A laptop computer, or simply laptop (also notebook computer, notebook and notepad) is a small mobile computer, typically weighing 3-12 pounds (around 1. A subnotebook is a small and lightweight portable Computer, with most of the features of a standard Laptop computer but smaller International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology Mobile computing is a generic term describing one's ability to use technology while moving as opposed to Portable computers which are only practical for use while deployed in 3 to 5. 4 kilograms), although older laptops may weigh more.
Laptops usually run on a single main battery or from an external AC/DC adapter that charges the battery while also supplying power to the computer itself. In electronics a battery is a combination of two or more Electrochemical cells which store chemical Energy which can be converted into electrical energy Power supply is a reference to a source of Electrical power. A device or system that supplies Electrical or other types of Energy to an output load Many computers also have a 3 volt cell to run the clock and other processes in the event of a power failure.
Laptops contain components that are similar to their desktop counterparts and perform the same functions, but are miniaturized and optimized for mobile use and efficient power consumption, although typically less powerful for the same price. Miniaturization is the creation of ever-smaller scales for mechanical optical and electronic products and devices Laptops usually have liquid crystal displays and most of them use different memory modules for their random access memory (RAM), for instance, SO-DIMM in lieu of the larger DIMMs. A SO-DIMM, or small outline dual in-line memory module, is a type of Computer memory built using Integrated circuits. A DIMM, or dual in-line memory module, comprises a series of Dynamic random access memory Integrated circuits These modules are mounted on a Printed In addition to a built-in keyboard, they may utilize a touchpad (also known as a trackpad) or a pointing stick for input, though an external keyboard or mouse can usually be attached. In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys A touchpad (also trackpad) is a Pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position The pointing stick (trademarked by IBM as the TrackPoint & by Synaptics as the Touchstyk) is an isometric joystick used as a Pointing device In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses)
Contents |
History
Laptops began from a desire to have a full-featured computer that could be easily used anywhere. Before laptop/notebook computers were technically feasible similar ideas had been proposed most notably Alan Kay 's Dynabook concept developed at Xerox PARC Their predecessor was called the luggable. A portable computer is a Computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another These all-in-one systems could be easily transported, but were heavy and usually were not battery powered. The CRT was one of the major reasons luggables were so large and heavy, but the use of a full-size desktop motherboard with room for ISA expansion cards was another size factor.
It was the transition to LCD and plasma displays that permitted the luggable to shrink in size and become the first real laptop, though at first still without internal batteries. A plasma display panel (PDP is a type of Flat panel display now commonly used for large TV displays (typically above 37-inch or 940 mm Battery technology improvements and the introduction of smaller devices such as the 3.5-inch floppy disk permitted a gradually more compact and sophisticated complete portable system. A floppy disk is an increasingly Obsolete data storage medium that is composed of a disk of thin flexible ("floppy" Magnetic storage medium encased
Types
Mainstream
Laptops weighing between 5 and 7 lb (2. 3–3. 2 kg) with a screen size of 14. 1 or 15. 4 inches (35 or 39 cm) diagonally.
Desktop replacement
A desktop replacement computer is a personal computer that provides the full capabilities of a desktop computer while remaining portable. A desktop replacement computer ( dtr) is a Personal computer that provides the full capabilities of a Desktop computer while remaining portable A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer A portable computer is a Computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another They are often a larger, bulkier laptop. Because of their increased size, this class of computer usually includes more powerful components and a larger display than generally used in smaller portable computers and can have a relatively limited battery capacity (or none at all). Some use a limited range of desktop components to provide better performance per dollar at the expense of battery life. These are sometimes called desknotes, a portmanteau of the words "desktop" and "notebook," though the term is also applied to desktop replacement computers in general. [1]
Powerful laptops meant to be mainly used for fun and infrequently carried out due to their weight and size; the latter provides more space for powerful components and a big screen, usually measuring 17–20 inches (43–51 cm). Desktop replacements tend to have limited battery life, rarely exceeding three hours, because the hardware is not optimized for efficient power usage. Sometimes called a luggable laptop. A portable computer is a Computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another An example of a desktop replacement computers are gaming notebooks, which are designed to handle 3D graphic-intensive processing for gamers.
