If you have a PDA ask yourself a very important question. Is it safe from unforseen hazards on the road? When I asked myself this same question the answer scared me. NO, it's not protected. It's why I've taken steps to make my PDA as tough as possible. Let's face it, like Murphy's Law if something can go wrong, it will. Instead of waiting for the accident to happen I assumed it would and imagined the panic that would ensue without my PDA. That was enough to scare me into action.

What I've done in the terms of the industry is to "ruggedize" my PDA. It's now one tough cookie! A protective armor surrounds the PDA so it can withstand the natural elements like dust and moisture. Plus, the PDA is protected if in the event I accidentally drop or bump it against something else.

What are some of the pros and cons of a ruggetized PDA?

A ruggetized PDA does weigh and cost more than a consumer PDA. But the weight and price are worth it, considering it delivers needed protection for the PDA and it's data. The ruggetized outer cases made by Ottobox look like they're built for battle and rightfully they should be. These things are rock solid.

For quick data entry most ruggetized PDAs come with barcode or card readers as an option or built in feature.

If you're strictly looking at a rugged PDA and not the ruggetized outercase like with Ottobox, you'll find the software is a bit behind the times. I'll explain this more under the section called Options For A Rugged PDA. Briefly, most rugged PDAs in the marketplace run on older versions of Pocket PC software.

What is it like using a ruggetized PDA?

My friend Joe, who is a reporter, has a ruggetized outercase for his PDA. It's made by Ottobox. Joe's carried it with him as he's covered battles overseas and natural disasters from hurricanes to floods. His ruggedized PDA has performed well in dirt, rain, humid conditions, as well in jeep rides when he's been in the war zone and in the outback in Australia. It's got rocked around, knocked into and still functioned without missing a beat.

According to Otterbox, the protective armor is made from indestructible, reinforced ABS plastic. Joe uses the OtterBox Armor 3600. It's the same one I use. It is designed for use in the field. Even if the field, in my case, is a convertible car and survey work as a landscape architect.

When it comes to high-end function and safety it is not always about looks, but the Ottobox does look very cool. It reminds me of the Xterra car. Mine is in florescent yellow, but the Otterbox 3600 also comes in midnight black. The pins on the case are Marine Grade 316 stainless steel, which is ideal for salt and freshwater situations.

My rugged PDA case is waterproof too. I accidentally tested that when I knocked over a cup of water as I was driving. Dumb move, I know. I had a near panic attack over it, but then remembered the thing was waterproof up to three meters in depth. Naturally, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The Otterbox Armor 3600 has what they call a "through-the-Box" connectivity Kit, which allows you to use a variety of cables and still keep the unit sealed from harmful weather conditions. You can add on GPS receivers, barcode readers and other accessories.

What about the mobile signal strength?

One of the unexpected benefits of a ruggetized PDA is that it actually protects the signal strength. I noticed this with my Bluetooth GPS connection. The PDA is no longer just left open to the elements. Instead of natural conditions causing an interference with the signal strength the PDA is insulated.

Which is more cost effective a rugged PDA case or a ruggetized PDA?

A rugged PDA case is much more cost effective than the ruggedized PDAs in the marketplace. The Ottobox PDA case is nearly a third the price of a rugged PDA. Plus, if you need to upgrade its easy. Simply switch to a different PDA and keep your existing case. You save money without compromising on the protection of your PDA.

What options are there for a rugged PDA?

My friend Larry, who is an engineer and former Navy Seal, uses Raytheon's Agama's ultra-ruggedized Pocket PC. This unit is designed for military and commercial use and includes: Intel's StrongARM 206 MHz processor, 64 MB of RAM, 32 MB of flash ROM, a color touch screen, and a single Secure Digital card slot. Options include: Bluetooth, GPS, GPRS, or CDMA, and single and dual card expansion modules. It runs on the Pocket PC 2002 software.

There are many other rugged PDAs on the market. My friend Carl, who works for the U.S. Department of Fish and Game, uses the Recon PDA by Tripod Data Systems (TDS) http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon. This ruggetized PDA meets MIL-STD-810F military standards. It is built to withstand harsh weather conditions and is waterproof. The Recon PDA runs on Windows Mobile 2003 and comes with either 200 MHz or 400 MHz XScale processor, 64 MB of RAM and 64 or 128 MB of flash storage. This high allocation of storage secures the data from resets and loss of power. It comes with a color display and a front light. With Recon's PDA running on Windows Mobile 2003 it's convenient to use the pocket versions of Word, Excel, email and calendar.

Symbol's MC9000-Gruns on Windows Mobile 2003 (or Windows CE.NET) software and has 64 MB RAM and 64MB flash. Like the other rugged PDAs it too is designed to withstand the harmful effects of dust, water, and being accidentally dropped.

What's the upkeep like on a PDA rugged case?

It's easy to clean. I use a Q tip and wipe away the dirt and grime from the outer case and seal.

Can you lock the PDA Case?

Yes. On the latch of my Otterbox there are holes, which are real handy if you want to make the unit tamper proof. These holes can be locked if you install screws in the openings. Otterbox says to use a 3.0mm x 6.0mm long Socket Head Cap Screw (SCHS), which uses a 2.5mm hex wrench.

Can you hook up external antennas for GPS?

Yes. To get signal strength you need the antenna to be in the best possible position and pointed skyward. Sometimes this can look a little humorous. A few months ago, I saw a colleague with a pole mounted antenna. It seemed like he grew an extra head.

What my colleague had on his back is a pole equipped backpack known as a Garmin 17N. The GPS receiver is built right into the dome, that's what I had jokingly called an extra head. The Garmin 17N is widely used by survey workers in the field. With the Garmin 72/76, known as a quad-helix antenna, the top edge of the unit needs to point skyward.

There are other smaller antennas. For instance, the Garmin 27C is slim and black much like tape a cassette. You can attach it to a baseball cap, a pole, or a backpack. An added benefit of this unit is that it can improve signal strength for your PDA.

Connectivity is easy. With these external antennas you simply connect the GPS with a cable to your PDA and use the PDA software to view maps and conduct fieldwork. If you don't want to worry about getting cables dirty or lugging them around you may want to look into wireless Bluetooth GPS units that connect to your PDA.

Is it easy to use a ruggetized PDA in the field?

Yes. The recessed plastic is very visible. The adjustable velcro strap is easy to grip if you have gloves on, or if your hands are sticky or sweaty from work in the field.

I like the handy stylus holder on the outside of the case. There is no fumbling around and asking myself where did the stylus go? It's right there wherever I go!

If you work in the field, like me, and need to bring your PDA into dusty, humid, or unstable weather conditions be sure to ruggetize the case. It's the needed protection that will give you peace of mind. Verizon wireless offers a reliable national wireless Internet service called Wireless Sync.

The Chinese Government is rumored to distribute laptops to all its citizens in an attempt to nip over-population in the bud (or rather, seed). Ok, perhaps socialism hasn't come along this far, but recent studies do indicate that laptop use may hurt sperm production in young adult males permanently.

What You Say?

It's true, "teenage boys and young men may consider limiting their use of laptop computers on their laps," quipped Yefim Sheynkin, the lead researcher of an interesting (though somewhat sparse, yuk yuk) study on the effects laptops have on scrotal temperatures and sperm counts. When a laptop is balanced on one's knees, the user is forced to close their legs together, raising scrotal temperatures by an average of 2.1 degrees celsius (3.8 F). Internal laptop temperatures can soar to 70 degrees celsius (158 F). The result is higher scrotal temperatures in males by around 2.7 degrees celsius (4.86 F), according to Sheynkin's study on 29 brave male volunteers.

Someone Set Up Us the Bomb

Are you thinking what I'm thinking, that the US government (the same monster that somehow puts poisons in plane jetstreams to kill off the elderly) was behind the advent of the laptop computer in order to control population? If so, your medication might be just a placebo. Whatever the case, studies show that 1 degree celsius is the minimal difference for inhibited spermatogenisis (sperm production). Although damage is temporary in most cases, habitual and prolonged laptop use might cause permanent damage. Sheynkin said: "The body needs to maintain a proper testicular temperature for normal sperm production and development. We don't know the exact frequency and time of heat exposure capable of producing reversible or irreversible changes in spermatogenesis."

You Have No Chance to Survive, Make Your Time

Ok, so as inconclusive as this study seems, it is an established truth that heat is bad for the little guys. Not only this, but laptops are just plain uncomfortable. There is a solution out there. I have come accross the Xpad Heatshield, a handy new item that shields your lap from uncomfortable laptop heat and channels heat away quickly. Perhaps the most energy consuming device in a laptop is the cooling fan. I have found that when I use my Xpad with my powerbook, the battery life increases, probably by about 20% or so. Plus, I have heard that putting your laptop on a soft surface (like a pillow) inhibits heat dissipation, damaging your laptop's battery permanently. Xpad protects our batteries, our posterity, and passively protests the government's evil conspiracies.

The Xpad is simple in design. It is a solid base with raised rubber pads (in the shape of an "X) that raise the laptop by a little less than an inch. It allows heat to escape quite easily while gripping your laptop firmly to the base. A pad on the bottom makes it comfortable for your lap.

There it sits: the shiny new high-definition monitor that you just picked up for a killer price. You pull out your laptop with dreams of sharp, hi-res graphics dancing through your head, only to realize that your laptop only has a VGA out port. You could always get a VGA to DVI adapter, but with only an analog signal, what do you do about the picture quality? The resolution? The definition? Without the digital, what’s the point?

You’re not alone. With the proliferation of high definition TVs, monitors, and projectors, laptop users looking to get a bigger viewing surface than the sometimes miniscule laptop screen now have the chance to see their desktop in sharp, clear, digital high-definition.

