Citing a source familiar with the new MacBook Pro design, AppleInsider reveals that the new Air-like MacBook Pros will be phased in over the course of this year. The revamped version of the more popular 15-inch model will be introduced first, followed by the 17-inch model later.

For the new notebooks, Apple is expected to eliminate optical disk drives and traditional hard drives, replacing them with solid-state drives. They will rely heavily on Thunderbolt for data transfer as well as digitally distributed software and media, such as downloads from the Mac App Store

The notebooks will feature extended battery life, instant-on capabilities, and Intel’s upcoming Ivy Bridge chips that are set to ship in April. However, it’s not clear whether the new Apple notebooks will be branded as MacBook Airs or MacBook Pros.

[via AppleInsider]

What this means for the rest of the users out there looking to buy an Apple computer in the near future is this: MacBook may be coming back as a basic name for the low end of high. Your MacBook Pro lineup in smaller sizes very well could be the MacBooks of tomorrow while the MacBook Air keeps its lofty name. Or the opposite could be true: perhaps the “Air” moniker will float away with the White plastic of yesterday and yesteryear.

Either way, the stock is up, Apple no longer has MacBooks in plastic available to anyone officially, not even educational institutions, the last group whose name brought them the ability to continue accessing the line long after Apple stores cut them from the showroom. Now the status symbol war can continue with the white MacBook looking outdated entirely and the metal glory of the Pro and Air models looking like the only choice for the hipster elite. Watch out, collectors, you’re next!

[via MacRumors]

Details are scarce on the 15-inch version, but aside from size it’s not likely to vary too much from the current Spectre model. The 15-inch Spectre was given a whopping MSRP of $2,200 in Taiwanese currency, but keep in mind that the exchange rate makes for a big price bump. Considering the difference between the US and Taiwanese prices of the base model of the Envy 14 Spectre, the Envy 15 Spectre would probably start at around $1,900. There’s no information on what hardware changes are being planned, but a bigger chassis would allow for more storage and discrete GPU options. At 15 inches, a full 1080p screen is not out of the question.

The Envy 14 Spectre is in pre-order status now in the United States, and starts at a price of $1399.99. Initial shipments begin next Friday, February 17th. The base model includes a Core i5 processor, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a 128GB SSD drive, and a 14-inch 1600×900 display. With its all-glass top and black-on-white styling, it’s a radical departure from previous Envy models, and the Beats audio and analog volume dial help make it stand out even more from the ultrabook crowd. Be sure to check out our hands-on coverage from CES 2012 for a better look.

[via Liliputing]

This laptop has a rubber bumper on the top cover, a 33% increased strength set of corners over previous models just incase you drop it on its side, and the strongest hinges Lenovo has on a laptop yet with up to 30,000 cycles. There’s also reinforced and recessed ports for USB and power action that’ll reduce the amount of “wear and tear” you experience, and the bezel around the display is 1.2mm thick to keep the screen intact. The whole unit also weighs in at less than four pounds so it’ll fit right in your backpack just fine.

The battery on this little beast will last you up to 8.5 hours, you’ll be running Windows 7 Professional right out of the box, and you’ve got an instant 1-year warrantee for all sorts of breaks and mishaps. There are two different models available for this laptop right this moment, the first being the entry level model at $429.00 USD, the second being a slightly more high performance model at $549.00 USD. The higher grade model features an Intel Core i3-2367M processor – so go grab it!

[via Lenovo]

For the first laptop in this list, the M17X R4, there will be options for how pumped up you’d like your interior to be. GPU options include two NVIDIA options: GeForce VTX 660M or GeForce GTX 675M, and one AMD Radeon 7970M. As for the R2 units, the first one M14X R2 will feature a GPU coming as part of the motherboard, and options including 1GB and 2GB right out of the box. On the M18X R2 the only detail known at the moment is the option for a red or black exterior.

Of course according to That 70′s Show if you’re an average shopper looking for a refrigerator, color is your most important feature – so perhaps that’s all we need! We will keep looking out for future options of course, and we expect them to be dropped sooner than later. Meanwhile check out our current favorite playing a bit of the ol’ Gotham City as well as the newest news on Alienware’s other options out already:

[via Dell News and More]

The idea is reminiscent of ASUS’ Padfone, which docks an Android smartphone into a larger screen section for tablet duty. However, unlike with the Padfone – the tablet of which is only functional when the phone is inserted – Chandra envisages each section of his LIFEBOOK concept being operable when separated. The laptop would have its own processor, storage, memory, optical drive and connectivity, similar to the tablet, each working standalone as well as synchronizing when brought back together.

That would increase cost but also flexibility, though you’d need to plug in an external keyboard if you wanted to enter text on the laptop while the tablet was undocked. On the upside, however, the processors in the tablet and phone could be used to augment the performance of the notebook itself, and handwriting entry or sketching would be easier.

Fujitsu hasn’t given any indication as to whether it will be using Chandra’s idea – or, indeed, any of the other entrants to the competition – for a future LIFEBOOK model. However similar propositions are apparently in the works; the i’m circle modular computer was announced at CES earlier in the month, sharing the intelligence of a wireless “core” pendant computer unit with various tablet, phone and display peripherals. That’s tipped to go on sale later this year.

[via Recombu]

The speaker is compact, and one of the more interesting things is that rather than using the typical floppy USB cable, this thing has an arm that is rigid and flexible. That means you can plug it and then adjust it to the angle you want. Inside the single enclosure is a pair of speakers for stereo sound.

The speaker has good bass apparently, and overall sound is nice. This looks like a nice alternative to a pair of speakers sitting on the desk if you have a USB hub on your desk. If you want to get some bass in your games and movies this might be the ticket. The caveat is that the speakers apparently lack in the mid-range focusing instead on highs and lows.

[via EverythingUSB]

What Blackburn is saying here is that forcing a defendant to decrypt a laptop so its contents can be inspected is essentially the same as producing any other bit of evidence. If a law enforcement agent has a warrant, they can force you to open up your trunk, your home, and of course your person – and now your hard drive as well. In this particular case, the defendant was also recorded speaking about how she owned the laptop and that it contained incriminating evidence, so that’s not doing her any favors either.

So know this, folks who do things so illegal they’ll certainly be caught eventually: your hard drive passwords will not save you. Should you get in trouble with the cops for digital crimes, you’ve got only one course of action available to you: trash it all. Smash your computer into little bits and destroy everything. But then there’s another factor in play: willful destruction of evidence. Instead just play it safe and don’t do anything illegal ever – sound good?

