Laptops

Mac Mini

2011-10-15T22:29:00.000-07:00

The Mac Mini (marketed as Mac mini) is a small form factor desktop computer manufactured by Apple Inc. Like earlier mini-ITX PC designs, it is uncommonly small for a desktop computer: 7.7 inches (19.7 cm) square and 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) tall. It weighs 2.7 pounds (1.22 kg). Prior to the mid 2011 revision, all models, except the mid 2010 server model, came with an internal optical disc drive. Models prior to 2010 used an external power supply and were narrower but taller at 2 × 6.5 × 6.5 inches (50.8 × 165.1 × 165.1 mm). The Mac Mini is one of three desktop computers in the current Macintosh lineup, the other two being the iMac and Mac Pro, although it generally uses components usually featured in laptops, hence its small size.
The Mac Mini was the first consumer level Macintosh desktop, since Apple's renewed success following the release of the iPod, to ship without a keyboard or mouse, nor display, with Apple even marketing it as BYODKM (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard, and Mouse) to reinforce this. The primary intended market for the Mac Mini was for users switching from a traditional Windows PC to a Mac who may already own a compatible display, keyboard and mouse, though these could be easily purchased if needed. A special Server version of the computer is also intended for use as a server in a small network, and from the mid 2010 revision, all Server models include the Server edition of the OS X operating system.
The updated unibody Mac Mini is notable as Apple's first computer to include an HDMI video port to connect to a television or other display, more readily positioning the unit as a (more expensive) home theater device alternative to the Apple TV.

Overview

A small form factor computer had been widely speculated and requested long before the release of the Mac Mini. Rumors predicted that the "headless iMac" would be extremely small, include no display, and would be positioned as Apple's entry-level desktop computer. On January 10, 2005, the Mac Mini was announced alongside the iPod shuffle at the Macworld Conference & Expo and was described by Apple CEO Steve Jobs at the time as the "most affordable Mac ever".
The Mac Mini is an entry-level computer intended for budget-minded customers. It has much less processing power than the other computers of the Macintosh lineup. Unlike normal desktop computers, which use standard-sized components such as 3.5-inch hard drives, Apple uses lower power laptop components in the Mac Mini to fit all the necessary components into the small case and to prevent overheating, common in such compact spaces. Because of the choice of components, this machine is somewhat slower and has less storage and memory than a full-sized desktop computer would have.
In general, the Mac Mini has been praised as a relatively affordable computer with a solid range of features. However, the press also agrees that it is relatively high priced for a computer aimed at the lower segment of the market. It is possible to buy small form factor computers at the same price with faster processors, better graphics card, more memory, and/or more storage. Nevertheless, the small form factor has made the Mac Mini particularly useful as a home theater solution.
On October 22, 2009, Apple introduced a new server version of the Mac Mini along with revisions of the computer. This model lacks an optical drive, but contains a second hard drive in its place. This version is marketed as an affordable server for small businesses and schools.
A new model of the Mini was introduced on June 15, 2010. The new model is thinner, has a unibody aluminum case that is designed to be opened, and incorporates upgraded hardware, such as an HDMI port and NVidia GeForce 320M graphics. An update announced July 20, 2011 dropped the internal CD/DVD optical drive from all versions and introduced Thunderbolt I/O, Intel Core i Series CPU and Intel HD Graphics 3000 integrated graphics on all models except the 2.5GHz model which comes with a dedicated Radeon HD 6630M GPU. The server model was upgraded to a quad-core Intel Core i7 CPU.

Design

The original Mac Mini before the 2010 re-design

Inside of an Intel Mac Mini circa 2007

The most notable feature of the Mac Mini is its size. The original design measured only 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) by 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) by 2 inches (5.1 cm). The exterior of the original Mac Mini was made of aluminum capped with polycarbonate plastic on the top and bottom. The original design had no visible screws and was not meant to be upgraded by the user. The back of the machine contains the I/O ports and vents for the cooling system. It had an external power supply.
The Mac Mini was updated on June 15, 2010 and has been fully redesigned, now being even slimmer than the previous models at just 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) tall, but wider at 7.7 inches (19.7 cm) a side. The weight of the computer increased from 2.9 lbs (1.31 kg) to 3.0 lbs (1.37 kg), but the power supply is now internal as opposed to external. The chassis no longer has the polycarbonate plastic on the top or bottom. The newer model, introduced July 20, 2011 has the same physical dimensions but is slightly lighter, at 2.7 lb (1.22 kg), presumably because it lacks an internal CD/DVD drive.
The current Mac Mini is designed to be opened using a round cover on the bottom of the computer. Previous versions of the Mini were much more difficult to open. Some Mac Mini owners managed to use a putty knife or a pizza cutter to pry open the cases of older Mini models, thereby gaining access to the interior to install cheaper third party memory upgrades. In fact, the official Apple Service Source manual for Mac Mini describes this procedure in detail, even including an official Apple part number for a "modified putty knife". It's also possible to use wires to pull the white plastic bottom case out of the metal top case. While opening the case does not actually void the Mac Mini warranty, anything broken while the case is open is not covered. Other modifications include hard disk upgrades, overclocking the processor (G4 only), and upgrading the wireless networking (for older models) to 802.11n. The 2009 model can have its SuperDrive replaced with a second SATA hard drive.
With the switch to the Intel Core Solo and Duo line, Apple initially used a socketed CPU in the Mac Mini that allowed the processor to be replaced, however they switched to a non-socketed CPU with the 2009 model that did not allow for an easy upgrade. With the June 2010 revision, the case is designed to be readily opened by the user to add RAM.

Home theater

The Mac Mini can be used for home theater applications. The small footprint, multi-format video output, digital audio output, remote control IR receiver and the relatively powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processors made it easy to use the Mac Mini as part of a home entertainment system.

A 2008 Mac Mini as a home theater PC demonstrating the Front Row application. Current models include an HDMI port for easy connection with modern televisions and home theater receivers.

It can be classified as a HTPC (Home Theater PC) with some limitations. The Mac Mini does not include an integrated TV tuner card and cannot be upgraded to install one internally; accessing TV requires external devices like Elgato's EyeTV USB adapter or SiliconDust's HDHomeRun networked TV tuner which will encode and manage broadcast television from a cable or satellite receiver. The July 2011 model lacks a built in CD/DVD player and OS X Lion no longer support FrontRow remote control software.
Pre-2009 Mac Mini models had a video connector which was compatible with DVI, HDMI (video only), SVGA, S-Video and composite video with the appropriate adapter. Sound is provided by a combination jack that uses both mini-RCA (analog) and optical fiber cables (digital). Unlike the Apple TV, the Mac Mini is backward compatible with televisions that have only composite or S-Video inputs. As of the July 2011 revision of the Mac Mini, the computer sports an Intel HD3000 graphics processor with an optional Radeon Graphics processing unit available and Thunderbolt which makes decoding high-resolution video much quicker and efficient. The addition of an HDMI port simplifies connecting the Mini to high-definition televisions and home theater receivers.
Because of the similar small form factor, HDMI port, remote control IR receiver, and media browser interface, some users see the Mac Mini as an Apple TV alternative. It has both iTunes for media rental, purchase, and management, and a native user interface with Front Row, based on the user interface of the original Apple TV. The Apple TV is limited to video in the MP4 format, whereas Mac Mini users employing the appropriate QuickTime codecs can watch other video formats like Divx, Xvid, and the Mkv container without resorting to hacks. The current Intel models of Mac Mini can display video via the HDMI port at a maximum resolution of 1080p, compared to the Apple TV, which is limited to a maximum resolution of 720p without third-party modifications.
The Mac Mini can also be installed with third-party front-end media player applications for Mac OS X, such as XBMC, Plex, or Boxee, to be used as a HTPC (Home Theater PC). XBMC supports the older PowerPC-based Mac Mini, while the other applications will only run on the Intel-based Mac Mini with the latest versions of Mac OS X.

What is Laptop

2011-10-14T21:50:00.000-07:00

A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device (a touchpad, also known as a trackpad, and/or a pointing stick) and speakers into a single unit. A laptop is powered by mains electricity via an AC adapter, and can be used away from an outlet using a rechargeable battery.
Portable computers, originally monochrome CRT-based and developing into the modern laptops, and were originally considered to be a small niche market, mostly for specialized field applications such as the military, accountants and sales representatives. As portable computers became smaller, lighter, cheaper, more powerful and as screens became larger and of better quality, laptops became very widely used for all sorts of purposes.

History

Main article: History of laptops

Alan Kay with "Dynabook" prototype

The Epson HX-20

As the personal computer became feasible in the early 1970s, the idea of a portable personal computer followed. A "personal, portable information manipulator" was imagined by Alan Kay at Xerox PARC in 1968, and described in his 1972 paper as the "Dynabook".
The IBM SCAMP project (Special Computer APL Machine Portable), was demonstrated in 1973. This prototype was based on the PALM processor (Put All Logic In Microcode).
The IBM 5100, the first commercially available portable computer, appeared in September 1975, and was based on the SCAMP prototype.
As 8-bit CPU machines became widely accepted, the number of portables increased rapidly. The Osborne 1, released in 1981, used the Zilog Z80 and weighed 23.6 pounds (10.7 kg). It had no battery, a 5 in (13 cm) CRT screen, and dual 5.25 in (13.3 cm) single-density floppy drives. In the same year the first laptop-sized portable computer, the Epson HX-20, was announced. The Epson had a LCD screen, a rechargeable battery, and a calculator-size printer in a 1.6 kg (3.5 lb) chassis. Both Tandy/RadioShack and HP also produced portable computers of varying designs during this period.
The first laptops using the flip form factor appeared in the early 1980s. The Dulmont Magnum was released in Australia in 1981–82, but was not marketed internationally until 1984–85. The $8,150 ($18,540 today) GRiD Compass 1100, released in 1982, was used at NASA and by the military among others. The Gavilan SC, released in 1983, was the first computer described as a "laptop" by its manufacturer From 1983 onward, several new input techniques were developed and included in laptops, including the touchpad (Gavilan SC, 1983), the pointing stick (IBM ThinkPad 700, 1992) and handwriting recognition (Linus Write-Top, 1987). Some CPUs, such as the 1990 Intel i386SL, were designed to use minimum power to increase battery life of portable computers, and were supported by dynamic power management features such as Intel SpeedStep and AMD PowerNow! in some designs.
Displays reached VGA resolution by 1988 (Compaq SLT/286), and colour screens started becoming a common upgrade in 1991 with increases in resolution and screen size occurring frequently until the introduction of 17"-screen laptops in 2003. Hard drives started to be used in portables, encouraged by the introduction of 3.5" drives in the late 1980s, and became common in laptops starting with the introduction of 2.5" and smaller drives around 1990; capacities have typically lagged behind physically larger desktop drives. Optical storage, read-only CD-ROM followed by writeable CD and later read-only or writeable DVD and Blu-Ray, became common in laptops soon in the 2000s.

Classification

The MacBook Air

The term "laptop" can refer to a number of classes of small portable computers:

A desktop replacement laptop with its 18.4 inch screen

Asus I7 High-Res Notebook

Full-size Laptop: A laptop large enough to accommodate a "full-size" keyboard (a keyboard with the minimum QWERTY key layout, which is at least 13.5 keys across that are on ¾ (0.750) inch centers, plus some room on both ends for the case). The measurement of at least 11 inches across has been suggested as the threshold for this class. The first laptops were the size of a standard U.S. "A size" notebook sheet of paper (8.5 × 11 inches), but later "A4-size" laptops were introduced, which were the width of a standard ISO 216 A4 sheet of paper (297 mm, or about 11.7 inches), and added a vertical column of keys to the right and wider screens.
Netbook: A smaller, lighter, more portable laptop. It is also usually cheaper than a full-size laptop, but has fewer features and less computing power. Smaller keyboards can be more difficult to operate. There is no sharp line of demarcation between netbooks and inexpensive small laptops; some 11.6" models are marketed as netbooks. Since netbook laptops are quite small in size, CDs cannot be used in these computers.
Tablet PC: these have touch screens. There are "convertible tablets" with a full keyboard where the screen rotates to be used atop the keyboard, and "slate" form-factor machines which are usually touch-screen only (although a few older models feature very small keyboards along the sides of the screen.)
Rugged: Engineered to operate in tough conditions (mechanical shocks, extreme temperatures, wet and dusty environments).

Desktop replacement

Main article: Desktop replacement computer

A desktop-replacement computer is a laptop that provides all of the capabilities of a desktop computer, with a similar level of performance. Desktop replacements are usually larger and heavier than standard laptops. They contain more powerful components and have a 15" or larger display. They are bulkier and not as portable as other laptops, and their operation time on batteries is typically shorter; they are intended to be used as compact and transportable alternatives to a desktop computer.
Some laptops in this class use a limited range of desktop components to provide better performance for the same price at the expense of battery life; a few of those models have no battery.
In the early 2000s, desktops were more powerful, easier to upgrade, and much cheaper than laptops, but in later years laptops have become much cheaper and more powerful, and most peripherals are available in laptop-compatible USB versions which minimise the need for internal add-on cards. In the second half of 2008, laptops outsold desktops for the first time.
The names "Media Center Laptops" and "Gaming Laptops" are used to describe specialized notebook computers.

200pxSony VAIO P series subnotebook.

Subnotebook

Main article: Subnotebook

A subnotebook or ultraportable, is a laptop designed and marketed with an emphasis on portability (small size, low weight and often longer battery life) that retains performance close to that of a standard notebook. Subnotebooks are usually smaller and lighter than standard laptops, weighing between 0.8 and 2 kg (2 to 5 pounds); the battery life can exceed 10 hours when a large battery or an additional battery pack is installed. Since the introduction of netbooks, the line between subnotebooks and higher-end netbooks has been substantially blurred.
To achieve the size and weight reductions, ultraportables use 13" and smaller screens (down to 6.4"), have relatively few ports (but in any case include two or more USB ports), employ expensive components designed for minimal size and best power efficiency, and utilize advanced materials and construction methods. Most subnotebooks achieve a further portability improvement by omitting an optical/removable media drive; in this case they may be paired with a docking station that contains the drive and optionally more ports or an additional battery.
The term "subnotebook" is reserved to laptops that run general-purpose desktop operating systems such as Windows, Linux or Mac OS X, rather than specialized software such as Windows CE, Palm OS or Internet Tablet OS.
At Computex 2011 Intel announced a new class for ultraportables called ultrabooks. The term is used to describe a highly portable laptop that has strict limits for size, weight, battery life, and have tablet-like features such as instant on functionality. Intel estimates that by the end of 2012, 40 percent of the consumer laptop market segment will be Ultrabooks.

Netbook

Main article: Netbook

Netbooks are laptops that are light-weight, economical, energy-efficient and especially suited for wireless communication and Internet access. Hence the name netbook (as "the device excels in web-based computing performance").
With primary focus given to web browsing and e-mailing, netbooks are intended to "rely heavily on the Internet for remote access to web-based applications"^[23] and are targeted increasingly at cloud computing users who rely on servers and require a less powerful client computer. A common distinguishing feature is the lack of optical disk (i.e. CD, DVD or BluRay) drives. While the devices range in size from below 5 inches to over 12, most are between 9 and 11 inches (280 mm) and weigh between 0.9–1.4 kg (2–3 pounds).
Netbooks are mostly sold with light-weight operating systems such as Linux, Windows XP and Windows 7 Starter edition.
Because they're very portable, Netbooks have a few disadvantages. Because the netbooks are thin, the first such products introduced to the market had their primary internal storage in the form of solid-state drives and not hard disks, which are essential to installing very many programs. Hard disk drive technology and form factors have since been adapted to fit into netbooks.
Given their size and use of more rudimentary components compared to notebooks and subnotebooks, netbooks also generally have a smaller-capacity hard drive, slower CPU, and a lower-profile RAM capacity.
Recently, Google has announced to be developing an own operating system called Chrome for this market.
The big breakthrough for netbook computers did not happen until the weight, diagonal form-factor and price combination of < 1 kg, < 9", < U.S. $400, respectively, became commercially available at around 2008.

Rugged laptop

Main article: Rugged computer

A Panasonic Toughbook.

A rugged (or ruggedized) laptop is designed to reliably operate in harsh usage conditions such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures, and wet or dusty environments. Rugged laptops are usually designed from scratch, rather than adapted from regular consumer laptop models. Rugged notebooks are bulkier, heavier, and much more expensive than regular laptops, and thus are seldom seen in regular consumer use.
The design features found in rugged laptops include rubber sheeting under the keyboard keys, sealed port and connector covers, passive cooling, superbright displays easily readable in daylight, cases and frames made of magnesium alloys that are much stronger than plastic found in commercial laptops, and solid-state storage devices or hard disc drives that are shock mounted to withstand constant vibrations. Rugged laptops are commonly used by public safety services (police, fire and medical emergency), military, utilities, field service technicians, construction, mining and oil drilling personnel. Rugged laptops are usually sold to organizations, rather than individuals, and are rarely marketed via retail channels.

Tablet laptop

Components

Main article: Computer hardware

Miniaturization: a comparison of a desktop computer motherboard (ATX form factor) to a motherboard from a 13" laptop (2008 unibody Macbook)

Inner view of a Sony VAIO laptop

The basic components of laptops are similar in function to their desktop counterparts, but are miniaturized, adapted to mobile use, and designed for low power consumption. Because of the additional requirements, laptop components are usually of inferior performance compared to similarly priced desktop parts. Furthermore, the design bounds on power, size, and cooling of laptops limit the maximum performance of laptop parts compared to that of desktop components.
The following list summarizes the differences and distinguishing features of laptop components in comparison to desktop personal computer parts:

Central processing unit (CPU): Laptop CPUs have advanced power-saving features and produce less heat than desktop processors, but are not as powerful. There is a wide range of CPUs designed for laptops available from Intel (Pentium M, Celeron M, Intel Core and Core 2 Duo), AMD (Athlon, Turion 64, and Sempron), VIA Technologies, Transmeta and others. On the non-x86 architectures, Motorola and IBM produced the chips for the former PowerPC-based Apple laptops (iBook and PowerBook). Some laptops have removable CPUs, although support by the motherboard may be restricted to the specific models. In other laptops the CPU is soldered on the motherboard and is non-replaceable.

