20 Laptop Security Tips

1. Install Mozilla Firefox - Mozilla Firefox will stop spyware dead in its tracks. Mozilla Firefox has many different plugins and advantages for other browsers and has a large community dedicated to keeping it secure.

2. Firewall. If you're your operating system is anything but Windows 98 then you have a built-in firewall. The problem is that most computers I fix the firewall is turned off. You wouldn't leave your front door open!! Firewalls close all the open doors or ports that enable remote users or applications to connect to your computer. No firewall means that all open ports can and will enable some application to connect to your computer remotely.

3. Encrypt your files - I don't care if you have a super secret password on your computer and all the latest patches if someone has physical access to your computer they can take your hard drive and pop it into another computer and access your files. If your files and folders are encrypted then they can't access them and steal your Identity. Pick a folder for you important documents-right click the folder then press advanced and then press encrypt folders and contents.

4. Updates - I don't care what operating system you use but make sure that you enable automatic updates. Updates should be install within twenty four hours of their release. Hackers will reverse engineer the published updates and use the exploits to create their own, so patch away.

5. Car Storage - OK, easy suggestion but if I'm a hacker all I need to do is follow the target home and wait for them to leave the laptop in the car. Dumb, but I felt like it needed to be said.

6. Laptop locks - Don't buy cheap laptop locks. Some of the cheap laptop locks on the market can be cut with small pliers. Good laptop lock cables will mesh together preventing it from being cut.

7. Policy - If you have own a business make a policy on how laptops are to be stored. You need to have a double lock policy. If a laptop is left unattended in a room it needs to be locked down with a laptop lock and the door to the room needs to be locked.

8. Harden Your Operating System - Locking down your operating system means stopping all unneeded services, installing updates and proper configuration of applications and server apps.

9. Passwords vs Pass Phrases - Make your passwords longer and more complicated.

10. Inventory - Assign inventory numbers and asset tags to laptops prior to giving them to employees. When a employee is fired or leaves the company get the laptop back, simple but often overlooked.

11. Wireless Security - Enable some sort of wireless security like WPA2, if you have no wireless encryption set up then all of your wireless clients can be tracked and subject to exploit. Kismet and other hacker tools will not only sniff wireless traffic they will also identify all the wireless clients for that wireless access points.

12. Walking Away - When you walk away from your laptop you need to press control-alt-delete and lock your computer. Dumb but it needs to be said.

13. AD-HOC Wireless networks - If your at a library or on campus or at a coffee shop and you scan for wireless networks and you see a computer to computer network don't' connect some one is trying to screw with you.

14. Rename your computer - Pretty easy to find you target if you computer's name is your name. Once a hacker knows your name the social engineering game begins.

15. Virtualization - Install Virtual PC and install a virtual machine. Use the Virtual computer to test all applications prior to use. Utilize the virtual pc for all risky websites.

16. Drinks -I think I have seen more lost data from someone spilling a drink on a laptop than anything else. So keep your drinks away from your laptop...yea simple.

17. Stolen Laptops - Register your laptops with one of the many different laptop recovery services. If you install their software and the thief accesses the Internet they can track it, deleted your data, and report the location to the police...in theory.

18. Ant-Virus - Update your virus definitions.

19. Install Linux - Ubuntu Linux is free, you can install it in about 15 minutes, and its more secure than anything Microsoft has to offer.

20. Install Linux - oops I put that twice but I think it deserves two listings, good luck

The Wireless Ninja can make your wireless network and work place more secure and productive. Visit http://www.wirelessninja.com and we will save you money, time and prevent your IT heachaches. Don't wait.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Meyer

Laptop Computer's Financing To Update Your Equipment

You should take a look at these promotions and analyze whether you can take advantage of them or not. Here are some tips on how to decide whether a particular promotion suits your needs or not.

Banks and financial institutions want to invest their money and thus they offer loans and lines of credit. Computer manufacturers want to sell their products and thus, associating with lenders widens their sales by making laptop computers more affordable. You, as a consumer can take advantage of this situation and shop around both for lenders and laptops and get the best offer possible. There are many bargains out there.

Credit Card Promotions On Laptop Computers

By associating with certain credit card issuers, manufacturers or retail companies offer their laptop computers payable in several installments with 0% APR. These offers are excellent as you can purchase your laptop on several payments without having to put all the money down. Some of them even offer a 10% discount on the retail price in order to attract more customers. It can actually end up being even cheaper than purchasing in cash.

What do they get in return? Well, the manufacturer or Retail Company gets to sell the products and the credit card issuer gets to retain you as a client for at least a year if you select 12 payments or two years if you select 24 and so on. These practices create fidelity at a very low cost for the credit card companies and though you may not pay interests for this particular purchase you will pay interests for all the others you make.

Small Loans For Laptop Purchases

These loans are offered by retail companies sometimes in association with financial institutions sometimes by creating a financial institution ad hoc. These loans feature advantageous terms and small installments to attract consumers. The idea is to make goods affordable when they would otherwise be rather expensive. With these small loans laptops are presented as affordable items because the purchase price is concealed behind the small installments.