Subnotebook
Laptops weighing typically between 4. A subnotebook is a small and lightweight portable Computer, with most of the features of a standard Laptop computer but smaller 6 and 6 lb (1. 8–2. 7 kg) and a screen of 10. 6 to 13. 3 inches diagonally. A subnotebook is a small and lightweight portable computer, with most of the features of a standard laptop computer but smaller. A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. The term is often applied to systems that run full versions of desktop operating systems such as Windows or Linux, rather than specialized software such as Windows CE, Palm OS or Internet Tablet OS. Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks Windows CE (also known officially as Windows Embedded Compact post version 6 Palm OS (also known as Garnet OS) is an embedded Operating system initially developed by U
Subnotebooks are smaller than laptops but larger than handheld computers and UMPCs. Handheld PC, or H/PC for short is a term for a Computer built around a form factor which is smaller than any standard Laptop computer. In Personal computers Ultra-Mobile PC (often abbreviated UMPC) is a small Form factor (a standard size and shape for Tablet PCs and subnotebook/ They often have screens that are 26. 92 cm (10. 6") (diagonal) or more, and a weight less than 1 up to about 2 kg; as opposed to full-size laptops with 35. 81 cm (14. 1") or 39. 12 cm (15. 4") screens and weighing 2 kg or more. The savings in size and weight are usually achieved partly by omitting ports or having removable media/optical drives; subnotebooks are often paired with docking stations to compensate. In Computer hardware, a 'port' serves as an interface between the computer and other computers or peripheral devices Docking stations and port replicators provide a simplified way of "plugging-in" a portable Laptop computer to common computer peripherals
Subnotebooks have been something of a niche computing product and have rarely sold in large numbers until the 2007 introduction of the Asus Eee PC and the OLPC XO-1. The ASUS Eee PC (pronounced as the letter e, IPA /iː/ is a Subnotebook / Netbook computer designed by ASUS. The XO-1, previously known as the $100 Laptop or Children's Machine, is an inexpensive Laptop computer intended to be distributed to children in developing [2]
Parts
Most modern laptops feature 12 inch (30 cm) or larger active matrix displays with resolutions of 1024×768 pixels and above, and have a PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) or ExpressCard expansion bay for expansion cards. A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device An active matrix Liquid crystal display ( AMLCD) is a type of Flat panel display, currently the overwhelming choice of Notebook computer In Computing, PC Card (originally '''PCMCIA''', or PCMCIA Card is the Form factor of a peripheral interface designed for Laptop computers ExpressCard is a Hardware standard replacing PC cards (also known as PCMCIA cards both developed by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association Internal hard disks are physically smaller—2. A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device 5 inch (60 mm)—compared to the standard desktop 3. 5 inch (90 mm) drive, and usually have lower performance and power consumption. Video and sound chips are usually integrated. This tends to limit the use of laptops for gaming and entertainment, two fields which have constantly escalating hardware demands. [3] However, higher end laptops can come with dedicated graphics processors, such as the Dell Inspiron E1505 and E1705, which can be bought with an ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 or similar or the MacBook Pro which comes standard with an nVidia 8600M GT. These mobile graphics processors tend to have less performance than their desktop counterparts, but this is because they have been optimized for lower power usage.
There is a wide range of laptop specific processors available from Intel (Pentium M, Celeron, Intel Core and Intel Core 2), AMD (Athlon, Turion 64, and Sempron) and from VIA (C3 and C7-M). A notebook processor is a CPU optimized for notebook computers Overview The Pentium M represented a new and radical departure for Intel as it was not a low-power version of the desktop-oriented Pentium 4, but instead a heavily modified The Celeron brand is a range of X86 CPUs from Intel targeted at budget/value Personal computers with the motto "delivering great quality The Core brand refers to Intel 's 32-bit mobile Dual-core X86 CPUs that derived from the Pentium M branded processors The Core 2 brand refers to a range of Intel 's consumer 64-bit dual-core and 2x2 MCM quad-core CPUs with the X86-64 instruction set Athlon is the brand name applied to a series of different X86 processors designed and manufactured by AMD. Turion 64 is the Brand name AMD applies to its 64- Bit low-consumption ( mobile) processors Sempron has been the marketing name used by AMD for several different entry level desktop CPUs using several different technologies and CPU socket VIA Technologies ( is a Taiwanese manufacturer of Integrated circuits mainly Motherboard Chipsets CPUs, and memory, and The VIA C3 is a family of X86 Central processing units for Personal computers designed by Centaur Technology and sold by VIA Technologies The VIA C7 is an X86 Central processing unit designed by Centaur Technology and sold by VIA Technologies. Motorola and IBM developed and manufactured the chips for the former PowerPC-based Apple laptops (iBook and PowerBook). PowerPC is a RISC Instruction set architecture created by the 1991 Apple – IBM – Motorola alliance known as AIM The iBook is a line of Laptop computer that was developed and sold by Apple Computer Inc The PowerBook is a line of Macintosh Laptop Computers that was designed manufactured and sold by Apple Computer Inc Generally, laptop processors are less powerful than their desktop counterparts, due to the need to save energy and reduce heat dissipation. However, the PowerPC G3 and G4 processor generations were able to offer almost the same performance as their desktop versions, limited mostly by other factors, such as the system bus bandwidth; recently, though, with the introduction of the G5s, they have been far outstripped. At one point, the Pismo G3, at up to 500 MHz, was faster than the fastest desktop G3 (then the B&W G3), which ran at 450 MHz.