A SODIMM memory module.

Memory (RAM): SO-DIMM memory modules that are usually found in laptops are about half the size of desktop DIMMs.^[34] They may be accessible from the bottom of the laptop for ease of upgrading, or placed in locations not intended for user replacement such as between the keyboard and the motherboard. Currently, most midrange laptops are factory equipped with 3–4 GB of DDR2 RAM, while some higher end notebooks feature up to 32 GB of DDR3 memory. Netbooks however, are commonly equipped with only 1 GB of RAM to keep manufacturing costs low.
Expansion cards: A PC Card (formerly PCMCIA) or ExpressCard bay for expansion cards is often present on laptops to allow adding and removing functionality, even when the laptop is powered on. Some subsystems (such as Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or a cellular modem) can be implemented as replaceable internal expansion cards, usually accessible under an access cover on the bottom of the laptop. Two popular standards for such cards are MiniPCI and its successor, the PCI Express Mini.
Power supply: Laptops are typically powered by an internal rechargeable battery that is charged using an external power supply, which outputs a DC voltage typically in the range of 7.2–14.8 volts. The power supply is usually external, and connected to the laptop through a AC connector cable. It can charge the battery and power the laptop simultaneously; when the battery is fully charged, the laptop continues to run on power supplied by the external power supply. The charger adds about 400 grams (1 lb) to the overall "transport weight" of the notebook.
Battery: Current laptops utilize lithium ion batteries, with more recent models using the new lithium polymer technology. These two technologies have largely replaced the older nickel metal-hydride batteries. Typical battery life for standard laptops is two to five hours of light-duty use, but may drop to as little as one hour when doing power-intensive tasks. A battery's performance gradually decreases with time, leading to an eventual replacement in one to three years, depending on the charging and discharging pattern. This large-capacity main battery should not be confused with the much smaller battery nearly all computers use to run the real-time clock and to store the BIOS configuration in the CMOS memory when the computer is off. Lithium-ion batteries do not have a memory effect as older batteries may have. The memory effect happens when one does not use a battery to its fullest extent, then recharges the battery. New innovations in laptops and batteries have seen new possible matchings which can provide up to a full 24 hours of continued operation, assuming average power consumption levels. An example of this is the HP EliteBook 6930p when used with its ultra-capacity battery.
Video display controller: On standard laptops the video controller is usually integrated into the chipset to conserve power. This tends to limit the use of laptops for gaming and entertainment, two fields which have constantly escalating hardware demands, and because the integrated chipset is very difficult to upgrade for a standard user, laptops may grow obsolete quickly for use in gaming and entertainment. Higher-end laptops and desktop replacements in particular often come with dedicated graphics processors on the motherboard or as an internal expansion card. These mobile graphics processors are comparable in performance to mainstream desktop graphic accelerator boards. A few notebooks have switchable graphics with both an integrated and discrete card installed. The user can choose between using integrated graphics when battery life is important and dedicated graphics when demanding applications call for it. This allows for greater flexibility and also conserves power when not required.
Display: Most modern laptops feature 13 inches (33 cm) or larger color active matrix displays based on CCFL or LED lighting with resolutions of 1280×800 (16:10) or 1366 × 768 (16:9) pixels and above. Some models use screens with resolutions common in desktop PCs (for example, 1440×900, 1600×900 and 1680×1050.) Models with LED-based lighting offer a lesser power consumption and wider viewing angles. Netbooks' with a 10 inches (25 cm) or smaller screen typically use a resolution of 1024×600, while netbooks and subnotebooks with a 11.6 inches (29 cm) or 12 inches (30 cm) screen use standard notebook resolutions.

A size comparison of 3.5" and 2.5" hard disk drives

Removable media drives: A DVD/CD reader/writer drive is nearly universal on full-sized models, and is common on thin-and-light models; it is uncommon on subnotebooks and unknown on netbooks. CD drives are becoming rare, while Blu-Ray is becoming more common on notebooks.^[39]
Internal storage: Laptop hard disks are physically smaller—2.5 inches (64 mm) or 1.8 inches (46 mm) —compared to desktop 3.5 inches (89 mm) drives. Some newer laptops (usually ultraportables) employ more expensive, but faster, lighter and power-efficient flash memory-based SSDs instead. Currently, 250 to 500 GB sizes are common for laptop hard disks (64 to 512 GB for SSDs).
Input: A pointing stick, touchpad or both are used to control the position of the cursor on the screen, and an integrated keyboard is used for typing. An external keyboard and/or mouse may be connected using USB or PS/2 port, or Bluetooth (if present).
Ports: several USB ports, an external monitor port (VGA, DVI, mini-DisplayPort or HDMI), audio in/out, and an Ethernet network port are found on most laptops. Less common are legacy ports such as a PS/2 keyboard/mouse port, serial port or a parallel port. S-video or composite video ports are more common on consumer-oriented notebooks.

Docking stations

A docking station is a relatively bulky laptop accessory that contains multiple ports, expansion slots, and bays for fixed or removable drives. A laptop connects and disconnects easily to a docking station, typically through a single large proprietary connector. A port replicator is a simplified docking station that only provides connections from the laptop to input/output ports. Both docking stations and port replicators are intended to be used at a permanent working place (a desk) to offer instant connection to multiple input/output devices and to extend a laptop's capabilities.
Docking stations became a common laptop accessory in the early 1990s. 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 for additional storage and expansion slots became less critical because of the high integration inside the laptop, port replicators have gained popularity, being a cheaper, often passive device that often simply mates to the connectors on the back of the notebook, or connects via a standardized port such as USB or Fire Wire.

Standards

In general, components other than the four categories listed above are not intended to be replaceable; a few, such as processors, follow their own standards but are difficult to replace because of other factors (for example, in the case of processors cooling and access limitations can make upgrades very difficult or impossible.)
In particular, motherboards are almost always make and model-specific: locations of ports, and design and placement of internal components are not standard. Those parts are neither interchangeable with parts from other manufacturers (replaceable) nor upgradeable. If broken or damaged, they must be substituted with an exact replacement part. Those users uneducated in the relevant fields are those the most affected by incompatibilities, especially if they attempt to connect their laptops with incompatible hardware or power adapters.
Intel, Asus, Compal, Quanta and other laptop manufacturers have created the Common Building Block standard for laptop parts to address some of the inefficiencies caused by the lack of standards.

Advantages

Laptop computers are portable and can be used in many locations. Shown here is former Mexican president Vicente Fox using an Apple PowerBook.

Portability is usually the first feature mentioned in any comparison of laptops versus desktop PCs.Portability means that a laptop can be used in many places—not only at home and at the office, but also during commuting and flights, in coffee shops, in lecture halls and libraries, at clients' location or at a meeting room, etc. The portability feature offers several distinct advantages:

Productivity: Using a laptop in places where a desktop PC can not be used, and at times that would otherwise be wasted. For example, an office worker managing their e-mails during an hour-long commute by train, or a student doing his/her homework at the university coffee shop during a break between lectures.
Immediacy: Carrying a laptop means having instant access to various information, personal and work files. Immediacy allows better collaboration between coworkers or students, as a laptop can be flipped open to present a problem or a solution anytime, anywhere.
Up-to-date information: If a person has more than one desktop PC, a problem of synchronization arises: changes made on one computer are not automatically propagated to the others. There are ways to resolve this problem, including physical transfer of updated files (using a USB flash memory stick or CDRs) or using synchronization software over the Internet. However, using a single laptop at both locations avoids the problem entirely, as the files exist in a single location and are always up-to-date.
Connectivity: A proliferation of Wi-Fi wireless networks and cellular broadband data services (HSDPA, EVDO and others) combined with a near-ubiquitous support by laptops means that a laptop can have easy Internet and local network connectivity while remaining mobile. Wi-Fi networks and laptop programs are especially widespread at university campuses.

Other advantages of laptops:

Size: Laptops are smaller than desktop PCs. This is beneficial when space is at a premium, for example in small apartments and student dorms. When not in use, a laptop can be closed and put away.
Low power consumption: Laptops are several times more power-efficient than desktops. A typical laptop uses 20–90 W, compared to 100–800 W for desktops. This could be particularly beneficial for businesses (which run hundreds of personal computers, multiplying the potential savings) and homes where there is a computer running 24/7 (such as a home media server, print server, etc.)
Quiet: Laptops are often quieter than desktops, due both to the components (quieter, slower 2.5-inch hard drives) and to less heat production leading to use of fewer and slower cooling fans.
Battery: a charged laptop can continue to be used in case of a power outage and is not affected by short power interruptions and blackouts. A desktop PC needs a UPS to handle short interruptions, blackouts and spikes; achieving on-battery time of more than 20–30 minutes for a desktop PC requires a large and expensive UPS.
All-in-One: designed to be portable, laptops have everything integrated in to the chassis. For desktops (excluding all-in-ones) this is divided into the desktop, keyboard, mouse, display, and optional peripherals such as speakers.

Disadvantages

Compared to desktop PCs, laptops have disadvantages in the following fields:

[edit] Performance

While the performance of mainstream desktops and laptops is comparable, and the cost of laptops has fallen more rapidly than desktops, laptops remain more expensive than desktop PCs at the same performance level. The upper limits of performance of laptops remain much lower than the highest-end desktops (especially "workstation class" machines with two processor sockets), and "bleeding-edge" features usually appear first in desktops and only then, as the underlying technology matures, are adapted to laptops.
However, for Internet browsing and typical office applications, where the computer spends the majority of its time waiting for the next user input, even relatively low-end laptops (such as Netbooks) can be fast enough for some users. As of mid-2010, at the lowest end, the cheapest netbooks—between US$200–300—remain more expensive than the lowest-end desktop computers (around US$200) only when those are priced without a screen/monitor. Once an inexpensive monitor is added, the prices are comparable.
Most higher-end laptops are sufficiently powerful for high-resolution movie playback, some 3D gaming and video editing and encoding. However, laptops processors can be disadvantaged when dealing with higher-end database, maths, engineering, financial software, virtualization, etc. Also, the top-of-the-line mobile graphics processors (GPUs) are significantly behind the top-of-the-line desktop GPUs to a greater degree than the processors, which limits the utility of laptops for high-end 3D gaming and scientific visualization applications.
Some manufacturers work around this performance problem by using desktop CPUs for laptops.

Upgradeability

Upgradeability of laptops is very limited compared to desktops, which are thoroughly standardized. In general, hard drives and memory can be upgraded easily. Optical drives and internal expansion cards may be upgraded if they follow an industry standard, but all other internal components, including the motherboard, CPU and graphics, are not always intended to be upgradeable. Intel, Asus, Compal, Quanta and other laptop manufacturers have created the Common Building Block standard for laptop parts to address some of the inefficiencies caused by the lack of standards.
The reasons for limited upgradeability are both technical and economic. There is no industry-wide standard form factor for laptops; each major laptop manufacturer pursues its own proprietary design and construction, with the result that laptops are difficult to upgrade and have high repair costs. 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.
Some upgrades can be performed by adding external devices, either USB or in expansion card format such as PC Card. Devices such as sound cards, network adapters, hard and optical drives, and numerous other peripherals are available, but these upgrades usually impair the laptop's portability, because they add cables and boxes to the setup and often have to be disconnected and reconnected when the laptop is on the move.

Ergonomics and health

Wrists

Laptop cooler preventing heating of lap and improving laptop airflow.

Because of their small and flat keyboard and trackpad pointing devices, prolonged use of laptops can cause repetitive strain injury. Usage of separate, external ergonomic keyboards and pointing devices is recommended to prevent injury when working for long periods of time; they can be connected to a laptop easily by USB or via a docking station. Some health standards require ergonomic keyboards at workplaces.

Neck, spinal

The integrated screen often causes users to hunch over for a better view, which can cause neck or spinal injuries. A larger and higher-quality external screen can be connected to almost any laptop to alleviate that and to provide additional "screen estate" for more productive work. An intermediate solution : stands.

Possible effect on fertility

A study by State University of New York researchers found that heat generated from laptops can raise the temperature of the user's lap when balancing the computer on one's lap, potentially putting sperm count at risk. The study, which included roughly two dozen men aged 21 to 35, found that the sitting position required to balance a laptop can raise scrotum temperature by as much as 2.1 °C (3.78 °F). However, further research is needed to determine whether this directly affects sterility in men.
A 2010 study of 29 males published in Fertility and Sterility found that males who kept their laptops in their laps experienced scrotal hyperthermia in which their scrotal temperatures increased by up to 2 C. The resulting heat increase, which could not be offset with a laptop cushion, may increase male infertility.
A common practical solution to this problem is to place the laptop on a table or desk, or to use a book or pillow between the body and the laptop. Another solution is to obtain a cooling unit for the laptop—These units are usually USB powered and consist of a hard thin plastic case housing 1, 2 or 3 cooling fans (with the entire assembly designed to sit under the laptop in question) which results in the laptop remaining cool to the touch, and greatly reduces laptop heat buildup.

Thighs

Heat from using a laptop on the lap can also cause skin discoloration on the thighs known as "toasted skin syndrome".

Durability

A clogged heat sink on a 2.5 year old laptop.

Equipment wear : Due to their portability, laptops are subject to more wear and physical damage than desktops. Components such as screen hinges, latches, power jacks and power cords deteriorate gradually due to ordinary use. A liquid spill onto the keyboard, a rather minor mishap with a desktop system, can damage the internals of a laptop and result in a costly repair. One study found that a laptop is three times more likely to break during the first year of use than a desktop.
Parts replacement : Original external components are expensive, and usually proprietary and non-interchangeable; other parts are inexpensive—a power jack can cost a few dollars—but their replacement may require extensive disassembly and reassembly of the laptop by a technician. Other inexpensive but fragile parts often cannot be purchased separate from larger more expensive components.The repair costs of a failed motherboard or LCD panel often exceed the value of a used laptop.
Heat cooling : Laptops rely on extremely compact cooling systems involving a fan and heat sink that can fail due to eventual clogging by accumulated 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 starts to overheat even at idle load levels. This dust is usually stuck inside where casual cleaning and vacuuming cannot remove it. Instead, a complete disassembly is needed to clean the laptop. Note: The use of canned air can remove a part of the dust inside.
Battery life : Battery life is limited because the capacity drops with time, necessitating an eventual replacement after a few years. A laptop battery in new condition typically stores enough energy to run the laptop for three to five hours, depending on the computer usage, configuration and power management settings. Yet, as it ages the battery's energy storage will progressively dissipate to last only a few minutes. The battery is often easily replaceable, and one may replace it on purpose with a higher capacity model to achieve better battery life.

Security and privacy

Main article: Laptop theft

Because they are valuable, common, and portable, laptops are prized targets for theft. The cost of stolen business or personal data, and of the resulting problems (identity theft, credit card fraud, breach of privacy), can be many times the value of the stolen laptop itself. Consequently, physical protection of laptops and the safeguarding of data contained on them are both of great importance.
Most laptops have a Kensington security slot, which can be used to tether them to a desk or other immovable object with a security cable and lock. In addition, modern operating systems and third-party software offer disk encryption functionality, which renders the data on the laptop's hard drive unreadable without a key or a pass phrase. Some laptops also now have additional security elements added by the consumer, including eye recognition software and fingerprint scanning components.
In Robbins v. Lower Merion School District (Eastern District of Pensylvania 2010), school-issued laptops loaded with special software afforded two high schools with the capability to take secret webcam shots of their students at home, via their students' laptops.

Major brands and manufacturers

Major laptop brands
Acer / Gateway / eMachines / Packard Bell: TravelMate, Extensa, Ferrari and Aspire, Packard Bell Easynote
Apple: MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro
Asus: Asus Eee, Lamborghini, ASUS G Series(ROG)
Dell: Alienware, Inspiron, Latitude, Precision, Studio, Vostro and XPS
Falcon Northwest: DRX, TLX, I / O
Fujitsu: Lifebook
HCL: ME Laptop, ME Netbook, Leaptop and MiLeap
Hewlett-Packard / Compaq—HP / Compaq: HP Pavilion, HP ProBook, Compaq Presario
Lenovo: ThinkPad, IdeaPad, and 3000 series
LG: Xnote
Medion: Akoya
MSI—Micro-Star International: E(ntertainment), C(lassic), P(rofessional), G(aming), V(alue), A(esthetic), X(Slim), U series and Wind Netbook
Panasonic: Toughbook, Satellite, Let's Note (Japan only)
Sager Midern: Various Clevo based models, many boutique vendor branded models
Samsung: SENS: N, P, Q, R and X series
Sony: Vaio
TG Sambo: Averatec, Averatec Buddy
Toshiba: Dynabook, Portege, Tecra, Satellite, Qosmio, Libretto
v · d · e

Main article: List of laptop brands and manufacturers

There is a multitude of laptop brands and manufacturers; several major brands, offering notebooks in various classes, are listed in the box to the right.
The major brands usually offer good service and support, including well-executed documentation and driver downloads that will remain available for many years after a particular laptop model is no longer produced. Capitalizing on service, support and brand image, laptops from major brands are more expensive than laptops by smaller brands and ODMs.
Some brands are specializing in a particular class of laptops, such as gaming laptops (Alienware), selling high-performance laptops, (Macbook Pro), netbooks (EeePC) and laptops for children (OLPC).
Many brands, including the major ones, do not design and do not manufacture their laptops. Instead, a small number of Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs) design new models of laptops, and the brands choose the models to be included in their lineup. In 2006, 7 major ODMs manufactured 7 of every 10 laptops in the world, with the largest one (Quanta Computer) having 30% world market share. Therefore, there often are identical models available both from a major label and from a low-profile ODM in-house brand.

