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Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid

 & Cisco Cheng Lead Analyst, Laptops and Tablet PCs

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

Our Expert
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65 EXPERTS
43 YEARS
41,500+ REVIEWS
CES 2009

In bunches, laptops are now advertising secondary operating systems that boot up in a matter of seconds. You might've seen one, and if so, there's a good chance that it is a Linux environment—one that works in tandem with a version of Windows Vista or XP. These pre-boot environments are simplistic and quickly accessible, while advocating low power consumption and enormous battery benefits. Until now, these Linux environments have been custom tailored to a specific laptop and weren't available as separate install files. Phoenix has found a way around it, launching downloadable versions of its pre-boot shell called Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid. The environment is intuitive, and boot up and shut down times are lightning fast. The limitations surpass its benefits, though, as not all systems are compatible and the prices are too expensive for a utility. Hopefully that will change with time.

Phoenix was gr

Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid : Screen Shot

Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid : Assessment Tests

Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid : Only Dual

Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid : Resizing Hard Drive

Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid : Side-by-Side

Lenovo's netbook is preloaded with Hyperspace Dual, while the Gigabyte laptop, with Virtualization technology, has Hybrid built-in.

Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid : Hyperspace Hybrid

Phoenix sent a Gigabyte laptop preloaded with Hyperspace Hybrid.

Phoenix Hyperspace Dual and Hybrid : Control Panel

Take note of the left pane, which is filled with internet shortcuts and settings.

About Our Expert

Cisco Cheng

Cisco Cheng

Lead Analyst, Laptops and Tablet PCs

Cisco Cheng is the Lead Analyst of the laptop team at PCMag.com. He’s a one-man wrecking crew who tests and writes about anything considered a laptop (yes, even netbooks). He’s been with PC Mag for over 10 years and gets occasional headaches from all the technical knowledge he has absorbed during that time. He’d still be snowboarding and playing basketball had he not been through multiple knee surgeries (well, two). Now he spends his time with Google Reader, the iPhone 3G, and his now 3-year old son.

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