Laptops account for about 25 percent of sales. It’s not hard to know why. Small screens and cramped keyboards have been replaced by larger, crisper displays and more usable key layouts. Processors have caught up in speed, and innovative new processors provide some real advantages. Quick CD and DVD recording drives are common, as are ample hard drives. And a growing interest in wireless computing plays to the laptop’s main strength: its portability. A laptop is the most convenient way to take full advantage of the growing availability of high-speed wireless Internet access at airports, schools, hotels, and even restaurants and coffee shops.

The Centrino technology that’s central to Intel’s newest laptop processors has wireless capability built in, and delivers commendably-long battery life. The thinnest laptops on the market are less than an inch thick and weigh just 2 to 5 pounds. To get these light, sleek models, but, you’ll have to pay a premium and make a few sacrifices.

WHAT’S AVAILABLE

Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq (now owned by HP), IBM, Sony, and Toshiba are the leading Windows laptop brands. Macintosh laptops are made by Apple. Laptops can be grouped into several basic configurations:

Budget models. These have slower processors and lower screen quality than others, but are suitable for routine office work and home software. Price range: 0 or less.

Workhorse models. These have quicker processors and more built-in devices, so there’s less need for external attachments. They’re not lightweight or battery-efficient enough for frequent travelers. Price range: ,000 and up.

Slim-and-light models. These are for travelers. They can be less than an inch thick and weigh as small as 2 or 3 pounds. They generally require an external drive to read DVDs or burn CDs. Price range: ,500 and up.

Tablet-style. These sit in your hands like a clipboard and have handwriting-recognition software. Some convert to a “normal” laptop with a keyboard. Price range: ,800 and up.

Vital FEATURES

A diskette drive is becoming a rarity in all computers. As an alternative, you can use a USB memory drive (about and up), which fits on a keychain and holds as much data as numerous diskettes. Or you can save files on a writeable CD or camera memory card. Most laptops have slots that can read one or more types of memory cards.

Windows laptops generally have a 1.5- to 3.5-GHz processor. Pentium 4 processors have the higher speed ratings; the new Pentium M and Celeron M processors have a slower rated speed but really perform on a par with other processors. Macintosh Power PC processors are measured on a different basis altogether. In small, the different types of processors make direct speed comparisons hard. It doesn’t pay to try because any type of processor is likely to deliver all the speed you’ll need.

Laptops come with a 40- to 160-gigabyte hard drive and 256 megabytes or more of random access memory (RAM) and can be upgraded to 1 gigabyte or more.

Today’s laptops use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. In Consumer Reports tests, batteries provided 2 to 5 hours of continuous use when running office applications. (Laptops go into sleep mode when used intermittently, extending the time between charges.) You can extend battery life somewhat by dimming the show as you work and by removing PC cards and turning off wireless devices when they aren’t needed. Playing a DVD movie uses more battery power than usual, but any laptop should be able to play a movie through to the end.

A laptop’s keyboard can be quite different from that of a desktop computer. The keys themselves may be full-sized (generally only lightweight models pare them down), but they may not feel as solid. Some laptops have extra buttons to expedite your access to e-mail or a Web browser or to control DVD playback. You can attach an external keyboard, which you may find simpler to use.

A 14- to 15-inch show, measured diagonally, should suit most people. A few larger models have a 16- or 17-inch show. A resolution of 1,400×1,050 (SXGA+) pixels (picture elements) or more is better than 1,024×768 (XGA) for viewing the fine detail in photographs or video, but may shrink objects on the screen. You can use settings in Windows to make them larger. Many models are now offered with a show that has a “glossy” surface instead of a dull one. Those look better in bright ambient light, as long as you avoid direct reflections.

Most laptops use a small touch-sensitive pad in place of a mouse–you slide your finger across the pad to go the cursor. You can also program the pad to respond to a “tap” as a “click,” or to scroll as you sweep your index finger along the pad’s right edge. An alternative pointing system uses a pencil-eraser-sized joystick in the middle of the keyboard. You can attach an external mouse or trackball if you prefer.

