The Nokia N96 has features including:
- Bluetooth for Voice
- Bluetooth for Data
- Colour Screen
- Symbian Technology
- Music Player
- Polyphonic Tones
- FM Radio
- MMS
- 3G
- 5 mega pixel camera
- Wi Fi Enabled
- MP3 Ringtones
- Built-in Satellite Navigation
- USB
Meet the amazing Nokia N96, the most advanced Nseries phone yet made. Packing a mighty 5 megapixel camera, built-in GPS, and a whopping-great 16Gb of built-in memory, the N96is easily one of the most powerful phones ever unleashed on the world!
Nokia N96
Screen: 240x320 pixels, 2.8 inches, 16M colours, TFT Ringtone: Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3 Memory: 16Gb internal memory + microSD memory cards Networks: Quad Connectivity: HSDPA, 3.6Mbps, WiFi, Bluetooth with A2DP, USB 2.0 Dimensions: 18mm x 55mm x 103mm Weight: 125g -
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Unbelievable Power
Occasionally a mobile phone comes along that just beggars belief, to the point that when it's first released, it's so powerful that no-one can believe it's real.
Well, prepare to believe the unbelievable, because here comes the awesome Nokia N96.
Super-Advanced
There are no two ways about it, the Nokia N96 is easily the most advanced Nseries phone ever made. Taking the vast wealth of features from its predecessors, and adding on them, the phone packs in more features into its sexy, shiny body than you'd believe possible! It really is a case of 'whatever you want' with this beauty, as it's packed to the gills with more cool stuff than you can shake a stick at.
But, of course, there's one question everyone asks when they see a new phone: how good is the camera? Well, quite simply, it's stunning, weighing in at 5 meaty megapixels, with autofocus and flash, making the Nokia N96 a real, viable alternative to a digital camera.
Innovation Station
And then, of course, the Nokia N96 has built-in GPS. We're seeing more and more phones start to include this wonderful feature, and Nokia are leading the way once again! Combine the GPS with Nokia Maps, and you have a frighteningly good sat-nav system, all in the palm of your hand!
You can also tell it's an Nseries phone by the design, as it's quite obviously inspired by its older brothers, the N81 and N95. So, you get the sleekness of the former, with the innovative dual-slide design of the latter. So, simply slide the screen on the Nokia N96 downwards, and unveil the dedicated media and gaming controls. It's just perfect design, that!
Massive Memory
If you're wondering where you're going to store all the cool photos, music, video, games and maps you need, then wonder no more, because the Nokia N96 also comes with a massive 16Gb built in, bigger than any Nokia before it. You'll be able to get so much cool stuff on it!
All in all, then, the Nokia N96 has easily earned its title as the most advanced Nseries phone ever. In fact, it's nearly one of
Mobile Technology Headline
Friday, June 13, 2008
Latest Mobile Phone : Nokia N96
Latest Mobile Phone : Motorola L9
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The Motorola L9 has features including:
- Bluetooth for Voice
- Bluetooth for Data
- Bluetooth Voice & Data
- Camera
- Camera with Zoom
- Colour Screen
- Java Technology
- Music Player
- Polyphonic Tones
- MMS
- 2 mega pixel camera
- Digital Zoom
- Video Messaging
- MP3 Ringtones
The L9 is a welcomed edition to the MOTOSLVR range of mobile phones. Following the latest trend of 'the shinier the better', the SLVR L9 is now housed in a sleek reflective shell and boasts a glossy b
Motorola L9
Screen: 176x220 pixels, 1.9 inches, 256k colours, TFT Ringtone: Polyphonic, MP3 Memory: 20Mb internal memory Networks: Tri Connectivity: Class 10 GPRS, 32-48 kbps, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, USB Dimensions: 113mm x 49mm x 11.5mm Weight: 96g -
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MOTOSLVR gets a new stylish look with its release of the Motorola L9. With its sleek design, mirrored finish and glossy black keypad, this phone will catch your eye. The L9 comes complete with FM radio, Bluetooth wireless technology, 2MP camera w/ 8x zoom and video capture, and microSD removable memory. There is max memory storage of 2GB with its 20MB onboard memory and expandable microSD card, which provides plenty of room for ringtones, games, pics, videos, and more to suit your entertainment needs. GRPS and EDGE technologies allow for fast downloads and video streaming. The Motorola L9 features CrystalTalk™ audio technology which allows for crystal clear conversations in noisy enviroments SUMMARY OF FEATURES: • Sleek candy-bar design with a mirror reflective finish modeled after the MOTOKRZR K1. • Premium-shimmering black keypad • 2.0 megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom, landscape and portrait modes available • MPEG4 video capture with 4x zoom and full screen playback • GPRS class 10 and EDGE class 10 technologies for quick downloading³ • Progressive downloading and video streaming³ • Approximately 20 MB internal memory; external memory support with optional microSD up to 2GB • Integrated digital music audio player • Supports MP3/AAC/AAC+/AAC+ enhanced/ AMR/ WAV ringtones and music • Wireless connectivity with stereo Bluetooth wireless technology¹ • Airplane mode for uninterrupted music enjoyment • Dedicated key for quick access to integrated FM radio with Radio Data System • MegaSIM (3.0V only) support3 • CrystalTalkTM for voice clarity in noisy environments • PTV, M-PTT & SCREEN3 enabled3 • Messaging: MMS, SMS, EMS, IM, Email (POP3/SMTP/IMAP4)³ • Connectivity: Mini-USB, A2DP Stereo Class 2 Bluetooth wireless technology, USB 1.1, PC Sync, MotoSync™, Mobile Phone Tools, PTT/PTV
Latest Mobile Phone : LG Virgo
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The LG Virgo has features including:
- Bluetooth for Voice
- Bluetooth for Data
- Colour Screen
- Music Player
- FM Radio
- MMS
- 3G
- Slide Phone
- 3 mega pixel camera
- MP3 Ringtones
- Touch Screen
- USB
With 3 different ways of using it, the LG Virgo is as versatile as it is gorgeous. Type away with the slide down keypad, quickly select shortcuts with the built-in jog dial, or access any feature you want with the sumptuous, amazing touchscreen! Quite simply, it's sexy and useful!
