The scoop: IdeaPad U110, from Lenovo, starts at $1,799.

What it is: One of the latest ultra-portable notebooks from Lenovo, the IdeaPad aims to be more stylish and lightweight than your typical corporate notebook. Features include an Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 processor (1.6 GHz), an 11.1-inch display with an integrated Webcam, 2GB of memory, a 120GB hard drive and built-in 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi. All of this in a very light and compact 2.4-pound package.

Why it's cool: In addition to its stylish design (I really like the aluminum-alloy top cover that includes an etched surface), the U110 includes Lenovo's new VeriFace facial recognition software. Utilizing the built-in Webcam, the software scans the face of registered users in order to allow access to Windows. In addition, the software records the faces of others who are trying to access your system, so if you have snooping co-workers, you can get some evidence of this. I would love to see this software in more Lenovo notebooks, especially its corporate line (ThinkPads). Like some other Lenovo notebooks, the U110 includes its Active Protection system, which monitors movement on the notebook and can stop the hard drive against damage if the notebook is dropped. For entertainment purposes (What? People use notebooks to entertain themselves? Shocker!), the addition of Dolby Home Theater audio and a sleek multimedia "control center" (touch-style buttons added to the base of the IdeaPad) add to the notebook's nice features.

Click to see: Lenovo U110

Some caveats: Because it's an ultraportable, you don't get an optical drive unless you buy an extra one and attach it via USB. Also, while the sleek keyboard is nice to look at, the flush nature (the keyboards aren't raised from the base like other notebooks) makes it a bit harder to type on than normal notebooks. In addition, the black finish on the keys and other parts of the notebook are very susceptible to fingerprints, and tend to "un-sleek" the notebook. But that's just a minor complaint.

Grade: 4 stars (out of five)