by From top: Doug Rosa; Davies + Starr
Part I: A laptop that acts like a PDA.
Desktop, laptop, PDA — which one has your most up-to-date files? Simplifying things is the new Sharp Actius PC-MM10, a laptop that, at 10.1 by 8.3 by 0.79 inches and 2.1 pounds, is as thin and light as any. It’s also ready to go when you are, because it automatically (and continually) syncs files with your desktop via a PDA-esque docking station. It’s powered by a 1GHz Transmeta Crusoe processor and packs in a 15GB hard drive, support for 802.11b and a 3-hour
battery. Price: approximately $1,500. www.sharp-usa.com
Part II: Intel gets slim, fast.
Blurring the distinction between full-function laptops and ones you’d actually carry is Intel’s new Centrino platform. Slimmer and more power-frugal, it doesn’t sacrifice speed or components like a DVD/CD-RW drive. Centrino
runs slower than a Pentium 4M, but Intel claims it processes more data per cycle and operates more efficiently.
BEFORE (bottom left)
ThinkPad T30
Price: $2,174
Size: 12 x 9.8 x 1.4 in.
Weight: 5 pounds
Battery Life: 2.5 hours
Processor: Mobile Pentium 4M
Speed: 1.6 or 1.8GHz
AFTER (bottom right)
ThinkPad T40
Price: $2,549
Size: 12.2 x 10 x 1 in.
Weight: 4.5 pounds
Battery Life: 4 hours
Processor: Centrino
Speed: 1.3 to 1.6GHz