Matthew Richard Kerridge asked:




Computers have always played a great role in improving our working style. For many decades, computers have been enhanced to provide greater performance. They are now much faster and still improving. With the work environment evolving towards greater flexibility and mobility, notebook and laptop computers have gained popularity due to their overall portability.

Laptops and notebooks were originally introduced as separate types of portable computers. Notebooks were built smaller and thinner for extra portability. They were made to be light weight because they were not full of the extras that laptops had. A computer like this was not made for complex graphics or gaming. The notebook had a built-in modem and a very small keyboard.

Notebooks were built smaller and thinner for extra portability. They were made to be light weight because they were not full of the extras that laptops had. Notebooks generally did not have graphics cards, CD Burners or a DVD/CD drive. A computer like this was not made for graphics or heavy gaming. The notebook had a very small keyboard and the modem was built in.

Notebooks were first configured to be thinner and smaller; enabling maximum portability. They were set up to be minimal function machines that would operate over the growing wireless telephone network. However, as the years passed and the people became more comfortable with the mobility required in today’s workplace, notebook devices added more and more capability. This got us to the point where notebooks and laptops became indistinguishable. The terms came to be used interchangeably and notebook laptops were created.

Notebook laptops are composed of all the basic component of a desktop computer including a keyboard, a display, a pointing device and a battery. All these components are integrated into a single portable unit. Initially when these mobile computers were launched they were pretty heavy but now manufacturers are concentrating on reducing the weight along with improving their technical features. All of the modern notebook laptops are designed in the flip form so as to protect the screen and the keyboard when closed.

When notebook laptops were launched, they were comparatively heavy. Now all computer manufacturers concentrate on reducing the machine’s weight while improving its functional and technical features. Modern notebook laptops are designed to protect their keyboard and screen when closed with the flip flop design.

There are several categories of notebook laptops. Netbooks, sub-notebooks, and rugged laptops are all produced to serve specific mobility purposes. Netbooks are economical and light weight notebook laptops that are especially suited for Internet access and wireless communication. The sub-notebook is also known as an optimal portable notebook because of its low weight, small size and long term battery. Its design emphasizes portability. Rugged laptops have been designed to operate reliably in difficult conditions such as extreme temperature, strong vibrations and dusty or wet environments.

Desktop computers have passed the torch to sophisticated group of high powered notebook laptops that feature high degrees of accessibility and high processing speeds providing high quality net performance. The baton has been passed to the next generation of personal computers. They do a fantastic job supporting today’s mobile society. Take into account your personal desires, your wants and your needs when migrating to the notebook laptop generation. You are sure to benefit from the end destination as well as the journey itself.

Ellen

Matthew Richard Kerridge asked:




There seems to be a general amount of confusion regarding what exactly a “notebook” is in comparison to other kinds of portable computers. Unlike netbooks, which are a recent emerging kind of portable PC with a distinctly different role to play, notebooks have been around for a while and are now almost indistinguishable from standard laptops. The two terms are, in fact, often used as synonyms today.

The term “notebook” was coined around 1989 to describe emerging lines of smaller laptops that were about the size of a typical A4 paper notebook. The first two to fit the original label were the NEC UltraLite notebooks and the Compaq LTE line of systems, with the IBM ThinkPad arriving a couple of years later to really popularize the form factor. Laptops before then (and many since) were usually wider, taller, and thicker, with the laptops of today being so to fit extra goodies into the system, increase airflow to cool really powerful processors, or to simply have a larger, eye catching screen (or all of the above, as the case sometimes is).

For a while thereafter, the term “notebook” was used as a term to describe smaller laptops, which were generally used by businessmen and students thanks to their lighter weight and smaller form making them easier to carry around. Thanks to this reduced size, though, notebooks were generally known for something else as well.

Due to the reduced size, notebooks were generally less powerful than their larger laptops, making them great companions alongside desktops but not good replacements for them. This differentiation has lasted until today, despite the fact that notebooks come in a variety of sizes now, making them look and feel like laptops. With heftier, more powerful laptops claiming to be capable of anything all but the most powerful desktops, it is still relatively easy to pick out the less powerful, more streamlined notebooks, even when they do have 16“ screens and DVD drives.

This means, of course, that notebooks are now situated between laptops and netbooks in terms of processing power and general usage. Where netbooks are the extreme in portability and low prices, they are also the lowest denominator in regards to processing power and storage space. Unlike netbooks, notebooks are not specifically designed just for office use and surfing the Net – they can perform almost every task that laptops and desktops can.

With notebooks and laptops converging and becoming increasingly similar, it is possible that very soon there will not be any difference between the two at all.

In closing, we would like to mention that there is one distinction between laptops and notebooks that is actually increasing at the present time: touchscreen functionality. At present, the percentage of notebooks with a built in touchscreen is rising quite rapidly. While there are laptops with touchscreen support, the function is, at least for the moment, a notebook thing.

