The first thing you'll realize about the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 is how different it is from the conventional ThinkPad line. Its closest cousin is the ThinkPad X300 - but it doesn't look anything like it aesthetically.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 looks more like a red purse decorated with a pattern that looks something like Asian art. The machine also comes in black if you prefer that look.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 laptop
 

Packed with an Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 processor, as well as 2GB of RAM and a 120 GB hard disk, this laptop certainly packs a punch in a small, lightweight unit.

The design of the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 is something like that of the Apple MacBook Air. The U110 can fit in a manila envelope. The dimensions are even thinner than that of the MacBook Air (at 7.7 x 10.8 x 0.8 inches).
 

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 sports a fresh, modern design

The downside is the smaller screen which measures 11 inches compared to the 13.3 inch display on the MacBook Air. The color reproduction is very crisp and sharp - you'll have no complaints with the 1366 x 768 image resolution or clarity.

The widescreen also comes with gloss - very common amongst consumer laptops these days. This makes the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 have a snazzy feel.

The keyboard on the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 is close to full-size (it's a 97 percent keyboard). It is very comfortable to type on and has very little space between the keys. One thing you'll like about the keyboard is the glossy coating around all of the IdeaPad's keys. This elevates the machine into a class of its own, compared to the X300, which has a matte look to its keys.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 comes with glossy keys

Oh, what about ports and connections? Compared to the MacBook Air, the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 has tons of stuff. We're talking about 3 USB ports, a FireWire port, an ExpressCard 34 slot, VGA-out, Ethernet and a 6-in-1 card reader. That's a lot of features fitted into a very small, compact package.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 comes with two batteries - an 18-Wh, four cell model and a 57-Wh, seven cell model. The 18-Wh model will keep the weight at a travel-friendly 2.4 pounds (making the IdeaPad as light as the ASUS EeePC 4G or the Toshiba Portege R500). The 57-Wh unit makes the weight come up to 3 pounds - same as the MacBook Air and ThinkPad X300.

Battery life on the 18-Wh batteryis only about 1 hour 35 minutes - simply not enough for decent computing. You'll get better mileage with the 57-Wh battery, which lasts for about 4 hours 25 minutes.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 is not without shortcomings. The first and most obvious one is its price - it could be a little cheaper. Of course, you get lots of accessories you don't normally find on an ultraportable. The other problem is the low battery life on the 18-Wh battery, plus a slightly sluggish 120GB rotating at 4,200 rpm.