Your next laptop will be cheaper,thinner and better

Let’s achievement Intel has the “power” to accomplish this one happen.

Tech assertive Intel Corp. is blame to at endure assimilate the rechargeable batteries in laptop computers, casting manufacturers on a all-encompassing architecture for the beef that accomplish up array packs. A accepted architecture could acquiesce manufacturers to use generic, off-the-shelf array modules, acceptation this summer’s systems could get cheaper, added advantageous and possibly added powerful.

Intel engineers Samuel Benn and Johnny Cheng pitched the 60mm-by-80mm architecture for the array beef — alone units that attending an abominable lot like an accustomed AA array — in a presentation at the 2012 Intel Developer Forum in Beijing, China, on April 11, according to a adventure at tech blog Liliputing.

The new batteries will be 16mm thick, hardly slimmer than the 18mm batteries usually packaged into laptops. The amount could bead by 5 to 10 percent, according to a PowerPoint accelerate at the blog, and could appear in bargain elements consumers could buy at Best Buy and even alter themselves.

The angle could be a bold changer, affiliated to the about-face in corpuscle phones from proprietary chargers to standardized, USB-based chargers.

But Intel envisions the batteries not in the next smartphone but in the fleet of able laptops alleged “ultrabooks” by companies like Vizio, Asus, Lenovo, Hewlett Packard, Samsung. They were a bright appearance highlight at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show, with thin, sleek, ablaze designs that battling the Apple Macintosh Air, and they’re due out this summer.

It’s like a activation of the laptop PC.

* Hewlett Packard, the world’s largest manufacturer of PCs, is eager to get out of the computer business, but that hasn’t stopped it from debuting the Envy 14 Spectre at CES 2012, an arresting $1,400 slab of glass and metal. The company is targeting the top of the line, with a price tag higher than Apple’s MacBook Air.

* The Toshiba pa3395u-1brs is the world’s lightest, said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer during a CES keynote — and smaller, lighter versions of the laptop are in the works.

* Acer kicked off the big tech show with the announcement of the Aspire S5 Ultrabook, which the company called the thinnest of the new crop.

* Samsung has the fancy (and a touch pricey) Series 9 ultrabook. Ballmer called it “stunning – and less than 13 millimeters thick.” But the cheaper Series 5 is just as attractive, comes with a 13- or 14-inch screen — and will start at $899.

The laptop market will likely change again toward the end of the year, when Windows 8 is unveiled. The forthcoming operating system will feature an entirely new, touch-centric design deemed “Metro” and may drive touch screens and new hardware designs.

Ballmer noted that Windows 8 will be fully backward compatible with Windows 7.“Every Windows 7 PC will be ready for Windows 8 on Day One,” he promised.
Dude. You might be getting an ultrabook.

Tags : laptop, battery, batteries,Toshiba, Acer, Samsung

Top 10 Tips to Enhance Your Laptop Life

Top 10 Tips to Enhance Your Laptop Life

CloudTags: Tips , Laptop , Life , laptop batteries , Compaq Laptop Battery , Dell Laptop Batteries , UK Hp Laptop Battery

It is obvious that a consumer will of course expect and even desire that his or her laptop should last longer. The life or durability of any electronic device depends on its utilityand usage whether it’s a laptop or a mobile or a tablet, etc. It depends on the user, the way he or she uses it and how one takes proper and gentle care of it while using and handling it. However, everyone is not of the same kind and hence some people are very gentle towards their laptops whereas some use it roughly. Laptop users, keep this in mind that the life of your device is solemnly in your hands. There are some conditions and criteria are which will increase the life of your laptop or device if you carefully follow them. These conditions are based on the remarks and experiences of some consumers and laptop users. Well, I am here to give you some tips for the long lasting of your device. Check out the list and discussions followed below.

Manage Your Battery Life

You should seldom drain the battery of your laptop and make sure that it should be drained completely for at least once a month. The laptop should be charged when the battery has reached a minimum level of charge to prevent the reduction of battery life.

Install an Anti-Virus Software

Anti-virus software is a must as malicious viruses may infect and spoil your system. These are available in large numbers and many are popular and well known to many computer users. Some are available for free downloads and some are updated regularly and some are just awesome in their functionalities. For you, I personally would like to recommend some of the free Antivirus softwaresuch as Microsoft Essentials, Malwarebytes, Spybot, Avast and AVG Free.

Carefully Plug In Your DC Jack

One needs to be careful while plugging in the DC jack or the power adaptor jack. The solder joints which connect the jack to the motherboard may crack if you apply much pressure or force while plugging in the jack. Therefore, you need to patiently push the jack in. One more precaution you must take is that your charger or adaptor should not be the one with a loose jack or a cheap one instead it should be a expensive one with a jack that properly fits into the port. Using a loose jack can cause damage to your adaptor as well as your motherboardtoo.

Download the Available Windows Updates

You need to update your Windows or Operating System for at least once in a week to prevent your system from malfunctions and infections by viruses. Often, Microsoft releases updates to its operating systems and allows its users to have the proper updates on a daily basis. In Windows 7, you just need to click on “Start” and then type “Windows Update”; a list of result is displayed. Now, click on the first result to be taken by the Windows Updater which follows the update thereby.

Clean the Cooling System with Compressed Air

You need to be careful while cleaning the cooling system which should and must be cleaned by a bottle of compressed air. To do this, you need to open the open the case first and incase if you could not, then call up the manufacturer or follow some help desks to guide you to open the case for proper maintenance. Once you have opened the case, blow and drive away the dust out of the fan and the heat sink in the cooling system. This should be done once in a month as dust gets easily cloaked on the heat sink because laptop heat sinks are very fine. For cleaning, I would like to suggest static-neutral compressed air and Dust-Off as the best preferences.

Consider Using a Cooling Pad

Laptop is an electronic device and gets heated like other electronic devices but it’s over heating should be avoided and one needs to be careful about this while the device is in use. Keep mind, the life of your laptop depends on the temperature of your laptop while it in use which confides that, lower the temperature of the laptop; the higher is its durability. Precaution is better than cure. Hence, prevent your laptop from overheating by using a Cooling Pad which lessens the chance of laptop failure, caused due to overheating.

Download and Use CCleaner

CCleaner for Mac and PC is the best tool for cleaning and protecting your laptop. It is a freeware system privacy tool for optimization which deletes Internet history and other idle files making your laptop run faster. It cleans up the system and allows Windows to run faster by emptying up the necessary hard disk space. This particular tool is available at various versions and is available freely for download.

