Laptops:Merits and Demerits-How are they different from Notebooks and netbooks
A laptop is a computer which is meant to be carried to any place, unlike the desktop, thus making it more convenient for us to do our computing work at any time. Here, I would like to discuss the merits and demerits of the laptop and conclude with a few statistics concerning the laptops.
MERITS:
The main benefit of a laptop is its PORTABILITY. There is no separate CPU and as it has a touch pad, there is no necessity to carry even a mouse or a mouse pad. It has an LCD screen as compared to the CRT monitors of the traditional desktops, and hence are lighter. It is handy and can be taken anywhere and everywhere; except perhaps to high altitudes! The other benefits are:
Less power consumption: As it has a rechargeable battery it can be operated on even in the absence of power, though only for a couple of hours.
Built-in Accessories: Almost all of the laptops have a built-in CD drive, graphics card and speakers. A microphone is present in some laptops. Modem and Bluetooth are also integrated into the system.
Less Space: Laptops need less space and hence are suited for homes where there is not much room for gadgets. Furthermore, the number of power connections required is practically nil-only for charging the battery.
Good Time-pass: During journeys, laptops provide a good source of entertainment as movies can be watched on the move.
Preloaded with OS: Most of the laptops are preloaded with an operating system, thus sparing the users of the trouble of purchasing it separately and installing.
DEMERITS:
More Expensive: Laptops are costlier than desktops due to the LCD screen and other advanced features. Typically a low-end laptop comes at a price of a high-end desktop.
Less availability of Servicing: Servicing of the machine is limited as only the manufactured company will be able to fix a damaged laptop. Even upgradation of some internal parts like processors or hard disks may not be allowed in many cases.
Prone to Theft: As they are portable, they are also liable to be stolen easily. Hence, they need to be guarded with care.
Absence of Floppy: There is no floppy drive in many laptops. However, an external floppy disk can be connected to a USB port on the laptop.
As seen from the above points, the merits outnumber the demerits, hence making the laptops popular day by day. Their sales are indeed growing by the year, with some of the top brands being Acer, HP, IBM,Sony, Dell, Compaq, Lenovo etc.
SOME STATISTICS:
# First laptop: Osborn 1, Osborne Computer Corporations.
# Slimmest laptop: Adamo XPS, manufactured by Dell Corporations (width: 9.99 mm).
# Top Selling laptop brand: HP
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LAPTOP, A NETBOOK AND A NOTEBOOK?
Notebook computers are those which are smaller in size and are light-weight. They do built in drive and speakers; however, there is no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi integration and the battery lasts longer than in case of laptops.
Netbooks are similar to notebook, but are smaller and do not have a CD- drive. They have relatively slower processors, but the only advantage is that they can run on Linux operating System. Besides, it has a smaller battery and hence, a shorter battery life. Netbooks are basically designed for simpler tasks.
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