LG Virgo
Screen: 240x480 pixels, 3 inches, 256k colours, TFT touchscreen Ringtone: Polyphonic, MP3 Memory: microSD memory cards Networks: Tri Connectivity: HSDPA, up to 7.2Mbps, Bluetooth 1.2, USB Dimensions: 14.5mm x 51mm x 102mm Weight: -
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Multi-Input
Touchscreen phones are getting more and more prevalent. One manufacturer in particular has gone mad with touchscreens, and that's LG.
Say hello to the mobile phone that combines a touchscreen with an ace sliding keypad, on top of a superb little jog dial: the LG Virgo.
Touchy-Feely
The most obvious feature of the LG Virgo, the thing that immediately catches the eye, is the huge touchscreen on the front of the phone. Not only does it look gorgeous, giving the phone a smooth, clean look, but it also makes accessing the phone's features an absolute dream, with a mere prod of the fingers powering it.
On top of the touchscreen, though, you also get a jog dial, on the side of the phone, letting you cycle through your shortcuts and quickly on them. Add in a full, slide-down keypad, and the LG Virgo becomes a truly versatile mobile phone to use.
Sound/Vision
So, the LG Virgo is a gorgeous mobile phone that's an absolute joy to use... but is it actually any good? Well, frankly, yes. First on its impressive list of features is a wonderful 3 megapixel camera, allowing you to take cracking good photos, wherever you are, without having to lug a digital camera about with you.
That's your eyes taken care of, but what about your ears? Well, they'll be excited, too, thanks to the music player built into the LG Virgo, supporting a massive range of music formats, letting you listen to more of your top tunes than ever before!
Raw Power
Rounding out the top three features of the LG Virgo is its internet access. That may not seem like much, until you realise it uses HSDPA and what that means is that you'll be able to get online on the phone, wherever you are, at speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps! Which is fast, to say the least!
All in all, then, for a combination of raw power, sheer beauty and ease of use, you're going to have to look a long way before you'll find a mobile phone better than the LG Virgo!
Latest Mobile Phone : HTC Touch
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HTC Touch Cruise Features:
The HTC Touch Cruise has features including:- Bluetooth for Voice
- Bluetooth for Data
- Music Player
- MMS
- 3G
- 3 mega pixel camera
- Built-in Satellite Navigation
- Windows
- USB
- Themes
What happens if you combine the raw power of Windows Mobile 6.0 with the awesome usefulness of sat-nav, and wrap it all up in a sleek, attractive body? You get the HTC Touch Cruise, a stunning blend of high-end smartphone and sat-nav device.
HTC Touch Cruise
Screen: 240x320 pixels, 2.8 inches, 65k colours, TFT touchscreen Ringtone: Polyphonic (40 channels), MP3, AAC Memory: 128Mb RAM, microSD memory cards, SD 2.0 compatible Networks: Quad Connectivity: HSDPA, 3.6 Mbps, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP, USB Dimensions: 15.5mm x 58mm x 110mm Weight: 130g -
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Imagining Power
Imagine a phone that has a fabulous camera, sat-nav built in, that has TomTom maps to let you know exactly where you are, and that's powered by the sheer processing grunt of Windows Mobile 6.0.
What you've just imagined is the amazing HTC Touch Cruise.
Windows Mobile
As with previous phones in its family tree, the HTC Touch Cruise comes complete with the ultra-powerful Windows Mobile operating system. Not only is this a great system in its own right, making the phone an absolute breeze to use, but it also means you can easily sync it up with your PC, for the ultimate in connectivity.