These loans have simple qualification processes. Usually the only requirements for approval are some sort of identification along with a copy of a paycheck receipt or some other proof of income. Some retail companies will require only a copy of a credit card resume sent to your home to show proof both of income and residence. Thus, getting approved for these loans is fairly simple and has little to no hassles at all.

As you can see, laptops can really be affordable if purchased through these means. Thus, if you were planning or considering the purchase of laptop computer you may want to shop around for these offers and choose whether to buy your laptop with your credit card or by requesting a small loan specifically created for this purpose. In any case, you can get a great deal and repay the money in affordable installments.

Sarah Dinkins is a financial advisor who has been associated with Bad Credit Unsecured Loans since long ago. She also holds a master degree in economics from Harvard University. To find Personal Loans, unsecured loans, debt settlement programs, bad credit auto loans, poor credit mortgage loans visit http://www.badcreditfinancialexperts.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Dinkins

Laptop Bateries

There are indeed several types of laptop batteries that are essential for keeping a laptop running properly. In this regard, there are a number of ways to properly care and maintain a laptops main power source, the battery, since the batteries of laptop are constructed with a number of crucial components for regulating charge and power supply to the laptop.

What and how many types of laptop batteries are available in the market? Well there are many but if you are the consumer there is a need for you to check and also to know the ideal battery for your laptop. Now, in respect of the different types of batteries that come to our concern are the Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) Batteries, which are in reality were the first rechargeable batteries manufactured for laptops. Though inexpensive, and being of high output and versatility the have been abandoned by the laptop manufacturers with the introduction of several efficient and lighter-weight batteries. The next that do come in the category are the Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Batteries, which at the time of its commencement was regarded as big development concerning power output, reliability, cost, safety and capacity. It is to be noted, that it was the "memory effect" that was the only issue, which required them to be fully discharged before recharging to gain maximum output.

However, with the up gradation of batteries, these older ones are found in the older model laptops. In this respect, the Lithium Ion (LiON) batteries happen to be the latest version, and ahs become the most popular for laptops. This device has been most successful since the elimination of "memory effect", and also happens to be much lighter than the other two in weight. For this the market price is also the highest. But again, at the time of detecting the ideal one among the various types of batteries there is a need to be cautious of the battery cycle.

It is known that one battery cycle is used every time when a battery is charged or discharged. Now, what is a battery cycle in reality? It technical terms, it is defined as the number of cycles a battery can perform before its nominal capacity falls below 80% of its initial rated capacity. In addition, the lifetimes 500 to 1200 cycles are typical. Besides while buying try to have a prior knowledge of the run time of the batteries, which does depends on a great number of factors. In maximum segments, it is the design of, and the power demands made by the machine that determines the actual battery run-time. For instance, the three factors of using the screen, the hard drive and other accessories do play a significant role to influence the duration of the run-time. There are also other types of batteries, known as Smart and Dumb Laptop Batteries. There are some laptop batteries, which are, equipped with internal microprocessor circuits and do play a considerable role in the management of battery energy, setting the charger to the correct charge algorithm, predict running time, or according to Smart Battery System (SBS) forum, provide a state-of-charge (SoC) indication. Theses are known as "Smart" batteries. On the contrary, those batteries that remain devoid of these features are known as the dumb ones, found to provide power only.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Stone

Apple Laptop

Apple has always seemed to amaze the world with their new technology, but now they have really put the cherry on the cake. Their latest design, the MacBook Air is a slim, high performance laptop of the finest quality. When you take a quick glance at this piece, it is hard to believe the specs it holds because of its size. As they say "dynamite comes in small packages" and in this case, this statement could not be more true! It has a full size display screen and keyboard, making it the most convenient laptop on the market, a must for anyone who likes to work in style.

Many faces watched with wide eyes and gaping mouth as Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple presented the MacBook Air recently in San Francisco at the MacWorld Expo. All tech fans will want a piece of this nifty device, everyone knows that, but just how many of them are able to afford it? With a rumored price of $1,700, that is the big question, but if they want it as badly as we think they do, they will surely make a plan to get their hands on it, one way or another. The new Apple laptop is the latest talk on the streets in many firms and households; it will be interesting to see their sales after a few months.

This amazing Apple laptop is a full-value one, with a very healthy casing made of aluminum and features a 13 inch display screen. At the presentation, the CEO of the wealthy company had the pleasure of comparing the Apple laptop with Sony's new piece, the Vaio TZ. Unfortunately, only those who were lucky enough to be at the presentation will be able to verify what was said within the comparison. What was revealed is when Steve said that the thinnest section of Sony's Vaio is in fact the thinnest part of Apple's MacBook Air. However, what Steve failed to mention is that the Vaio laptop has certain features the MacBook Air does not, like a UMTS module, a modem and a DVD burner.

The new laptop from Apple, the MacBook Air has an Intel Core2Duo Processor featuring either 1.6 or 1.8 (GHz) of power. This time, Apple sent the new laptop into the world of public with a much stronger CPU (central processing unit) than the ones they are currently competing with.

Technology Hub: http://www.iTechBot.com
Computer Articles Directory: http://www.ComputersLive.net

Tarang Bhargava is the CEO of Vexat Inc. and has been exploiting AdSense and Affiliate Marketing as income sources for almost six years now. He also extends his experience to guide newbies to earn cash online by providing free AdSense websites.

http://www.ArticlesDirectory.org contains quality content, keyword rich and informative articles. You can read as well as submit blogs, latest news headlines. Become an author, post articles and earn money.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tarang_V_Bhargava

Laptop Memory

Memory Myths.

