Hands on: HP Compaq 2710p tablet

I've got to admit, I wasn't expecting to like the HP Compaq 2710p as much as I did but seeing really is believing with this one. This machine has some serious style--and a serious case of Apple envy, as you can tell--but that's quite alright by me. In addition to the brushed-metal look and built-in Sprint EV-DO, this thing is small, light and feels very solid. HP has seen fit to completely dispense with the touchpad here in favor of a Thinkpad-style pointer device in the keyboard, so stay away if you're a touchpad freak. Otherwise, you're sure to love this machine's swiveling screen, which lets you transform it into a tablet in a snap. Writing directly on the tablet's surface with the stylus is a lot of fun and you can use gestures to quickly perform commands (for example, crossing something out deletes it). Overall, this thing seems to be a solid choice for tablet fans, however few though they may be.

For more on the HP Compaq 2710p:
- see our photo slideshow
- and this article