Toshiba Satellite E205-S1980 Review

The good: Updated version of the Satellite E205 includes Nvidia Optimus graphics; WiMax-ready; slim design; Intel Wireless Display.

The bad: Weak speakers; poor battery life; expensive compared with similar offerings.

The bottom line: Toshiba's holiday update of one of our favorite laptops, the Satellite E205, adds graphics and WiMax, but its higher price and lack of other new features prevent it from being a standout at the end of 2010.

Apple MacBook Air Fall 2010 Review

The good: Amazingly slim design; great keyboard/trackpad combo; new iLife '11 software included; decent graphics performance; 16:9 display.

The bad: Pricey for an 11-inch laptop with an older processor; lacks backlit keyboard and SD card slot.

The bottom line: Apple makes the MacBook Air both smaller and less expensive, creating an excellent ultraportable, but leaving out a few features along the way.

Acer Aspire TimelineX AS1830T-68U118 Review

The good: Excellent specs for its size; good battery life; compact, lightweight.

The bad: No dedicated graphics; plastic body looks and feels cheap; keyboard and touch pad are substandard.

The bottom line: Acer's high-end and extremely portable 11.6-inch TimelineX 1830T-68U118 offers a great combination of processor power and features that match what you'd find on a full-size laptop.

Asus U35JC-A1 Review

The good: Great size, thin chassis, fast performance; Nvidia Optimus graphics; good battery life.

The bad: Lacks an optical drive; graphics performance is OK but not great; poor viewing angles.

The bottom line: The Asus U35Jc-A1 is a thin, but solid, 13-inch laptop with no processor compromises and Nvidia Optimus graphics, covering all the basics--except an optical drive.

Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d Review

The good: Includes 3D hardware; powerful CPU/GPU combo; excellent keyboard and touch pad.

The bad: Polarized eyeglass 3D system isn't very impressive.

The bottom line: One of only a handful of 3D laptops, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y560d skips active shutter glasses for an inferior technology, but keeps the A-list price.

News : New HP chief sees software as 'the glue'

HP's new chief, Léo Apotheker.

Who exactly is Léo Apotheker?
For many American investors and analysts, the new president and CEO of Hewlett-Packard is a relative unknown. HP held a conference call this morning to formally introduce its new chief executive and take questions about what many are calling a curious choice.

The call was brief and didn't get into many specifics other than that software will play a much larger role in HP's future.
"For me the decision to accept [the position] was an easy one. I don't think there's another company in tech that can match HP's opportunity in the marketplace," Apotheker said in his opening remarks. "I have a great appreciation for this company's technology and its people."

Asus UL80JT Review

The good: Nvidia Optimus switchable graphics; slim design.

The bad: Weak battery life; low-voltage Core i3 processor is slower than other Core i3 laptops; too much keyboard flex.

The bottom line: A thin design and Nvidia Optimus automatic-switching graphics make the Asus UL80JT-A1 an initially appealing laptop, but looks can be misleading: the underwhelming CPU and battery life are both serious negatives.