There is a very interesting observation made by one of these memory improvement guys who sell their books on the Television. He claims everybody has a good memory but we just fail to recognize it and utilize it the proper way. Sorry Sir, I am very much aware how much my memory is (its weak) and I know how to use it (I keep blaming it for all my faults).

The Laptop however has no such choices like me and is required to utilize the available memory for running all the applications. The Laptop memory issues are resolved internally and appropriate memory is allotted to the application depending upon its priority. The memory here implies the RAM which comes in the form of PCB mounded chips that can hold data for a short duration and transfer it at a very fast rate for necessary operations. This is totally different from the Hard disk which is a permanent storage/ memory space.

The Race For More. The memory hunger of Laptops has been never ending. The memories have increased manifold and starting from a modest 32 Kb the RAM now boasts of speeds in the vicinity of 16Gb. One remembers the 1980s Bill Gates comment regarding RAM, when he said "Who needs more than 64 Kb of RAM Anyway?" Eat your heart out Mr. Gates, your creation has clearly overtaken your own imaginations. The Laptop memory today is increasing at a fast pace to accommodate the advance computing softwares that are being flooded into the market everyday.

Laptop RAMs.

Any average Laptop user would tell you that a Laptop RAM of 1Gb would be good enough to run almost all the applications including the 3-D Graphics and multimedia applications. However, it is increasingly common to observe people demanding more RAM from the vendors with a preconceived notion that the higher the RAM the faster a Laptop would be. This notion though not wrong is not entirely correct. The RAM is faster than the main storage memory, however, it is still much slower than the processor and requires something called a cache to come on equal footing with the processor. Therefore, more RAM does not necessarily mean faster and more efficient Laptop.

The Tradeoff.

The ideal configuration of a Laptop would decide the optimum amount of RAM that can utilise all the existing resources of the Laptop. Thus the requirement of a Laptop memory would indeed depend upon the user requirement of running applications on the Laptop. Thus, a gaming Laptop would have a totally different requirement of Laptop RAM vis-…-vis a Laptop used entirely for Office work or say multimedia.

The additional data that the multimedia content device loads on a Laptop while running generally slows down the machine for a short span of time. It may even hang it for some time. However, even with a higher capacity RAM the effect wont change since the Graphic accelerator may be slow. The case may be different for different accessories. However, the fact about Laptop Memory that it can speed up the Laptop only upto a certain extent holds good.

Technology Hub: http://www.iTechBot.com
Computer Articles Directory: http://www.ComputersLive.net

Tarang Bhargava is the CEO of Vexat Inc. and has been exploiting AdSense and Affiliate Marketing as income sources for almost six years now. He also extends his experience to guide newbies to earn cash online by providing free AdSense websites.

http://www.ArticlesDirectory.org contains quality content, keyword rich and informative articles. You can read as well as submit blogs, latest news headlines. Become an author, post articles and earn money.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tarang_V_Bhargava

How To Replace Your Laptop Computer's LCD

Laptop computers have been around for ages. Just as a human, laptop computers also age. Along with age comes broken or damaged parts. Hence, you either have to replace the laptop computer or repair the broken parts. One of the most expensive parts of a computer to replace is the monitor, commonly called the LCD.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display - the technology used to make the flat panel screens and laptop computer screens.

Some common reasons that might make you consider replacing your laptop computer's LCD are (1) the screen has been cracked; (2) you want to upgrade the standard computer screen that came with your unit to a higher resolution LCD screen; or(3) there are lots of dead spaces on your screen which might come from dead pixels.

If you want to tackle the task of replacing your laptop computer's LCD, consider the following steps to ensure that you perform the replacement seamlessly.

Step One
Power off your laptop computer and disconnect the battery and all cables. You will also want to remove the battery as it could cause an electric shock if it remains installed through the process.

Step Two
Remove the rubber screw covers to expose the screws that hold the screen frame in place.

Step Three
Gently pry the LCD screen frame loose. You should then be able to find the LCD screen cable and power cord. Unplug both of these and remove the tape (if any) that is holding the screen in place.

Step Four
You will next need to find out who the manufacturer of your laptop computer's LCD screen is. Keep in mind that the screen's manufacturer might not be the same as the manufacturer of the computer. Ensure that you match the screen that you purchase matches the screen's manufacturer model number.

Step Five
Once you have obtained the appropriate replacement screen, plug the new LCD screen in, secure it with tape, and replace the frame. Be cautious not to crimp any cords when you replace the frame.

Step Six
When you power up your laptop computer, your LCD screen should work properly. If it doesn't, call the supplier where you purchased your replacement screen and ask for technical help.

If you decide that it would be cheaper or easier to replace your entire laptop computer, visit my website, The Cheap Laptop Store to buy new, used, or refurbished laptop computers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roberta_Sullivan

The Hewlett Packard HP Pavillion dv6000 Laptop Computer

The Hewlett Packard Pavillion dv6000 laptop computer is a wonderful computer that is both easy to use and fully equipped with Microsoft Vista. It comes with an Intel Pentium dual-core processor. The computer is small and thus easily transportable for typing anywhere.