Do not Use or Place your Laptop on a Bed

It really sounds silly when it is suggested not to use or place the laptop on a bed but in fact there is a grave reason behind this. The reason is significant because while placing the laptop on a bed or a sofa or any soft surface, the ventilation holes situated at the bottom of the laptop are blocked and hence not enabling the laptop to suck in air. It is very much necessary for the laptop to suck in air so that it cools the internal parts and keeps the device cool driving out all the heat. Now, where to place the laptop? –Place it on a hard surface such as a computer mat or a table which will provide enough space between the surface and the bottom of the laptop so that air ventilation is easily acquired. Moreover, the best way to use a laptop is by placing it on your lap and this is what most people probably do.

Do not Drink while Using the Laptop

Beware of drinks while using your laptop and avoid drinking near it because you may accidentally spill your drink over your laptop or on the keyboard. Moreover, this depends on the user’s personal carefulness and if you believe yourself of not spilling the drink, then you can of course drink near it. This way, if you electrocute or spoil the internal parts of your device, then you may have to undergo a replacement of a couple hundred dollars. Therefore, I personally would like to suggest you not to take unnecessary risks and better not to drink near your laptop.

Clean Your Display Screen Properly

The display or the screen should be cleaned properly and this can be done almost every day so that your device looks neat and clean along with a clear view of your display. Cleaning procedure should be carried out by two separate tissues, one being a dry one and the other one dipped in water. Firstly, clean the screen with the wet one to wipe away all the dust and dirt. Then clean it gently with the dry tissue so that it soaks all the water droplets giving a clear view of your screen. It would be better if you would prefer using the approved and recommended LCD cleaners that make your screen shiny and scratch free.

The above discussed tips for the long lasting of laptops are the best ten ways which secure your laptops and increase their life. These top ten ways are based on the remarks and experiences of some consumers and laptop users. Some of these tips are popular and well known to people around the world where as some are rarely known to most people. Hence, you need to go through these discussions to grab a detailed information and better preference of software and tools. Well, hope you would like this piece of article and do convey your feedback.

Top 5 Best Ultrabooks on the Market Today

Top 5 Best Ultrabooks on the Market Today

CloudTags: Ultrabooks , laptop , HP laptop batteries , Lenovo battery , Toshiba batteries , Asus uk battery

One of the newest buzzwords being bandied about has to do with a new breed of laptop. Last year, Intel decided to introduce a category of laptops called ultrabooks. But while the term may be new, the laptops themselves aren’t a mutation of some sort. Intel simply put a new spin on an evolving category of laptops that are incredibly thin, battery-efficient, and use low-voltage processors. Interestingly enough, these laptops were previously known as CULV laptops (CULV stands for consumer ultra-low-voltage processors), but Intel decided, and rightly so, that CULV doesn’t exactly sound sexy to consumers. In fact, it doesn’t sound like anything at all. Voila, ultrabooks.

But what exactly comprises an ultrabook? Intel has a long list of specifications on its blog. While the specifications are still evolving, the main ones are a low-voltage Intel Core processor, a frame no thicker than 0.83 inch, at least five hours of battery life, and fast boot times. The last rely on an Intel technology called Rapid Start, which makes use of flash storage embedded on the laptop’s motherboard.

Intel also expects touch screens to be an integral part of the ultrabook spec, with all eyes on Windows 8 and how Microsoft’s forthcoming operating system will drive this segment. That’s not to say that we expect to see touch screens on the first wave of ultrabooks released (and indeed, none that we’ve seen so far offer the feature). Rather, Intel is probably waiting for Windows 8 to launch later this year to add the feature to its checklist for the category. By including touch, though, Intel is essentially anticipating that its ultrabooks include tablets and convertibles or hybrids as well.

An unspoken factor is that Intel would like prices for ultrabooks to come in well below the $1,000 mark. What we’ve seen so far doesn’t really bear that out. Sure, there have been a couple of ultrabooks that are retailing for less than that, but most are just above—or way above—the $1,000 price point, depending on the configuration. Keep in mind, however, that this is a nascent category, with but a handful of systems that fall within its specifications.

Are ultrabooks for you? You can figure that out by reading our primer on the category and then studying our buying guide. But before you do, check out our picks for the top 5 ultrabooks on the market today.

HP Folio 13
Price: $899.99 with Windows 7 Home Premium, $1,048.99 with Windows 7 Professional
Our current Editors’ Choice, the HP Folio 13 ultrabook is a $900 revelation, with a comfortable keyboard and broad port selection at an undeniably attractive price.

Lenovo IdeaPad U300s
Price: $1,495 list
The Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, Lenovo’s entry into the ultrabook arena, is as well-engineered as you’d expect, but it’s not a knockout blow to its competitors.

Toshiba Portege Z830-S8302
Price: $1,429 list
(Best Deal: $1,429.00 at Toshiba) The Toshiba Portege Z830-S8302 is a slim, speedy ultrabook that may be a little too light and too pricey for mass appeal.

Toshiba Portege Z835-P330
Price: $799.99 list
The Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 is the lightest, longest-lasting ultrabook we’ve seen yet, and its affordability adds sparkle to a system with moderate performance and limited graphics capability.

Asus Zenbook UX31-RSL8
Price: $1,049 list
The Asus Zenbook UX31-RSL8 is a clear leader in the nascent ultrabook category, with better overall performance than any competitor. It also has a brilliant display, superb sound, and solid construction.

Top 11 Tips to Expanded Your Windows 7 Laptop’s Batteries Life

Top 11 Tips to Expanded Your Windows 7 Laptop’s Batteries Life

CloudTags: Windows 7 , Laptop , Battery Life , laptop batteries , al10b31 acer batteries , Canon nb-4l batteries , Dell inspiron 1545

Watching the life drain from your laptop when you’re on the move is stressful. Sure, there are extended and slice batteries for a variety of machines, and portable laptop batteries packs are available from companies such as Duracell and Lind Electronics. But those options can mean carrying more bulk in a bag already bogged down with cords, files and accessories. One surefire way to preserve the battery you do have is to follow these 11 tips.

1. Lower your screen brightness.

Your screen backlight uses the most power of any component in your notebook, so you can save a lot of juice by turning it down to the lowest acceptable level. You can manually raise and lower the brightness in increments of 10 percent by hitting the appropriate key combination for your laptop (example: Fn + left/right arrows on the Acer Aspire TimelineX series), but we recommend changing the brightness in your power profile so it lowers automatically every time you unplug.

To lower the brightness level in your power profile:

Select Power Options from the control panel.
Click Change Plan Settings next to your current power plan.
Select “Change advanced power settings.”
Expand Display, then Display brightness.
Enter a brightness percentage for On Battery, then Click OK.
Experiment with different brightness levels to determine which is the lowest you can tolerate.

