#delta has 0 flights going out tomorrow

[dykesynthezoid]

Killing you commercial flight industry killing you killing you killing you killing you killing you k

[lgrem131]

August 7, 2023

Bill and Linda’s Excellent Anniversary Adventure

Our day started with a 2:45 alarm. Our driver, Al, was to pick us up and deliver us to the airport 1 1/2 hours before our 5:20 departure. We were ready and he was punctual. The airport was packed, but we made it quickly through TSA and checked on our gate only to see CANCELED a next to our Atlanta flight! We still went to our gate at the end of the concourse and after speaking with a Delta agent, headed back where we had started. Having checked in online yesterday, we neglected to even check before leaving the house. Actually we still would have needed to get to the airport at 0-dark30. At the Delta check-in desk, the agent found an American flight leaving at 6:10, flying to Charlotte, connecting there to get to Aruba about an hour later than our original arrival.

Our two flights went smoothly, with Bill texting our pick-up driver about the change. After clearing Customs, we left the passenger area to see Sherman holding his Welcome William Gremillion sign. He took our two bags and cheerfully lead us to his new Honda Crossover. After giving us to ice cold bottles of water, he preceded to give us a brief tour on the way to the Embassy Suites Resort.

As soon as Sherman parked and started taking our bags in, a hotel employee took them and we said goodbye to our Aruba welcoming party. The hotel is very new and very impressive. We were given a room on the 7th floor with an ocean view. But before we had even completed the check-in process, Melissa, the lead on the production team, greeted us. She and the other 3 members were sitting together in the lobby and asked us to stop by before going up to our room. They simply wanted to shake hands and discuss meeting times tomorrow.

Bill and I spent a few minutes in our room, 716, enjoying the plate of fresh fruit left as part of a welcoming gift. Next we headed back down for the Managers Reception, a hotel Happy Hour with a couple of free drinks and several large platters of various munchies. We discussed dinner and decided to just stay at the hotel, not push it. We’ll have all week to get to the beach.

One final surprise the occurred. We had talked our food out to the terrace for sundown. A young man approached and politely asked if we’d like a bottle of champagne. It seems that Josh, his wife, Millie, and two little girls were ending their Aruba vacation. They were here celebrating his 40th birthday, and his mother had sent him a bottle of Moët. Josh and Millie had not had an opportunity to enjoy it, being so busy with little ones and he was wanting to give it away. He had picke us, not realizing that we were celebrating our anniversary!

What an adventurous day this has been. Tomorrow should be even more so.

[supergirlmelbenoist]