The Hewlett Packard Pavillion dv6000 has many wonderful features, many of which are a part of Windows Vista. It has a DVD/CD ROM drive/burner and two USB ports. The battery does not last for too long however, so portable typing and computing must be done in a timely fashion. There is a port for a printer, dial-up and cable modems, an expansion port, and a port for another monitor.

Quickplay DVD controls are highlighted in blue above the key board. The Hewlett Packard Pavillion dv6000 is really an entertainment computer and is great for playing music, watching TV or DVD's, storing and playing with photos. HP imprint allows for high-gloss finish to printed photos and the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 allows for fine photo editing. The expansion port allows for connecting to the internet and more and the dv6000's integrated 5-in-1 digital media reader allows quick file transferring and sharing. The computer boasts a 100 gigabyte hard drive and is good as a game computer as well as for photo and digital fun.

The laptop has a plasma screen with an amazingly nice display. Vista comes with Microsoft Works as its standard paper template, but files can be saved as html or Word and even more. The computer allows for different network and internet connections, including wireless broadband. It does not have a three and a half-inch floppy disk drive, but those are mostly a thing of the past anyway, but it does have USB ports for a portable three and a half-inch floppy drive which can be purchased for around twenty-five dollars. The Hewlett Packard Pavillion dv6000's price tag is around a thousand dollars, but this little computer pays for every dollar spent.

In conclusion, the Hewlett Packard Pavillion dv6000 laptop computer is an affordable entertainment computer which is portable, lightweight, easy to use, and perfect at home, college, or at work. Photo fun with the Pavillion is its specialty along with typing documents, internet surfing, and DVD's and music. All in all this computer is one fine machine and if you are looking for a new laptop computer the dv6000 might be the computer to suit your needs.

For quality keyword articles that will save you time and money, please visit Edward Carr's website at http://www.freewebs.com/edwardcarr

Here you may contact me regarding your ghostwriting needs as well as for any other writing purposes.

Laptop Is Better Than PDA

Talking about PDA and laptop is always interesting. Which one will become your friend in your journey? Depend on your needs, right? A PDA is a better portable and lighter hardware than laptop. If you need to do some important things but you need a simpler tool, PDA is your friend. But PDA couldn't do as many things as laptop. If you need to play some light games (or even heavy ones), laptop is the only choice for you (when you are outside your home sweet home).

Beside of this, laptop always has better specification. Some softwares won't work properly in your PDA (especially Adobe softwares because they need good memory). So if you think PDA is a better choice than laptop, think twice. Laptop has many extra features that you won't get in PDA. If you prefer larger monitor size, laptop is the winner once again. Do not forget that reading small fonts in PDA sometimes can be really annoying. For better internet browsing and word processing experiences, laptop has proved its worth.

But it doesn't mean PDA is not popular. PDA is a matter of speed. If you need to work faster, PDA is absolutely better. Laptop has bigger space, better specification, can do many more things, but about speed, PDA is still better. Some of us only care about effectiveness, that's why PDA is still popular (in fact, it's getting more and more popular).

Actually, I prefer to buy a high-tech laptop than to buy a PDA. Yes, the differences between PDA and laptop are not big nowadays because laptops are smaller now and PDA has stronger performance. But for what reason you buy a powerful PDA? If you want to play games (especially heavy ones like HALO 3 or CoD 4), of course a bigger monitor is better. I think at least a 17" monitor is needed to get the best experience. A heavier laptop is okay. In fact, your hand will be stronger if you carry a heavy laptop everywhere. Consider it as an exercise.

Ruddy S. Gunawan, author of this article, is the webmaster of best laptop website. He is also the blogger in laptop guide blog. To know more about all the best laptops, you can check his site.

Laptop Speakers

Laptops are made with their speakers embedded in the device. Many prefer the convenience of not having to deal with another external accessory. However, many find that laptop speakers are a nuisance with poor quality sound and a small variety of options. Instead, consumers turn to multimedia speakers, also called external speakers, which are the same kind that come with a regular computer. Most computer speakers are made with a lower powered amplifier that is included inside of the speaker.

The cord that attaches the speaker to the computer is called a stereo jack plug. The connection accessory usually has lime green tip so that the consumer can locate it quickly. If the computer is fairly new, many laptops do not have the regular sound card where the audio connection can be plugged in. RCA came out with a converter connector for those who do not have a typical sound card. They are typically used for large home stereo systems.

USB speakers are the hottest accessory on the market right now, but not specifically because of laptops. The USB speakers came out with the birth of the mp3 player as a way for the consumer to listen to the music on the device without headphones. The speakers come in very handy for laptops if the user does not want to have 2 large speakers to deal with. The speakers are powered at 200 milliamp s and use about half a watt of output power.

The most common brands that sell speakers are:

? Altec
? Bose
? Dell
? GE
? Harmon Kardon
? Hewlett-Packard
? Logitech
? Creative Labs

Laptop speakers vary in quality and price depending on the style of the speaker. The brand of the speaker also changes the price or value considerably. The speakers with better sound quality are surprisingly enough the smaller speakers. Unfortunately, they are also the more expensive type of speakers. The more higher advanced speakers have options to change the equalization such as the treble and bass. The more advanced speakers also have 'sub woofers', which aid the output quality of the bass. A amplifier is usually included as well.

