What Defines a Laptop

The laptop notebook computer is one of the greatest technological advances to come along. And you will probably find it difficult to eschew the computer if you live if the modern world, unless you are Amish. The desktop computer was a wonderful invention, but the laptop notebook computer is gaining a powerful momentum that is hard to ignore.

While people have come to use the terms laptop and notebook interchangeably to describe the portable computing devices that business owners and stay-at-home moms alike carry around, there are a few differences between the two.

A laptop computer is a portable computer that is small enough to fit comfortably in the user's lap. They are a bit larger than their counterparts - the notebook computer. Laptop computers are normally larger to include such features as built in or removable CD ROM drives.
Most standard laptops will feature a 14 inch to 17 inch screen, a full featured keyboard, 2+ hour battery life, integrated audio system, mid to high level graphics cards, integrated modem and WiFi capabilities, and a built in or removable optical drive. Laptops offer the ability to be upgraded to some extent also.

A notebook computer is designed to be ultra-portable and ultra-lightweight. Therefore, it includes the minimal amount of features necessary to provide the greatest degree of mobility. Standard notebook computers feature 4+ hours battery life, minimal graphics system, no internal optical drive, 12 to 14 inch screen, integrated modem and network capabilities, and the smallest possible keyboard. It is also normally thinner than a traditional laptop computer.
With technology improving at such a rapid pace, though, it is now possible to include much more computing power into a smaller space. This may be one of the reasons that the line has become blurred between the laptop and notebook computers. Now, both of these mobile computing devices have simply become known as the laptop notebook.

And since the differences are so slight, there really is no harm in putting the two into the same category. Most people do not care enough to recognize the difference in the terminology anyway. They just know that they want their laptop notebook along for the ride.

About the Author
Brenda is an avid user of her laptop. She has received her last laptop notebook for free. She maintains resources on how to get a free laptop via her free laptops website.

How to buy a rugged laptop case?

Always double check your ruggedized laptop case before buying it


Ruggedized laptop cases are exactly what you need if you carry your laptop (usually a rugged laptop also) on bumpy roads or you work with your mobile computer in a difficult environment where stress elements (such as water, bumps and drops, chemical elements, etc) may hurt your laptop.


A regular laptop case will not protect your computer, that's for sure! Regular cases are soft and their purpose is to help you carry the laptop while protecting it from common injuries, but not to protect it from hard bumps or drops or any others of this kind. If you want to have ruggedized case for your laptop (rugged or regular) you should check that your rugged case is:



WaterproofYou should pick up a ruggedized laptop case that is waterproof, this is the basic that it can do. There are more levels of water interaction that it may take, from rain and spilling water on it up to emerging under water.


Solid and hard to breakBuilt of hard materials, rugged laptop cases are tested to withstand impact. Some are very rigid and can handle crushing forces (at least from a person jumping on it) as well as high impact forces. The interior must be coated, wall to wall, with panels of soft materials, to also protect the laptop that you carry inside it. Adjustable interior for a lot of rugged laptops modelsA good rugged laptop case must keep the computer inside it in a fixed position, to not "jump" up and down, protecting it from extra hits.


Chemical stressA rugged laptop case must also protect the laptop inside it from interaction with chemical elements that would normally destroy it. ComfortOK, this may not be the detail that will convince you to buy a rugged laptop case, but surely it is a "must consider" one: Strap of a rugged laptop case. It is easy to see why you need to consider this: you will probably carry it a long way around so it would be a wise thing to protect your shoulders.


At the same time pick a solid strap that will not break or damage in time. Also you should test if it stand on it's edge, like a regular business case, otherwise you will always need to put it on something instead of just letting it down. Some rugged laptop cases have port openings on the sides, allowing you to work with your laptop while inside the case. This would be an advantage.



However, be sure that these openings are correctly covered by rubber "stoppers", to not let water enter inside it.


About the Author
John Smith is the editor of MagicLaptop.com. Read the complete guide on How To Buy A Rugged Laptop on http://www.MagicLaptop.com

Rugged Laptop's Hard Drives

Rugged laptops use Solid State Disk (SSD) as hard drives instead of the usual conventional disks. Hard drives used in rugged laptops are not regular hard drives, with spinning platters. Solid state disks use non-volatile memory such as flash or volatile memory such as SDRAM.

Non-volatile memory SSDs retain memory even during sudden power outages, ensuring data retrievability, a good advantage when you are using rugged laptops that you operate in difficult situations. SSDs don't have any moving parts, so they tend to be more solid and at the same time more silent than regular disks.

An other thing that makes a SSD stand out of the rest of the regular hard drives is the price, which is significantly higher than the rest. Using a SSD is more secure from this point of view than a regular disk. A regular disk can only be protected from vibrations and shocks by some procedures such as wrapping the hard drive with a soft, thin, pliable, jell-like material.

This material absorbs a lot of the shock induced by vibrations, drops, hits, etc. Flash SSDs are extremely fast since these devices have no moving parts, eliminating seek time, latency (there is no read/write head to move) and other electro-mechanical delays inherent in conventional disk drives.

They are also more rugged than hard disks and offer greater protection in hostile environments. Flash-based means that it uses flash technology to erase blocks of memory before writing to them. Solid state disks have limited lives based on the fact that they have a limited erase cycles. Some features that recommend SSDs for usage in rugged laptops the fact that solid state disks can endure wider temperature fluctuations in the environment, does not heat up, is totally silent, is lighter, and uses very little power.

Due to the fact they use little power make SSD the hard drive of choice for rugged laptops, extending the laptop autonomy. Rugged laptops are often used outside the office, far from a power supply, so the battery life is a crucial feature and using Solid State Disks as hard drives became a wise decision.

About the Author
John Smith is the editor of MagicLaptop.com. Read the complete guide on How To Buy A Rugged Laptop on http://www.MagicLaptop.com

Laptop: best gadget

In my opinion, laptops are the best technological conveniences of our time. Although I thoroughly appreciate my cell phone and microwave and all the other gadgets that make my life easier, there is no substitute for lap top computers. I have owned several lap top computers in my life and have enjoyed watching them get smaller and lighter every year. When it comes to staying connected, playing and working on the go, lap top computers can't be beat.

Although notebook computers, like any other form of technology, become obsolete the moment they hit store shelves, I doubt that you will notice any inequity. Lap top computers have longer battery lives these days and some only weigh a few pounds. They are incredibly convenient for any person who uses a computer regularly. Whenever I had an important term paper due I knew that even if the power went out I would be fine.

I still use a PC at my house for surfing the web and other things. I use my notebook for the bulk of my word processing projects because I feel that they are safer there than on my PC. I, like many other people, have experienced complete computer meltdowns on a PC. It is usually due to a virus caught while surfing the web. I have learned to keep my notebook computers away from the Internet so that my files are better protected. I keep everything of importance on my lap top and use my PC for more dangerous endeavors.

I think that owning a notebook computer is a must. I have found that having two computers, one for Internet use and one for more important things, has been a great idea. Laptops are very valuable and should be protected. I transfer information from my lap top to my PC if I want to send it over the Internet. This way, my precious lap top never touches the web and is never threatened by hackers or viruses.

If you have been looking at laptops you already know that there is a wide array of them and they all come with different features. You will have to shop around to find the right computer for you but I have been able to get by successfully on lap top computers that are in the $500-$600 range. If you wait around until the Christmas holiday shopping season, I am confident you will find yourself a great deal.

About the Author

David Windsor runs an informative Laptop site that looks into all aspects of Laptop Computers from Style to Quality. To find out more visit Laptop Computers