A laptop is a personal computer A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator. This is in contrast to the batch processing or time-sharing models which allowed large expensive mainframe designed for mobile use Mobile internet access is generally slower than direct cable connections, using technologies such as GPRS and EDGE, and more recently 3G networks. These networks are usually available within range of commercial cell phone towers. Higher speed wireless LANs are inexpensive, but have very limited range and small and light enough to sit on a person's lap A lap is a surface created between the knee and hips of a bipedal being when it is in a seated position. A lap only exists in this seated form, and not when a being is standing erect or when it is lying down while in use.[1] A laptop integrates most of the typical components A personal computer is made up of multiple physical components of computer hardware, upon which can be installed an operating system and a multitude of software to perform the operator's desired functions of a desktop computer A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Prior to the widespread use of microprocessors, a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small. Desktop computers come in a variety of types ranging from large vertical tower, including a display, a keyboard In computing, a keyboard is an input device, partially modeled after the typewriter keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches. A keyboard typically has characters engraved or printed on the keys and each press of a key typically corresponds to a single written symbol. However, to, a pointing device (a touchpad A touchpad is a pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. They are a common feature of laptop computers and also used as a substitute for a computer mouse where desk space is scarce. Touchpads vary in size but are rarely made larger than 40, also known as a trackpad, and/or a pointing stick The pointing stick is an isometric joystick used as a pointing device (compare especially touchpad and trackball). It was invented by research scientist Ted Selker. It is present on many brands of laptops, including IBM's line of ThinkPad laptops (now made by Lenovo), Toshiba Tecra laptops, HP business notebooks and on Dell Latitudes under the), speakers, and usually including a battery, into a single small and light unit. The rechargeable battery A rechargeable battery is a group of one or more electrochemical cells. They are known as secondary cells because their electrochemical reactions are electrically reversible. Rechargeable batteries come in many different sizes and use different combinations of chemicals; common types include: lead acid, nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride ( (if present) is charged from an AC adapter Power supply is a supply of power electrical power. A device or system that supplies electrical or other types of energy to an output load or group of loads is called a power supply unit or PSU. The term is most commonly applied to electrical energy supplies, less often to mechanical ones, and rarely to others and typically stores enough energy to run the laptop for three to five hours in its initial state, depending on the configuration and power management of the computer.

Laptops are usually notebook A notebook is a book, made of paper or a computer based program, of which various uses can be made, including writing, drawing, and scrapbooking-shaped with thicknesses between 0.7–1.5 inches (18–38 mm) and dimensions ranging from 10x8 inches (27x22cm, 13" display) to 15x11 inches (39x28cm, 17" display) and up. Modern laptops weigh 3 to 12 pounds (1.4 to 5.4 kg); older laptops were usually heavier. Most laptops are designed in the flip form factor When the clamshell is open, the device is ready for use. The interface components are kept inside the clamshell, which offers more surface area than when the device is closed. Interface components such as keys and display are protected when the clamshell is closed, and it is less long or wide, making the device easier to carry around. A to protect the screen and the keyboard when closed. Modern tablet laptops In general terms, tablet PC refers to a laptop or slate-shaped mobile computer, equipped with a touchscreen or graphics tablet/screen hybrid to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse have a complex joint between the keyboard housing and the display, permitting the display panel to swivel and then lie flat on the keyboard housing.

Laptops were originally considered to be a small niche market and were thought suitable mostly for specialized field applications such as the military, accountants and sales representatives. But today, laptops are becoming more popular for student and general uses.

Manufacturers often refer to laptops as "notebooks"; this is to avoid warm thigh complaints from customers, and consequent opportunist liability suits.

Contents

History

Main article: History of laptops The Epson HX-20

As the personal computer became feasible in the early 1970s, the idea of a portable personal computer followed. A "personal, portable information manipulator" was imagined by Alan Kay Alan Curtis Kay is an American computer scientist, known for his early pioneering work on object-oriented programming and windowing graphical user interface design, and for coining the phrase, "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." He is the president of the Viewpoints Research Institute, and an Adjunct Professor of at Xerox PARC PARC , formerly Xerox PARC, is a research and co-development company in Palo Alto, California with a distinguished reputation for its contributions to information technology and hardware systems in 1968[2] and described in his 1972 paper as the "Dynabook The Dynabook concept was created by Alan Kay in 1968, two years before the founding of Xerox PARC. Kay wanted to make “A Personal Computer For Children Of All Ages.” The ideas led to the development of the Xerox Alto prototype, which was originally called “the interim Dynabook”. It embodied all the elements of a graphical user interface,".[3]

The IBM SCAMP project (Special Computer APL Machine Portable), was demonstrated in 1973. This prototype was based on the PALM processor (Put All Logic In Microcode).