What's more, with mobile versions of Outlook, Internet Explorer and so on, there's absolutely no reason why your HTC Touch Cruise can't be your PC when you're not in the office!
Sat Nav
The big killer application in the HTC Touch Cruise is easy to spot, right from the outset, as it has built-ion satellite navigation, allowing you to use it as your very own portable sat-nav, without needing a separate GPS receiver. Why carry two boxes, when one will do?
But it gets even better, because not only do you get GPS built in, but you also get TomTom maps, developed by the team behind the TomTom sat nav systems. And why is that a good thing? Well, since TomTom maps are amongst the single best navigation tools you'll ever experience, it means the HTC Touch Cruise is quite simply one of the most powerful sat-nav devices ever made!
Super-Phone
To make the HTC Touch Cruise a real PC in your hand, it really needs to have a decent internet connection, as well. There are no worries there, in that case, as it uses HSDPA, meaning you'll be able to get online at speeds of up to 3.6Mbps, faster than most home broadband connections!
For the perfect combination of phone, PC and sat-nav, you really can't beat the HTC Touch Cruise.
Latest Mobile Phone : HTC Shift
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HTC Shift Features:
The HTC Shift has features including:
- Bluetooth for Data
- Camera
- Video Camera
- Java Technology
- Music Player
- MSN Messenger
- 3G
- Push Email
- Touch Screen
- Windows
- USB
- Themes
- Wallpapers
What do you get if you take a Vista-powered laptop, hammer it down to a fraction of its former size, and add built-in mobile broadband, as well as a whole slew of other cool mobile stuff? You get the versatile, amazing (and mind-bendingly powerful) HTC Shift.
HTC Shift
Screen: 800x480 pixels, 7 inches, 16M colours, TFT touchscreen Ringtone: N/A Memory: 1Gb Ram, 40Gb Hard Drive built in Networks: Tri Connectivity: HSDPA 3.6Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, USB 2.0 Dimensions: 25mm x 129mm x 207mm Weight: 800g -
HTC Shift Overview:
Mobile PC
As you look at the HTC Shift, I would imagine I can guess what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'That's a big phone,' right? Well, you see, the thing is, it's not. It's not a phone at all!
No, what you see here is not a big phone, because it is, in fact, a super-small laptop!
Yes, it's a UMPC, or 'Ultra-Mobile PC' as they're known, one of a growing number of diminutive powerhouses, that match, and often exceed, the performance of their bigger laptop-brothers! The HTC Shift certainly does, because what you're looking at here is in fact the ultimate, all-in-one mobile broadband machine! It'll let you get mobile broadband without having to buy anything else!
Ultra Powerful
If it's going to have the title of a mobile PC, then it needs to be powerful. As in, really powerful, and certainly more powerful than even the top-end mobile phones. Well, the simple fact is that the HTC Shift is more powerful than any device we've gotten our hands on. The first factor in that is the fact it comes with not one, but two operating systems, Windows Mobile 6 (in cut-down, power-saving mode) and Windows Vista Business, providing the ideal match between worlds.
So, if you need it in full-on, full-fat work mode, just press the button to switch it to Vista, giving you full access to the full, included Office suite, and any additional programs. And then, when you're done, a single button-press switches it back to Windows Mobile mode, and watch the power consumption drop to minimal levels. Why is that a good thing? Well, simply, it lets you keep the HTC Shift turned on, so you can access the critical functions and keep getting important messages, without Vista turned on, which means a massive increase in battery life from laptop performance, up to mobile phone performance.
Fun Time
It's clear, then, that the HTC Shift is a two-headed creature, with its combination of two Windows interfaces. But it's also two-headed in what it does. It has the sensible business head... and then, if the call arises, it can put its fun head on! Key to that is the inclusion of Windows Media Player 11, the latest and most advanced version of Windows Media, with superb music and video playback.
If you do fire up Windows Media Player, then you're in for a treat, as well, because the HTC Shift has a high-definition 7-inch screen. Not only that, but it's widescreen and in a stroke of genius by HTC, you can change the screen resolution from 800x600 to 1024x768. So, you get the ability to easily use the touchscreen's icons but at the press of a button, you get a massively higher resolution screen!
Total Security
Finally, with the vast wealth of material you'll be putting on your HTC Shift, how can you be sure it will be secure? Well, the answer's simple; the HTC Shift is one of the most secure devices in existence, thanks not to encryption or secure passwords, but thanks to the fact it has biometric security. Or, to put it simply, it has a fingerprint reader. The only person who has your fingerprint is you, so the only person who can get into your Shift is you.
So, if you want the ultimate mobile PC, a device that truly will go anywhere and do anything your PC at home or work will do (and I mean anything), then you need the HTC Shift. If you want a mobile broadband device that will let you connect to the internet at 3.6Mbps, you need the HTC Shift. If you want the total mobile broadband solution, without needing to buy anything else, you need the HTC Shift.