Those who wish to have a more simple and confidential way of listening to music but do not want to use the laptop speakers may opt for headphones. They are also considered a form of speaker because they aid in the output of sound. Headphones now come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Many of the name brand companies have been improving the headphones so that they are more comfortable around the ear. Many worries about sound affecting hearing loss has also convinced companies to make headphones that prevent sound loss. Compared to the speakers that come with the laptops, any external speaker would be a great accessory to buy.

Technology Hub: http://www.iTechBot.com
Computer Articles Directory: http://www.ComputersLive.net

Tarang Bhargava is the CEO of Vexat Inc. and has been exploiting AdSense and Affiliate Marketing as income sources for almost six years now. He also extends his experience to guide newbies to earn cash online by providing free AdSense websites.

New Laptop Technology You Need To Know

Laptop or notebook computer technology is advancing at a blistering speed. Ferrari fast. So fast that by the time you purchase your new laptop, it's probably already obsolete or out of date. A sobering thought considering the hefty prices you have to pay for a high-end laptop.

But laptop technology is changing so fast new innovations are coming on stream as you read this article. There is a whole new generation of notebook technology every two years or less. Therefore, unless you buy or upgrade your laptop each year you're falling behind what these sleek little powerhouses can now deliver.

And unless you're already in Geek Heaven, keeping track of all these new technologies and innovations can be quite a chore. Figuring out the right Graphics chipset that works best with the right CPU and the best Data buses is a major feat. And now that everything is being Doubled -- dual core, dual graphics -- it's entering the realm where Einstein would be amused, even on a bad hair day!

What's the ordinary laptop buyer to do?

What you really have to keep in mind are the outcomes of all this new technology. Basically, these new technologies have made laptops smaller, faster and more powerful. With every new improvement the laptop is closing the gap between its main rival -- the desktop computer.

Notebook computers are now out-selling desktops for the first time in history. Laptops are replacing the old desktop computer, whose days may just be numbered. It won't be long before laptops are also out-performing them as well.

Some major computer makers are taking note of this trend towards more powerful, smaller computers. Even the desktop computer is morphing! Just look at the sleek design of the new Apple iMac G5, gone is the bulky tower, in its place is a well designed desktop computer that's almost a laptop!

For the ordinary computer user keeping abreast of all these new technologies and inventions can be a major chore if you're considering buying a laptop in the next little while. As you approach the smiling salesperson in your favorite tech store, here's a few bits of new notebook technology you might want to have in your possession so you won't look like a complete neophyte. Hey, where technology is concerned, we have all been there, done that.

In order for you to tech-proof your next laptop purchase, here's a quick run down of some recent Notebook Developments:

Sonoma Chipset

The new Sonoma Platform, Intel's next-generation Centrino Chipset is already on the market. Members of the Sonoma club are growing daily - Sony, IBM/Lenovo, BenQ, Dell, Samsung, Acer, and Toshiba... another 80 or 90 'Sonoma-endowed' products will be released very shortly.

No doubt, it will become the Platform standard for many high-end notebooks. Actually, it won't make or mean that much difference to the ordinary Joe/Jane who just want a notebook or laptop for web surfing, word processing and e-mail. Notebooks with the Sonoma Platform will be just a little bit faster and have a little better battery life.

But for Mobile Professionals and Notebook Fanatics (they do exist)... there's a lot of good things delivered or capable of being delivered with this new Centrino Chipset. First, wireless connections will be easier with the integrated tri-mode 802.11a/b/g, already dubbed by some as the 'wireless trinity'! This will make it easier to stay connected no matter where you are.

Improved performance will be experienced because the new Pentium M's have a 533MHz frontside bus, supported with up to 2GB of DDR2 DRAM, Serial ATA Hard Drive, and PCI Express, plus improved integrated graphics, including Intel's Hi-Def Audio. All are possible with the Sonoma Platform.

PCI Express

PCI(Peripheral Component Interconnect) Express is a new standard for expansion cards that comes in different versions. Presently, we have the x16 and x1 lanes, which will be followed by x4 and x8 versions. It offers increased bandwidth for example, x1 lane offers 500MB/sec instead of just 133MB/sec for PCI.

All computers, including laptops have different buses, (collection of wires) that transmit data from one component to another.

Of course, in an ideal world, all the data in your computer should move thru just one BUS - however, most experts agree it's not likely to happen unless we start over and build a computer system from scratch. For now we have to rely on different internal buses to move the data around, the PCI Express is a great improvement and will make your laptop faster.

Graphics Card

These are always improving. A Graphics Card handles the graphics or visuals on your notebook. If 3D graphics and games is a pastime, you will want to buy the highest quality system. Some of the higher end products are: ATi Mobility Radeon 9800, X800, and FireGL V3200 or Intel's Graphics Media Accelerator 900.

If you can, go with a NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800 graphics card or for the real game diehards - wait for the debut of NVIDIA GeForce Go 7300 that features NVIDIA's TurboCache technology.

