What we got from Acer at CeBIT in Hannover two weeks ago? Here it is: The Aspire Timeline Ultra M3, a 15-inch ultrabook with an optical drive. First unveiled at CES in Vegas last January, the new Timeline Ultra familiy gets major upgrade just in 3 months. As the latest from the serries, the Ultra M3 is slimmer and lighter than its predecessors, and it boasts a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GT640M graphics.

Let’s take a closer look at the Aspire Timeline Ultra M3. Inside the slim design case, this ultrabook is powered by the latest Intel® Core™ processor and optionally offered with SSD-only configuration to deliver faster file access and to reduce battery consumption. Combined with the Acer Green Instant-On, the M3 is able to resume from sleep mode in just 1.5 seconds.
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With a series of social experiments, Intel tests regular people to see what they’re willing and able to do in order to win a new Ultrabook. The videos feature really funny and interesting reactions.
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At only 15 mm thin, the Acer Aspire S5 will take most of your attention. Born in Ultrabook category, the Aspire S5 is only a bit thicker than the 13″ Samsung S9 which is only 12.9 mm thin. This lightweight ultrabook is travel-friendly as it weighs less than 1.35 kg, and again the 13″ Samsung S9 is only 1.16 kg. What I love from this category is the fast booting and resume time. As mentioned by Acer, the Aspire S5 need only 1.5 seconds to resume, but Samsung S9 wakes-up in just 1.4-second (It will be difficult to see the different).

A unique feature of Acer Aspore S5 is the Acer Always Connect that enables users online faster and get instant update upon resuming, and also allows users to wake up the ultrabook from a smartphone. The Aspire S5 also comes with MagicFlip, a well-designed port panel, and a chiclet keyboard.
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Dell XPS 13 laptop was unveiled at CES in mid January 2012, and it’s already available for consumers as expected. I missed the announcement, but it’s not too late to buzz the excitement. The XPS 13 comes with 13.3-inch LED display but in similar size of an 11-inch laptop, thanks to the edge-to-edge design. My current laptop is Sony VAIO Z which also has 13.3-inch display, but if I can upgrade my laptop this time, I will choose the Dell XPS 13 which already wins my heart based on its design and powerhouse. Another gadget that wins my heart is the Canon 5D Mark III instead of Nikon D800 full frame camera, I hope I can have it this year or next year.

Offers at a starting price of $999, the XPS 13‘s basic configuration includes an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD hard drive and 4GB memory. Wow.. the basic configuration alone already beats my $2,000 VAIO Z when I bought three years ago. The higher spec options include: Intel Core i7 2637M processor and 256GB SSD drive. Another key selling point that you may love is the fast booting time, it needs only 13 seconds, thanks to the SSD and the Intel Rapid Start technology. Regarding battery life, this ultra thin laptop offers up to 8 hours and 35 minutes. If you work 9 to 9, it’s more than enough for your daily activities. It’s also good for traveling as it weighs at less than 1.4 kilograms.
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Displayed at a computer exhibition in Taiwan during Information Month, the MSI X370 Ultra Laptop is designed to satisfied consumers who want a thinner, lighter, and more stylish laptop. The X370 is less than 1-inch thin and weighs only 1.4kg. Regarding design and look, the laptop features the MSI’s etched checkerboard design, a shimmering color film print on its cover, and unique diamond-pattern surface finishing.

Inside the MSI X370 Ultra Laptop you can find the AMD’s new generation dual-core E-350 processor, an energy-saving processor that uses as low as 18-watts of electricity. The low energy consumption enables the battery life to last up to 10 hours after a full charge, that’s long enough to help you finish whatever works you have without the power cords.
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Netbook is a computer category that Apple doesn’t enter. Steve Job said that netbook is a piece of junk. But it doesn’t stop big players like MSI to continue upgrading their netbook line up. In early February 2012, MSI unveiled its all-new Wind U180 netbook featuring Intel Cedar Trail Atom processing platform, TDE overclocking technology, and DDR3 system memory support. Coming optional with Atom N2800 processor, the Wind U180 utilizes Intel NM10 high-speed chip set and the latest generation display graphics technology that enables users to enjoy high resolution 1080p movies on its 10.1″ LED backlit display.

Regarding design and look, the all-new MSI Wind U180 is less than 1-inch thin and weighs at only 1kg. Users with different style and mood, have a choice to pick their favorite colours including black, white or lavender. The netbook is also sheathed in IMR color film print to prevent scratches and smudges. A stylish Chiclet keyboard and swirl design touchpad are other unique features those users can expect.
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You want a notebook, you also want a tablet, but you don’t have the budget for both devices, only one device you can effort. A high-end tablet such iPad or Galaxy Tab could set you back around $500, a stylish and powerful ultrabook such as Samsung Series 5 would cost $900 at minimum. If you want all of them, you need to have $1,400. If you don’t have such amount of money, how to solve the problem? Lenovo has the answer: the $1200 IdeaPad YOGA. I know it’s not the right answer for everyone, but let’s see what it can do.

The IdeaPad YOGA is a multi-mode notebook with four different usage style: notebook, tablet, stand and tent. Measuring 16.9mm thin and weighing 1.47kg, the YOGA comes with a 360 degree dual-hinge flip design which make the four usage mode possible. For entertainemnt, users can flip the screen into stand or tent mode.
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Notebooks are made with portability in mind, the more portable they are, the more convenient to accompany us. Available in 13″ and 14″, the Series 5 ULTRA is powered by a 2nd generation Intel Core i5 processor and enhanced with a 16GB iSSD with ExpressCache™ system for fast booting time. It boots in just 20 seconds and wake up from sleep mode in just 2 seconds, I love it. Regarding storage, the Series 5 offers up to 1 TB that meets the need of digital media trend that produces larger and larger files.

Let’s compare the 13″ and 14″ models. The 13″ model is thinner, lighter, and has lower technical specifications. It’s configured with up to 500GB storage with an option to choose between 128GB SSD or 258GB SSD; 1x USB 3.0; and 2x USB 2.0 port. On the other side, the 14″ model comes with up to 1TB storage; an AMD Radeon™ HD7550M1GB graphics card; an integrated Optical Disc Drive; 2x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, and VGA port; Both models are configurable with up to 8GB system memory and features HDMI port, 4-in-1 multi SD card slot, Ethernet and webcam.
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