[via Cnet]

This laptop has up to 750GB of hard drive space, support for up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and will connect along 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, and gigabit Ethernet. Of course there’s also a single USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, and a USB/eSATA combo port. Inside you’ll find such business oriented gems as LoJack, BIOS password protection, and a fingerprint reader. The whole package comes with a magnesium alloy case and the contents are protected with an anti-shock hard drive.

So what we’ve got here is a 12-inch by 8.1-inch laptop that’s just 1.1-inch thick and made for your everyday consumer. It’s not flashy, and will certainly get the job done for masses of users across the nation and the world, and will be running Windows 7 Home, Professional, or Ultimate operating systems, your choice. The version with Windows 7 Home Premium and an Intel Core i7 processor will cost you between $922 and $999 USD, and you’ll be able to buy one starting immediately wherever fine computers are sold!

[via eeeepc.it]

This creation is called the “eCog Mercury” and you can grab your own for a mere $1,250 USD and you’ll still need the Sony laptop itself. What Dunn sells here is his services and the final product, the final product being the laptop connected to the hardware here. What you’re going to get on the side is a slightly more difficult to repair laptop in the end, mind you.

This isn’t the first Steampunk modification of a piece of hardware on the laptop side of things, and it certainly wont be the last. We look forward to the continuation of the genre to be sure, as it’s rather rare that a modification in the vein of steam that doesn’t shine out as a fine art of work – or at least its rare that one reaches the top of the web like this one has. There’s also a video of this device in action, have a peek!

[via Technabob]

There are three Ultrabooks that are rather important to Acer’s success this year, that being the Aspire S5 and the Acer Timeline Ultra in both of its iterations, the 14-inch and the 15-inch. These three models plus the fact that the Acer Aspire S3 will have its price slashed by “as much as $200,” should make for quite a killing in the seasons ahead for Ultrabook sales by Acer. As Acer chairman and CEO J.T. Wang says, as quoted by Digitimes in Taiwan:

“Sales of Acer’s first Ultrabook, the Aspire S3, totaled about 250,000-300,000 units in the first quarter after launch, and the company expects sales for its new Aspire S5 tablet PC will be even better. … Acer’s notebook shipments are expected to drop 10-15% sequentially in the first quarter of 2012, but total shipments for all of the year will still post an on-year growth of 10%, said the company.” – Wang

These notebooks are all really nice machines, as you’re about to see. First have a look at the Acer Aspire Timeline 14 and 15 in hands-on photos from that faithful day over a week ago, then check this video out:

What you’re seeing is the Acer Aspire S5‘s most magical feature, that being a bit of a mechanism working with a motor that pushes the back out and down, this revealing a set of ports that otherwise would increase the size of the notebook by a significant amount. This way you’ve got the option to stay thin in the backpack. Will it and the rest of the full packages Acer has to offer this year be enough to clobber the competition in the Ultrabook world? We shall see!

[via Digitimes]

You’ll be able to work with Skinit.com’s Customizer tool to quite easily bring you in on the action with your device of choice and the image you want to apply to it. Not only laptops, mobile phones, and tablets are included, mind you. You can also customize the look if your gaming system and medical device as well – strange and awesome! There’s also, of course, a big selection of pre-made skins with licensed images including everything from Harry Potter to the NBA back down to DC Comics – you can find their full line of pre-made cases on their site in the “Painted Cases” section.

In addition, Skinit has just started offering etched metal cases for the iPhone 4S specifically – there’s essentially no classier way to defend the integrity of your most precious piece of mobile equipment than a fabulously cut piece of metal, complete with pin-stripes, stars and circles, or of course, the Great Wave. These cases will run you a mere $24.00, also, so pick them up instantly in the Metal Plates section of the site – looks hot!

There’s also a 17.3-inch Full HD LED-backlit display, and a backlit keyboard for those late-night gaming sessions. Samsung is readying both 2D and 3D models, and there’ll be both AMD and NVIDIA graphics options too.

A 5,900mAh battery probably can’t be expected to last all too long if you’re hammering the Series 7 for gaming purposes, but the onboard optical drive and that expansive display means it’ll probably be a solid multimedia notebook too. Samsung expects it to land at the equivalent of $2,228 for the 2D version and around $200 more for the 3D version in Korea, though US pricing is tipped to be from $1,799.

[via Sammyhub]

The peak of success thus far for netbooks was basically the entire year of 2008, as Miller notes, but as the decline continues to run since then, single digits to low double digits as the past year progressed, the emerging market still has a lot of wanting to take advantage of. What Intel needs to do here is make the success found in the $199 price point of this past Christmas turn into a continued success through the next year. To make an affordable small, compact internet connected device and let people know why they would want or not want to own one:

“We don’t want people to be confused on ‘should I buy a netbook or should I buy a laptop.’” – Miller

The value still exists in the netbook as a secondary device, so says Intel.

“If you’re a consumer heading into Best Buy and you don’t know what you need, we want to have options for both.” – Miller

As tablets released over the past few weeks and even just this week have changed the landscape for tablets, so too does Intel plan on changing the mobile environment on the whole with not just changes to single specifications in hardware, but in the full package. John Wallace spoke on this, saying that it’s the details, but not just the details, all of the details together that matter most.

“There’s potential to differentiate with a unified story.” – Wallace

You bet – and we expect many more manufacturers than just Intel to announce their intent to push a full package to the public rather than just the next big single specification. A fabulous column you should all take a look at once you’re done reading the above is one written by Chris Davies and entitled Context, not cores, is the tablet industry’s challenge.

Lenovo and LG opened proceedings, unable in their excitement to even wait for the CES preview days to spill the beans on the Lenovo ThinkPad T430u and LG Super Ultrabook Z330/Z430. Lenovo has been pushing ultrathin notebooks for years now, but with the T430u it shaves just enough off to fit into Intel’s sub-20mm category.

It’s likely to appeal more to road warriors counting on their IT departments to furnish their computing kit, perhaps, unlike the more consumer-centric LG Z330 and LG Z430. They offer the full gamut of Core i3, i5 and i7 processors and either 13.3- or 14-inch displays, and use a hybrid SSD/HDD setup to provide both rapid boot/resume times and capacious media storage.

So far so good, but LG’s machines were somewhat forgotten when Acer unveiled its waifish Aspire S5. A slimline mag-alloy chassis that tapers to a razor edge at the front, Acer’s machine has some neat design touches like the drop down full-width port panel on the back. Never one to shy away from spectacle, the whole process is motorized.