**2. Prevent scheduled tasks from running on battery power.**

Your virus scanner and disk defragmenter, along with auto updates from the likes of Apple and Google, are scheduled to run themselves on a regular basis—often without your knowledge or consent. Set these tasks to run only on AC power so they don’t eat up precious juice running your hard drive, CPU and wireless while you’re unplugged.

Select Administrative Tools > Task Scheduler in the Control Panel.
Select Task Scheduler (Local) in the left window pane.
Go through each active task that has a future date in the Next Run Time column and do the following:

Double-click the task.
Select the Conditions tab.
Toggle on the first two power options: “Start the task only if the computer is on AC power” and “Stop if the computer switches to battery power” if they are not already checked.
Click the back button to return to the list of active tasks.

3. Turn off backlit keyboards.

If your notebook has a backlit keyboard, it will certainly help you see keys in a dark room, but it’s also sucking juice out of your battery. You’ll save some power by turning off that light. Every notebook has its own way of enabling or disabling its keyboard backlight, but the method usually involves hitting a Function key on the top row of the keyboard.

4. Unplug all USB devices and remove all discs.

Every USB peripheral attached to your notebook is eating up power just by registering itself with the operating system. By the same token, CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays can drain battery life, even when they’re just sitting idle in your optical drive. Remove any discs along with USB keys, card readers, modems or other peripherals you don’t need while on battery power.

5. Turn on High-Contrast mode.

The LED-backlit screens used on most modern notebooks expend less energy displaying black pixels than those showing colors. Setting your computer to show white and yellow text on a black background can improve battery life and even make text more readable when sunlight is hitting your screen.

To enable High-Contrast mode in Windows 7, simply hit the key combination Left Shift + Left Alt + Print Screen and click Yes when asked to confirm. You can turn off High-Contrast mode by hitting the same combo.

High-Contrast mode will affect your desktop and most Windows programs, including the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Firefox. However, if you use the Chrome browser, you will need to install the Change Colors extension, which is available for free from the Chrome Web Store. Once the extension is installed, it will show an icon in the right side of your address bar. Click that icon and select “Apply override on all pages” to enable high-contrast mode.

6. Close messaging software and apps that ping the Internet in the background.

While you’re surfing the Web, checking email or watching a movie, messaging apps such as Google Talk and Skype are hitting the Internet constantly, just to see which of your contacts are online and whether you’ve received any messages. Automatic updating apps from the likes of Adobe, Apple and Google may also be pinging the Internet to see if there are updates to your copies of Adobe Reader, Chrome browser or iTunes. To stop these silent power vampires before they start, prevent them from loading at boot time.

To see and disable programs from starting when your computer starts:

Type msconfig into the Start Menu text field, and click msconfig.
Select the Startup tab.
Uncheck messaging programs such as AOL Instant Messenger, Gtalk and Skype. You can always launch them manually if you want to use them.
Uncheck autoupdaters such as Adobe Update, Apple Update, Google Update and Java Autoupdater.
Click OK.

7. Hibernate instead of sleep.

When you close the lid on your notebook and put it to sleep, the computer is still sending some power to the RAM and motherboard in order to keep the current session in memory so your system can wake quickly. Some newer lightweight notebooks such as the ASUS ZenBook UX31 have been designed to use little power during sleep, but most notebooks suck down quite a bit of juice unless they’re completely powered off.

In Hibernate mode, your notebook will save its memory to disk and completely power off, rather than just going to sleep. It will take nearly as long to wake from hibernation as it does to boot, but once it wakes, your session will be right where you left it.

To make your computer hibernate on demand, simply click the arrow next to the Shutdown button and select Hibernate. If you do not see Hibernate available as an option, your computer does not support this mode.

If your computer supports hibernation, you may want to set it to hibernate every time you close the lid.

To set your notebook to hibernate upon lid close:

Type Lid into the Start menu text field.
Click “Change what closing the lid does.”
Select Hibernate from the “When I close the lid” menu under On Battery.
Click Save Changes.

8. Disable Bluetooth.

If your notebook has Bluetooth, you’re probably not using it much. However, the radio is still sucking power, even when nothing is connected to it.

To disable Bluetooth:

Type Network Connections into the text field in the Start Menu.
Select View Network Connections.
Right-click on the Bluetooth Network Connection > Disable.

9. Turn off Wi-Fi when not in use.

If you’re connected to the Internet via Ethernet, or if you’re working some place that has no wireless signal, you can save a lot of power by turning off your notebook’s Wi-Fi radio. Most notebooks have a Function key on the top of the keyboard that toggles Wi-Fi on or off, though some have a dedicated button or switch.

10. Minimize hard drive usage.

If your notebook has a 5,400- or 7,200-rpm hard drive, it’s sucking up a lot of juice just spinning that magnetic platter around. There are several ways to save power by minimizing disk activity.

Defragment your hard drive on a regular basis. If you run Windows 7’s Disk Defragmenter program every couple of weeks, your drive will spend less time spinning around looking for data.
Replace your hard drive with an SSD. Because they have no moving parts, SSDs use less power than hard drives. They also don’t need to be defragmented.
Add more RAM. Going from 2 to 4GB or 4 to 8GB of RAM should allow your computer to use less virtual memory and more physical memory, which means fewer hard drive accesses.

11. Turn off visual effects.

Such visual effects as Aero glass, showing window contents while dragging, and slide-out menus tax your CPU and, by extension, your battery.

To disable these effects:

Type Advanced System Settings into the Start Menu text field.
Select “View advanced system settings.”
Click Settings under Performance.
Select “Adjust for best performance.”
Click OK.

CES 2012: Acer Unveils World’s Thinnest Ultrabook Laptop, Aspire S5

CES 2012: Acer Unveils World’s Thinnest Ultrabook Laptop, Aspire S5

CloudTags: CES , 2012 , Acer , Thinnest , Ultrabook , Laptop , Aspire S5 , Acer Batteries , Acer as07b41

acer aspire s5 ultrabook laptop CES 2012: Acer Unveils Worlds Thinnest Ultrabook Laptop, Aspire S5

Acer has wasted no time kicking off CES 2012 with some laptop announcements, including a brand-new Ultrabook and an update Aspire Timeline series.The company calls the Aspire S5 (pictured) the world’s thinnest Ultrabook at just 15mm at its thickest point, and the 13.3-inch notebook weighs just under 3 pounds. It will come with an yet-unnamed Intel Core processor, solid state drive, and HDMI, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt ports. To my knowledge, this is the first Ultrabook to include a Thunderbolt port, though by the end of the week, it probably won’t be the last.