Crisis on Infinite Earths Exclusive: First Look at Audrey Marie Anderson as Harbinger Audrey Marie Anderson, the former The Walking Dead star who first appeared on Arrow in the 2013 episode "Unfinished Business," will reprise her role as Lyla Michaels in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" -- but with a twist. Lyla will trade in her black ARGUS tactical suit for a super-suit in the mega-crossover, transforming into Harbinger, her superhero identity from the comics. In the original "Crisis on Infinite Earths," Harbinger was a baby when she was taken in by The Monitor. By the time we meet her, she has lived a lifetime as essentially his daughter before being possessed and forced to betray and kill him. The costume doesn't have the strange cuts and one-of-a-kind helmet that Harbinger did in the comics, but it looks more or less like the most comics-accurate version you could get within the world of the Arrowverse (and without making Anderson look a little ridiculous, as some things are really only ever meant to exist on the comics page). The skirt and some of the design work is very reminiscent of the comics version, although the more practical top (and her lack of a helmet) would make her harder to identify quickly as Harbinger, if we hadn't already had more than half a decade of Anderson's take on Lyla Michaels. AD BY DELTA AIR LINES Delta changing the game for international customer service Long-haul international flights on Delta are more enjoyable than ever thanks to all-new economy cabin service. "Lyla Michaels as Harbinger is a key component of the original Crisis on Infinite Earths that we were determined to honor in our crossover," executive producer Marc Guggenheim said in a statement. "What makes this particularly satisfying for us is that we introduced Lyla Michaels and her Harbinger codename all the way back in Arrow Season 1." You can check it out below. Lyla was originally introduced as John Diggle's ex-wife, but the two reconciled and had a daughter, whom they named after the then-recently-deceased Sara Lance. Not long after that, Barry Allen accidentally broke reality in the "Flashpoint" storyline and one of the ripple effects that remained in place even after he fixed it was that Sara had been transformed into John Diggle, Jr., one of the stars of the flash-forwards which are the setting for a planned Arrow spinoff after the series is done. It is not immediately clear whether Lyla will become the Harbinger -- as in, this is Earth-1's Lyla taking on a new role -- or whether Harbinger will be a Lyla from an alternate Earth. Either one seems plausible enough in "Crisis on Infinite Earths." It's easy to lean toward Harbinger being a Lyla doppelganger given how many there are in the story, but since Arrow's last season will center on Oliver Queen working with The Monitor in order to save the multiverse from the Crisis, nothing seems off the table. "Crisis on Infinite Earths" has loomed over the Arrowverse for years. The series premiere of The Flash featured an allusion to the hero disappearing amid red skies in the year 2024. During the original comics event, red skies were a sign of doom to come to a world during the Crisis. At the end of last season, a couple of things happened: The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett), who had appeared in "Elseworlds," reappeared and revealed that Oliver Queen was destined to die in the Crisis...and the future newspaper at STAR Labs rolled back the expected date of the Crisis from 2024 to 2019. 0 COMMENTS In the comics, Crisis on Infinite Earths centered on a battle between the combined superheroes (and even some villains) of the DC multiverse and an immortal, cosmic threat known as the Anti-Monitor. Like The Monitor, the Anti-Monitor will be played by LaMonica Garrett in the Arrowverse. As the Anti-Monitor destroys realities, he replaces their positive matter energy with antimatter, growing his own power and sphere of influence. He was eventually stopped by the sacrifices of several heroes, including The Flash and Supergirl, as well as the merging of multiple universes to save reality by becoming a single, unified timeline. Fans have long wondered whether the events of "Crisis on Infinite Earths" might bring Supergirl and even Black Lightning to Earth-1, where the rest of the series take place. The crossover will also feature guest appearances by Tom Welling as Clark Kent, Erica Durance as Lois Lane, John Wesley Shipp as the Flash of Earth-90, Johnathon Schaech as Jonah Hex, Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne, and Ashley Scott as The Huntress. “Crisis on Infinite Earths” kicks off on Sunday, December 8 on Supergirl, runs through a Monday episode of Batwoman and that Tuesday’s episode of The Flash. That will be the midseason cliffhanger, as the shows go on hiatus for the holidays and return on January 14 to finish out the event with the midseason premiere of Arrow and a "special episode" of DC's Legends of Tomorrow, which launches as a midseason series this year and so will not have an episode on the air before the Crisis.

[samuelmmarcus]

Modern Home Renovation

  Hi, everyone! How are you doing? This week has been wonderful so far. The weather is perfect – not too warm but still sunny – and I am learning to slow down a little as summer unfolds…

I am very happy to be featuring Spaces Renewed on Home Bunch again (make sure to see their other projects below). This is not the type of home I usually post on the blog – it’s certainly more modern/contemporary, but I was very intrigued by the story behind it and decided to share it with you. I feel that we can all learn a thing of two from what once was a nightmare for the homeowners and finally became their dream home. This talented builder shares more details below:

“Originally, this coastal gem was a builder basic gone wrong. Outdated and low-end finishes were combined with code violations and install short cuts. A choppy floor plan and dark halls and stairs all led this homeowner to want to start over with a totally new vision and design plan. Through innovated space planning, thoughtful finish choices and deliberate incorporation of outdoor space, we turned this home into an open concept, light and bright modern marvel.” – Marshall & Beth Booth for Spaces Renewed.

  See another beautiful home by Spaces Renewed:

 – California Home Renovation.

 – New Construction Home Inspiration.

  Modern Home Renovation

This San Diego, California home looks more modern and updated thanks to a few changes, which includes as fresh coat of paint color.

Stucco Paint Color

White Stucco Paint Color: “Dunn Edwards Cool December”.

Kitchen

“The kitchen combines matte finish countertops and slab doors, with accent slimline metal accent cabinet door fronts. White high-gloss glass backsplash tiles offer a stark contrast with the more muted tones and textures and creates an interesting light palette in the space.” – Spaces Renewed.