Whatever your needs, there's no doubt... you need the HTC Shift!
Latest Mobile Phone : HTC Diamond
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The HTC Diamond has features including:
- Bluetooth for Voice
- Bluetooth for Data
- Colour Screen
- Music Player
- MSN Messenger
- Internet
- MMS
- 3G
- 3 mega pixel camera
- Wi Fi Enabled
- Touch Screen
- Windows
- USB
It has the unadulterated power of the Windows Mobile 6.1. It has a unique 3D TouchFlo interface, making it possibly the nicest touchscreen phone to use that we've ever seen. Packed with features, and housed in a simply fabulous body, it can only be the HTC Diamond!
HTC Diamond
Screen: 480x640 pixels, 2.8 inches, 65k colours, TFT touchscreen Ringtone: Polyphonic, MP3, WAV, WMA Memory: 4Gb internal memory Networks: Tri Connectivity: HSDPA, 7.2Mbps, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth 2.0, USB Dimensions: 11.5mm x 51mm x 102mm Weight: 110g -
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User, Friendly
HTC have made some really rather stunning mobile phones, but not everyone has heard of them, presumably because the name isn't as cool as something like Nokia. Maybe they were seen, in the past, as a bit 'business-y'?
Well, that's all going to change, because they've made a super-user-friendly, incredibly slick, and drop-dead gorgeous mobile phone that really is all set to take on the iPhone: the fabulous HTC Diamond.
Touch Me
Aside from the startlingly sleek design (which will grab your attention and never let go), the first thing you'll notice about the HTC Diamond is its screen, all 2.8 inches of it. The reason you'll notice it is because this is one of the first mobile phones to feature a full VGA resolution at 480 x 640 pixels. Or, in other words, it's sharper than just about ANY other phone you can mention!
And that's a good thing, because it lets you take in the full impact of the brand new 3D TouchFlo interface that you use to get round the phone. It's powered by Windows Mobile, but you'd never know it, as the TouchFlo interface that sits on top is simply one of the slickest, sexiest and most intuitive interfaces ever seen. Swipes and prods of your finger will kick the HTC Diamond into beautiful, animated life, and everything feels wonderful to use!
Feature-Packed
No matter how nice the HTC Diamond is to use, though, and no matter how incredible and intuitive its interface is, it'll be no good if it does nothing. But this is HTC, so you can guarantee it'll be packed with features. Take, for example, the 3 megapixel camera built in, that allows you to snap away and grab amazing photos totally on the spur of the moment.
If you ever wanted to share those photos online, then you're going to find that very easy and fun, because not only does the HTC Diamond pack in HSDPA at up to 7.2Mbps (ok, no question, that's broadband speeds!), but it also uses the latest Opera Mobile web browser, which is, quite simply, the slickest, fastest and best web browser you can get on mobile phones!
Utter Beauty
Now throw in to the mix the fact that the HTC Diamond has GPS built in (giving you the ability to always know where you are, and never get lost again!), and you'll find that no other can compare to this amazing phone.
It's powerful, it's sexy... it's the HTC Diamond, easily the most amazing mobile phone HTC have ever made.
Latest Mobile Phone : Apple IPhone 3G
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Apple IPhone 3G Features:
The Apple IPhone 3G has features including:
- Bluetooth for Voice
- Colour Screen
- Music Player
- Polyphonic Tones
- Internet
- 3G
- 2 mega pixel camera
- MP3 Ringtones
- Touch Screen
It was unique, it was sexy, it was the iPhone. But it lacked one feature that people were crying out for: 3G. Well, now it's back. That's right, Apple's wonderkid has evolved, and now comes with super fast internet access, and as the icing on the cake, built in GPS. It's unique, it's sexy, it's the amazing Apple iPhone 3G.
Apple IPhone 3G
Screen: 320x480 pixels, 3.5 inches, 16M colours, Touchscreen Ringtone: Polyphonic, MP3 Memory: 8Gb internal memory Networks: Quad Connectivity: HSDPA, WiFi 802.11b/g, Bluetooth (headsets), USB Dimensions: 12.3mm x 62.1mm x 115.5mm Weight: 133g -
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Next Evolution
In 2007, a phone was unleashed that promised to revolutionise the mobile industry, with its unique interface, a huge raft of features, and a body sleeker and sexier than just about every other mobile phone on the market. It was the iPhone, and it was beautiful.
The only thing it lacked, however, was 3G. Well, Apple have only gone and added it, making what was already a cool phone into a serious player in the mobile world. It's the next evolution; it's the awesome Apple iPhone 3G.
Internet Supremo
It should be obvious, from the name Apple iPhone 3G, exactly what the biggest addition to this unique mobile phone is. Unlike the previous version, this new iPhone sports a 3G... and not just any 3G either, because what you get here is HSDPA, meaning speeds unlike anything else. It means you'll be able to surf the web, with the iPhone 3G, nearly 3 times as fast as you could with the previous version. It really is ludicrously fast!