The S5 will be available sometime in the second quarter, though pricing was not revealed.Acer also announced 14-inch and 15-inch models of its Aspire Timeline Ultra notebooks with eight hours of battery life, dual core Intel processors, around 20mm thick, dedicated graphics for 3D gaming, and a slim DVD optical drive.

The new Aspire Timeline Ultra series are designed to provide more a traditional laptop experience in the Ultrabook form factor, complete with two-spindle design. As with previous Timelines, Acer promises 8 hours of battery life, and they will come with discrete graphics cards, DVD burners, and the “latest” Intel Core i series CPUs. Like the S5, they also include Acer Green Instant On technology that lets the computer wake up in 1.5 seconds from a battery-saving sleep mode.

We’re not provided with pricing for the new Timelines, either, but you may find out sooner than with the S5 since they are expected in Q1. And check back with us all week, as there will be plenty of more Ultrabook announcements still to come.

125149 acer inspire one CES 2012: Acer Unveils Worlds Thinnest Ultrabook Laptop, Aspire S5

The Acer S5 Ultrabook looks less like the MacBook Air than other Ultrabooks so far.

Acer media conference, held two days ahead of the official CES show, sets the scene for tough competition in 2012 between manufacturers readying to pump out Ultrabooks, which are small, thin yet powerful notebook computers with form factors similar to Apple’s MacBook Air.

Unlike regular notebooks, Ultrabooks have special Intel dual core processors coupled with inbuilt graphics, capable of performing many of the functions of high-end computers such as video editing and gaming.

It has a black magnesium-aluminum alloy cover and looks less like the MacBook Air than other Ultrabooks so far. The Aspire is due to ship in the second quarter.

Acer today did not reveal the price of its Ultrabook, however general pricing of less than $1000 will be crucial if the Ultrabook is to be successful, given that powerful notebooks weighing a little more that are not technically Ultrabooks can be bought for about $500.

Analyst Tim Bajarin of Creative Strategies told AFP the S5 was “quite significant”.

“It looks like the thinnest and lightest, and it sets the bar for the rest of the ultrabook vendors,” Mr Bajarin said.

Intel’s Ultrabook form factor also faces competition from high-end tablet computers and a new line of “Ultrathin” notebooks — rival AMD’s version of the Ultrabook that are due for release in Australia early this year.

Acer also will roll out a cloud service — AcerCloud, which will allow users to retrieve multimedia and data files on any Acer mobile device. Acer said it would include AcerCloud on all new Acer consumer PCs without additional cost.

Ultrabooks Buying Guide: What You Need to Know About Purchase an Ultrabook Laptop

Ultrabooks Buying Guide: What You Need to Know About Purchase an Ultrabook Laptop

CloudTags: Ultrabooks , Guide , Purchase , Laptop , laptop battery , Hp pavilion dv4 batteries , Dell xps m1330 laptop battery , Toshiba pa3534u-1brs

Ultrabooks are the new “It” laptops. Running Windows and carrying the latest Intel processors, laptops in this new class are feather-light and ultrathin.

With superthin Ultrabooks available now and another wave expected in the next few months, here’s how to decide which svelte laptop to buy–and when to grab it.

Intel announced the Ultrabooks label in May, and the first Ultrabook models started trickling in over the past two months. If you’re looking for a balance between portability and performance, one of these laptops may be your best bet right now. Read on to find out what you need to know about buying an Ultrabook.

2011 Ultrabooks

The first Ultrabooks out of the gate deliver on the elegant, superslim promise. The six laptop manufacturers on board so far (Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, LG, and Toshiba) offer Ultrabooks that each weigh 3 pounds or less and measure just 0.6 inches to 0.8 inches in thickness.

Lenovo U300S2 web 540x385 300x213 Ultrabooks Buying Guide: What You Need to Know About Purchase an Ultrabook Laptop Lenovo IdeaPad U300s UltrabookPrices, however, are all over the map, ranging from a low of $799 for Toshiba’s Best Buy exclusive model to more than $1500 for Lenovo’s IdeaPad U300s. Compared with regular laptops that sell for under $500, the current crop of Ultrabooks isn’t cheap. You’re definitely paying for the premium design and portability of these laptops, as well as the expensive solid-state drives that most of them use.

For many people, however, a sleek, lightweight laptop that can run for more than 6 hours on one charge and promises to match the performance of larger laptops is worth such an investment. That is especially true if you’ve been seeking a Windows alternative to Apple’s popular, superthin MacBook Air, which starts at $1299 for the 13-inch model.

Buy Now or Later?

That said, the biggest consideration when you’re shopping for an Ultrabook is when to buy, since the category is still new. Tech products always cost considerably more when they’re introduced, and second-generation models often either make up for deficiencies in the earlier versions or at least add new features.

If you need a laptop sooner rather than later, though (especially if you want to take a tax deduction this year for a laptop purchase that you’ll use for business), here are the current top Ultrabook selections.

Budget choice: The Toshiba Portege Z835 costs just $799 at Best Buy, making it the best option if you need the absolute lowest price on a currently available Ultrabook. It’s also the lightest 13-inch laptop, weighing just 2.4 pounds. In his review of the Portege Z835, however, PCWorld Senior Editor Jason Cross found the performance of this Ultrabook’s Core i3 processor and other hardware to be disappointing.

Toshiba Portege Z835 main 300x249 Ultrabooks Buying Guide: What You Need to Know About Purchase an Ultrabook Laptop Toshiba Portege Z835 UltrabookStill, the Portege Z830 series offers some nice features, such as an array of full-size ports (hard to find on superslim laptops), a backlit keyboard, a fingerprint reader, and the TPM hardware security controller for hard-drive encryption.

Best value/longest battery life: For $100 more than the Portege (or less, in fact, with a promotion available at the time of this writing), consider the HP Folio 13. Though this model appeals to businesses with its TMP hard-drive encryption and its USB docking station, the Folio 13 offers a lot to like for all laptop users.

c03080071 300x300 Ultrabooks Buying Guide: What You Need to Know About Purchase an Ultrabook Laptop HP Folio 13 UltrabookIt contains an Intel Core i5 processor, a backlit keyboard, and lots of ports (somehow HP managed to fit three USB ports on this 0.7-inch-thin laptop). HP also says the battery life on this Ultrabook is more than 9 hours.

The Acer Aspire S3-951 is a good runner-up for the value category, since it also starts at $899 and offers more storage space with its hybrid 20GB SSD/320GB HDD setup (all the other currently available Ultrabooks carry only SSDs). But Acer battery life on the Aspire S3 is a bit low at just under 5 hours, and if you want USB 3.0 ports or a backlit keyboard, you need to look elsewhere.