Sales

Battery-powered portable computers had just 2% worldwide market share in 1986. However, laptops have become increasingly popular, both for business and personal use. Around 109 million notebook PCs shipped worldwide in 2007, a growth of 33% compared to 2006. In 2008 it was estimated that 145.9 million notebooks were sold, and that the number would grow in 2009 to 177.7 million.^[69] The third quarter of 2008 was the first time when notebook PC shipments exceeded desktops, with 38.6 million units versus 38.5 million units.
For Microsoft Windows systems, the average selling price (ASP) showed a decline in 2008/2009, possibly due to low-cost netbooks, drawing US$689 at U.S. retail in August 2008. In 2009, ASP had further fallen to $602 by January and to $560 in February. While Windows machines fell $129 in these seven months, Mac laptop ASP declined just $12 from $1,524 to $1,512.

Extreme environments

The ruggedized Grid Compass computer was used since the early days of the Space Shuttle program. The first commercial laptop used in space was a Macintosh portable in 1991 aboard Space Shuttle mission STS-43. Mac and other laptop computers continue to be flown aboard manned spaceflights though the only long duration flight certified computer for the International Space Station is the ThinkP As of 2011 over 100 ThinkPads were aboard the ISS. Laptops used aboard the International Space Station and other spaceflights are generally the same ones that can be can be purchased by the general public but needed modifications are made to allow them to be used safely and effectively in a weightless environment such as updating the cooling systems to function without relying on hot air rising and accommodation for the lower cabin air pressure.
Laptops operating in harsh usage environments and conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures and wet or dusty condition differ from those used in space in that they are custom designed for the task and do not use commercial off-the-shelf hardware.

Accessories

A common accessory for laptops is a laptop sleeve or laptop case, which provides a degree of protection from drops or impacts. Sleeves, which are distinguished by being relatively thin and flexible, are most commonly made of neoprene, with sturdier ones made of LRPu (low-resilience polyurethane), with some wrapped in ballistic nylon to provide some measure of waterproofing. Bulkier and sturdier cases can be made of metal with polyurethane padding inside, and may have locks, for added security.
Another common accessory is a laptop cooler. This device helps lower the internal temperature of the laptop by using either active or passive methods. A general active method is plugging a laptop cooler into the laptop and using fans to draw heat away from the laptop. A common passive method is just propping the laptop up on some type of pad so it can receive more air flow.

Thnks For Visit plz comment and rates>>>>>

Toshiba T3100

2011-10-12T04:04:00.001-07:00

Toshiba T3100

T3100 was a laptop manufactured by Toshiba in 1986, it featured a 10 Mb hard drive, 8 MHz Intel 80286 CPU and a monochrome 9.6" gas-plasma display with a resolution of up to 640x400 pixels.
Toshiba T3100 was not a true portable, it needed external power source in all except the last version.
Five versions existed:
The T3100/20 was essentially the same as the base T3100 but with a larger harddrive (20 Mb instead of 10 Mb).
The T3100e had a 12 MHz 80286 CPU, 1 Mb RAM and a 20 Mb harddrive.
The T3100e/40 was the same as the T3100e, but with a larger 40 Mb harddrive.
The T3100SX had a 16 MHz i386SX CPU, 1MB RAM and a 40 Mb or 80 Mb harddrive, and also included an internal rechargeable battery for true portability.

Specifications

CPU	Intel 80286, 8 Mhz
RAM	640 kb, upgradable to 2.6 Mb
Keyboard	83 keys, QWERTY
Drives	10 Mb harddrive; internal 3,5" floppy drive, 720 kb; connector for external 5,25" floppy drive, 360 kb
Operating System	MS-DOS 3.2
Screen Resolution	Graphic mode: 640×400; 640×200; Textmode: 80×25
Weight	7.5 kg

Check this For More Moblizia Its All About Laptops

Sony VAIO 800 series

2011-10-12T03:56:00.000-07:00

The Sony VAIO 800 series was a range of VAIO laptops launched in 1998. It was produced until early 1999.

Technical specifications

The lineup featured a 13.3" 1024x768 LCD screen that fit into the same weight and thickness as the company's 700 series, which had a smaller 12.1" screen (2.4 kg without optical drive or floppy drive, 2.7 kg with optical drive). Like the 700 series, the 800 series featured removable 3.5" floppy disk and CD-ROM drive and optional docking station. The internal modem was a 56 kbit device.
The launch model, the PCG-808, was equipped with a Mobile Pentium II 266 MHz CPU, a 4 GB hard drive, 64 MB of RAM and was priced at $3699. A lower-end 803 model, with a 233 MHz Pentium II, was also sold in Japan. The GPU for all models was the NeoMagic MagicMedia 256 AV with 2.5 MB of RAM.

Models

Model	CPU	RAM	Hard drive	GPU
PCG-803 (Japan)	Mobile Pentium II 233 MHz	64 MB	4 GB	NeoMagic MagicMedia 256 AV with 2.5 MB of RAM.
PCG-808	Mobile Pentium II 266 MHz	64 MB	4 GB	NeoMagic MagicMedia 256 AV with 2.5 MB of RAM.
PCG-812	Mobile Pentium II 233 MHz		4 GB	NeoMagic MagicMedia 256 AV with 2.5 MB of RAM.
PCG-818	Mobile Pentium II 300 MHz		6.4 GB	NeoMagic MagicMedia 256 AV with 2.5 MB of RAM.
PCG-838	Mobile Pentium II 366 MHz			NeoMagic MagicMedia 256 AV with 2.5 MB of RAM.

Sony VAIO UX Micro PC

2011-09-24T22:58:00.001-07:00

Sony VAIO UX Micro PC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Sony Vaio UX Micro PC is an Ultra-Mobile Portable Computer (UMPC) that weighs around 490-544 g (1.20-1.27 lb) with a slide-out hardware QWERTY keyboard, touchscreen, Intel Core 2 Solo processor, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and WWAN. Though not officially stated as such, and even to a point implied by Sony that the UX is a move in a new direction and not a specific continuation of such, the Sony UX is speculated by some^[who?] to be the newest model in the popular Sony U-series. However, there is still debate over whether UX is a genuine Micro PC or not.

Model	Processor	RAM	Storage Capacity	OS	Connectivity	Market & Colour
VGN-UX50	Intel Core Solo U1300 1.06 GHz	512 MB (512 MB)	30 GB	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX50/80 GB	Intel Core Solo U1300 1.06 GHz	512 MB	80 GB	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX90S	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	512 MB	30 GB	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX90S	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	1 GB (1 GB)	40 GB	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX90S	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	1 GB	80 GB	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX92	Intel Core 2 Solo U2200 1.2 GHz	1 GB	100 GB	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX90SSD	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	512 MB	16 GB Solid State	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX91S	Intel Core Solo U1500 1.33 GHz	1 GB	32 GB Solid State	Windows Vista	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX92SSD	Intel Core 2 Solo U2200 1.2 GHz	1 GB	64 GB Solid State	Windows XP Home	CompactFlash slot	Japanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX180P	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	512 MB	30 GB	Windows XP Home	Cingular EDGE	US market model, Silver
VGN-UX280P	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	1 GB	40 GB	Windows XP Pro	Cingular EDGE	US market model, Silver
VGN-UX280P	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	1 GB	80 GB	Windows XP Pro	Cingular EDGE	US market model, Silver
VGN-UX380N	Intel Core Solo U1500 1.33 GHz	1 GB	40 GB	Windows Vista	Cingular EDGE	US market model, Silver
VGN-UX390N	Intel Core Solo U1500 1.33 GHz	1 GB	32 GB Solid State	Windows Vista	Cingular EDGE	US market model, Black
VGN-UX490N	Intel Core 2 Solo U2200 1.2 GHz	1 GB	48 GB Solid State	Windows Vista	Cingular EDGE	US market model, Black
VGN-UX1XN	Intel Core Solo U1500 1.33 GHz	1 GB	32 GB Solid State	Windows Vista	CompactFlash slot	European market model, Black
VGN-UX17GP	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	512 MB	30 GB	Windows XP Pro	CompactFlash slot	Australian market model, Silver
VGN-UX17TP	Intel Core Solo U1400 1.2 GHz	512 MB	30 GB	Windows XP Pro	CompactFlash slot	Taiwanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX27TN	Intel Core Solo U1500 1.33 GHz	1 GB	40 GB	Windows Vista	CompactFlash slot	Taiwanese market model, Silver
VGN-UX27GN	Intel Core Solo U1500 1.33 GHz	1 GB	40 GB	Windows Vista	CompactFlash slot	Japanese? market model, Silver
VGN-UX38GN	Intel Core Solo U1500 1.33 GHz	1 GB	32 GB Solid State	Windows Vista	CompactFlash slot	Singapore? market model, Black
VGN-UX58GN	Intel Core 2 Solo U2200 1.20 GHz	1 GB	48 GB Solid State	Windows Vista	CompactFlash slot	Singapore? market model, Blue

NOTE : Japanese models include 533 MHz memory and so do the minority markets ( Europe, Australia etc. ) models. The US ones do not have 533 MHz but slower 400 MHz.
All models share these features:

4.5" XBrite TFT LCD touchscreen with 1024x600 display resolution.
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Graphics Card (128 MB (128 MB) Shared RAM) - some have 256 MB
Memory Stick Duo Slot
Built-in Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth
Fingerprint reader
Front and back digital cameras

References in popular culture

A black Vaio UX was used by John Connor in Terminator Salvation. It was used to track the cell Kyle Reese was being held captive in at Skynet.
A Vaio UX is featured in the music video for the song "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" by Wyclef Jean. The UX delivers the message to Wyclef Jean that he must rescue the "sweetest girl" from deportation to a hostile country.
Rodney McKay can be seen using one in several episodes of Stargate Atlantis, he's also used OQO UMPCs.
Bill Tanner can be seen using a Sony VAIO UX in the 2008 motion picture Quantum of Solace.
"Same Girl" by R. Kelly featuring Usher: R.Kelly looks at Usher's slideshow of the a lady on what appears to be the Sony VGN-UX 390.
A Vaio UX is used as suitcase nuke arming device in one episode (hour) of the television show .
A Sony VAIO UX is used by the antagonist in Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
Riley Poole used a VAIO UX in National Treasure while capturing the security camera stream of the declaration of independence and to infiltrate Buckingham Palace in National Treasure 2.
In The Pink Panther 2, Kenji uses a Sony VAIO UX when the Dream Team is investigating the crime scene of the stolen Pink Panther diamond.
In Quantum of Solace, it was briefly used as a spy tool.

What is Computer?

2011-09-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

Personal computer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Personal computer
An illustration of a modern personal desktop computer

A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator. In contrast, the batch processing or time-sharing models allowed large expensive mainframe systems to be used by many people, usually at the same time. Large data processing systems require a full-time staff to operate efficiently.
Software applications for personal computers include, but are not limited to, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, Web browsers and e-mail clients, digital media playback, games, and myriad personal productivity and special-purpose software applications. Modern personal computers often have connections to the Internet, allowing access to the World Wide Web and a wide range of other resources. Personal computers may be connected to a local area network (LAN), either by a cable or a wireless connection. A personal computer may be a desktop computer or a laptop, tablet PC, or a handheld PC.
While early PC owners usually had to write their own programs to do anything useful with the machines, today's users have access to a wide range of commercial software and free software, which is provided in ready-to-run or ready-to-compile form. Since the 1980s, Microsoft and Intel have dominated much of the personal computer market, first with MS-DOS and then with the Wintel platform. Alternatives to Windows include Apple's Mac OS X and the open-source Linux OSes. AMD is the major alternative to Intel. Applications and games for PCs are typically developed and distributed independently from the hardware or OS manufacturers, whereas software for many mobile phones and other portable systems is approved and distributed through a centralized online store.
In July & August 2011, marketing businesses and journalists started to talk about the 'Post-PC Era', an era where the desktop form factor was being replace with more portable computing such as netbooks, and Tablet PC's.

History

Main article: History of personal computers

Market and sales

Personal computers worldwide in million distinguished by developed and developing world

In 2001, 125 million personal computers were shipped in comparison to 48 thousand in 1977. More than 500 million personal computers were in use in 2002 and one billion personal computers had been sold worldwide from the mid-1970s up to this time. Of the latter figure, 75 percent were professional or work related, while the rest were sold for personal or home use. About 81.5 percent of personal computers shipped had been desktop computers, 16.4 percent laptops and 2.1 percent servers. The United States had received 38.8 percent (394 million) of the computers shipped, Europe 25 percent and 11.7 percent had gone to the Asia-Pacific region, the fastest-growing market as of 2002. The second billion was expected to be sold by 2008. Almost half of all the households in Western Europe had a personal computer and a computer could be found in 40 percent of homes in United Kingdom, compared with only 13 percent in 1985.
The global personal computer shipments were 350.9 million units in 2010, 308.3 million units in 2009 and 302.2 million units in 2008. The shipments were 264 million units in the year 2007, according to iSuppli, up 11.2 percent from 239 million in 2006. In 2004, the global shipments were 183 million units, an 11.6 percent increase over 2003. In 2003, 152.6 million computers were shipped, at an estimated value of $175 billion. In 2002, 136.7 million PCs were shipped, at an estimated value of $175 billion. In 2000, 140.2 million personal computers were shipped, at an estimated value of $226 billion. Worldwide shipments of personal computers surpassed the 100-million mark in 1999, growing to 113.5 million units from 93.3 million units in 1998. In 1999, Asia had 14.1 million units shipped.
For 2011, the global PC shpments is expected to reach 364 million units, a 3.8% growth comparing to 2010.
As of June 2008, the number of personal computers in use worldwide hit one billion, while another billion is expected to be reached by 2014. Mature markets like the United States, Western Europe and Japan accounted for 58 percent of the worldwide installed PCs. The emerging markets were expected to double their installed PCs by 2012 and to take 70 percent of the second billion PCs. About 180 million computers (16 percent of the existing installed base) were expected to be replaced and 35 million to be dumped into landfill in 2008. The whole installed base grew 12 percent annually.^[18]^[19]
Based on IDC data for Q2 2011, for the first time China surpassed US in PC shipments by 18.5 million and 17.7 million respectively. It is reflects the rising of emerging markets as well as the relative stagnation of mature regions.^[20]
In the developed world, there has been a vendor tradition to keep adding functions to maintain high prices of personal computers. However, since the introduction of the One Laptop per Child foundation and its low-cost XO-1 laptop, the computing industry started to pursue the price too. Although introduced only one year earlier, there were 14 million netbooks sold in 2008.^[21] Besides the regular computer manufacturers, companies making especially rugged versions of computers have sprung up, offering alternatives for people operating their machines in extreme weather or environments.
Deloitte consulting firm predicts that in 2011 smartphones and tablet computers as computing devices will surpass the PCs sales. Pc era is far from over as PCs will remain the main computing platform.

Average selling price

Selling prices of personal computers, unlike other consumer commodities, steadily declined due to lower costs of production and manufacture. Capabilities of the computers also increased. In 1975, an Altair kit sold for only around US $400, but required customers to solder components into circuit boards; peripherals required to interact with the system in alphanumeric form instead of blinking lights would add another $2000, and the resultant system was only of use to hobbyists.
At their introduction in 1981, the US $1,795 price of the Osborne 1 and its competitor Kaypro was considered an attractive price point; these systems had text-only displays and only floppy disks for storage. By 1982, Michael Dell observed that an IBM-compatible personal computer system selling at retail for about $3,000 US was made of components that cost the dealer about $600; typical gross margin on a computer unit was around $1,000. The total value of personal computer purchases in the US in 1983 was about $4 billion, comparable to total sales of pet food. By late 1998, the average selling price of personal computer systems in the United States had dropped below $1000.
For Microsoft Windows systems, the average selling price (ASP) showed a decline in 2008/2009, possibly due to low-cost netbooks, drawing $569 for desktop computers and $689 for laptops at U.S. retail in August 2008. In 2009, ASP had further fallen to $533 for desktops and to $602 for notebooks by January and to $540 and $560 in February. According to research firm NPD, the average selling price of all Windows portable PCs has fallen from $659 in October 2008 to $519 in October 2009.

Types

Stationary

Workstation

Sun SPARCstation 1+, 25 MHz RISC processor from early 1990s

Main article: Workstation

A workstation is a high-end personal computer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems. Workstations are used for tasks such as computer-aided design, drafting and modeling, computation-intensive scientific and engineering calculations, image processing, architectural modeling, and computer graphics for animation and motion picture visual effects.

Desktop computer

Main article: Desktop computer

Dell OptiPlex desktop computer

Prior to the wide spread of PCs a computer that could fit on a desk was considered remarkably small. Today the phrase usually indicates a particular style of computer case. Desktop computers come in a variety of styles ranging from large vertical tower cases to small form factor models that can be tucked behind an LCD monitor. In this sense, the term 'desktop' refers specifically to a horizontally oriented case, usually intended to have the display screen placed on top to save space on the desk top. Most modern desktop computers have separate screens and keyboards.

Gaming Computer

Main article: Gaming computer

Games have been on computers since 1962 when Spacewar! was released. Today Personal Computer Gaming or PC gaming is a very popular pastime. Gaming computers tend to also be about the looks of the case rather than just the specifications of the hardware. A gaming computer needs to be much more powerful than a PC that someone is using to do office work and to surf the internet. A Gaming Computer has to have a good graphics card so that it can process all the 3D models and shapes that are on the screen. In addition the Central processing unit or CPU has to do more work to calculate game mechanics, figure out gravity, and assist with the graphics and process the sound. Most serious gamers prefer to build their own computer or rig. This is because they can get exactly what they want and the price is a lot cheaper. When building a ‘sweet spot’ computer the price is generally right around $600. Many people say this is super expensive but it's not that much more than an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3 when they first came out. In addition, a computer can be used for much more than just gaming, and a $600 computer will last at least 5 years. The choice of parts to build a computer are vast as many companies build different parts of the sustem. The graphics card, which distinguishes a gaming computer, is made by 1 of 2 companies, .

Single unit

Further information: All-in-one computer

Single unit PCs (also known as all-in-one PCs) are a subtype of desktop computers, which combine the monitor and case of the computer within a single unit. The monitor often utilizes a touchscreen as an optional method of user input, however detached keyboards and mice are normally still included. The inner components of the PC are often located directly behind the monitor, and many are built similarly to laptops.