Mind you, it's ludicrously brilliant, as well, because it's not some third-party add-on web browser, tacked on as an afterthought here! What you get in the Apple iPhone 3G is their super-fast, incredibly powerful Safari browser, letting you have an internet experience unlike ANY other phone!
Feature-Packed
It's not just 3G that's been added, though, because the Apple iPhone 3G now has GPS built-in, as well. That opens up a whole host of new possibilities, with the pre-installed Google Maps. Imagine walking down the street and having the iPhone 3G telling you where your nearest restaurant or pub is, in real time. It's simply awesome.
Of course, as well as these new features, all the stuff that made the first iPhone great makes a return. Things like the iPod music/video player built into the phone, featuring the same level of brilliance as that first version, not to mention the awesome Cover Flow mode, giving you a visual representation of your album covers on the screen of the Apple iPhone 3G, that you can flick through with just a tiny brush of your fingertips.
Simply Stunning
That Cover Flow mode shows off one of the coolest returning features in the Apple iPhone 3G, and that is the sheer number of different sensors and technology to let the phone figure out what position it's in. We've all seen it in the first version: that interface that rotates automatically when you tilt the iPhone over, of the simulation of water on screen, that you can make move just by shaking it about. Those sensors return in the iPhone 3G, along with the massive, gorgeous touchscreen, and quite frankly, it just wouldn't be the same without them!
It really is a wonder of the mobile world, and in the opinion of a lot of people, this may be the best mobile phone ever made. It's the awesome Apple iPhone 3G.
Mobile Computing : Laptop
A laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer, notebook and notepad) is a small mobile computer, typically weighing 3-12 pounds (around 1.3 to 5.4 kilograms), although older laptops may weigh more. Laptops usually run on a single main battery or from an external AC/DC adapter that charges the battery while also supplying power to the computer itself. Many computers also have a 3 volt cell to run the clock and other processes in the event of a power failure.
Laptops contain components that are similar to their desktop counterparts and perform the same functions, but are miniaturized and optimized for mobile use and efficient power consumption, although typically less powerful for the same price. Laptops usually have liquid crystal displays and most of them use different memory modules for their random access memory (RAM), for instance, SO-DIMM in lieu of the larger DIMMs. In addition to a built-in keyboard, they may utilize a touchpad (also known as a trackpad) or a pointing stick for input, though an external keyboard or mouse can usually be attached.
History
Laptops began from a desire to have a full-featured computer that could be easily used anywhere. Their predecessor was called the luggable. These all-in-one systems could be easily transported, but were heavy and usually were not battery powered. The CRT was one of the major reasons luggables were so large and heavy, but the use of a full-size desktop motherboard with room for ISA expansion cards was another size factor.
It was the transition to LCD and plasma displays that permitted the luggable to shrink in size and become the first real laptop, though at first still without internal batteries. Battery technology improvements and the introduction of smaller devices such as the 3.5-inch floppy disk permitted a gradually more compact and sophisticated complete portable system.
Types
Mainstream
Laptops weighing between 5 and 7 lb (2.3–3.2 kg) with a screen size of 14.1 or 15.4 inches (35 or 39 cm) diagonally.
Desktop replacement
A desktop replacement computer is a personal computer that provides the full capabilities of a desktop computer while remaining portable. They are often a larger, bulkier laptop. Because of their increased size, this class of computer usually includes more powerful components and a larger display than generally used in smaller portable computers and can have a relatively limited battery capacity (or none at all). Some use a limited range of desktop components to provide better performance per dollar at the expense of battery life. These are sometimes called desknotes, a portmanteau of the words "desktop" and "notebook," though the term is also applied to desktop replacement computers in general.[1]
Powerful laptops meant to be mainly used for fun and infrequently carried out due to their weight and size; the latter provides more space for powerful components and a big screen, usually measuring 17–20 inches (43–51 cm). Desktop replacements tend to have limited battery life, rarely exceeding three hours, because the hardware is not optimized for efficient power usage. Sometimes called a luggable laptop. An example of a desktop replacement computers are gaming notebooks, which are designed to handle 3D graphic-intensive processing for gamers.
Subnotebook
Laptops weighing typically between 4.6 and 6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg) and a screen of 10.6 to 13.3 inches diagonally. A subnotebook is a small and lightweight portable computer, with most of the features of a standard laptop computer but smaller. The term is often applied to systems that run full versions of desktop operating systems such as Windows or Linux, rather than specialized software such as Windows CE, Palm OS or Internet Tablet OS.
