Today?s youth is one of the market?s most powerful consumer groups. Nowadays, young people look for convenience and portability along with high performance computing and entertainment capabilities when it comes to picking up a new computer.
Little wonder, the American computer maker Hewlett-Packard sees this as a huge opportunity for its portability business and is gleefully enticing the youth with its new ultrabook, HP Folio 13. Backed by powerful hardware, such instant-on, always-connected devices with eight-hour battery life could be the game changer for the Palo Alto, California-based tech company in the fast growing Indian PC market.
New to ultrabooks? Here?s a ready reckoner. A typical ultrabook has a powerful Intel processor with integrated graphics, fast data storage and access, long battery life and ultra-fast start-up times. And it?s less than an inch in thickness. Plain speak, an ultrabook is as powerful as a full sized laptop, at a fraction of the cost. And being lightweight and powerful, they are perfect for business as well as travelling, and for personal use.
Talking specifically about the HP Folio ultrabook, a test unit of which came to us for a product review, it is ultra-sleek, ultra-stylish and ultra-responsive. This R69,990-a-piece device is a unique new breed of Windows laptop. It is ideal for those who are always on the move, require a notebook battery to last throughout the day, need a solid state drive to safeguard sensitive data and want a professional but stylish looking notebook. I feel that the device is designed for mobile users looking for a stylish, practical alternative.
Look a little closer and you?ll find that the HP Folio is lightweight and thin. A rundown on standard specifications and features: Measuring less than 0.75-inch thin and utilising an ultra slim 13.3-inch diagonal high-definition (HD) BrightView display, the Folio13 weighs 1.50-kilos. The chassis is durable with a brushed aluminum finish inside and out in a stylish steel gray.
Good looks aren?t everything, however. Powered by the latest Intel Core processors, the HP Folio13 also includes Intel Rapid Start Technology, which provides ultra-low power consumption when not in use and a fast resume time when needed?saving time while extending battery life and stand-by time.
The HP Folio13 includes a backlit keyboard for mobile users who work in low-light conditions. A full array of ports, including RJ-45 and USB 3.0, allows users greater flexibility to connect to the information they need. The HP Folio13 also includes a solid state drive (SSD) with 128 GB of storage for fast response times and increased reliability.
Practical innovations done by HP researchers are embedded in the device too. There is HP CoolSense technology, which uses advanced hardware and intelligent software for a noticeably cooler notebook.
The notebook also includes an HP Imagepad for highly accurate advanced multitouch gesture support. Additional features include an HP TrueVision HD Webcam for brighter, cleaner high definition images and Dolby Advanced Audio.
The HP Folio13 also can be configured with a range of Microsoft Windows 7 operating systems, including Windows 7 Professional. Users who need a desktop-like environment or additional audio, video, network and USB connectivity can connect the HP Folio13 to the HP USB 2.0 dock.
Battery life of this new-age digital device is simply astounding. The HP Folio13 delivers up to 9.5 hours of battery life. This is probably one of the best among current ultrabooks on the market. With all day battery life, users will no longer be saddled with carrying power adapters to charge their notebook, while a wide array of ports eliminates the need to carry cumbersome dongles. Mobile professionals can now stay productive and get through their entire day?from home to business to home?with this machine.
Ultrabooks are the new, cool kids on the block and Intel is the main driving force behind the concept. HP, the world?s largest technology company, is renowned for creating new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. It makes quality products and its Folio 13 is beyond doubt a stylish and strong portable.
Specs
Dimensions: 31.8 x 22 x 1.8 cm (W x D x H)
Display & resolution: 13.3-inch diagonal HD BrightView LED-backlit, 1366 x 768
Processor: 2nd generation Intel Core i3-2367M and i5-2467M processor
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Basic/ Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)/ Windows 7 Professional (64-bit)
Memory: 1 SODIMM support (non-user accessible); DDR3 system memory?up to 4 GB
Internal storage: 128 GB solid state drive flash module
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Audio/Visual: Dolby Advanced Audio, HP TrueVision HD Webcam with integrated digital microphone
Wireless support: 802.11 b/g/n4 with Bluetooth
Estimated street price: R69,990