Nettop

Main article: Nettop

Asus I7 High-Res Notebook

A subtype of desktops, called nettops, was introduced by Intel in February 2008 to describe low-cost, lean-function, desktop computers. A similar subtype of laptops (or notebooks) are the netbooks (see below). These feature the new Intel Atom processor which specially enables them to consume less power and to be built into small enclosures.

Home theater PC

Main article: Home theater PC

Antec Fusion V2 home theater PC with keyboard on top.

A home theater PC (HTPC) is a convergence device that combines the functions of a personal computer and a digital video recorder. It is connected to a television or a television-sized computer display and is often used as a digital photo, music, video player, TV receiver and digital video recorder. Home theater PCs are also referred to as media center systems or media servers. The general goal in a HTPC is usually to combine many or all components of a home theater setup into one box. They can be purchased pre-configured with the required hardware and software needed to add television programming to the PC, or can be cobbled together out of discrete components as is commonly done with MythTV, Windows Media Center, GB-PVR, SageTV, Famulent or LinuxMCE.

Mobile

Laptop

Main article: Laptop

A modern laptop computer

A laptop computer or simply laptop, also called a notebook computer, is a small personal computer designed for portability. Usually all of the interface hardware needed to operate the laptop, such as USB ports (previously parallel and serial ports), graphics card, sound channel, etc., are built in to a single unit. Laptops contain high capacity batteries that can power the device for extensive periods of time, enhancing portability. Once the battery charge is depleted, it will have to be recharged through a power outlet. In the interest of saving power, weight and space, they usually share RAM with the video channel, slowing their performance compared to an equivalent desktop machine.
One main drawback of the laptop is sometimes, due to the size and configuration of components, relatively little can be done to upgrade the overall computer from its original design. Internal upgrades are either not manufacturer recommended, can damage the laptop if done with poor care or knowledge, or in some cases impossible, making the desktop PC more modular. Some internal upgrades, such as memory and hard disks upgrades are often easy, a display or keyboard upgrade is usually impossible. The laptop has the same access as the desktop to the wide variety of devices, such as external displays, mice, cameras, storage devices and keyboards, which may be attached externally through USB ports and other less common ports such as external video.
A subtype of notebooks, called subnotebooks, are computers with most of the features of a standard laptop computer but smaller. They are larger than hand-held computers, and usually run full versions of desktop/laptop operating systems. Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPC) are usually considered subnotebooks, or more specifically, subnotebook Tablet PCs (see below). Netbooks are sometimes considered in this category, though they are sometimes separated in a category of their own (see below).

Desktop replacement

Main article: Desktop replacement computer

An Acer 18'4 inch screen Desktop Replacement Laptop

A desktop replacement computer (DTR) is a personal computer that provides the full capabilities of a desktop computer while remaining mobile. They are often larger, bulkier laptops. 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 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.

Netbook

Main article: Netbook

An HP netbook

Netbooks (also called mini notebooks or subnotebooks) are a rapidly evolving category of small, light and inexpensive laptop computers suited for general computing and accessing web-based applications; they are often marketed as "companion devices," that is, to augment a user's other computer access. Walt Mossberg called them a "relatively new category of small, light, minimalist and cheap laptops." By August 2009, CNET called netbooks "nothing more than smaller, cheaper notebooks."
At their inception in late 2007 — as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted key features (e.g., the optical drive), featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced specification and computing power. Over the course of their evolution, netbooks have ranged in size from below 5 in to over 13 in, and from ~1 kg (2-3 pounds). Often significantly less expensive than other laptops, by mid-2009, netbooks had been offered to users "free of charge", with an extended service contract purchase of a cellular data plan.
In the short period since their appearance, netbooks have grown in size and features, now converging with new smaller, lighter notebooks. By mid 2009, CNET noted "the specs are so similar that the average shopper would likely be confused as to why one is better than the other," noting "the only conclusion is that there really is no distinction between the devices."

Tablet PC

Main article: Tablet personal computer

HP Compaq tablet PC with rotating/removable keyboard.

A tablet PC is a notebook or slate-shaped mobile computer. Its touchscreen or graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology allows the user to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse. The form factor offers a more mobile way to interact with a computer. Tablet PCs are often used where normal notebooks are impractical or unwieldy, or do not provide the needed functionality.

Ultra-mobile PC

Main article: Ultra-mobile PC

Samsung Q1 Ultra-Mobile PC.

The ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) is a specification for a small form factor of tablet PCs. It was developed as a joint development exercise by Microsoft, Intel, and Samsung, among others. Current UMPCs typically feature the Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Linux operating system and low-voltage Intel Atom or VIA C7-M processors.

Pocket PC

Main article: Pocket PC

An O₂ pocket PC

A pocket PC is a hardware specification for a handheld-sized computer (personal digital assistant) that runs the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system. It may have the capability to run an alternative operating system like NetBSD or Linux. It has many of the capabilities of modern desktop PCs.
Currently there are tens of thousands of applications for handhelds adhering to the Microsoft Pocket PC specification, many of which are freeware. Some of these devices also include mobile phone features and thus actually represent a smartphone. Microsoft compliant Pocket PCs can also be used with many other add-ons like GPS receivers, barcode readers, RFID readers, and cameras. In 2007, with the release of Windows Mobile 6, Microsoft dropped the name Pocket PC in favor of a new naming scheme. Devices without an integrated phone are called Windows Mobile Classic instead of Pocket PC. Devices with an integrated phone and a touch screen are called Windows Mobile Professional.

Hardware

An exploded view of a modern personal computer and peripherals:

Main article: Personal computer hardware

Mass-market consumer computers use highly standardized components and so are simple for an end user to assemble into a working system. A typical desktop computer consists of a computer case which holds the power supply, motherboard, hard disk and often an optical disc drive. External devices such as a computer monitor or visual display unit, keyboard, and a pointing device are usually found in a personal computer.
The motherboard connects all processor, memory and peripheral devices together. The RAM, graphics card and processor are mounted directly onto the motherboard. The central processing unit microprocessor chip plugs into a socket. Expansion memory plugs into memory sockets. Some motherboards have the video display adapter, sound and other peripherals integrated onto the motherboard. Others use expansion slots for graphics cards, network cards, or other I/O devices. Disk drives for mass storage are connected to the mother board with a cable, and to the power supply through another cable. Usually disk drives are mounted in the same case as the motherboard; formerly, expansion chassis were made for additional disk storage.
The graphics and sound card can have a break out box to keep the analog parts away from the electromagnetic radiation inside the computer case. For really large amounts of data, a tape drive can be used or (extra) hard disks can be put together in an external case.
The keyboard and the mouse are external devices plugged into the computer through connectors on an I/O panel on the back of the computer. The monitor is also connected to the I/O panel, either through an onboard port on the motherboard, or a port on the graphics card.
The hardware capabilities of personal computers can sometimes be extended by the addition of expansion cards connected via an expansion bus. Some standard peripheral buses often used for adding expansion cards in personal computers as of 2005 are PCI, AGP (a high-speed PCI bus dedicated to graphics adapters), and PCI Express. Most personal computers as of 2005 have multiple physical PCI expansion slots. Many also include an AGP bus and expansion slot or a PCI Express bus and one or more expansion slots, but few PCs contain both buses.
Toxic chemicals, such as lead and mercury, are found in certain pieces of PC hardware. Lead is found in the Cathode ray tube (CRT), which is located inside the monitor, as well as in the Printed circuit board. While daily PC users are not exposed to these toxic elements, danger arises in computer recycling, and thus stems the controversy of electronic waste (e-Waste). The process of computer recycling involves workers responsible for manually breaking down computers, which leads to inevitable exposure to these toxic chemicals and serious health issues. Lead is known to cause damage to the central nervous system, kidneys, and slow down child brain development. Mercury, another toxic element found in PCs, is located in the screen's fluorescent lamp, laser light generators in the optical disk drive, and in mercury batteries in the circuit board and expansion cards. Even the smallest amount of mercury, if it is inhaled or digested can cause serious brain damage. Other chemicals found in PCs are cadmium, chromium, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and barium, which are also found in the motherboard and other crucial pieces of the computer. In each individual computer, about 17% of the computer is lead, copper, zinc, mercury, and cadmium, 23% is plastic (which usually gets burned and causes extreme air pollution), and 14% is Aluminium and 20% is Iron (the last two do not cause extreme health risks, however they are natural elements and do not decompose, which means they continue to take up space unless they are recycled into new computers). Although there is not a huge amount of these hazardous chemicals in each individual computer, even the smallest amount of lead or mercury can ruin a community’s drinking water, or cause serious brain damage.

Computer case

Main article: Computer case

A stripped ATX case lying on its side.

A computer case is the enclosure that contains the main components of a computer. Cases are usually constructed from steel or aluminum, although other materials such as wood and plastic have been used. Cases can come in many different sizes, or form factors. The size and shape of a computer case is usually determined by the form factor of the motherboard that it is designed to accommodate, since this is the largest and most central component of most computers. Consequently, personal computer form factors typically specify only the internal dimensions and layout of the case. Form factors for rack-mounted and blade servers may include precise external dimensions as well, since these cases must themselves fit in specific enclosures.
Currently, the most popular form factor for desktop computers is ATX, although microATX and small form factors have become very popular for a variety of uses. Companies like Shuttle Inc. and AOpen have popularized small cases, for which FlexATX is the most common motherboard size.

Power supply unit

Main article: Power supply unit (computer)

Computer power supply unit with top cover removed.

The power supply unit converts general purpose electric current from the mains to direct current for the other components of the computer.

Processor

Main article: Central processing unit

AMD Athlon 64 X2 CPU.

The central processing unit, or CPU, is that part of a computer which executes software program instructions. In older computers this circuitry was formerly on several printed circuit boards, but in PCs is a single integrated circuit. Nearly all PCs contain a type of CPU known as a microprocessor. The microprocessor often plugs into the motherboard using one of many different types of sockets. IBM PC compatible computers use an x86-compatible processor, usually made by Intel, AMD, VIA Technologies or Transmeta. Apple Macintosh computers were initially built with the Motorola 680x0 family of processors, then switched to the PowerPC series (a RISC architecture jointly developed by Apple Computer, IBM and Motorola), but as of 2006, Apple switched again, this time to x86-compatible processors by Intel. Modern CPUs are equipped with a fan attached via heat sink.

Motherboard

Main article: Motherboard

Asus motherboard

The motherboard, also referred to as systemboard or mainboard, is the primary circuit board within a personal computer. Many other components connect directly or indirectly to the motherboard. Motherboards usually contain one or more CPUs, supporting circuitry - usually integrated circuits (ICs) - providing the interface between the CPU memory and input/output peripheral circuits, main memory, and facilities for initial setup of the computer immediately after power-on (often called boot firmware or, in IBM PC compatible computers, a BIOS). In many portable and embedded personal computers, the motherboard houses nearly all of the PC's core components. Often a motherboard will also contain one or more peripheral buses and physical connectors for expansion purposes. Sometimes a secondary daughter board is connected to the motherboard to provide further expandability or to satisfy space constraints.

Main memory

Main article: Primary storage

1GB DDR SDRAM PC-3200 module

A PC's main memory is fast storage that is directly accessible by the CPU, and is used to store the currently executing program and immediately needed data. PCs use semiconductor random access memory (RAM) of various kinds such as DRAM, SDRAM or SRAM as their primary storage. Which exact kind depends on cost/performance issues at any particular time. Main memory is much faster than mass storage devices like hard disks or optical discs, but is usually volatile, meaning it does not retain its contents (instructions or data) in the absence of power, and is much more expensive for a given capacity than is most mass storage. Main memory is generally not suitable for long-term or archival data storage.

Hard disk

Main article: Hard disk drive

A Western Digital 250 GB hard disk drive.

Mass storage devices store programs and data even when the power is off; they do require power to perform read and write functions during usage. Although flash memory has dropped in cost, the prevailing form of mass storage in personal computers is still the hard disk.
The disk drives use a sealed head/disk assembly (HDA) which was first introduced by IBM's "Winchester" disk system. The use of a sealed assembly allowed the use of positive air pressure to drive out particles from the surface of the disk, which improves reliability.
If the mass storage controller provides for expandability, a PC may also be upgraded by the addition of extra hard disk or optical disc drives. For example, BD-ROMs, DVD-RWs, and various optical disc recorders may all be added by the user to certain PCs. Standard internal storage device connection interfaces are PATA, Serial ATA, SCSI

Video card

Main article: Video card

ATI Radeon video card

The video card - otherwise called a graphics card, graphics adapter or video adapter - processes and renders the graphics output from the computer to the computer display, and is an essential part of the modern computer. On older models, and today on budget models, graphics circuitry tended to be integrated with the motherboard but, for modern flexible machines, they are supplied in PCI, AGP, or PCI Express format.
When the IBM PC was introduced, most existing business-oriented personal computers used text-only display adapters and had no graphics capability. Home computers at that time had graphics compatible with television signals, but with low resolution by modern standards owing to the limited memory available to the eight-bit processors available at the time.

Visual display unit

Main article: Visual display unit

A flat-panel LCD monitor.

A visual display unit (or monitor) is a piece of electrical equipment, usually separate from the computer case, which displays viewable images generated by a computer without producing a permanent record. The word "monitor" is used in other contexts; in particular in television broadcasting, where a television picture is displayed to a high standard on a broadcast reference monitor. A computer display device is usually either a cathode ray tube or some form of flat panel such as a TFT LCD. The monitor comprises the display device, circuitry to generate a picture from electronic signals sent by the computer, and an enclosure or case. Within the computer, either as an integral part or a plugged-in Expansion card, there is circuitry to convert internal data to a format compatible with a monitor. The images from monitors originally contained only text, but as Graphical user interfaces emerged and became common, they began to display more images and multimedia content.

Keyboard

Main article: Keyboard (computing)

A computer keyboard

In computing, a keyboard is an arrangement of buttons that each correspond to a function, letter, or number. They are the primary devices of inputting text. In most cases, they contain an array of keys specifically organized with the corresponding letters, numbers, and functions printed or engraved on the button. They are generally designed around an operators language, and many different versions for different languages exist. In English, the most common layout is the QWERTY layout, which was originally used in typewriters. They have evolved over time, and have been modified for use in computers with the addition of function keys, number keys, arrow keys, and OS specific keys. Often, specific functions can be achieved by pressing multiple keys at once or in succession, such as inputting characters with accents or opening a task manager. Programs use keyboard shortcuts very differently and all use different keyboard shortcuts for different program specific operations, such as refreshing a web page in a web browser or selecting all text in a word processor.

Mouse

Main article: Mouse (computing)

An Apple Magic Mouse with multi-touch technology

A Mouse on a computer is a small, slideable device that users hold and slide around to point at, click on, and sometimes drag objects on screen in a graphical user interface using a pointer on screen. Almost all Personal Computers have mice. It may be plugged into a computer's rear mouse socket, or as a USB device, or, more recently, may be connected wirelessly via a USB antenna or Bluetooth antenna. In the past, they had a single button that users could press down on the device to "click" on whatever the pointer on the screen was hovering over. Now, however, many Mice have two or three buttons(possibly more); a "right click" function button on the mouse, which performs a secondary action on a selected object, and a scroll wheel, which users can rotate using their fingers to "scroll" up or down. The scroll wheel can also be pressed down, and therefore be used as a third button. Some mouse wheels may be tilted from side to side to allow sideways scrolling. Different programs make use of these functions differently, and may scroll horizontally by default with the scroll wheel, open different menus with different buttons, among others. These functions may be user defined through software utilities.
Mice traditionally detected movement and communicated with the computer with an internal "mouse ball"; and used optical encoders to detect rotation of the ball and tell the computer where the mouse has moved. However, these systems were subject to low durability, accuracy and required internal cleaning. Modern mice use optical technology to directly trace movement of the surface under the mouse and are much more accurate, durable and almost maintenance free. They work on a wider variety of surfaces and can even operate on walls, ceilings or other non-horizontal surfaces.

Other components

Proper ergonomic design of personal computer workplace is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries, which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.

Mass storage

All computers require either fixed or removable storage for their operating system, programs and user generated material.
Formerly the 5¼ inch and 3½ inch floppy drive were the principal forms of removable storage for backup of user files and distribution of software.
As memory sizes increased, the capacity of the floppy did not keep pace; the Zip drive and other higher-capacity removable media were introduced but never became as prevalent as the floppy drive.
By the late 1990s the optical drive, in CD and later DVD and Blu-ray Disc, became the main method for software distribution, and writeable media provided backup and file interchange. Floppy drives have become uncommon in desktop personal computers since about 2000, and were dropped from many laptop systems even earlier.
Early home computers used compact audio cassettes for file storage; these were at the time a very low cost storage solution, but were displaced by floppy disk drives when manufacturing costs dropped, by the mid 1980s.
A second generation of tape recorders was provided when Videocassette recorders were pressed into service as backup media for larger disk drives. All these systems were less reliable and slower than purpose-built magnetic tape drives. Such tape drives were uncommon in consumer-type personal computers but were a necessity in business or industrial use.
Interchange of data such as photographs from digital cameras is greatly expedited by installation of a card reader, which often is compatible with several forms of flash memory. It is usually faster and more convenient to move large amounts of data by removing the card from the mobile device, instead of communicating with the mobile device through a USB interface.
A USB flash drive today performs much of the data transfer and backup functions formerly done with floppy drives, Zip disks and other devices. Main-stream current operating systems for personal computers provide standard support for flash drives, allowing interchange even between computers using different processors and operating systems. The compact size and lack of moving parts or dirt-sensitive media, combined with low cost for high capacity, have made flash drives a popular and useful accessory for any personal computer user.
The operating system (e.g.: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Linux or many others) can be located on any storage, but typically it is on a hard disks. A Live CD is the running of a OS directly from a CD. While this is slow compared to storing the OS on a hard drive, it is typically used for installation of operating systems, demonstrations, system recovery, or other special purposes. Large flash memory is currently more expensive than hard drives of similar size (as of mid-2008) but are starting to appear in laptop computers because of their low weight, small size and low power requirements.

