http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9963909-1.html
une 10, 2008 1:00 AM PDT
HP/Voodoo takes on MacBook with 13-inch Envy laptop
Posted by <http://crave.cnet.com/8300-1_105-1.html?authorId=145>Dan Ackerman
[]
The Voodoo Envy 133
(Credit: HP/Voodoo)
We've previously taken notice of Voodoo founder (and current chief
technology officer of HP's Global Gaming Business) Rahul Sood's
playful birthday video, where he
<http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9957363-1.html>cut a cake with a
MacBook Air and said, "Well, I wouldn't be needing this notebook for
long anyways." Now we know exactly what he was talking about, with
the new announcement of the Voodoo Envy 133.
We actually got to take a peek at one of these in person a few weeks
ago, and we were impressed with the slim, attractive design. At
around 3.4 pounds, it falls somewhere between the traditional
<http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/apple-macbook-black-core/4505-3121_7-32737068.html>MacBook
and the lighter
<http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/apple-macbook-air-80gb/4505-3121_7-32818756.html>MacBook
Air (it's nearly as thin, at 0.7 inch)--it might be best compared
with
<http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/lenovo-thinkpad-x300/4505-3121_7-32864938.html>Lenovo's
13-inch X300.
[]
Voodoo is not into soft, rounded corners.
(Credit: HP/Voodoo)
One particularly smart innovation we hope other laptop makers will
adopt is what the company calls "Voodoo Aura PowerConnect." That
simply means the Ethernet jack is located on the power brick, so you
don't have to fit the jack into the system itself. Plus, the power
brick will act as a point-to-point Wi-Fi connection, so you can
unplug and move around without being tethered to your Ethernet cable
in those rare situations where you have wired Internet access, but no
Wi-Fi router (which actually happened to us in a hotel recently).
There's also an Instant-On menu that gives you access to a Web
browser and even Skype, without booting into Windows.
Unlike the Air, the system has HDMI and multiple USB ports, but it
does have a few Mac-like touchpad gesture controls (such as pinching
to zoom in on photos). We saw it in white, but the Envy 133 will be
available in a variety of colors and custom graphic finishes.
The Envy 133 will start at $2,099, and be available "starting this
summer," according to HP. Other highlights include:
* Starts at 3.4 pounds, 0.70 inch thin, 9.04 inches deep, and
12.65 inches wide.
* A carbon fibre casing with custom microweave design. The
13.3-inch backlit LED screen is covered with a durable fused composite glass.
* Voodoo IOS - gives road warriors instant access to Skype and an
Internet browser.
* Voodoo Aura PowerConnect - users can plug an Ethernet cable
into the jack located on the power brick. A point-to-point Wi-Fi
connection is automatically established, between the RJ45 and the notebook.
* Multiple gesture touchpad - features scroll and pinch options.
* Standard integrated Webcam
* Wireless connectivity - includes integrated wireless 802.11
ABGN + Bluetooth.
* Ports - headphone/microphone, HDMI, USB 2.0 (1x) and a shared
e-SATA/USB (1x).
* Backlit keyboard
* Proximity sensor - This system recognizes when fingers are on
the keyboard and turns off the touchpad to avoid any accidental
movement of the cursor.
* LED display - 13.3-inch LED WXGA (1,280x800) screen covered in
high-quality fused composite glass that runs from edge to edge.
* Ambient sensors - adjusts the display brightness according to
its surrounding environment.
peter
"Why do we fall down, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up
again." Dr. Thomas Wayne
