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: springy for my liking. The round touch pad is good and responsive, but a bit grainy.

An RJ-45 ethernet LAN socket, a USB 2 socket, an external microphone-IN jack port and an audio-OUT jack port are placed on the left side of the base panel. The DC-in for charging battery and another USB 2 socket are on the right side. The two vents for the cooling fan are very thoughtfully placed on either side of the base panel for unhindered outflow of hot air. Three tiny holes on the front of the base panel facing the user are the opening for the inbuilt mono microphone.

The MiLeap-S has an Intel Celeron M processor running at 900 MHz for a power plant. A 30GB of hard disk for storing data and 512 MB of DDR-2 RAM gives Mileap a sense of respectability for a laptop in this price range. But I soon realised while reviewing it that to run (even) the striped-down Microsoft Windows XP-starter edition, one needs a little faster processor (with more of L2cache), specially now when everybody is into multi-tasking. But on a Linux OS (operating system) this processor is a 'Ferrari'. HCL has dispensed with the DVD/CD drive, probably to cut down the weight and the cost, so every time you need to install an application or read a DVD/CD, you'll have to run for an external drive.

It was a test in patience and all my Sherlock Holmes skills to detect where the SD card slot was. It’s hidden under the top cover, all the way on the rear of the laptop and you have to peal the top cover to access it (bad planning).

MiLeap is not only targetted at price-conscious users, but is an upgrade from the PDA or smartphones for those workaholics who desire to stay connected, hooked and be productive all the time.

The bundled Kaspersky Antivirus 6.0 and Microsoft Works 8.5 Office suite are welcome freebies, particularly in this low-priced device. The claimed battery life of four hours in idle conditions is a bit debatable, but then so are ‘idle conditions’.