If you have laptop needs but only a netbook-sized cavity in your carry-on, you need one of the growing number of notebooks that slot in between the eee-clones and pricey ultraportables. Lenovos IdeaPad U350 is the latest, a svelte, 13.3-inch machine with a funky rubberized back and sophisticated design. Its been hitting test benches at various places and is getting good but not quite great reviews. Laptop Magazine loved the design and the $679 starting price, but found battery life (3.5 hours) to be disappointing. Computer Shopper was a bit more positive, knocking its performance but calling the system "feather-light" and its 1,366 x 768 screen "gorgeous." Finally, StarkSilverCreeks review is the least flattering, including concerns about excessive heat and a system fan that hardly ever turned off. Overall it seems like a decent choice if you dont mind a warm lap and cant quite swing a T400s, but if youre looking for alternatives perhaps youd be interested in a Timeline 8000 or the like.Laptop MagazineComputer ShopperStarkSilverCreek