The IBM 5100 The IBM 5100 Portable Computer was a desktop computer introduced in September 1975, six years before the IBM PC. It was the evolution of a prototype called the SCAMP that was developed at the IBM Palo Alto Scientific Center in 1973. In January 1978 IBM announced the IBM 5110, its larger cousin. The 5100 was withdrawn in March 1982, the first commercially available portable computer, appeared in September 1975, and was based on the SCAMP prototype.[4]

As 8-bit CPU machines became widely accepted, the number of portables increased rapidly. The Osborne 1 The Osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released in April, 1981 by Osborne Computer Corporation. It weighed 10.7 kg , cost USD$1795, and ran the then-popular CP/M 2.2 operating system. The computer shipped with a large bundle of software that was almost equivalent in value to the machine itself, released in 1981, used the Zilog Z80 and weighed 23.5 pounds (10.7 kg). It had no battery, a 5 in (13 cm) CRT The Cathode Ray Tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun (a source of electrons) and a fluorescent screen, with internal or external means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam, used to create images in the form of light emitted from the fluorescent screen. The image may represent electrical waveforms (oscilloscope), pictures ( screen and dual 5.25 in (13.3 cm) single-density floppy drives. In the same year the first laptop-sized portable computer, the Epson HX-20, was announced.[5] The Epson had a LCD screen, a rechargeable battery and a calculator-size printer in a 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) chassis. Both Tandy/RadioShack RadioShack Corporation (NYSE: RSH) is a chain of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of North America, Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, it had 4,653 company-owned stores, 688 kiosks, 8 service centers, and 1,408 dealer outlets. RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion and HP Hewlett-Packard Company , commonly referred to as HP, is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA. HP is one of the world's largest information technology companies and operates in nearly every country. HP specializes in developing and manufacturing computing, data storage, and also produced portable computers of varying designs during this period.[6][7]

The first laptops using the flip form factor When the clamshell is open, the device is ready for use. The interface components are kept inside the clamshell, which offers more surface area than when the device is closed. Interface components such as keys and display are protected when the clamshell is closed, and it is less long or wide, making the device easier to carry around. A appeared in the early 1980s. The Dulmont Magnum was released in Australia in 1981-82, but was not marketed internationally until 1984-85. The $8150 GRiD Compass 1100 The Grid Compass was arguably the first laptop computer, when the initial model, the 1101 was introduced in April 1982, released in 1982, was used at NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an Executive Branch agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's civilian space program and aeronautics and aerospace research. Since February 2006 NASA's self-described mission statement is to "pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and and by the military among others. The Gavilan SC, released in 1983, was the first notebook marketed using the term "laptop."[8] From 1983 onward, several new input techniques were developed and included in laptops, including the touchpad A touchpad is a pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. They are a common feature of laptop computers and also used as a substitute for a computer mouse where desk space is scarce. Touchpads vary in size but are rarely made larger than 40 (Gavilan SC, 1983), the pointing stick The pointing stick is an isometric joystick used as a pointing device (compare especially touchpad and trackball). It was invented by research scientist Ted Selker. It is present on many brands of laptops, including IBM's line of ThinkPad laptops (now made by Lenovo), Toshiba Satellite laptops, HP business notebooks and on Dell Latitudes under the (IBM ThinkPad ThinkPad is a brand of portable laptop computers originally designed, manufactured and sold by IBM. Since early 2005, the ThinkPad range has been manufactured and marketed by Lenovo, which purchased the IBM personal computer division 700, 1992) and handwriting recognition (Linus Write-Top,[9] 1987). Some CPUs were designed specifically for low-power use such as laptops (Intel i386SL The Intel 80386, also known as the i386, or just 386, was a 32-bit microprocessor introduced by Intel in 1985. The first versions had 275,000 transistors and were used as the central processing unit of many personal computers and workstations. As the original implementation of the 32-bit extensions to the 8086 architecture, the 80386 instruction, 1990) and were supported by dynamic power management features (Intel SpeedStep SpeedStep is a trademark for a series of dynamic frequency scaling technologies built into some Intel microprocessors that allow the clock speed of the processor to be dynamically changed by software. This allows the processor to meet the instantaneous performance needs of the operation being performed, while minimizing power draw and heat and AMD PowerNow! PowerNow! is speed throttling and power saving technology of AMD's processors used in laptops. The CPU's clock speed and VCore are automatically decreased when the computer is under low load or idle, to save battery power, reduce heat and noise. The lifetime of the CPU is also extended because of reduced electromigration, which varies) in some designs. Displays reached VGA resolution by 1988 (Compaq SLT/286) and 256-color screens by 1993 (PowerBook 165c), progressing quickly to millions of colors and high resolutions. High-capacity hard drives and optical storage (CD-ROM CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback, the 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data followed by CD-R and CD-RW and eventually by DVD-ROM and the writable varieties) became available in laptops soon after their introduction to the desktops.

