Netbooks, Notebooks and Laptopsdesktop computers |

Will the new All-In-One Computers cut into Laptop Sales?

RT Cunningham — Thu, 13 May 2010 06:03:05 +0000

After seeing photos of various all-in-one computers for sale, I'm almost convinced that these kinds of computers will eventually outsell laptop computers. I could be wrong, of course, so I won't go out on a limb and say I'm totally convinced.

What are All-In-One Computers?

How each one looks and operates is as different as the brand names producing them. Basically an all-in-one computer consists of a desktop-type LCD monitor with the computer attached to it. Everything except the keyboard and mouse is included.

If I were to "scrunch" my computer case into a piece that would fit onto one side of my monitor, or onto the rear of it, I would have an all-in-one computer. The new all-in-one computers use components that would fit into a laptop computer, so it makes sense that the computer part of it would be fairly small. It also does away with the use of an extra power cord and a monitor cable.

What about Laptops?

Let's use some common sense. A lot of people use laptop computers just like they use desktop computers. Even those that go mobile with them plug them into external power sources when the opportunities present themselves. For the less than mobile, the all-in-one computers are attractive choices.

If you consider that an all-in-one computer, including a keyboard and a mouse, can probably fit into a decent-sized briefcase, it looks especially attractive to people who move from office to office frequently.

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing one type of computer over another and the all-in-one computers have just been presented as another choice.

But would I buy an All-In-One Computer?

Well, my desktop computer still has a lot of life in it. If it dies on me, then I'll have to consider an all-in-one computer as well as another desktop computer as a replacement.

I see drawbacks to all of the all-in-one computers in that the parts aren't interchangeable with other all-in-one computers (from other brands), unlike most of the components contained in desktop computer cases. If I could get one at a reasonable price, however, I probably buy one.

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Desktop Computers and Power Supply Units

RT Cunningham — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:58:32 +0000

Sometimes just called a "power supply", a power supply unit (PSU) converts AC (alternating current) power to DC (direct current) power in desktop computers and distributes that power to the internal components. While power supply units are present in laptop computers, the power conversion is usually handled by an external transformer (usually called an "adapter") between a laptop and a power cord while the PSU simply handles the distribution. Of course, that's only when the laptop battery isn't being used.

Power Supply Units and Wattage

The PSU wattage output usually isn't a problem for laptop computers because the internal components are matched in such a way that normal usage won't go beyond what the PSU is rated for.

People like to add stuff to desktop computers, however, and this is where the problem lies. If you build your own computer, you'll know to get a PSU with a lot of wattage (450 watts and above) simply because you know you'll be adding more to it than most pre-built computers.

People with pre-built desktop computers don't usually add enough to their computers to make much of difference, unless the PSU is low wattage to begin with.

A Case in Point

A friend of mine owns a Dell desktop computer and is thinking of getting a Dell Mini as a netbook. After his recent experience with the desktop computer, he may be reconsidering.

When I bought my desktop computer, the first thing I checked was the power supply unit. I was happy because it was a 500-watt unit. I knew I could add an additional hard drive to it and it wouldn't cause any problems.

My friend didn't do that, obviously. He probably wasn't allowed to do so since opening the case would probably void his warranty. I guess it doesn't matter now because his warranty expired. Anyway, he added a hard drive to it and didn't pay attention to how sluggish his computer became because, after all, it was running Windows. It always seem sluggish to him anyway.

A couple of weeks ago, his PSU died. He was lucky in that it happened at the end of his work week and he had the entire weekend to replace it. He was also lucky it didn't take out other components at the same time, as faulty PSUs are known to do. When he pulled the old one out, he discovered it was a 350-watt PSU. No wonder it blew – it couldn't handle that extra hard drive if he started using other peripherals at the same time.

Needless to say, he replaced it with a beefier PSU and the computer isn't as sluggish now as when he first got it. He's happy with it, but I still think he's going to think twice about buying a Dell in the future.

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Is a Laptop Computer better than a Desktop Computer?

RT Cunningham — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:26:03 +0000

Are laptop computers better than desktop computers? I don't think so, but today I was reminded of one the reasons why most Filipinos buy one form of laptop or another. It's because a laptop battery is included and can usually last up to three hours or more, depending on what applications are being run. A backup power supply for a desktop computer has to be purchased separately.

Laptop Computers versus Desktop Computers

This is more prevalent in under developed countries like the Philippines, but brownouts can seriously cramp your computing style. It makes sense to have a battery backup of some kind and laptops, including netbooks, come with the batter backups as part of the basic equipment.

