HP's 13-inch Ultrabook: The HP Folio - First Look Discussion

[J.R. Nelson]

HP doesn't get irony. Palm once created the Foleo, a proto-netbook, to pair with your PalmOS-powered smartphone. It got panned so hard it was never released. HP bought and killed Palm, and is now releasing the HP Folio, a 13-inch ultrabook. Can the Folio succeed where the Foleo didn't?

Read the full content of this Article: HP's 13-inch Ultrabook: The HP Folio - First Look

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[Charles P. Jefferies]

Nice write-up, JR.

Interesting naming on HP's part, certainly ... "Folio" vs. "Foleo". Pronounced the same ... lol.

At any rate I haven't seen an Ultrabook get it 100% right yet. This one is heavy by comparison, and that's an understatement ... HP is taking a chance there. Otherwise I look forward to seeing this product in person.

#1 thing Ultrabook makers haven't gotten right yet - the keyboard.

[PinoyBoy]

I had a great time reading the article. Being an HP fanboy (even though I dislike them), I was hoping they would have the "perfect" ultrabook. I really like the design; the weight and thickness looks perfect to me.

I was hoping for atleast 3 usb ports, fingerprint reader, and higher resolution screen.

[MGS2392]

HP needs to release one of these in a 11.6" version. Then I'll have the perfect companion to my 8730w monster.

The thing I never liked about the original MBA (and most UltraBooks) was that it was 13". You can make a laptop as thin as you want, but if it still has a big foot print, it's not going to fit where you want it to. Not that I'm saying that 13" is a big foot print, but if you kept the thinness, and stepped the size down, you'd have much better portability.

That, and I don't like the buttonless touchpad. It aggravates me how much these are proliferating, and how terrible most of them actually are.

[Jerry Jackson]

Originally Posted by MGS2392

HP needs to release one of these in a 11.6" version.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks this.

Intel convinced PC manufacturers to start this "Ultrabook" category based on the 13-inch MacBook Air but most of the manufacturers have forgotten the appeal of the 11.6-inch MacBook Air.

ASUS has the Zenbook UX21, but that's about it.

I love the 11.6-inch MacBook Air but I have ZERO interest in the 13-inch model. As much as I like several of the new Ultrabooks, they're all a bit too big for what I personally consider "ultraportable."

If I want a large laptop PC it's going to have more ports and better specs than any 13-inch Ultrabook.

[IKAS V]

All these Ultrabooks really don't distinguish themselves from one or the other.
We need a performance Ultrabook with a discrete GPU.

[luigimario01]

dont you think the m11x would be the closest you could get to a gaming ultra portable. It has discrete graphics and an 11.6 inch screen.

[Mitlov]

The shockingly-low $899 price tag makes me nervous about build quality and corner-cutting. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are. But I like the features list and love the look.

Originally Posted by IKAS V

All these Ultrabooks really don't distinguish themselves from one or the other.
We need a performance Ultrabook with a discrete GPU.

There's not a 2/3" thick machine with a dedicated GPU at [i]any[i] price (not counting the Vaio Z2 since the GPU isn't inside the machine). I think there's a reason for that. You can't fit a cooling system appropriate for a dedicated GPU inside something two-thirds of an inch thick.

[Thierry19]

Originally Posted by IKAS V

All these Ultrabooks really don't distinguish themselves from one or the other.
We need a performance Ultrabook with a discrete GPU.

Originally Posted by Mitlov

There's not a 2/3" thick machine with a dedicated GPU at [i]any[i] price (not counting the Vaio Z2 since the GPU isn't inside the machine). I think there's a reason for that. You can't fit a cooling system appropriate for a dedicated GPU inside something two-thirds of an inch thick.

Indeed, a discrete GPU on a laptop that thin is mission impossible.

Originally Posted by Charles P. Jefferies

#1 thing Ultrabook makers haven't gotten right yet - the keyboard.

Then please give us a HD+ display, 1366*768 is not ok.

[Mitlov]

Originally Posted by Thierry19

Then please give us a HD+ display, 1366*768 is not ok.

I think it's just fine on a 13" screen...it's not like you're going to be doing two pages side-by-side on a screen that small anyway. If you don't think it's adequate, you can get a Macbook Air 13 (1440x900) or an Asus Zenbook (1600x900).