Product review – HP Mini-note 2133 ultra portable notebook

by Scott Carmichael on

My review for today is of the HP Mini-note 2133 “Netbook”. When I first got my hands on the Mini-note, I had pictured myself writing a review comparing it with the machine that started the whole Netbook “revolution”; the Asus Eee PC.

Most of these new mini notebooks (netbooks) are designed to be light, cute and very, very affordable. Light and affordable usually means lots of plastic, and cutting corners in the features department.

The HP mini-note is different in every possible way – it’s a normal notebook, just smaller. It even looks and feels like a normal notebook. It has a large screen, a normal size keyboard and a usable size track pad, but it still weighs under 2.7 pounds (a little over 1 kilogram). And, at just 10×6 inches, it’s the perfect size for throwing in your carry-on bag and taking it along on a trip.

The model I’m reviewing here is the “HP 2133 Mini-Note PC model FF0099AA“. It comes with Windows Vista Business, a 1.6GHz Via C7 CPU, an 8.9 inch (1280×800 pixels) display, 2Gb ram, 120Gb 7200RPM drive, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 6 cell Li-Ion battery. The list price is $829. Don’t let yourself get scared away by the price; this particular model of the Mini-note has every single optional extra added, from a 7200rpm drive to a larger battery. Lighter models of the machine start at just $499.

The outside

The outside of the machine instantly catches your attention. Forget cheap plastic – the HP is covered in sleek brushed aluminum on the top and bottom. This even extends around the battery.

The result is something that looks fantastic and is very durable (when talking to an HP product manager, I was told that they actually tried to scratch the thing with steel wool, but failed!).

On the outside you’ll find 2 USB ports (one with high power output, suitable for a portable optical drive), a VGA connector, audio out/in plugs, an Ethernet port, a Kensington lock port, an SD card reader and an Expresscard/54 slot.

With Expresscard, HP obviously understands that a lot of us currently travel with a wireless broadband modem, and that our modems are not always USB.

HP even put some thought into the power connector; it’s the same one used on all HP business class notebooks, which means you’ll be able to pick up tips for your universal power supply, or use an existing HP power brick you have lying around.

On the front of the machine is the power switch, a hard disk status light (with a special feature I’ll mention later) and a hardware wireless switch.

The inside

The inside is just as gorgeous as the outside. Once you open the 2133, you’ll find a (near) full size keyboard, a nice wide track pad and a spacious 8.9″ display with stereo speakers. Above the screen is a VGA webcam.

The keyboard is 92% full size, which means that the keys are spaced almost like on a desktop keyboard. There is a decent size space bar, 2 large shift keys and a row of function keys which also control things like volume, brightness, sleep mode and external display options.

The keys on the mini-note are treated with a special rub-resistant coating, which means you won’t end up with a “QRTY keyboard” after several years of use.
Protection

Once again it’s obvious that HP asked their business machines people to design the Mini-Note; they added several layers of protection in the design. Besides the already mentioned aluminum body, they also incorporated a magnesium frame which makes things strong and light. On the inside of the machine you’ll also find HP’s “advanced 3D DriveGuard protection system”.

HP has the following to say about their DriveGuard system: “A three-axis digital accelerometer senses sudden movement and instructs the system software to temporarily park the hard drive“.

3D DriveGuard isn’t just another buzzword; you can actually see it work. The front hard drive activity LED turns orange when the machine detects too much movement. An orange LED means the drive has parked itself while it waits for the Mini-Note to hit the ground, or for you to stop shaking it. DriveGuard only works on the Windows versions of the Mini-Note, so if you purchase the cheaper Linux version, you won’t benefit from it.

The display

Normally I stay away from number ratings, but if I had to rate the display on the Mini-Note, I’d have to give it a 6 out of 10. It’s clear, bright and very crisp, but it suffers from an extremely annoying glossy coating.

Any time light shines on the screen, it becomes nearly impossible to read, and you’ll find yourself fidgeting to turn it away from the light.

The resolution is a very acceptable 1280×800, which means you’ll be able to run any application you want without having to scroll around too much like on machines with a lower resolution screen. The brightness can be controlled though the power profile or by using the f3/f4 function buttons. If you suffer from poor eyesight, you might find the high resolution to be a little too much, especially on such a small screen.

Computer performance

Inside the model I’m reviewing is a VIA C7 processor. This 1.6GHz CPU is quite sufficient for most of the things you’ll do on the road. During my review, I installed all the applications I normally need;

  • Office 2007

  • Firefox

  • Skype

  • Magicjack

  • Trillian Astra (IM client)

  • Media Player Classic

  • iTunes

  • HAVA Player (for remote TV viewing).

All these applications ran fairly well, but I always had a little bit of a lag when switching between applications, or when trying to do some video playback on full screen. The 1.6GHz processor is the top of the line, cheaper versions are sold with a 1.2 or 1.0GHz chip, which in my opinion will probably be too slow for the applications I listed.