Gamers will be aware of NVIDIA SLI technology, ATI's CrossFire and Hyperthreading. All new stuff that's bringing the gaming experience up to a higher level of perfection that would even be worthy of a Spielberg or a Lucas Production. Not really, but it's getting there.

64 Bit Laptops

Most systems today run on the 32 Bit System. Keep in mind, the major difference between a 32-bit and a 64-bit system is the amount of memory that they support. Around 4 GB for 32-bit and 8 GB and up for the 64-bit. Right now -- Intel, Apple, and AMD all offer 64-bit systems.

Do you need all this memory? No, for the average laptop user it amounts to overkill. However, if you're interested in gaming, desktop publishing, or the graphic arts you will benefit from 64-bit technology.

Dual Core Notebooks

Two is better than one!

Dual core laptops are now on the market. The gaming industry is the starting point for many of these advanced systems. For example, the British Laptop maker Rockdirect now produces Xtreme 64, a gaming laptop with AMD’s new dual core Athlon 64 X2 processor. This same laptop also sports the ATI Mobility Radeon X800 XT graphics card that features 16 pixel pipelines, an industry first for notebooks.

The major producers of dual-core chips are Intel and AMD. The Intel dual-core processor has hyperthreading (HT), the two cores are divided into four virtual CPU units. Is all this needed? Again, if you're into heavy graphics or gaming, it's something you should consider and explore further.

Built-in Cellular Modem

Most high-end laptops now come with an integrated tri-mode 802.11a/b/g for wireless WI-FI connections.

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

The Avant-Garde: LumiLED Display

Be on the look-out for LED monitors in the near future. The brightness, colors and backlighting technology in LED monitors will be quite different from LCD displays.

The Forerunner in this field is NEC's SpectraView LumiLED, and will offer a much better image and color. Keep your eyes peeled.

On the Horizon:

19 or 20 Inch Laptop Screens

There is a rumor, only a rumor, that Dell is coming out with a 19-inch laptop in early 2006. There is also buzz that LG-Philips has a 20-inch LCD panel which could easily be used by laptop makers if they want to explore this market area. Andre the giant will be pleased!

Conclusion

Of course, there are many more laptop innovations in the pipeline but they're beyond the scope of this article. Just keep all these new technological notebook changes in mind when you're checking out your next laptop. Maybe, just maybe, most of these won't already have been replaced by something new by the time you buy your next laptop. But don't bet your Google Stocks on it!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Titus_Hoskins

Design of Apple G4 iBook series

Like the previous G3 model, the Apple iBook G4 is an attractive laptop. Its appealing, creamy exterior, with rounded edges and corners and a smooth, hard, polycarbonate shell, masks the fact that the system is designed for rugged use by students. The previous transparent, back-painted shell has been replaced with a solid-white shell, which makes small scratches less noticeable.

Open the lid, and you begin to notice obvious improvements over the previous model. The keyboard feels more solid due to a redesigned internal cast-magnesium metal frame underneath. The keys don't pop off as easily as they did on earlier models, and the keyboard color now matches the matte white of the palm rest and the display frame.

The Apple iBook G4 adopts some of the PowerBooks' design details. For instance, the latch that holds the lid closed retracts when the lid is open, and the battery includes a built-in power-level indicator. We like the new slot-loading optical drive, which eliminates an easily damaged CD tray, and the 12.1-inch, 1,024x768 display produces crisp images and bright colors. The screen is a little small for watching movies, but with the addition of a $19 TV adapter cable connected to the VGA port, the iBook works as a DVD player for your TV.

Apple has corrected a problem that caused some iBook G4s to fail after a few months of operation. The unit we had showed no sign of a defect on the logic board. Apple's iBook Logic Board Repair Extension Program is paying for motherboard replacements, even for units with expired warrantees, and is refunding owners who had previously paid to repair the problem.

Asus Eee PC 900 Has Bigger Screen, Drive

The anticipated new version of Asus' low-cost Eee PC with a larger screen has made its debut at the Cebit trade show.

The new "Eee PC 900" model sports an 8.9-inch screen -- a couple of inches larger than the 7-inch display on the original computer -- and more storage space. It has a 12G-byte, solid-state disk drive (SSD), which is 50 percent greater than the largest drive available on current machines.

SSDs are replacements for hard-disk drives that store data on flash memory. They offer better performance and lower power consumption but are more expensive.

Other features of the new computer include 1G-byte of memory, Ethernet connection, 802.11b/g wireless LAN, 1.3-megapixel camera and a card reader for MMC, SD and SDHC memory cards. About 3.5 hours of battery life is expected from the computer's 4-cell battery, said Asus.

The machine is due on sale in the middle of this year and will cost ¬399 (US$606).

Asus has high hopes for the expanded Eee PC range and hopes to sell between 3 million and 5 million of the machines this year. Since its launch last year sales have totaled about 350,000 units.

The Eee PC first debuted at the Computex trade show in Taipei in June 2007. The basic model is currently available in four configurations with the main difference being the size of the SSD storage. The cheapest model packs just 2G-bytes of space while the most expensive of the four has an 8G-byte SSD.

MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo/2.4GHz and 2.5GHz

The new MacBook Pro models Apple released last week might be classified as speed bumps, implying that the pro laptops' new enhancements constitute a minor, albeit noteworthy update.