Subnotebooks are smaller than laptops but larger than handheld computers and UMPCs. They often have screens that are 26.92 cm (10.6") (diagonal) or more, and a weight less than 1 up to about 2 kg; as opposed to full-size laptops with 35.81 cm (14.1") or 39.12 cm (15.4") screens and weighing 2 kg or more. The savings in size and weight are usually achieved partly by omitting ports or having removable media/optical drives; subnotebooks are often paired with docking stations to compensate.
Subnotebooks have been something of a niche computing product and have rarely sold in large numbers until the 2007 introduction of the Asus Eee PC and the OLPC XO-1.[2]
Parts
Most modern laptops feature 12 inch (30 cm) or larger active matrix displays with resolutions of 1024×768 pixels and above, and have a PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) or ExpressCard expansion bay for expansion cards. Internal hard disks are physically smaller—2.5 inch (60 mm)—compared to the standard desktop 3.5 inch (90 mm) drive, and usually have lower performance and power consumption. Video and sound chips are usually integrated. This tends to limit the use of laptops for gaming and entertainment, two fields which have constantly escalating hardware demands.[3] However, higher end laptops can come with dedicated graphics processors, such as the Dell Inspiron E1505 and E1705, which can be bought with an ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 or similar or the MacBook Pro which comes standard with an nVidia 8600M GT. These mobile graphics processors tend to have less performance than their desktop counterparts, but this is because they have been optimized for lower power usage.
There is a wide range of laptop specific processors available from Intel (Pentium M, Celeron, Intel Core and Intel Core 2), AMD (Athlon, Turion 64, and Sempron) and from VIA (C3 and C7-M). Motorola and IBM developed and manufactured the chips for the former PowerPC-based Apple laptops (iBook and PowerBook). Generally, laptop processors are less powerful than their desktop counterparts, due to the need to save energy and reduce heat dissipation. However, the PowerPC G3 and G4 processor generations were able to offer almost the same performance as their desktop versions, limited mostly by other factors, such as the system bus bandwidth; recently, though, with the introduction of the G5s, they have been far outstripped. At one point, the Pismo G3, at up to 500 MHz, was faster than the fastest desktop G3 (then the B&W G3), which ran at 450 MHz.
Some parts for a modern laptop have no corresponding part in a desktop computer. For example, current models use lithium ion and more recently lithium polymer batteries, which have largely replaced the older nickel metal-hydride technology. Typical battery life for most laptops is two to five hours with light-duty use, but may drop to as little as one hour with intensive use. Batteries gradually deteriorate over time and eventually need to be replaced in one to five years, depending on the charging and discharging pattern.
Docking stations became another common laptop accessories in the early 1990s. They typically were quite large and offered 3.5" and 5.25" storage bays, one to three expansion slots (typically AT style), and a host of connectors. The mating between the laptop and docking station was typically through a large, high-speed, proprietary connector. The most common use was in a corporate computing environment where the company had standardized on a common network card and this same card was placed into the docking station. These stations were very large and quite expensive. As the need to additional storage and expansion slots became less critical because of the high integration inside the laptop itself, the emergence of the Port Replicator as a major accessory commenced. The Port Replicator was often a passive device that simply mated to the connectors on the back of the notebook and allowed the user to quickly connect their laptop so VGA, PS/2, RS-232, etc. devices were instantly attached. As higher speed ports like USB and Firewire became commonplace, the Port Replication was accomplished by a small cable connected to one of the USB 2.0 or FireWire ports on the notebooks. Wireless Port Replicators followed.
Virtually all laptops can be powered from an external AC converter. This device typically adds half a kilogram (1 lb) to the overall "transport weight" of the equipment.
A pointing stick or touchpad is used to control the position of the cursor on the screen. The pointing stick is usually a rubber dot that is located between the G, H and B keys on the laptop keyboard. To navigate the cursor, pressure is applied in the direction intended to move. The touchpad is touch-sensitive and the cursor can be navigated by moving the finger on the pad.
Intel, Asus, Compal, Quanta and other laptop manufacturers have created Common Building Block standard for laptop parts.
Disadvantages
Parts standardization and compatibility issues
Current compatibility problems in the laptop trade are reflective of the early era of personal computer hardware, when there were many different manufacturers, each and every one of them having their own connectivity and mounting systems and incompatibility was the norm. While there are accepted world standards of form factors for all the peripherals and add-in PC cards used in the desktop computers, there are still no firm worldwide standards relating to today's laptops' internal form factors, such as supply of electric voltage, motherboard layouts, internal adapters used in connecting the optical drive, LCD cable, keyboard and floppy drive to the main board. Most affected by this are users uneducated in the relevant fields, especially if they attempt to connect their laptops with incompatible hardware or power adapters.
Some parts, such as hard drives and memory are commodity items and are interchangeable. However, other parts such as motherboards, keyboards, and batteries are proprietary in design and are only interchangeable within a manufactures brand and/or model line.