Computer communications

Common peripherals and adapter cards

Headset
Joystick
Microphone
Printer
Scanner
Sound adapter card as a separate card rather than located on the motherboard
Speakers
Webcam

Software

Main article: Computer software

A screenshot of the OpenOffice.org Writer software

Computer software is a general term used to describe a collection of computer programs, procedures and documentation that perform some tasks on a computer system. The term includes application software such as word processors which perform productive tasks for users, system software such as operating systems, which interface with hardware to provide the necessary services for application software, and middleware which controls and co-ordinates distributed systems.
Software applications for word processing, Internet browsing, Internet faxing, e-mail and other digital messaging, multimedia playback, computer game play and computer programming are common. The user of a modern personal computer may have significant knowledge of the operating environment and application programs, but is not necessarily interested in programming nor even able to write programs for the computer. Therefore, most software written primarily for personal computers tends to be designed with simplicity of use, or "user-friendliness" in mind. However, the software industry continuously provide a wide range of new products for use in personal computers, targeted at both the expert and the non-expert user.

Operating system

Main article: Operating system

An operating system (OS) manages computer resources and provides programmers with an interface used to access those resources. An operating system processes system data and user input, and responds by allocating and managing tasks and internal system resources as a service to users and programs of the system. An operating system performs basic tasks such as controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing system requests, controlling input and output devices, facilitating computer networking and managing files.
Common contemporary desktop OSs are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Solaris and FreeBSD. Windows, Mac, and Linux all have server and personal variants. With the exception of Microsoft Windows, the designs of each of the aforementioned OSs were inspired by, or directly inherited from, the Unix operating system. Unix was developed at Bell Labs beginning in the late 1960s and spawned the development of numerous free and proprietary operating systems.

Microsoft Windows

Main article: Microsoft Windows

Windows 7, the latest client version in the Microsoft Windows line

Microsoft Windows is the collective brand name of several software operating systems by Microsoft. Microsoft first introduced an operating environment named Windows in November 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces (GUIs)^[41]^[42] generated by Apple's 1984 introduction of the Macintosh. The most recent client version of Windows is Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 which was available at retail on October 22, 2009.

Mac OS X

Main article: Mac OS X

Mac OS X Lion desktop

Mac OS X is a line of operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc.. Mac OS X is the successor to the original Mac OS, which had been Apple's primary operating system since 1984. Mac OS X is a Unix-based graphical operating system. The most recent version of Mac OS X is Mac OS X Lion.

AmigaOS

Main article: AmigaOS

AmigaOS 4.1 desktop

AmigaOS is the default native operating system of the Amiga personal computer. It was developed first by Commodore International, and initially introduced in 1985 with the Amiga 1000. Early versions (1.0-3.9) run on the Motorola 68k series of 16-bit and 32-bit microprocessors, while the newer AmigaOS 4 runs only on PowerPC microprocessors. On top of a preemptive multitasking kernel called Exec, it includes an abstraction of the Amiga's unique hardware, a disk operating system called AmigaDOS, a windowing system API called Intuition and a graphical user interface called Workbench. A command line interface called AmigaShell is also available and integrated into the system. The GUI and the CLI complement each other and share the same privileges. The current holder of the Amiga intellectual properties is Amiga Inc. They oversaw the development of AmigaOS 4 but did not develop it themselves, contracting it instead to Hyperion Entertainment. On 20 December 2006, Amiga Inc terminated Hyperion's license to continue development of AmigaOS 4. However, in 30 September 2009, Hyperion was granted an exclusive, perpetual, worldwide right to AmigaOS 3.1 in order to use, develop, modify, commercialize, distribute and market AmigaOS 4.x and subsequent versions of AmigaOS (including AmigaOS 5).

Linux

Main article: Linux

A Linux distribution running KDE Plasma Desktop.

Linux is a family of Unix-like computer operating systems. Linux is one of the most prominent examples of free software and open source development: typically all underlying source code can be freely modified, used, and redistributed by anyone. The name "Linux" comes from the Linux kernel, started in 1991 by Linus Torvalds. The system's utilities and libraries usually come from the GNU operating system, announced in 1983 by Richard Stallman. The GNU contribution is the basis for the alternative name GNU/Linux.
Known for its use in servers as part of the LAMP application stack, Linux is supported by corporations such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Novell, Oracle Corporation, Red Hat, Canonical Ltd. and Sun Microsystems. It is used as an operating system for a wide variety of computer hardware, including desktop computers, netbooks, supercomputers, video game systems, such as the PlayStation 3, several arcade games, and embedded devices such as mobile phones, portable media players, routers, and stage lighting systems.

Applications

Main article: Application software

GIMP raster graphics editor

A computer user will apply application software to carry out a specific task. System software supports applications and provides common services such as memory management, network connectivity, or device drivers; all of which may be used by applications but which are not directly of interest to the end user. A simple, if imperfect analogy in the world of hardware would be the relationship of an electric light bulb (an application) to an electric power generation plant (a system). The power plant merely generates electricity, not itself of any real use until harnessed to an application like the electric light that performs a service that benefits the user.
Typical examples of software applications are word processors, spreadsheets, and media players. Multiple applications bundled together as a package are sometimes referred to as an application suite. Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.org, which bundle together a word processor, a spreadsheet, and several other discrete applications, are typical examples. The separate applications in a suite usually have a user interface that has some commonality making it easier for the user to learn and use each application. And often they may have some capability to interact with each other in ways beneficial to the user. For example, a spreadsheet might be able to be embedded in a word processor document even though it had been created in the separate spreadsheet application.
End-user development tailors systems to meet the user's specific needs. User-written software include spreadsheet templates, word processor macros, scientific simulations, graphics and animation scripts. Even email filters are a kind of user software. Users create this software themselves and often overlook how important it is.

Disposal of

Personal Computers are recycled in different methods, but they can also become a large contributor to the 50 million tons of waste of discarded electronic goods that is being generated annually, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. In order to solve the issue of electronic waste affecting developing countries and the environment, an Extended producer responsibility act was implemented. Organizations, such as, the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, Basel Action Network, Toxics Link India, SCOPE, and Greenpeace contribute to the strategy. The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and BAN (Basel Action Network) teamed up with 32 electronic recyclers in the US and Canada to create an e-steward program due to the lack of national legislation an regulation for the exporting and importing of electronic waste. The creation of an e-steward program created another option for manufacturers and customers to dispose of their electronic waste properly. The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition founded the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, which is a coalition that advocates for the production of environmentally friendly products. The TakeBack Coalition works with policy makers, recyclers, and smart businesses to get manufacturers to take full responsibility of their products. There are organizations opposing EPR, such as the Reason Foundation opposes the EPR for two main reasons. The first reason is that the EPR relies on the idea that is the manufacturers pay for the harm they do to the environment, they will learn their lesson. The second reason is that the EPR assumes the current design practices are environmentally inefficient. The Reason Foundation claims that manufacturers are moving toward reduced material use and energy use instead.

Sony Vaio FW series

2011-09-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

**Sony Vaio FW series**
Sony Vaio VGN-FW590
Developer	Sony Corporation
Type	Laptop
Release date	July 14, 2008
CPU	Intel Core 2 Duo
Website	Sony Vaio — FW Series^{[dead link]}

Sony Vaio FW is a discontinued series of notebook computers which were the first laptops ever to have a 1080p 16.4" 16:9 widescreen LCD display. Higher end models in the series have the ability to have a Blu-ray Disc reader or writer. The laptop weighed 3.1 kg. The Battery lasts up to 2 hours. In June 2009, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 was replaced by the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 with the release of the FW 4xx series. Additionally, Sony also released a special model of this series apart from the signature series models (Model:VGN-FW590FFD). This model had a futuristic themed cover and came equipped with moderately high-end specifications at an affordable $1069.99 U.S. dollars. The VGN-FW590FFD model was also only available for purchase through Sony Style's website.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T4200 @ 2 GHz, T6500 @ 2.10 GHz, P7350 @ 2 GHz, P8700 @ 2.53 GHz, P8800 @ 2.66 GHz, T9600 @ 2.80 GHz or T9900 @ 3.06 GHz
Color: Black, Chocolate Brown, Nebula, Silver
Memory: 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 GB of DDR2 SDRAM @ 800 MHz
Hard Drive: 160, 250, 320, 400, or 500 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive @ 5400 RPM, 320 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive @ 7,200 RPM, 128 GB Solid State Drive
Optical Disc Drive: CD/DVD reader/writer, Blu-ray Disc reader, or Blu-ray Disc reader/writer
Graphics: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 w/512 MB of vRAM, or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 w/1 GB of vRAM
Display: 16.4" XBRITE-ECO w/1600×900 resolution, or 16.4" HiColor-FullHD w/1920×1080 resolution, or 16.4" XBRITE-FullHD w/1920×1080 resolution
Extras: SD and magic gate pro card reader, 3 USB 2.0 slots, i.LINK IEEE 1394 slot and a HDMI cable slot

Sony VAIO 700 series

2011-09-24T18:15:00.000-07:00

Sony VAIO 700 series

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Sony VAIO 700 series were Sony's first VAIO branded laptops, starting with the 705 and 707 models, launched in Japan on July 1, 1997, and subsequently in the United States.
The 700 series featured removable 3.5" floppy disk drive, removable 14x CD-ROM, 33.6kbps integrated modem, 12.1" screen, 2.1GB hard disk drive, 2MB VRAM, 128MB maximum RAM, IrDA port, lithium-ion battery, with optional second battery and an optional docking station with firewire, USB, mouse, keyboard, ethernet and SCSI.
The launch models offered an 800x600 screen (705) or 1024x768 screen (707), 256KB cache, 16MB (705) or 32MB (707) RAM a Pentium 1 MMX 150 or 166 MHz CPU, and Windows 95 pre-installed.
The weight with single battery, and CD and floppy disc drive removed was 2.4 kg.
The 700 series was produced only in 1997 and 1998, being replaced by lighter models.

Models

PCG-705 - see above
PCG-707 - see above
PCG-717 - 705 upgraded with 200 MHz CPU
PCG-719 - 707 upgraded with 512KB cache, 233 MHz CPU
PCG-729
PCG-731 - 200 MHz Pentium MMX, 32MB RAM
PCG-735 - 233 MHz Pentium MMX, 64MB RAM
PCG-748 - 266 MHz Pentium MMX

External links

Sony VAIO Product Lines

Ultraportables (8-11")	G series · P series · M series · W series · X series

Ultraportables (13")	S series · Y series · Z series

Standard notebooks (14"+)	E series · F series

Desktops	J series · L series

Previous ultraportables	505 series · C series · C1 series · SRX series · NW series · SR series · SZ series · TR series · TT series · TX series · TZ series · U series · UX series · VX series

Previous notebooks	700 series · 800 series · A series · AR series · AX series · AW series · B series · BX series · BZ series · CR series · CS series · CW series · F series · FE series · FJ series · FS series · FW series · FZ series · GR series · GRS series · GRT series · GRV series · GRX series · GRZ series · K series · N series · NR series · NS series · NV series · QR series · R series ·

Previous desktops	JS series · LT series · LV series · M series · RA series · RC series · RM series · RS series · RT series · V series · VA series

Asus Eee PC

2011-09-23T23:44:00.000-07:00

Asus Eee PC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Asus Eee PC

Developer	AsusTeK Computer Inc.
Type	Subnotebook, netbook
Operating system	Linux (Aurora, formerly Eeebuntu; Xandros) Windows XP/7
CPU	Celeron, Atom
Website	eeepc.asus.com

The Asus Eee PC is a subnotebook/netbook computer line from ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated, and a part of the Asus Eee product family. At the time of its introduction in late 2007, it was noted for its combination of a lightweight, Linux operating system, solid-state drive (SSD), and relatively low cost. Newer models have added the options of Windows operating systems and rotary hard disk drives (HDD).
The first Eee PC was a milestone in the personal computer business, launching the netbook category of small, low cost laptops. According to Asus, the name Eee derives from "the three Es," an abbreviation of its advertising slogan for the device: "Easy to learn, Easy to work, Easy to play".

History

Eee 700 series

Black 700 series unit side view showing the SD card reader, two USB ports, the VGA output and the Kensington Security Slot.

Asus announced two Eee PC models at Computex Taipei 2007; the Eee PC 701 and the Eee PC 1001. The 701 base model Eee PC 4G was released on October 16, 2007 in Taiwan. Three additional models followed.
Both the price and the size of the device are small in comparison with similar Ultra-Mobile PCs. The Eee series is one response to the XO-1 notebook from the One Laptop per Child initiative. At the Intel Developer Forum 2007, Asus demonstrated the Classmate PC and the Eee PC, and listed specifications for four models of the Eee PC.
In some countries, the products have the marketing names EeePC 8G, 4G, 4G Surf, and 2G Surf, though in other countries the machines are still designated by the model numbers 700 and 701. The 4G Surf uses socketed RAM but some revisions do not have a door to access the slot.
Asus released a version of the Eee PC with Microsoft Windows XP pre-installed in January 2008. In Japan, the version is known as the 4G-X.

Eee 900 series

White 900 series

The Eee 900 series was officially launched in Hong Kong on April 16, 2008, and in the UK on May 1, 2008 for £329 (approximately 410 € or 650 US$ including VAT). The system was launched in the US on May 12, 2008. The Eee 900 series dimensions are a little larger than the 70x models–measuring 225 × 165 × 35 mm (WxDxH) (8.8" × 6.5" × 1.4") and weighing around 1 kg (2.2 lb). The machine has a multi-touch trackpad that allow two-finger scrolling and zooming via a "pinch" gesture and is available with Linux (in some markets) and/or Windows XP (in some markets) configurations.
The Linux version is named the EeePC 900 and comes with a 16 GB SSD. Some of these Eee PCs also have a 4 GB SSD installed similarly to that in the 701 for a total storage space of 20 GB. Those that do not are named the Asus EEE 900 16G. The Windows XP version is named the EeePC 900 Win and also comes in two versions: one with a total storage of 12 GB (one 4 GB SSD and one 8 GB SSD) and one with 16 GB (on a single SSD). The Linux 20G version is sold for the same price as the Windows 12G version. In the case for the 16G EEEs, the Windows version costs more than the Linux version.
The Windows version comes with Microsoft Works and Windows Live Suite preinstalled. It also includes StarSuite 8. The machines are otherwise identical to each other with 1 GB of RAM, an 8.9-inch (226 mm) 1024×600 LCD and a 1.3 megapixel webcam. This model has the same Celeron CPU as the Eee PC 700, running at its full 900 MHz clock speed (rather than the 630 MHz speed seen in the Eee PC 700).

Other Eee 90x models

On June 3, 2008, Asus unveiled the Eee 901 at Computex Taipei, the 901 was a revision of the 900 series with a different chassis. The 901 features an Intel Atom Diamondville CPU clocked at 1.6 GHz, an "expanded" battery (listed as 6-cell), and "Super Hybrid Engine" software for power management which will provide a battery life of 4.2-7.8 hours. Bluetooth and 802.11n Wi-Fi are also included. The 901 uses the Intel 945GME chipset, meeting the requirements for Windows Aero for Vista or 7. The 901 is otherwise similar to the 900, shipping in Linux or Windows XP configurations which have different sizes of SSD storage. It was also discovered that the Eee 901 has capacity for a "3GCard" upgrade.
The Eee PC 901 "Linux" model featuring an advertised "20 GB SSD" storage actually contains two SSD drives; one 4 GB and one 16 GB. The 4 GB drive has been reported as faster than the 16 GB drive.
The Eee PC 904HD was one of the first Eee PC models which features an HDD (80 GB) instead of an SSD. This model features an Intel Celeron M running at 900 MHz and gets its power from a 6-cell battery. Like other Eee PC 90x models this Eee PC also features 802.11 b/g WLAN and a 1.3M pixel webcam. Windows XP comes pre-installed.
The Eee PC 900A features almost the same specs as the Eee PC 901 (except the primary SSD, Bluetooth, 1.3M pixel webcam and the 6-cell battery, that has been replaced by a 4-cell battery) but in a case nearly the same as used in the Eee PC 900 model.

Battery controversy

There has been some controversy regarding the battery supplied with the EeePC 900. Versions pre-released to many non UK journalists and reviewers were equipped with a 5800 mAh battery, but the first retail versions in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Singapore were shipped with a smaller, 4400 mAh (76% of that capacity) battery, which commentators note has led to a great variation in the machine's battery life in reviews, in some cases as much as 90 minutes. As a result of the objections to this, Asus provided a free battery replacement program in Hong Kong and Singapore, and ran a paid-for battery exchange program in the UK.
Asus has stated that the smaller battery is "[p]resently the standard battery supplied in the UK" and "the default standard battery pack for Asus Eee PC 900 worldwide." Asus provided a battery exchange to all UK Eee PC 900 customers for £10, and released a firmware update which claimed to extend battery life by 30 minutes ("BIOS 0601: Updated all battery discharge tables to extend battery life").
In Australia and Italy, the situation was reversed: Reviewers received EeePC 900 systems fitted with the 4400 mAh battery but the retail models were equipped with the 5800 mAh battery. Customers of Media Markt in Italy received the EeePC 900 at the beginning of sales (May/June) with a 5800 mAh battery and later (June/July) with a 4400 mAh battery.
Best Buy's custom variants of the 1000HD and 900A also both include a 4400 mAh battery.
Part of the above problem extends from the fact that the entire range were substantially more successful than Asus had originally anticipated. Currently, Asus has several large complexes scattered throughout Taiwan and China, with the largest in the city of Suzhou (China), being the size of eight football fields. Upon the unexpected success of the range, Asus factories worked around the clock to keep up supply and further development. Consequently, even within Asus testing labs in Taipei, many variations were found within test models. Generally, however, Asus does inform reviewers that the final retail model may contain different features from those offered in the review model.

