On the outside of the case, there are two USB 2.0 ports as well as an IEEE 1394 and an external video connector among others. Due to the LifeBook P7230's compact design, the keyboard is quite compact as well. The keys are a bit tinier than the average notebook keyboard, so it takes a bit of time to adjust to the difference. Despite its initial learning curve (especially if you have larger hands) the keyboard itself is quite solid and comfortable to use. The touchpad can pose a problem though. The mouse buttons are quite tiny and the size of the pad makes scrolling functions difficult. Of course, an external mouse can be connected to one of the USB ports to make pointing and clicking easier.

At the top of the keyboard are three buttons, one for power, a button to put the computer in "eco" mode that preserves the notebooks battery, and a button that can be customized to automatically open any program.

The LifeBook P7230's 10.6 inch widescreen features a WXGA display resolution of 1280 x 768. The glossy screen is quite brilliant and functions well in any environment including outdoor settings. The P7230 also comes with a built in webcam making it ready for instant messaging right out of the box. The two integrated speakers do not provide excellent sound quality, but that is understandable considering the small size of the notebook.

What is really great about LifeBook P7230 is the inclusion of an optical drive, which is normally sacrificed in notebooks featuring such ultraportability. Even better is that the dual layer multi format DVD burner is multi-bay and can be replaced by an additional battery to extend on-the-go productivity hours.

The LifeBook P7230, priced at $2079, is now equipped with a 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo ULV 2500 processor, though the model was initially launched with a slower Core Solo processor. The notebooks' overall performance is nothing to write home about, but it easily accomplishes basic programs without slow down. Of course, this is quite common with ultra portable notebooks since they need to sacrifice features and hardware in order to ensure compactness. With its high portability and host of useful features, the LifeBook P7230 is a great choice for business people that demand functionality in a small package.