Laptops include at least one PC-card slot for expansion. You might add a wireless network card or a digital-camera memory-card reader, for example, if those are not built in. Many laptops offer a connection for a docking station, a 0 or 0 base that makes it simple to connect an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, or phone line. Most laptops let you attach these devices anyway, without the docking station. At least two USB ports, for simple hookup of, say, a printer, digital camera, or scanner, is standard. A wired network (Ethernet) port is common, as is a FireWire port for digital-video transfer. Many models have a standard or optional internal wireless-network (“Wi-Fi”) adapter. The infrared port found on a few models can be used to synchronize data wirelessly between the computer and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

Laptops typically come with less software than desktop computers, although nearly all are bundled with a basic home-office suite (such as Microsoft Works) and a personal-finance program. The small speakers built into laptops often sound tinny, with small bass. Headphones or external speakers deliver much better sound.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Choose if a laptop is right for you. If you’re on a very tight budget and aren’t cramped for space, a desktop computer may still be OK. Otherwise, consider a laptop.

Windows vs. Macintosh. Many people choose Windows because it’s what they’ve always used. Apple’s iBook will suit you if you’re interested in photo editing, music, video, and other multimedia applications. Apple computers are also less susceptible to most viruses and spyware than Windows-based computers. The Apple PowerBook is relatively expensive as laptops go, but.

Buy à la carte. Dell and Gateway pioneered the notion that every computer can be tailored to an individual buyer’s needs, much like choosing the options for a car. This configure-to-order model is now common practice for laptops as well as desktops.

You can also buy a preconfigured computer off the shelf. (You can do the same online if you opt for the default choices of equipment the manufacturer offers.) That’s fine if you don’t have very strict requirements for how a laptop is outfitted or if you want to take advantage of an attractive sale.

Configure-to-order menus show you all the options and let you see how a change in one affects the overall price. You may choose to use a less-expensive processor, for example, but spend more for wireless capability or better graphics. Configure-to-order will often give you choices you won’t get if you buy off the shelf. And configure-to-order means less chance of overlooking vital details.

Downplay the processor speed. Speed is no longer the be-all of personal computers. For years, processors have delivered all the speed most people need. That’s still very much the case. Spend the money on more memory instead. A Pentium 4 processor with a speed of 2.4 GHz and a Pentium M at 1.4 GHz earned the same speed score in our tests. The different types of chips now on the market make direct speed comparisons hard.

Look closely at warranties and insurance. Get the longest manufacturer’s warranty you can afford; many offer one or two years above the basic one-year warranty, for a price. If you intend to travel a lot, buy screen insurance from the manufacturer. If you take full advantage of the manufacturer’s warranty and insurance, you won’t need an extended warranty from the retailer.

Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

Find More

Laptops with Simple Deal

ShopNdeal.com

People are able to make an innovative world inside the home with the consumer electronic options at their disposal. People have the ability to hear books electronically with no need to go to the library. Audio books can be downloaded onto consumer electronic devices at home and stored on compact disk library that can do where they do outside the home. A world of knowledge can be accessed through electronic devices that connect people to the internet framework.
The outside world is delivered to families through electronic devices that adapt to optic cabling. The consumer electronics that people use to view television each night are offered in plasma varieties that can decorate any wall in a home. People have the option of using flat panel televisions in any room of the home, or as a video screen on the desktop computer. Laptop computers are consumer electronics that open up a whole new world of possibilities to people in all age groups and occupations.
People can use headphones to listen to music privately, or they can use the use of consumer electronics such as stereo speakers and be entertained with surround sound that truly captures the feeling that goes into each musical note. The consumer electronics for audio enjoyment are not always stationary because MP3 players and portable audio devices are designed to go anywhere the user goes. Consumer electronics are discrete appliances centered on entertaining families.
Consumer electronics entertain indefinitely with the right settings in place. Some electronic devices allow people to entertain large crowds with music without bands having to transport large pieces of machinery. Some entertainment devices can be used at school and whenever a child gets home, and many of the consumer electronics that play videos can be loved while in the car.
Children delight in the versatility of portable audio devices because musical selections can be changed easily using touch screens installed on the devices. Music files can be added to consumer electronics from any physical location. Some innovative people have even obtained music files from friends through text messages sent to their cellular telephones. These worldly music selections can be shuffled electronically to play at random intervals at the discretion of the listener.
Other musical selections can be programmed to play in a precise order. Music can be heard by anyone at anytime because of the portable models of consumer electronics such as media players, which are small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Musical pieces can be heard in many contexts and many homes are filled with the surround sound features found in a concert hall. Audiences all over the world are thrilled by the quality of music that comes from electronic synthesizers and instruments that are replicated through a musical keyboard.
Families can bring the innovative world of consumer electronics into the home and spend more evenings together watching movies on DVD players. Special moments in life can be captured with digital cameras and video recording equipment such as camcorders. People can find fantastic deals on all sorts of consumer electronic devices that improve their quality of life. People can delight in spending time with each other because consumer electronics make that time more enjoyable.