Countertop: Morning Frost Quartz.

Island Eating Area

“The dual tone counters each have waterfall edges on all sides continuing to clean and well-defined lines. The sitting area counter color brings in warmth, which pulls in the natural wood floors and also adds a new layer to the otherwise stark white and stainless steel kitchen. The Miele appliance package is perfect partner for the modern kitchen. Hidden storage solutions throughout the kitchen keep the counters clean and clear of clutter. A breakfast cabinet that hides blenders, juicers, and coffee makers. Pull outs racks contain all spices, oils and stove top utensils. Pull out pantry trays and extra deep drawers hold all the pot, pans and daily goods.” – Spaces Renewed.

Kitchen Island Dimensions: Prep space: 96” length x 48” width. Attached seating: 63” length x 32” width.

Island seating area countertop: DalTile One Quartz Columbus Brown.

Pendant Light: here – similar.

Counterstools: West Elm – similar here & here – Others: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Family Room Sofa Sectional: here – similar – Other Beautiful Options: here, here, here, here & here.

Inspired by this Style:

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Cabinetry & Backsplash

The kitchen cabinets are painted MDF slab doors in “Showroom White” color by San Diego Custom Cabinets.

Kitchen Backsplash: DalTile Color Wave Ice White CW01 1×6 – Other Beautiful Tiles: here, here, here, here & here.

Kitchen Faucet: Delta Trinsic Pull Out Spray Kitchen Faucet Stainless.

Kitchen Sink: here – similar.

Cabinet Hardware: Top Knobs Pull Chrome.

Open & Airy

“The open concept we used at the main level combined the kitchen, dining room, and 2 separate seating areas, all in one great space with sweeping ocean views. Even though each space is connected, the areas are well defined and are full of purpose. We deliberate on space planning and floor plan creation to ensure that ‘open concept’ is still refined and dignified. Nana Wall Door systems were used in the kitchen, family, dining areas and master bedroom in order to bring in the view and create the ideal indoor/outdoor living experiences. At the coast, we needed to use a product that could withstand the weathering, as well as offer superior clear openings, access to the numerous patios, and the cleanest site lines possible. This door system was the perfect complement to this amazing home.” – Spaces Renewed.

Interior Paint Color: Dunn Edwards “Cool December” at all walls (added a bit more white to the formula for the ceiling).

Outdoor Living

“Outdoor living spaces are the pride of San Diego! The large format porcelain tiles are neutral in color with a concrete like finish. This product offers superior durability and a seamless visual transition in and out of the home. The large glass door systems have low thresholds to continue the theme of visual openness and easy access to the outdoors.” – Spaces Renewed.

Tile: here & here – similar.

Modern Outdoor Sofas: here, here, here, here, here, here & here.

Planter: here – similar.

Hardwood Flooring

Wood throughout: Monarch Plank, Windsor collection, Bradfield color – similar here – Others: here, here & here.

Staircase

“The stairwell had angled landings and closed in tread and risers. This created a dark and cramped pathways 4 flights high! We opened up the staircase to add floating treads and straighten out every angled landing. This design detail reinforces the modern feel throughout, as well as creating more light and space to maneuver.” – Spaces Renewed.

Window Treatment: Stair windows/Master Bath window: Adhesive Privacy Window Film, Prism Mosaic.

Guest Bedroom

Bedroom Paint Color: Cool December by Dunn Edwards.

Bed: West Elm – Others: here, here, here & here.

Nightstands: West Elm.

Dresser: West Elm.

Bedding: West Elm.

Guest Bathroom

“The warm wood porcelain tiles flow seamlessly from the floor into the shower, creating visual connection and openness. The stark white wall tiles, counters and cabinets are clean, bright and modern. Lighted mirror, chrome fixtures and frameless glass shower enclosure complete this space.” – Spaces Renewed.

Countertop: Morning Frost Quartz.

Faucet: Delta.

Floor & Pan Tile: DalTile Saddle Brook Oak Trail – Others: here, here & here.

Wall Tile: DalTile Composition Gesso – Other Beautiful Tiles: here, here, here, here, here & here.

