The Dell XPS 17 is the 17 inch model in the XPS lineup. Unlike the 14 and 15 inch models, it provides a much larger screen at a resolution of 1600×900. The extra size of this model also allowed Dell to include a full-size keyboard and a number pad, which is not included in the other two models. This could be good news for those who do a lot of work with numbers and spreadsheets, as the majority of laptops on the market do not include a dedicated number pad.

Buyers have a choice of four different i5 or i7 processors from Intel, which provide great performance even in the base configuration. Buyers also have a choice of Windows 7 64-bit operating systems: Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate. RAM configurations go from 4 GB to 16 GB.

The XPS 17 is built for multimedia and gaming as well. In addition to the high-definition screen, it includes built-in JBL speakers with Waves MaxxAudio 3 technology for better sound even from small speakers. The built-in webcam can stream video at 720p resolutions for clearer video chats. Skype software is even included right out of the box. The includes of NVIDIA’s 3DTV Play technology allows the laptop to send 3D content directly to a 3D TV as well, even opening up possibilities for 3D gaming.

For such an affordable price, the Dell XPS 17 sports an impressive array of high-end features, complimented by an eye-catching design. Those who want more performance and a larger screen than budget models will be impressed with the XPS 17.

While Apple’s iPad aims to be a unique device and many competing tablets seem to be nothing more than a smartphone with a larger screen, Toshiba claims they designed the Thrive to be more like a laptop. Thus, they have included features such as an HDMI port and SD card reader, allowing users more connection options for input and output.

One of the most striking features of the design is the rubber rear surface, which makes the tablet much more stable to hold in one hand. Further, the color of the rear surface is replaceable, with a number of bright custom colors available to users. The customization might appeal more to younger users, but the rubber surface is somewhat of an improvement over the easily-scratched surfaces of competing models.

Some of the extra features of the Thrive seem to have taken their toll on the design, however. It weighs in at 1.6 pounds, making it one of the heaviest tablets on the market. Its 10.1 inch screen provides a sharp and vibrant display.

Building on the Android platform, Toshiba decided to include some applications of its own, such as an “App Place” for downloading content that Toshiba decides to feature. Unfortunately, this and other Toshiba apps such as its book reader tend to conflict with the software already included with Android, making users choose between what may be too many options.

Toshiba has created a very capable tablet with the Thrive, and it is priced to compete well with the devices currently on the market. Time will tell if it can get a good start in a market totally dominated by Apple.

One of the major benefits the Touchpad has going for it is the fact that it runs a version of HP’s WebOS. The slick design of the interface and the flexibility of the operating system could be a major factor in why buyers will buy the Touchpad. On the other hand, WebOS could also be somewhat of a downside for the tablet, as it has neither the installed base nor app selection of Apple’s iOS, nor the open-source benefit of Google’s Android operating system. Time will tell if HP can launch both a new tablet and a new software platform successfully.

The Touchpad is similar in size to the iPad, with a 9.7 inch touch display that sports a 1024×768 resolution. This is the same resolution as the iPad, but a lower resolution than some competing models, such as the Xoom from Motorola. The Touchpad includes a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor, which should compete well with most tablets on the market in terms of performance, though much of its performance will likely rely on the implementation of WebOS.

The integration of the Touchpad with other WebOS devices such as the Palm Pre 3 could be a fairly unique feature that we have not really seen from other manufacturers. Users will be able to share links between devices and even reroute calls and texts directly to the Touchpad. This may be a feature with limited reach, as it depends on the success of other WebOS devices.

Overall, the HP Touchpad is a solid tablet offering that hits all of the major features users want in a sleek design that looks great. Its main hurdle will be convincing buyers that WebOS is a worthwhile platform.

The HP Pavilion dv5t borrows some of its design elements from other recent laptops, such as the Macbook Pro. It features a metallic look with a black border around the screen and black keys, but its construction is mainly plastic, not metal. The chassis sits on a bit of a slant, thinning out closer to the user, with its thickest edge near the screen. The machine is very lightweight, weighing only around 5.2 pounds, which makes it ideal for travel. Its 14.5 inch screen is very bright and vibrant, and its smaller size than the traditional 15 inch screen makes the whole laptop a bit smaller, also adding to its portability, and making it a good compromise for users who feel that a 13 inch screen is too small.