Classification

The general term "laptop" can be used to refer to a number of classes of small portable computers:[10][11]

Desktop replacement

Dell XPS M140 Laptop. Main article: Desktop replacement computer The forerunners of the desktop replacement were the portable computers of the early-to-mid 1980s, such as the Osborne I, the Compaq Portable and the Commodore Executive 64 computers. These computers contained the CPU, display, floppy disk drive and power supply all in a single briefcase-like enclosure. Similar in performance to the desktop

A desktop replacement computer is a laptop that provides most of the capabilities of a desktop computer A desktop computer is a personal computer in a form intended for regular use at a single location, as opposed to a mobile laptop or portable computer. Prior to the widespread use of microprocessors, a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small. Desktop computers come in a variety of types ranging from large vertical tower, with a similar level of performance. Desktop replacements are usually larger and heavier than standard laptops. They contain more powerful components and have a 15" or larger display.[11] Because of their bulk, they are not as portable as other laptops and their operation time on batteries is typically shorter; instead, they are meant to be used as a more compact, easier to carry alternative to a desktop computer.[11]

Some laptops in this class use a limited range of desktop components to provide better performance for the same price at the expense of battery life; in a few of those models, there is no battery at all and the laptop can only be used when plugged in. These are sometimes called desknotes, a portmanteau A portmanteau (pronounced /pɔrtmænˈtoʊ/ , plural: portmanteaus or portmanteaux) or portmanteau word is used to mean a blend of two (or more) words or morphemes and their meanings into one new word. In linguistics, a portmanteau is defined as a single morph which represents two or more morphemes of the words "desktop" and "notebook," though the term can also be applied to desktop replacement computers in general.[12]

In the early 2000s, desktops were more powerful, easier to upgrade, and much cheaper in comparison with laptops. But in the last few years, the advantages have drastically changed or shrunk since the performance of laptops has markedly increased.[13] In the second half of 2008, laptops have finally outsold desktops for the first time ever, due to their durability and being portable to travel around with. In the U.S., the PC shipment declined 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008. In Asia, the worst PC shipment growth went up 1.8 percent over the same quarter the previous year since PC statistics research started.[14]

The names "Media Center Laptops" and "Gaming Laptops" are also used to describe specialized members of this class of notebooks.[10]

Subnotebook

Sony VAIO P series subnotebook. Main article: Subnotebook A subnotebook is a class of laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than typical notebooks

A subnotebook, also called an ultraportable by some vendors, is a laptop designed and marketed with an emphasis on portability (small size, low weight and longer battery life) that retains the performance of a standard notebook.[15] Subnotebooks are usually smaller and lighter than standard laptops, weighing between 0.8 and 2 kg (2 to 5 pounds);[10] the battery life can exceed 10 hours[16] when a large battery or an additional battery pack is installed.

To achieve the size and weight reductions, ultraportables use high resolution 13" and smaller screens (down to 6.4"), have relatively few ports In computer hardware, a 'port' serves as an interface between the computer and other computers or peripheral devices. Physically, a port is a specialized outlet on a piece of equipment to which a plug or cable connects. Electronically, the several conductors making up the outlet provide a signal transfer between devices (but in any case include two or more USB ports), employ expensive components designed for minimal size and best power efficiency, and utilize advanced materials and construction methods. Some subnotebooks achieve a further portability improvement by omitting an optical/removable media drive; in this case they may be paired with a docking station A Docking station or port replicator provides a simplified way of “plugging-in” an electronic device such as a laptop computer to common peripherals. Because a wide range of dockable devices--from mobile telephones to wireless mice--have different connectors, power signaling, and uses, docks are not standardized and are therefore often that contains the drive and optionally more ports or an additional battery.