Acer in fact had more than one ultrabook to show, with the Aspire Timeline Ultra series stretching the category at the fringes. Larger displays and even integrated optical drives mean they’re not quite the ultrabook Intel intended, but perhaps better considered a hybrid of ultraportable and regular notebook.

HP hasn’t been shy about ultrabooks in the past, though it’s arguable whether the 14-inch HP ENVY 14 Spectre quite counts. Still, with a choice of Core i5 or i7 processors, both HDMI and Mini DisplayPort video outputs, Beats Audio and a sub-$1,400 starting price, there’s no shortage of things to like.

Samsung already had an ultrabook-a-like in its back catalog, and so the Samsung Series 9 merely refined the proposition in its second generation. Clad in an eye-catching “stone metal” finish, it’s under half an inch thick and short of 2.5lbs, yet still manages to pack backlit keys.

It’s joined by the Samsung Series 5, a 15-inch almost-ultrabook in the same manner as the Acer Timeline Ultra. The LED display is a particular stand-out feature, managing to look clear, vivid and crisp even in dodgy trade-show lighting, and its sub-$1,400 tag will undercut the Series 9 too.

So far so good, but Dell through a spanner in its rivals’ works with the late launch of the Dell XPS 13. The company’s first ultrabook – though a machine with ultraportable heritage in the shape of the Adamo, among others – the XPS 13 turns to carbon-fiber for part of its construction, allowing Dell to fit a hefty Core i7 processor inside without worrying about overheating. “It’s the world’s best ultrabook” Dell insisted to us.

Then there’s the ultrabook pipeline, and both Toshiba and Intel stepped up with possible products we could expect to see late in 2012. Toshiba‘s 14-inch prototype relied on Windows 8 for its appeal, though had a slickly curved aluminum casing so that you could still catch admiring glances in the coffee shop.

Intel, meanwhile, pushed the boat out with a sliding, tilting concept that packs a 12- to 13-inch display – potentially a touchscreen – with a full QWERTY ‘board and the flexibility to use it either flat when walking around or notebook-style on a desk. Intel is hoping its OEM partners decide to adopt the design for future models, probably when Windows 8 brings its finger-friendliness to market later in the year.

Most eye-catching, though, had to be Intel’s Nikiski concept, an ultrabook packing a transparent, full-width trackpad that could be used as a preview display when the notebook was closed. Sadly the likelihood of the Nikiski reaching the market is around about zero.

Of course there’s another big name in ultrabooks, even if the company itself isn’t calling its ultraportable that. Apple‘s MacBook Air arguably helped shape each and every one of the machines mentioned above, and stands as the notebook to beat in the extreme-ultraportable segment.

Last refreshed in July 2011, with new Core i5 and i7 processors along with Thunderbolt connectivity – still only matched by the ASUS Aspire S5 this week – rumors late last year suggested Apple was already looking to bring out an updated model sometime in Q1. That’s likely to set the cat among the pigeons once again.

Convinced by Ultrabooks? Standing by with credit card in hand? Let us know in the SlashGear poll:

[poll id="24"]

In a way, you can see will.i.am’s point – or at least the point he’s perhaps trying to make. The ghetto blaster used to be a communal point for music lovers, with home-crafted mixtapes used to share new tracks and new forms of musical style. With the transition of music creation to computers – “now you make it on the computer and listen to it on the computer” the Black Eyed Peas artist said – now people can not only get together to listen but to create tracks in the first place.

will.i.am’s segment on stage ended with a brief clip of his next track – something he says was created, at least in part, on an Intel-powered ultrabook – and some perhaps confused applause from the attendant geeks.

On more solid ground, perhaps, check out our hands-on with Dell’s first entrant to the ultrabook market, the XPS 13, as well as HP’s ENVY 14 Spectre, Samsung’s second-gen Series 9, LG’s “Super” Ultrabook Z330 and more in our ultrabook hub. The slimline ultraportables certainly seem to be one of the key trends of CES 2012 so far.

The XPS 13 isn’t Dell’s first ultraportable notebook but, as Tim Peters – CSMB Client Business Strategy and Planning at Dell, pointed out to us, previous models have had more than their share of compromises. “Adamo… beautiful thin, but no substance. Two thousand dollars! We had XPS which we had to crowbar in the technology, very chunky.”

“We looked at XPS and a key trend of consumerization of IT … You had a consumer that wanted aesthetic appeal, premium design, craftsmanship and a lightweight design, and Apple’s MacBook Air came and in really hit that hard. They always wanted the instant-on, accessible data and location-aware of a device like a tablet. Then they also wanted horsepower and substance: I don’t want to compromise on taking a Core i3 only, I want something real to be productive. And, I’d like to be able to use this as my personal device, and the only way an IT manager would allow that to happen is that if it’s data-secure.”

The display is a 13.3-inch 1366 x 768 panel running at 300-nits, and covered in a sheet of edge-to-edge Gorilla Glass, powered by Intel HD 3000 graphics. Above is a 1.3-megapixel webcam and dual-array digital microphone. Connectivity includes WiFi a/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0, a single USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, mini DisplayPort and a headset jack. Unlike some rival ultrabooks, Dell has managed to squeeze in a full-sized backlit keyboard.

“We started our development a year and half ago,” Peters explained, “it’s taken us a lot of time – in fact we’re the last ones to come out with an ultrabook – because we were crafting something a level above in terms of innovation.” Although Dell obviously had other ultrabooks in mind when it designed the XPS 13, Apple’s MacBook Air has obviously also been a consideration. The new Dell’s display actually offers a similar viewing area to that of the 13-inch Air, but in a 15-percent smaller device.

Rather than solely rely on aluminum, like Apple, HP and others, Dell turned to carbon-fiber for the XPS 13′s base. “Carbon-fiber has two functional performance benefits,” the company says, “it dissipates the heat better – it’s cooler on the lap and in the hands – and it’s lighter.” That improvement in heat management has meant Dell can slot in up to Core i7 chips without worrying about overheating. In fact, Dell mentioned that the company’s engineers are actually working on a fanless version, though there’s no telling when that might arrive.

Hands-on, it feels impressively light and thin. The keyboard is nicely spaced and the keys themselves have reasonable travel given the limits of the keytray. There are plenty of neat details, like the battery gage on the side, while Dell tells us that the machined aluminum lid saves even more weight compared to some rival’s punched-aluminum production. The speakers are embedded underneath the keyboard, creating a surprisingly loud and clear soundstage, though unsurprisingly they lack some bass.

