Compaq Prosignia 190

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The Prosignia 190's two modular bays let you set it up for either extra-long battery life or extra-light weight. To watch back-to-back movies or work long stretches while in transit, you can swap out the removable floppy and DVD-ROM drives for two additional batteries ($179 for a 12-cell and $129 for an 8-cell). The total of three internal batteries such as Compaq Armada M700 Battery, Compaq EVO N610C Battery, Compaq EVO N620C Battery, Compaq Presario 1200 Battery, Compaq Presario 1800 Battery, Compaq 116314-001 Battery, Compaq Presario 700 Battery, Compaq Presario 900 Battery, Compaq Presario 1700 Battery, Compaq Presario X1000 Battery, Compaq Armada E500 Battery, the first we've seen in a notebook, provide up to 9 hours of outlet-free computing, according to Compaq (we tested only the primary battery). Or just insert space holders into both bays; doing so brings the Prosignia's 7.2-pound standard weight down to 6.1 pounds, impressively light for a notebook with a 15-inch screen. For heavy-duty storage, you can plug a second hard drive ($439 for a 12GB drive; $749 for an 18GB one) into the DVD-ROM drive bay.

WHAT'S NOT: Aside from an obtrusive screen latch and speaker ports positioned directly beneath typing hands, we can find little about the Prosignia 190 to ding.

WHAT ELSE: This Prosignia's sedate all-gray looks belie its many extras. Type A personalities eager to get a jump on work will like the myriad ways to launch applications, files, and Web sites from the keyboard (via four programmable shortcut buttons at the top, plus reprogrammable mouse buttons). Compaq's generous, well-written documentation includes a printed user's guide, an extensive ergonomic guide in the machine, and a downloadable online manual at the company's site. A copy of Microsoft's Office 2000 Professional Edition is bundled. If you leave out the locking screw, you can quickly pop out the primary hard drive for safekeeping. (The hard drive resides under a panel on the bottom, and the RAM sits beneath the keyboard, which you can peel back by pressing four large tabs at the top.) Like most Prosignias, the 190 has, for a notebook, better-than-average built-in audio. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite match the superbly full, rounded stereo of last year's Prosignia 140 and 160, the best-sounding notebooks we've heard. Performance in our PC WorldBench benchmark test--the Prosignia scored 130--was average for a Pentium III-650/500, which makes this model one of the fastest portables you can buy right now. Note to security-conscious companies: The Prosignia 190 is the first notebook we've seen offered with Keytronics' Biometrics FingerPrint Scanner ($94 extra). The device plugs into the notebook's serial port and is held with Velcro to the back of the screen. Compaq says its notebook keyboards eventually will include built-in scanners. Typing on the 190's keyboard is easy enough, except for the small, inconveniently placed Delete, Page Up, and Page Down keys.

BEST USE: The Prosignia 190 can morph into whatever a business needs: a portable with fantastically long battery life or extra storage, and a giant screen in a 6.1-pound package.

SUMMARY



Compaq Prosignia 190

PC WorldBench 2000 score of 130, Pentium III-650/500 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 15-inch active screen, 12GB hard drive, touchpad, 4X DVD-ROM drive, V.90 modem, multipurpose bay takes a second lithium ion battery, additional bay for third battery, Microsoft Office 2000 Professional Edition; 3-year parts warranty, 1-year labor warranty, free unlimited support, 24/7 toll-free support.

Compaq Armada E500

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The best-equipped notebook Compaq sells, the Armada E500 boasts Intel's top notebook processor, two modular bays, a 15-inch screen that supports 1400-by-1050 resolution, and convenient shortcut buttons. Because both the floppy and optical drives are removable, you can reconfigure the E500 in several different ways with extra-cost add-ins. For example, the notebook can hold as many as three batteries at once for up to nine hours of outlet-free computing, according to Compaq (we didn't test that claim, but we did get an impressive four hours out of a single battery). Each extra battery such as Compaq Armada M700 Battery, Compaq EVO N610C Battery, Compaq EVO N620C Battery, Compaq Presario 1200 Battery, Compaq Presario 1800 Battery, Compaq 116314-001 Battery, Compaq Presario 700 Battery, Compaq Presario 900 Battery, Compaq Presario 1700 Battery, Compaq Presario X1000 Battery, Compaq Armada E500 Battery costs $184. Alternatively, if you don't need the extra battery life or internal drives, you can plug both bays with included hollow travel bezels and lower the notebook's weight from over 8 pounds (including AC adapter) to about 6.5 pounds, which makes it light for its class. Other bay options include a 4X/4X/20X CD-RW drive ($399), SuperDisk LS-120 drive ($199), or second hard drive (up to 12 GB for $399). Compaq's lighter-weight corporate notebook, the Armada M700, can use the same devices, so companies can save money by sharing notebook modules. The E500's four shortcut buttons--for launching favorite applications, files, or Web sites--also are a helpful extra for multiple users. You can save an unlimited number of shortcut sets under different names, such as "Dave's project," and switch among them using the notebook's Easy Access utility.