Most compact Ultrabook: Only one manufacturer offers an 11-inch Ultrabook, and that’s Asus with its Zenbook UX21E. This 2.4-pound laptop starts at $999 for the model with an Intel Core i3 processor, but you can configure a system with a different Intel processor or an SSD larger than 64GB–for an additional cost, of course.

Ultrabook with the largest screen and a DVD drive: Samsung’s Series 5 Ultra 14-inch laptop is the only portable with the Ultrabook moniker that features a 14-inch display. It also boasts several other firsts for the class, namely an optical-disc drive, up to 1TB of hard-drive storage, and a Radeon HD 7550M graphics card. This ultraportable might be pushing the limits of Intel’s original Ultrabooks specification, however, with a weight of 4 pounds and a thickness of 0.8 of an inch. Expected to launch in Korea in late December, the Series 5 Ultra 14-incher may start around $1345.

Ultrabook Laptops Compared: Available and Announced Models

Ultrabook	Screen size	Processor	Memory	Storage	Weight (pounds)	Height (inches)	Starting price
Acer Aspire S3-951	13.3 inches	Intel Core i5 or i7	4GB	Hybrid 20GB SSD/320GB HDD or 256GB SSD	3.0	0.7	$899
Asus Zenbook UX21E	11.6 inches	Intel Core i3, i5, or i7	4GB	64GB SSD	2.4	0.7	$999
Asus Zenbook UX31E	13.3 inches	Intel Core i5 or i7	4GB	128GB SSD	3.1	0.8	$1099
Toshiba Portege Z830	13.3 inches	Intel Core i3, i5, or i7	4GB	128GB SSD	2.4	0.6	$799
Lenovo IdeaPad U300s	13.3 inches	Intel Core i7	4GB	256GB SSD	2.9	0.6	$1595
HP Folio 13	13.3 inches	Intel Core i5	4GB	128GB SSD	3.3	0.7	$900
LG XNote Z330*	13.3 inches	Intel Core i5 or i7	4GB	120GB SSD or 256GB SSD	2.7	0.6	$1500 (est.)
Samsung Series 5 Ultra*	13.3 inches	Intel Core i5	TBD	128GB SSD or Hybrid 16GB SSD/500GB HDD	3.1	0.6	$1300 (est.)
Samsung Series 5 Ultra*	14.0 inches	Intel Core i5	TBD	128GB SSD or HDD up to 1TB	4.0	0.8	$1345 (est.)

Ultrabook Announcements Expected in January

If you want more choices and lower prices, hold out until next year and wait for more competition. As many as 50 Ultrabooks are predicted to launch at the CES trade show in January. Whereas the 2011 version of the consumer electronics show highlighted the year of the tablet, 2012 may be all about these superthin laptop options.

As you probably know, however, electronics launched en masse at CES don’t always reach retailers’ shelves. And the ones that do may not be available for months, so selecting the right model is a matter of patience.

If you can afford to wait, prices are expected to fall by as much as 10 percent in early 2012, and Ultrabooks could cost just $499 by 2013.

More-Evolved Ultrabooks

Next year’s expected deluge of Ultrabooks may offer more than just lower prices, too. Word on the street suggests that Ultrabooks may gain 1080p full high-definition displays or even “retina-quality” displays and PayPass NFC technology for tap-and-pay convenience on your laptop.

Ultrabooks may even start to arrive with touchscreens that swivel, bringing back the convertible design that allows you to use your device in tablet mode or as a traditional laptop with a keyboard. The arrival of the touchscreen-friendly Windows 8 next year could give such convertible Ultrabooks a big boost.

How To Get Better Wi Fi 225x300 Ultrabooks Buying Guide: What You Need to Know About Purchase an Ultrabook Laptop Intel Ivy Bridge processorAlso among the major updates expected for laptops in 2012 is the debut of Intel’s next-generation processor, code-named Ivy Bridge. Current Ultrabooks already have a fairly long battery life of around 6 hours, but Ivy Bridge will take that a step further, producing noticeably longer running times as well as better graphics performance.

So far, Ultrabook adoption among computer makers has been limited to a few key players. As the category grows and as light, thin, and affordable laptops become the norm, however, you can expect other laptop makers like Dell, Fujitsu, and MSI to jump on board.

More Competition for Ultrabooks

131583 mbair large 300x124 Ultrabooks Buying Guide: What You Need to Know About Purchase an Ultrabook Laptop Of course, by the time the next group of Ultrabooks arrives, Apple may have already refreshed its MacBook Air lineup with more performance-oriented features and possibly even a 15-inch version. (Rumors peg a 15-inch MacBook Air announcement as coming in the first quarter of 2012.)

Ultrathin laptops sporting AMD processors–AMD’s answer to Intel-based Ultrabooks–are also expected to pop up in January.

Regardless, one thing is for sure: The ultralight and superthin performance laptop category should see lots of competition next year.

Both Acer and Asus in particular have shown a commitment to making Ultrabooks, and Intel’s Ultrabook subsidies indicate that the chip maker is intent on making these laptops a success against the rising tide of tablets.

If you don’t need an Ultrabook this year, it’s probably best to wait, so that you can see what next-generation Ultrabooks offer–or, at the very least, so that you can cash in on the inevitable price drops on the original Ultrabooks.

Fast Corporate Ultraportable Laptop: Dell Latitude E6220 Review

Fast Corporate Ultraportable Laptop: Dell Latitude E6220 Review

CloudTags: Corporate, Ultraportable , Laptop , Dell laptop , Latitude E6220 , Dell battery , Dell inspiron 1525 battery , Dell inspiron 1750 battery

Pros

Excellent battery life
Very good performer

Cons

Not cheap
Heavy for an ultraportable

Bottom Line

Though pricey for a 12.5-inch laptop, this ultraportable delivers in performance and battery life.

dell latitude e6220 1163567 g1 Fast Corporate Ultraportable Laptop: Dell Latitude E6220 Review Though not particularly svelte or eye-catching, the Dell Latitude E6220 fits the bill perfectly for a corporate ultraportable laptop. It’s fast, it has state-of-the-art components, and it has the warranty and service options that large businesses expect. It also provides battery options that let you travel light or compute for nearly a day, depending on your need.

A 128GB Samsung solid-state drive combined with an Intel Core i5-2540M CPU and 4GB of system memory powered our test E6220 configuration to an impressive WorldBench 6 score of 132. Graphics work falls to the integrated Intel HD 3000 GPU, but the E6220 still managed smooth 1080p video playback, as well as frame rates between 30 and 40 frames per second in our low detail, low-resolution gaming tests.

