Portable computing accessories: more than just the box

Article Abstract:

IT managers need to deal with the integration of portable computers in office environments because portables now make up the majority of computers for professional workers. To perform the integration requires deciding on the appropriate keyboard, mouse, port replicator, LAN adapter and display monitor. In the area of accessories and options, the emergence of DeviceBay specifications will permit vendors and third parties to construct thin and standard devices for all PC portables. The introduction of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) will also aid in simplifying management of portable systems. The USB is a slow-speed technology permitting users to form peripheral products in a "daisy-chain" pattern from one portable connector. Also, the soon-to-be-released "1394", or Firewire standard will be capable of linking devices in a daisy-chain from the portable. However, the 1394 standard will be faster, capable of easily connecting printer, audio and video accessories to the portable.

Standard, Standardization, Keyboards (Computers), Mice (Computer peripherals), Color monitors, Color monitor, Mouse, USB, USB (Universal serial bus), Keyboard, LAN/WAN adapter, LAN adapters

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Notebook buyer's dilemma: one, two or three spindles?

Article Abstract:

The number of spindles present in a portable computer is important information for notebook buyers. A spindle is the axis of a rotating device. A CD-ROM has a spindle around which 650MB of data rotates. A hard drive has spindle around which the magnetic media rotates. Floppy drives also have spindles around which magnetic data rotates. Notebooks sold before 1996 were mostly two-spindle systems. One spindle was for the floppy disk and one was for the hard disk. Vendors altered the design by building single-spindle notebooks to accomodate the need for a CD-ROM drive. These machines have a flexbay that can be used to house modular drives. Vendors are now building three-spindle notebooks. Several new models have three spindles, including Compaq's Presario 1100, IBM's ThinkPad 380 and NEC's Versa 2700. This trend is likely to continue because users have come to expect a hard disk, floppy drive and CD-ROM drive all built into a single system.

Hard disk drive, Hard disk drives

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Designing the perfect portable

Article Abstract:

Imagine you are a product manager asked to design the 'perfect' portable computer, and the goal is to have the new product ready to be introduced at COMDEX, in Nov 1998. What components would such a product include? For example, the display, the most important factor for many users, might be the 14.1-in display from the IBM ThinkPad 770 or the Digital HiNote Ultra 2000, with the forthcoming generation's low power and sharper display. For a processor, Intel says it will be offering a Pentium II capable of running faster than 300MHz, so that chip could be included. For communications, an internal X2 56.6-Kbps modem from 3Com will look good on the specifications even if it will not always run that fast. Other components are enumerated, and reasons for choosing them are given.

Technology development, Column, Laptop/portable computer, Laptop computers, Portable computers

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