A laptop also takes up less space than a desktop computer because everything is integrated into a notebook-style shell. When you live in a small apartment, space is at a premium and some people like having more space to use for other things.

Desktop computers have become smaller over the years as people switch from the old CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors to LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors. Although OLED (organic light emitting diode) technology is slowly making its way into laptops (and consumes even less electricity than the LCD), it may never make its way into desktop computer monitors. I think the reason is because laptop computers will eventually be the only types of full-scale computers that can be obtained. No, the e-book readers and specialized tablets like the iPad are not full-scale computers and will never replace them.

Other Considerations

I'm currently using a netbook as a backup computer and a desktop computer as my primary computer. I prefer working at a desktop computer for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is that I hate the touchpad (or trackpad) on a laptop computer. I always plug in a cordless optical mouse, an item that I think every laptop road warrior should have in possession at all times.

I also like the ability to get keyboards big enough for my fat fingers. I learned how to type on a manual typewriter in 1975 (yes, I'm old, so shut up) long before the word keyboard became prominently used. Even a wide screen notebook computer has keys that seem too close together for comfortable typing (and I type 60+ words per minute on a bad day). The final reason I prefer desktop computers over laptop computers is because components can be changed as they break, or at least most of them. I haven't seen a laptop yet where anything can be changed easily.

A laptop computer would be much more enticing to me and to other people who prefer desktop computers if the main components could be easily replaced without taking the laptop computer to a service center. Even the mainboard (also called motherboard) should be easy to replace.

Oh, you're looking for that reason, right?

I experienced a three and a half hour brownout which shut down my computer while I was doing some other work. It was unannounced and unexpected — we have good weather. No, I haven't bought the UPS (uninterruptible power supply) I mentioned about eight months ago.

I'm retired and living on a pension. I have a fixed budget that covers more than I want it to, but that's a different story. I won't even be able to afford a coffee maker (and I'm getting real tired of instant coffee) until after I pay my income tax (or maybe not, it all depends on how badly the current administration has mucked up the tax laws) and my son's next semester of college.

Give me a break. At least I managed to buy a netbook as a backup and that was a financial feat in itself.

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Using Good Audio Speakers with a Laptop Computer

RT Cunningham — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:56:46 +0000

Most laptop computers (and most desktop computers, for that matter) only have a single audio output jack. Regular computer speakers use a single plug (usually green) and then split the signal between two speakers. This works well for just about anything… except music and DVD audio.

Audio Cards

With desktop computers, you can open the case and plug in an advanced audio card made by any number of manufacturers. This audio card will have multiple audio output jacks.

With most laptop computers, adding an audio card isn't an option. I say "most" because some top-of-the-line laptops offer features that regular laptops (the kind normal working people can afford) don't. Needless to say, I have never investigated if this is an option for them or not.

Signal Splitters

The easiest way to use a good audio speaker system, the kind with more than two speakers, is to put a signal splitter between the computer and the speakers. This is what I did for myself in 2006, after my wife bought me a Creative Inspire audio speaker system.

With this speaker system, I could only use the main speaker and two satellite speakers (of five) by inserting the green plug only into the audio output jack of the notebook computer I was using at the time. This worked fine most of the time and had much better sound than the cheap computer speakers you normally get.

I wasn't satisfied with the 3-speaker sound. When I returned to the US in August of 2006, for my older son's wedding, I ordered a Boostaroo signal splitter and amplifier. Designed to work with iPods and other portable MP3 players, it still worked well with my notebook. This was perfect for using the notebook and audio speaker combination for some of the outdoor parties we've had since then.

Other Options

I honestly don't know of any other way to hook up good audio speakers to any kind of computer system. The options I know of only consist of using either an advanced audio card or a signal splitter as a "go between". If you have any other ideas, please let me know.

Of course, you can always use a good headset instead of audio speakers. You'd be listening to music or whatever by yourself, but at least it wouldn't sound horrible.

I still use the Boostaroo splitter with my desktop computer. With future outdoor parties, I plan to use unplug it and use it (along with the speakers and an external hard drive with a ton of music on it) with my MSI Wind netbook computer. It won't be quite as portable as I'd like, but I haven't heard of wireless audio speaker systems being available yet.

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What's a Nettop Computer?

RT Cunningham — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:55:35 +0000

Until I saw an article which announced the Lenovo IdeaCenter Q110, I didn't even know nettops existed. After quick research, I found that the word nettop is a portmanteau (a word blended from two words) of Internet and desktop, much like the word netbook is a portmanteau of Internet and notebook.

