Home > Learning Center > Laptop Computers
Laptop Computers
Click here to see our selection of
Laptop Computers.
Is the laptop dead? They have been touted for years as the best way to compute and have become increasingly light, powerful with brightly lit, colorful displays, but their future is still uncertain. While portable computing is sure to become more accessible, laptop computers in the form they exist today are sure to vanish.
The age old design of the portable computer has always relied on figuring out a way to remove the large desktop unit leaving just a screen and keyboard. There are a number of limitations that occur when going portable, the most notable being battery life. Batteries are heavy, hot, and expensive. The heat generated from the battery adversely affects the computers processing speed and this is magnified by setting it on warm legs. Many laptops have to devote a significant amount of their power just to cooling off the battery! While a laptop stand with fans underneath can lessen this effect they are much less than portable.
One of the most promising energy sources for powering laptops of the future is a combination of kinetic energy and fuel cells. While fuel cells are still a few years away from powering a notebook computer they have the potential to last for weeks on one charge, a huge improvement over the best lithium ion batteries which barely last 7 hours. Kinetic energy is already used to power small consumer devices such as flashlights and cell phones. The movement of the user's body, through shaking the device or simply by walking with it in a pocket, can easily generate enough energy to power these very efficient devices. Wireless magnetic power sources are a reality so expect to see more of this in the future, batteries may not even be needed at all.
Not only will laptop computers be powered by your own movements while walking, but every key stroke will generate energy as well, if there even is a keyboard. More and more portable devices are eliminating every button on the device and instead covering it with a touch sensitive flat screen. Tablet PCs are getting faster and more responsive with bright, durable displays that are ideal for graphic designers, artists, receptionists, students, teachers, doctors, police officers, architects as well as many other professions. A keyboard can simply be displayed on the screen when needed and many include handwriting recognition software. Speech recognition software is getting better and better, but many people still prefer not to announce everything they are writing or viewing.
Size is still a highly relevant factor concerning any portable device. While a lot of space is devoted to the battery, the meat and bones of the device is the computing power and any peripherals such as USB ports and DVD drives. Hard drives and processors are slowly evolving towards solid state technology that is instantly accessibly and has no moving parts greatly increasing the speed of the computer. Any extra space can be used as RAM for even more computing power, but the most radical shift will be the design of these computers.
Imagine displays that roll into the body of the computer which is shaped like an artists tube with a strap. Or a screen stands up on its own with a detachable keyboard. High resolution goggle displays that connect to iPhones and even DVD players are a reality and holographic 3D displays are quickly evolving. The future is bright, fast and in high-def.
Jump to most popular search results:
Laptop stand | Batteries
| Covers | Cases
| Accessories | Bags
| Skins | Power
Supply | Coolers
Home | Security, Exchanges and Returns | Contact Us | About Us | Shipping Policies | Learning Center
Copyright © 1998 - 2010