Jim

Jeremy Lakota asked:




Many of today’s laptops and notebooks are not only low price, but they are also high quality. Not too long ago, buying a laptop meant that you had to spend at least one thousand dollars. In most cases, a lot more. The laptops of those days

Jackie Beem asked:




In this age where technology reigns, it is almost a necessity to have your own portable computer, be it a laptop, notebook, or netbook. But wait, aren’t all of these the same? The short answer – no. They are all names for different types of portable computers. How are they different? That’s the long answer, and that’s what this article would discuss.

Laptop Computers

The laptop was brought about by the ever-increasing need of people for portability and accessibility. Computers have become an integral part of everyday processes and so there became a need to take this technology wherever you go.

The first laptops were manufactured in the mid-1970′s, and the technology for laptops has evolved greatly since then. They are classified as mobile computers, incorporating all the necessary elements of a desktop computer, namely the monitor, keyboard, mouse (touchpads on most laptops), speakers, power supply (a rechargeable battery for laptops), and the CPU itself.

The main selling point of laptops is the portability it provides, getting more things done even while away from your home – in the coffee shop, while travelling, while waiting for your ride, etc. Inexpensive laptop computers have also surfaced, but we’ll get to that later.

Laptop Notebook Computers

The notebook, on the other hand, is the newer form of laptops. Simply put, the notebook is the lighter, more compact version of the laptop. The laptop, especially the older models, albeit portable, is heavy and bulky.

Of course people want to have their laptops easy to carry around and much more streamlined to fit into bags without looking like a huge lump. Notebooks and laptops have all the necessary components in common – it’s just the size that’s different. They needed to be given new names because the technology put into creating these notebooks to significantly reduce size is newly developed.

Netbook Computers

And then comes the netbook. They can be considered as the most inexpensive laptop computers. That is because they are notebooks (which are lighter versions of laptops) that have their capabilities tuned mainly only for internet use. Most have expanded to include at least word processors, but their main use is still to connect to the internet through Wi-Fi in the places that support it. They were first introduced to the market in late 2007, and they have been steadily increasing in specifications since then.

Notebooks and Laptops

When choosing between the three which one you want to buy, you need to bear in mind what you want the portable computer for. That is the major factor in deciding between a laptop computer, a laptop notebook computer, and a netbook computer.

If you are going to do some major work such as video editing or heavy online gaming, you need the power of a laptop. If you just need it for simpler processes such as light gaming and other applications, you can try to see if a notebook would suffice for you.

If all you need is internet access and some word processing, then the netbook would be the one for you, at the same time giving you huge savings. It would be impractical to buy a top-of-the-line laptop when all you’re going to do is to check your MySpace page.

Megan

Mike Wendland asked:




Get ready for a new type of computer that is about to be as common as the laptop. In fact, you could think of it as the next evolutionary step of the laptop.

Before you replace your current portable computer, you may want to get yourself informed about this handy new machine that is known as the Tablet PC.

Of all the personal technology advances we’ve seen over the past five years, the Tablet PC has to rank among the most significant. For the Tablet PC is truly one of the most innovative and useful products that is just now starting to gain major traction. These machines, which are powered by a specially tweaked version of the Windows XP operating system, allow users to scribble notes on a screen with a pen-like stylus, turning handwriting or block printing into what’s called digital ink.

Although Tablet PCs have been on the market for a few years now, much of the public has been unexposed to them. That’s about to change. Tablet PCs are now showing up on TV commercials, in magazine and newspaper ads and being exuberantly talked about through word of mouth. Maybe it’s time for you to consider one.

Some Tablets are slate models only. That means there is no keyboard, just the screen. You write on them like those old Etch-a-Sketches that kids used to play with. Others, are called convertibles. Flip the screen up and it looks and works like a notebook computer, with a keyboard, CD/DVD slot, track pad and the like. But swivel the screen around and down over the keyboard and it’s a slate.

All of the big computer makers produce Tablet PC models: Dell, Gateway, Toshiba, Lenovo (IBM), Fujitsu and others. There are a couple of Tablet-only makers, too, like Motion Computing and Rugged Computers. Even Apple Computer with its fabled Macintosh line is rumored to be close to developing a Tablet version.

You can get a Tablet PC for arounf $1,800 with most of the features we all demand in portable computers like wo-fi Internet access and Bluetooth wireless. Some models have built-in CD.DVD drives (which adds to the weight factor), others include them as external devices.

Whatever you do, make sure you get enough memory to run all those cool applications. My recommendation is at least one GB, instead of the standard 512MB on most machines.

Over the past couple of years, Tablets have sold fairly well in what are known as vertical markets, among niche interest groups like students (great for note-taking and recording lectures), medical professionals (for keeping track of patient records) and salespeople (for forms and order-taking). Indeed, some schools are now giving Tablet PCs to their students, that’s how great they are as educational tools.

But now that the momentum has built up, most observers are convinced the real market is much larger … and largely untapped, if you’ll excuse the pun.