A significant point to note is that the vast majority of laptops on the market are manufactured by a small handful of Original Design Manufacturers (ODM).[4] The ODM matters more than the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Major relationships include:
- Quanta sells to (among others) HP/Compaq, Dell, Toshiba, Sony, Fujitsu, Acer, NEC, Gateway and Lenovo/IBM - note that Quanta is currently (as of August, 2007) the largest manufacturer of notebook computers in the world.
- Compal sells to Toshiba, HP/Compaq, Acer, and Dell.
- Wistron (former manufacturing & design division of Acer) sells to HP/Compaq, Dell, IBM, NEC, Acer, and Lenovo/IBM.
- Flextronics (former Arima Computer Corporation notebook division) sells to HP/Compaq, NEC, and Dell.
- ECS sells to IBM, Fujitsu, and Dell.
- Asus sells to Apple (iBook), Sony, and Samsung.
- Inventec sells to HP/Compaq, Toshiba, and BenQ.
- Uniwill sells to Lenovo/IBM and Fujitsu.
Durability issues
Due to their portability and tight integration, laptops are more subject to wear and physical damage than desktops. Components such as batteries, screen hinges, power jacks, and power cords are commonly subject to deterioration due to ordinary use. These components are usually expensive to replace, with a typical laptop battery costing US$130, the AC Adapter US$75. Other parts are inexpensive such as a power jack costing perhaps US$20, but replacement may require extensive disassembly and reassembly of layers of internal components. Other inexpensive but fragile parts often cannot be purchased separate from larger more expensive components. For example, the video display cable and backlight power cable that passes through the lid hinges to operate the screen will eventually break from opening and closing the lid hundreds of times over many years, and usually these tiny cables cannot be purchased separate from an entire US$400 LCD panel.
A liquid spill onto the keyboard, which is rather a minor mishap with a desktop system can damage costly components such as the motherboard or LCD panel. Dropping a laptop can damage the LCD screen if not break apart its body. The repair costs of a failed motherboard or LCD panel may exceed the purchase value of the laptop.
Laptops must also rely on extremely compact cooling systems involving a fan and heatsink that eventually fails due to filling with airborne dust and debris. Most laptops do not have any sort of removable dust collection filter over the air intake for these cooling systems, resulting in a system that gradually runs hotter and louder as the years pass. Eventually the laptop cooling is so choked with dust that it starts to overheat just from minor operational load. This dust is usually deeply buried inside where casual cleaning and vacuuming cannot remove it, and instead complete disassembly is needed to clean the laptop.
Ruggedized Laptops
Some manufacturers have mitigated some of these problems by selling "ruggedized" laptops. These often have a rubberized sheeting under the keyboard keys and special drain that safely routes all of the water out through a hole in the bottom of the case.Additionally, the bodies of these laptops are typically made of a stiffer magnesium alloy instead of plastic, since it is the flexing of the circuit boards and fragile mechanical devices that causes the most damage. Hard drives are often mounted in soft shock-absorbing silicone mounts to greatly increase their chances of surviving a waist-high fall.
When a laptop hits the floor, the free-floating hard drive heads can slap against the spinning platter, scratching it and cause an irrepairable head crash that renders the hard drive unusable. Recently hard drives have been constructed which can move the read heads completely off the spinning platters, known as unloading. With the use of an accelerometer, the hardware can detect the sudden fall and park the heads off-platter before the laptop hits the ground. (See Sudden Motion Sensor.)
Advantages
The main advantage of laptops over their larger desktop counterparts is the inherent portability. Another advantage is the laptop's ability to operate on battery power in the case of a power outage and less energy consumption.
Upgrade ability
Laptops' upgradeability is severely limited, both for technical and economic reasons. As of 2006, there is no industry-wide standard form factor for laptops. Each major laptop vendor pursues its own proprietary design and construction, with the result that laptops are difficult to upgrade and exhibit high repair costs. With few exceptions, laptop components can rarely be swapped between laptops of competing manufacturers, or even between laptops from the different product-lines of the same manufacturer. Standard feature peripherals (such as audio, video, USB, 1394, WiFi, Bluetooth) are generally integrated on the main PCB (motherboard), and thus upgrades often require using external ports, card slots, or wireless peripherals. Other components, such as RAM modules, hard drives, and batteries are typically user-upgradeable.
Many laptops have removable CPUs, although support for other CPUs is restricted to the specific models supported by the laptop motherboard. The socketed CPUs are perhaps for the manufacturer's convenience, rather than the end-user, as few manufacturers try new CPUs in last year's laptop model with an eye toward selling upgrades rather than new laptops. In many other laptops, the CPU is soldered and non-replaceable.[5]
Many laptops also include an internal MiniPCI slot, often occupied by a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth card, but as with the CPU, the internal slot is often restricted in the range of cards that can be installed. The widespread adoption of USB mitigates I/O connectivity to a great degree, although the user must carry the USB peripheral as a separate item.