Some parts for a modern laptop have no corresponding part in a desktop computer. For example, current models use lithium ion and more recently lithium polymer batteries, which have largely replaced the older nickel metal-hydride technology. Lithium-ion batteries (sometimes abbreviated Li-ion batteries) are a type of Rechargeable battery in which a Lithium ion moves between the Anode Lithium-ion polymer batteries, polymer lithium ion, or more commonly lithium polymer batteries (abbreviated Li-poly Li-Pol LiPo LIP PLI or LiP are A nickel-metal hydride battery, abbreviated NiMH, is a type of Rechargeable battery similar to a nickel-cadmium ( Ni[[Cadmium Cd]] battery Typical battery life for most laptops is two to five hours with light-duty use, but may drop to as little as one hour with intensive use. Batteries gradually deteriorate over time and eventually need to be replaced in one to five years, depending on the charging and discharging pattern.
Docking stations became another common laptop accessories in the early 1990s. Docking stations and port replicators provide a simplified way of "plugging-in" a portable Laptop computer to common computer peripherals They typically were quite large and offered 3. 5" and 5. 25" storage bays, one to three expansion slots (typically AT style), and a host of connectors. The mating between the laptop and docking station was typically through a large, high-speed, proprietary connector. The most common use was in a corporate computing environment where the company had standardized on a common network card and this same card was placed into the docking station. These stations were very large and quite expensive. As the need to additional storage and expansion slots became less critical because of the high integration inside the laptop itself, the emergence of the Port Replicator as a major accessory commenced. The Port Replicator was often a passive device that simply mated to the connectors on the back of the notebook and allowed the user to quickly connect their laptop so VGA, PS/2, RS-232, etc. devices were instantly attached. As higher speed ports like USB and Firewire became commonplace, the Port Replication was accomplished by a small cable connected to one of the USB 2. 0 or FireWire ports on the notebooks. The IEEE 1394 interface is a serial bus Interface standard for high-speed communications and Isochronous real-time data transfer frequently Wireless Port Replicators followed.
Virtually all laptops can be powered from an external AC converter. This device typically adds half a kilogram (1 lb) to the overall "transport weight" of the equipment.
A pointing stick or touchpad is used to control the position of the cursor on the screen. The pointing stick (trademarked by IBM as the TrackPoint & by Synaptics as the Touchstyk) is an isometric joystick used as a Pointing device A touchpad (also trackpad) is a Pointing device consisting of specialized surface that can translate the motion and position The pointing stick is usually a rubber dot that is located between the G, H and B keys on the laptop keyboard. To navigate the cursor, pressure is applied in the direction intended to move. The touchpad is touch-sensitive and the cursor can be navigated by moving the finger on the pad. A Touch Screen is a display which can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area
Intel, Asus, Compal, Quanta and other laptop manufacturers have created Common Building Block standard for laptop parts. ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated (Asus () ( is a Taiwan -based multinational company that produces Motherboards Graphics cards Optical drives Compal Electronics (仁寶電腦股份有限公司 is a Taiwanese Original design manufacturer, handling the production of notebook computers and monitors for a variety of clients Common Building Block (CBB is a set of Standards for Laptop components introduced by Intel in 2005 slowly being adopted by some manufacturers in 2006
Disadvantages
Parts standardization and compatibility issues
Current compatibility problems in the laptop trade are reflective of the early era of personal computer hardware, when there were many different manufacturers, each and every one of them having their own connectivity and mounting systems and incompatibility was the norm. While there are accepted world standards of form factors for all the peripherals and add-in PC cards used in the desktop computers, there are still no firm worldwide standards relating to today's laptops' internal form factors, such as supply of electric voltage, motherboard layouts, internal adapters used in connecting the optical drive, LCD cable, keyboard and floppy drive to the main board. Most affected by this are users uneducated in the relevant fields, especially if they attempt to connect their laptops with incompatible hardware or power adapters. Power supply is a reference to a source of Electrical power. A device or system that supplies Electrical or other types of Energy to an output load
Some parts, such as hard drives and memory are commodity items and are interchangeable. However, other parts such as motherboards, keyboards, and batteries are proprietary in design and are only interchangeable within a manufactures brand and/or model line.
A significant point to note is that the vast majority of laptops on the market are manufactured by a small handful of Original Design Manufacturers (ODM). An original design manufacturer ( ODM) is a company which manufactures a product which ultimately will be branded by another firm for sale [4] The ODM matters more than the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM is typically a company that uses a component made by a second company in its own product or sells the product of the second company Major relationships include:
- Quanta sells to (among others) HP/Compaq, Dell, Toshiba, Sony, Fujitsu, Acer, NEC, Gateway and Lenovo/IBM - note that Quanta is currently (as of August, 2007) the largest manufacturer of notebook computers in the world. Quanta Computer Incorporated ( is a Taiwan -based manufacturer of Notebook computers and other electronic Hardware.
- Compal sells to Toshiba, HP/Compaq, Acer, and Dell. Compal Electronics (仁寶電腦股份有限公司 is a Taiwanese Original design manufacturer, handling the production of notebook computers and monitors for a variety of clients
- Wistron (former manufacturing & design division of Acer) sells to HP/Compaq, Dell, IBM, NEC, Acer, and Lenovo/IBM.
- Flextronics (former Arima Computer Corporation notebook division) sells to HP/Compaq, NEC, and Dell.