LIke other ultrabooks, the XPS 13 has Intel Rapid Start for boot times of around 5s, and instant-on resume from standby. However, Dell also implemented Intel SmartConnect, which periodically wakes the ultrabook to check calendar, email, social networking accounts and other data so that you’re up to date as soon as you open the lid. There’s also location-awareness, setting up apps for nearby restaurants, ATMs and other POIs with your current position.

Enterprise customers get Dell’s usual array of custom imaging and BIOS settings, along with asset tagging and BitLocker data encryption with TPM. There’s also ProSupport, with Dell Command Center support for speedy repairs and replacements. As for all the labels and stickers most Windows laptops are plastered in, on the new XPS they’re hidden away out of sight.

Dell expects the Core i5 version of the XPS 13 – with 4GB of memory and a 128GB SSD – to start at under $1,000 when the ultrabook ships in February. Final pricing will be decided just prior to launch.

“It’s the world’s best ultrabook” Peters concluded, “the smallest, the most powerful, the most aesthetically pleasing, the best to touch, the best at being enterprise-ready… the best of any product out there.” We’ll have to wait until we can put the XPS 13 through its paces in the full SlashGear review to find out whether we feel the same.

Razer’s solid build and restrained bling styling are present in all aspects of the Blade – you might mistake it for an uper-class business notebook when closed. Open it up and its gaming intentions become clear, with backlit keys, macros and of course the additional module. Above the touchscreen are ten OLED keys that adjust based on the game or function of the touchpad, and you can manually assign keys or macros for games without official support.

The laptop itself is big and heavy, as you’d expect. It’s got an appropriately expensive feel with tough plastica all around, and Razer accents where you’d expect the normal HP or Dell logos to go. Even the default screen for the touchpad is a Razer logo, which in this context looks pretty good. The keyboard was great for typing, with the instant response you’d expect from the company’s products.

On the inside you get the latest Intel Core i7 mobile processor running at 2.8Ghz, paired to 8GB of DDR3 memory. The graphics are handled by Nvidia’s GeForce GT 555M with an addition 2GB of GDDR5 memory. Storage comes from a 500GB 7200 RPM hard drive, and the fruits of your gaming dollar wil look good on a 17-inch 1920×1080 LED backlit screen. The Blade can be yours for a wish, a prayer and $3000 American, and it should start shipping in the first quarter.

Razer,

Battery life is rated at up to 10hrs for the 15-inch model, despite Samsung using new, HD+ SuperBright Plus 1600 x 900 screens. These are apparently 180-percent brighter than the first-gen Series 9, and have anti-reflective coatings and 160-degree viewing angles. Both screen and keyboard backlighting are ambient light sensitive, adjusting automatically.

A glass multitouch trackpad, lashings of aluminum in the single-shell chassis, and even a special designer leather sleeve – an option – to hold it, round out the main specs. The new Samsung Series 9 2nd-gen is available in February, priced from $1,399 for the 13-inch and from $1,499 for the 15-inch.

Like all of the laptops conforming to Intel’s Ultrabook specifications, the Xnote Z330 is thin, light and big on metalic personality. It’s got a more squared-off design than most Ultrabooks, which go with front and rear tapers to appear even skinnier. The lid has an ofset circular texture, not unlike the Azus Zenbook models. A chromed-out LG logo adorns one corner. The 15.7mm profile is a beauty.

On the inside you’re greeted with the standard screen, chicklet keyboard and all-in-one trackpad. (Please, somebody make an ultrabook with real mouse buttons. Please?) The trackpad hangs a little to the left to center on the space bar, and its comparatively large size should be good for those who want precise cursor control. The keyboard itself feels serviceable if not amazing.

On the left side you get a single USB 3.0 port nestled between the power jack and some tiny exhaust vents. Opposite that you’ll find a tiny MicroSD card slot (no standard SD slot is present) an audio-out port and an HDMI port. Front and back are bare, as with most of this category. The screen is the same 1366×768 panel we’ve come to expect from 13-inch laptops in general, and ultrabooks in particular. It’s decent, and shows considerably less glare than other machines at the event.

Inside you get an SSD hard drive and a low-voltage Core i3, i5 or i7 processor, though obviously we couldn’t put it through its paces. The Xnote has a larger brother, the absent 14-inch Z430, which features dentical specs aside from the screen. The laptops launch in the first quarter of this year.

The Windows 7-based (not Windows 8) hardware uses an almost entirely trasparent trackpad, running all along the bottom half of the ultrabook beneath the keyboard. When closed, you can see the window you were just using shrink to fit the now cropped area of the LCD. You can also activate a new touch-based interface that looks almost identical tro Windows 8 (but again, it isn’t.) The trackpad itself is touch-senitive, making the entire unit transform into essentially a tablet with a huge bezel when closed. The top lid is also semi-transparent, but a representative told us that it was a manufacturing defect.

The aplication for this design is limited, though I could see some utility if you managed to somehow integrate keyboard into the trasparency. Asus tried something similar a few years ago with small LCD screens integrated into the top of the screen lid. The idea is novel, and I’d love to see what some enterprising OEMs can do with the technology on display.

The Nikiski just an Intel concept, so you won’t be seeing it (or even a laptop based on its design) any time soon. We’ll have a video hands-on later in the day.

UPDATE: check out our hands-on video below!

Vizio claims all of the new desktops and notebooks will run “a clean system image optimized by Microsoft” and, while the company’s TVs are primarily known for their budget pricing, it seems this time around it’s targeting a somewhat more refined niche. “Our new line of VIZIO PCs are truly high quality and consumer focused,” CTO Matt McRae insists, ”delivering enhanced multimedia capabilities while upholding our high standards of performance, style and design.”

The new range consists of two all-in-one desktops, one 24-inch and one 27-inch, together with a 15.6-inch regular notebook and two ultraportables, one 14-inch and one 15.6-inch. There’s also a dual-band, gigabit wireless router in the pipeline.

We’ll be digging for some hard specifications when we catch up with Vizio at CES this week, but the deciding factor is likely to be pricing. More details on Vizio’s vision in the videos below.

The 15-inch version is the clear winner between the two, thanks to its full number pad. This is an unfortunately rare occurrence in the larger side of the laptop world, and a refreshing change in the Timeline Ultra 15, especially since the keyboard remains full size. Other than that and the obvious changes in screen size, the two models are identical.

The Timeline series has always focused on a thing and ligh frame with no compromises on expandability, and in that case both of these laptops deliver. Calling them ultrabooks is a bit on the generous side, but they’re still extremely slim for Intel Core laptops with DVD drives. High-end options like SSD rives should help make them competitive to similar models, as Acer’s machines tend to be.