NVidia and ATI have proposed a standardized interface for laptop GPU upgrades (such as an MXM), but again, choices are limited compared to the desktop PCIe/AGP after-market.
In January 2007, Asus announced XG Station external video card for laptops. XG Station is connected to the laptops using USB-2 and Express card interface.
In February 2007, a new standard for external PCI Express cables and connectors was announced. Future laptops can be expanded using external PCI Express backplane and chassis.
Performance
For a given price range (and manufacturing base), laptop computational power has traditionally trailed that of desktops. This is partly due to most laptops sharing RAM between the program memory and the graphics adapter. By virtue of their usage goals, laptops prioritize energy efficiency and compactness over absolute performance. Desktop computers and their modular components are built to fit much bigger standard enclosures, along with the expectation of AC line power. As such, energy efficiency and portability for desktops are secondary design goals compared to absolute performance.
For typical home (personal use) applications, where the computer spends the majority of its time sitting idle for the next user input, laptops of the thin-client type or larger are generally fast enough to achieve the required performance. 3D gaming, multimedia (video) encoding and playback, and analysis-packages (database, math, engineering, financial, etc.) are areas where desktops still offer the casual user a compelling advantage.
With the advent of dual-core processors and perpendicular recording, laptops are beginning to close the performance gap with desktops. Intel's Core 2 line of processors is efficient enough to be used in portable computers, and many manufacturers such as Apple, Lenovo and Dell are building Core 2 based laptops. Also, many high end laptop computers feature mobility versions of graphics cards, eliminating the performance losses associated with integrated graphics.
Health issues
A study by State University of New York researchers says heat generated from laptops can significantly elevate the temperature of the scrotum, potentially putting sperm count at risk. The small study, which included little more than two dozen men ages 13 to 35, found that the sitting position required to balance a laptop can raise scrotum temperature by as much as 2.1 °C (3.8 °F). Heat from the laptop itself can raise the temperature by another 0.7 °C (1.4 °F), bringing the potential total increase to 2.8 °C (5.2 °F). However, further research is needed to determine whether this directly affects sterility in men.[6] A common practical solution to this problem is to place the laptop on a table or desk.
Heat from using laptop on lap can also cause skin discoloration on the thighs.[7]
Because of their small keyboard and trackpad pointing devices, the use of laptops can cause RSI, and for this reason laptops have docks that are used with ergonomic keyboards to prevent injury. The integrated screen often causes users to hunch over for a better view, which can cause neck or spinal injuries. Some health standards require that ergonomic keyboards be used in workplaces.
Security
Laptops are generally prized targets of theft, and theft of laptops can lead to more serious problems such as identity theft from stolen credit card numbers.[8] Most laptops have a Kensington security slot to chain the computer to a desk with a third party security cable. In addition to this, modern operating systems and software may have disk encryption functionality that renders the data on the laptop's hard drive unreadable without a key.
Related devices
A laptop can use the same software as a desktop machine but is small enough to support mobile computing and operate on battery power. Devices that are similar to a laptop include:
- Transportable, also called portable computers
- Computers which can easily be moved from place to place, but cannot be used while in transit, usually because they require AC power. The most famous example is the Osborne 1. A transportable, like a laptop, can run desktop software; but it does not support mobile computing.
- Tablets
- Computers shaped like slates or (paper) notebooks featuring touchscreen interfaces and a stylus, plus handwriting recognition software. As of 2007, the most common subcategory is the Tablet PC, which is essentially a laptop with a touchscreen. Some tablets have no keyboard, while others called "convertibles" have a screen that can be rotated 180 degrees and folded on top of the keyboard. Tablets may have limited functionality and not be best suited for applications requiring a physical keyboard for typing, but are otherwise capable of carrying out most tasks that an ordinary laptop would be able to perform.
- Internet tablets
- Internet appliances in tablet form. An internet tablet supports mobile computing. Internet tablets usually use Linux and they are able to run some applications, but they cannot replace a general purpose computer. Internet tablets typically feature an MP3 and video player, web browser, chat application, and picture viewer.
- Personal digital assistants (PDAs)
- Small computers, usually pocket-sized, usually with limited functionality. A PDA supports mobile computing, but almost never runs any desktop software.
- Handheld computers
- A high-end PDA or small tablet.
- Smart phone
- A hand held or PDA with an integrated cellphone.
Boundaries that separate these categories are blurry at times. For example, the OQO UPC is a PDA-sized tablet PC; the Apple eMate had the clamshell form factor of a laptop, but ran PDA software. The HP Omnibook line of laptops included some devices small enough to be called handheld computers. The hardware of the Nokia 770 internet tablet is essentially the same as that of a PDA such as the Zaurus 6000; the only reason it's not called a PDA is that it doesn't have PIM software. On the other hand, both the 770 and the Zaurus can run some desktop Linux software, usually with modifications.
Major brands and manufacturers
| | It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled List of laptop manufacturers. (Discuss) |