- ECS sells to IBM, Fujitsu, and Dell. Elitegroup Computer Systems ( also known as ECS, is a Taiwan -based Electronics firm
- Asus sells to Apple (iBook), Sony, and Samsung. ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated (Asus () ( is a Taiwan -based multinational company that produces Motherboards Graphics cards Optical drives
- Inventec sells to HP/Compaq, Toshiba, and BenQ. } Inventec Corporation (英業達公司 is a Taiwan -based Original Design Manufacturer (ODM making notebook computers servers and mobile devices
- Uniwill sells to Lenovo/IBM and Fujitsu. Elitegroup Computer Systems ( also known as ECS, is a Taiwan -based Electronics firm
Durability issues
Due to their portability and tight integration, laptops are more subject to wear and physical damage than desktops. Components such as batteries, screen hinges, power jacks, and power cords are commonly subject to deterioration due to ordinary use. These components are usually expensive to replace, with a typical laptop battery costing US$130, the AC Adapter US$75. Other parts are inexpensive such as a power jack costing perhaps US$20, but replacement may require extensive disassembly and reassembly of layers of internal components. Other inexpensive but fragile parts often cannot be purchased separate from larger more expensive components. For example, the video display cable and backlight power cable that passes through the lid hinges to operate the screen will eventually break from opening and closing the lid hundreds of times over many years, and usually these tiny cables cannot be purchased separate from an entire US$400 LCD panel.
A liquid spill onto the keyboard, which is rather a minor mishap with a desktop system can damage costly components such as the motherboard or LCD panel. Dropping a laptop can damage the LCD screen if not break apart its body. The repair costs of a failed motherboard or LCD panel may exceed the purchase value of the laptop.
Laptops must also rely on extremely compact cooling systems involving a fan and heatsink that eventually fails due to filling with airborne dust and debris. Most laptops do not have any sort of removable dust collection filter over the air intake for these cooling systems, resulting in a system that gradually runs hotter and louder as the years pass. Eventually the laptop cooling is so choked with dust that it starts to overheat just from minor operational load. This dust is usually deeply buried inside where casual cleaning and vacuuming cannot remove it, and instead complete disassembly is needed to clean the laptop.
Ruggedized Laptops
Some manufacturers have mitigated some of these problems by selling "ruggedized" laptops. These often have a rubberized sheeting under the keyboard keys and special drain that safely routes all of the water out through a hole in the bottom of the case.
Additionally, the bodies of these laptops are typically made of a stiffer magnesium alloy instead of plastic, since it is the flexing of the circuit boards and fragile mechanical devices that causes the most damage. Hard drives are often mounted in soft shock-absorbing silicone mounts to greatly increase their chances of surviving a waist-high fall.
When a laptop hits the floor, the free-floating hard drive heads can slap against the spinning platter, scratching it and cause an irrepairable head crash that renders the hard drive unusable. A head crash is a specific type of Hard disk failure, and occurs when the read-write head of a Hard disk drive touches its rotating platter Recently hard drives have been constructed which can move the read heads completely off the spinning platters, known as unloading. With the use of an accelerometer, the hardware can detect the sudden fall and park the heads off-platter before the laptop hits the ground. An accelerometer is a device for measuring Acceleration and gravity induced reaction forces (See Sudden Motion Sensor. The Sudden Motion Sensor (SMS is Apple 's patent-pending motion-based hardware and data-protection system used in their notebook computer systems. )
Advantages
The main advantage of laptops over their larger desktop counterparts is the inherent portability. Another advantage is the laptop's ability to operate on battery power in the case of a power outage and less energy consumption.
Upgradeability
Laptops' upgradeability is severely limited, both for technical and economic reasons. The term upgrade refers to the replacement of a product with a newer version of that same product however it is most often used in Computing and Consumer electronics As of 2006, there is no industry-wide standard form factor for laptops. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Each major laptop vendor pursues its own proprietary design and construction, with the result that laptops are difficult to upgrade and exhibit high repair costs. The word proprietary indicates that a party or proprietor exercises private Ownership, control or use over an item of Property. With few exceptions, laptop components can rarely be swapped between laptops of competing manufacturers, or even between laptops from the different product-lines of the same manufacturer. Standard feature peripherals (such as audio, video, USB, 1394, WiFi, Bluetooth) are generally integrated on the main PCB (motherboard), and thus upgrades often require using external ports, card slots, or wireless peripherals. A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop Other components, such as RAM modules, hard drives, and batteries are typically user-upgradeable. A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device
Many laptops have removable CPUs, although support for other CPUs is restricted to the specific models supported by the laptop motherboard. A motherboard is the central or primary Printed circuit board (PCB making up a complex electronic system such as a modern Computer or Laptop The socketed CPUs are perhaps for the manufacturer's convenience, rather than the end-user, as few manufacturers try new CPUs in last year's laptop model with an eye toward selling upgrades rather than new laptops. In many other laptops, the CPU is soldered and non-replaceable. [5]
Many laptops also include an internal MiniPCI slot, often occupied by a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth card, but as with the CPU, the internal slot is often restricted in the range of cards that can be installed. Mini PCI is a standard for a Computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a Computer Motherboard and is an adaptation of The widespread adoption of USB mitigates I/O connectivity to a great degree, although the user must carry the USB peripheral as a separate item.