WHAT'S NOT: Though most users won't notice the difference, the E500 lagged the average of PIII-850/700 notebooks we've tested running Windows 2000 Professional by 3 percent. It earned a PC WorldBench 2000 score of 157, compared with the average score of 162.

WHAT ELSE: The industrial-looking E500 is neither the handsomest nor the most traditionally designed corporate notebook we've seen. With its boxy profile, plain keyboard, large, bulbous screen latch, and vented back panel, the E500 looks more like a ruggedized laptop. Most of the ports are crammed on the right side and the back, with the left side of the notebook left oddly bare. But overall, it appears to be a well-built, capable machine. It allows easy access to both drives and memory (to free the hard drive, just remove one screw on the bottom of the notebook). DVD movies looked sharp and bright on our test machine, and music CDs sounded clear and adequately loud for a notebook. The volume toggle on the front of the notebook works smoothly and quickly. A composite video-out port lets the notebook use a TV screen as an external display, and pop-out tilt feet add typing comfort. Compaq includes utilities for managing the E500 across a network. Documentation covers the basics; you also get ergonomics advice in a separate Comfort and Safety Guide, and a Getting Started and Troubleshooting manual. In late October, Compaq recalled 55,000 batteries from E500 and V300 customers after one notebook overheated and smoked. (We didn't notice any problems with our test machine.) To see if you qualify for a battery replacement, go to http://www.compaqordercenter.com/sbrp/cl.asp.

BEST USE: The decked-out Armada E500 would make a reasonable choice for companies looking for a fuller-featured notebook to complement the thin-and-light Armada M700. However, both these notebooks are expensive compared with similarly equipped competitors, such as NEC's LXi and SXi lines. The E500's only unique advantages are its three-battery capacity and multiple-scheme shortcut buttons.

SUMMARY



Compaq Armada E500

PC WorldBench 2000 score of 157, Pentium III-850/700, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows 2000 Professional, 15-inch active-matrix screen, ATI Rage Mobility Pro with 8MB of SDRAM, 20GB hard drive, 8X DVD-ROM drive, touchpad pointing device, built-in V.90 modem and network interface, 8.2-pound weight (including AC adapter and phone cord), 1-year parts and labor warranty; free, 24-hour toll-free tech support.

Tips to Save Battery on your Notebook

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Follow these rules to get maximum juice out of your battery.

When laptops came into existence more than a decade ago, other than the obvious advantage of size and weight over a regular PC, they also served another important purpose - freedom from wires. A fully charged laptop of today runs for two hours at least. Netbooks, due to the use of low-power consuming internals, stretch that uptime to more than four hours on an average.

There are times when we are caught up somewhere without a wall socket nearby. So, what do we do in such situations to get the maximum juice off your battery such as Asus A42-A3 Battery, Asus A8F Battery, Asus F3T Battery, Asus F3Sc Battery, Asus F3Sv Battery, Asus 90-NI11B1000 Battery, Asus 90-NIA1B1000 Battery, Asus 90-NF51B1000 Battery, Asus 70-NF51B1000 Battery, Asus A32-A8 Battery, Asus Z99J Battery, Asus Z99H Battery? Read on.

This is a common mistake many tend to commit - leaving Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on even when not in use. These two wireless modules (especially Wi-Fi) can eat up your battery life pretty fast, as they keep searching for new networks and devices to connect.

If you're not going to use internet over Wi-Fi, it's ideal to simply turn it off. How? Look for a Wireless symbol button on your laptop. It could either be on one of the Function keys (F1 to F12). Or it could be a physical button on the laptop itself.

Still can't find one? No sweat - type "View network connections" in the Start Menu search bar in Windows Vista/7. Right-click the "Wireless Network Connection" icon and click disable. However, don't forget to enable it when you want to use Wi-Fi again. For Windows XP users, the same thing can be done in "Network Connections" in the Control panel.

A considerable chunk of power is used to illuminate your laptop's display. By having a conservative approach towards screen brightness, one can shoot those battery life figures upwards. For the uninitiated, brightness controls are typically on the Function (F1-F10) keys. Lower it down to a level where you can view the screen comfortably without any hindrance. Not only will it save battery life but also protect your eyes from the otherwise bright rays from the screen.

Restarting a PC Redundant

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Computers that don't lose their data, even when the power supply fails; laptops with batteries such as IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM 02K6620 Battery, IBM 02K7039 Battery, IBM ThinkPad X60 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1167 Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z60t Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z61t Battery, IBM 40Y6793 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1125 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1121 Battery that supply power for days without the need for recharging; handheld computers and cell phones with huge amounts of memory; and personal computers that, at the touch of a button, pick up again at the exact spot where you left off the day before - In just a few years, this vision of the future of computing could become reality.

The fundamentals for it are offered by new types of memory technologies. Supporting this prerequisite, the German semiconductor manufacturer Infineon together with IBM have presented the world's first 16-Mbit Magneto-resistive RAM (MRAM) prototype.

MRAM chips, unlike conventional chips, use magnetization to store information, instead of electrical charges. Until now, computers had to continuously supply the main memory chips with power in order to store data. The information on MRAM memories, however, remains intact even after the system has been powered down.

The working concept is similar to the way that data is stored on a computer's hard disk drive. Infineon's 16-Mbit MRAM chip is approximately 1,000 times faster than the non-volatile flash memory used in USB sticks, handheld computers and digital cameras. This speed enables exceptionally rapid access to data.

Furthermore, information can be stored in an MRAM memory cell up to one million times more often than is possible with flash memory. The high storage capacity of the 16Mbit Chip (16 million single cells) was enabled using a small 1.4 square microns cell. By comparison 5,000 storage cells would fit on a cross section of a human hair.

"The announcement of the world's first 16-megabit MRAM memory prototype," emphasized Dr. Wilhelm Beinvogl, Chief Technology Officer for the Memory Products Business Group at Infineon Technologies, "is a significant breakthrough in the development of this new technology."

Users would profit from the elimination of the annoying boot-up phase during which current computers load data from the hard disk drive to main memory. Additional advantages would be greater convenience, since the computer retains the current state of work, and, above all, longer battery run-times in mobile devices - from laptops to cell phones -, since non-volatility enables MRAM chips to consume less power than conventional DRAM does.

Infineon has been developing the MRAM chips in cooperation with IBM since the year 2000. Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and system solutions for the automotive and industrial sectors, for applications in the wired communications markets, secure mobile solutions as well as memory products.

Important Macintosh Resources

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I personal my very own instruction as well as talking to organization and also have transformed to the Macintosh from the COMPUTER just a couple in years past. We carry out lots of delivering presentations as well as create lots of programs. (You can easily see much more by what I actually , do right here: world wide web. molcs. com) We additionally perform subcontract work with the actual DoD as well as DHS, each which tend to be intrinsically Home windows procedures. Lots of people possess desired to understand how I will remain in synchronize with one of these computer systems as well as exactly what it's such as to become a Macintosh person in an , exceedingly Windows-dominated area.

First, We allow individuals realize that the actual Macintosh is actually a lot more suitable after that this was previously along with Home windows. Additionally, everything I have to focus on paperwork or perhaps a PDF FILE document includes the actual pc currently! We utilized Workplace with regard to some , Hp Pavilion Dv9000 Adapter, time however experienced a lot difficulty by using it We went along with iWork Which offers created all of the distinction on the planet!

First without a doubt exactly what I'm packaging. I personally use a good eighty Gig MackBook Atmosphere. I'm operating the most recent edition associated with Leopard. The actual MBAir is really ideal for vacationing, safeguard this having a SPECK obvious difficult spend, however I'm thinking about a hidden protect for this. (I possess 1 upon my personal apple iphone as well as adore it) The actual MBAir weighs in at simply more than 3 pounds. therefore hauling this close to is really a air flow. Actually We overlook I've this sometimes and also have to prevent to check on if zxcsky09584 it's nevertheless beside me!

Since I've restricted hard disk room, applications really are a high quality item personally. When i have stated We avoid using Workplace any longer because it's a large as well as clunky plan collection. I personally use as well as ADORE iWork! Webpages is actually, personally, an excellent term processor chip. I personally use laptop batteries this for those associated with my personal composing, plans, fliers, whitened documents, actually my personal company credit cards. I'm not really a energy spreadsheet person, however I actually do need to rely on them quite a bit. Amounts may be wonderful personally. I personally use this with regard to my personal charging as well as with regard to additional cheap laptop batteries tasks too. However the plan which has got the the majority of make use of through me personally is actually Keynote. I've been utilizing Powerpoint for a while right now as well as amazing, Keynote is actually this type of inhale associated with outdoors! It's therefore simple to use and it has truly assisted me personally in order to risk the declare as well as replacement laptop batteries such as Acer BTP-52EW Battery, Acer BTP-63D1 Battery, Acer BTP-42C1 Battery, Acer BTP-73E1 Battery, Acer BATCL50L Battery, Acer Aspire 1680 Battery, Acer TravelMate 4500 Battery, Acer LCBTP03003 Battery, Acer Aspire 1300 Battery, Acer BTP-ARJ1 Battery delivering presentations. What's truly good regarding iWork is actually it natively starts Workplace paperwork as well as delivering presentations with no difficulty. Additionally I will foreign trade the Keynote demonstration or even Webpages document to some Powerpoint or even Term record respectively. And also the getting celebration doesn't have concept it had been not really completed with MICROSOFT Workplace.... nicely, other than this appears better!