Master Bathroom

“This master bath retreat combines matte stainless fixtures and accents with natural bamboo cabinets creating a space full of interest. The cabinets are wall hung which opens the floor space, making the room feel bigger. The Japanese stainless soaking tub was chosen for both the unique metal finish, as well as the special size, fitting perfectly in this small space. The shower pan mirrors the tub, by using stainless steel mosaic tiles. The shower wall tile wraps into the toilet room, bringing in floor to ceiling interest and texture. A trough sink allows for two faucets, while keeping the counter free from the visual clutter of two separate sinks in this small space. ” – Spaces Renewed.

Faucets: Brizo Odin Wall Mount Chrome.

Wall & Floor Tile: Portfolio, White PF02 12×24.

Countertop: Morning Frost Quartz.

Tub: Signature Hardware – Others: here & here.

  Many thanks to the builder for sharing the details above!

Builder: Spaces Renewed (Instagram)

Photography: Chris cochran Photography.

  Best Sales of the Month:

Thank you for shopping through Home Bunch. For your shopping convenience, this post may contain AFFILIATE LINKS to retailers where you can purchase the products (or similar) featured. I make a small commission if you use these links to make your purchase, at no extra cost to you, so thank you for your support. I would be happy to assist you if you have any questions or are looking for something in particular. Feel free to contact me and always make sure to check dimensions before ordering. Happy shopping!

  Wayfair: Home Decor and Furniture Sale.

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  Joss & Main: 4th of July Sale.

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White Home with Front Porch.

North Carolina Lake House Tour.Beautiful Homes of Instagram.

California Pool Cabana Design.

Dream Family Home Tour.

Inspiring Charlotte Home Tour.

Black Modern Farmhouse Tour.

California Beachfront House.

California House Tour.

Modern Farmhouse with Wrap-around Porch.

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Beautiful Homes of Instagram: New-construction Home.

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California Home Interior Design Ideas.

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“Dear God,

If I am wrong, right me. If I am lost, guide me. If I start to give-up, keep me going.

Lead me in Light and Love”.

Have a wonderful day, my friends and we’ll talk again tomorrow.”

with Love,

Luciane from HomeBunch.com

from Home https://www.homebunch.com/modern-home-renovation/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[keywestlou]

JEAN THORNTON RETURNS

A crowd of 200 was waiting at the Key West Airport last night. Waiting for Jean Thornton who was arriving on the Delta flight out of Atlanta.

The crowd yelled and screamed as she descended the plane’s steps. Soon she was hoisted on some burly shoulders and carried into the airport.

Jean is one of the most popular and loved persons in Key West. The Golden Girl. Found gold coins and emeralds when diving with Mel Fisher many years ago. Changed her life!

She was my benefactor also. When escaping Irma, I stayed at her home in Birmingham for 12 days.

Her airport reception is fantasy. Created by me. Everything else true. Thought she was deserving of such a reception. A figment of my imagination.

Welcome back, Jean!

I learn more about Captain Tony each day. His daughter Toni a huge help in acquainting me with him.

Tony had an electric car. Made it himself. Piece by piece, part by part. Inside and out. The car tiny. Maximum speed 3 mph.

There was an airbrush painter by the name of Bill Miller in town for years. A friend Of Captain Tony’s. He painted Tony’s face on the side of the car. Took up half of one side. Painted all kinds of other things on the rest of the car.

Tony had an old Lincoln. Airbrushed by Miller, also.

Tony drove around in the Lincoln with his goat Ruff. Ruff meaaahhhing along the way.

Cape Air is a small regional airliner that had been serving Key West for years. Their planes colorfully painted. One had Tony’s face covering better than half of one side.

A cruise back in time to the 1940s. Next wednesday. A preservation fundraiser for the Custom House. KWAHS has gone all out putting the event together.

Cocktails on the veranda of the Custom House first. Then a walk next door to Magaritaville’s Grand Ballroom. The Ballroom will have been transformed into a luxury cruise liner.

Recommended attire 1940s.

The weather outside is frightful…..No snow. But cold! Last night 63 degrees. At moment 64. High supposedly will reach 70 today. Normalcy returns tomorrow when the temperature will be in the low 80s.