Until recently, most laptops have only had a VGA out jack. Even the nicest multimedia platforms have only had S-Video and RCA video out in addition to the ubiquitous VGA out. Unfortunately, all of these video options are analog, resulting in a loss of clarity and resolution. The loss isn’t devastating, but those wishing to experience high-def in all its glory will want to go digital.

Happily, you can now add a DVI port to your analog laptop, letting you take full advantage of the luscious visual goodness that DVI offers. The VTBook DVI/VGA Dual Display Video PCMCIA Card (the best, and as far as I can tell, only option as far as a DVI expansion card is concerned) plugs neatly into a PCMCIA slot on the side of your laptop, giving you a DVI digital high-def signal your parents would be proud of.

So go ahead and buy that hi-def monitor you’ve been looking at, but don’t forget the VTBook. You won’t regret it.

For the holidays this year, more people will be getting mobile computing options than ever before in history. With so many various ways of staying connected through computers, people seem to not be able to get enough. This is great news for all of those out there that love new technology as it is the force behind many companies and their drive to have the best of, the latest and greatest of, and of course the public's favorite mobile computing device.

We rush here to there. We have less time is seems than people did years ago. The fact is that we just burn more of it and demand more from it. But, when you can take some of that time and turn it into a profit, things can begin to look, well, up. Mobile computing allows you to stay focused, no matter what you do or when on a variety of options and to a variety of networks. Here are some of the ways that you can stay ahead of the game.

Planning a power lunch but are you afraid to leave the office to miss some important email? Well then don't worry, take mobile computing with you. You can take your whole laptop if you like, but you just do not have to. You can use your pocket pc or even your mobile computing cell phone to do all the work for you. Yes, nothing is easier.

Need to send a file and forgot to? Don't even need to call the office and tell them that you messed up again. All you need to do is to flip open that phone and begin a mobile computing session that will get the job done in seconds.

There are so many ways that mobile computing fits into our lives. In fact, there are so many ways and we use them so much that we seem to forget what life is like without them. Mobile computing is one of the most important, can't live without it services that we have today.

Having a notebook or laptop provides the freedom to be truly mobile. You can work in many places and situations. But this brings an annoyance: if you move your notebook between various different networks, you always have to change network settings.

Recently my employer has issued me a brand new notebook. When I came home at the end of the day, I had to disable DHCP, set up an IP-address and DNS configuration. Next morning I needed to reverse my configuration to work at my office. The real headache began when I went to our customer site...

SWITCHING NETWORK SETTINGS ON THE FLY.

There are three ways to switch a notebook between networks with one click. First is to use a built-in windows feature of saving and loading network settings. This way is for experienced users. Second is by using Windows XP "alternate configuration" feature. The third way is to use third-party utilities like Net Profile Switch, IPSwitch etc. Let's discuss all three.

WINDOWS "NETSH" UTILITY.

Windows 2000 comes with the "netsh" utility that gives you the possibility to "dump" all network settings into a file which you can later use to restore your complete Network settings.

To Save the current Settings use "netsh -c interface dump >netset1.txt" To Load the Settings again use "netsh -f netset1.txt"

Create a dump file for every Network that you use (e.g.., netset2.txt, etc.) and create a desktop shortcut for every Network.

Pros: - Cons: hard for inexperienced users, does not deal with switching a proxy server in a web-browser, mapping network drives etc.

WINDOWS XP "ALTERNATE CONFIGURATION" FEATURE

Windows XP contains the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) properties" dialog box, which has a tab "Alternate Configuration" in it. You can specify "alternative" settings, which would be used when the "default" settings are not accessible.

Pros: simple Cons: does not deal with three or more networks, no proxy switching etc.

"NET PROFILE SWITCH" UTILITY

Another way is to use the "Net Profile Switch" utility from Jitbit Software (http://www.jitbit.com/). This tool creates a profile with your configuration settings, and you can easily switch between locations by activating a profile with one click. Net Profile Switch not only switches the TCP/IP protocol settings but also switches the proxy-server settings of your Web Browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox), Windows Firewall settings and maps/unmaps network drives for each location. There a free non-commercial edition of this tool available.

Before you purchase your laptop you'll want to familiarize yourself with the various features and determine what you need and what you do not. Some folks seek out all the latest bells and whistles. For others it's about getting your typical job done efficiently and cost effectively.

Here are some helpful hints:

To save yourself money look for a Celeron processor. Less expensive than a Pentium, it will work fine for all but the most detailed graphics projects. If you're a graphic artist or a professional programmer, however, seek out a laptop with Pentium processing.

126 MB RAM is the least you can be comfortable with nowadays, no matter what you're doing. And, unless you're buying used you're probably not going to find a laptop with less anyway. But what if you want to upgrade your memory? How easy is it to do that? How accessible is the panel for the memory chips? Are you comfortable with doing it yourself if you have to remove the case? Make sure it's not a laptop that actually requires some outside technical help to install more memory. .

The life of the installed battery is important. Generally the range of battery life available to laptops is two-four hours. Which is adequate depends on where you're going to be when you use your laptop. If you're a traveling sales rep who needs a laptop to your emails and prepare the daily report from your hotel room each evening you won't be using your battery a lot. If, however, you envision the life of the mobile warrior, sometimes creating your graphic or written masterpiece from the beach, or while traveling by air, you won't be able to rely on the power cord and electricity. You'll want that four-hour battery.

Make sure you have a minimum of three ports, to accommodate a number of peripherals such as printers, cameras and external floppy drives or modems. The number of ports you need depends on the internal features of your laptop as well as your own need for peripherals.

Obviously, if you have an internal modem you don't need a port for an external one. But if you have only a CD drive and copy to floppy on your PC at home, for the two to talk to each other you're going to need an external floppy drive on your laptop. For this you'll need a port. Be cognizant also of the types of ports. Your old mouse may connect by parallel port, but the newest versions require USB connection.

Make sure you have an internal modem and fax rather than external. And if you're shopping for a brand new laptop the wireless feature is terrific. Many places, such as RV and other resorts are totally Wi-Fi capable now.

If you're used to a traditional mouse do play around with several versions of mice available on laptops. Some will drive you crazy until you get used to them. See if you're most comfortable with trackball, touch pad or trackpoint. While you're checking that, play with that keyboard. So much smaller than a PC keyboard, you may have difficulty typing accurately with some. Try several.

The final things you'll want to compare are the software and the warranty. Major software programs such as Windows are almost always included in brand new systems, but do check. Especially if buying used. You can spend many hundreds of dollars on Microsoft Office and the latest Windows version if you don't have a version that you can upgrade.

Laptops or notebook computers can empower any business or company. They can be a platform for a fully equipped workforce, one that is well organized and ready to meet all of today's vast technological challenges. A workforce that's cohesive, well connected and totally prepared for the modern work place.

Laptops are state-of-the-art communication machines. These sophisticated devices are ideal for many business applications such as record keeping, wireless networking, presentations, instant communication... can your company really compete in today's business world without this great techno advantage?

Not completely!

Laptops should be a vital element in your company's overall business strategy. They should be a priority on your company's acquisition list for they just may be the competitive edge your company needs to increase production and beat out the competition.

Purchasing any kind of high tech device can be a real challenge in itself. Laptops are no exceptions. Notebook technology is constantly changing, there's a new generation of notebook technology every two years or so. Keeping abreast of recent advances is not an easy job.

Notebooks are getting smaller, faster and are almost matching the performance level offered by their bigger cousin -- the desktop computer. And for the first time in history, they are outselling their desktop rivals.

Laptops are also becoming better connected, most high quality notebooks come with Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) connections, many have a tri-mode 802.11a/b/g wireless system. Some recent models, like the Sony's New Ultra-Portable VAIO VGN-T350P, are raising the bar, it has the world's first 'Built-in Cellular Modem'. You can use your cell phone to connect to the Internet. This may be a great advantage since finding a 'Hot Spot' in some parts of the world can still be difficult.

One of the main features of a good business laptop is portability. A great business laptop must be very portable. You should be able to carry it around in your briefcase or under your arm with ease. Its weight should not cause you any discomfort even if you have to lug it around all day.

Most lightweight and small laptops can be found in the 'Thin and Light' and 'Ultra-portable' categories of notebooks. Notebooks in those classes are usually well under 5 pounds, around 10 by 14 inches in size and approximately an inch thick. Many are a lot smaller.

But don't let the small size fool you, these laptops are very powerful. They can do almost any business application you can throw at it. However, you must make sure your company's laptop is powerful enough to get the job done. It's usually agreed that you need at least 256MB RAM for Windows XP and Mac OS X. You will only need 128MB for other operating systems in Windows or Mac.

Storage space should not be a problem, most recent models come with 60 to 100 GIG hard drives which should be sufficient space for most companies. If your company deals in heavy graphics or visual work more space can be obtained with an extra external hard drive.

The main function of your laptops should be considered. For instance, if you have workers that require a lot of note-taking (floor managers/inspectors, real estate agents, medical personnel, etc.) a slate or tablet PC would be a more appropriate choice for your company. If your workers or employees do a lot of traveling then you want the lightest and most portable laptop or notebook you can find.

Battery life will also be very important for the traveling business person. Must recent laptops now supply 5 or more hours of power, if you want more you should considered buying an extra battery or two. Also, remember when choosing your laptop battery always pick the battery with the higher numbered cells. More cells will give you longer battery life.

Security is another consideration for your company's laptop. You must be careful to protect sensitive company records or documents -- some notebooks like those in the IBM/Sonoma ThinkPad series include an integrated fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication that uses an Embedded Security Subsystem and Password Manager. This offers extra security.