There is however one other issue I need to mention with the processor; heat. The exhaust on the side of the Mini-note blows the heat away from the processor and the motherboard. The air coming out the vent reaches almost 120F when the machine is running in full speed mode. You really need to be careful what you place around the vent, and will certainly have to be sure you don’t block it.

Battery life

As I mentioned earlier, the version I am testing is equipped with a 6 cell battery. The standard battery is a 3 cell version, so this larger version doubles the battery life. To get a fairly reliable battery test, I set Windows Vista to the “balanced” power saving mode and changed the setting to keep the display on. I then started playback of a video file (with repeat) off the hard drive. When I checked back after 2 hours, it was still running fine, and continued to do so until the 3 hour 22 minute mark, at which point, Vista turned the machine off. Three hours is not too bad for a machine like this, but it does involve a larger battery. If you purchase the smaller 3 cell battery, you’ll probably get around 2 hours which is also quite acceptable. Thankfully, many airlines are working on installing power ports for their seats.

Wireless performance

The Mini-Note is equipped with an 802.11 internal wireless card with support for A, B and G networks. While most home users won’t need the support for A, it is a fairly common system in corporate environments.

The model I’m testing also has Bluetooth, which in my opinion is a “must have” in any notebook nowadays. It enables the use of devices like a Bluetooth headset, mouse, or allows you to wirelessly connect with your mobile phone.

In my case, I’ve added my trusty MoGo mouse to the Mini-Note, and they really do feel like they are made for each other. The MoGo mouse stores neatly inside the Expresscard slot and charges when I’m not using it.

The Bluetooth adapter supports Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, which increases the range and data speeds. In real life this means you’ll be able to connect a Bluetooth headset and walk around your hotel room without your call crackling or dropping every 5 seconds.

The Wi-Fi adapter picked up plenty of access points and once connected I had a rock solid connection which never dropped, which about all you can ask of a Wi-Fi adapter.

The HP Mini-note for travelers

So, how well does the HP travel? Quite well thankfully! The machine is light enough to not bother you, and powerful enough to give you the feeling that you are carrying an full blown laptop.

The ability to use most existing HP chargers, as well as power tips on most universal power chargers means you shouldn’t run into any power issues. The webcam has a fairly low resolution, but is quite sufficient for a basic video call with your friends or family. And finally, the sturdy magnesium frame and DriveGuard protection feature mean you won’t end up with a dud if a clumsy TSA agent drops it.

Final thoughts…

This HP Mini-note is a beautiful machine. It has every feature you could possible need to do some work on the road. But all those features come at a price; $749 is almost twice as much as a low end Netbook like the Asus Eee 4G.

It’s a decision you’ll have to make based on your needs; if you need an Expresscard slot, Bluetooth and a high resolution display, then you will immediately end up in Mini-note land.

If you are just looking for something to do a little web browsing with, then a $349 Eee will probably suit you fine. That said; there are cheaper versions of the HP Mini-note. Their $499 version comes with a 1GHz C7 processor, 4GB of storage and 512MB of ram. In this model, you still get the Expresscard slot, but you lose Bluetooth. All in all, I found the HP Mini-Note 2133 to be close to perfect; the only 2 things that let me down were the slightly slow CPU and the glossy screen.

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Olympics: Spain and the height of cultural insensitivity

by Abha Malpani on

This is a full page advertisement that has been running here in Spain. It’s an advert for the courier company that has sponsored the Spanish Basketball Federation to the Olympics. The photo is the Spanish basketball team, in full Olympic kit, pulling their eyes back.

Of course it has created an uproar in the international media for being offensive to the Chinese. However, people involved in the making of the ad as well as the national team, don’t see what the fuss is about as it was done with good intention; ask any Spaniard how they feel about this and they will chuckle.

Having lived in Spain for over two years now, nor the advert nor the Spanish reaction to this is surprising to me. It is common in Spain to hear people call Africans and African/Americans “negros” (blacks); if you behave badly, you could be told that you are behaving like a “morro” (Moroccan). Although these comments are of racist origin, I have to say that I don’t find the country racist at all. In fact, I find Spain is most welcoming and accepting when it comes to people of different race and culture. Things like this are not taken seriously here but the Spanish don’t understand the consequences of such acts outside their own country.

All that said, I do think that this advert is unacceptable and embarrassing for Spain to project on an international scale. When the Spaniards say they didn’t mean to offend or that it was just an “affectionate wink”, as much as I truly believe them, it was a colossal mistake.

Official report encourages drunken British traveler stereotype

by Anna Brones on

While staying with a friend’s family in Barcelona last year I was shocked when they told me about the stereotypical British traveler often talked about in Spanish media.