Eee 1000 series

Black 1000 series; 1000HD model shown

The 1000 series launched at Computex Taipei on June 3, 2008. It featured a new 10-inch (254 mm) screen and a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, although built in power management software can increase the speed to 1.7 GHz. The 1000 model ships with Linux, 8 GB SSD and a 32 GB SSD (total: 40 GB); the 1000H model ships with Windows XP Home or Linux and an 80 or 160 GB SATA HDD. Both the 1000 and the 1000H support up to 2 GB of DDR2 RAM of 667 MHz. The 1000 has a rated battery life of 4.2–7.5 hours, while the 1000H is rated for 3.2–7 hours. It also offers a keyboard that is 92% the size of generic notebooks, aiming to make it more comfortable to type. Like the Eee PC 901, the new machines feature 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. WiMAX is not currently supported. The 1000HD released in September 2008 is a slightly cheaper version of the 1000 series. It features the same specifications as the 1000H except it uses a 900 MHz Celeron CPU chip.
The 1000HA released in October 2008 also costs less than the 1000H but has the same Intel Atom 1.6 GHz CPU, 160 GB HDD, and 1 GB of RAM. It also has wireless and some models present Bluetooth. The 1000XPH has the same Intel Atom 1.6 GHz CPU, only 80 GB HDD, and 1 GB of RAM. 10/100 LAN, 802.11 b/g Wireless LAN, Integrated Webcamera but no Bluetooth.
In February 2009, Asus unveiled the 1000HE, using the new Intel Atom 280 processor with a 10-inch LED-lit display, 6-cell battery, 160 GB HDD, Bluetooth, 802.11n wireless networking, 1.3 megapixel camera, and a revised keyboard.

Asus 1005HA-V, with "seashell" design; the screen hinges to sit behind the base

At CeBIT 2009, Asus unveiled the 10-inch EEE 1008HA, introducing the new design concept "Seashell".
The 1005HA comes in three models, from least to most expensive they are the 1005HA-B, the 1005HA-V and the 1005HA-P. The 1005HA-B has a removable 3-cell battery with rated 4 hour life, a 1.3 megapixel camera, and uses the N270 processor. At the higher end, the 1005HA-P has a removable 6-cell, 5600 mAh, 63 Wh battery with rated 10.5 hour battery life, a 1.3 megapixel camera and uses the N280 processor. There is also a 1005HA-H model, sold in Poland, equipped with 6-cell battery, N270 processor and 0.3M megapixel camera.
Asus officially announced the first Eee with Nvidia Ion graphics, the 1201N on November 19, 2009, later replaced by the 1201PN and then 1215N, with a more powerful dual-core processor Atom D525 and Ion 2 graphics.

Technical overview

Asus Eee PC 701, with fountain pen for scale, running Ubuntu Netbook Edition

Processor

The earliest Eee PC models used a 900 MHz Intel Celeron M processor underclocked to 630 MHz. Later models shipped with this processor at normal speed. Current models use a 1.6 GHz or 1.66 GHz Intel Atom processor. The Atom is a simple, scalar, in-order execution microprocessor that is significantly slower per-clock than the Celeron M due to its microarchitecture. Still, 1.6 GHz and 1.66 GHz Atom-equipped Eee PCs tend to perform similarly to their Celeron-equipped counterparts, due to the higher clock speeds and Hyperthreading. The desirability of the Atom lies in its low power consumption compared to even mobile-rated processors such as the Intel Celeron-M.
Budget models, and versions of current models, also feature Celeron processors. For instance:

1000HD (distinct from 1000, 1000H and 1000HA)
904HD

Display

The Eee PC 700 has a 800×480 pixels 7 inch (178 mm) display, measured diagonally. The screen does not cover the entire space within the lid; instead it is flanked on the sides by stereo speakers and, above, by the (optional) camera in the trim at the top. The Eee PC 900 and 901 come with a 1024x600 pixels 8.9-inch (226 mm) display, almost filling the lid.
The Eee PC 1000 comes with a 10-inch (254 mm) or 10.2-inch (259 mm) display with 1024 x 600 display.
With all models, an external display can be supported through a standard VGA connector. The manufacturer does not give any specifications on maximum resolution and display configuration (mirroring, extended desktop), but most models can handle an external display at native resolution of 1440 x 1050, and even 1600 x 900 although performance starts to slow down. Models that ship with Xandros do not have access to the full capacity of the external VGA output by default, allowing only 'mirroring'. Users must reconfigure their xorg.conf file, or install a more feature-rich OS such as Eeebuntu to allow the higher resolution output.

Keyboard

On a normal, "full size" computer keyboard, the 10 keys Q–P measure 190 mm (7.48 in). The 700 and 900 series are equipped with similar keyboards, 82 % size of a generic one, meaning that the Q–P keys measure 155 mm (6.10 in). The 1000 series, as it fits in a more spacious case, has 92 % of a full size keyboard, where the Q–P keys measure 175 mm (6.89 in).
The 1000HE's revised keyboard is similar to keyboards used in Apple computers and Sony's VAIO series, where the keys are reminiscent of Scrabble tiles, being spaced apart and raised from the surface below.

Storage

Removable 8 GB SSD in Eee PC

The early model Eee PCs use a solid-state drive for storage (instead of a hard drive), which consumes less power when in use, allows the device to boot faster, generates no noise, and is less susceptible to mechanical shock damage than hard drives. A down side of SSD storage (flash memory) is that an individual sector can be written only about 100,000 times. This problem can be partially mitigated by intelligent wear leveling, resulting in a MTBF similar to conventional platter-based hard drives.
The SSDs used in early Eee PCs also had extremely poor random write performance (The S101 does not have this problem).
In the 2 GB and 4 GB models of the 700 series of the Eee PC, the SSD is permanently soldered to the board. In the 8 GB model, the SSD is a card connected via the internal PCI Express Mini Card connector, leaving the original SSD area on the motherboard empty.
The Eee PC 900 comes with a removable PCI Express Mini SSD module, with or without four additional 1 GB memory chips soldered on the main board. Different models come with different-sized SSDs. One Linux version has 4 GB, a Windows XP version has 8 GB, and all remaining ones (Windows XP or Linux) have 16 GB.
The Eee PC 1000 contains a fast 8 GB internal SSD and a slower 32 GB internal flash drive.
Some models, such as the 1000H and 904HD do not have a SSD, and instead have a SATA internal hard drive of either 80- or 160 GB, which can be upgraded by the user.
All Eee PC models also include a memory card reader, supporting SD, SDHC and MMC cards for additional storage while the Eee PC S101 also has support for Memorystick and MS-PRO.
Eee PC 1004DN is the first model with a Super-Multi optical disc drive (ODD) that reads and writes data to DVD or Compact Disc.

Memory

Most EEE PCs use 533/667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM via a standard SO-DIMM module, which can be swapped out. The 700 and 701SDX have RAM soldered to the motherboard.
The black model EEEPC 4G SURF (4GS-PK008), and newer white models (4GS-W010) have a removable panel on their underside that allows the user to change the RAM without fully disassembling the system. The older white models (4GS-W010) lack this access panel, and need some disassembly to access the RAM.
The hardware supports up to 4 GB (2 GB for the 1000 series, and some of the 900 series),but the preinstalled Xandros kernel of the 700 series only supports up to 1 GB.

Cooling

In an EE380 talk (video archive), an Asus engineer mentioned that the Eee PC uses the keyboard shielding as a heat sink to absorb the heat generated by the processor. The Eee PC has a fan, and some vents to also cool off the system.

Compatible operating systems

As the Eee PC uses a standard x86 processor, most operating systems can be installed with little effort, though full hardware support varies, especially for the latest models.
The following operating systems are known to work:

Microsoft Windows
GNU/Linux, BSD, Solaris, Joli OS, MeeGo, Android, and other Unix-like systems
Mac OS X v10.4
Mac OS X v10.5
Mac OS X v10.6
Syllable
Haiku, development releases

Linux on the Eee PC

Xandros

OpenOffice.org Writer running on the Eee PC

Xandros, a Linux distribution, boots in 20–22 seconds on the Eee PC, substantially faster than the boot time for an installation of Windows XP on the same hardware. Xandros on the Eee PC runs a custom tab-based interface, uses IceWM as the default window manager, and comes with forty bundled software applications including OpenOffice.org, Mozilla Firefox, Skype, Tux Paint and other educational entertainment software, e-mail and Internet radio applications, and look-up tools for Google Docs and Wikipedia.
The operating system drivers for the ACPI and wireless devices supplied with the pre-installed Xandros operating system are versions of software licensed under the GNU General Public License. The company released the source code as a ZIP file along with the product; however, it has been reported that a small percentage of the source may be missing, and some device driver software appears obfuscated. In the absence of necessary source code, other Linux kernel versions and distributions on the device are less easy to use with some of the hardware. Asus has since released the source code for the ACPI module. They have also released the patched Linux kernel sources and their Busybox sources. The Synaptic Package Manager and apt-get can be used to install additional software through the repositories.

Forks and other distributions

Ubuntu Netbook Edition

Current Asus Linux development policy generates forks of code as they change. This means that their changes do not go directly into upstream versions and remain available only through Asus source code releases. If one wants to change to another distribution or update the software, it is necessary to determine what has been changed (using, for example, the diff utility) and port into a newer version or other distribution. For example, the Eee PC 900 model has a sound card that needed some modifications to the Linux kernel driver to work. Asus' modifications were against version 2.6.21.4 from June 2007. This problem was removed with the kernel 2.6.28 and above.
Configurations

The 700 series units were shipped in 3 colors besides black and white.

Naming of the 700 series of models of the device appears to relate to the size of installed SSD, camera, and battery size. The Eee PC Surf models include the 4400 mAh battery pack and no webcam, while the non-Surf models have the 5200 mAh battery pack and a webcam installed. The model numbers (700, 701) may still be the same as has been seen on pre-production samples. Asus may offer upgrades for the SSD storage via the empty Mini PCIe slot, which has been shown to be labeled FLASH_CON in take apart photos of the 4G. When a Mini PCIe card is inserted into the spare empty slot, the internal SSD gets disabled, making the device unable to boot from the original SSD. There are also signal lines for a USB port on the Mini PCIe pins which have been used to connect various USB devices internally. Some 701 models with serial numbers starting at 7B do not have a second mini PCIe slot soldered onto the motherboard, though the circuit traces and solder pads remain.
A controversy over a "warranty void if removed" sticker on the RAM access cover panel prompted Asus to release a statement clarifying the matter, stating that "merely breaking or removing this kind of seal will not void the Asus Limited Warranty" (emphasis is original). Since then, Asus has offered to replace the labels with ones specifying merely that Asus will not be held "responsible for the damage caused by improper hardware change." Furthermore, Asus altered their Limited Warranty to "eliminate any provision stating that the Asus Limited Warranty will be voided simply because the product is serviced by a non-Asus-approved service facility, or if non-Asus-approved components or software are installed or used."

EeePC in its case

In the 70x series, the pre-installed Xandros operating system has a Linux kernel with a kernel option set limiting the detected RAM size to a maximum of 1 GB, even if a larger RAM module is installed. The actual capacity is shown in full in the BIOS setup and under other OSes. However it is possible to recompile the kernel with support for more RAM. The 900 and later laptops had the kernel pre-configured to support up to 4 GB of memory address space.

Popularity

Sales

Asus shipped 700,000 Eee PCs in September 2008 and total shipments reached 1.7 million in the third quarter of 2008

ASUS Eee Keyboard

2011-09-23T23:34:00.001-07:00

ASUS Eee Keyboard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ASUS Eee Keyboard

Developer	AsusTeK Computer Inc.
Media	16 GB or 32 GB SSD
Operating system	Windows XP Home Edition
CPU	Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz, 533 MHz FSB, 512 KB L2 Cache
Memory	1 GB of DDR2 SDRAM

Asus Eee Keyboard is a computer built in to a full-size keyboard, in the Asus Eee PC series. Some models have a touchscreen in place of a conventional keypad. ASUS had planned to start shipping the device in October 2009, but postponed the launch until May 2010. The first Eee Keyboard sold for $599.

Technical Aspects

Weight: 1.1 Kg
Maximum screen resolution: 800×480 pixels
Graphics card: Broadcom AV-VD904
Wireless networking: 802.11b/g/n

Ports in the body

HDMI
VGA
Wi-Fi + UWB antenna
LAN
3 USB
Audio Out
Mic In

Wireless ports

Audio out
HDMI ("Wireless Display Connectivity")
Mini-USB
2 USB

Computer recycling

2011-09-23T23:11:00.000-07:00

Computer recycling

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Laptops-Recycling)

Computer monitors are typically packed into low stacks on wooden pallets for recycling and then shrink-wrapped.

Computer recycling or electronic recycling is the recycling or reuse of computers or other electronics. It includes both finding another use for materials (such as donation to charity), and having systems dismantled in a manner that allows for the safe extraction of the constituent materials for reuse in other products.

Reasons for recycling

Obsolete computers or other electronics are a valuable source for secondary raw materials, if treated properly; if not treated properly, they are a source of toxins and carcinogens. Rapid technology change, low initial cost, and even planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of computer or other electronic components around the globe. Technical solutions are available, but in most cases a legal framework, a collection system, logistics, and other services need to be implemented before a technical solution can be applied. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 30 to 40 million surplus PCs, which it classifies under the term "hazardous household waste", will be ready for end-of-life management in each of the next few years. The U.S. National Safety Council estimates that 75% of all personal computers ever sold are now surplus electronics.
In 2007, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that more than 63 million computers in the U.S. were traded in for replacements—or they simply were discarded. Today 15 percent of electronic devices and equipment are recycled in the United States. Most electronic waste is sent to landfills or becomes incinerated, having a negative impact on the environment by releasing materials such as lead, mercury, or cadmium into the soil, groundwater, and atmosphere.
Many materials used in the construction of computer hardware can be recovered in the recycling process for use in future production. Reuse of tin, silicon, iron, aluminum, and a variety of plastics — all present in bulk in computers or other electronics — can reduce the costs of constructing new systems. In addition, components frequently contain copper, gold, and other materials valuable enough to reclaim in their own right.

Dismantled Sony Vaio PCG-982L and Compaq JBL Professional laptops.

Computer components contain valuable elements and substances suitable for reclamation, including lead, copper, and gold. They also contain many toxic substances, such as dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cadmium, chromium, radioactive isotopes, and mercury. A typical computer monitor may contain more than 6% lead by weight, much of which is in the lead glass of the cathode ray tube (CRT). A typical 15-inch computer monitor may contain 1.5 pounds of lead, but other monitors have been estimated as having up to 8 pounds of lead. Circuit boards contain considerable quantities of lead-tin solders and are even more likely to leach into groundwater or to create air pollution via incineration. Additionally, the processing required to reclaim the precious substances (including incineration and acid treatments) may release, generate, and synthesize further toxic byproducts.
A major computer or electronic recycling concern is export of waste to countries with lower environmental standards. Companies may find it cost-effective in the short term to sell outdated computers to less developed countries with lax regulations. It is commonly believed that a majority of surplus laptops are routed to developing nations as "dumping grounds for e-waste". The high value of working and reusable laptops, computers, and components (e.g., RAM) can help pay the cost of transportation for a large number of worthless "commodities". Broken monitors, obsolete circuit boards, and short-circuited transistors are difficult to spot in a containerload of used electronics.

Regulations

An abandoned Texan monitor.

Europe

In Switzerland, the first electronic waste recycling system was implemented in 1991, beginning with collection of old refrigerators; over the years, all other electric and electronic devices were gradually added to the system. The established producer responsibility organization is SWICO, mainly handling information, communication, and organization technology.
The European Union implemented a similar system in February 2003, under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive, 2002/96/EC).

United States

Federal

The United States Congress considers a number of electronic waste bills, including the National Computer Recycling Act introduced by Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA). Meanwhile, the main federal law governing solid waste is the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976. It covers only CRTs, though state regulations may differ.^[7] There are also separate laws concerning battery disposal. On March 25, 2009, the House Science and Technology Committee approved funding for research on reducing electronic waste and mitigating environmental impact, regarded by sponsor Ralph Hall (R-TX) as the first federal bill to address electronic waste directly.

State

Many states have introduced legislation concerning recycling and reuse of computers or computer parts or other electronics. Most American computer recycling legislation addresses it from within the larger electronic waste issue.
In 2001, Arkansas enacted the Arkansas Computer and Electronic Solid Waste Management Act, which requires that state agencies manage and sell surplus computer equipment, establishes a computer and electronics recycling fund, and authorizes the Department of Environmental Quality to regulate and/or ban the disposal of computer and electronic equipment in Arkansas landfills.
The recently^[when?] passed Electronic Device Recycling Research and Development Act distributes grants to universities, government labs, and private industry for research in developing projects in line with e-waste recycling and refurbishment.

Asia

South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan require that sellers and manufacturers of electronics be responsible for recycling 75% of them.

Recycling methods

Computers being collected for recycling at a pickup event in Olympia, Washington, United States.

Consumer recycling

Consumer recycling options include (see below) sale, donating computers directly to organizations in need, sending devices directly back to their original manufacturers, or getting components to a convenient recycler or refurbisher.

Corporate recycling

Businesses seeking a cost-effective way to recycle large amounts of computer equipment responsibly face a more complicated process.
Businesses also have the options of sale or contacting the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and arranging recycling options.
Some companies will pick up unwanted equipment from businesses, wipe the data clean from the systems, and provide an estimate of the product’s remaining value. For unwanted items that still have value, these firms will buy the excess IT hardware and sell refurbished products to those seeking more affordable options than buying new. Companies that specialize in data protection and green disposal processes dispose of both data and used equipment while at the same time employing strict procedures to help improve the environment. Professional IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) firms specialize in corporate computer disposal and recycling services in compliance with local laws and regulations and also offer secure data elimination services that comply with data erasure standards.
Corporations face risks both for incompletely destroyed data and for improperly disposed computers. In America companies are liable for compliance with regulations even if the recycling process is outsourced under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Companies can mitigate these risks by requiring waivers of liability, audit trails, certificates of data destruction, signed confidentiality agreements, and random audits of information security. The National Association of Information Destruction is an international trade association for data destruction providers.

