LAPTOP COMPUTER

A portable computer that has a flat LCD screen and usually weighs less than eight pounds. Often called just a "laptop," it uses batteries for mobile use and AC power for charging the batteries and desktop use. Today's high-end laptops provide all the capabilities of most desktop computers. Following are the major features:

Keyboard

Keyboard layout is often sacrificed. The Home, End, PageUp and PageDn keys may not be dedicated, requiring that you hold down the Fn key at the same time. This can be very cumbersome if you use these keys a lot. Function keys and cursor keys are often made smaller, and one keyboard feels better than another. There are only two rules. Rule 1: spend some time typing on the keyboard. Rule 2: spend some time typing on the keyboard.

Screen Resolution

Today, laptops use high-quality active matrix LCD screens. However, the built-in display system also feeds an external monitor for desktop use or a data projector. Unlike a desktop computer, you cannot replace the display adapter, so be sure that the laptop has the highest resolution you require for the external display.

External Display & Keyboard Connectors

Connect a full-size CRT and keyboard for home/office. Even if you like your laptop keyboard, you may want to use an external one with your external monitor, so that both units are positioned comfortably. A full-size keyboard can be connected through the external keyboard port or USB port.

Built-in Pointing Device

Either a touchpad or pointing stick is built into the laptop. Try it. There are differences. A regular mouse is always an option and connects via the mouse port or USB port.

Expansion

Expansion is a little more critical with laptops than with desktops that have extra bus slots and drive bays. However, today's laptops all have PC Card (PCMCIA) slots and USB ports, making them very flexible. For desktop use, a docking station may provide extra PCI slots.

Batteries

Lithium ion batteries do not suffer from the "memory effect" of older nickel cadmium, and to a slightly lesser extent, nickel metal hydride.

Multimedia

All laptops today have built-in speakers and generally include an optical drive (CD-RW, DVD-ROM or DVD-RW). DVD drives typically support all CD read and write modes as well. A removable drive offers more flexibility for upgrading later.

Weight

Seven pounds does not sound like much until you lug it around all day. To reduce poundage, subnotebooks use external floppy, CD and DVD drives. Also, check the transformer's weight (also called the "AC adapter" or "power adapter"). It can add one or two pounds, and although it is never included in the advertised weight, you very often need to keep it handy in the laptop case.

Categories

Following is a rough guide to weights and terminology. There are some shoe-box-sized portable computers with a handle that provide several slots for card insertion and weigh up to about 15 pounds.

                   Weight (pounds)
    Type           Without transformer
    Portable       1-15
    Laptop         4-8
    Notebook       4-8
    Subnotebook    2-4
    Pocket         1

One of the First

In 1983, Tandy's Radio Shack division launched the Model 100 Micro Executive Workstation. It weighed only four pounds and included a built-in word processor, name and address list and modem. The Model 100 was inspiration for the huge portable market that followed. (Image courtesy of Tandy Corporation.)

A Decade of Difference

Comparing the specifications of these two Toshiba laptops is striking. With a CPU sixty times faster, a hundred times more memory and two hundred times more disk space, the model on the right bears little resemblance to the one on the left with its small 8.5" screen.

Never Enough Power!

The only problem with portable computers is that the batteries never last long enough. This lithium ion battery from Hi-Capacity (www.hicapacity.com), which easily slips under the laptop, can add up to seven more hours of run time.