The magnesium shell helps to make typing feel good, with no serious flexing or bending of the keys, which unfortunately lack a backlight. The screens on display are that standard 1366×768 fare, but bright and sharp enough to be comfortable for extended use. Acer’s media software is complimented by Dolby Home Theater and an HDMI out. But if you’re considering a timeline Ultra over something else, it’s probably because of that built-in DVD drive. The drive is there on both models, which should be enough for most, though one of them stuck on the model I tried and had to be physically moved.

There’s a lot going right for the latest entries in the Timeline series, even before we get a chance to try out that much ballyhooed 8-hour battery life and Acer’s new cloud software ourselves. The Timeline Ultras should be available at retailers sometime in the first quarter of this year.

With an already solid lineup with products like the Portege Z835 they have a strong offering but we wont turn away an ultra-sleek, ultra-powerful 14″ laptop — right? It’s worth mentioning that it isn’t clear what Toshiba will be calling this new 14″ laptop but it sure does look pretty. From what we understand it will be consumer focused and priced.

Just like the Portege Z835 mentioned above this new Ultrabook features the same rounded edges and simplistic design although not the magnesium alloy construction. Instead, this new Ultrabook is wrapped in aluminum and it manages to stay extremely thin and super lightweight.

All of the LED lights and chrome-accented hinges have been replaced with a more elegant design but nothing groundbreaking or extremely new — but definetaly a step up from current offerings. The chicklet style LED-backlit keyboard is a nice addition but something we’d expect from an ultrabook in this day and age. While this is an early unit that clearly didn’t have a name we do have USB 3.0, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI-out, Ethernet and the usual SD card readers and headphone/microphone ports. Remember that while being extremely new and only a prototype all that can be subject to change. One good note is we’ll be working along with Windows 8 whenever this makes way to consumers hands.

Once we see more we’ll be sure to update with additional details. Stay tuned for hands-on video.

Lenovo IdeaPad S Series

“Netbook” has become a dirty word in computing so allow Lenovo to endear you to the IdeaPad S200 and S206, two models supposedly offering a little more than what you might expect from a netbook. Each has an 11.6-inch HD widescreen display, Atom dual-core processor (S200) or AMD dual-core processor (S206) and up to 32GB SSD, they’re 0.81-inches thick and 2.8-pounds on the scales.

Chiclet keys, WiFi b/g/n and optional Bluetooth, along with a 0.3-megapixel webcam and Lenovo Quick Start “instant on” are useful, but the 4hrs of battery life seems on the low side. The S200 and S206 will go on sale in June from $349.

Lenovo IdeaPad Z Series

The IdeaPad Z580, Z480 and Z380 offer 15.6-inch, 14-inch and 13.3-inch displays, respectively, with Intel Core processors and up to NVIDIA GeForce GT640M 2GB graphics powering 1366 x 768 resolution panels and HDMI outputs. DVD or Blu-ray drives, WiDi and various multimedia processing apps lean on the entertainment message. They’ll go on sale in April from $599.

Lenovo IdeaPad G Series

Lenovo’s affordable line-up kicks off from $399 in June, with the F480, G580 and G780 offering 14-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch displays respectively. Veriface facial recognition, sensible and durable designs and basic multimedia are on offer.

Lenovo IdeaPad Y Series

$899 upwards gets you the Lenovo IdeaPad Y Series, out in April, with the Y480 having a 14-inch Full HD display and the Y580 having a 15.6-inch Full HD display. Intel Core processors, up to NVIDIA GeForce GTX660M 2GB graphics and Dolby Home Theater V4 sound paired with JBL speakers round out a multimedia and gaming powerhouse, while the backlit keyboard and HD camera with night-view are neat touches. A TV tuner is optional, and works with the WiDi wireless display streaming.

The 13-inch ultrabook is an incredible 15 millimeters thin, just shy of .6 inches. The entire body – top, insides and bottom – is encased in a black/grey magnesium allow, giving it a very rich feel. Despite this, it’s still incredibly light. Though we didn’t have a scale handy, it’s definitely one of the lightest ultrabooks we’ve tested. The body tapers to a razor edge at the front end.

The star attraction is the flip-out port panel on the back, which both expands and retracts via a dedicated key next to the keyboard. The mechanism is motorized, giving a satisfying “whrrrr” on both motions. USB, Thunderbolt and HDMI ports are hidden within the panel, as well as a fan exhaust, which gets a dedicated grille eve in the closed position.

The whole unit feels solid and surprisingly tough for its tiny size. We’ve got some reservations on the moving parts in the port section, but there’s no denying that it’s a slick looking and feeling little laptop. Acer’s standard screen and keyboards are present – take ‘em or leave ‘em. There’s no pricing or availability info at the moment, but Acer expects to begin shipping the Aspire S5  in the second quarter of this year.

Like the Aspire S5, there’s Acer Always Connect to continue polling your email, Facebook and Twitter messages while the ultrabooks are in standby. Instant-on means the notebook resumes in 1.5 seconds – but still promises a standby time measured in weeks – and you can wake the new Timelines remotely, from your phone.

Dolby Home Theater v4 surround sound promises to make the most of whatever tiny space Acer has been able to squeeze speakers into, and there’s HDMI if you want to hook up a larger display. USB 3.0 ports are also to be found, though sadly no Thunderbolt.

Acer’s PowerSmart long-life battery technology – promising a 3x longer life cycle than traditional batteries – is paired with a lap-saving thermal system that shouldn’t, so the claim goes, roast your delicate parts while hard at work. No word on price, but the Acer Aspire Timeline Ultra models will be on sale sometime in Q1 2012.

An Intel Core processor lurks inside, paired with an SSD, while a “MagicFlip I/O port panel” hides behind the screen hinge and – when pressed – pops open to reveal the HDMI, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connectivity. There’s also Dolby Home Theater v4 sound and a PowerSmart battery, which Acer says has a 3x longer battery cycle life than rival power packs.

Chicklet keys and an Onyx Black “delicately curved” chassis, along with a magnesium-aluminum alloy cover and palmrest keep things looking slick in your bag or on your desk. No word on pricing at this stage, but the Acer Aspire S5 will begin shipping in Q2 2012.

Update: Image added and live images here.

Two all-in-one PCs and a trio of notebooks are on the cards, with Vizio seemingly looking to Apple for its desktop inspiration by hitting the 24- and 27-inch size points. The notebooks include 14-inch and 15.6-inch ultrathins and a 15.6-inch regular model.