Like netbooks, nettops are designed to be in smaller form factors and consume fewer resources than their big brothers, the desktop computers.

Differences

Unlike netbooks, nettops do not include a monitor. After all, they're not designed to be portable. Also unlike netbooks, some nettops actually include optical drives.

Of course, the size is another difference. A nettop is smaller than a standard desktop computer, whether it's a horizontal or tower case. Nettops use far less power than regular desktop computers and the processors are less powerful.

The standard desktop computer tower can be opened and parts can be replaced by consumers (possibly voiding warranties unless the warranties have already expired). It's pretty easy to find parts to fit the case, from the motherboard to the hard disk drive. Since nettops are more "congested", it seems the average consumer won't find it as easy to replace parts for.

Similarities

Standard desktop computers vary widely in prices, from the low-end for the average home computer user to the high-end gamer. It seems that the nettops are more similar in pricing to that of netbooks than they are to regular desktops.

Other than having most of the same ports available, there isn't much else to be similar.

Manufacturers

It appears the manufacturers supporting the production of netbooks (and mini laptops, if you know the difference) are the same manufactures supporting the production of nettop computers. Frankly, I haven't investigated whether I would even buy a nettop yet because I still have a desktop computer which hasn't skipped a beat since I bought it two years ago. I suspect I wouldn't because I need the horsepower to run several applications at once.

Whether you buy a netbook or a nettop doesn't seem to matter at this point. The lower prices will eventually push more computers into consumer homes and laptop bags. People who were sitting on fence as to whether to join the 21st century and buy a home or portable computer are now more likely to do so.

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Netbooks, Notebooks and Laptops

RT Cunningham — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:28:39 +0000

While I was writing a post about netbook, notebook and laptop computers on my main blog, I was inspired to set up this site.

Until the beginning of July, 2009, I'll be doing some online window shopping of netbook computers. I already own a now-dead notebook computer and I don't feel like taking that route again.

Laptops

The term "laptop computer" encompasses the computer that are now called "netbooks" and "notebooks" and hybrids that are a little of both. That may sound redundant, but it isn't. A netbook is designed for a different kind of user than a notebook.

Notebooks can replace desktop computers. Netbooks cannot. Netbooks are designed to be less resource intensive and therefore aren't designed to do everything notebook computers can do. The current models of netbook computers run either Linux or Windows XP. Windows Vista uses more resources than a netbook is intended to provide.

Netbooks

Since notebooks are designed to be both portable, either wired or wireless, and can completely replace desktop computers, I won't mention anything else about them right now.

Netbook computers are designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet, not for day to day computing needs. They're primarily designed for web browsing and taking care of email. They rely heavily on remote access to Internet web-based applications.

Since netbooks cost less to manufacture and are less expensive than notebooks and desktop computers, they're poised to become more widely used than the other types of computers within the next few years.

My Quest

I'm searching for a suitable netbook computer to be used for two purposes: 1) As my backup computer, since my online business is web-based and only requires three applications and 2) As a computer than my wife can use to assist me while I'm using my desktop computer.

I am a typist. I learned to type on manual typewriters before most people even knew what a computer was — somewhere around 1975. I prefer a full-sized keyboard. The netbook I choose will have to have keys large enough for my large fingers and wide enough for me to be comfortable typing on.

I'm not concerned about the screen size. I know that I won't be getting one of the smallest netbooks because using the keyboard would keep me in a constant state of frustration. If the screen size is any indication of how big the keyboard is, I'll be looking for the largest netbook available. If I can get a good enough deal, I may even get two of them at the same time (one for the wife and one for me).

Wireless Broadband

There is at least one decent wireless broadband company local to me. I have DSL connection for the PC I'm using right now, but I want to use a wireless connection for my netbook, even if it can use a wired connection.

With the DSL provider I currently use, I'm limited to one connection and it's patchy at times. I'm required to have a standard land line in order to have the connection. With a wireless provider, I don't need an additional land line. If the wireless provider works out, I may ditch the DSL provider completely along with the land line I never use.

Share Your Opinions and Experience

If you have a laptop computer of some kind and would like to share your opinion or experience with it, feel free to send me a message using the contact form. If I write it about it, I'll include a link to your site (if you have one). You can also share your opinions on models you've looked at.

My own research is going to be web-based since I live in the Philippines and don't have access to a good supply of netbooks where I can physically examine them. I'm sure I'll find a few, but I'll still get the specs from the web.

Since netbooks and notebooks continue to evolve, I won't stop doing research when I finally get one for myself. The lifespan of any computer is finite and I'll have to replace one or more computers in a relatively short period of time — probably within five years.

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