Month: October 2021

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A 2-in-1 laptop may seem like the ultimate device for people who want portability and versatility without giving up too much power. You get the ultraportability of an ultraportable from lightweight builds measuring under 1 inch thick. When you don't need an old-school physical keyboard, you can switch to tablet mode, and with touchscreen and stylus options, creative work seems more attainable, too.

But problems with battery life, heat management, durability, and audio quality often come with that oh-so-versatile approach. The MSI E13 Flip Evo isn't completely immune to all these issues, but it evolves the story around convertibles that insist on being under an inch thick.

Hailing from MSI's business- and productivity-focused Summit series of machines, the E13 (there's also a 16-inch E16 with Nvidia RTX options) starts at a $1,300 MSRP and goes up to $1,900. (We've spotted it for $1,800.) With its lightweight, trim aluminum build, shiny accents, and dedicated pen, the machine is a clear rival for premium ultraportables like Dell's XPS line and Microsoft's Surface offerings.

Enlarge / The Orion spacecraft is stacked atop NASA's Space Launch System rocket. (credit: NASA)

Welcome to Edition 4.21 of the Rocket Report! Plenty of news this week across the realm of rockets, from a near-success in South Korea (better luck next time, Nuri rocket) to the long-awaited stacking of NASA's Space Launch System vehicle.

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

Rocket Lab to recover next rocket. After its next launch, "Love at First Insight," Rocket Lab will attempt to make a controlled ocean splashdown of its Electron rocket first stage and then recover the vehicle from the water. For the first time, a helicopter will be stationed in the recovery zone around 200 nautical miles offshore to track and visually observe the descending stage in preparation for future aerial capture attempts.