The term "subnotebook" is usually reserved to laptops that run general-purpose desktop operating systems such as Windows Microsoft Windows is a series of software operating systems and graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal, Linux Linux refers to the family of Unix-like computer operating systems using the Linux kernel. Linux can be installed on a wide variety of computer hardware, ranging from mobile phones, tablet computers and video game consoles, to mainframes and supercomputers. Linux is predominantly known for its use in servers; in 2009 it held a server market share or Mac OS X Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, Mac OS X has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems. It is the successor to Mac OS 9, the final release of the "classic" Mac OS, which had been Apple's primary operating system since 198, rather than specialized software such as Windows CE Windows CE is an operating system developed by Microsoft for minimalistic computers and embedded systems. Windows CE is a distinct operating system and kernel, rather than a trimmed-down version of desktop Windows. Microsoft licenses Windows CE to OEMs and device makers. The OEMs and device makers can modify and create their own user interfaces, Palm OS Palm OS is a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc. for personal digital assistants (PDAs) in 1996. Palm OS is designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is provided with a suite of basic applications for personal information management. Later versions of the OS have been extended to support or Internet Tablet OS Maemo is a software platform developed by Nokia for smartphones and Internet Tablets. It is based on the Linux operating system.

Netbook

Main article: Netbook Netbooks are a branch of subnotebooks, a rapidly evolving category of small, lightweight, and inexpensive laptop computers suited for general computing and accessing Web-based applications; they are often marketed as "companion devices", i.e., to augment a user's other computer access

Netbooks Netbooks are a branch of subnotebooks, a rapidly evolving category of small, lightweight, and inexpensive laptop computers suited for general computing and accessing Web-based applications; they are often marketed as "companion devices", i.e., to augment a user's other computer access are laptops that are light-weight, economical, energy-efficient and especially suited for wireless communication and Internet The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet Protocol Suite to serve billions of users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by a broad array of electronic and access.[17][18] Hence the name netbook (as "the device excels in web-based computing performance")[19] rather than notebook A laptop is a personal computer designed for mobile use and small and light enough to sit on a person's lap while in use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device , speakers, and often including a battery, into a single small and light unit. The rechargeable which pertains to size.[20]

With primary focus given to web browsing and e-mailing, netbooks "rely heavily on the Internet for remote access to web-based applications"[19] and are targeted increasingly at cloud computing users who rely on servers and require a less powerful client computer.[21] While the devices range in size from below 5 inches[22] to over 12,[23] most are between 7 and 11 inches and weigh between 0.9 - 1.4 kg (2-3 pounds).[19]

Netbooks normally use light-weight operating systems such Linux, Windows XP and Windows 7 Starter edition.

Components

Main article: Computer hardware Miniaturization: a comparison of a desktop computer motherboard (ATX form factor) to a motherboard from a 13" laptop (2008 unibody Macbook) Inner view of a Sony VAIO laptop

The basic components of laptops are similar in function to their desktop counterparts, but are miniaturized, adapted to mobile use, and designed for low power consumption. Because of the additional requirements, laptop components are usually of inferior performance compared to similarly priced desktop parts. Furthermore, the design bounds on power, size, and cooling of laptops limit the maximum performance of laptop parts compared to that of desktop components.[24]

The following list summarizes the differences and distinguishing features of laptop components in comparison to desktop personal computer parts:

A SODIMM memory module. A size comparison of 3.5" and 2.5" hard disk drives

Docking stations

A docking station is a relatively bulky laptop accessory that contains multiple ports, expansion slots, and bays for fixed or removable drives. A laptop connects and disconnects easily to a docking station, typically through a single large proprietary connector. A port replicator is a simplified docking station that only provides connections from the laptop to input/output ports. Both docking stations and port replicators are intended to be used at a permanent working place (a desk) to offer instant connection to multiple input/output devices and to extend a laptop's capabilities.

Docking stations became a common laptop accessory in the early 1990s. 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 for additional storage and expansion slots became less critical because of the high integration inside the laptop, port replicators have gained popularity, being a cheaper, often passive device that often simply mates to the connectors on the back of the notebook, or connects via a standardised port such as USB or FireWire.

Standards

Some laptop components (optical drives, hard drives, memory and internal expansion cards) are relatively standardized, and it is possible to upgrade or replace them in many laptops as long as the new part is of the same type, mainly the motherboard.[28] Depending on the manufacturer and model, a laptop may range from having several standard, easily customizable and upgradeable parts to a proprietary design that cannot be reconfigured at all. The replacability/upgradability of the hardware can be announced as positive by the laptop maker.