The Tablet PC does everything a regular computer does. It has a complete Windows XP operating system and can run all of the normal programs and applications consumers are used to on their desktops and laptops. The big difference is that with a Tablet PC, you can also use that electronic stylus to run many programs, taking notes by hand or tapping on the individual letters of an on-screen keyboard representation to type.

Handwriting can be converted to type with just a tap of the stylus, though, obviously, the neater you write or print, the more accurate will be the conversion into type.

I’ve been a a tablet user for several years and, truthfully, I seldom convert handwritten notes on the Tablet. I don’t need to. I can read my own notes just fine. And there’s something satisfyingly personal about seeing my scribbes on a computer screen. It’s sort of the ultimate in customization.

While a Tablet does everything a regular computer does, they have the added advantage of some special tablet-only software enhancements. I bought a $39 add-on to the Outlook program that lets me use digital ink to enter calendar, to-do, journal and contact info. And a $99 program called PlanPlus from Franklin Covey puts the equivalent of a Franklin Planner on my Tablet. I’ve fallen in love with this application.

Then there’s Microsoft OneNote, which comes bundled on many of the Tablets sold today or can be purchased separately for $99. OneNote I believe, is the most amazingly useful application for any platform I have ever tried.

Besides the digital ink note-taking and organizational features, OneNote uses the built in microphone on the Tablet to record meetings, lectures, interviews, whatever you want. As you take notes of a presentation and hear something that’s important, make a star or exclamation mark next to someone’s words that you’ve jotted down, just as you do with pen and paper notes. Afterwards, as you review the notes, you can tap on the special mark you made to hear the actual recording of the subject as the presenter spoke the information.

No matter how much I use OneNote, it blows me away every time.

If you’re thinking about a new laptop and if note-taking is a part of your life, a tablet should be at the top of your shopping list.

It’s that handy.

Is a Tablet PC right for you?

Obviously, only you can answer that. But it’s been my esperience as a longtime road warrior who has used all sorts of laptops, that the Tablet PC offers so many more features and so much more convenience than a standard laptop that I would never go back.

I bet you will feel the same.

Jacob

Johan Friedman asked:




Are you always on the go? Then you probably need to switch to tablet PCs – portable computers with digitizing or touch screen tablets. You can easily operate them directly using the screen with a tablet pen, a stylus, or your very own fingertips. They do not require the use of a mouse or keyboard anymore since they can recognize your handwriting and converts it into text in digital format.

Should you switch?

A lot of models for tablet PCs are for mobile use. They are best for illustration and design, basic note-taking, and field work.

Types of tablet PCs

There are two kinds of tablet PC models: the Slate and the Convertible.

Slate tablet PC

This does not have a keyboard that is integrated into it, which means that you rely solely on the screen for data input. Also known as the PDA (Personal Data Assistant), the Slate is lighter, smaller, and can connect to a portable keyboard that you can separately buy.

Convertible tablet PC

Aside from having touch screen functions, this model has a touch pad and a keyboard, which makes it similar to a laptop’s appearance. The screen can fold back to to the keyboard and can swivel up to 180 degrees.

Choosing your tablet

If you want to buy your own tablet PC, check on its gesture recognition to ensure that it can easily recognize special movements of the stylus so the writing efficiency is increased. Furthermore, ensure that you can program it to respond to different methods for certain gestures of the stylus. Also, make sure to check on its security functions. Look for one that has password protection and file encryption.

Vicki

Steve Valentino asked:




Tablet PC’s are portable computers that resemble a laptop but are equipped with advance features such as a pen that allows users to access content on it without the help of a mouse or a keyboard. However, all the traditional accessories such as a keyboard and a mouse can also be used with these PC’s.

Some of the well-known tablet PC brands are Toshiba, Hewlett Packard, Fujitsu, Electrvaya, Gateway, Itronix, Panasonic, Table Kiosk, and Acer. Out of these, Toshiba, Hewlett Packard, and Acer are recognized for their quality and advanced technology. However, other brands are also competitive in nature and there are good reviews from users who have purchased them.

The system memory can range from 250 mb to 750 mb depending on the make and model of the tablet. The price of a tablet can range from $2500 to $4000 also depending on the make and the brand. These PC’s can also be leased for as less as $80 per month. Some brand names of popular tablet PC’s are stylistic ST5031, HP Compaq TC 1100, M275, and Travelmate c113ti.

Tablet PC’s can be classified according to their basic structure and the two main designs of tablet PC are the laptop-style “clamshell” design, with a display screen that can be hinged on the keyboard base unit, and the “slate” design, with a removable keyboard. Unlike a “smart display” that is a slim line monitor that is wirelessly connected to a desktop PC and using its settings, the slate form factor tablet PC is a inclusive PC in itself. The tablet PC is also a pen-based computer, with a digital pen that can recognize handwriting as “digital ink,” which can then be reformatted and edited.

Many Tablet PCs are similar to ultra portable laptop computers in design, architecture and dimension. They are networkable devices, with the majority including wired and wireless network connectivity as standard features. Many conventional laptop features are also provided on Tablet PCs, but like ultra portables, they do not have internal floppy or optical drives.

Herman