The game plan last night was for me to go to Jack Flatt to watch Syracuse/Ohio State at 7. I laid down around 3:30 for a nap. Woke a little after 6. Too late for Jack Flat. Needed to shave, shower, dress, drive into town, etc.

Stayed home and watched the game.

Syracuse played its best game of the season. Its only good game. Beat Ohio State 72-62.

Ohio State undefeated prior to the game at 6-0. Syracuse 3-2.

It all came together for Syracuse last night. The hit on 3s, played great defense. Boeheim mixed his players up. May have hit on the right combination.

An on the road upset win.

My faith has been restored!

Manafort’s duplicity may save his ass with a Trump pardon. It will not help his attorneys or Trump’s attorneys. Their participation in the scheme borders on the criminal. Ethically, they are over the line. Could cost them their licenses.

Trump leaves today for the G 20 meeting in Argentina. He has a meeting scheduled with his “friend” Putin. The two will leave the meeting arm in arm. Friends!

Trump should be meeting with China’s Xi. The U.S. problem with China big. Sensitive.

What makes me laugh is that Russia benefits every time the U.S. and China conflict. For example, Russia is selling soybeans to China.

In 2 years, Trump has pushed Russia and China closer and closer. They have become bedfellows economically. Lets hope it does not happen militarily.

A big day in history. November 29, 1947. It was on this day 71 years ago that the UN voted for partition of Palestine and the creation of an independent Jewish state.

Conflict ever since. Peace seems impossible. Could be another 71 years and the Jews and Palestinians will still be warring.

Enjoy your day!

    JEAN THORNTON RETURNS was originally published on Key West Lou

[koristore-blog]

  Editors’ rating:

The Pros

Slim and handsome design; Colorful, full-HD display; Comfortable keyboard; Long battery life; Strong overall performance

The Cons

Touchpad can be finicky; Some bloatware

Verdict

The Acer Aspire S 13 is one of the best ultraporable laptop values, offering strong performance, long battery life and a colorful display, all in a slim design.

Thin, light and long-lasting, the Acer Aspire S 13 has pretty much everything you want in an ultraportable laptop, and all for an affordable $749. This 13-inch notebook packs a speedy Core i5 processor, a fairly roomy 256GB SSD and a colorful full-HD display into a handsome chassis that’s only 0.57 inches thick. (A separate Core i7 model is also available.) The S 13 also offers robust Dolby sound and a comfy keyboard, although the touchpad can be pretty finicky at times. Overall, this Acer is one of the best values in its weight class.

Design

Acer deserves credit for not going down the MacBook-clone path like so many others have done. Instead of being yet another silver slab, the Aspire S 13 stands out with its obsidian-black color and textured nano-imprint cover, which gives the notebook a slick, pinstripe aesthetic. (You can also get this system in white, which is even more striking.)

The area around the keyboard and wrist rest is made of aluminum, while the bottom has rubber paint with a nice soft-touch feel. I also dig the diamond-cut edges around the deck and touchpad. The only eyesore on this machine is the thick plastic bezel around the 13-inch display.

The obsidian black Aspire S 13 stands out with a textured nano-imprint cover that gives the notebook a slick, pinstripe aesthetic.

Measuring 12.9 x 9 x 0.57 inches and weighing 2.9 pounds, the Aspire S 13 is plenty light enough for frequent travelers and students. It’s a bit lighter than the 13-inch MacBook Air (12.8 x 8.9 x 0.11-0.68 inches, 3 pounds), but has a similar footprint to that device. The 2.8-pound HP Envy 13t is about the same size as the Acer, while the Asus UX303UA weighs a heavier 3.4 pounds. The XPS 13 is the lightest and most compact of the bunch, at 2.6 pounds and 12 x 7.9 x 0.3-0.6 inches, thanks to its nearly bezel-less design.

Ports

Despite its thin profile, the Aspire S 13 has all the ports you need for today and tomorrow. The left side houses a USB 3.0 port, SD Card slot and headphone/mic jack, while the right side has the power port, HDMI port, another USB 3.0 port and a USB Type-C port.

Display

The Aspire S 13 I reviewed came with a nontouch 1080p display, but you can order it with a touch-screen panel. I’d stick with nontouch, as you’ll get more battery life. Plus, this panel is plenty colorful and bright.

