The comparison of laptop computers in the Aug. 13 Business section incorrectly said that none of the models included e-mail software capable of screening out spam automatically. None of the Windows machines had such a program, but the Apple MacBook did have one, Apple's Mail.
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The MacBook and the ThinkPad lived up to the high expectations raised by earlier models. The MacBook -- the thinnest laptop in this lineup -- is one clean machine, with all its expansion ports lined up on the left side, a slot-loading CD/DVD drive on the right and a screen that shuts without a latch and holds a built-in webcam.
Lenovo's ThinkPad Z61t lacks the MacBook's seamless feel but offers clever touches of its own, such as the LED that illuminates the keyboard, a fingerprint-recognition scanner to secure the machine and a wide array of user-replaceable components -- you can eject the entire DVD/CD drive in seconds.
HP obviously wanted to imitate Apple with its Pavilion, down to its built-in webcam and a latchless lid -- but the effort was ruined by an infuriatingly jumpy touchpad. Dell's one standout feature was an LED readout on the battery to indicate its remaining charge (copying Apple's practice) and Toshiba's was a fingerprint scanner. The Gateway was utterly generic, lacking even volume-control buttons.
PERFORMANCE
Although every computer reviewed included a fast Intel Core Duo processor, other components slowed some of them. The MacBook and the ThinkPad included only 512 megabytes of memory -- a particularly inadequate amount on the Mac, thanks to the extra memory needed to translate old Mac software for its Intel chip.
In casual tests of common operations, only the Toshiba and the Apple stood out. The Toshiba took about three times as long as any other laptop to copy data from a CD to the hard drive, while the MacBook woke from sleep in under two seconds -- three or four times faster than any Windows computer.
SOFTWARE
Apple provides the best software bundle. In addition to the capable Internet software of its secure, reliable Mac OS X, it ships its outstanding iLife multimedia suite, plus a handful of such third-party programs as Quicken 2006.
Only HP and Lenovo came somewhat close. HP bundled a modern Web browser (even if it was the ugly, awkward Netscape 8), its Photosmart digital photo editor and both Quicken and Money 2006; Lenovo's ThinkVantage utilities can handle such important tasks as bringing over data from an old computer and backing up your files. Everybody else varied between mediocre (Gateway and Dell) and pathetic (Toshiba). Not a single machine arrived with an e-mail program able to automatically filter spam.
SUPPORT
No vendor did well in this area. All but Lenovo limited hardware-specific guidance to PDF copies of printed manuals. Among the vendors of Windows machines, only HP and Toshiba placed their help files under the Start menu's "Help and Support" link; the others buried them deeper in the Start menu.
Toshiba provided the best phone support, answering two calls in seconds and correctly dealing with my questions. HP was nearly as quick to pick up the phone, but some of its reps had trouble understanding me. Gateway's hold times were brief, but one rep flubbed a query about battery settings.
Lenovo and Apple put me on hold for way too long (I abandoned one call to each after 20 and 15 minutes of hold music), but their reps knew their stuff-- and looked up the right answers when they didn't.
Then there was Dell, worst of the bunch: long hold times, one overseas rep who needed a little work on his English comprehension, a laughably incorrect diagnosis on one call (after the rep wasted 35 minutes inspecting the laptop's settings using a remote-assistance program) and a dropped transfer on the second call.
CONNECTIONS
The Dell and the Gateway offered the most ways to hook up other gadgets; each provided four USB ports, one FireWire port, a multiple-format memory-card reader, a PC Card expansion slot and Bluetooth wireless capability.
The others offered a subset of those capabilities; Bluetooth was missing on the Toshiba and the ThinkPad, and the ThinkPad and the HP omitted a fourth USB port.
The MacBook was in another, lower class, with just two USB ports, no memory-card reader and no PC or ExpressCard expandability. It was also the only machine to leave out a dial-up modem.
