Choosing The Right Laptop For You

Before buying the right laptop, consider these features:

The processor or CPU is the heart of  the computers and laptops.  Consider the power and version (latest is the best choice) depending on your requirements and budget. Intel and AMD are the only manufacturers of processor.

The memory of the laptops determines the speed and efficiency of your machine.  The bigger the memory, the faster it work.  Of course, bigger memory means bigger budget for you. 

The connectivity of the laptop is very important.  Make sure it has at least two USB connection and at least one firewire connection.  It should be WiFi ready and with Bluetooth connectivity. 

The compactability and weight of the laptop is quite essential too.  Make sure it’s sturdy enough and you can carry it without much effort on your part.  The heat coming from the bottom of the machine should also be checked.

Not all laptops have optical drive or dvd player or writer.  Usually, mini laptops have no optical drive, but can be installed with an external driver. 

The display screen or LCD depends on the number of pixels and size of the screen.  Higher number of pixels are more expensive.

My iPod Touch

The first time i used my iPod Touch, I was totally blown away!  This ultra slim, amazing gadget is so high tech, I cannot even compare it to other music video players or mp4 in the market. This is actually my 1st time to own an iPod, before I’m using the ancient but still functional Creative Zen Mp4. 

The feature of the iPod touch I’m so impressed with is its built in accelerometer.  Sure, my smart phone have such feature for portrait viewing, but to use it for gaming is something else.  Playing Bolt and some racing games is easy and exciting as the iPod becomes your steering controller to navigate.  How cool is that!

Surfing the net, sending email and downloading applications, games and music in iTune is now a breeze with iPod Touch with its WiFi connectivity.  Now you don’t need your PC or laptop for these tasks. Just bring with you your iPod Touch to any WiFi hotspot and zoom away.  You can also use Wifi to locate an address or get directions with the map application. Have you tried Google Earth in your computer?  Well, you can do that too with the iPod Touch. 

The multi-touch feature of the iPod Touch is an incredible system far different from my smart phone which requires a stylus most of the time. Just a flick, pinch and tap and your’e in full control of your iPhone Touch. 

My iPhone Touch with 16gig Memory capacity. Simply love it.

Sony Vaio P Series

Sony has recently launched the newest addition to its line of laptop computers: the Sony Vaio P Series. It’s touted as “the world’s lightest 8-inch notebook,” finding its way into the fast-growing market of new-generation laptop computers called netbooks, which are basically mini computers smaller and lighter than the traditional laptops and designed for simpler functions such as on-the-go browsing, e-mailing and typing.

The Sony Vaio P Series boasts of its stylish, 1.4-pound-light body, which is available in several sleek colors. It’s said to fit right into a clutch bag. It also has a built-in GPS system, making it a helpful companion on trips.

The P Series is Sony’s answer to Hewlett Packard’s HP Mini, Acer’s Asus Eee PC, and Dell’s Mini Inspiron netbooks. Sony’s market shares fell by 1.2 percent probably due to the recent financial crises in many countries, but the company is hoping that this new product will help them recuperate.

WiFi Access

Nowadays, it is common to find people lugging their laptops even to restaurants or malls. These people are not necessarily yuppies or professionals. Some of them are even younger, maybe students who continue their internet surfing even when not at home. Thanks to wireless internet connection, this is now possible.

In our place, there are malls which have free wifi access, same with some restaurants. A coffee shop here also has wifi but they charge a fee for it. This is convenient for their customers because they can still browse the internet or quickly check their inbox while waiting for snack to be served. This is a good way to pass time too.

On the other hand, some security issues were raised due to the network being wireless so it’s possible that it might be hacked. They’re saying that it’s a like free highway and information might be intercepted. I will probably read more on this so that I can be well-informed. What I can suggest is to choose password combinations that are not easy to decode for protection. Also, do not disclose personal information from not a verified source. In the end, it all boils down to discretion and good judgment in divulging personal information.

Wireless Connection

At home, we have two desktop computers and a laptop. Of course, it is more convenient to have a wireless internet connection at home so that I can use my laptop downstairs when I have work to do. It’s somewhat a hassle to be restricted by a cable attached to it like it used to when we were using a different router.

We planned to save up for it but good thing; my mother-in-law sent us a wireless router, NetGear, which they haven’t used in a while since they have a new one. My husband quickly connected it and voila! We went wireless and never looked back ever since.

It’s very convenient to do this instead because I can now work anywhere in the house with my laptop. With my job, sometimes I am tasked to handle webchat and answer email from customers, so this is really the way to go for me. But for some days that I take phone calls, I use my desktop computer.

For almost half a year now of using a wireless connection it has greatly improved my flexibility. I can do my work while waiting for dinner to cook, or to watch over my son while he’s playing. It’s great for multitasking. Even malls and restaurants here have wireless connection offered to their customers. More and more people are enjoying its benefits as they are still connected to the www wherever they go. Thanks heavens for wireless!

The New Nabaztag/tag

The new Nabaztag/tag is the updated version of the cute electronic white rabbit that sits on your counter, desk or other accessible area. By linking your Nabaztag to your Wi-Fi network, your new electronic friend will be able to tell you the weather, read your email, and relay an instant message coming your way. If this isn’t enough, the handy white rabbit can be used as an alarm clock, report the daily news, voice RSS feeds and stream MP3s. Nabaztag can read blogs, websites, radio stations in 16 languages and can independently speak 5 languages (English, French, Italian, Spanish and German). It even has the ability to free you from your computer with email alerts connecting you with your favorite social networking website.

Similar to the iDog, the Nabaztag sings, puts on a light show and dances when music is played. Though far more technologically advanced than the iDog, the Nabaztag is marketed as a “personal companion”. It obeys orders and updates you when new information comes its way. With its own personality (think Furbee) your new assistant can send messages and song play lists to other Nabaztag users. You can also have your rabbit “married” or linked to another rabbits. For example, if your significant others’ Nabatag is married to your Nabatag you can send subtle messages to him/her throughout the day. By bending the ear of your rabbit, your loved one’s rabbit’s ear will bend as well, no matter how far away you are. So throughout the work day you can send your significant other small gestures of love without saying a word. Now, that is cute.

Another feature of the Nabaztag is the use of RFID tags. Place a tag on your key chain and when you enter your Wi-Fi network range (your home, office or other area) an email can be sent to someone telling them your whereabouts. This feature is great for working parents, kids coming home from school, or people in long distance relationships.

Eye-Fi Wireless Memory Card

The Eye-Fi is a 2 GB wireless memory card. This invention has the ability to upload pictures from your digital camera to your computer via the card’s built-in Wi-Fi. In today’s fast-paced world, this is an ideal must-have. After setting the Eye-Fi up to your home wireless network, pictures will automatically upload when you enter into your network’s range.

Eye-Fi also allows you to wirelessly upload files from your camera to popular photo sharing and printing websites at no additional charge. The files are transferred to your computer and photo sharing websites in their original JPEG format with full resolution. The card can fit into any camera that uses a standard SD memory card. No extra driver needs to be installed. A simple software application (included) is all it takes to begin.

This is a list of SD memory based cameras which are compatible with the Eye-Fi wireless memory card: Cannon, Casio, FujiFilm, HP, Kodak, Nikon, Panasonic, Pentax, Polaroid, Samsung, Sanyo and Sealife. Two manufacturers who are not compatible with the Eye-Fi are Sony and Olympus since they do not support the SD memory format. Other requirements include: internet connection; Wi-Fi network; Windows XP, Windows Vista or MAC OS X; Internet Explorer 6 /7, Firefox 2.0, or Safari 3.

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