Style-wise, it’s hard not to see some of Vizio’s design inspiration. Cupertino plays a part, but there are hints of HP’s ENVY series – itself something of an Apple homage – and Lenovo’s IdeaCenter desktops too. That might rile up high-end buyers, but we’ve a feeling those lured in by Vizio’s promised competitive pricing won’t mind so much.

Integration with the existing Vizio TV range is also supported, with the same IR remote control functionality as we saw in the Vizio Tablet last year along with audio and video streaming from the PCs. “We think most PCs have been designed for the small-business users,” McRae says, “that others have not done a very good job of making them entertainment devices.”

No word on exact pricing or specifications at this stage, but we’ll know more after SlashGear heads off to CES next week. Vizio is also set to show off its new Google TV-equipped smart TV range.

The Folio feels like a laptop that should cost much more than the $899 asking price. A mostly metal frame hides a backlit keyboard and a 13-inch body that, while not quite as luxurious as competing models from Asus and Samsung, is miles above the typical mid-range notebook. The .7-inch thin laptop is deceptively light for a i5 machine that holds a 6-cell battery rated for 9 hours.

The finish itself is one of the most attractive features, with a brushed aluminum look that’s eye-catch yet understated. Photos really don’t do it justice. It looks like it should be a fingerprint magnet, and in a way it is, but the pattern on the aluminum masks them effectively and keeps the laptop looking classy. The port selection is a little slim with just two USB ports, HDMI, an SD card slot and Ethernet, but it meets or beats other Ultrabooks that cost much more.

HP’s now standard clickable trackpad is present, minus the nice rubber definition line from the ENVY 15. Take it or leave it (or bring along a USB mouse) but it’s at least smooth and accurate, with a nice feedback when depressing for a click. It’s still to hard to initiate a middle-click, but the trackpad is much better than earlier attempts.

The only big downer for the Folio 13 is the screen, which seems to be the same rather dim TN panel that goes into most low-end 13-inch laptops. At 1366×768 it’s not ideal for working, at least not if you’re used to a larger laptop or full-sized monitor. I would have liked to have seen an upgrade option for a more dense and sharp screen.

There’s not enough time between now and CES to give this little guy a full review, so I’m taking it along for the ride. You’ll probably reading quite a few posts written right from the Folio 13, so it’s a trial by fire for HP’s first Ultrabook. Check out a video walkthrough below:

As for LG’s other machines, the LG P535 is a 2.2kg 15.6-incher with a choice of 3D or non-3D 1366 x 768 displays, up to 8GB of RAM, a choice of Core i3/i5/i7 processors and the pick of Intel HD 3000 graphics, NVIDIA GeForce GT 610M 1GB GPU or GeForce GT 630M 2GB GPU. It has up to 1TB of storage, a DVD burner, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0.

Finally, the LG V300 plops itself resolutely on your desktop with its 23-inch 1920 x 1080 all-in-one form-factor. Options include a 3D display, multitouch support and an IPS panel with 178-degree viewing angles, along with a choice of Core i3/i5/i7 processors and up to 8GB of DDR3 memory. Storage is up to 750GB and there’s your pick of either a DVD burner or a Blu-ray drive, the latter turning the V300 into a serviceable TV replacement.

Select models get an integrated TV tuner, and there’s two USB 3.0 ports, eSATA, line in, line out, HDMI, audio in/out, gigabit ethernet and a multiformat card reader. WiFi b/g/n and a choice of Bluetooth 2.1 or 3.0 are present, plus a 720p-capable webcam. All three models run Windows 7, and LG is saving pricing details until next week.

LG says that’s a matter of “powerful performance and sleek design unseen in ordinary ultrabooks” though we’ll have to wait until we get some hands-on playtime before we can judge quite how successful the company has actually been on those fronts. The Z330 has a 13.3-inch 1366 x 768 LED-backit display, a choice of Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, 4GB of DDR3 memory and HD 3000 graphics, along with either a 120GB or 256GB SSD, 10/100 ethernet, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0+HS.

The LG Z430 boosts the display to a 14-inch panel, though running at the sam resolution as its smaller sibling, and increases the maximum supported RAM to 8GB. Storage is different too, with a standard 500GB HDD paired with an optional 16GB or 128GB of SSD storage; we’re guessing the 16GB is used for speedy resume, just as with Samsung’s Series 5.

Ports on both models include a multiformat memory card reader, single USB 3.0, two USB 2.0 and HDMI, along with audio in/out. There’s a 1.3-megapixel webcam and a 4-cell battery, though LG isn’t talking runtimes yet. The Z330 measures in at 315.4 x 214.7 x 14.7 mm and 1.21kg, while the Z440 is a little larger at 329.4 x 226 x 19.9 mm and 1.5kg.

No word on pricing at this stage.

For your coin, Samsung offers a Core i5-2467M processor rated at 1.6 Ghz, paired to 4 gigabytes of DDR memory and a 500GB traditional hard drive. Testing the limits of what defines an “Ultrabook” (aside from the laptop series, of course) the NP530U4B-A01US features a DVD-RW drive and a slightly chunky 4-pound carry weight. With just a 4-cell battery it might have some trouble getting extended untethered use, but with integrated graphics users probably wouldn’t be stressing it anyway. In the configuration offered only a 1366×768 LED backlit screen is present, plus a single HDMI-out and two USB 2.0 ports. WiFi and Bluetooth 3 round out its communication capabilities.

If the press shots of the 14-inch Series 5 model are anything to go by, Samsung seems to be taking the Ultrabook definition a little far. The extra screen size and DVD drive make it about three quarters of a pound heavier than the 13 inch model, and since no dimensions listed, we’re assuming that they’re nothing outstanding. That would put the Series 5 14-inch into the “thin and light” category in my book – not bulky by any means, but not an Ultrabook, either. Then again, it’s starting at a significantly smaller price than the Series 9, so budget-minded laptop buyers who want a little more screen real estate aren’t likely to complain. We’re likely to see some photos and a legitimate pre-order soon enough, or at CES next week if nowhere else.

[Thanks Deron!]

How does CES work?

CES is a show, this meaning that there are several elements in play, the first being the main show floor. On the floor there will be hoards of visitors walking through hundreds of stands that brands have set up to show off their wares. We’ll be running through the floor from time to time, but for the most part we’ll be at events. The other big element in a show such as this is events – keynote speeches and town-hall meetings. Essentially anything where someone or a set of people stand on stage and talk to the audience that stands before them. That’s where the big products will be revealed, and that’s where we’ll be primarily.

There are also meetings that occur between us, the press, and the brands that want to show off their products up close and personal to you, the user and the consumer. We’ve got meetings set up with all the big brands (as well as a bunch of up-and-coming brands) that have excellent goodies to let us in on.