A Blu-ray player drive is included in the standard configuration, which will be very pleasing to multimedia fans, and the included speakers provide decent sound at a very listenable volume that make it a fairly good device for viewing movies and other multimedia. There is a VGA port and an HDMI port for connecting to an HDTV screen for a bigger theater experience. Windows 7 Home Premium is included, and users can choose from a number of Intel processors, including the i3, i5, and i7 versions, which make it very customizable to the performance level each buyer needs.

The HP Pavilion dv5t is an excellent laptop that can meet the needs of a wide range of buyers, from students to professionals to power users. Its compact and lightweight design makes it very portable, and its affordable price puts it right in the sweet spot for most budgets.

The most standout feature of the Acer Ethos is certainly its gorgeous 18.4 inch display, which uses Acer’s CineCrystal technology and an LED backlight to provide a full 1080p HD resolution of 1920 x 1080, perfect for viewing movies with the included Blu-ray drive. The ATI Mobility Radeo HD 5850 graphics processor provides more than enough power to drive multimedia applications as well as the latest games at full resolutions with excellent performance.

The device is powered by an Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost Technology for extra power when needed. It includes up to 8 GB of RAM for better performance, and a large 500 GB hard drive for storing large amounts of data. The machine even has room internally for a second hard drive if more space is needed.

A webcam and microphone are built in for video chatting, and a finger print reader is included for extra security, keeping others from accessing sensitive data when you are away from the machine. A number of connection options are included, such as ethernet, HDMI, USB, VGA, eSATA, and FireWire, providing the ability to connect almost any device imaginable. Memory card slots are also built in, providing support for the most popular formats.

Weighing in at 10.14 pounds and measuring 17.3 by 11.6 inches, the Acer Ethos AS8943G-9429 is certainly not designed for portability and travel, but for users who want a lot of power or a desktop experience away from the home or office, this machine provides it at a very affordable price.

The 13 inch screen of the Sony VAIO Y tends to be a good tradeoff for many users, providing a large enough screen to get things done, without adding too much bulk to be portable. The result is a machine that is easy to use but also easy to carry around. It weighs only 3.8 pounds, and is 1.3 inches thick when closed. Despite its thin frame, the machine is quite sturdy, refusing to flex.

The keyboard has full-size chiclet style keys for ease of typing, and the touchpad is well-placed and easy to use. Some users might not like the button placement on the lower edge of the machine, but the buttons are easy enough to reach.

The unit features a 1.3 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which provides adequate power but promotes longer battery life. 4 GB of RAM is included, but can be expanded to 8 GB if necessary. Hard drive capacity is 320 GB.

Sony claims a battery life of up to 8 hours, but real-world tests have shown battery times closer to 6 1/5 hours. This is still better than many competing models in its class, but if battery life is the most important factor, buyers might want to consider other models. There is also a larger capacity battery available that the company claims will last for up to 12 hours, but it costs a premium over the standard laptop price.

For buyers who want a sleek and sturdy 13 inch laptop that is highly portable and still powerful, the Sony VAIO Y Series is an excellent choice. Its low price and impressive specs make it a standout in the category of ULV laptops.

The S series currently includes the S10-3 and S10-3t models. The S10-3 is more of a traditional netbook model with a 10.1 inch screen. It is an ultra-compact design that is extremely portable. The S10-3t takes the slim netbook design and adds a rotating multi-touch screen that also makes it an excellent tablet device. Rotating and flattening the screen makes a true tablet, similar to the iPad and other models, without sacrificing the keyboard and touchpad interface.

Many tablet devices are criticized for having a difficult interface. Since many of the devices use a version of Windows 7, which was not designed for touch screens, it can sometimes be difficult to navigate around with fingers. Lenovo aims to correct this problem by adding some interface tweaks of their own on top of the Windows software. This provides users with an easier way to login, navigate, and interact with fewer of the problems that plague other tablets.