Laptops account for about 25 percent of sales. It’s not hard to know why. Small screens and cramped keyboards have been replaced by larger, crisper displays and more usable key layouts. Processors have caught up in speed, and innovative new processors provide some real advantages. Quick CD and DVD recording drives are common, as are ample hard drives. And a growing interest in wireless computing plays to the laptop’s main strength: its portability. A laptop is the most convenient way to take full advantage of the growing availability of high-speed wireless Internet access at airports, schools, hotels, and even restaurants and coffee shops.

The Centrino technology that’s central to Intel’s newest laptop processors has wireless capability built in, and delivers commendably-long battery life. The thinnest laptops on the market are less than an inch thick and weigh just 2 to 5 pounds. To get these light, sleek models, but, you’ll have to pay a premium and make a few sacrifices.

WHAT’S AVAILABLE

Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Compaq (now owned by HP), IBM, Sony, and Toshiba are the leading Windows laptop brands. Macintosh laptops are made by Apple. Laptops can be grouped into several basic configurations:

Budget models. These have slower processors and lower screen quality than others, but are suitable for routine office work and home software. Price range: $800 or less.

Workhorse models. These have quicker processors and more built-in devices, so there’s less need for external attachments. They’re not lightweight or battery-efficient enough for frequent travelers. Price range: $1,000 and up.

Slim-and-light models. These are for travelers. They can be less than an inch thick and weigh as small as 2 or 3 pounds. They generally require an external drive to read DVDs or burn CDs. Price range: $1,500 and up.

Tablet-style. These sit in your hands like a clipboard and have handwriting-recognition software. Some convert to a “normal” laptop with a keyboard. Price range: $1,800 and up.

Vital FEATURES

A diskette drive is becoming a rarity in all computers. As an alternative, you can use a USB memory drive (about $20 and up), which fits on a keychain and holds as much data as numerous diskettes. Or you can save files on a writeable CD or camera memory card. Most laptops have slots that can read one or more types of memory cards.

Windows laptops generally have a 1. 5- to 3. 5-GHz processor. Pentium 4 processors have the higher speed ratings; the new Pentium M and Celeron M processors have a slower rated speed but really perform on a par with other processors. Macintosh Power PC processors are measured on a different basis altogether. In small, the different types of processors make direct speed comparisons hard. It doesn’t pay to try because any type of processor is likely to deliver all the speed you’ll need.

Laptops come with a 40- to 160-gigabyte hard drive and 256 megabytes or more of random access memory (RAM) and can be upgraded to 1 gigabyte or more.

Today’s laptops use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. In Consumer Reports tests, batteries provided 2 to 5 hours of continuous use when running office applications. (Laptops go into sleep mode when used intermittently, extending the time between charges. ) You can extend battery life somewhat by dimming the show as you work and by removing PC cards and turning off wireless devices when they aren’t needed. Playing a DVD movie uses more battery power than usual, but any laptop should be able to play a movie through to the end.

A laptop’s keyboard can be quite different from that of a desktop computer. The keys themselves may be full-sized (generally only lightweight models pare them down), but they may not feel as solid. Some laptops have extra buttons to expedite your access to e-mail or a Web browser or to control DVD playback. You can attach an external keyboard, which you may find simpler to use.