Along with security, your company will need a laptop that's sturdy and well built, especially if your workers do a lot of business traveling. Many laptops are ruggerized and can take a decent pounding or two. Some even offer some novel sturdiness features such as IBM's Active Protection System which is designed to protect the hard drive from falls and spills for those accident prone notebook users in your company.

Perhaps, the most important tip and buying factor is price. Outfitting your workforce with laptops doesn't come cheap. But you can save money if you practice that old adage: 'It pays to shop around and bargain'! Don't just buy your laptops off the rack -- always speak to the manager. Even when buying laptops online, contact the sales staff and try for a special price or bargain. Since you're buying in bulk or volume, many laptop companies and manufacturers will give you a special unit price. The more units you're ordering, the lower the price.

A little haggling will go a long way in lowering the overall cost of your company's laptop purchase; saving your company money. And if you're the person in charge of this purchase, making such a deal will reflect well on you, so try to go out of your way to get a good deal!

Purchasing laptops for mobile labs is often a daunting task for an educator. Mobile labs can be a great asset if the right equipment is purchased. Mobile labs have been shown to increase test scores and help students focus. If the wrong type of equipment is purchased the mobile laptop lab will become one giant paper weight.

Student laptops need to have the following qualities: They need to be “Light”, a really light laptop is less than four pounds. A heavy laptop is over 8LBS. The problem is that a really light laptop costs over $2,000 and schools can’t afford that, so a laptop in the range of six pounds is good.

CD-ROM’s for school laptop labs are optional if not totally unnecessary. I say this because they are usually the first thing to break. Second your computer techs will install all necessary software via ghosting or over the network. Third not having CD-RW’s or DVD-ROMs remove the temptation of using the laptops for non-educational use.

Next the laptops need at least 512 mb of ram (Memory), most educational software is very graphic intensive and need a lot of memory. Anything less that 512mb of memory will cause the laptop to freeze off and on causing frustration for the students and teacher.

Hard drives only need to 30gigs. Installed software for a school laptop should max out at about 4 gigs. Students will not be downloading music or movies so a larger hard drive is not needed.

Next the actual profile of the laptop needs to be thin. Children have smaller hands and the thicker the laptop the more awkward it is for them to type.

Fourth the laptops need to have a integrated wireless 802.11g adapter. The Adapter must be integrated into the laptop. If you decide to use a PCMICA wireless adapter they will get bumped and bruised and broken with in the first month of use.

The laptops need to have a Pentium M processor or Centrino CPU. This extends the life of the battery to 3.5 hours verse 2 hours with out the Centrino technology. The usual rule with batteries is that you can expect to replace them every year. The replacement period for the laptop batteries can be extended by not letting the batteries completely drain. The monitor for the laptop should be 14” or 15”. Anything smaller will be too small for the children to read, and anything larger will be too big and bulky.

Next, the laptops need to have Ethernet network adapters in case they need to plug directly into the network. Finally windows XP professional must be installed for the operating system.

A mobile cart to house the laptops is often the most over looked item for your mobile labs. Your cart will need a power strip to charge the laptops. Your cart will need some sort of lock to prevent theft. It also needs to be easily moved from class to class. If the cart is too large and bulky teachers will hesitate to use it. Next, your cart must be user friendly so students can take out the laptops and place them back in easily. I have seen schools make there own laptop carts and you can purchase them from various vendors. Just remember if the cart isn’t easy to use then your laptops won’t be safe, teachers won’t use them and they will get stolen or broken.

Finally, before you decide on a line of laptops check websites such as cnet.com and amazon.com and read the reviews. Also call your local districts and find out what sort of technology they are using for there mobile labs. A good rule in buying technology is you don’t want to be someone else’s test case.

The little notebook computer or laptop is tailor made for business. It's the perfect communication tool. It's the perfect record keeping tool. It's the perfect presentation tool. And if that wasn't enough, all of the above is neatly packaged into a small portable machine that can be taken anywhere and everywhere.

For any size business, small to medium to jumbo, the notebook computer is fast becoming an essential tool for business.

Savvy business people know acquiring the right tools is an important factor in determining the success or profitability of any company. Therefore, along with the regular outfitting of your company or business - equal consideration should be given to choosing your notebook computers.

Business owners should be aware that notebook technology is changing at a blistering pace. Every two years or so, there is a whole new generation of notebooks and notebook technology to consider. Notebooks are getting smaller, faster, and better connected. They are also offering performance that is matching or almost matching their desktop rivals.

Major reasons why, for the first time in history, notebook computers are outselling their bigger cousins, desktop computers. Business buying, no doubt, plays a significant role in all those sales. Large corporate organizations are buying notebooks for their companies, sales people and employees. It makes for a more competitive company in a very competitive world.

But how do you pick a good business notebook computer? What's the criteria for judging a good machine? What's the right laptop or notebook for your company or sales staff?

Here are some important factors any business should consider when buying a notebook computer or laptop for their company. General factors that determine a good business notebook. Consider these...

Portability

Perhaps, the most significant factor and the main reason you're buying a notebook computer is portability. You can take it anywhere. You can take your records, reports, presentations or products where ever they need to be. For the business traveler or 'road warrior', the notebook computer is an essential tool for their business.

When buying their notebook of choice, these 'road warriors' look at the portability of their notebook. Size and weight are very important. They want something that's light and small, yet powerful enough to do the job. They will probably look in the Ultra-Portable and Thin and Light classes of notebooks to make their choice.

Notebooks in those categories are usually well under 5 pounds, around 10 by 14 inches in size and approximately an inch thick. Small enough to throw in a briefcase or tuck comfortably under your arm. They won't drain your energy even if you have to lug it around all day!

Battery Life

You also have to look for a notebook computer that will last long enough to get the job done. You want sufficient battery life for those long plane trips. Fortunately, battery life is increasing, you can now get up to 5 or more hours on high quality notebooks. Buy the highest numbered cell battery, and buy any optional built-in battery extras that will increase battery life.

Connectivity

You want something that's easy to connect to the Internet so connectivity is another important factor. Being in constant contact with all your employees can be a determining factor in your choice of notebooks. Communication is vital. Most high quality notebooks come with Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) connections, many have a tri-mode 802.11a/b/g wireless system.

Some newer models, like the Sony's New Ultra-Portable VAIO VGN-T350P, are raising the bar, it has the world's first 'Built-in Cellular Modem'. You can use your cell phone to connect to the Internet. This may be a great advantage since finding a 'Hot Spot' in some parts of the world can still be difficult.

Performance

You need to consider the performance level of your business computer. Can it handle all your company's demands, can it handle heavy graphics, charts, diagrams, spreadsheets, etc. Check out the RAM -- higher RAM will be better for graphics and video. It's generally agreed that you need at least 256MB for Windows XP and Mac OS X. You will only need 128MB for other operating systems in Windows or Mac.

Most notebooks come with plenty of storage space, 60-80 GIG hard drives are common. External drives are also available if you need extra space.

Other tasks may be important to your line of business. For example, if you need to take notes in the field, i.e. real estate agents, engineers, doctors or medical personnel -- then a slate or a convertible tablet may be a better choice for your company.

Sturdiness

This is important if you want a notebook for a lot of road work or business traveling. Your notebook should be sturdy or ruggerized to be able to take a good pounding. Many notebooks have some novel sturdiness features such as IBM's Active Protection System which is designed to protect the hard drive from falls and spills for those accident prone notebook users in your company.

Security

Living in today's world we need safeguards and security measures in place to protect your company records and files. Not to mention, to guard against the theft of your notebook computer itself. Along those same lines your notebook computer should have advanced security features. Many notebooks such as the IBM/Sonoma ThinkPad series include an integrated fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication that uses an Embedded Security Subsystem and Password Manager.

Image/Style

At first glance this may seem like a superficial buying point, but not really. In today's business world, image or style does count and contribute to your button line. Sad but true! You want a notebook computer that matches the image of your company.

There is one to fit your needs, you have a whole range of styles of notebooks to choose from, whether it be conservative black or blazing race car red. Most businesses are ultra-conservative (nature of the beast) and should pick a notebook along those conservative lines, other businesses may want to promote a sharper or cooler image such as in fashion, creative arts, music industry...

Price

Economy or Deluxe. Similar to the style, another major buying factor is price. You can go from inexpensive notebooks to luxury models. It all depends on your company's resources and the image you want to project.

You can choose from the relatively inexpensive but very capable DELL notebooks...all the way up to notebook manufacturers like the UK based Rockdirect notebooks which offers upper end products that can be custom made to your specs. You can even choose your own color!

Like any company purchase, especially if you're buying in bulk, getting a good special volume price may play a role in your choice of notebook. Always check with these notebook companies for a group or company order -- you may be pleasantly surprised at the savings.

However, don't sacrifice performance for a special price, make sure the notebook computer you're buying has all the desired qualities: portability, performance, battery life, connectivity, security and style, -- all the features you want in your company's notebook computer. If you consider all these factors, your next business notebook computer purchase should just be a little bit easier.

There's no reason why you can't put this little modern workhorse to work for your business or company. Used properly, the business laptop can make for a well organized and cohesive work force that will pay big dividends down the road, delivering a great return on your initial investment.

The laptop takeover of the world is well under way. Just about everywhere you look, you see one. In the office, at home, on a train commuting to work, there they are. Laptops, laptops everywhere. These devices can be time savers, can amuse a child of any age and can just make life easier in general. Yet, are they the wonder-item many people make them out to be?

If you’ve bumped into someone with a laptop case over one shoulder, a briefcase in hand and juggling a cup of coffee, you may answer an emphatic “No.” What about those people using laptops in a waiting room, that have spread stuff from here to eternity? Aren’t they annoying?

