Tag Archives: HP Laptops

About 2484 days ago PCs, Laptops, and Notebooks

Ten Great Laptops for Your Business

Not all laptops are created equal. Each one caters to a different need and wallet size. But regardless of which one you invest in for your business, you want one that’ll do the job, last for a long time and require little or no servicing. In fact, many businesses today are purchasing laptop computers instead of desktop PCs. “Because of increased power and a wealth of wireless features, laptops actually serve as desktops these days,” says Ray Boggs, vice president of SMB Research at IDC (www.idc.com), a technology market research firm. “Laptops are more ideal for your business because you’re likely mobile, and you’ll also want to encourage your staff to bring their work with them wherever they are,” adds Boggs. With this in mind, the following are ten recommended picks, covering all the main kinds of laptops on the market, such as the thin and lightweight models, the hulking desktop replacement or the tablet. PORTABLE AND ULTRA PORTABLE Dell Latitude D420 At just three pounds, this lightweight PC enjoys more than seven hours of battery life, a 12.1-inch widescreen display, full-sized keyboard and integrated wireless functionality (including the option for Cingular or Verizon mobile broadband connectivity). An optional MediaBase snaps onto the bottom to play CDs or DVDs. From $1379; www.dell.com. Lenovo ThinkPad X Series Mobile executives in search of a lightweight but powerful workhorse won’t be disappointed with the latest Lenovo ThinkPad laptops. These ultra-portable PCs include an Intel Centrino Duo processor, 12.1-inch display, fingerprint reader for biometrics security and optional ThinkPad X6 UltraBase docking bay. From $1,490; www.lenovo.com Sony Vaio TX Series Don’t sacrifice performance for portability — the Sony Vaio TX Series may be a mere 2.76 pounds, but these Intel Centrino-based ultra-portable PCs offer up to 7.5 hours of battery life, a gig of RAM, reliable wireless technologies and a shiny 11.1-inch widescreen display with XBRITE technology. From $2,199. www.sonystyle.com Acer TravelMate 8200 While you may be tempted to pickup those sleek Ferrari-branded Acer laptops, the TravelMate 8200 is probably more ideal for your bourgeoning business thanks to its Intel Dual Core technology, ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics chip and widescreen 15.4-inch WSXGA+ display. Also included is an Acer OrbiCam, a 1.3-megapixel adjustable Webcam built into the black carbon-fiber chassis. From $1,989; www.acer.com DESKTOP REPLACEMENT Dell Latitude D820 Desktop performance meets mobility with this award-winning Dell PC; designed for power on the go, this laptop features an Intel Core Duo processor, up to 4GB of RAM, up to 512MB of video RAM and a stunning 15.4-inch WUXGA display (1920 X 1200 resolution). Security is also key, as the integrated Smart Card reader requires both a card and a password for the o/s to boot up, and you can add the optional fingerprint reader. From $1,409; www.dell.com Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV650 It’s not cheap, but the high-end Qosmio is the ultimate entertainment PC, as it’s the first to include a HD DVD-ROM drive for true high-definition movies. Other specs include an Intel Core Duo processor, a 256MB GeForce video card, 17-inch widescreen WUXGA display and two 100GB hard drives. Security extras include a fingerprint reader and security cable lock slot. $2,999. www.toshibadirect.com HP dv9000z series Entrepreneurs who work hard usually like to play hard. The latest HP laptop lets you do both; the 17-inch widescreen powerhouse gives you a choice of five processors (go with the Mobile AMD Sempron 3500+), and includes a 256MB Nvidia video card and up to 240GB of hard drive space. The multimedia machine also featuring the HP Imprint Finish, a smooth and glossy coating. From $1,299. www.hpshopping.com TABLET Fujitsu Stylistic ST5000 It’s like a clipboard with a brain. Powered by an Intel Pentium M processor, the Fujitsu Stylistic ST5000 is a 3.5-pound tablet offering more than six hours of battery life, multiple XGA TFT indoor/outdoor display options (10.4- or 12.1-inch screens) and your choice of wireless LAN (802.11a/b/g). From $1,999. www.fujitsu.com Lenovo ThinkPad X41 Tablet As the thinnest and lightest 12-inch convertible tablet available, this ThinkPad offers the full functionality of Lenovo’s notebook series, yet the screen swivels around 180-degrees and lies flat to become a Tablet PC for handwritten notes using the stylus pen. Powered by Intel Centrino Mobile Technology, the X41 includes the ThinkVantage Active Protection System, rescue and recovery service and a shock-absorbent hard drive. From $1,799. www.lenovo.com Acer TravelMate C310 Another stellar tablet/laptop convertible is the award-winning TravelMate C310 from Acer with its huge 14.1-inch XGA display, integrated optical drive for CD and DVD playback and recording, 4-in-1 card reader, up to 100GB hard drive and host of wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. $1,499. www.acer.com

About 4828 days ago Mobility Tips and Tricks

Extending the Life of Your Laptop Battery

For the frequent business traveler, there’s only one thing more frustrating than being stuck in an airport waiting for a delayed flight: Waiting in an airport for a delayed flight with a dead battery in your laptop computer. We’ve become so dependent on our computers that when the computer’s down, we’re down, too. On the plane or in the airport, an electrical outlet can be hard to find. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of tricks to help extend the life of your laptop batteries. General Considerations Become compulsive about always starting a trip (and never leaving the hotel) without fully charged batteries. Because short recharges of your battery can shorten the battery’s useful charge, this can take some careful advance planning. Buy extra batteries, buy the best, and develop a routine for keeping them all charged. Belong to airline travel clubs that offer access to airport lounges. You are more likely to have access to power in these lounges than elsewhere in the airport. Computer Considerations When buying a laptop, pay attention to its power requirements, the type of batteries that come with the computer, the cost of additional batteries, the ease with which new batteries can be inserted or attached, and the time it takes to recharge your batteries. When making purchase decisions, pay attention to the sophistication of the routines your computer uses to minimize power use. Adjust the timing on your screen saver, how quickly your computer shuts down the monitor, and other operations to fully minimize power use. Reduce the frequency of auto-saves in your word processor and other software so that your system can shut down the hard drive for longer periods. Minimize use of heavy power feeders in your computer such as diskette drives and CD-ROM readers. Remove PCMCIA cards when not in use. Keep the brightness of your screen at a minimum. Better still, use black-and-white mode. Batteries: All batteries are not created equally. Generally you get what you pay for. If battery life is important to you, spend the extra money. If it’s really important to you, you can spend quite a lot. For $399 you can get a 15-hour battery pack for many Toshiba and HP notebooks. In the $150 range you can buy rechargers that rejuice two batteries at once. Contact: For more detailed advice, you may wish to post a query on the laptop computer newsgroup comp.sys.laptops. A company in the U.S. called iGo.com sells batteries and related gear through the mail: http://igo.ententeweb.com/, Phone: 800-228-8374. Copyright © 2000 Roadnews.com