However, these new MacBook Pros, a pair of 15-inch models and a 17-inch model, represent a fairly significant upgrade--both in terms of technology and performance--over their predecessors, which were released 8 months ago. Debuting Intel's 45 nanometer Penryn processor (a new generation of speedier chips that top the 65-nanometer Merom chips powering the earlier models), the new 2.5GHz MacBook Pros achieved the best scores of any laptop in Macworld's Speedmark 5 benchmark tests.

Despite that accomplishment, some might be disappointed that there was no redesign of the case, and that Apple has made its Front Row remote control, formerly free, a US$20 option. The trackpad, which is the same size as in previous models, has been updated to accommodate the multi-touch hand gestures it introduced in the iPhone and featured on the MacBook Air. For example, pinching an image will reduce its size, while swiping will advance you to the next image.

MacBook Pros were designed with the multimedia artist in mind, which means it's the laptop of choice for people who work with audio, video, or large images as well as high-end applications. The new MacBook Pro, as usual, comes in three configurations: a 15-inch 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo model; a 15-inch 2.5GHz model; and a 17-inch 2.5GHz system. And they're the same price--$1,999, $2,499, and $2,799 respectively--as the previous models. You can also purchase a 2.6GHz Core 2 Duo chip as a build-to-order option for the 2.5GHz 15-inch or 17-inch model for an extra $250.

Inside and Out

From the outside, the new 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros are identical to their predecessors. All are one inch thick. All come in the same 14.1-inch and 15.4-inch light gray aluminum cases. The 15-inch MacBook Pro weighs 5.4 pounds; the 17-inch model weighs 6.8 pounds.

Both 15-inch models come with LED backlit anti-glare screens with resolutions of 1,440-by-900 pixels. These wide screens immediately illuminate to full brightness and are mercury-free. Glossy displays are available as an option for all models. The 17-inch MacBook Pro, which ships with standard LCD backlighting technology, has a resolution of 1,680-by-1,050 pixels. Apple offers high-resolution LED backlit screens as an option for the 17-inch model. These larger LED backlit displays, which are 1,920-by-1,200 pixels, are mercury-free, arsenic-free, and cost $100 extra. Macworld did not test the 17-inch LED model for this review.

The new MacBook Pros all ship with 2GB of installed RAM (upgradeable to 4GB) and an 8x SuperDrive. All models come with an Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT graphics processor; though the entry-level 2.4GHz model features 256MB of video memory, while the other two configurations offer 512MB. Each model has twice the video RAM as its predecessor. The entry-level model has two USB 2.0 ports while the other models have three.

The 2.4GHz system comes with a 200GB hard drive, up from 120GB in the previous analogous model. The two 2.5GHz MacBook Pros offer 250GB of storage, with a 300GB hard drive available as a $75 build-to-order option for the 17-inch laptop. That compares with the 160GB hard drive in the older 15-inch high-end and 17-inch models.

While I'm excited that the MacBook Pro's new trackpad now supports multi-touch hand gestures, I found that because the trackpad is the same size as the previous models, the button often got in the way. That said, the button did not affect the performance of the gestures, which work with the following applications in addition to the Finder: iCal, Safari, Preview, QuickTime Player, DVD Player, iPhoto, Mail, Address Book, and Aperture 2.0.

One thing that has changed from the previous MacBook Pro is the row of function keys at the top of the keyboard. The location of the media, volume, and keyboard illumination keys has been changed, there are new keys to control Expose and Dashboard, and the NumLock key (as well as the rest of the numeric keypad) is now gone. However, the keyboard is nice and springy and has a comfortable, non-spongy feel.

Speed Boost

With the new Penryn chips comes a boost to the MacBook Pro's shared L2 cache capacity to 6MB. The two 2.5GHz MacBook Pro models carry 6MB of L2 cache, up from 4MB in the previous models. Interestingly, the 15-inch 2.4GHz MacBook Pro has 3MB of L2 cache, a drop-off from its predecessor. Despite that, the low-end MacBook Pro often performed better than its older siblings in Macworld's battery of benchmark tests. And, while its Speedmark score registered 10 percent faster than last year's low-end model, other comparisons were more dramatic: The new 2.4GHz model was 23 percent faster than that older 2.2GHz system in our Photoshop test suite.

Even with less L2 cache, the new entry-level MacBook Pro finished just one point under last Fall's build-to-order MacBook Pro, which featured a 2.6GHz Core 2 Duo chip. The new machine was about 8 percent faster in Speedmark and 23 percent faster in the Photoshop suite. Packed with double the video memory, the new 2.5GHz MacBook Pro topped the older build-to-order machine in our Unreal Tournament test by some 21 percent.

If you were among the first to buy Apple's Intel pro laptop a couple of years back, it's interesting to note that the new 15-inch, 2.5GHz MacBook Pro scores reflect roughly a 50-percent boost in both Speedmark 5 tests and our Compressor tests. We also found the new model to be 36 percent faster than the older 2GHz MacBook Pro in our Photoshop suite and 31 percent faster in our Cinema 4D test.

And the low-end 2.4GHz MacBook Pro had a Speedmark score more than twice as fast as the PowerBook G4.