A 14- to 15-inch show, measured diagonally, should suit most people. A few larger models have a 16- or 17-inch show. A resolution of 1,400×1,050 (SXGA+) pixels (picture elements) or more is better than 1,024×768 (XGA) for viewing the fine detail in photographs or video, but may shrink objects on the screen. You can use settings in Windows to make them larger. Many models are now offered with a show that has a “glossy” surface instead of a dull one. Those look better in bright ambient light, as long as you avoid direct reflections.

Most laptops use a small touch-sensitive pad in place of a mouse–you slide your finger across the pad to go the cursor. You can also program the pad to respond to a “tap” as a “click,” or to scroll as you sweep your index finger along the pad’s right edge. An alternative pointing system uses a pencil-eraser-sized joystick in the middle of the keyboard. You can attach an external mouse or trackball if you prefer.

Laptops include at least one PC-card slot for expansion. You might add a wireless network card or a digital-camera memory-card reader, for example, if those are not built in. Many laptops offer a connection for a docking station, a $100 or $200 base that makes it simple to connect an external monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, or phone line. Most laptops let you attach these devices anyway, without the docking station. At least two USB ports, for simple hookup of, say, a printer, digital camera, or scanner, is standard. A wired network (Ethernet) port is common, as is a FireWire port for digital-video transfer. Many models have a standard or optional internal wireless-network (“Wi-Fi”) adapter. The infrared port found on a few models can be used to synchronize data wirelessly between the computer and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

Laptops typically come with less software than desktop computers, although nearly all are bundled with a basic home-office suite (such as Microsoft Works) and a personal-finance program. The small speakers built into laptops often sound tinny, with small bass. Headphones or external speakers deliver much better sound.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Choose if a laptop is right for you. If you’re on a very tight budget and aren’t cramped for space, a desktop computer may still be OK. Otherwise, consider a laptop.

Windows vs. Macintosh. Many people choose Windows because it’s what they’ve always used. Apple’s iBook will suit you if you’re interested in photo editing, music, video, and other multimedia applications. Apple computers are also less susceptible to most viruses and spyware than Windows-based computers. The Apple PowerBook is relatively expensive as laptops go, but.

Buy à la carte. Dell and Gateway pioneered the notion that every computer can be tailored to an individual buyer’s needs, much like choosing the options for a car. This configure-to-order model is now common practice for laptops as well as desktops.

You can also buy a preconfigured computer off the shelf. (You can do the same online if you opt for the default choices of equipment the manufacturer offers. ) That’s fine if you don’t have very strict requirements for how a laptop is outfitted or if you want to take advantage of an attractive sale.

Configure-to-order menus show you all the options and let you see how a change in one affects the overall price. You may choose to use a less-expensive processor, for example, but spend more for wireless capability or better graphics. Configure-to-order will often give you choices you won’t get if you buy off the shelf. And configure-to-order means less chance of overlooking vital details.

Downplay the processor speed. Speed is no longer the be-all of personal computers. For years, processors have delivered all the speed most people need. That’s still very much the case. Spend the money on more memory instead. A Pentium 4 processor with a speed of 2. 4 GHz and a Pentium M at 1. 4 GHz earned the same speed score in our tests. The different types of chips now on the market make direct speed comparisons hard.

Look closely at warranties and insurance. Get the longest manufacturer’s warranty you can afford; many offer one or two years above the basic one-year warranty, for a price. If you intend to travel a lot, buy screen insurance from the manufacturer. If you take full advantage of the manufacturer’s warranty and insurance, you won’t need an extended warranty from the retailer.

Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U. S. , Inc.

For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www. ConsumerReports. org.

Find More Laptops with Simple DealShopNdeal. com

Interview with Eric Palonen of Sennheiser

Sennheiser shows the world’s most advanced headphone technology: noise cancelling, portable audio and Bluetooth communications products designed to enrich your digital lifestyle.
www.sennheiserusa.com

Duration : 0:2:56

Read the full tale

Interview with Eric Palonen of Sennheiser

Sennheiser shows the world’s most advanced headphone technology: noise cancelling, portable audio and Bluetooth communications products designed to enrich your digital lifestyle.
www.sennheiserusa.com

Duration : 0:2:56

Read the full tale