in Apple’s direction over the MacBook Air’s non-removable battery and has kitted the X340 out with a removable four-cell Litium-Ion battery. It’s a slim little number rated at 2,150mAh which is a small capacity.
The X340 comes with an eight-cell lithium ion battery, which lasted for 8 hours and 48 minutes on the LAPTOP Battery Test (continuous Web surfing over Wi-Fi). Consumers who purchased the X340 with a 4-cell battery (which lasted 3 hours and 38 minutes) can buy an 8-cell battery for $99.99.
Nokia World 2009 set the stage for a handful of new cellphones from the world's biggest handset maker. 
The N97 mini is a smaller version of the original N97, while the X6 and X3 are designed with music in mind. Nokia also named a price for its Booklet 3G and announced new smartphone integration features with social networking site Facebook.
Nokia on Wednesday unveiled three new smartphones at Nokia World 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany.
Nokia N97 Mini
It also announced a partnership with Facebook through its Lifecasting With Ovi application.One smartphone, the N97 mini, is targeted at women, IDC analyst Ramon T. Llamas told TechNewsWorld.
The other two, the X6 and X3, are aimed at maintaining Nokia's position in the mid-range smartphone market.
Lifecasting With Ovi will be available on the N97 mini.
Going for Girl Power
The N97 mini was designed with the social and style-conscious consumer in mind, Nokia said. It has a tilting 3.2 inch display; a QWERTY keyboard and a customizable home screen.A Facebook widget on the home screen will detect the user's location and let users update their status or profile on the social networking site and do other things through Lifecasting With Ovi.
The N97 mini comes with Ovi Maps. It supports most POP3/IMAP mail clients. Instant messaging clients supported include those from Nokia, Yahoo, Microsoft and Google.
Other features include a built-in Flash player for Internet access, a 5 MP (megapixel) built-in camera with dual LED flashes and, for music, a built-in equalizer and Bluetooth access. The N97 mini has 8 GB of on-board memory, expandable to 24 GB with a microSD card.
The N97 mini is smaller than the N97, and IDC's Llamas says this is a thinly veiled attempt to target a female demographic. "When you market a product to women, you pink it or shrink it," he said. However, "the original N97 wasn't too big or clunky."
The Nokia N97 mini is scheduled to ship in October. Its suggested retail price will be just over 450 euros (US$642).
The X-Phones Have Arrived
Nokia also unveiled the X6 smartphone and announced the X3. Both focus heavily on music.The X6 can play up to 35 hours of music and four hours of video. It has 32 GB of on-board memory and a 3.2-inch touchscreen. Other features include a built-in FM radio, Bluetooth stereo capabilities, a 5 MP camera and video editing and sharing.
The X6 supports access to social networking sites including Facebook and Ovi. It also offers instant messaging. It ships with three games -- "Asphalt4" and "DJ Mix Tour" from Gameloft, and "Spore" from Electronic Arts.
Nokia X6 hands on
The X6 is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter. It will have a suggested retail price tag of 459 euros ($655)
The X3, designed for music lovers, comes with stereo speakers, a built-in FM radio and a 3.2 MP camera. It supports Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging.
Nokia X3 Revealed
Users can manage music through the Ovi Player PC client or Windows Media Player 11. The X3 is the first Series 40 Ovi Store-enabled device.
Facebook Features
Offering Facebook connectivity may help Nokia change its image, IDC's Llamas said. "Nokia's known for being a great device provider, but they're not known for bringing all the services to users," he explained. "By waving the Facebook flag, Nokia's giving users what they want, and one of those things they want is Facebook."On the other hand, it could open up a can of worms for Nokia. "Tying into social networks is an interesting idea, but different people have different networks," Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told TechNewsWorld. "Not everyone is on Facebook or MySpace or Twitter."
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Nokia N97 - X6 - X3 and Facebook Features
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The Apache Infrastructure Team has released a detailed analysis of the recent attack that led to multiple apache.org servers being compromised. After outlining the mistakes that made the incident possible and their plan to strengthen security, the admins have been congratulated by the community for their openness.
The full report published on the Apache Foundation's blog starts by stressing that, "At no time were any Apache Software Foundation code repositories, downloads, or users put at risk by this intrusion," and explains that, "Providing a detailed account of what happened will make the internet a better place, by allowing others to learn from our mistakes."
It was confirmed that the point of entry for the attackers was the server hosting the Apache Conference website (apachecon.com), which was being maintained by a third-party company. The attackers gained root privileges on the machine, possibly by using a local privilege escalation exploit. There is few information available about how they got access, because they deleted the logs.
What's certain, though, is that they used the SSH key associated to an account the Apache Infrastructure Team had on that server for backup purposes, to jump to people.apache.org, the Foundation's "staging machine for our mirror network," as it is called in the report. The newly obtained access was used to write CGI scripts into the document root of the apache.org website, which then got propagated on all mirrors, due to automatic sync processes. These scripts were later executed by the attackers over HTTP in order to obtain remote shell...
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Admins Acknowledge Mistakes That Lead to Apache.org Hack