Who will be there?

Everyone and their tech-loving grandmother will be there. For example AT&T will be there, LG, Intel, Sharp, and Pioneer, Panasonic, Sony Ericsson, and Qualcomm. There’s Fujifilm, the DISH Network, Casio, Texas Instrument, NVIDIA, and Ford. Verizon will be there, AUDI, Microsoft, Samsung, and Sharp. And that’s only a small spattering. There’s so many people here your eyes will bleed when you’re done reading all the posts we’ll be putting up over the next week – you can bank on it!

How will I know what to watch for?

I would direct you back to the post we’ve got up about the CES mobile application for that sort of knowledge. You can tell us what you’d like us to inspect, or you can follow along with the schedule of all the main events from your smartphone or tablet, then watch SlashGear as we bring you the best coverage of each of those events as they occur! Furthermore, we’ll continue to have “what we’ll see at CES 2012″ posts up until the event itself – check out our CES 2012 Leaks post for now!

Can I filter SlashGear to give me only CES 2012 news?

You sure can, all you’ve got to do is head to our [CES 2012 portal] to see all the news before, during, and after the show! It’s just that easy!

BONUS: for a look at how we’ll be covering the events as well as a glimpse of how far-spanning the CES events end up being in effect, check out our [CES 2011 portal] from last year!

Samsung’s Series 5 uses the ultrabook name, though it doesn’t quite conform to all of the original minimum specifications Intel mandated. The ultraportable uses a 500GB hard-drive, rather than SSD storage, but pairs that with 16GB of ExpressCache that is used to pare down boot times; Samsung reckons users will go from hibernate to the desktop in seven seconds, or from sleep mode in two seconds.

Otherwise there’s Intel HD Graphics 3000, WiFi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0+HS and WiDi support, along with gigabit ethernet, a multiformat memory card slot, 1.3-megapixel webcam and 4W speakers. Connectivity includes a single USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, a combo audio in/out and HDMI, and the whole thing measures 12.4 x 8.6 x 0.58-0.69 inches.

J&R isn’t saying when the Series 5 is expected in stock, only that it’s “coming soon”; still, it’s pricing is competitive (compared to both the converted Korean pricing and Samsung’s own Series 9 range).

[Thanks Deron!]

Hardware

The ENVY 15 shares a lot of design DNA with the rest of the line, and that means lots of metal and secondary utility as a blunt weapon. The typical high-class build quality is present in full force, with a new black-on-grey color scheme that’s accented with some red Beats trim. It would be almost impossible to forget the inspirations from Apple’s Macbook Pro line that defined the early ENVY models, but the latest seems to be finding a bit of its own identity. A depressed keyboard section and an analog audio dial inset into the body make for some unique and functional touches.

The laptop oozes quality and thoughtful touches almost everywhere. Beats-branded speakers above the keyboard and on the front edge are well-placed for music playback with the lid open or closed, and the backlit chicklet keyboard is large and solid enough to replicate desktop typing without any real difficulty. 3 USB ports and an SD card slot should be enough for most, but video out options are limited to HDMI and Display Port. That’s good for hooking up to a TV or brand-new monitors, but if you’ve got an older display you’re out of luck, since there’s no adapters included.

At 1.11 inches all the way through its metal frame, the laptop isn’t the smallest around, but it isn’t really trying to be. That large frame gets you a 2.4Ghz Core i5 processor, 6GB of RAM, a 1GB AMD Radeon 7690m graphics card and a 500GB traditional hard drive. That should be enough computing power to handle just about anything you can throw at it short of marathon HD encoding sessions. You’ll also get a slot-loading DVD drive, an increasingly rare commodity even in medium-sized laptops, and a user-accessible battery bay.

But the real showpiece for the ENVY 15 is the screen, an LED-backlit beauty at 1920×1080, showing a resolution usually reserved for 17-inch laptops into an economic glossy frame. That’s an extra $150 upgrade over the standard 1366×768 panel, and well worth it for anyone who wants a little breathing room fir Windows 7. Using the screen is an excellent experience even at low brightness, and makes text entry, games and video that much better. Colors pop and contrast is great, though those who tire of tiny text may need to fiddle with some settings to make reading more comfortable. The touchpad is decent, though HP still hasn’t got the hang of multi-touch gestures – it’s much easier to use a click-tap and manually drag a scroll bar than its two-finger equivalent.

Software

Our review unit came pre-loaded with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, the better to take advantage of the 6GB of RAM. If you’re considering the ENVY 15, odds are pretty good that you’re familiar with Windows 7, or at least competent enough in Windows Vista, so I won’t bore you with any rehashing. Bloatware is an unfortunate reality on the PC side of the computer divide, but with the ENVY line at least, HP has exercised some restraint. You get the standard trial edition of Office, a handful of hardware managers that basically just skin Windows’ default controls, Microsoft’s Games For Windows Marketplace, HP MovieStore, Norton Internet Security and a Bing plugin for your browser. All in all it could be worse – I’m in the habit of installing Windows fresh with any new machine, and I heartily recommend it to others. But if you’re disinclined to do so (it isn’t easy, since no one includes OS discs these days) it’s easy enough to get the ENVY 15 close to stock.

One thing you won’t want to remove is the Beats audio manager software, accessible by depressing the button built in to the analog dial. It instantly brings up an equalizer and other various settings, making a customized audio experience fast and easy, not to mention enjoyable with the supplied hardware. More on that later. Our review unit came with full versions of Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements. At the moment both of these programs are also free with the base model. That’s a great deal if you don’t already have an image and/or photo editor, and even if you don’t want them it’s hard to complain.

In general use, the additional software doesn’t interfere with my daily routine nearly as much as other laptops. The Norton Internet Security is enabled by default, but aside from the on-screen volume and brightness displays, it’s the only thing that’s visibly added to the system. All in all a commendable effort on HP’s part, though I add that any Windows computer should always come with a backup disc, which seems to be omitted here. I had a small issue with a lack of sound playback, which was solved quickly enough by installing the latest driver.

Performance

It’s a good time to be a hardware junkie. Even the cheapest Intel Core machine is leaps and bounds ahead of comparably priced equivalents from two or three years ago, and unless you’re doing massive amounts of compiling or rendering, you’ll never want for horepower on any new laptop. That said, here’s the scores for the ENVY 15.

