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GIZMO GALLERY

Laptops are getting savvy. Here's how

LG R200
The most striking feature of the new LG R200 notebook is the inclusion of a 2.5-inch auxiliary LCD display on the top cover.

This LCD display takes advantage of Vista's SideShow technology that allows access to files and Outlook information without having to boot into the operating system.

The touch-sensitive buttons, which are reminiscent of LG's Chocolate phone series, gel well with the notebook. Users can play music and view images on the secondary display without opening the cover or turning the notebook on.

LG R200 has this 'dual' function due to its external screen. It also sports a piano black exterior; but the notebook's surface is a magnet for fingerprints, so users who wouldn't like to see a 'dirty' notebook must bring the cleaning cloth that LG provides at all times.

This 12.1-inch notebook does not disappoint on connectivity options. There are three USB 2.0 ports, a 5-in-1 multimedia card reader, a PC Express Card slot, a Firewire port (IEEE 1394), an S-video and D-Sub output, a gigabit Ethernet and 56 kbps modem port, a Line-in, Mic-in, and S/PDIF jack, and a cable PR port.

The R200 also has an Intel 802.11a/b/g module and Bluetooth v2.0 that allow users to connect to the Internet wirelessly and transfer files from the computer to mobile phones, printers, or other Bluetooth-enabled devices.

It is equipped with an Intel Core2 Duo processor, 1 GB RAM, a 160GB hard disk drive and has the latest dedicated ATI Mobility Radeon HD2400 graphic chipset which is superior to any integrated GPU and more than sufficient for the casual gamer.

The R200 also includes some interesting software with associated keyboard hotkeys which allows for a couple of programmable shortcuts, change the wireless networking options and disable the keyboard or touchpad.

The software also allows to set the fan speed to normal, silent or cool modes. Quiet mode can be useful on a plane or in a shared environment late at night, while cool mode is particularly good when working with the computer on your lap for extended periods, or when using high performance applications.

The R200 is available in the market for consumers at a price tag of Rs 79,990 but that does not justify the average battery performance. The speakers aren't all that powerful, and the screen, which has a fairly poor viewing angle, is distracting when bright lights are on.

Lenovo Y410
On other hand, the Lenovo Y410 priced at Rs 58,990 (exclusive of taxes) and Lenovo Y510 notebook whose prices start at Rs 45,990 (taxes extra) seem to deliver more value for the money.

Billed as an entertainment model, the Y410 comes with the Shuttle Centre feature which is just another fancy interface to access your multimedia content. What really impressed us was its sound system.

Boasting a Dolby Home Theatre premium audio system, there is an integrated subwoofer which makes the Y410 one of the better-sounding laptops we have heard.

The downside, however, is that the Lenovo Y410 is no gaming machine and that the integrated Intel X3100 graphics card is just more than enough to handle most video needs.

An entertainment notebook should, at least, include a low-end discrete video chip for the occasional after-hour gaming session, something which the HP Pavilion dv2500 offers with its Nvidia GeForce 8400 M solution.

A 1.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, integrated Intel graphics, a 160GB 5400RPM SATA HDD, 2GB of PC2-5300 memory, and a dual layer optical drive makes Y410 a capable entertainment machine, that boasts of no frills and fancies.

With its built-in subwoofer and innovative face recognition software, the Lenovo Y410 certainly has much to offer to consumers looking for a portable entertainment system.