“They [British travelers] come down on cheap flights and they don’t even make hotel reservations,” said my friend’s father.
“You mean they sleep on the street?”
“No, they just stay out drinking all night and once morning comes they just take a nap on a bench. No need to pay for a hotel I guess.”

He pointed out that obviously not every British traveler behaved in this manner, yet it was unfortunate, because it gave all of them — even those with hotel reservations — a bad name. But apparently he wasn’t all that wrong. According to the annual “British Behaviour Abroad” report by the Foreign Office, excessive drinking has led to the increase in arrests of Brits traveling abroad. In Spain for example, arrests have gone up by 32% to 2,032 in the period reported.

With a powerful British pound, drinking in other countries doesn’t make a huge impact on the average Brit’s wallet, so holidays can easily turn into drinking days. In response to the report, the British tabloid the Daily Mail pointed out that “drunken and loutish holidaymakers have sent Britain’s reputation abroad plunging to new depths.” Again, we should not stereotype — I have met many Brits while traveling that don’t behave in such a manner — but maybe it’s time to consider whether or not to down that last pint. You don’t want to get arrested…

The world’s best street food: sigh, where’s the Berlin döner?

by Jeffrey White on

This post is about two related things: A Web site’s list of the best street food in the world, and the site’s shameful, almost incomprehensible snubbing of the döner.

I’ll start with the döner, or kebab. Please bear with me.

I spend an unusually large amount of time thinking about döners – far more time than I actually spend eating them.

But that’s just a factor of health, really. Given my druthers, I’d eat a döner once a day, like that person you know who unabashedly says the same about McDonald’s, because the stuff tastes so good.

Döners taste even better, and given their reliance on a lot of salad and fresh ingredients, not to mention on thin slices of meat, one feels rather more healthy for having chosen a döner instead of something at a fast food joint.

That’s kidding myself, I know. No matter. The döner is the world’s best sandwich (sorry to those Philly cheese steak and North Carolina pulled-pork fans out there) and I think up at the top of anything you can buy from a so-called street vendor.

I’ve spent the last few years on a somewhat determined search for the best döner. I’ve eaten them in New York, in London, in the Balkans, just about anywhere I can. Sadly, though, I haven’t tried a döner in its homeland, Turkey – yet.

Döner kebabs are a Turkish mainstay of meat that is piled and cooked vertically on a spit. A real döner is made from lamb meat, but mutton and chicken are also common. After that, the basic ingredients are simple: tomatoes, onions, some shredded cabbage, maybe a cucumber – all topped off with a yogurt, hot or herb sauce.

Kebabs have a couple of close cousins: shawarma, common in the Middle East, and gyros, common in Greece and throughout the Mediterranean. But the meat is often a little different, and both do not make use of thick, toasted Turkish bread, which the best döners employ.

The best I’ve found, so far, are in Berlin. And the truly great döner stands – I’m thinking up a list for a future post – take the basic sandwich and raise it to different levels, sometimes throwing in fried vegetables, goat cheese, a little lemon. The döner is versatile. The döner is interpretive. The döner is love.

The döner is also ignored.

Concierge.com has thrown together an intriguing list of the best street food in the world and the city that serves it best.

The list (in no particularly order):

  1. Banh mi (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
  2. Tacos (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico)
  3. Tripe sandwiches (Florence, Italy)
  4. Green papaya salad (Bangkok, Thailand)
  5. Currywurst (Berlin, Germany)
  6. Any Asian food stand in Singapore
  7. Bhel puri (Mumbai, India)
  8. Frites (Brussels, Belgium)
  9. Arepas (Cartagena, Colombia)
  10. Jerk pork and chicken (Ocho Rios, Jamaica)
  11. Sheep’s head (Marrakesh, Morocco)

Tripe sandwiches? Sheep’s head? French fries? (O.K., the fries in Belgium are amazing, but…)

The döner is not the only street snack to get the shaft in the list. What about fish ‘n’ chips in Brighton? The galette in Paris? The lobster roll in any Route 1 clam shack? Burek anywhere in the Balkans?

Anyway, I’m confident had the Concierge editors expanded the list to 15, instead of the requisite odd number publications seem to think readers love, my beloved Berlin döner would have made the cut.

Currywurst isn’t bad. I just wouldn’t eat it when sober.

Photo of the Day (08.12.08)

by Grant Martin on

Istanbul’s Blue Mosque — one of my favorite places in the world in one of my favorite cities in the world. Walking into The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is one of those jaw dropping experiences that you remember for the rest of your life, its vaulted ceilings and Ottoman and Christian influences gently meeting far above the silent crowd. Today’s photo of the day comes from smallscreen, who does an excellent job capturing the detail of the central and satellite domes. A truly exceptional shot.

Have any cool photos you’d like to share with the world? Add them to the Gadling Pool on Flickr, and it might be chosen as our Photo of the Day.