Sale

Online auctions are an alternative for consumers willing to resell for cash less fees, in a complicated, self-managed, competitive environment where paid listings might not sell. Online classified ads can be similarly risky due to forgery scams and uncertainty.

Donation

A number of organizations, usually nonprofit organizations (NPOs), attempt to reuse computers. These NPOs usually refurbish usable computers for sale at discounted prices to the needy, to other nonprofit organizations, or to the general public.
Consumer recycling includes a variety of donation options, such as charitable NPOs (501(c)(3) organizations - for example, Free Geek) which may offer tax benefits in return.
For both corporations and consumers, NPOs (such as Nonprofit Technology Resources or Camara) will often accept and refurbish still-usable computers in return for tax benefits. The Computer Takeback Campaign and the TechSoup Donate Hardware List are resources for locating such refurbishers. Donated systems can also be directed to developing nations (see Computer technology for developing areas).
However, in cases where the computer equipment comes from a wide variety of manufacturers, it may be more efficient to hire a third-party contractor (such as ) to handle the recycling arrangements.

Takeback

When researching computer companies before a computer purchase, consumers can find out if they offer recycling services. Most major computer manufacturers offer some form of recycling. At the user's request they may mail in their old computers, or arrange for pickup from the manufacturer.
Hewlett-Packard also offers free recycling, but only one of its "national" recycling programs is available nationally, rather than in one or two specific states. Hewlett-Packard also offers to pick up any computer product of any brand for a fee, and to offer a coupon against the purchase of future computers or components; it was the largest computer recycler in America in 2003, and it has recycled over 750 million pounds of electronic waste globally since 1995. It encourages the shared approach of collection points for consumers and recyclers to meet.

Exchange

Manufacturers often offer a free replacement service when purchasing a new PC. Dell Computers and Apple Inc. will take back old products when one buys a new one. Both refurbish and resell their own computers with a one-year warranty.
Many companies purchase and recycle all brands of working and broken laptops and notebook computers, whether from individuals or corporations. Building a market for recycling of desktop computers has proven more difficult than exchange programs for laptops, smartphones, and other smaller electronics. A basic business model is to provide a seller an instant online quote based on laptop characteristics, then to send a shipping label and prepaid box to the seller, to erase, reformat, and process the laptop, and to pay rapidly by check. A majority of these companies are also generalized electronic waste recyclers as well; organizations that recycle computers exclusively include Cash For Laptops, a laptop refurbisher in Nevada that claims to be the first to buy laptops online, in 2001.

Bulk laptops at a recycling affiliate, broken down into Dell, Gateway Computers, Hewlett-Packard, Sony, and other.

Scrapping/recycling

For systems which are obsolete or no longer useful to its user, recycling is often the only choice available. This is usually done by breaking down the equipment into its component parts, such as plastics and metals. These parts can then be recycled through various methods depending on the material. Recyclers typically charge a fee, but in return many (see e-Stewards) have a zero-landfill policy and the sorted or shredded pieces are melted down to recover their component materials for re-use.

Early pioneering efforts to e-waste

The first major publication to report the recycling of computers and electronic waste was published on the front page of the New York Times on April 14, 1993 by columnist Steve Lohr. See *

Data security

Data security is an important part of computer recycling. Federal regulations mandate that there are no information security leaks in the lifecycle of secure data; this includes its destruction and recycling. There are a number of federal laws and regulations, including HIPAA, Sarbanes-Oxley, FACTA, GLB, which govern the data lifecycle and require that establishments with high and low-profile data keep their data secure.Recycling computers can be dangerous when handling sensitive data, specifically to businesses storing tax records or employee information. While most people will try to wipe their hard drives clean before disposing of their old computers, only 5 percent rely on an industry specialist or a third party to completely clean the system before it's disposed of according to an IBM survey. Industry standards recommend a 3X overwriting process for complete protection against retrieving confidential information. This means a hard drive must be wiped three times in order to ensure the data cannot be retrieved and possibly used by others.

Reasons to destroy and recycle securely

There are ways to ensure that not only hardware is destroyed but also the private data on the hard drive. Having customer data stolen, lost, or misplaced contributes to the ever growing number of people who are affected by identity theft, which can cause corporations to lose more than just money. The image of a company that holds secure data, such as banks, law firms, pharmaceuticals, and credit corporations is also at risk. If a company’s public image is hurt that could cause consumers to not use their services and could cost millions in business losses and positive public relation campaigns. The cost of data breaches "var[ies] widely ranging $90 to $50,000 (under HIPAA's new HITECH amendment, that came about through the American Recovery and Revitalization act of 2009) per customer record, depending on whether the breach is “low-profile” or “high-profile” and the company is in a non-regulated or highly regulated area, such as banking or medical institutions.” There is also a major backlash from the consumer if there is a data breach in a company that is supposed to be trusted to protect their private information. If an organization has any consumer info on file, they must by law (Red Flags Clarification act of 2010) have written information protection policies and procedures in place, that serve to combat, mitigate, and detect vulnerable areas that could result in identity theft. The United States Department of Defense has published a standard to which recyclers and individuals may meet in order to satisfy HIPAA requirements.

Secure recycling

There are regulations that monitor the data security on end-of-life hardware. National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) “is the international trade association for companies providing information destruction services. Suppliers of products, equipment and services to destruction companies are also eligible for membership. NAID's mission is to promote the information destruction industry and the standards and ethics of its member companies.” There are companies that follow the guidelines from NAID and also meet all Federal EPA and local DEP regulations.
The typical process for computer recycling aims to securely destroy hard drives while still recycling the byproduct. A typical process for effective computer recycling accomplishes the following:

Receive hardware for destruction in locked and securely transported vehicles
Shred hard drives
Separate all aluminum from the waste metals with an electromagnet
Collect and securely deliver the shredded remains to an aluminum recycling plant
Mold the remaining hard drive parts into aluminum ingots

VAIO

2011-09-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

(From Wikipedia.org)
VAIO ( /ˈvaɪ.oʊ/) is a sub-brand used for many of Sony's computer products. Originally an acronym of Video Audio Integrated Operation, this was amended to Visual Audio Intelligent Organizer in 2008 to celebrate the brand's 10th anniversary. The branding was created by Timothy Hanley to distinguish items that integrate consumer audio and video with conventional computing products, such as the Sony VAIO W Series personal computer, which functioned as a regular computer and a miniature entertainment center. Although Sony made computers in the 1980s exclusively for the Japanese market, the company withdrew from the computer business around the turn of the decade. Sony's re-entry to the global computer market under the new VAIO brand, began in 1996 with the PCV series of desktops. The VAIO logo also represents the integration of analog and digital technology with the 'VA' representing an analog wave and the 'IO' representing a digital binary code.

Products

Sony has expanded its use of the VAIO brand, which can now be found on notebooks, subnotebooks, desktops and media centres. Network media solutions by Sony will also carry the VAIO brand.
VAIO notebooks are currently shipped with Microsoft Windows 7 Professional^{[citation needed]} (Business line) or Windows 7 Home Premium, while high-end models sometimes come with Windows 7 Ultimate.
In mid-2005, all models stopped shipping with a Recovery CD, which was replaced by a hidden partition on the hard drive, accessible at boot via the BIOS or within Windows via a utility. Pressing [F10] at the VAIO logo during boot-up will cause the notebook to boot from the recovery partition; where the user has the choice of either running hardware diagnostics without affecting the installed system, or restoring (re-imaging) the hard drive to factory condition – an option that destroys all user installed applications and data). When first running a VAIO system out of the box, users are prompted to create a set of recovery DVDs, which will be required in case of hard disk failure and replacement with a new drive. These are not normally required if the system is restored from the hidden partition).
Also included as part of the out-of-box experience, are prompts to register at Club VAIO, an online community for VAIO owners and enthusiasts, which also provides automatic driver updates and technical support via email, along with exclusive desktop wallpapers and promotional offers. On recent models, the customer is also prompted to register the installed trial versions of Microsoft Office and the antivirus software (Norton Anti-Virus on older models, and McAfee Antivirus on newer ones) upon initial boot.
VAIO computers come with components from companies such as Intel processors, Seagate Technology, Hitachi, Fujitsu or Toshiba hard drives, Infineon RAM, Atheros and Intel wireless chipsets, Sony (usually made by Hitachi) or Matsushita optical drives, Intel, NVIDIA or ATI graphics processors and Sony speakers. Recent laptops have been shipped with Qimonda RAM, HP speakers with Realtek High Definition Audio Systems, and optional Dolby Sound Room technology. It has been confirmed that a touch-screen VAIO is planned for launch as well as support for PlayStation Network.

Technology

VAIO Z series (2008) Keyboard and switch buttons

Some Sony VAIO models come with Sony's proprietary XBRITE (known as ClearBright in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region) displays. The first model to introduce this feature was the VAIO TR series, which was also the first consumer product to utilize such technology. It is a combination of smooth screen, anti-reflection (AR) coating and high-efficiency lens sheet. Sony claims that the smooth finish provides a sharper screen display, the AR coating prevents external light from scattering when it hits the screen, and the high-efficiency lens sheet provides 1.5 times the brightness improvement over traditional LCD designs. Battery life is also extended through reduced usage of the LCD backlight. The technology was pioneered by Sony engineer Masaaki Nakagawa, who is in charge of the VAIO TR development.
The TX series, introduced in September 2005, was the first notebook to implement an LED back-lit screen, which provides lower power consumption and greater color reproduction. This technology has now been widely adopted by many other notebook manufacturers. The TX series was also the first to use a 16:9 aspect ratio screen with 1366x768 resolution.
The SZ series was the first to use switchable graphics – the motherboard contained an Intel GMCH (Graphics Memory Controller Hub) featuring its own in-built graphics controller (complete memory hub controller and graphics accelerator on the one die) and a separate NVIDIA graphics accelerator chipset directly interfaced with the GMCH. The GMCH could be used to reduce power consumption and extend battery life whereas the NVIDIA chipset would be used when greater graphics processing power was needed. A switch is used to toggle between the graphics options but required the user to preselect the mode to be used before the motherboard could initialize. The Z series has recently replaced the SZ series and does not require a restart of the system to change graphic modes on Windows Vista, which can be done "on the fly". This feature has subsequently been used by other manufacturers, including Apple, Asus and Alienware.
The high-end AR Series VAIOs were the first to incorporate a Blu-ray Disc burner. This series was designed to be the epitome of high-definition products including a 1080p capable WUXGA (1920 × 1200 pixels) screen, HDMI output and the aforementioned Blu-ray burner. The AR series also includes an illuminated logo below the screen. Blu-ray/HDMI capable models have been the subject of intense promotion since mid-2007, selling with a variety of bundled Blu-ray Discs. The AR series was subsequently replaced by the AW series, which incorporates all of these features in a 18.4" 16/9 display.
Another recent addition to the VAIO series is the TZ model. This new design features a 64GB Solid State Drive (SSD) for rapid boot-ups, quicker application launches and greater durability. If selected, a 250GB Hard Drive may also be included in place of the built-in CD/DVD drive to provide room for additional storage. For security, this model includes a biometric fingerprint sensor and Trusted Platform Module. The TZ offers a Built-in highly miniaturized Motion Eye camera built into the LCD panel for video conferencing. Additional features include the XBRITE LCD, integrated Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) technology and Bluetooth technology.
A selection of media centres were added to the VAIO range in 2006. These monitorless units (identified by a product code prefixed by VGX rather than VGN) are designed to form part of a home entertainment system. They typically take input from a TV tuner card, and output video via HDMI or composite video connection to an ideally high-definition television. So far this range includes the XL and TP lines. The VGX-TP line is visually unique, featuring a circular, 'biscuit-tin' style design with most features obscured behind panels, rather than the traditional set-top box design.
The VAIO line also features a series of desktop computers, which incorporate a motherboard and widescreen LCD monitor into a single unit, in a manner similar to the more recent models of Apple's iMac series. These are identified by VGC in the product code.

Bundled software

Sony has been criticized for loading its VAIO laptops with bloatware, or ineffective and unrequested software that supposedly allows the user to immediately use the laptop for multimedia purposes. Dell had been accused of the same practice, but after strong customer feedback agreed to offer "limited" pre-installed software on its machines. Sony now offers a "Fresh start" option in some regions with several of their business models. With this option, the computer is shipped only with a basic Windows operating system and very little trial software already installed. The default webcam software in VAIO notebooks is ArcSoft WebCam Companion. It offers a set of special effects called Magic-i visual effects, through which users can enhance the images and videos taken through the webcam. It also features a face detection feature. Certain other Sony proprietary software such as Click to Disc Editor, VAIO Music Box, VAIO Movie Story, VAIO Media Plus are also included with recent models. Those shipped with ATI Radeon Video cards feature the Catalyst Control Centre, which enables the user to adjust the various video features such as brightness, contrast, resolution etc., and also enables connection to an external display.

Toshiba T1200

2011-09-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

The Toshiba T1200 was a laptop manufactured by the Toshiba Corporation, first made in 1987. It was an upgraded version of the Toshiba T1100 Plus.
It was equipped with an Intel 80C86 processor at 9.54 MHz, 1MB RAM of which 384kB could be used for LIM EMS or as a RAMdisk, CGA graphics card, one 720Kb 3.5" floppy drive and one 20 MB hard drive (Some models had two floppy drives.) MS-DOS 3.30 was included with the laptop. It was the first laptop with a swappable battery pack. Its original price was $6499.
The T1200's hard drive had an unusual 26-pin interface made by JVC, incompatible with ST506/412 or ATA interfaces. Floppy drives were connected using similar 26-pin connectors. The computer had many unique functions, such as Hard RAM - a small part of RAM was battery-backed and could be used as non-volatile hard drive. Another function allowed to suspend the system or power control the hard drive (which was still dependent on the hard disk's on/off switch).
The Toshiba T1200xe is a later model of this laptop. It had a 12Mhz 80C286 processor and a 20Mb hard disk drive. It also had 1Mb of RAM expandable to 5Mb.

Acer Aspire Notebook

2011-09-22T07:34:00.000-07:00

Aspire is a series of personal computers by Acer Inc. aimed at the casual household user or for small business use. The Aspire series covers both desktop computers and laptops. Acer developed the series in order to cover from essentials to high performances.

Aspire notebook models

Many of the Aspire laptops, such as model 8920G, have built in Blu-Ray drives, 5.1 audio outputs and Transflective displays. Acer was the first to include these drives in laptops. In 2007 Acer introduced the Gemstone series that marked a milestone in the Acer Aspire line. From now on the Aspire line will be characterized by design and a stylish look.

Aspire 1410
Aspire 1410 Olympic Edition
Aspire 1420 Touch
Aspire 1425 Touch
Aspire 1430
Aspire 1551
Aspire 1570
Aspire 1810 Olympic Edition
Aspire 1820 TouchAspire 1820 Touch
Aspire 2430
Aspire 2920
Aspire 2930
Aspire 3050
Aspire 3410
Aspire 3620
Aspire 3610
Aspire 3680
Aspire 3690
Aspire 3935
Aspire 4230
Aspire 4235
Aspire 4310
Aspire 4240
Aspire 4251
Aspire 4252
Aspire 4253
Aspire 4330
Aspire 4332
Aspire 4333
Aspire 4336
Aspire 4410
Aspire 4520
Aspire 4530
Aspire 4535
Aspire 4540
Aspire 4551
Aspire 4552
Aspire 4553
Aspire 4625
Aspire 4710
Aspire 4732
Aspire 4736
Aspire 4736 G
Aspire 4738
Aspire 4740
Aspire 4740 G
Aspire 4741
Aspire 4741 G
Aspire 4745
Aspire 4920 G
Aspire 4930
Aspire 4930 G
Aspire 4935
Aspire 4935 G
Aspire 4937
Aspire 5050
Aspire 5051
Aspire 5100
Aspire 5230
Aspire 5235
Aspire 5236
Aspire 5241
Aspire 5242
Aspire 5251
Aspire 5310
Aspire 5315
Aspire 5330
Aspire 5332
Aspire 5334
Aspire 5335
Aspire 5336
Aspire 5338
Aspire 5410
Aspire 5515
Aspire 5516
Aspire 5517
Aspire 5520
Aspire 5530
Aspire 5532
Aspire 5534
Aspire 5535
Aspire 5536
Aspire 5338
Aspire 5541
Aspire 5542
Aspire 5551
Aspire 5551 G
Aspire 5552
Aspire 5553
Aspire 5560
Aspire 5570
Aspire 5580
Aspire 5590
Aspire 5610
Aspire 5625
Aspire 5680
Aspire 5715 z
Aspire 5720
Aspire 5730 z
Aspire 5732
Aspire 5734 z
Aspire 5735
Aspire 5736
Aspire 5737 z
Aspire 5738
Aspire 5738 3D
Aspire 5738 Touch
Aspire 5739
Aspire 5739 with graphic card
Aspire 5740
Aspire 4740 3D
Aspire 5741 with graphic card
Aspire 5742
Aspire 5745
Aspire 5745 with graphic card
Aspire 5745 3D
Aspire 5920
Aspire 5920 with graphic card
Aspire 5925
Aspire 5930
Aspire 5930 with graphic card
Aspire 5935
Aspire 5935 with graphic card
Aspire 5940
Aspire 5940 with graphic card
Aspire 5942
Aspire 5943 with graphic card
Aspire 6530
Aspire 6530 with graphic card
Aspire 6920
Aspire 6920 with graphic card
Aspire 6930
Aspire 6930 with graphic card
Aspire 6935
Aspire 6935 with graphic card
Aspire 7230
Aspire 7251
Aspire 7315
Aspire 7330
Aspire 7530
Aspire 7530
Aspire 7535 with graphic card
Aspire 7540
Aspire 7551
Aspire 7552 with graphic card
Aspire 7720
Aspire 7720 with graphic card
Aspire 7730
Aspire 7730 with graphic card
Aspire 7735
Aspire 7736
Aspire 7738
Aspire 7738 with graphic card
Aspire 7740
Aspire 7540 with graphic card
Aspire 7741
Aspire 7745
Aspire 7551
Aspire 7552 with graphic card
Aspire 8530
Aspire 8540
Aspire 8730
Aspire 8730 with graphic card
Aspire 8735
Aspire 8920
Aspire 8920 with graphic card
Aspire 8930
Aspire 8930 with graphic card
Aspire 8935
Aspire 8940
Aspire 8940 with graphic card
Aspire 8942
Aspire 8942 with graphic card
Aspire 8943 with graphic card
Aspire One

Aspire 5738

ThinkPad X Series

2011-09-22T03:21:00.000-07:00

ThinkPad X Series

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The ThinkPad X Series are part of a computer product line, available in laptop and tablet varieties. IBM announced the ThinkPad X Series in September 2000 with the intention of providing “workers on the move with a better experience in extra-thin and extra-light mobile computing.” The first X Series laptops were “slimmer than a deck of cards” and “lighter than a half-gallon of milk”, despite the presence of a 12.1-inch Thin-film transistor (TFT) display. These design values – thin and light – continued to be a part of the ThinkPad X Series laptops even after the purchase of IBM’s Personal Computing Division by Lenovo. The first X Series ThinkPad released by Lenovo, was the X41 in 2005.