Regular use, incluing some heavy Flash and Photoshop editing, showed no noticeable slowdown or degradation in performance. I popped in a copy of Batman: Arkham City just to try out the combination of the processor and AMD Radeon GPU. It’s a pretty game that takes advantage of all the latest graphical bells and whistles. When pumped up to full 1080p with all the settings maxed out, the in-game benchmark got around 12-14 frames per second. Dial it batch to 1600×900 with a few of the flashier settings disables, and you can get about 30 FPS. Drop the resolution to 1366×768 (which is all you’d get in similarly priced laptops) and you can get as much as 50 frames per second.

Based on this I’d say you can play just about any recent game comfortably without a problem, so long as you take it easy on the graphical flair. Older favorites like Team Fortress 2 or World of Warcraft should absolutely fly, and look great doing so.

Media & Battery

The ENVY 15 is built for media consumption. Those Beats logos aren’t just for show: the speakers are louder and clearer than any I’ve ever used, including the Macbooks that the ENVY wants to be so much when it grows up. The quick access to a physical volume dial and virtual equalizer combined with an extra headphone-out port make this a perfect laptop for listening to and sharing music. And with that lovely screen and DVD drive (sadly no Blu-ray option is offered) it’s a great movie machine as well.

Just don’t plan on watching the extended version of Lord of the Rings. Though HP claims up to a 9 hour battery life, I was never able to get more than 3 hours and 45 minutes while doing basic WiFi Internet browsing with the screen at about half brightness. The “power saver” mode seems to do a little better, and I dare say with conservative use and a few tricks (like disabling the petty Aero effects in Windows) you might stretch it as high as five. It’s a disappointing statistic in a laptop of this size and weight, and you’ll probably feel the need to stash the large AC adapter in your bag for anything more than coffee shop surfing session.

Wrap Up

Is the ENVY 15 as good as the 15-inch MacBook Pro? No. But considering that for the hardware that we tested you’d have to spend nearly $2000 on an Apple machine, it doesn’t have to be. If you find yourself spending most of your computer time within the reach of an AC outlet, it’s tough to beat for power and media capabilities. I wish it was a little lighter and lasted a little longer, but as a desktop replacement and media consumption/creation specialist, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything with these kinds of specs, fit and finish in this price range.

If you’re looking to replace an older mid-sized laptop with a solid machine that’ll fly through basic tasks and give some great music and video playback, it would be hard to find a better choice at $1250. Just don’t buy the ENVY 15 expecting a featherweight road warrior.

UPDATE: At the behest of some of the commenters, I investigated the switchable graphics with respect to battery life. This necessitated going into the BIOS and setting the graphics to a manual switch, since the option doesn’t appear in any of the ENVY’s standard settings menus. (it might be possible to set this with a newer version of Catalyst Control Center, but it wasn’t accessible from the stock software.) Under the default Dynamic setting, it’s supposed to automatically switch to the Intel integrated graphics when the high-powered Radeon isn’t necessary - apparently the software wasn’t activating correctly. When the Intel integrated graphics were activated manually, I got 5 hours and 14 minutes out of the ENVY 15 running the same test. That’s not a marathon machine by any means, but it opens up a lot more options for extended portable use.

For a better look at the HP ENVY 15′s hardware, check out our unboxing video below:

AppleInsider discovered the two patent applications this week titled “Fuel Cell Systems to Power a Portable Computing Device” and “Fuel Cell System Coupled to a Portable Computing Device.” The filings talk about the increasing awareness and desire for renewable energy sources among consumers and also states that the use of hydrogen fuel cells could power a device like a MacBook “for days or even weeks” before having to refuel.

However, developing a cost-effective hydrogen fuel cell system that’s portable will be a challenge. Apple’s solution involves a system that can both provide and receive power from a rechargeable battery in a device like a notebook so that it eliminates the need for a bulky and heavy battery within the system.

The Durabook R13C also features an IP65 rating, which ensures that all enclosed portions are completely protected from dust and water. It has a water-resistant backlit keyboard and a magnesium alloy case that’s 20 times stronger than ABS plastic. Additional security features include a fingerprint scanner, Trusted Platform Module 1.2, and a Kensington lock.

The laptop features a 13.3-inch multi-touch shock-mounted display with a 1000 NIT LCD that’s readable in sunlight. Inside, it’s powered by an Intel Core Low Power i7-620LM vPro processor along with 8GB of RAM. It also sports a 2.5-inch shock-mounted SATA hard drive with heater, an ultra slim super-multi DVD drive, two USB ports, SIM card connector, and SD card reader. For more details, you can visit GammaTech’s product page.

Samsung has outfitted the 14-inch Series 5 with an optical drive, the first ultrabook to be so equipped. Ports on both machines include ethernet and HDMI, while the 20.9mm-thick 14-inch model also has discrete AMD graphics with a Radeon HD7550M GPU. Both use an anti-glare screen coating for improved outdoor visibility.

To be fair, the 14-inch Samsung doesn’t quite fit into Intel’s ultrabook category. The chip manufacturer originally defined the segment as being under 0.8-inches thick (20.3mm), and as having solely SSD storage, and the larger-screened Series 5 is slightly too fat for that. Still, with the SSD, both Series 5 machines can resume from hibernation in under 7s, or from sleep mode in less than 2s.

Samsung will put the Series 5 up for sale in Korea at the end of December, priced at 1,290,000-1,490,000 won ($1,124-1,298) for the 13-inch and 1,340,000-1,540,000 won ($1,168-1,342) for the 15-inch. No word on international launch plans at this stage.

ASUS is no stranger to convertible notebooks, having experimented with several netbook-style touchscreen models in 2009 and 2010. Most recent was the Eee PC T101MT, back in mid-2010, preceded by a smaller version, the T91, in 2009, mounting a touchscreen LCD panel on a swiveling, rotating hinge so that it could be used as a regular netbook but also, when folded flat, as a chunky slate.

Those early attempts relied on low-powered Intel Atom processors, however, and lacked the raw grunt to compete with the true tablets of the day. Then, of course, Apple launched the iPad in early 2010, and the consumer tablet market took off, with products making any use of a stylus being seen as the preserve of enterprise and vertical users.

With its Ultrabook convertible, however, along with touch-friendly Windows 8, ASUS is obviously hoping to catch the eye of people wanting a portable device with the option of easier text entry. Earlier this week, rumors from the touchscreen display supply chain indicated a number of super-slim panels were sampling ahead of 2012 product launches.

Intel has apparently been working with OEMs on a number of design ideas for convertibles using Ivy Bridge chips, and Microsoft is known to be keen to emphasize the touch advances in Windows 8. The new ASUS is expected to make its debut at Computex Taipei in early June 2012.