In general, components other than the four categories listed above are not intended to be replaceable, and thus rarely follow a standard. In particular, some motherboards, locations of ports, and design and placement of internal components are usually make and model specific. Those parts are neither interchangeable with parts from other manufacturers (replaceable) nor upgradeable. If broken or damaged, they must be substituted with an exact replacement part. Those users uneducated in the relevant fields are those the most affected by incompatibilities, especially if they attempt to connect their laptops with incompatible hardware or power adapters.

Intel, Asus, Compal, Quanta and other laptop manufacturers have created the Common Building Block standard for laptop parts to address some of the inefficiencies caused by the lack of standards.

Advantages

Laptop computers are portable and can be used in many locations. Shown here is former Mexican president Vicente Fox.

Portability is usually the first feature mentioned in any comparison of laptops versus desktop PCs.[33] Portability means that a laptop can be used in many places—not only at home and at the office, but also during commuting and flights, in coffee shops, in lecture halls and libraries, at clients' location or at a meeting room, etc. The portability feature offers several distinct advantages:

Other advantages of laptops include:

Disadvantages

Compared to desktop PCs, laptops have disadvantages in the following fields:

Performance

Whilst the performance of mainstream desktops and laptops is comparable, laptops are significantly more expensive than desktop PCs at the same or even lower performance level.[38] The upper limits of performance of laptops are a little bit lower, and "bleeding-edge" features usually appear first in desktops and only then, as the underlying technology matures, are adapted to laptops.

However, for Internet browsing and typical office applications, where the computer spends the majority of its time waiting for the next user input, even netbook-class laptops are generally fast enough.[39] Most higher-end laptops are sufficiently powerful for high-resolution movie playback, 3D gaming and video editing and encoding. However, laptops are disadvantaged when dealing with database, maths, engineering, financial software, etc.

Some manufacturers work around this performance problem by using desktop CPUs for laptops.[40]

Upgradeability

Upgradeability of laptops is very limited compared to desktops, which are thoroughly standardized. In general, hard drives and memory can be upgraded easily. Optical drives and internal expansion cards may be upgraded if they follow an industry standard, but all other internal components, including the motherboard, CPU and graphics, are not always intended to be upgradeable.

The reasons for limited upgradeability are both technical and economic. There is no industry-wide standard form factor for laptops; each major laptop manufacturer pursues its own proprietary design and construction, with the result that laptops are difficult to upgrade and have 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.

Some upgrades can be performed by adding external devices, either USB or in expansion card format such a PC Card: sound cards, network adapters, hard and optical drives, and numerous other peripherals are available, but these upgrades usually impair the laptop's portability, because they add cables and boxes to the setup and often have to be disconnected and reconnected when the laptop is on the move.

Ergonomics and health

Laptop cooler preventing heating of lap and improving laptop airflow.

Because of their small and flat keyboard and trackpad pointing devices, prolonged use of laptops can cause repetitive strain injury.[41] Usage of separate, external ergonomic keyboards and pointing devices is recommended to prevent injury when working for long periods of time; they can be connected to a laptop easily by USB or via a docking station. Some health standards require ergonomic keyboards at workplaces.

The integrated screen often causes users to hunch over for a better view, which can cause neck or spinal injuries. A larger and higher-quality external screen can be connected to almost any laptop to alleviate that and to provide additional "screen estate" for more productive work.

A study by State University of New York researchers found that heat generated from laptops can raise the temperature of the scrotum when balancing the computer on one's lap, potentially putting sperm count at risk. The study, which included roughly two dozen men aged 21 to 35, found that the sitting position required to balance a laptop can raise scrotum temperature by as much as 2.1 °C (3.78 °F). However, further research is needed to determine whether this directly affects sterility in men.[42]

A common practical solution to this problem is to place the laptop on a table or desk. Another solution is to obtain a cooling unit for the laptop - these units are usually USB powered and consist of a hard thin plastic case housing 1, 2 or 3 cooling fans (with the entire assembly designed to sit under the laptop in question) which results in the laptop remaining cool to the touch, and greatly reduces laptop heat buildup.

Heat from using a laptop on the lap can also cause skin discoloration on the thighs.[43]

Durability

A clogged heatsink on a 2.5 year old laptop.

