Flybook VM

There was a time when gadget lovers could only dream about owning the latest devices in the Japanese market, but all that has changed thanks to Dynamism. Its latest notebook import, the Flybook VM, looks like any other ultraportable at first glance, but its height-adjustable display sets it apart from other travel-friendly laptops. So does its $3,199 price tag.
 
Clad in a black casing with a silver keyboard bezel, the Flybook VM weighs in at 3.6 pounds and is just one-inch thick. If the ubiquitous black-and-silver look just doesn't do it for you, you can order the system with a silver, yellow, or red finish.
 
A T-shaped hump in the lid's exterior houses a telescopic mounting arm that lets you raise the 12.1-inch, 1280 x 768-pixel resolution widescreen display up an additional 2.3 inches. Two hinges, one at the base and one at the top of the mounting arm, provide the flexibility to tilt the panel upward while pulling it forward toward the front of the keyboard. If you're a frequent coach-class flyer or a railroad commuter, you'll love this notebook's design, which lets you view the screen without hunching over or straining your neck, even when you're crammed into a tight space.
 
The touchpad controller is responsive, but the left mouse button was erratic; at times it required several extra clicks to open or close a program. The keyboard is roomy enough for error-free typing, but the smallish right Shift key may be a problem for some users. Nestled between the two mouse buttons is a fingerprint reader, and a VGA webcam and two microphones are embedded in the upper display bezel for video calls.
 
Despite its relatively small footprint, the Flybook delivers a decent feature set, including two USB ports, a VGA output, and an ExpressCard slot. A dual-layer/multiformat DVD burner is a bonus. The power switch, a Wi-Fi switch, and colorful LED indicators are positioned above the keyboard and between two small-and underpowered-built-in speakers.
 
The Flybook features an Intel Core Duo L2400 processor running at 1.66 GHz, complemented by 2GB of DDR2 memory. The result was a good MobileMark 2005 score of 193-about 15 points higher than average for an ultraportable. The 30GB hard drive runs at 4,200 rpm; that's not a blazing speed, but it's enough to handle general productivity tasks with ease. Unfortunately, battery life clocked in at a dismal two hours and three minutes, well below the nearly five hours we've come to expect from ultraportables. Dynamism informed us that the Flybook VM was working on an extended battery for this system, but the online retailer couldn't give us a rated battery life.
 
The system's integrated Intel 945GM graphics solution with 128MB of shared video memory couldn't complete our 3DMark03 benchmark tests, so don't expect this system to run 3D games smoothly, if at all. Dynamism assures us, however, that this system will be able to run Vista and its Aero interface.
 
Dynamism covers the Flybook VM with a one-year warranty, which includes Worldwide FedEx Rescue Service. If for some reason the system cannot be serviced in the U.S., Dynamism will cover the round-trip costs of shipping it back to Japan for servicing. Dynamism will even e-mail you a completed shipping label; all you have to do is slap it on the box and call Federal Express for pickup. You also get unlimited toll-free telephone support.
 
The Flybook VM's battery life is woefully short for an ultraportable, but if a high coolness factor and great ergonomics are high on your priority list, this machine is worth checking out.