However, for a parent trying to finish a last-minute project in order to make a child’s school play, laptops are heaven sent. Even though it may bug a fellow passenger, that laptop user on the train feverishly clicking away at keys may be using the convenience of laptops so that he or she can coach a child’s baseball game.

Now that laptops no longer weigh about thirty pounds and aren’t twenty feet square (okay, that’s a little exaggeration), it’s easier than ever to cart one around. Some of the deluxe model laptops have a full-sized screen, a monstrous amount of memory and weigh less than two pounds. For someone who grew up prior to a computer in every classroom, this technology is amazing.

Of course, no matter how fascinating it is to think about the portability of laptops, there should be some concern about making work so portable. Conceivably you could take a bath and work at the same time, though that would seem to defeat the purpose of a relaxing soak. Now that you can work from anywhere, are today’s employees expected to do more work?

Maybe. Deadlines seem to be shorter, workloads higher and people worry about work constantly. Can this be blamed on laptops? Perhaps the problem lies with employees who have used such technology to accomplish more, faster, in an attempt to get ahead. Bosses come to expect the increase in production to become the new baseline.

It would seem to be an impossible conundrum, much like the question about which came first, the chicken or the egg. While telecommunication advances have shrunk the world, without laptops the pace at which employees need to work might not have changed.

Of course, laptops are not only for the workplace. Students at college swear by them, being able to take notes, write papers and talk to friends all at the same time. What a change from days gone by.

Laptops are in great use at home too. They take up significantly less room than a desktop and generally have the same capability. For someone in a small apartment or crowded house, a laptop may be the difference between having a computer and not having one.

No matter how you feel about laptops, they - and their successors - will be around for a long time. And if you think laptops are everywhere now, just wait as technology improves through the years to come. Eventually, the invasion will be complete.

Most companies either buy or lease their laptop and notebook computers, but why or when should a company rent?

Here are a few reasons for renting a laptop computer: -If you need a wireless laptop computers for travel and all your company laptops and notebook computers are wired.

-If you need technology on short notice or for a short time, it is best to rent a laptop.

-If your laptop is broken or in the shop.

-If you need a large quantity of laptop computers for a training class, it is best to rent laptops.

-If your laptop computers are on back order but your staff isn't, it's best to rent laptops for immediate installation.

People confuse computer renting with leasing. Renting is short term in nature and is very flexible. Leasing, like buying is a fixed arrangement.

And a company can extend the rental term or even cancel the rental entirely at any time with no penalty.

Leases can't be cancelled without a 'severe penalty'.

Renting laptop computers is totally flexible, requires no capital budget and can be accomplished with a company credit card. For most companies, renting is as easy as getting office supplies.

Most rental companies have expert computer technicians who will deliver, and test your laptop rental right at your office, training room, trade show booth, seminar, convention or conference. Other companies only ship their laptops. If at all possible, have your laptop delivered and tested in front of the users. That will ensure you have 100% operational equipment.

Other reasons why businesses rent laptop computers include short term offices, executives on company business and temporary workers.

Temporary offices can be completely setup with rental laptop computers, printers, copiers and fax machines. The hardware can be installed at any remote location in the United States or Canada.

Rentacomputer.com has set up temporary offices for companies in hotel rooms, trailers, warehouses and rented apartments.

Temporary offices have been set up for State and Federal Government agencies such as the Federa Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), the FBI and the IRS.

Offices have also been setup for legal firms, television networks covering hurricane disasters, movie studios setting up "on location", and new building construction sites, corporate mergers and takeovers use temporary offices.

Temporary Employees

Temporary employees need temporary technology. By renting laptop computers you can coordinate the installation and removal of computers, printers and other technology for any period of time specified. If you hire a temporary employee, hire temporary technology also.

Gone are the days when you would have been laughed at if you walked into an all-night LAN party carrying your trusty laptop and expecting to hang with the giant computer towers standing at everyone’s feet. The gaming laptop computers of today sport huge, crisp LCD screens, cutting-edge video cards and full-size keyboards. Not only can these gaming laptop computers hang with the standard clunky computer tower, but they can also be ordered fully custom to meet the exact specifications of any gamer.

Since there are so many customizable components in these laptops, a standard practice has been to create what some call a “system builder.” This is the page where you get to add and subtract components through drop-down menus in order to create the best gaming laptop computer for your needs and your budget. This type of page can be overwhelming to someone just starting the gaming laptop shopping process, but it is very manageable if you take it just one component at a time.

The Gaming Laptop GPU

This is the heart of a gaming laptop computer. The GPU (graphics processing unit) is a component that will make or break your gaming experience. If your GPU isn’t up to snuff, your games won’t play.

Without getting into specific models since they change all the time, the key is that the graphics card not share resources with the computer. A gaming laptop video card must have its own memory on board. Generally speaking, standard off-the-shelf laptops will not have this feature. The two current makers of laptop video cards are nVIDIA and ATI.

Without the Screen, You Don’t Have Much

What good is a gaming laptop without a screen that can actually render your games? Now certainly, you can connect an external monitor, but if you can’t actually play on your gaming laptop without that external monitor, then your laptop isn’t all that mobile.

While the technology and terminology for LCDs (liquid crystal displays) could take up an entire article in itself, there are a few key points to keep in mind when choosing from available LCD options for your new gaming laptop computer: native resolution, aspect ratio, rise and fall time, contrast, viewing angle, and size.

Native Resolution. The native resolution is simply the setting at which your screen will render the clearest images. Since games are constantly in motion, slightly soft edges may not bother most gamers, but keep in mind that while this is your gaming laptop, you will likely also use it for other things like surfing the Internet. If the resolution isn’t comfortable, you aren’t going to enjoy using it.

Aspect Ratio. As you probably know, a movie theater screen and a TV screen have different proportions. Likewise, there are widescreen format gaming laptops and there are laptops that have a standard aspect ratio –- like that of a TV. A widescreen format gaming laptop (a 16:10 ratio) has advantages and disadvantages. Many games today do not have a widescreen mode. This means that the game may stretch across the screen and become distorted or you may run it with black bars that fill in the sides. There are ways to get around this, but if you want an out of the box perfect experience, the widescreen format may not be for you.

That said, a widescreen LCD does offer plenty of screen real estate for web surfing and other type of computer activities, and a game played in a wide format setting offers an expansive field of view. For this reason, there are some very loyal widescreen-loving gamers out there.

Do your best to find a balance between current and future technology and what your computer habits are beyond gaming. Even with its limitations, the widescreen format is found on most of the best gaming laptop computers.

Rise and Fall. The phrase ‘rise and fall time’ is used to describe how fast the LCD can respond to changes. In the past, LCDs have been plagued with the inability to render images as fast as computer games can spit them out. This presents a major problem for laptop gamers because if they can’t see the images properly, they can’t play the game properly. This lag can mean the difference between playing to win and barely playing.

Fortunately, gaming laptop LCDs have come a long way and they are only getting better. While once it was impossible to game on a laptop screen, the gaming laptop LCDs of today offer 25 milliseconds or less rise and fall time while generally off-the-shelf laptops have 40 milliseconds or less rise and fall time.

Contrast. If a gaming laptop LCD has poor contrast, that means that the black areas aren’t quite as black as they should be and the white areas aren’t quite as white. This is important to a laptop gamer because you have to see the game properly -– as it was intended to be seen -– in order to compete effectively. Look for a contrast ratio of 400:1 or higher in a custom gaming laptop computer.

Viewing Angle. This is an often-overlooked LCD feature, but it must be considered if you are building a gaming laptop computer. Many high quality LCDs on the market are difficult to see clearly at any angle other than straight on and at the right height. This can be a big drawback to gaming on a LCD screen because a screen with poor viewing angles won’t allow others to watch the screen as you play and also hurts your view when doing something as simple as adjusting your seating, which can require you to then adjust to position of your laptop screen to see it properly again.

But gaming on a laptop does not mean that you are doomed to have poor viewing angles. There are LCDs on the market that have amazing viewing angles –- up to 120 degrees. These screens not only allow gaming onlookers, but they also allow you to use that giant, crisp screen to do things like play movies and even make presentations.

Size. In a gaming laptop computer, size is everything. Most gaming laptops are large, robust pieces of electronics. Having a machine of this stature means you also get to have a large screen. The best gaming laptop computer LCD screens out there are at least 15 inches. A crowd favorite is a 17 inch widescreen (even with the challenges that widescreens present). Largr 19 inch laptop screens are just starting to be talked about with consumers expecting to see 19 inch or even large models on the market in the near future.

The best way to really get a feel for what laptop LCDs are all about is to take a trip to a local box store and play with the LCDs on the display laptops while keeping in mind what you have read here. While these laptops are not custom gaming laptops, you can see what the sizes really look like, what different resolutions look like, and what the viewing angles truly are so you can start to develop your own preferences.

The RAM – What Type and How Much?

The RAM (random access memory) found in laptops is called SODIMM (small outline dual inline memory module). The RAM is responsible for your processing power. If you are shopping for a custom gaming laptop, you will generally be offered DDR2 RAM with the choice of how much you want in your computer. Most high-end games being released today need 1GB of RAM for optimum, lag-free game play. Some people are going with 2GB to ensure that they can run multiple applications along with the game and not experience any slow down in response time. This is a large investment and you want to be able to use this gaming laptop for some time in the future. Most custom laptops are user upgradeable, but this should be left up to professionals.