Due to their portability, laptops are subject to more wear and physical damage than desktops. Components such as screen hinges, latches, power jacks and power cords deteriorate gradually due to ordinary use. A liquid spill onto the keyboard, a rather minor mishap with a desktop system, can damage the internals of a laptop and result in a costly repair. One study found that a laptop is 3 times more likely to break during the first year of use than a desktop.[44]

Original external components are expensive, and usually proprietary and non-interchangeble; other parts are inexpensive—a power jack can cost a few dollars—but their replacement may require extensive disassembly and reassembly of the laptop by a technician. Other inexpensive but fragile parts often cannot be purchased separate from larger more expensive components.[45] The repair costs of a failed motherboard or LCD panel may exceed the value of a used laptop.

Laptops rely on extremely compact cooling systems involving a fan and heat sink that can fail due to eventual clogging by accumulated 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 starts to overheat even at idle load levels. This dust is usually stuck inside where casual cleaning and vacuuming cannot remove it. Instead, a complete disassembly is needed to clean the laptop.

Battery life of laptops is limited; the capacity drops with time, necessitating an eventual replacement after a few years. The battery is often easily replaceable, and one may replace it on purpose with a higher end model to achieve better battery life.

Security

Being valuable, common and portable, laptops are prized targets for theft. The cost of the stolen business or personal data and of the resulting problems (identity theft, credit card fraud, breach of privacy laws) can be many times the value of the stolen laptop itself. Therefore, both physical protection of laptops and the safeguarding of data contained on them are of the highest importance.

Most laptops have a Kensington security slot which is used to tether the computer to a desk or other immovable object with a security cable and lock. In addition to this, modern operating systems and third-party software offer disk encryption functionality that renders the data on the laptop's hard drive unreadable without a key or a passphrase.

Some laptops also now have additional security elements added by the consumer, including eye recognition software and fingerprint scanning[46] components.

Major brands and manufacturers

Main article: List of laptop brands and manufacturers

There is a multitude of laptop brands and manufacturers; several major brands, offering notebooks in various classes, are listed in the box to the right.

The major brands usually offer good service and support, including well-executed documentation and driver downloads that will remain available for many years after a particular laptop model is no longer produced. Capitalizing on service, support and brand image, laptops from major brands are more expensive than laptops by smaller brands and ODMs.

Some brands are specializing in a particular class of laptops, such as gaming laptops (Alienware), high-performance laptops (Macbook Pro), netbooks (EeePC) and laptops for children (OLPC).

Many brands, including the major ones, do not design and do not manufacture their laptops. Instead, a small number of Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) design new models of laptops, and the brands choose the models to be included in their lineup. In 2006, 7 major ODMs manufactured 7 of every 10 laptops in the world, with the largest one (Quanta Computer) having 30% world market share.[47] Therefore, there often are identical models available both from a major label and from a low-profile ODM in-house brand.

 Major laptop brands

Sales

Battery-powered portable computers had just 2% worldwide market share in 1986.[49] But today, laptops are becoming increasingly popular, both for business and personal use.[50] In 2008 it is estimated that 145.9 million notebooks were sold, and in 2009 the number will grow to 177.7 million.[51] The third quarter of 2008 was the first time when notebook PC shipments exceeded desktops, with 38.6 million units versus 38.5 million units.[50][52][53][54]

For Microsoft Windows systems, the average selling price (ASP) showed a decline in 2008/2009, possibly due to low-cost netbooks, drawing 689 US$ at U.S. retail in August 2008. In 2009, ASP had further fallen to 602 US$ by January and to 560 US$ in February. While Windows machines fell 129 US$ in these seven months, Mac laptop ASP declined just 12 US$ from 1524 US$ to 1512 US$.[55]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Laptop