The E6220 is also available with a Core i7-2620M and 8GB of memory if for some reason you need even faster performance. At just over $2000 (as of December 20,2011), our test unit is hardly entry-level; with the faster CPU and doubled memory, you’ll pay $2300 and change. A 256GB SSD is an option for an additional $350.

This laptop can run for quite a while isolated from wall sockets. In fact, if you add the optional bottom-mounted battery slice, you can increase the E6220′s run time from the “mere” 7 hours, 28 minutes that the internal battery provides to somewhere in the region of 20 hours. Of course, that fat bottom battery turns the normally 3.7-pound E6220 into a heavy little 5-pound rascal, but if you need the extra computing time, you need to accept that trade-off. The bottom slice also adds a nice forward rake to the unit, which helps when you’re typing.

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The E6220 is more accurately described as sedately handsome rather than stunning. Put another way: You won’t get your head lopped off for showing up the boss’s laptop, but it still looks like you forked over more than just a couple of Benjamins for your machine.

Ergonomics, a far more important quality, are first class. Despite the small footprint of the E6220–with its 12.5-inch, 1366 by 768 display–I’d fully adjusted to the keyboard after only a few seconds. It has a nice little bounce to it that lets you quickly set up a typing rhythm. The touchpad and buttons are, in a word, smooth. The screen has a wide viewing angle and plenty of usable brightness.

We found little in the way of junkware to clutter up the Windows 7 Professional operating system our unit shipped with. The PC comes with a utility for the webcam plus Trend Micro’s Client/Server security software, and that’s about it. You can opt for lesser versions of Microsoft’s OS if you want to cut down on the price of the E6220. Most larger businesses and corporations will have their own productivity software and licenses, but you can add Microsoft Office 2010 Professional if you’d like–for the full price of $349.

Although lacking USB 3.0, the E6220′s ports and connections are otherwise state-of-the-art. You’ll find a combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port and two USB 2.0 ports, as well as both VGA and HDMI ports to handle any type of external display or projector you encounter. Bluetooth is available ($20 and present on our test unit), and Dell offers options for 802.11a/b/g/n. Ethernet is gigabit, and the laptop includes an ExpressCard slot for legacy devices. A headphone jack and dual-array microphones sit next to the 1280 by 720 Webcam for voice input.

As part of Dell’s Latitude line, the E6220 sports a standard three-year warranty, and the model is promised to be available for 18 months, with parts available for quite a bit longer. You’ll also get around-the-clock telephone support–and to be honest, you’ll be treated better than if you’d purchased a box-store unit.

The Dell Latitude E6220 is a great performer with good battery life and all the support and warranty options necessary for a fleet rollout. It’s sturdily constructed, it’s up to snuff technology-wise, and overall it’s a well designed and well conceived business laptop.

How laptops have evolved in shape, size and functionality

How laptops have evolved in shape, size and functionality

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The first mass market consumer laptop was released by Toshiba in 1985. The Toshiba T1100 model, however, was not the first ever laptop. That, according to industry sources, was the 22.2kg Xerox NoteTaker which was developed in 1976.

Asus Zenbook UX31E How laptops have evolved in shape, size and functionality
It had what was then considered to be advanced technology – a built-in monochrome display monitor and a floppy disk drive. The Xerox NoteTaker was emulated by other laptop models that followed soon after.

Although intended to enable people to work on the go, many of the early models were cumbersome. Bulky, heavy in weight and costly, these computers marketed as laptops or notebooks, were largely used by the business community. Chandra Devi Renganayar takes a look at how laptops have evolved in shape, size and functionality.

1976 – the Xerox NoteTaker weighing 22.2kg was developed. However, it did not enter production. Only 10 prototypes of the computer were built.

1985 – The Toshiba T1100 model weighing 4.1 kgs had 256KB of RAM. Supported by Intel Processor and a floppy drive, it became the first mass market consumer laptop. Two years later, the company introduced smaller and lighter models, the T1000 and T1200 which were easily carried in a backpack.

1986 – The IBM PC Division released its first commercial laptop computer, the PC Convertible. The model weighing about 5.5kg had a CGA-compatible LCD display and two floppy drives. The PC Convertible’s clamshell design was followed by other portable computer manufacturers.

1988 – The Compaq SLT/286 was the first battery-powered laptop to have a built-in hard disk drive and a VGA compatible LCD screen. By the end of the 1980s, the laptop computers were popular among businessmen.

1989 – Apple Computer designed its first on the go model, the Macintosh Portable. The battery-powered model, however, was considered more of a “luggable” than a laptop. In 1991, the company released the Powerbook series which introduced features that became a norm on laptops. These included the palm rest and trackball.

mp900423031 300x300 How laptops have evolved in shape, size and functionality 1994 – IBM introduced the IBM ThinkPad 775CD, the first notebook with an integrated CD-ROM.

1995 – With the introduction of Microsoft Windows 95, notebook computing become more advanced. During this period the usefulness and popularity of laptops also increased. Portable computers had built-in CD-ROMs and ran on Intel Pentium processors. One of the popular model was the Gateway Solo.

1997 – Laptops begin to show improved connectivity features with internal modems and standard serial, parallel and PS/2 ports, making it easier to work on the go. Later, laptops with network adapters, USB and Wi-Fi support came into the market. The HP Jornada 820 Palmtop PC introduced in 1998 was among those models that had advanced communication features such as the ability to send and receive fax, a voice-recorder feature and e-mail. It offered 10 hours of battery life, wide screen, touch-typeable keyboard, touch pad and graphical web browsing.

2002 – Laptops with Intel’s Pentium 4 chip came into the market. The laptops supported more power, speed and memory. Big screens, stereo sound systems and DVD-RW drives were common. For security, notebooks with biometric capability were introduced. Beginning 2004, slimmer ultraportable laptops and more advanced multimedia notebooks emerged. These included the Dell Inspiron, Sony Vaio, HP Pavillion, Lenovo/IBM ThinkPad and Toshiba Qosmio range of laptops.

2007 – The netbook trend began with the introduction of Asus’ Eee PC 701. Low cost, small sized, lightweight and versatile, the netbooks became a hit with consumers. Other brands such Acer, Dell, Sony and HP followed suit with netbooks built on the low-powered Intel Atom processor architecture.

2010 -In 2000, Microsoft introduced the term Microsoft Tablet PCs for tablet PCs built based on its specifications. However, the tablet PC did not take off as intended due to technical hiccups. Only in 2010 with Apple’s iPad did the tablet PC segment become popular.

