Windows 7 was naturally the star of the show at Microsoft’s recent Windows 7 Launch Event in New York City. But also taking the stage was an assortment of new computers, many designed to take advantage of the new operating system.

While browsing through the aisles of machines on display, I found several that caught my eye, especially among the notebooks and netbooks. I discovered several portables that take advantage of Windows 7 multitouch, a few that convert into tablets, and others that can run for several hours on a single battery charge. But the big theme was thin and light. The newest in notebooks and netbooks are thinner and lighter than you might have thought possible, so they're great options for your users who are always on the go.

Some of the computers on display have been around for awhile and just received a Windows 7 refit, while others were brand new. Though several of the machines were designed more for the home market, I did uncover quite a few that would fit nicely in a business environment. If you’re looking for new notebooks or netbooks for your company, here are a few models you might want to consider.

 

Dell (News - Alert) Studio XPS 13

An affordable but strong laptop from Dell is the Studio XPS 13, weighing in at 4.85 pounds and sporting 13.3-inch screen. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo chip and filled with 4GB of RAM (News - Alert), the XPS 13 felt like a powerful machine. Helped by an Nvidia graphics card, the screen looked bright and crisp. The PC itself has a sleek, streamlined look to it but feels very solid. The rear of the laptop is covered with leather, presumably to protect it when it’s traveling around in your computer bag or backpack. The keyboard is well organized and comfortable. The keys did feel a bit flat to me—I tend to prefer keys that stick up higher as they let me type quicker. Otherwise, I liked the keyboard's backlit display that helps typing in low-light conditions. At a starting price of $1000, the XPS 13 might be a good choice for users who need a compact but capable machine. At 16-inch model is also available with the same base sticker price. 

HP Mini 110 by Studio Tord Boontje 

The HP Mini 110 netbook has been around for awhile as a Windows XP machine. This latest edition moves up to Windows 7 Starter Edition. Weighing just 2.5 pounds and displaying a 10-inch screen, it’s a good choice for users who need something small and light. I’m usually not fond of the keyboards on netbooks as they’re often cramped and uncomfortable to use for long periods of time. But the keys on the 110 are large and nicely spaced apart, so typing on this netbook was a welcome change of pace. The etched lid gives the 110 a unique imprinted design by using a process called HP Imprint 3D. It doesn’t add anything to the functionality of the machine, but it looks and feels pretty slick. The Mini 110 starts at a base price of $399, which includes 1GB of RAM and a 160GB SATA hard drive. The 3-cell battery provides about 3.5 hours of life. But for an extra $30 you can upgrade to a 6-cell battery to gain a couple more hours. I'm not fond of Windows 7 Starter Edition as it's a rather crippled version, so you'd probably want to upgrade to a better flavor of Windows 7.

Acer (News - Alert) Aspire 1420P

The Aspire 1420P was on display for only a very short time, so I didn't get much of a chance to play with it. But based on the demo and its specs, this could be a winner. This 11-inch notebook has a swivel top that converts it into a tablet PC. From what I could tell, it's thinner and lighter than some of the other notebook/tablet combo portables that I've seen. I'm not sure if Acer classifies this as a notebook or netbook (the lines have been getting very blurry). Either way, it's powered by an Intel (News - Alert) Celeron and can hold up to 8GB of RAM. The company claims it can run up to eight hours on a single battery charge, so this could a good choice for users who do a lot of traveling. Mix in a Wireless N adapter, Gigabit Ethernet, and Webcam and you've got a full-featured portable. At this point, no price or release date have been announced, but I think this is one to keep an eye on. It's definitely a machine I'll be checking out myself.

Lenovo (News - Alert) ThinkPad X200 Tablet with Multi Touch

Lenovo offers its own combo notebook/tablet PC, slightly larger than Acer's but also a bit thicker and heavier. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo, it's also likely to be speeder than Acer's Celeron driven-machine. Lenovo provides up to 4GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive or 128GB Solid State drive. The company claims a single battery charge can keep the PC running for around 9 or 10 hours. Add in a weight of around 3.5 pounds, and you've got another good choice for road warriors. The 12-inch screen can swivel to turn the ThinkPad into a full-fledged tablet PC. You can even order an Optional SuperBright Outdoor panel designed to eliminate glare and reflection when you take the PC outside. Lenovo's notebooks generally feel very solid and well built, and this one is no exception. The base price starts at around $1500.

I was impressed with several other machines at the Windows Event Launch, so these are just four that you might want to consider at your next PC refresh. And as workers require greater portability, thin and light notebooks and netbooks like these could find a healthy niche within your organization.