References

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  15. ^ What is a Subnotebook?
  16. ^ "Breaking the Mold: New Lenovo ThinkPad laptop and Tablet PCs Defy Ultraportable Computing". Lenovo. 2008-09-23. http://www.lenovo.com/news/us/en/2008/09/x200s_x200tablet.html. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  17. ^ The Net Impact of Netbooks? It Depends on Who Uses Them for What
  18. ^ Bergevin, Paul (2008-03-03). "Thoughts on Netbooks". Intel.com. http://blogs.intel.com/technology/2008/03/thoughts_on_netbooks.php.
  19. ^ a b c (PDF) Netbook Trends and Solid-State Technology Forecast. pricegrabber.com. p. 7. https://mr.pricegrabber.com/Netbook_Trends_and_SolidState_Technology_January_2009_CBR.pdf. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
  20. ^ What is a laptop computer?
  21. ^ Copeland, Michael (2008-10-16). "Disruptor: The 'netbook' revolution". CNNMoney/Fortune. http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/13/technology/copeland_asus.fortune/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
  22. ^ UMID Netbook Only 4.8″
  23. ^ WORLD FIRST review of Inspiron Mini 12: Dell’s super-slim netbook!
  24. ^ For an example, on a CPU-intensive task (video encoding), the fastest-performing mobile CPU as of early 2008 (Intel Core 2 Extreme X7800, 2.6 GHz) performed about 30% worse than the slowest-performing desktop CPU (AMD Sempron 64 3000+, at 1.6 GHz) in the surveyed selection. "Mobile CPU charts". Tom's Hardware. 2008. http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/mobile-cpu-charts/Xvid-1-1-2,493.html. Retrieved 2008-11-12. "CPU charts Q1/2008". Tom's Hardware. 2008. http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/cpu-charts-2008-q1-2008/Xvid-1-1-2,403.html. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  25. ^ a b Catherine Roseberry. "What Makes Laptops Work – The Laptop Motherboard". About.com. http://mobileoffice.about.com/od/laptopstabletpcs/tp/laptopmotherboards.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  26. ^ "Laptop Buyer's Guide". 2008. http://www.geek.com/laptop-processors/. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  27. ^ The socketed CPUs are perhaps for the manufacturer's convenience, rather than the end-user, as some manufacturers try new CPUs in last year's laptop models with an eye toward selling upgrades rather than new laptops.
  28. ^ a b Gabriel Torres (2004-11-25). "Innovations in Notebook Expansion". Hardware Secrets, LLC. http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/89. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  29. ^ "Game Hardware". http://internetgames.about.com/od/hardware/Game_Hardware.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  30. ^ Dustin Sklavos (2006-07-18). "Notebook Video Graphics Card Guide 2006". NotebookReview.com. http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=3056&guide=Graphics+Card+Guide+2006. Retrieved 2008-11-15.
  31. ^ http://lenovoblogs.com/insidethebox/?p=154
  32. ^ Yen Ting Chen, Esther Lam (2008-04-02). "Acer: BD notebooks to account for 10% of shipments in 2008". Digitimes. http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20080401PD220.html. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  33. ^ "Should I buy a laptop or desktop?". IT Division – University of Wisconsin. 2008-03-19. http://kb.wisc.edu/showroom/page.php?id=3044. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  34. ^ "ECU Advantage: Why have a laptop?". ECU. http://advantage.ecu.edu.au/advantage/why.asp. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  35. ^ Almost all laptops contain a Wi-Fi interface; broadband cellular devices are available widely as extension cards and USB devices, and also as internal cards in select models.
  36. ^ Josh Fischman (2008-08-07). "Faster Wi-Fi Predicted for Colleges". The Chronicle of Higher Education. http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/3226/faster-wifi-predicted-for-colleges. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  37. ^ A sample line of UPS devices and on-battery power: "Back-UPS RS". APC. http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=23. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  38. ^ In a comparison between laptop and desktop of equal cost, the desktop's System Benchmark Score was twice that of the laptop. "What to Buy, a Notebook or Desktop PC?". Tom's Hardware. 2008-06-11. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/desktop-vs-notebook,1946-7.html. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  39. ^ For example, a review of the MSI Wind Netbook says that "The device is rarely sluggish in general use. It renders Web pages quickly, launches most applications without becoming too bogged down and generally doesn't feel like it's a budget laptop." Reid, Rory (2008-07-07). "MSI Wind Review". CNET Australia. http://www.cnet.com.au/laptops/laptops/0,239035649,339289583,00.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  40. ^ http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/14/rock-delivers-bd-core-i7-equipped-xtreme-790-and-xtreme-840-ga/
  41. ^ Martin, James A. (2000-06-09). "The Pain of Portable Computing". PC World. http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,17082/printable.html. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  42. ^ Sheynkin, Y.; Jung M; Yoo P;Schulsinger D; Komaroff E (2004-12-09). "Increase in scrotal temperature in laptop computer users". Human Reproduction (Epub) 20 (2): 452–5. doi:10.1093/humrep/deh616. PMID 15591087.
  43. ^ Levinbook, WS.; Mallet J; Grant-Kels JM (October 2007). "Laptop computer—associated erythema ab igne.". Cutis (Quadrant HealthCom) 80 (4): 319–20. PMID 18038695.
  44. ^ "Gartner: Notebook PCs still prone to hardware failure". IDG News Service / ITWorld. 2006-06-27. http://www.itworld.com/060627notebookpc. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  45. ^ For example, the video display cable and the backlight power cable that pass through the lid hinges to connect the motherboard to the screen will eventually break from repeated opening and closing of the lid. These tiny cables usually cannot be purchased separate from the entire LCD panel, with the price of hundreds of dollars.
  46. ^ "Biometric Devices". http://www.laptop-security-pro.com/biometric-devices.html.
  47. ^ "Identical Laptops, Different Prices: Don't Be Fooled by Branding". Info-Tech Research Group. 2006-10-10. http://www.infotech.com/Research/Notes/ITA/IdenticalLaptopsDifferentPricesDontBeFooledbyBranding.aspx?PublicationNumber={DF4272EE-FB5F-4F0A-9A06-192B1CFE2DB8}&SubCenter={0487C9B2-1A2D-42D2-829D-3A34B8BE02F8}. Retrieved 2008-11-27.
  48. ^ Toshiba Satellite low cost/high performance (A300-1EZ even cheaper at 699€)
  49. ^ "Lap-top computers gain stature as power grows" (in en). Daily News of Los Angeles (CA). April 12, 1987. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF513A9C40DA46F&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2001-01-01/2008.
  50. ^ a b "The Falling Costs of Mobile Computing". Falling Costs of Mobile Computing Drive Corporate Adoption. Computer Economics, Inc.. December 2005. http://www.computereconomics.com/article.cfm?id=1084. Retrieved 2001-01-01/2008.
  51. ^ Analysis: Did Intel underestimate netbook success?, Accessed at 10 January 2009
  52. ^ Notebook PC Shipments Exceed Desktops for First Time in Q3, isuppli.com, accessed at 13 January 2009
  53. ^ Randall Stross (2008-04-18). "The PC Doesn’t Have to Be an Anchor". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/business/19digi.html?_r=1&ref=technology. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
  54. ^ "Intel: laptop/desktop crossover coming sooner than expected". The Register, UK. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/17/intel_laptop_desktop_crossover/. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  55. ^ Netbooks Are Destroying the Laptop Market and Microsoft Needs to Act Now
Computer sizes
Classes of computers
Larger Super · Minisuper · Mainframe · Mini (Midrange) · Supermini · Server
Micro Personal (Workstation · Desktop · Home · SFF (Nettop)) · Plug · Portable · Arcade system board · Video game console
Mobile
Portable/Mobile data terminal · Electronic organizer · Pocket computer
Laptop Desktop replacement computer · Subnotebook (Netbook · Smartbook)
Tablet computer Tablet PC (Ultra-Mobile PC) · Mobile internet device (Internet Tablet)
Wearable computer Calculator watch · Virtual retinal display · Head-mounted display (Head-up display)
Information appliance PDA (Palm-size PC · Handheld PC · Pocket PC) · EDA · Mobile phone (Smartphone · Feature phone) · PMP · DAP · E-book reader · Handheld game console
Calculators Scientific · Programmable · Graphing
Others Single-board computer · Wireless sensor network · Microcontroller · Smartdust · Nanocomputer · Pizza Box Case