2011- Manufacturers are now pushing ultrabooks into the market. These are very thin, lightweight and ultraportable laptops defined by a specification from Intel. It has the new CULV Intel processors with integrated graphics and flash-based solid state disks. Among the ultrabooks available currently include Lenovo IdeaPad U300e and Asus ZenBook.

8 Easy Fixes , DIY Laptop Tech By Batteryfast.co.uk

8 Easy Fixes , DIY Laptop Tech By Batteryfast.co.uk

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Dealing with tech support is a hit-or-miss proposition. That’s because tech reps are typically under heavy pressure to keep call times short whether they provide real help or not. So why not save some time and money by troubleshooting common laptop issues yourself? We asked some of the biggest notebook makers, including Acer, Dell, and Lenovo, the most common user questions. We then boiled down the list to the top issues and provided our own easy fixes.

Master Your Touchpad

Following Apple’s lead, most notebook trackpads now support multitouch gestures for manipulating documents, web pages, and photos. Still, many users don’t understand the full capabilities of their laptop. Also, after installing an external mouse, settings for the internal touchpad and its buttons may be altered or even disabled by accident. Here’s how to find out what your touchpad can do and make sure it’s working smoothly.

On a Windows laptop, navigate to the Start button > Control Panel > View by Category. Then select Hardware and Sound. From there, click Mouse under Devices and Printers. This will open the mouse properties window, which should display a tab for your input device’s settings. For example, our Lenovo Ideapad V470 listed properties for its Elan Smartpad, though you may find other devices here, such as a Synaptics touchpad.

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Clicking Options will let you confirm that the touchpad is operating properly and enable control over various features such as scrolling, multi-finger tapping, and mouse buttons. Tutorials on how to use these functions are usually found in this area as well.

Reinstall Your Laptop’s Software

Most modern laptops now come with plenty of extra software designed specifically for that system. These programs include applets controlling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios, onboard audio and volume, and screen brightness and power management utilities. In the course of everyday use, it’s possible to accidentally remove or corrupt these tools by installing new software or even just through innocent tinkering. If this happens, an easy fix could be a few mouse clicks away.

First, identify the problem. For example, find out if it’s the Bluetooth feature that no longer works, or perhaps it’s the power management software that has disappeared. In the case of Bluetooth, usually this ability is activated by pressing a function key at the top of the keyboard. The fix may be a simple matter of turning the Bluetooth radio back on. If that ability is no longer present, you might have to download and re-install your laptop’s Bluetooth software directly from the manufacturer’s website.

In the event that this option isn’t available, track down the maker of the component in question and download the firmware from the company’s web page. Looking up our Lenovo Ideapad V470 on Lenovo’s site revealed that its Bluetooth radio is made by Broadcom. Lenovo provides model-specific Broadcomm software for download, but users can also access software directly through Broadcom’s site. If the worst-case scenario comes to pass and one or more of your laptop’s function keys no longer operate properly, performing a full factory reset may be necessary.

Deal with a Dead Laptop Screen

LENOVO broken screen sh 8 Easy Fixes , DIY Laptop Tech By Batteryfast.co.uk One of the most dreaded laptop mishaps is a faulty LCD screen. Not only does this sort of damage render a portable potentially unusable, manufacturers typically will only repair laptop screens if the damage is considered to be a defect.

Be warned: Broken displays resulting from an accidental drop, impact, exposure to water, or electrical overload are generally not covered. But if your laptop’s screen suffers from a mass of bad pixels or more severe physical failures through no fault of your own, chances are the manufacturer will fix it.

To determine if your faulty screen qualifies for repair, diagnosis of the notebook is generally required using either onboard software or assessment from a tech support rep over the phone.

In the event of a serious system failure needing physical repair, the standard limited warranties for major manufacturers (such as Dell) usually allow for customers to send their machines back to a company repair facility. Under Dell’s standard warranty, a replacement laptop will be sent back to the customer the next business day along with shipping material to return the defective unit. Keep in mind that shipping times vary depending on availability of replacement parts, and manufacturers are not responsible for lost data contained on the faulty machine if returned. The whole process can take as long as 10 to 14 days, or perhaps longer if the requested part is out of stock and slow ground shipping is used.

Some users decide to avoid the hassle and uncertainty of mailing in their laptop altogether and attempt to repair it themselves. This is a solution best tried only when the laptop’s warranty has expired, because tinkering with a display will void existing coverage plans. Adventurous souls, however, can purchase replacement screens through sites such as www.screentekinc.com for about $100. The site provides helpful instructional hardware repair guides.

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Recover from Complete Windows Failure

Don’t fret if your OS simply refuses to boot. Many laptop manufacturers pre-load their portables with a recovery partition on the hard drive. The partition is designed to load the version of Windows installed at the factory plus all bundled software in an emergency. Hitting one of your laptop’s function keys during bootup typically launches this feature. For instance, tapping F11 on Lenovo Thinkpads will activate Lenovo’s Recovery Program, while F12 does so on Dell machines.

Be advised that taking this route will wipe the laptop’s hard drive, resulting in lost data. Fortunately, these recovery tools also offer ways to repair the current installation of Windows, letting you avoid erasing your hard drive’s contents unless absolutely necessary. Another way to repair Windows is to boot the laptop from a Windows system repair disc (CD) which you can create ahead of time. In Windows 7, click Start > Control Panel, then select System and Maintenance, and Backup and Restore. On the left side of the screen you should see the option to create a system repair disc. You may have to insert your Windows installation disc during this process.

Quiet a Noisy Fan

diy tech skype sh1 8 Easy Fixes , DIY Laptop Tech By Batteryfast.co.uk Sometimes a laptop’s cooling system kicks into overdrive, causing it to create excessive fan noise and push hot exhaust out of its vents. The main reason a notebook’s fan spins up is that the system detects high internal temperatures and is attempting to cool things down. To kill the din, first make sure your laptop has adequate ventilation by clearing space around it on all sides. Physical obstructions such as books, papers, pillows, and other clutter may be restricting air flow by blocking vents. Soft surfaces with padding and fabric or dirt and dust particles could also be clogging circulation. You may find that relocation to a flat, hard surface—plus a few squirts from a can of compressed air—does wonders.

If these factors are not the issue and you hear distracting fan whir during basic computing tasks, your laptop could be unnecessarily dialed up for maximum performance. Try adjusting the Windows power plans withing the Control Panel. First click the Start button > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound, and next click on Power Options. Here you can choose a more efficient power plan (anything other than High Performance).

