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Notebooks are fast replacing desktop PCs both in the workplace and at home So what does the smart business executive do when he learns of an emergency meeting in another country, as he just walks out of one and is rushing into another? Gets into his car, flips open his sleek and smart travel companion and books his flight before others can even contact their travel agents and fill forms. Laptops have become essential tools not only for mobile executives but also students and homemakers. Light and sleek, they can be used for all types of mealtime activities, to buy and send gifts to friends globally, browse and submit assignments or prepare official presentations.
And with the latest mobile technology and an unrivalled Internet connection, one can only stay better connected! Intel Centrino mobile technology is the latest fad to hit computer geeks, featuring a fully integrated wireless LAN+ capability, great battery life and excellent performance. "Laptop in synchronisation with a phone through infrared/Bluetooth is one's ideal mobile office. "The enhancements in notebooks today are GPRS and Wi-Fi cards with the help of which one can use it as a regular phone, surf the net, and stay connected anywhere in the world," says Ganesh Iyer, Marketing Manager, Cellucom. While wireless capability, battery life, graphics card, sharp display and ports are a must for any laptop, hard drives are not much of a concern, as they can be updated anytime. "Memory is also not as important, because one can add more memory when in need. While it's nice to have as much memory as possible when one buys a laptop, this is not something that should be the final determining factor," he says. "However, security should not be compromised," says Susanne Lewitzki, Product Manager, Fujitsu Siemens Computers. "Various layers are available in our professional portfolio, such as the pre-boot Security Panel with PIN CODE, hard disk drive protection, Integrated SmartCard reader, built-in fingerprint sensors or the built-in Trusted Platform Module," she says. Fujitsu Siemen's recently launched AMILO M3438G, a high performance desktop replacement. "An elegant and slim design with its exceptional large 17-inch crystal view wide-screen display (16:10 format) makes it an excellent multimedia notebook," says Lewitzki. For professional users, Fujitsu Siemen's latest offer is the LIFEBOOK C1320. In an elegant, slim design with a 15-inch standard display or 15.4-inch wide-screen display (16:10 format), it targets the education and government sectors, boasting ideal connectivity solutions through optional WLAN and Bluetooth. It also includes the latest battery technology and offers an impressive work time capacity of up to 12.5 hours. Meanwhile, Sony's ergonomically designed Vaio series are for those who do not want to sacrifice function for convenience. Sony Vaio T360 P/L notebook boasts a massive 1Gb RAM and DVD-ROM, integrated wireless WAN (wide area network), wireless LAN and Bluetooth. Dell calls its cutting-edge, thin and light Inspiron 700m as the ‘go anywhere' notebook, perfect for frequent travellers, incorporating Intel Centrino mobile technology. Similarly, HP boasts notebooks in all categories; its latest HP Compaq Tablet PC TC4200 with full PC function and handwriting versatility and wide viewing angle display is a smart buy. If the new ThinkPad X41 convertible tablet is the thinnest and lightest in its class, LG's LT-20 Tablet PC with its 1.5GHz Pentium M processor is value for money. Acer also has packed in the latest technology in its range of notebooks, such as TravelMate series, Tablet PC series, Aspire series and Ferrari series. While Toshiba's Qosmio G15 notebook claims to be the best in portable entertainment, Intel plans to introduce Intel Viiv technology next year, designed to take digital entertainment to an even higher platform. And thanks to the tech-savvy entrepreneurs and a flourishing café culture, the demand for notebooks in the Middle East is increasing by the day. While there is no one notebook that will satisfy everyone's needs, it's vital for buyers to carefully study the latest features available before making a choice. Laptops are primarily of four types: desktop replacements, also known as desknotes or transportables, are designed for users who rarely need to travel. These laptops have big and comfortable keyboards and screens as well as lots of ports for possible expansions. However, they have low battery life and are quite heavy. Thin and light notebooks are relatively portable and offer enough power as well as plenty of multimedia chops for listening to music or watching videos. Usually with 14-inch to 15-inch wide displays, they have full-sized keyboards and long battery life. Weighing between five to six pounds and measuring about 1.5 inches thick, they ensure good performanc
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