While watching the trailer for Suicide Squad on the S 13’s display, I could make out every slicked-back lock in the Joker’s green do, and I appreciated the shimmer from his black jacket. The viewing angles could be a bit wider, though, as I noticed colors shifting at about 35 degrees off-center.

The Acer’s screen performed well on various lab tests, including a color gamut of 106.8 percent. That blows the doors off of the MacBook Air (66 percent) and beats the nontouch XPS 13 (92 percent) and HP Envy 13t (103 percent), but the Asus Zenbook UX303UA was even better, at 116 percent. The S 13’s screen is also fairly accurate, as it turned in a Delta-E rating of 0.98 (0 is perfect).

I had no trouble working outdoors with the S 13; even on a bright, sunny day I could make out the screen, thanks to its 327 nits of brightness. That outshines most of the competition, with the exception of the MacBook Air (334 nits).

If you’re going to be staring at the display for long periods of time, you can toggle the Acer Bluelight Shield setting, which is designed to lower blue-light emissions to reduce eyestrain and prevent fatigue. (You’ll find this setting in the Acer Quick Access app.)

Turning this feature on gives the screen a yellowish, more book-like hue, which I found weird at first but comfortable after a while.

Audio

The stereo speakers on the Aspire S 13 are so powerful I had to turn the volume down so as not to scare the heck out of family members — and that was just for email alerts in Outlook.

MORE: The Best Laptops for Every Need

I experienced room-filling audio when I played the Mighty Mighty Bosstones’ “The Impression That I Get” with a shockingly wide sound stage; I could easily hear Dicky Barrett’s gravelly vocals over the peppy horns. The audio started to distort at closer to 100 percent volume, but at 90 percent or less there was still plenty of punch.

The speakers on the Aspire S 13 are so powerful I had to turn the volume down so as not to scare family members — and that was just for email alerts.

The Dolby Audio app allows you to choose from multiple sound profiles, including Music, Movie, Game and Voice, but I stuck with Dynamic most of the time, as it’s supposed to change the profile on the fly. There’s also an equalizer if you want to really dig deep.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The S 13’s keyboard offers a comfy typing experience, but I would change a couple of things. Despite offering just 0.87 mm of travel (we prefer 1mm or more), the keys had a nice, pillowy feel as I typed, letting me reach 75 words per minute with just 2 errors. That’s a bit faster than my 70 wpm average.

The layout offers two different stages of backlighting, one for dimly lit rooms and another that goes to full brightness. My problem with the layout is that the function keys are reversed for various shortcuts. For example, you need to press Fn and then the F8 button to mute the sound, as opposed to just F8 itself. Also, the function keys are tiny.

It may be called a Precision Touchpad, but I found the large, 4.1 x 2.5-inch touchpad less than precise. While two-finger scrolling was fairly smooth and I easily executed Windows 10 gestures (such as swiping three fingers up to see all apps), the cursor stuttered a bit as I navigated the desktop. This made selecting text a challenge. In addition, the cursor sometimes moved when I accidentally brushed the pad, and sometimes I would inadvertently select text. Better palm rejection would help.

Performance

With its 6th-Generation Core i5-6200U processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD, the Aspire S 13 proved swift in my testing. It ably juggled 16 tabs in Chrome while I played an episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix in another window. Only when I added a 17th tab did I start to see a bit of slowdown.

MORE: Best Ultrabooks (Thin-and-Light Windows Laptops)

On the Geekbench 3 test, which measures overall performance, the Aspire S 13 scored 6,331, which is comparable to the showings of its closest competitors. The Core i7 model of the S 13 notched 6,925 on the same test.

The Asus UX303UA, which has the same processor as the Acer, notched a slightly lower 6,290, while the Dell XPS 13 nontouch (6,391) and HP Envy (6,306) — also with the same CPU — were neck and neck with the S 13. The MacBook Air was far behind, at 5,783, but it also has an older, 5th-Generation processor.

The S 13’s SSD is faster than the average ultraportable’s, but behind the best we’ve tested. It took the system 30 seconds to copy about 5GB worth of mixed-media files, giving it a transfer rate of 167.7 megabytes per second. That trumps the Asus UX303UA (159 MBps) and lowly HP 13t (77.1 MBps), but the Dell XPS 13 (231.3 MBps) and MacBook Air (358.4 MBps) are considerably faster.