The CPU – Not Just Mobile Technology

The CPUs (central processing units) found in many custom gaming laptops are identical to those found in desktops. These chips require a great deal of cooling power, which in turn can make your laptop louder than light weight, lower power ultra portables when the fans kick on and it can become somewhat warm to the touch. Don’t be alarmed by this -– it is normal. And with these desktop processors comes screaming power! Don’t waste your money on the latest CPU release that likely has an inflated price tag (and that price will likely come down before long). Stick with a current CPU speed that is offered by a reputable custom gaming laptop reseller, and you really can’t go wrong.

The Gaming Laptop Hard Drive

This is the final component to consider when building a gaming laptop. Laptop hard drives come in a variety of speeds and capacities ranging from 4200 to 7200 RPMs and 40 to over 100 GBs. For the most part, this is user preference. Whenever possible, go for a 7200 RPM hard drive, but if you need a capacity not offered in this speed, it’s okay to go for the 5400 RPM drive. Take a look at your current computer, and buy your capacity based on this. Also keep in mind that with many custom gaming laptop manufacturers, you have the ability to upgrade or add another hard drive at a later date.

At the end of the day, gaming laptop computers are all about power. Don’t expect a twelve-pound notebook with a desktop processor, numerous fans, a giant heatsink, and independent video card to last on battery power all that long. But do make sure to enjoy the jawdrops that you’ll get as you walk into your regular LAN party location with your new, screaming-fast gaming laptop computer. Crack that puppy open, fire it up, and stand clear of the drool as you take on your favorite game with fellow gamers gathered around to take in the action. Gaming is not just for desktops anymore!

Are you wireless? Should you be? Does it matter?

With wireless capabilities being built into every new laptop under the sun, the internet is quickly becoming an always-on, always accessible way of doing business.

So what does that mean for you then?

Well, I don't need to tell you the value of being able to communicate with your clients from anywhere, at anytime. (Of course, we all have the power to choose just how accessible and available we are to our clients, but I digress...)

The real power of a quick email reply to an urgent client request from your wireless device of choice is this: it makes your client feel VALUED and IMPORTANT. It is a feeling we all live for. Delivering that feeling to your clients will do more for increasing your profits than many other activities.

That's the power of wireless.

Want to go wireless? Here are some basics. Much of this is not stuff you need to remember, but just information to help fill out your understanding:

*Wireless networks have flavors. There aren't many, but most wireless networks are one of three types, which are labeled by the letters a, b, and g. The differences are quite technical. In short, A and B are pretty old and G is the newest and the fastest. End of story.

*Wireless networks have names. These network names have been given the techie acronym SSID, which stands for Service Set IDentifier. When you sit down at your laptop and pull up the list of wireless networks in the area, the names in that list are, you guessed it, the SSIDs. Please don't bother to remember this acronym, you most likely won't need it again.

*Wireless networks can have extra security. This extra security comes in the form of encryption. Just like the technology used to protect your data when logging on to your bank accounts online, wireless networks can be (and should be) ENCRYPTED to protect your business data.

*New laptops are wireless ready. Most every new laptop comes with wireless access built in. No additional hardware or software is required. For older laptops, however, you will need a small wireless card that can be purchased for anywhere between $15.00 and $100.00 at your local computer store.

While wireless internet access provides many, many benefits to you and your business, there is a dark side...

As internet access becomes more and more interwoven into the business landscape, internet SECURITY, will become more and more of a priority.

Wireless security is not only something for the tech world to worry about. When dealing with private client data (which we ALL do), it is in your best interest to understand what you are dealing with. Don't worry, it's just a matter of understanding a few simple ideas and then applying them to protect yourself.

By default, most wireless networks send everyone's data flying through the air unprotected. If you have the proper tools (which are easily downloadable from the internet), you can pluck that data straight out of the air.

The wireless access at your local coffee shop or library is most often this type: completely unsecured and open to prying eyes. Yes, even Starbucks lets your data fly through the air, available for all.

So enough scare tactics...

The only word you have to remember when it comes to protecting yourself and your data is ENCRYPTION.

A good rule of thumb: If a wireless network is not encrypted, DON'T connect to it.

Some might say this is a bit paranoid. To that I might say, "Should my clients expect anything less?"

It is one thing if you are a college kid sitting at a coffee shop sending messages back and forth between your friends. It is quite another when you are preparing a legal brief or some other piece of confidential information that will be sent to your client.

So how do you tell if a wireless network is encrypted?

Simple...

If you need a password to connect, it is encrypted. If no password is required, you are operating in the open with no protection whatsoever.

There are various encryption strengths, some suited for your basic office environment and some more suited for even more confidential situations, like a doctor's office.

At this point, the important thing is not so much the strength of the encryption as much as whether or not you have it at all. Most would-be internet thieves (no, that is not their technical name), upon seeing an encrypted wireless network, will move on the thousands and thousands of easier targets with no encryption.

In November 2003, Toronto police arrested a man in an upscale residential neighborhood. They noticed his car driving slowly the wrong way down a one-way street. Upon stopping the car, the police discovered the driver naked from the waist down. What was he doing?

He was using his laptop to download and watch “kiddie” porn from the Internet! How? He was connecting to the internet using unprotected wireless systems in the houses near the road!

Here is the problem, if someone were to access the Internet and download illegal material, then disconnect and drive off; it would look like the homeowner did the downloading. How hard would it be to convince the FBI that you were a victim?

This is not the only time this has happened. In a recent interview, attorney Joseph Burton, of Duane Morris Law Firm, said, “Is it possible a home owner can be liable for a lack of security on a wireless network? Yes, if they are negligent in setting up security.” (Richard Shim, CNET News.com).

According to research by the World Wide War Drive over 228,537 wireless access points were detected. Over 62% were totally open and unprotected! In San Antonio Texas, the percentage of unprotected networks is slightly higher.

Some wireless access points can extend their coverage over 300 feet from the unit. Sure, the farther away, the slower the connection, but even one mbps is faster than a dialup connection. Add that to being untraceable and you have a pervert’s heaven!

Having a wireless network connection is a great thing; the freedom it gives you is priceless. With a few precautions, you can secure your wireless connection and surf the World Wide Web from the comfort of your easy chair, bed or backyard.

Conducting a casual site survey around your home will tell you a lot about your vulnerability. Do you live right up on the road? How far from your home, are your neighbors? How far does your signal carry from the wireless unit?

After answering these questions, you can proceed to securing the wireless network itself.

Unfortunately, consumer routers are shipped wide open. That is they have no preconfigured security. You, the homeowner, will have to configure the security setting yourself.

Your wireless router and network interface card (NIC) are the parts that actually talk to each other. Each of them has a MAC address. This is a unique number assigned to every NIC made, worldwide.

Using this MAC address, you set the router security to talk only to certain other MAC addresses. Therefore, if you have two laptops in your network, you add both MAC addresses to your router security setup and any other MAC addresses are blocked.

This security setup works well for keeping the average wireless user out of your system, but a competent hacker can bypass it. A technique called spoofing allows the hacker’s computer to pretend to be one of your laptops and trick the system into letting him in.

To prevent this you would need to add additional layers of security. Keep in mind though, every additional layer of security adds to the burden of your network. It slows things down. Litigation seems to be a national past time these days. Protect yourself and your family by taking some of the precautions listed above. If you feel you need the extra protection offered by WEP or another encryption scheme contact your locate computer technician and have him configure it for you.

This is an especially important decision for those who run their own business and use wireless products. How angry would your customer’s be if someone stole their information off your network and used it to open accounts in their name?

Identity Theft is only one possible outcome, if your network contains patient data you could be in violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Then you would be dealing with the federal government!

Before I go into details, a quick recap of processors is essential. Be aware that it is the processor (cpu) that governs the price of the laptop (along with the screen size). The two major companies manufacturing CPUs are Intel and AMD (there’s Apple too but lets stick to mainstream laptops). Intel makes the famous line of Pentium processors (’’Intel inside’’ ting tong ting tong!). For laptops you have three main cpus available - Mobile Pentium 4 (basically a desktop P4 processor), Pentium M (low voltage cpus which enhance battery life and are specially built for laptops) and the Mobile Celeron processor (poor man’s P4 cpu). Wait a minute, you say, you didnt mention the Centrino processor. That’s because Centrino is not a processor - it’s a technology. Centrino is a combination of 3 things - Pentium M cpu + 855 chipset + Wireless Pro (802.11b). The other company is AMD - they make really good cpus that rival Intel’s cpus. Traditionally AMD cpus have had heat generation problems but lately there aren’t many complaints. I would advice you to stick to Intel processors which have good re-sale value.

The next Q is....what will you use the laptop for? Are you going to use it for simple stuff - spreadsheets/word processing / internet browsing? Then go in for a Celeron CPU. If you are going to do more serious computing, intend travelling frequently and want to run the laptop on its battery, go in for a Pentium M laptop. If you need wireless access go in for a Centrino laptop or a Pentium M laptop (u can add wireless technology using a pcmcia card). If you aren’t going to move the laptop around much or you want a laptop for games, get a Mobile P4 laptop. But be aware that a Mobile P4 laptop is a desktop replacement - it will be heavy and will run hot.

Now that you have the CPU decided, think about the size of the screen. 15’’ is today’s ’’sweet spot’’. But you do get smaller or bigger screens. Choose the size that fits your budget. 14’’ or less is a bit too small these days unless of course you want a ultra portable (read expensive) laptop. For gamers, the bigger the screen the more fun they will have. Bigger screens are also good for spreadsheet warriors and DTP professionals.

The next item on your list is RAM (temporary memory). Most laptops come with Windows XP which needs at least 256 mb ram to run happily. I urge you to upgrade to 512 ram for best results. The more RAM you have, the better your laptop will behave. It is said that increasing your RAM is the best and cheapest way of improving performance of any computer (i.e. without changing the motherboard/cpu).