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'Laptop' News
Police blotter - Salina Journal
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Police blotter - Salina Journal
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Salina Journal burglary -- An Xbox video gaming system, laptop computer and a .45-caliber handgun belonging to Dustin R. Hoffer was taken between July 17 and Friday from a ...
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'Laptop' Blogs
Please suggest good 14 inch laptop within 40K
techenclave.com
Please suggest good 14 inch laptop within 40K

b_naresh

hu, 29 Jul 2010 05:35:14 GM

Planning to buy a 14 inch . laptop. with budget of 40K. Requirements are: 1) Portable and lightweight: Only looking for 14 inch . laptop. due to this. 2)

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Thu Jul 29 07:34:29 2010
'Laptop' Answers
Whats the difference between an alienware laptop and an alienware pc?
Q. I'm thinking of buying a Alienware Aurora(PC) or an Alienware Mx15 (laptop). I have an Acer aspire but, its not enough. I'm a gamer and I need higher gaming performance. I play varies of PC games on my laptop but, its not a gaming laptop. I play World of Warcraft (Yeah its a little minty) and my laptop just doesnt do it.
Asked by kegman18 - Sun Mar 7 16:04:50 2010 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Well, one's a laptop and the other's a desktop. For future reference, a laptop also qualifies as a "PC" (Personal Computer)... what you mean was a "desktop" vs a "laptop". Anyway, a laptop's only advantage is that it's portable. For all other things (performance, upgradability, cost, customizability, etc) a desktop is better.
Answered by Mercuri - Sun Mar 7 16:06:34 2010

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Thu Jul 29 03:35:32 2010
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