Insofar as non-scientific hands-on experience goes, these new MacBook Pros felt energetic: while startup time was about 25 seconds, launching Photoshop CS3 took about 8 seconds. Some of Apple's built-in apps, like Safari and iCal took a split second to launch.

Battery Life

The 15-inch 2.5GHz MacBook Pro's battery life improved significantly, about 21 percent over the previous model, lasting 2 hours and 55 minutes, compared with 2 hours and 25 minutes for the 2.2GHz model. The battery boost for the new 17-inch model is a less-impressive 5 percent: 2 hours and 53 minutes for the 2.5GHz model as opposed to 2 hours and 45 minutes for the previous 2.4GHz model.

Macworld's Buying Advice

If you've been waiting to buy a new Apple laptop, or you've been hesitating about upgrading from your G4 PowerBook, wait no longer. The new MacBook Pros are Apple's speediest laptops ever. The higher-end models are loaded with both system and video RAM and better L2 cache capacities, which directly affect performance. It's disappointing to see that the Apple remote, needed to operate Front Row, now costs extra, but on balance, $20 is not a high price to pay for something that many people never use. While the 2.4GHz model is a fine value for the money, the higher-end 15-inch and 17-inch models are outstanding top-of-the-line models for any professional, artistic, scientific, or scholastic application.

WiBrain B1E

Road warriors in search of a reasonably priced UMPC will find an intriguing option in the 1.2-pound WiBrain B1E, a full-featured ultra-mobile PC brought stateside by the import experts at Dynamism. The WiBrain B1E comes with just about everything you need: a beautiful display, touchscreen navigation, and a cool flip-up webcam, but its polarizing split-QWERTY design and weak Wi-Fi range may be a potential dealbreaker for some.

Q1 Ultra-Like Design, Only, You Know, Better

The WiBrain B1E eschews the traditional UMPC design featured on devices such as the OQO model 2 and the clamshell design of the Fujitsu LifeBook U810 Tablet PC for one that resembles the much-maligned Samsung Q1 Ultra. A beautiful 4.8-inch (1024 x 600-pixel resolution) display is flanked by a 50-key QWERTY keyboard divided into two 25-key sections. Measuring 7.6 x 3.2 x 1.1 inches and weighing just 1.2 pounds, the WiBrain B1E is far less unwieldy than the 2.4-pound Q1 and feels surprisingly comfortable; anyone that’s held a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 controller will be right at home with the system’s two-handed grip.

Unfortunately, the device has only one USB port, so if you want to connect multiple devices simultaneously (such as a keyboard and mouse), you’ll need a USB hub. A pop-up 640 x 480-pixel resolution webcam provided decent video when we chatted it up with colleagues via Skype , but we had some issues with the choppy frame rate despite its claim of running at 30 frames per second.

WiBrain Control and Navigation

Beneath the right block of 25 keys is a touchpad that features handy touch-sensitive horizontal and vertical scroll areas; beneath the left 25-key block are controls for the volume, Page Up and Page Down buttons, a direction pad, and left and right click keys. Users with large hands will benefit the most from the split-QWERTY design as it offers a solid grip and the ability to type out e-mails and documents far more rapidly than on relatively cramped keyboards such as the OQO model 02. While useful, the multitude of buttons makes the WiBrain B1E look like the universal remote from hell.

Working in tandem with the keyboard and touchpad, these controls let us type and navigate Web pages quite naturally; we had to get acclimated to the dedicated left and right mouse buttons, but that was a nonissue after a few minutes of use. The WiBrain B1E comes with a stylus that makes launching applications and navigating menus easy, but the unit lacks handwriting recognition software.

Performance and Battery Life

The 1.2-GHz Via C7M ULV processor was unable to produce a PCMark05 score as the WiBrain’s resolution was too low. We had an excellent computing experience within Windows XP Home, but a higher resolution would have saved us a lot of horizontal scrolling. The integrated Via VX700 GPU produced a 3DMark03 score of 164, twice that of the OQO model 02, but the system was able to run only a portion of the tests. Despite the unit’s scant, non-upgradable 512MB of RAM, we were able to alternate between surfing the Web and working on documents while listening to music without experiencing any hiccups.

We recommend staying close—very close—to your router when surfing. Although the WiBrain B1E pushed data along at a rate of 15.1 Mbps at 15 feet (which is right on target with other UMPCs), its abysmal 3.2-Mbps throughput at 50 feet (the worst in its class) made for stuttering connections when we attempted to view YouTube clips. There’s no built-in mobile broadband, which the chunkier but identically priced FlipStart 1.0 offers.

The 4-cell battery held a charge for 2 hours and 34 minutes when performing a DVD rundown test with an external hard drive, so you should expect about 3.5 hours of endurance when checking e-mail and surfing the Web.

Software and Warranty

Out of the box, the WiBrain comes preinstalled with just Windows XP Home, but Dynamism will toss in Microsoft Windows Office 2007 starting at $259. Dynamism covers the system with a one-year warranty and unlimited toll-free tech support.

Verdict

The WiBrain B1E isn’t for everyone, especially the image-conscious. But road warriors who want the power and portability of an UMPC without spending a small fortune will find it to be a solid machine that’s more than capable of handling everyday computing tasks.