Solving Sound Issues

You may not give your laptop’s sound settings much thought—until audio becomes an issue. The notebook makers we spoke to explained that users often run into trouble with communication software. Skype and other similar applications can use any of a notebook’s installed audio devices. By default, a laptop will rely on its internal sound system to control its speakers and microphone. Connecting a wired headset to your notebook is simple; it’s just a matter of plugging the cords into the laptop’s microphone and headphone jacks.

Setting up Skype for use with a wireless Bluetooth headset is a little more complex but still not difficult. First turn your laptop’s Bluetooth radio on and use Windows to connect to the headset. To do this, hit Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Devices, then click Bluetooth Devices. Once the laptop and headset are paired and linked, open Skype and navigate to the Tools menu > Options > Audio Settings. Within this window you’ll see sections for Microphone and Speakers along with buttons for choosing an associated audio device. Make sure to select your headset from each of these pull-down menus.

One big advantage of HDMI is that it supports simultaneous transmission of video and audio signals to a TV or larger monitor. However, sometimes to properly output sound it’s necessary to manually enable HDMI as your notebook’s audio device from within the Windows Control Panel. Under Hardware Devices click Manage Audio Devices. Next, beneath the Playback tab, the HDMI audio device should be listed and selected as default. If HDMI is not listed, try unplugging, waiting a moment, and reconnecting the HDMI cable (with HDTV powered).

Let One Wi-Fi Software Rule

With passwords, signal strength, and network names to contend with, using Wi-Fi can be tricky enough without any performance hiccups. If that wasn’t enough, sometimes the Windows built-in Wi-Fi manager clashes with other software bundled with your laptop. Older versions of Windows, such as XP and Vista, provided a handy setting in the Control Panel for disabling or enabling the built-in Wi-Fi manager. Unfortunately, Windows 7 lacks this feature and automatically takes control of installed wireless adapters, making conflict with third-party applications more likely.

If you find that two programs are fighting over your Wi-Fi connection, the solution is easy. Instead of taking the radical step of removing third-party software completely, just open the bundled Wi-Fi application and delete any network profiles or names that are listed. Do the same in Windows by clicking Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet, then enter Network and Sharing Center. Under Manage Wireless Networks, place the cursor over a network name, right-click, and select Remove Network. After all network profiles are removed, reboot the laptop. From now on, create profiles and network settings only from within the software you plan on using.

Protect Your Battery

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How long you first charge a latop’s battery no longer has any bearing on its performance. That said, there are definite physical conditions that affect overall battery life. Chief among them is temperature, and heat is the enemy. Though Lithium Ion cells have a comparatively high operating temperature (212 to 302 degrees Fahrenheit) as opposed to NiCd (95 to 134 degrees), their capacity degrades at a faster rate when exposed to heat.

Ideally, store unused laptop batteries in a cold, dry environment to prolong their life. Leaving a laptop plugged into an AC outlet for extended periods poses a risk to batteries because of heat exposure. One way to avoid this threat is to remove your battery when your system is plugged in for long stretches.

A more sensible approach is to unplug your notebook once in a while, which cools things down and helps push the battery toward its recommended storage charge of 40 percent. At full charge, batteries degrade the swiftest. Be careful, though, because depleting Lithium Ion cells completely increases the likelihood of battery failure.

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Buying Guide: Should You Get a Tablet?

Buying Guide: Should You Get a Tablet?

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Tablet computers weren’t always the talk of the town, but ever since the iPad was launched, the market has been revitalised. Tablets (or at least Apple’s product) are hot-sellers, accounting for an ever-increasing percentage of the computing sector.

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Needless to say, there’s been a fair bit of hype surrounding the devices, but do you really need one?

Why you’d want a tablet

Portability is one of the biggest advantages over laptop computers, with a quick boot-up time and a slim design. The form factor means you don’t have to think twice before using it in most situations, whether you’re in bed or waiting on your flight.

Tablets are also easier to use than laptop computers, with a simple touch interface making for an intuitive experience. Laptops on the other hand, are complex, with people needing to make use of a touchpad/mouse as well as keyboard shortcuts. Don’t believe me? Have your grandparents use a tablet and laptop and see the difference.

Certain activities, such as video and web-browsing, also stand out on tablets, with large, vivid screens giving you a pleasurable experience no matter where you are. Video, in particular, can look fantastic on these devices, making full use of the real estate provided by the screen.

But arguably one of the best uses for a tablet is for e-book reading, making for a convenient way to enjoy your favourite works. This rings true for 7-inch tablets, such as the BlackBerry PlayBook and Kindle Fire, with the tablet being light enough to use over extended periods.

Another reason why you’d want a tablet is for the myriad applications available for them – at least on the iPad and Android slates. From social media and editing tools to games and travel, there are a variety of tailor-made apps for every occasion.

Tablets also have a great battery life, owing to their power-sipping ARM processors, measuring over eight hours for the most part. On the other hand, most laptops have a battery life of less than seven hours.

Why you shouldn’t get a tablet

Most tablets run operating systems derived from smartphones, with the bigger screen being the main advantage. Consequentially, the same disadvantages come into play.

Tablet computers tend to lack the variety of ports you’d find on a desktop or laptop, such as USB ports, Ethernet jacks and more. While there are exceptions, like the USB-equipped Toshiba Thrive, you’ll need to resort to complicated workarounds (docks, adapters, etc).

Laptop computers are also more suitable for typing, thanks to the physical keyboard. Sure, you can get your own keyboard peripheral, but you’ll need to splash out for the privilege.

Computers are also more suitable for complex tasks, such as video-editing and multitasking, something that many tablets still struggle to get to grips with.

While some laptop components (RAM, hard drive), can be upgraded, the same can’t be said for tablet hardware. So you’re pretty much stuck with the same amount of storage space and specifications.

The price of tablet computers also leaves a lot to be desired, with AAA-quality tablets setting users back at least R4000 (the 16GB WiFi-only iPad 2 costs R4500). Entry-level laptops can be found for the same price at most retailers, while netbooks can be had for an estimated R3000.

So, should I get a tablet?

A tablet computer is a recommended purchase if you’d like to consume media, read ebooks, check email, browse the web, play casual games and complete simple tasks wherever you are.

A tablet is also worth a look if you either don’t have a laptop or your current laptop is outdated.

However, a tablet isn’t for you if you plan on completing tasks such as multimedia editing, programming and long bouts of word processing. While there are plenty of games available, don’t expect your tablet’s visuals to compare to the latest PC titles just yet.

A tablet is also a no-go if you’re expecting computer-like features, such as the ability to read discs and plug in USB devices (although a few Android tablets have USB ports).

Ultimately, a laptop is more powerful and versatile, but the tablet’s portability and applications make it stand out.

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