Another thing to look at is the graphics memory. You can either choose dedicated video memory or shared architecture. Dedicated memory means that your video card has its own memory and does not have to ’’beg’’ for memory from the system memory (RAM). A rule of the thumb - dedicated memory = fast performance. Gamers and DTP guys must insist on dedicated memory. Good graphic chips are ATI Mobility Radeon or Nvidia GeForce. The more video memory you have, the better it is. Try to get a laptop with at least 32 mb video memory. Most laptops use shared architecture these days which is a cost cutting measure (an example of shared architecture is Intel’s extreme graphics). If you are not going to play serious 3D games or run heavy duty graphic programmes, shared architecture will be just fine. But make sure that you have enough system RAM (read 512) because the video memory is going to steal part of your RAM.

The hard drive capacity will be in the region of 30 gb and above. Get the maximum bang for your buck - don’t fall into the ’’I’ll never need that much capacity’’ rut. You will need all the hard drive space you are given so get the biggest capacity you can afford. For normal laptop users 40 gb is sufficient. You can easily increase hard drive space by buying an external USB 2.0 hard drive.

Battery life is very important for road warriors. Expect 3-5 hours battery life from most laptops. Mobile P4 laptop batteries will last much less. Always go in for a lithium ion battery as against a nickel hydride one.

Most laptops offer optical drives - the best value for money today is DVD-ROM + CD-RW drive. This means that you can read DVDs and read/write CDs. If you have lots of money to spend, get a laptop with a rewritable DVD drive.

Sound quality on laptops is just about acceptable for movies/songs/games – you cant go wrong with Harmon Kardon / Altec Lansing speakers.

One important factor to consider is weight. You don’t want a dislocated shoulder do you? So ....the lighter the laptop, the better it is for your health! The catch is that the lighter the laptop, the more expensive it is going to be. Don’t forget the AC adapter - some laptops have huge adapters which weigh a ton!

Don’t ignore a floppy drive - most laptops don’t have floppy drives any more. But don’t worry - USB external floppy drives are cheap. Ask the salesman to give you one for free; he will oblige you if he wants to make the sale. While you are at it, ask him for a free laptop bag as well.

Get a laptop with lots of USB ports which will come in handy and will improve the versatility of your laptop. Make sure that the USB ports are USB 2 (technology which is much faster than the old USB 1.0). An external USB mouse is a must as the inbuilt pointing devices are really painful to use.

All laptops come with built in modems and usually have LAN connectivity. Some laptops offer card slots where you can read/write to memory cards (as used in cameras).

Most laptop companies offer minimum software - Windows XP and basic stuff. They won’t even give you Office software. You will have to add more software yourself. To keep prices down, some companies offer Linux operating systems - unless you are seriously strapped for cash, I would advice you to stick to windows. As soon as you get your new laptop, make copies of the recovery CDs and store the original CDs safely. Carry the copies with you when travelling extensively.

Now, armed with the above knowledge dive into the market and choose the best laptop you can afford. Compaq and Toshiba make excellent laptops so check them out first. Compaq is generally cheaper than Toshiba. I used a Compaq laptop initially but later on moved to Toshiba as I found their laptops better. This is a personal choice so don’t read too much into it. Compaq and Toshiba are well established in most countries so repairs are not a problem. Find out where the nearest repair centre is and keep that information handy.

A laptop is usually a long term buy - forget about upgrading laptops. So choose carefully. Check the warranty - National and International. Remember that some companies will not honour your International warranty and will tell you to take the laptop back to the country where you bought it! Make sure you clarify this point before you buy the laptop.

Take good care of your laptop. Invest in a surge protector. Don’t move the laptop when it is switched on. And remember the golden rule - NEVER drink tea/coffee while working on a laptop!

Don’t be surprised but buying a laptop can be even harder than buying a desktop computer. In fact, buying a computer is very straightforward. Laptops, however, are very personal stuff because it’s something that you will carry around with you and sometimes act as more than just a computer for you to work on. They become a companion! That’s why finding and selecting the right laptop can be very tricky.

Hard core computer gamers or people who will use their laptops for designing or video production may need more help than just reading about buying laptops. For conventional laptop users, here’s something for you to digest.

The price for laptops varies drastically from brand to brand. Some laptops can cost $500 while some laptops can cost you $6,000. Some entry-level (meaning basic laptops) can be bought for between $600 and $900. If you grab a laptop off eBay or other rebate or dropshipping websites, you might get a mid-range laptop for far less than that.

Even for basic laptop users, the description and specifications for the laptop is very, very important. If you’re not sure, check around and ask your friends for advice on how to buy a good laptop for the lowest price possible. You should be getting a laptop that comes with AT LEAST 512 megabytes of memory. The size of the memory ensures that your laptop can run multiple programs smoothly. As for hard drive, invest in as big a hard drive for your laptop as you can afford. Another thing that you may have to look out before you invest in the laptop is to find out how many USB ports that the laptop has. Most laptops come with at least 2 USB ports, the more the better. If you use a camera or thumb drive (disk key), this is where you insert the cable – the USB ports. You don’t want to have to remove the USB cable for your printer and mouse every time you try to save pictures from your camera to your laptop! Some laptops come with slots for camera memory cards, for instance, your compact flash cards.

If you’re keen on getting a Windows based laptop, the security of your laptop should be at the top of your priority lists. Windows SP2 XP should be ideal because it comes with antispam, antispyware, antipopups and antivirus programs. Some laptop retailers may offer you cheap or free programs that you can install into the laptop as a second layer protection to your laptop.

Other factors to take into account when shopping for laptops are the screen size, the life of the battery, the processor of the laptop, screen and keyboard, wi-fi networking, size and weight of the laptop.

Thieves find laptops easy prey because they are small, light and easy to handle. Anyone who takes their eye off a laptop in public, even briefly, may never see it again.

While special theft protection devices are offered for mobile computers, experienced thieves often view this as little more than an annoyance. In the end, the loss of the hardware is only part of the problem. It's when sensitive data resides on the laptop that real problems begin.

Common thieves can be good at instantly taking advantage of a laptop owner's inattentiveness: The thief strikes while passing by, snapping up laptops in a airport food courts, desks in offices or unlocked automobiles. The hot laptops are then converted into cash easily by using an internet auction site.
"One in ten laptops gets stolen," according to Bill Schiering, of Camera Security Now, which sells security camera systems.

Businesses with laptops can be protected with an inexpensive internet based camera system, says Schiering.

"Security Camera systems are likely at best to scare off the common garden variety thieves," says PC expert Andrew Wendt from the Computer Service Now.

"More important than protecting the laptop is protecting sensitive company data," says Anthony Cipollone, Tech Travel Agent for Rentacomputer.com, a nationwide computer rental firm. The theft of databases hurts companies more than the loss of the laptop, especially since company laptops are often covered by insurance and databases are not.

If a thief gets control of company documents or sensitive access codes, these can lead to greater damages. Users must therefore take steps before a theft occurs. This includes encrypting data on the hard drive or by only accessing company data via Terminal Services or Citrix remote desktop operating systems," Cipollone says.

To prevent access to the laptop's data, users should also create additional Windows and BIOS passwords, Wendt says. Experienced hackers can get around these, however, warns PC expert Cipollone. An alternative for preventing unauthorized access is fingerprint scanners, says Wendt from Computer Service Now.

In the end, a combination of steps is the best, Wendt advises. The latest theft protection devices for laptops are now offered as PC expansion cards, containing a motion sensor and encryption software is a must.

Companies should record the laptop's serial number so that the police can make a positive identification in case of a theft recovery. Laptop owners can also make recovery of their laptops easier engraving the company name in the plastic case of the laptop.

There one more trick for keeping thieves at bay while traveling. Use a regular suitcase instead of a classic laptop bag for transporting the laptop. The surest way to keep a thief away from stealing your company laptop is to not make it obvious you have a laptop computer.

The notebook computer is coming of age. For the first time in history, notebooks or laptops are out-selling their bigger cousins, desktop computers.

The rise in popularity of the notebook computer can be contributed to many factors: drop in prices, stiff competition, aggressive marketing, but perhaps the biggest factor -- increased performance.

With each new generation of notebooks, we are seeing some novel breakthroughs: dual core notebooks, PCI Express, Sonoma Chipset, increased storage, increased RAM, faster CPUs, better battery life and better wireless access including a Cellular Modem Connection. All these new innovations are making for a more powerful computer embodied in a sleeker smaller package that consumers want.

However, as most notebook enthusiasts know, to get full enjoyment from your laptop or notebook computer you must have certain essential accessories. These laptop accessories will greatly enhance your notebook experience and make for a much more satisfying all-around 'complete laptop'.

Here's a wish list of laptop accessories you may want to consider purchasing:

1. Carrying Bag or Backpack This is essential if you will be doing a lot of traveling. You might even want to consider a wheeled bag for those heavier laptops. Try to purchase a laptop carrying bag that has plenty of compartments for all those notebook peripherals. Always check to see if your laptop or notebook will fit!

2. Extra Battery Since most batteries last less than 5 hours you will need an extra battery or two. You should also check out bringing along an external battery for your laptop.

3. Port Replicator This is one essential you should consider buying for your laptop or notebook computer. It's a real hassle dealing with all those wires and connections on your laptop, that's where your port replicator or docking station solves your problem. Plug all your peripherals into the docking station or port replicator -- connect and disconnect your laptop with ease without having to deal with all those wires and connections. A must have!

4. Auto and Airplane ac adapter Another essential laptop accessory if you do a lot traveling, battery life on most notebooks is not great so having a handy source of ac power from your auto or from an airplane is a 'no-brainer'!