NVidia and ATI have proposed a standardized interface for laptop GPU upgrades (such as an MXM), but again, choices are limited compared to the desktop PCIe/AGP after-market. The multinational NVIDIA Corporation ( (ɪnˈvɪdiə specializes in the manufacture of graphics-processor technologies for Workstations A Mobile PCI Express Module (MXM is an interconnect standard for GPUs ( MXM Graphics Modules) in Laptops using PCI Express created by MXM-SIG Not to be confused with PCI-X, a different bus architecture Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, officially abbreviated as PCI-E
In January 2007, Asus announced XG Station external video card for laptops. ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated (Asus () ( is a Taiwan -based multinational company that produces Motherboards Graphics cards Optical drives ASUS XG Station is a device designed to provide external graphics processing power to laptops XG Station is connected to the laptops using USB-2 and Express card interface.
In February 2007, a new standard for external PCI Express cables and connectors was announced. Future laptops can be expanded using external PCI Express backplane and chassis.
Performance
For a given price range (and manufacturing base), laptop computational power has traditionally trailed that of desktops. This is partly due to most laptops sharing RAM between the program memory and the graphics adapter. By virtue of their usage goals, laptops prioritize energy efficiency and compactness over absolute performance. Desktop computers and their modular components are built to fit much bigger standard enclosures, along with the expectation of AC line power. Mains is the general-purpose Alternating current (AC Electric power supply (as in "I've connected the appliance to the mains" As such, energy efficiency and portability for desktops are secondary design goals compared to absolute performance.
For typical home (personal use) applications, where the computer spends the majority of its time sitting idle for the next user input, laptops of the thin-client type or larger are generally fast enough to achieve the required performance. 3D gaming, multimedia (video) encoding and playback, and analysis-packages (database, math, engineering, financial, etc. ) are areas where desktops still offer the casual user a compelling advantage.
With the advent of dual-core processors and perpendicular recording, laptops are beginning to close the performance gap with desktops. A multi-core processor (or chip-level multiprocessor, CMP) combines two or more independent cores into a single package composed of a single Integrated Perpendicular recording (or Perpendicular Magnetic Recording PMR is a technology for data recording on Hard disks It was first proven advantageous in 1976 by Shun-ichi Intel's Core 2 line of processors is efficient enough to be used in portable computers, and many manufacturers such as Apple, Lenovo and Dell are building Core 2 based laptops. The Core 2 brand refers to a range of Intel 's consumer 64-bit dual-core and 2x2 MCM quad-core CPUs with the X86-64 instruction set The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. Lenovo Group Limited (,) is China's largest and the world's fourth largest Personal computer manufacturer after Hewlett-Packard and Dell of the U The multinational technology company Dell Inc develops manufactures sells and supports Personal computers and other computer-related products Also, many high end laptop computers feature mobility versions of graphics cards, eliminating the performance losses associated with integrated graphics.
Health issues
A study by State University of New York researchers says heat generated from laptops can significantly elevate the temperature of the scrotum, potentially putting sperm count at risk. In some Male Mammals the scrotum - also 'scrutum' or 'scrootum' - is a protuberance of Skin and Muscle containing the Testicles A semen analysis evaluates certain characteristics of a man's Semen and the sperm contained in the semen The small study, which included little more than two dozen men ages 13 to 35, found that the sitting position required to balance a laptop can raise scrotum temperature by as much as 2. In some Male Mammals the scrotum - also 'scrutum' or 'scrootum' - is a protuberance of Skin and Muscle containing the Testicles 1 °C (3. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 8 °F). Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Heat from the laptop itself can raise the temperature by another 0. In Physics, heat, symbolized by Q, is Energy transferred from one body or system to another due to a difference in Temperature 7 °C (1. 4 °F), bringing the potential total increase to 2. 8 °C (5. 2 °F). However, further research is needed to determine whether this directly affects sterility in men. Female infertility|Male infertility Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a Man or a Woman to contribute to conception. [6] A common practical solution to this problem is to place the laptop on a table or desk.