Models

The different models in the ThinkPad X Series are given below. The list is organized in chronological descending order, with the oldest models appearing at the end of the list.

2011

The ThinkPad X Series laptops released in 2011 by Lenovo were the X120e, X220, X220 Tablet and X1.

X120e

The ThinkPad X120e was released in March 2011. The laptop won "Best Affordable Business Ultraportable" at CES 2011. The laptop’s specifications are given below.

Processor: AMD Fusion E-240 or E-350 processor
RAM: up to 4GB DDR3 1333 MHz
Graphics: AMD Vision Pro graphics
Battery life: 7.5 hours
Weight: Starting at 2.93 lbs with a 3-cell battery.

X220

The ThinkPad X220 was released in April 2011. LAPTOP Magazine received the X220 positively. The laptop was praised for its battery life, performance, low weight, display, keyboard, and significantly improved temperature control. However, the web camera did not receive favor – while images were crisp and clear, colors were reported to be muted.
Engadget said about the, “all-too-familiar ThinkPad can deceive you with its boring business looks, but it's arguably one of the best laptops we've ever tested”. Notebook Review was of the same opinion, stating that the “ThinkPad X220 is quite simply the best 12-inch business notebook we've reviewed so far.”
The laptop’s specifications are given below:

Processor: Intel Sandy Bridge
RAM: Up to 8GB DDR3 1333 MHz RAM
Graphics: Intel HD integrated graphics
Battery life: Up to 15 hours of battery life with a 9-cell battery. This battery life could be increased to 23 hours with a 9-cell battery and an external battery pack.
Weight: Less than 3 lbs

X220 Tablet

The X220 Tablet was also released in April 2011. The Tablet offered the same specifications as the X220 laptop, in terms of processor, graphics, and RAM. The battery life on the X220 Tablet was up to 9 hours with a 6-cell battery and up to 18 hours with an external battery pack and a 6-cell battery. The starting weight of the Tablet was 3.88 lbs.

X1

The ThinkPad X1 laptop was released by Lenovo in May 2011. Notebook Review offered a positive opinion of the ThinkPad X1, saying that it was “A powerful notebook that combines the durability and features of a business-class Thinkpad with the style of a consumer laptop.”
PCWorld also reviewed the laptop positively, giving it 4.5 stars out of 5. According to the PCWorld review, the ThinkPad X1 is the “thinnest ThinkPad ever”. The review further clarified that the laptop was neither thick or heavy, nor inferior to other, extremely slim laptops by saying that it was a laptop for a different audience. As with most ThinkPad X Series laptops, the X1 was designed for business users who need a light laptop when travelling.
The Engadget review of the X1 laptop was similarly positive, with the reviewer praising the thin design, durability, ergonomics, performance, and speakers. The only criticism, noted by Notebook Review, PCWorld, and Engadget alike, was the low battery life.
LAPTOP Magazine offered a glowing review of the ThinkPad X1, saying “Thanks to its fast performance, superior keyboard, ultra-bright display, and much-improved audio quality, the ThinkPad X1 is the best all-around business ultraportable.” The keyboard, in particular, received extremely high praise, with the reviewer stating, “Putting a ThinkPad X1 at the fingers of a touch-typist is like placing a Stradivarius in the hands of a violinist. While all of Lenovo's ThinkPads have strong keyboards, the ThinkPad X1 features the best laptop keyboard we've ever tested.”
The specifications of the ThinkPad X1 laptop are given below:

Processor: Up to Intel Core i7-2620M processors
RAM: Up to 8GB DDR3 1333 MHz RAM
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Battery life: Up to 5.2 hours. This could be extended further to 10 hours with a slice battery.
Weight: Starting at 3.73 lbs

2010

The X Series laptops released in 2010 from Lenovo were X100e, X201, X201s, and X201 Tablet.

X100e

The ThinkPad X100e was released in 2010, with Engadget calling the laptop “the perfect solution between a netbook and a larger 13- or 14-inch ULV ultraportable”. Available in two colors (heatwave red and the traditional ThinkPad matte black) the design was compared to that of the Edge series which deviated from traditional ThinkPad design. The X100e, however, despite the choice of colors, retained the “angular edges and boxy build” which “scream traditional ThinkPad design”.
The specifications of the X100e laptop are given below:

Processor: 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon Neo Single-Core MV-40
RAM: up to 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 32 bit
Display: 11.6 inch HD LED backlit anti-glare
Storage capacity: 250GB 5400RPM SATA
Graphics: ATI Radeon 3200
Card reader: 4-in-1
Web camera: 0.3-megapixel
Battery: 6-cell
Dimensions: 11.1" x 8.2" x 0.6"/1.2"
Weight: 3.3 pounds with a 6-cell battery

X201

The specifications of the X201 are given below:

Processor: Intel Core i5-540M (2.53 GHz, 3MB Cache)
Graphics: Intel GMA HD Integrated Graphics
Memory: 4GB DDR3 RAM (2GB + 2GB)
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
Screen: 12.1 inch LED backlit
Storage: 320GB 7200 RPM
Battery: 9-cell
Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.2 x 0.8 - 1.4"
Weight: 3.52 lbs

X201s

The specifications of the X201s are given below:

Processor: Intel Core i7-640LM, 2.13 GHz
Memory: 4GB DDR3
Graphics: Intel GMA HD (integrated)
Storage: 320GB 5400 RPM
Screen: 12.1-inch LED backlit
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional (64bit)
Battery: 6-cell
Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.3 x 0.8 - 1.4"
Weight: 2.77 lbs

X201 Tablet

The X201 Tablet, released in 2010, was criticized by Engadget for its lack of durability, protruding battery, and 1.3 inch thick body, while praised for its performance. Notebook Review had similar views about the X201 Tablet in terms of both performance and battery life while indicating that the display could have been improved.

2008

The laptops released in the X series in 2008 followed the new naming conventions established by Lenovo. The X Series laptops released by Lenovo in 2008 were X200 and X300.

X200

The ThinkPad X200 was released in 2008. The specifications of the X200 are given below:

Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Montevina platform
Display: Widescreen display
Battery life: Up to 10 hours with a 9-cell battery

The laptop features cooler components (made possible with the fan design modeled on owl-wings). However, the laptop did not have a touchpad (only the TrackPoint), no HDMI, DVI, or display port, and no built-in optical drive.

X300

The ThinkPad X300 was also released in 2008. The price at the time of the review by Notebook Review was extremely high, and indicated to be out of range for all but corporate users. LAPTOP Magazine awarded the X300 laptop a score of 4.5 stars, among the highest for a ThinkPad X Series laptop.
The specifications of the X300 are given below:

Processor: 1.20 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo L7100
Graphics: Intel X3100
Operating System: Windows XP Professional
Screen: 13.3-inch LED backlit display
Memory: up to 4GB
Storage: 64GB SSD
Optical Drive: Ultra-thin DVD Burner
Dimensions: 12.4" x 9.1" x 0.73" - 0.92"
Weight: starting at 2.93 lbs

The laptop was less an inch thick, making it the thinnest ThinkPad available at the time. The X300 laptop offered a quick boot with SSD. It also offered a built-in optical drive, uncommon in thin and light notebooks. However, the laptop did not include an SD card reader, had no expansion dock capability, and no ExpressCard or PC Card slot.

2007

The X Series laptops released in 2007 from Lenovo were X61, X61s, and X61 Tablet.

X61

The X61 especially received mixed user reviews on CNET, with some claiming display problems, and delivery delays, while others praised the laptop for performance and portability.
Reviewers, however, praised the ultraportable. Notebook Review called it an “extremely fast ultraportable”. The display contrast and view angles were criticized, and the touchpad which was prone to heating from the wireless card beneath it.
The specifications of the laptop are given below:

Processor: 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300
Chipset: Intel 965 Express
RAM: 2GB DDR2 PC5300
Storage: 100GB 7200RPM
Screen: 12.1 inch LCD
Graphics: Intel X3100

X61s

The X61s was praised for its good build quality, performance, and long battery life – the latter of which was an improvement over the X41.
The specifications of the laptop are given below:

Processor: 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo L7500
Chipset: Intel i965M
Memory: up to 4GB DDR2 PC5300
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business 32 Bit
Hard Drive: 100GB 7200RPM
Screen: 12 inch
Graphics Card: Intel X3100

X61 Tablet

The ThinkPad X61 Tablet also received positive reviews, with IT Reviews saying that “the build quality and engineering are second to none and this shines through with the Tablet features which have been executed with something close to genius”. However, the high price and relatively low performance were criticized by the reviewer.
TabletPC Review acknowledged the sturdiness of the X61s Tablet, the high battery life, and the quality of the pen. The features that met with disfavor were the lack of a widescreen, display brightness and colors, and the lack of an optical drive – although the reviewer admitted that the absence helps reduce weight.

2006

The X Series laptops released in 2006 from Lenovo were X60, X60s, and the X60 Tablet.

X60 and X60s

The X60 and X60s differed primarily in the use of processors: the X60s had a low voltage processor, while the X60 did not.
In its review of the ThinkPad X60/X60s, Notebook Review called the laptop “Hands down the best performing ultraportable on the market”, while raising issues about the design and the lack of an optical drive.
The specifications of the laptop are given below:

Processor: 1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo L2400
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Storage: 80GB 5400RPM
RAM: up to 2GB DDR2 SDRAM
Display: 12.1"
Graphics: Intel Media Accelerator 950

X60 Tablet

The ThinkPad X60 Tablet was praised by reviewers. LAPTOP Magazine said that the ThinkPad X60 Tablet “raises the bar for business-class convertibles”. The most significant issue raised was the low capacity 4-cell battery, which provided battery life of two hours.

2005

The only X Series model released in 2005 by IBM was the X41 Tablet.

X41 Tablet

Three years after the release of the X30, upon acquiring the ThinkPad division, Lenovo released the ThinkPad X41 ultraportable laptop. The X41 was convertible, with the capacity to function as a tablet PC and an ultraportable laptop.

Features

Some of the features common across X Series laptops are given below. These features cover the performance of the laptops, laptop durability, software, and environmental certifications.

Performance

The 2011 X Series laptops offer up to Intel Core i7 processors. Graphics options on the laptops include either Intel HD Graphics or AMD Fusion graphics. The laptops also offer Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7.

Durability

The ThinkPad X Series laptops include features that increase the durability and reliability of the laptop. Some of the features found in the 2011 X Series laptops are the ThinkPad roll cage, top and bottom covers made from a Magnesium alloy, and solid metal hinges. The keyboard available on the laptops is also spill-resistant.

Software

Preloaded ThinkVantage Technologies software on Lenovo's 2011 X Series laptops includes Rescue and Recovery, Active Protection System, and Client Security Solution. The X Series laptops also support BIOS port disablement and remote data disablement. Computrace technology is also available on the laptops.

Eco-consciousness

Lenovo's 2011 X Series laptops are EPEAT Gold certified, EPEAT Silver rated, ENERGY STAR Certified, and RoHS compliant. The laptops also include Arsenic-free glass and Mercury-free displays. The packaging used is indicated by Lenovo to be 90% recyclable by weight.

HP TouchSmart 520xt series

2011-09-21T07:01:00.000-07:00

An innovative touch screen, suite of touch apps, and iconic look and feel make our TouchSmart 520xt series well worth considering. Featuring an Intel 2nd Gen quad-core¹ i5 processor^{^‡}, this powerful, compact, wireless² all-in-one with touch-enabled 23" (diagonal) high-def^{^§} widescreen is ready to make your Web surfing, movies, and music more intuitive than ever.

Starting from: $999.99*

Star performer

Get a major power boost with this series' Intel 2nd Gen Core i5 quad-core processor:

Extra performance when you need it and improved energy efficiency when you don't
Intel Turbo Boost Technology³, which automatically speeds up the system when the PC needs extra performance
Multitask processing: each core can work on two tasks at onc^e

The power of touch

The PCs in this series recognize your fingers before you touch the screen, making interaction more accurate and responsive. You can:

Surf the Web⁴, watch movies, play songs, and flip through photos
Pinch, rotate, arc, flick, press, drag, and zip around with multi-touch gestures
Explore the new TouchSmart 5.0"magic canvas"—a fun, interactive background where you can jot notes and open lots of content and apps all at once

Cool and easy apps

Experience music, photos, videos, and games via touch. You'll get:

Endless entertainment with a range of touch-integrated apps⁴
Twitter, Facebook, and other on-line destinations via touch interfaces⁴
Windows Live Essentials for creating and sharing photos and movies, connecting with friends, organizing e-mail, and more⁴
The ability to burn and edit videos, plus create slide shows and movies⁵
HP LinkUp, which lets you wirelessly access, update, and save documents on any laptop on your home network from your desktop PC⁶
Music the way artists intended it to sound with Beats audio
TV watching, pausing, rewinding, and recording with an optional dual-format NTSC and over-air ATSC high-def tuner⁷
5 HP games, already loaded

Singular sensation

This series' slim design is essentially clutter-free (just a single power cord), making it perfect for the kitchen counter or your favorite room. Features include:

A 23" Full HD widescreen with 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium
Fast, easy, trusted Web browsing with Windows Internet Explorer⁴
The ability to tilt the screen back 30 degrees for comfortable viewing
A wireless keyboard and mouse
Internal antennas for 802.11 Wi-Fi²
A slot-loading DVD drive (with Blu-ray player ⁸) and 6-in-1 digital media card reader
Optional HDMI input
Integrated premium stereo speakers
An adjustable base
A removable platform in case you want to mount it on a wall (optional bracket sold separately)
A built-in, adjustable-tilt webcam and mic
A free 60-day Norton Internet Security subscription⁹, optimized for your PC and ranked #1 in protection and performance^{^†}

Mindful of the environment

We're committed to global citizenship and environmental responsibility by delivering energy-efficient products and reducing resource use and waste. This series:

Is ENERGY STAR® qualified and EPEAT Silver registered¹⁰
Cuts energy use via power-management technology¹¹
Ships in 100% recyclable packaging that contains a minimum of 60% recycled material¹²

Solid warranty and support

This series is backed by a two-year limited warranty¹³ on hardware with award-winning HP Total Care service and support. You'll get:

Toll-free 24 x 7, Web, on-line chat, and e-mail support
A year of free limited software support¹⁴
Lifetime use of HP Support Assistant from your desktop
Convenient in-home service if needed (HP may, at our discretion, supply on-site support for troubleshooting and repair)¹⁵

Visit our Consumer Support Forum at HP.com/support/consumer-forum to exchange insights and tips, and get answers to questions.

1. Multi-core is a new technology designed to improve performance of multithreaded software products and hardware-aware multitasking operating systems and may require appropriate operating systems software for full benefit. Not all customers or software apps will necessarily benefit from use of this technology.
2. Wireless access point and Internet service sold separately.
3. Intel Turbo Boost technology requires PC with processor with Intel Turbo Boost capability. Intel Turbo Boost performance varies depending on hardware, software, overall system configuration. More info: www.intel.com/technology/turboboost.
4. Internet access required; sold separately.
5. Actual speeds may vary. Don't copy copyright-protected materials.
6. Limited software technical support available for non-HP/third-party software purchases.
7. Tuner required, sold as optional feature. ATSC high-definition (HD) and NTSC source content varies and will depend on broadcast signal, antenna, geographic location, other factors. External over-air antenna that receives UHF and VHF signals required for ATSC reception. Viewing HD content requires compatible high-def display. Ability to record, edit, or transfer broadcast content such as TV programming may be limited depending on type of content. Performance issues may arise, do not constitute defects in product. For optimal results, HP recommends closing all other apps while recording and watching TV.
8. Blu-ray is a new format containing new technologies. Certain disc, digital connection, compatibility, and/or performance issues may arise, and do not constitute defects in the product. Flawless playback on all systems is not guaranteed.
9. Internet access required. First 60 days included; subscription required for live updates afterward.
10. HP only registers consumer PC products with EPEAT in US and Canada. Outside US and Canada this product would not qualify for registration.
11. According to estimates made using EPA statistics comparing PCs with and without power management. More info: www.ENERGY STAR®.gov/ia/business/bulk_purchasing/bpsavings_calc/Calc_computers.xls
12. 100% recyclable in USA; recyclability may vary in other locations due to availability of recycling programs.
13. Support available for one year from date of purchase/lease. Dated sales or delivery receipt is proof of purchase/lease; you may be required to provide it as condition of receiving support. Support available only for software preinstalled by HP.
14. Limited software technical support available for non-HP/third-party software purchases.
15. In-home warranty avail. on select customizable HP desktop PCs. Need for in-home service determined by HP support rep. Customer may need to run system self-test programs or correct reported faults by following advice over phone. On-site service provided only if issue can't be corrected remotely. Service not avail. holidays, weekends.