5. USB Hub Some older model notebooks come with only one or two USB ports; if you need more -- try a handy USB hub. It will give you more options.

6. Wireless Card Most laptops and notebooks now come with a wireless card. Many top brands have 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g or all three! If your notebook doesn't have a wireless card, you can get a rather inexpensive 802.11b Linksys PC Card adapter for under $50.

You may also want to check out the new Sony VAIO VGN-T350P -- it has the world's first 'Cellular Modem Built In'-- access the Internet thru your cell phone. It has an Integrated EDGE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth for the ultimate in wireless networking.

EDGE stands for 'Enhanced Data for Global Evolution' thru the Cingular Wireless national network.

7. Optional External Hard Drive Most notebooks or laptops now come with a 40 to 100 gig hard drives, but still if you download and save a lot of movies or songs you will take up that storage space quicker than you ever thought possible. If you need an extra hard drive for storage or back-up, try an external hard drive.

8. Optional External DVD Burner Many laptops now come with a built in DVD drive but in case you need this extra for or DVD burning (movies, songs, videos, etc.) try an external DVD burner for your notebook. For maximum compatibility, try to get one that supports both DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW formats.

9. Optional Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Might sound strange suggesting this option since most laptops already come with a keyboard! But depending on your notebook make and model, the keyboards on most notebooks are not the greatest to type with. It all has to do with the wrong angles and the shape of the laptop, so if you want a wireless desktop style keyboard and mouse, it is relatively cheap to buy.

10. Insurance! If you do a lot of traveling, you may want to invest in some laptop insurance. Laptop theft is still a big problem and it's better to be safe than sorry.

Acquiring any of these laptop accessories will greatly improve your notebook computer, making for a hassle-free computing experience that you will appreciate and enjoy much more. So don't skimp, instead, bring your laptop enjoyment up to its highest level by purchasing some of these much needed laptop accessories.

There are three refurbished laptop battery types, each named for its component materials:

Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries are hardly ever seen anymore. They have dismally low capacities (2000-3000 mAH) and contain heavy metals that harm the environment. Worst of all is the dreaded “memory effect”. When you recharge a NiCad battery before it is completely drained, the longevity of the battery is compromised. That is the memory effect.

Nickel Metal Hybrid (NiMH) batteries have twice the capacity of NiCad batteries (4000-6000 mAH) and are half as susceptible to the memory effect. But these too are becoming rare.

Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries are today’s laptop battery standard. They have all the capacity of a NiMH battery, but zero memory effect and zero toxins. Bonus: Li-Ion batteries weigh half as much as NiMH batteries.

In purchasing a battery, the consumer has three options: used, refurbished, or new.

Used laptop batteries that are not refurbished will probably only last you 30 minutes to an hour before needing recharging.

Refurbished laptop batteries are available from most manufacturers and retailers of refurbished laptops. These batteries are renewed, recharged, and tested. They are much better than plain old used batteries, but not quite as good as new.

New laptop batteries last a good couple of years – 600-800 recharges – as long as they are properly cared for.

Extending Battery Power

Whenever you are using your laptop near a power source, use the A/C adaptor. However, sometimes you will be forced to use your laptop with no access to a wall outlet, and the battery will run low. Here are three things you can do to extend the remaining power in the battery:

First, if your laptop processor features a power-save mode, switch over to power-save mode. This will slow the laptop by up to 50%, doubling battery life for that time period.

Second, turn off extraneous energy-sucking elements. The major power vampires in your laptop are the hard drive, the CD and DVD drives, any networking devices, and any excessively bright screen settings.

Third, you can double overall battery capacity by installing a second battery. Your laptop must have a universal bay in order to do this. All you have to do is remove the CD-ROM or floppy drive and put a battery in its place.

HP refurbished laptops can be found on their website hpshopping.com. Just enter “refurbished laptop” into their search field and browse through the current selections. (Note that Hewlett-Packard also owns and distributes Compaq computers.) There you can purchase a quality refurbished laptop for up to 30% off the new retail price.

The HP lines are named Pavilion and Omnibook; the Compaq brand offers the Presario laptop at refurbished rates.

The Pavilion line is by far the most popular. They are most suited to replace your home desktop computer, or assist any student in creating the perfect reports and multimedia presentations. They are slim, sleek, and very mobile – usually under 5 pounds. In order of performance, the most common Pavilion notebooks are the ze4000, ze5000, and ze1200. They come as cheap as $1000 from the manufacturer.

The Omnibook line is more suited to the serious home user and businessperson. They feature powerful, long-lasting batteries, interchangeable media bays, and ultra slim design – usually less than 4 pounds. These can cost as little as $1200 refurbished. The 20-30% savings is immense. They come with Intel Pentium 3, 4, or M processors. The most common lines are the 6100, 6200, and 4100 models. Ask the manufacturer or private refurbished laptops dealer for details on which Omnibook would fit you.

The Compaq Presario line is perfect for the money-conscience laptop user. One Presario model utilizes an Intel Celeron M processor to power the amazing graphics capabilities. It features 512MB of RAM and a jaw-dropping 40GB of hard drive space. It includes a DVD/CD-RW, which allows you to both play and record any DVD or CD that you wish. You can get all of these features for only $800, making it not the least expensive of refurbished laptops, but certainly a great deal.

Toshiba offers a few of their refurbished laptops in the “Clearance Store” of their official website toshibadirect.com. There you can purchase their laptops at 20-30% discounts, refurbished and as good as new. Toshiba inspects all returned and overstocked notebooks, replaces any defective parts, and resells them. You the consumer reap the benefits.

Toshiba refurbished laptops are usually available in their Satellite, Satellite Pro, Portegé, Tecra, and Qosmio lines. The Satellite series is the most commonly refurbished model. They are powerful and comparatively inexpensive. However, they are not as affordable as Dell or IBM laptops. This is in part due to the fact that Toshiba Satellite notebooks are better equipped to handle multimedia presentations. They usually include media hardware that allows you to hook the unit up to a television or projection screen. They are perfect for students and casual home users.

The Toshiba Qosmio line is one of the best laptops for multimedia and computer gaming. The Qosmio usually comes with a Pentium 4 or Pentium M processor – some of the best and fastest processors around. Their 15.4” screens run larger than most other brands – perfect for watching movies, playing video games, and viewing documents side-by-side. Their expansion capabilities are also top-notch, so you can continue to use your Toshiba laptop for years to come.

One of the laptops Toshiba offers at a discount is the Satellite A60. This is packed with all the portable technology for most of your computing needs, at only $850. It’s heavy, but a little extra weight comes along with all the multimedia features it offers.

When buying a refurbished Toshiba laptop computer, make sure you are able to find disk drivers that match the unit. It can be difficult to acquire these. Check with Toshiba Direct, or visit a trusted third-party refurbisher.

Of course, Toshiba offers the industry standard 90-day warranty on both its notebooks and batteries. When buying from a third-party distributor, ask about their particular warranty plans.

Dell offers a full line of refurbished laptops on their website, dell.com. Look for “Outlet Refurbished Laptops.” There you will find a full range of popular models that run just as reliably as a new machine – for hundreds of dollars less than you would pay for new versions. This is because Dell refurbished laptops are inspected for “good-as-new” quality. The only differences are the red label on the bottom of the unit and a lower price.

Dell’s most popular refurbished laptops are Latitude and Inspiron. The Latitude series of “notebook” computers is no longer manufactured, but is still a great buy for someone looking for an up-to-date machine. Latitude is an apt name for these models: they afford you great leeway in updating, expanding, or otherwise changing the internal workings of the computer. With its black chassis and clean lines, it is a rather “normal” looking computer. It is a middleweight unit, but sized to fit any standard laptop case, along with AC/DC adaptor, mouse, floppy and zip disks, and other accessories. The Dell Latitude C600, CPX, and L400 are the three most popular models in the line.

The Inspiron series of notebook computers is still manufactured today, with some modifications. Slightly older versions are still a great way to meet all your computer needs. Inspirons are not quite as expandable as Latitudes, but, with their jazzy black-and-silver chassis, have a distinctive look. Inspiron laptops are also a bit more affordable than Latitudes. Furthermore, Inspiron ranks among the highest performing laptops available, with famously long battery life The Dell Inspiron 1100 and 1150 are the two most common models in the line of refurbished laptops at Dell.

If you are looking to get the lowest price on a Dell laptop, look for one that uses a Celeron processor instead of an Intel. Celeron is less expensive, and also uses less battery juice, than Intel.

When comparing refurbished laptop models, ask about these specifications:

Central Processing Unit: The CPU or processor is the heart of the computer. The more software you want in your refurbished laptop, the more powerful the processor has to be. A 32-bit processor is less powerful and less expensive than a 64-bit processor.

Operating System: The operating system, or OS, is the graphic interface between you and whatever programs you are running. Windows and Unix are the two main families of operating systems. Windows is the more common interface, and therefore less expensive.

Screen Size: Smaller does not necessarily mean cheaper; some smaller models are just as powerful as some larger models but more portable.

Hard Drive Size: The hard drive, or HD, is the permanent information storage disk inside the unit. HD capacity is measured in gigabytes. A GB is one billion bytes. A byte is a piece of information, such as text, sound, or picture. The larger the HD is, the more software it can handle and the more expensive the laptop will be.

Hard Drive Speed: HD speed is measured in revolutions per minute – usually 5000 to 15,000 RPM. The faster the HD, the better and more expensive the laptop will be.

Random Access Memory: The RAM is the temporary storage chip that continually updates information while you are using the computer. Today 64 megabytes is the entry level RAM size, suitable for running many programs simultaneously. The greater the storage capacity of the RAM, the more powerful and expensive it is.