Heat from using laptop on lap can also cause skin discoloration on the thighs. [7]
Because of their small keyboard and trackpad pointing devices, the use of laptops can cause RSI, and for this reason laptops have docks that are used with ergonomic keyboards to prevent injury. A repetitive strain injury (RSI also called cumulative trauma disorder ( CTD) occupational overuse syndrome, or work related upper limb disorder Docking stations and port replicators provide a simplified way of "plugging-in" a portable Laptop computer to common computer peripherals The integrated screen often causes users to hunch over for a better view, which can cause neck or spinal injuries. Some health standards require that ergonomic keyboards be used in workplaces. An ergonomic keyboard is a Computer keyboard designed with ergonomic considerations to minimize muscle strain and a host of related problems
Security
Laptops are generally prized targets of theft, and theft of laptops can lead to more serious problems such as identity theft from stolen credit card numbers. Identity theft is a term used to refer to Fraud that involves stealing money or getting other benefits by pretending to be someone else [8] Most laptops have a Kensington security slot to chain the computer to a desk with a third party security cable. A Kensington Security Slot (also called a K-Slot or Kensington lock) is part of an Anti-theft system designed by Kensington Computer Products In addition to this, modern operating systems and software may have disk encryption functionality that renders the data on the laptop's hard drive unreadable without a key. A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device In Cryptography, a key is a piece of information (a Parameter) that determines the functional output of a cryptographic algorithm
Related devices
A laptop can use the same software as a desktop machine but is small enough to support mobile computing and operate on battery power. Mobile computing is a generic term describing one's ability to use technology while moving as opposed to Portable computers which are only practical for use while deployed in Devices that are similar to a laptop include:
- Transportable, also called portable computers
- Computers which can easily be moved from place to place, but cannot be used while in transit, usually because they require AC power. A portable computer is a Computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another The most famous example is the Osborne 1. The Osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable Microcomputer, released in April 1981 by Osborne Computer Corporation. A transportable, like a laptop, can run desktop software; but it does not support mobile computing.
- Tablets
- Computers shaped like slates or (paper) notebooks featuring touchscreen interfaces and a stylus, plus handwriting recognition software. As of 2007, the most common subcategory is the Tablet PC, which is essentially a laptop with a touchscreen. A Tablet PC is a Notebook or slate-shaped Mobile computer, equipped with a Touchscreen or Graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology which allows Some tablets have no keyboard, while others called "convertibles" have a screen that can be rotated 180 degrees and folded on top of the keyboard. Tablets may have limited functionality and not be best suited for applications requiring a physical keyboard for typing, but are otherwise capable of carrying out most tasks that an ordinary laptop would be able to perform.
- Internet tablets
- Internet appliances in tablet form. An Internet appliance is a consumer device whose main function is easy access to Internet services such as WWW or E-mail. An internet tablet supports mobile computing. Internet tablets usually use Linux and they are able to run some applications, but they cannot replace a general purpose computer. Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks Internet tablets typically feature an MP3 and video player, web browser, chat application, and picture viewer.
- Personal digital assistants (PDAs)
- Small computers, usually pocket-sized, usually with limited functionality. A PDA supports mobile computing, but almost never runs any desktop software.
- Handheld computers
- A high-end PDA or small tablet. A mobile device (also known as cellphone device, handheld device, handheld computer, "Palmtop" or simply handheld) is a pocket-sized
- Smart phone
- A hand held or PDA with an integrated cellphone. A smartphone is a Mobile phone offering advanced capabilities beyond a typical mobile phone often with PC -like functionality
Boundaries that separate these categories are blurry at times. For example, the OQO UPC is a PDA-sized tablet PC; the Apple eMate had the clamshell form factor of a laptop, but ran PDA software. OQO is a US computer hardware company the manufacturer of Subnotebook, handheld computers named the OQO model 02 and OQO model e2 eMate 300 was a Personal digital assistant designed manufactured and sold by Apple Computer to the education market as a low-cost laptop running the The HP Omnibook line of laptops included some devices small enough to be called handheld computers. HP OmniBook was a range of Laptop personal computers created by Hewlett Packard. The hardware of the Nokia 770 internet tablet is essentially the same as that of a PDA such as the Zaurus 6000; the only reason it's not called a PDA is that it doesn't have PIM software. The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet is a wireless Internet appliance from Nokia, originally announced at the LinuxWorld Summit in New York City on The Sharp Zaurus is the name of a series of Personal Digital Assistant (PDA made by Sharp Corporation. On the other hand, both the 770 and the Zaurus can run some desktop Linux software, usually with modifications.
