you don’t bring me flowers: skip the bouquet and give your valentine the HP mini Vivienne Tam edition

Now, I normally wouldn’t be telling guys who like gadgets to go with their instincts on Valentine’s Day. Probably the worst move you could make on this romantic occasion is to go the electronics route. Safer to stick to roses or chocolate, or a nice romantic dinner. Champagne. Strawberries. A ride in Central Park. But if your significant other is trend conscious, travels a lot and likes to stay connected on the go, there is one exception to the no-gadgets-on-Valentine’s-Day rule: the HP Mini Vivienne Tam Edition. (Note, I and my company work for HP, so it’s very likely I’m biased). It’s not only small and lightweight  with decent battery life and built-in WiFi (the keys to successful travel technology), it also looks stylish and hip enough that she’ll be happy to pull it out at the airport lounge.

You probably have no clue who Vivienne Tam is, but you need a little backstory to make the gift really work. Vivienne is a China-born, Hong Kong-raised fashion designer who now works in New York. She is known for her East Meets West designs of hip, stylish clothing. She teamed up with HP to develop a stylish mini-laptop that looks as good as it works. Small and sleek, the laptop design includes peonies on a red background. A perfect companion for your favorite chic girl who likes to be connected.

The guts of the 2.5 pound, 1-inch-thick clutchable laptop with a 10 inch screen is the same as all the highly rated HP mini laptops. Wired Magazine’s review called it a “real deal EEE PC killer” and raves about its design, build and ease of use. The “pretty” model comes with a gig of memory, 60 gig hard drive, XP a built-in webcam and an upgraded Atom processor. Read this review of the Mini 100 at CNet if you want an objective opinion.

It is priced at US$699 for the laptop alone, or US$799 for the bundle, which includes a matching scarf and tote. Either way, you’ll probably get some nice oohs and ahs and — if she’s even slightly tech-friendly — this is a gift that she’ll appreciate far longer than chocolates or a bouquet of roses.

Read about Vivienne Tam on her Website so you can sound savvy when you give it; buy it at HP’s online store. Also, see a video demo of the laptop here.

~ by efdixon on February 7, 2009.