Media Bay: The media bay contains the slots for playing and recording CDs and DVDs. Older laptops might only allow the playing of CDs, whereas newer laptops allow you to both play and record CDs and/or DVDs. The more features there are in the media bay, the more you can do with your laptop, and the more you will spend.

Modem: Modems can take the form of dial-up telephone modems, or fast cable or direct satellite linkup modems. The faster your type of modem is, the more easily you will be able to surf the web and the more costly your laptop will be.

The price will be affected by all these specifications, along with added features, how well preserved the chassis is, the name of the manufacturer, and whether you acquire the laptop form the factory or through a private dealer. Private dealers charge less, but beware: not all dealers are up to par with their refurbishing skills. Be sure to go to one that is reputable and experienced.

Computing freedom, independence, and mobility don’t have to come with a hefty price tag.

Manufacturers refurbish laptop computers that have been returned. The laptop might have a scratched screen or other minor blemish. In some cases, the laptop was an unwanted gift or its packaging was dented. The laptop is inspected by the manufacturer, tested for quality, and repackaged for sale at a much lower price.

While many new laptops can cost thousands of dollars, most refurbished laptop computers usually cost less than a couple of grand, and often less than $500. In most cases, they are as good as new and have a very low return rate. They even come with guarantees and warranties, just as you would expect with a new model.

A refurbished laptop can satisfy most people’s basic computing needs, such as word processing, running software, reading e-mail, creating spreadsheets, playing CDs, surfing the Internet, and more. Laptops allow access to all these features from anywhere.

All laptop manufacturers offer refurbished laptops, including such popular brands as Dell, IBM, Toshiba, and HP.

Computer prices are affected by type of processor, operating system, modem, and network card; size of the hard drive and RAM (Random Access Memory); and whether there is a CD/DVD-ROM/RW, a video card, a sound card, and zip drive. Prices are also affected by screen size and type of chassis.

The price will be affected by all these specifications, along with how well preserved the chassis is, the name of the manufacturer, and whether you acquire the laptop form the factory or through a private dealer. Private dealers charge less, but beware: not all dealers are up to par with their refurbishing skills. Be sure to go to one that is reputable and experienced.

The gaming laptop is coming of age! It is steadily increasing in popularity as performance quality goes up. Gamers now regularly consider laptops or notebooks when searching for that perfect gaming machine.

With each new generation of notebooks we are seeing some novel breakthroughs: dual core notebooks, PCI Express, Sonoma chipset, increased storage, increased RAM, faster CPUs, better battery life and better wireless connections including a Cellular Modem. All welcome news for gamers and notebook lovers alike.

Generally, gamers are a very demanding group, they know their computers and they know what they want in their computers. Most gamers like to order their gaming laptop with their own specs and configurations. In that light, if you closely examine the main points gamers consider when configuring or building their Dream Machine -- you will have a good blueprint for the best gaming machine.

Since notebook technology changes every two years or so, it's probably wise to purchase a laptop that can be easily upgraded as new products come on line. So consider the upgradable factor in any notebook that you plan to buy.

Now, lets look at some of these key gaming factors:

GRAPHICS

You must have the best/latest/fastest Graphics on the market. DUH!

Serious gamers are concerned with graphics, obsessed would probably be a better word. And rightly so! Graphics or the quality of the graphic chipset in your notebook computer will be your first area of consideration and it will greatly determine the gaming performance of your PC.

Go with the latest Graphic Chipset and also check to see if you can upgrade your Graphics Card on the particular machine you're thinking about buying. Many machines allow this.

Here are some Graphic Chipsets that are highly rated: ATi Mobility Radeon 9700, ATI's Mobility FireGL V3200 or Intel's Graphics Media Accelerator 900.

ATi Mobility Radeon 9700 is a high quality Graphics Card or visual processing unit (VPU) present in many next generation notebooks. It will give you higher performance at a lower power level, saving battery power.

It makes your notebook computer capable of many functions: 3D games, wide-screen HDTV, dynamic presentations, mobile video editing studio and graphic processor.

Many notebooks now come with integrated graphics, where components interact and are sometimes shared, especially memory. If you want a notebook computer for 3D games -- check the amount of video RAM -- this is memory that's dedicated to graphic or video applications.

Other common graphic chipsets are: STMicro, NVIDIA, 3D Labs, Matrox, Trident S3 and SIS.

RAM

Get the largest amount of RAM possible. DUDE!

RAM or random-access memory will determine how much graphics your notebook computer will be able to handle. It's best to get the largest amount possible on your machine or what you can afford.

It's generally agreed that you need at least 256MB for Windows XP and Mac OS X. You will only need 128MB for other operating systems in Windows or Mac.

RAM or the amount of RAM on your notebook computer is extremely important if you want to handle heavy graphic files or want to play games on your notebook. The more RAM you have, the more applications you will be able to handle. Some notebook now come with up to 2GB of DDR2 533MHz RAM!

DDR2 SDRAM - is a new standard that can boost conventional SDRAM memory up to speeds well over 200MHz and beyond. For example, the IBM ThinkPad T43, thanks to the Sonoma Chipset or platform has 533MHz DDR 2 SDRAM.

This is much better than standard SDRAM which tops out around 150- 166MHz and DDR SDRAM which starts at 200MHz and goes up to around 400MHz.

Video RAM or VRAM is special memory that's used by video adapters on your notebook. This is RAM that is dedicated to handling the visuals and graphics on your notebook computer. This is helpful if you want to play a lot of the latest 3D video games on your notebook.

It is somewhat different from ordinary RAM because it can be accessed by two different devices at once -- enabling screen updates while the video processor processes new data. VRAM provides better graphics but is more expensive than ordinary RAM.

SPEED

You need the fastest computer money can buy. Period!

In order to get the maximum performance from your ultimate gaming computer you must have the fastest speed you can get or afford. Your ultimate PC must be able to process and handle the latest 3D video games with ease. There is nothing as annoying as your PC freezing up in the middle of some major gaming action!

Therefore, your Processor's speed is very important.

CPU or Central Processing Unit, you probably know it as the processor! It's the heart or rather the brain of your notebook or computer. It does all your computer's data processing and applications. Since it does most of the work, it's usually the most expensive part of your notebook computer.

Go with SATA!

SATA is a type of hard drive and stands for Serial Advanced Technology Architecture. It was developed by a whole group of companies including Seagate, Intel, Maxtor, Dell and others. SATA transmit data in a serially (in a single stream) as opposed to PATA or Parallel ATA which is commonly referred to as an IDE hard drive.

Serial ATA hard drives uses less power and are ideal for notebook computers, they are also more advanced than PATA hard drives which uses multipe streams of data -- go figure! But Serial Technology carries data in a single stream and unlike PATA is not limited to a particular clock speed, Serial transfers data packets almost 30 times faster than parallel.

If top performance in your notebook is one of your goals, go with a SATA hard drive.

Intel Pentium M processors are commonly found in a lot of notebooks and laptops. When in doubt also go with a Pentium!

The speed of microprocessors is measured in MHz.

MHz is short for megahertz. One MHz equals one million cycles per second. The speed of processors, usually known as clock speed, is measured in megahertz (MHz) or these days in gigahertz (GHz).

The higher the clock speed, the faster the computer will process applications and data. It determines how powerful your notebook computer will be. Processor speeds for notebooks or laptops are steadily increasing, not quite the same as a desktop but the gap is narrowing quickly. Speeds of 3.4GHz or more.

Don't forget to ask or check the hard drive speed! A 7,200rpm hard drive is faster than a 4,200rpm or 5,400rpm and usually gives better performance.

DISPLAY

You need the sharpest, brightest display screen or all the above points are moot!

Display quality is also extremely important to your gaming experience. Make sure the resolution and display quality of your notebook computer can handle the graphics for 3D Gaming.

What to keep in mind...

SVGA Resolution. Put simply, computer images are made up of dots, the more dots you have -- the better the image. SVGA Resolution is made up of 800 x 600 dots.

Many notebook computer have XGA (1024 by 768 dots) or SXGA (1280 x 1024 dots), these resolutions will give a higher quality image. WXGA stands for widescreen XGA.

TFT Active Matrix Display. TFT stands for thin-film transistors and many high-end notebook computers use (TFT) active matrix liquid crystal displays.

If display quality is your main reason for buying a notebook, it's best to give it the 'old eye test' and check out the image quality first-hand and decide for yourself. Panasonic, Toshiba, Sony, and others are known for their high quality monitors -- this quality is also present in their notebook display screens.

If you want to get in on the portable revolution, then one of the best options available is to look around on the internet for used toshiba laptops. Toshiba had, has and will likely continue to have a great reputation in the field of portable computer equipment, which makes their laptops popular in the second hand market.

Personally, I think of used toshiba laptops as retaining the same quality as the day they were bought – the cases tend to be rugged, with solid keyboards, which made them expensive to buy, but also means that on the second hand market they hold their value. In short, buying used Toshiba is usually better than buying used other brands.

For those who find regular laptops too bulky, but PDA and handled computers too inflexible and underpowered, look out for used toshiba laptops such as the Libretto. This machine is the size of a heavy paperback, much smaller than a laptop, but with enough power to run a copy of Windows NT, 95, 98 or recent Linux builds with good results.

When shopping for used toshiba laptops, please always remember that the best deals will be for those that are ex-office. Buying from individuals stock can come with some caveats, but don't let this scare you. After all, a reputable dealer will offer guarantees of quality.

For best results go for a reconditioned model – that way you know that the quality has been verified. It may be a little more expensive, but well worth the investment.