Major brands and manufacturers
See also
- Desktop computer
- List of computer size categories
- Open design
- Palmtop
- Personal computer
- Ultra-Mobile PC
- NEC UltraLite
- eMachines
References
- ^ Desktop notebooks stake their claim, accessed October 19, 2007
- ^ One million OLPC laptop orders confirmed. Acer Incorporated ( ( is a Taiwanese multinational electronics manufacturer TravelMate is a series of computer notebooks manufactured by Acer. Aspire series refers to Acer's range of PCs aimed at the casual household user or for small business use Apple Inc, ( formerly Apple Computer Inc, is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing Consumer electronics The MacBook is a Macintosh Notebook computer by Apple Inc that replaced the iBook G4 series The MacBook Air is a thin lightweight Macintosh Notebook computer designed by Apple. The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable Computers by Apple Inc Compaq Computer Corporation was an American Personal computer company founded in 1982 and is now a brand name of Hewlett-Packard. The Compaq Evo was a series of business desktop and laptop PCs made by Compaq and Hewlett-Packard (following the 2002 merger The Compaq LTE was a line of laptop computers made by Compaq, introduced in 1989 Presario is a series of Desktop computers and notebooks from HP. The multinational technology company Dell Inc develops manufactures sells and supports Personal computers and other computer-related products Dell 's Inspiron portable systems Brand started as a range of Computers targeted at the consumer market (as opposed to the Latitude range of laptops Dell 's Latitude Laptop brand is specifically targeted at the business market which means that standardized parts are used throughout the line and are available Dell Precision is a line of workstation computers produced by Dell Inc Dell Vostro is a line of computers aimed at small business users made by Dell. The Dell XPS is a high-end line of gaming computers sold by Dell. Gateway Incorporated is a Computer hardware company based in Irvine, California, which develops manufactures supports and markets a wide range of HP Pavilion is a line of Personal computers produced by Hewlett-Packard and introduced in 1995 HP OmniBook was a range of Laptop personal computers created by Hewlett Packard. Lenovo Group Limited (,) is China's largest and the world's fourth largest Personal computer manufacturer after Hewlett-Packard and Dell of the U ThinkPad is a brand of portable Laptop and Notebook Personal computers originally designed manufactured and sold by IBM. Lenovo 3000 was a line of low-priced Notebook and desktop computers designed by Lenovo Group targeting small businesses and individuals Toughbook is the trademarked brand name owned by Panasonic and marketed by their international brand name Panasonic. is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest Media conglomerates with VAIO, originally an Acronym for Video Audio Integrated Operation, but since 2008 amended to Visual Audio Intelligence Organizer to celebrate the The Sony Vaio FJ series is a 141 inch notebook designed for Windows XP and the FJ270 FJ290 FJ330FJ370 models in particular are designed for Windows ( is a multinational conglomerate manufacturing company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Dynabook was a conceptual system proposed by Xerox PARC in 1968 The Toshiba Satellite is Toshiba's flagship line of consumer-grade Notebook computers. The Toshiba Tecra is a notebook computer intended for business use The Toshiba Satellite is Toshiba's flagship line of consumer-grade Notebook computers. The Qosmio Series is Toshiba 's consumer-marketed line of high end desktop replacement laptops The Libretto is a line of Subnotebook Computers designed and produced by Toshiba. An original design manufacturer ( ODM) is a company which manufactures a product which ultimately will be branded by another firm for sale ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated (Asus () ( is a Taiwan -based multinational company that produces Motherboards Graphics cards Optical drives The ASUS Eee PC (pronounced as the letter e, IPA /iː/ is a Subnotebook / Netbook computer designed by ASUS. Clevo is a Laptop manufacturer in Taiwan and diversified into various technology interests including computer peripherals information appliances communications Compal Electronics (仁寶電腦股份有限公司 is a Taiwanese Original design manufacturer, handling the production of notebook computers and monitors for a variety of clients Elitegroup Computer Systems ( also known as ECS, is a Taiwan -based Electronics firm A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather Alienware is an American Computer hardware company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dell Inc Alienware is an American Computer hardware company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dell Inc The Dell XPS is a high-end line of gaming computers sold by Dell. Falcon Northwest is a Personal computer manufacturing company located in Medford Oregon, USA which was founded in 1992 by its Vigor Gaming is a privately-held manufacturer of enthusiast level Personal computers based in City of Industry, California. Atlantis (in Greek,, "island of Atlas " is the name of a Legendary Island, first mentioned in Plato 's dialogues Augustus ( Latin: IMPERATOR·CAESAR·DIVI·FILIVS·AVGVSTVS September 23 63 BC – August 19 AD 14) born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was Artorius was a Roman Gens ( gens Artoria) It meant "plowman" "Aegis" (ˈiːdʒɨs has entered modern English to mean a shield protection or sponsorship originally from the name of the mythological protective shield of Zeus Voodoo Computers Inc or VoodooPC was a privately-held Personal computer manufacturer based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada WidowPC, based in Boulder Colorado, shipped the world's first Dual-core CPU Laptop based on the AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ The Digital Textbook program was announced by the Education Ministry of South Korea on March 8 2007 The Elonex ONE (also referred to as ONE) is a Subnotebook computer marketed to the education sector by Elonex. The InkMedia mobile Computer (Ink MC is a Low cost Mobile computer running Linux / FOSS being developed by a Canadian company The Classmate PC, formerly known as Eduwise, is Intel 's entry into the market for low-cost Personal computers for children in the developing world The XO-1, previously known as the $100 Laptop or Children's Machine, is an inexpensive Laptop computer intended to be distributed to children in developing The Sinomanic Tianhua GX-1C is a specially tailored