Laptop computers have become the number one resource for individuals that are on the go, and need to remain connected. Fusing the versatility of portability with powerful specifications and features of a desktop computer, laptops have flooded the technology market; especially today’s laptops that are equipped with wireless network cards that allow the Internet to go virtually anywhere.
With processing speeds averaging around 2.2 GHz with recently introduced “dual-core processors”, laptops are far superior to their younger sibling the netbook. Laptops range in size from 10″ to 19″, allowing room for much more powerful hardware, software, and features. Furthermore, memory for laptops can range from 1 GB to 8 GB, as compared to the 512 MB to 2 GB netbooks.
Installed on approximately 11% of laptops, Apple’s unique operating system is a major competitor against PC-based, Windows operated laptops including Acer, Compaq, Dell, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Sony, Toshiba, and many more. Apple claims to offer high quality products, but at higher end prices, where Microsoft Windows based laptops are targeted towards multiple markets which would be expected to do well in a recessing economy. Conversely, Apple has recently reported record-breaking earnings.
In 1975, IBM introduced the first portable computer called the IBM 5100. IBM equipped the machine with optional hard drives ranging from 8 KB to 64 KB, with a total price tag ranging from $9,000 to $20,000. IBM’s 55-pound laptop was a cornerstone in computer history, as at the time the average computer weighed around 1,000 pounds. Today, laptops usually come standard with about 200 GB, and it is not uncommon to find some laptops priced below $500.
A sister to the laptop line of products includes “Tablets” which are slightly different than the “fold out” laptops. Tablets enable the user to turn the computer screen into a touch-screen with use of a special pen-like device called a stylus. With no mouse or track-pad, tablets work by the Plumber Median Salary user physically touching the screen as the input device. Furthermore, tablets have a unique feature of recognizing handwriting that is written across the screen by the stylus. This is a convenient technology for note-takers or professionals that need to quickly input information on the go.
No longer are the days of marketing laptops solely for the business and corporate markets. Over the past decade, the population of college-bound individuals has increased drastically, which also increased the sales of laptops. The college population seeks not only laptops that meet their academics needs, but also provide a gateway to entertainment. Laptops today are equipped with improved sound, blu-ray disc players, and high-resolution screens.
Laptops today are also equipped with a profound and growing technology: wireless internet cards. Consumers now can connect to the Internet on their back porch, at the coffee Electrician Hours shop, school, or even at a friend’s house without the use of any cords. Laptop consumers are able to communicate to anyone in the world from anywhere in the world.