Both models are powered by an Intel Atom N450 processor, which provides solid performance without sacrificing too much battery life. In fact, the S10-3 can provide up to 7 hours of battery life, while the S10-3t is capable of up to 10 hours of battery life with its larger battery.

Buyers who are looking for a powerful and portable netbook or a cross between a netbook and a tablet will find a lot to like in the Lenovo Ideapad S series. Affordable prices, great battery life, and solid features make both models an excellent value and a great alternative to other tablets on the market.

One of the main selling points of the Vaio series has always been sleek design, with models that incorporate modern-looking black and silver cases that are similar to the eye-catching designs of Apple. With the EB series, Sony decided to break from the norm a bit by giving buyers a choice of eight colors, some of them quite bold, including pink, blue, and green. While this might have limited appeal for some buyers, rest assured that black, white, silver and brown are still available for those with more conservative tastes.

The specs are everything one would expect from a power Vaio model. The units are powered by Intel Core i3 and i5 processors with support for up to 8 GB of RAM. The 15.5 inch display has a sharp resolution of 1366×768, and is powered by either Intel integrated graphics or an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 graphics processor, available as an upgrade option. Hard drive options are available in sizes up to 500 GB, and the usual extras are included such as 802.11n wireless and wired ethernet support. An optional Blu-Ray reader drive is available for those who wish to utilize the new format in their laptop.

Battery life is around 3.5 hours with typical usage, though it will also depend on which optional features are included. The systems come with Windows 7, with a choice of either Home Premium or Professional. Both are 64-bit versions.

Though the price of Viao models is sometimes criticized, the extra features and great design always shows through, making them a good value for users who appreciate these aspects. The EB series is a solid entry into the Vaio family, offering more customization and personalization but not sacrificing all the things the make the Vaio series great.

The Dell XPS 17 is the 17 inch model in the XPS lineup. Unlike the 14 and 15 inch models, it provides a much larger screen at a resolution of 1600×900. The extra size of this model also allowed Dell to include a full-size keyboard and a number pad, which is not included in the other two models. This could be good news for those who do a lot of work with numbers and spreadsheets, as the majority of laptops on the market do not include a dedicated number pad.

Buyers have a choice of four different i5 or i7 processors from Intel, which provide great performance even in the base configuration. Buyers also have a choice of Windows 7 64-bit operating systems: Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate. RAM configurations go from 4 GB to 16 GB.

The XPS 17 is built for multimedia and gaming as well. In addition to the high-definition screen, it includes built-in JBL speakers with Waves MaxxAudio 3 technology for better sound even from small speakers. The built-in webcam can stream video at 720p resolutions for clearer video chats. Skype software is even included right out of the box. The includes of NVIDIA’s 3DTV Play technology allows the laptop to send 3D content directly to a 3D TV as well, even opening up possibilities for 3D gaming.

For such an affordable price, the Dell XPS 17 sports an impressive array of high-end features, complimented by an eye-catching design. Those who want more performance and a larger screen than budget models will be impressed with the XPS 17.

The ICONIA opens and closes like a traditional laptop, but instead of a keyboard and trackpad, the lower half of the device is a touch-screen interface as is the upper screen. The lower screen can then be used for a variety of tasks, such as an on-screen keyboard, a jog-wheel type interface, or even as a second display screen when browsing the web or performing other tasks.

The interface is designed to respond to touch for its different modes. For example, put both hands down on the lower screen as you would on a keyboard and the onscreen keyboard automatically pops up. Put five fingers down on the interface and the jog-wheel pops up onscreen, allowing you to choose from many program options and other features. Inside the device is an Intel Core i5 processor with 4 GB of RAM and a 750 GB hard drive. The unit includes a customized version of Windows 7 Home Premium.

The ICONIA seems like a great solution for buyers who want the great interface of a touch screen, but like the traditional keyboard and trackpad interface. One of the limiting factors might be the use of the Windows 7 operating system, which has been an issue with previous tablet devices, as it was not designed specifically for a touch screen interface, as with Apple’s iOS.

Acer offers a very unique concept with the ICONIA. Time will tell if its innovative design catches on with consumers in the future.