Hewlett-Packard has come out with three new small, light notebooks -- a ruggedized model and a tablet in the EliteBook line, and a bargain Compaq-branded model.The EliteBook 2530p has an aluminum case and a magnesium alloy chassis that enables it to meet military-standard requirements for temperature, dust, and humidity resistance. HP's smallest and lightest notebook, the 2530p has a 12-inch screen and weighs just over three pounds.

The EliteBook 2730p converts between a notebook and a pen-based tablet. It weighs 3.7 pounds and is only an inch thick. Both EliteBooks come with a dual-3G chipset that enables them to work with either EV-DO or HSPA networks and can have optional solid-state hard drives. Prices for the 2530p start at $1,499, and for the 2730p at $1,670.

The Compaq 2230s notebook has a 12-inch LCD display and weighs about four pounds. It comes with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support and starts at $999.InformationWeek, CNET