Is there a future for netbooks in the era of the VGP-BPL14B tablet? Computer terminology is constantly changing, but as I sift these particular tea leaves, it looks to me as if the netbook will soon be replaced by what is being called the "ultrabook."

Intel is behind the designation, which refers to a new category of laptop that, like the MacBook Air, will come with ultrathin and lightweight frames. The ultrabook, like the Air itself, will use an Intel chip and may include a touch screen. And unlike netbooks, VGP-BPS18 ultrabooks should come in a full range of screen sizes up to 17 inches.

Intel asserted at the recent Computex trade show in Taiwan that the new category, which will be built around "system on a chip" technology to be introduced this year, will acquire up to 40 percent VGP-BPL18 market share by 2012.

As I read this, the chipmaker aims to stave off further tablet incursions and secure the future of the more conventional notebook computer by making it so thin, light and responsive (including up to 10 hours of laptop battery life) that many of the advantages of keyboard-less tablets will seem less significant. To do this, it will have to prove ultrabooks can be brought to market at prices well under $1,000, making PCs in the fashion of the Air much more affordable.

The inVERT is the most universal out of the box because it has an AC power outlet to go with its one USB port. As an inverter, it runs at a constant 100 watts, but it can crank out 120W at its peak. Like the other two units here, it also has surge and temperature protection, so you don’t get any nasty Hp Compaq Business Notebook 6830s battery surprises while driving.

The problem with bringing a laptop’s original charger is the weight and bulk they tend to bring with them. The cable is long enough, and the thick brick transformers can be annoying, too. Throw in a smartphone and a tablet, and things get crowded around that charger.

The one amp USB port is standard, like the others, and charging mobile devices through it is easy enough. One advantage of having the AC outlet is that you can use a VGP-BPS7 tablet’s original charger, which works perfectly here.

The mCube Mini can almost win on its own merits simply by how small the unit is. Its smaller footprint makes it really easy to store in the VGP-BPL7 car, if you only plan to use it on long drives. Road warriors who travel a lot for work will appreciate the ability to use this on a plane and then apply it just as easily in a rental car.

Innergie’s adapter proved capable and dependable, so performance is consistently stable. The extra USB port comes in handy for charging mobile devices, and you can use it to charge a tablet, but a laptop usually hogs the hstnn-lb72 power flow when plugged in.

Like Kensington’s adapter, Innergie’s won’t work with Macs because Apple hasn’t licensed out its proprietary MagSafe connector. But at half the size and weight, with the same PC tips and at about half the 485041-001 price of Kensington’s unit, this is a good buy.

It takes the very latest high-end parts and stuffs them into a slightly customized version of a Clevo 17-inch laptop chassis (Clevo is a Taiwanese manufacturer that makes generic hstnn-db42 laptops other computer companies tweak and rebrand as their own).

What you end up with is a powerful system, hand-assembled and tested, but without the inventive proprietary industrial designs companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Dell can bring to their own gaming systems.

The real advantage Origin brings is its ability to offer not only overclocked CPUs (not something you'd typically find in a 446506-001 laptop, but not unheard of), but also overclocked GPUs.