You should have no problem crunching numbers with this notebook, as the Aspire S 13 took a brisk 4 minutes and 29 seconds to match 20,000 names and addresses in OpenOffice. That’s the same amount of time as the Asus, slightly faster than the Dell XPS 13 (4:33) and only a second behind the HP Envy 13t. The MacBook Air was a much faster 4:03. The Core i7 version of the S 13 took the same amount of time as the Mac.

Battery Life

The Acer Aspire S 13 has the battery life to last a cross-country flight, and then some. On the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which involves continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi (at 100 nits of screen brightness), the system lasted a strong 9 hours and 8 minutes. The Core i7 version of the S 13 we tested lasted an evern longer 9:48.

That run time smokes the HP Envy 13t (5:48) and also beats the Asus UX303UA (8:27) and the ultraportable category average (8:10). However, the more expensive Dell XPS 13 and 13-inch MacBook Air lasted much longer, at 11:54 and 14 hours, respectively.

MORE: Laptops with the Longest Battery Life

Webcam

Most webcams on Windows laptops are terrible, but the Aspire S 13’s 720p camera is pretty decent. My salmon-colored shirt looked accurate in a selfie, although my face was a bit blurry. I conducted one video call over Skype and another over BlueJeans, and other callers didn’t have any complaints.

Software

Acer includes a few useful utilities, along with more bloatware than we’d like. The compact Acer Quick Access app lets you toggle the Bluelight Shield function for when you want to reduce eye strain, use power-off USB charging (which lets you juice gadgets even when the system is powered down) and enable network sharing. Acer Care Center combines access to support, recovery management, updates and tune-ups in one app. The strangely redundant Acer Power Button app lets you turn off the display or tell the notebook to sleep, hibernate or shut down.

Acer bundles some third-party software that we’d rather download ourselves, and some we can live without altogether. The former camp includes Netflix and Skype, and the latter includes Amazon Kindle and WildTangent Games. There are also trials of Microsoft Office and McAfee Internet Security Suite.

Configuration Options

We reviewed the Acer Aspire S13 S5-371-52JR, which retails for $749 and features a Core i5-6200U processor, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 13.3-inch and 1920 x 1080 display. Stepping up to the $799 white model (the S5-371T-58CC) gets you the white color and an IPS display with wider viewing angles. Acer also offers models with a Core i7 CPU and 512GB SSD for $999, or you could just get the larger SSD paired with a Core i5 chip for $899.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a great student laptop or a machine for frequent travel, or if you just want a lightweight laptop that can go the distance, the Acer Aspire S 13 is one of the best bargains around. For $749, you get a speedy Core i5 processor, a 256GB SSD, a colorful full-HD display and more than 9 hours of battery life, all wrapped up in a svelte package that doesn’t ape Apple. The stereo speakers also impressed, delivering surprisingly robust audio. I just wish the touchpad weren’t so sensitive, as it sometimes just got in the way.

The Dell XPS 13 is the better bet if you want longer battery life in a more compact design, but it costs a pricey $999 with a Core i5 processor and smaller 128GB SSD (and $1,149 with 256GB). The Asus UX303UA is another strong contender, offering comparable performance to the Aspire S 13 in an all-metal design for $799, but it offers lackluster audio and doesn’t last quite as long on a charge as the Acer does. Overall, the Aspire S 13 is one heck of a value and one of our favorite ultraportable laptops.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

CPU Operating System RAM RAM Upgradable to Hard Drive Size Hard Drive Speed Hard Drive Type Secondary Hard Drive Size Secondary Hard Drive Speed Secondary Hard Drive Type Display Size Native Resolution Optical Drive Optical Drive Speed Graphics Card Video Memory Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Model Bluetooth Mobile Broadband Touchpad Size 4.1 x 2.5 USB Ports Warranty/Support Size Weight Company Website

  Acer Aspire S 13 Review Editors' rating: The Pros Slim and handsome design; Colorful, full-HD display; Comfortable keyboard; Long battery life; Strong overall performance…