Subnotebook for primary and secondary school students in mainland China A notebook (also notepad, writing pad, drawing pad, legal pad, etc The term media center refers either to a dedicated Computer appliance or to a specialized Personal computer Software, both of which are adapted for Acorn Computers was a British Computer company established in Cambridge, England, in 1978 A desktop replacement computer ( dtr) is a Personal computer that provides the full capabilities of a Desktop computer while remaining portable AVADirect is a privately held custom computer manufacturing company located in Twinsburg Ohio that specializes in the design and manufacturing of different types of computer Averatec is a low-cost Laptop computer manufacturer based in Orange County California. BenQ Corporation (ˌbɛn ˈkjuː 明基電通股份有限公司 is a Taiwanese company that sells and markets consumer electronics computing and communications devices under the Everex ("Ever for Excellence!" is a manufacturer of desktop and notebook Personal computers It was established in 1983 and headquartered The Cloudbook is an X86 Subnotebook, or Ultra-Mobile PC developed by Everex using a VIA processor chipset and NanoBook In the mid-2000s Everex began selling several brands of green computers. Fujitsu Siemens Computers Inc is a Japanese and German IT vendor, selling consumer and business computing products in the markets of Europe Lifebook is a range of Laptop Computers made by Fujitsu and its subsidiaries. Gericom is an Austrian Computer equipment manufacturer A range of Gericom PC and laptops have been marketed for a few years via Aldi in England high Gigabyte Technology ( is a Taiwan-based manufacturer of Computer hardware products best known for its Motherboards The company is publicly held and traded Hindustan Computers Limited, also known as HCL Enterprise, is one of India 's largest Electronics, Computing and Information technology High Tech Computer Corporation ( known by its abbreviation HTC, is a Taiwan -based manufacturer of primarily Microsoft Windows Mobile -based HTC Shift (Code name: Clio is an Ultra-Mobile PC by HTC. Features Dual Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Hyundai refers to a group of companies and related organizations founded by Chung Ju-yung in South Korea. Jetta International is an American OEM manufacturer and designer of computer Laptops mainly operating in the East Coast. LG Electronics () is a South Korean Multinational corporation. Xnote is a Notebook computer series made by LG Electronics Ltd. MDG Computers Canada Inc is a Canadian-owned manufacturer distributor and retailer of personal computers (PCs notebooks and related products and accessories Medion AG is a German company which sells consumer electronics products Micro-Star International (MSI is a Computer hardware Manufacturer most well known for Desktop computer Motherboards is a Japanese multinational IT company headquartered in Minato Tokyo, Japan. The Noahpad is a Netbook developed by E-Lead. This small laptop shares some similar characteristics with other Netbooks launched in 2007 like the ASUS OQO is a US computer hardware company the manufacturer of Subnotebook, handheld computers named the OQO model 02 and OQO model e2 The Orca or Killer Whale ( Orcinus orca) less commonly Blackfish or Seawolf, is the largest species of the Oceanic dolphin family Packard Bell is a name used by two different consumer electronics companies History Jackson Lan founded the company in 1992 and was its first CEO Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV ( Royal Philips Electronics Inc. Sager Midern Inc is a computer manufacturer specializing in Laptop computing The Samsung Group ( Korean:, Samsung Guerup) is South Korea 's largest company or Chaebol and the world's largest conglomerate Samsung Sens is the Notebook computer series made by Samsung Electronics. Seanix is a Canadian Personal computer company based in British Columbia. Seanix is a Canadian Personal computer company based in British Columbia. () is a Japanese Electronics manufacturer founded in 1912 It takes its name from one of its founder's first inventions the Ever-Sharp Mechanical pencil, which System76 is a computer hardware manufacturer Their products are all prepackaged with Ubuntu. VIA Technologies ( is a Taiwanese manufacturer of Integrated circuits mainly Motherboard Chipsets CPUs, and memory, and The NanoBook is a Ultra-mobile PC Reference design by VIA Technologies, Inc The VIA pc-1 Initiative is a project of VIA Technologies to help bridge the Digital divide by developing innovative and sustainable Information and communication Zenith Data Systems (ZDS was a division of Zenith founded in 1979 after Zenith acquired Heathkit, who had at that time recently entered the personal computer market Zepto Computers A/S is a Danish computer company founded in 2002 Wipro Infotech is a subunit of Wipro (NYSEWIT Awards Cisco awarded the best partner award to Wipro Infotech in India A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer This list of computer size categories attempts to list commonly used categories of Computer by size in descending order of size Open design is the application of Open source methods to the creation of physical products machines and systems A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated In Personal computers Ultra-Mobile PC (often abbreviated UMPC) is a small Form factor (a standard size and shape for Tablet PCs and subnotebook/ The NEC UltraLite was the first full-function MS-DOS -based portable computer in a "notebook" size and represents one of the more interesting stories of the eMachines was a maker of low-cost PCs based in Irvine California. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ITworld. com. Retrieved on 2008-05-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England.
- ^ Game Hardware. Retrieved on 2008-05-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England.
- ^ Notebook OEM/ODM relationships. Retrieved on 2007-06-28. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1098 - Fighters of the First Crusade defeat Kerbogha of Mosul.
- ^ Thus, there is no practical way to update it on models which already feature the latest processor for their motherboard.
- ^ Sheynkin, Y. ; Jung M;Yoo P;Schulsinger D;Komaroff E (2004-12-9). "Increase in scrotal temperature in laptop computer users". Human Reproduction 20 (2): 452-5. Epub.
- ^ Levinbook, WS. ; Mallet J; Grant-Kels JM (2007 Oct). "Laptop computer--associated erythema ab igne.". Cutis 80 (4): 319-20. Quadrant HealthCom.
- ^ TuxMobil's page with a list of information and protection devices
External links
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic