Laptop Thoughts: Engadget Reviews the Lenovo IdeaPad U260

"It's obvious by now that we've got a real crush on the U260's bronzish, mocha exterior (it comes in an orange hue as well), and a glance at a few of the pictures in the gallery above makes it very easy to see why. It isn't as minimalistic as some others out there -- say Google's Cr-48 --but the soft-to-the-touch magnesium-aluminum alloy that envelops the system like a book cover gives the entire system a very clean and simplified look. Believe us, it's more than a welcome change from the glossy lids and rounded edges that we've gotten used to on the ThinkPad Edge family."

My interest was piqued when I saw this product teased a few months ago, but after reading this Engadget review, I'm quite disappointed. Lenovo, why on earth would you release a laptop that only has a 20 watt hour, four cell battery? People buying thin and light laptops value mobility and portability; those two traits mean that excellent battery life is a must. The thinner and lighter Macbook Air 13, in comparison, manages to pack in a 50 watt hour battery - which translates to at least two hours more battery life. Sure, the Macbook Air has a slower CPU, but having a strong CPU doesn't matter much in the end if there isn't some decent endurance to match.