I make use of Postal mail with regard to my personal e-mail and also the iLife collection for those it's employed for. We also provide a good apple iphone, (I informed a person I'm a good just about all Macintosh store right now! )

Other applications I personally use contain Lojack with regard to Laptop computer, that is a hidden plan that will help you discover the dropped or even taken clapboard best. I personally use Drink to assist along with a few home cleaning, I'm testing out additional applications with this too. I've Pixelmator for just about any picture modifying I have to perform, that is not really a great deal. Cyberduck is perfect for my personal FILE TRANSFER PROTOCOL make use of. Efax messenger with regard to getting my personal faxes. Handbreak with regard to transforming Dvd disks for that apple iphone. I personally use Skype as well as Twitter outdoor patio with regard to remaining associated with Tweets.

Two additional applications I personally use by just a couple days back tend to be Points as well as Quicksilver. Points is really a GTD plan that's truly simple to use as well as amazing! We recommend the program for the to-do as well as GTD (Getting Points Done) requirements.

The final software program I've began to make use of which has experienced a very effective effect on me personally is actually Quicksilver through blacktree. com. Quicksilver is really a launcher, however upon extremely steroids! It will much more after that release programs--it may also proceed documents, search with regard to solitary connections within Tackle Guide, or perhaps a image within iTunes without having starting this. I will actually append the record without having computer batteries starting this! Quicksilver is definitely an incredible small plan and it has truly increased my personal function. Actually I've concealed my personal pier as well as do not utilize it any longer! Quicksilver will a lot We recommend getting as well as attempting this away. The advisable thing is that it's free of charge! We additionally make use of a couple of menus club applications, Such as Postal mail Unread menus to inform me personally the number of unread communications I've, Climate pier as well as Menus Diary Time clock iCal, a little plug-in which exhibits the actual day along with other products about the menus. We additionally make use of Ejector in order to remove hard disks type the actual menus club rather than pulling these phones the actual garbage that is concealed.

I may article some thing soon upon Quicksilver as well as proceed much more thorough about this after that. Therefore presently there you've it--that is actually my personal operating-system as well as exactly what I personally use to do all my personal work with the Home windows centered globe.

how long do ibm laptop batteries last for

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The equipment are generally the key gadgets for virtually any portable. These are much like the add-ons units that can increase the seems to be of an cellphone. Your equipment drastically affect your seems to , be along with kind of your tools. Unique variations of equipment are generally you can find nevertheless it is rather tough to find the ideal along with safe and sound unit for ones mobiles. The several patterns along with habits might make one particular find quite perplexed.

In this information many of us , IBM Adapter, will certainly illustrate many of the equipment that happen to be ought to for every single cellular telephone. These are defined down below.

1. Highly effective Battery

The battery pack is surely , Zero mobile devices operate and not using a battery pack while it does not take crucial element. A new battery pack have to be suitable to deliver substantial back center in order that the mobile or portable very last pertaining to extended timeframe.

2. Chargers

The chargers are widely-used for you to boost your current cellular material after laptop batteries they find cleared. Most your tools feature your charger playing with scenario the idea becomes missing you'll want to get a brand-new one particular. Consequently ahead of deciding on one particular ought to do not cheap laptop batteries forget that the modern charger have to be works with your cellular telephone. Types of varieties of chargers offered much like the take a trip chargers as well as your Wireless bluetooth chargers.

3. replacement laptop batteries Wireless bluetooth Headsets

The Wireless bluetooth headphones may be common currently as a consequence of very good audio good quality. They have got the built in mic presents a specific speech. It is usually ibm laptop batteries used by chattering as well as being attentive tunes. Your cell phone calls can even be joined by only one particular just click involving reply key.

4. Pockets As well as Cases

The pockets along IBM laptop batteries such as IBM FRU 92P1139 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1141 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1137 Battery, IBM 02K6651 Battery, IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM 02K6620 Battery, IBM 02K7039 Battery, IBM ThinkPad X60 Battery, IBM FRU 92P1167 Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z60t Battery with circumstances work as a new safeguard to the cellphone. That they steer clear of the device via airborne debris along with dust debris. Your circumstances have a very video slot on the inside straight into acer laptop batteries that this tools are generally equipped so they really tend not to slide. As a result these are employed to shield your phones via most form of injuries.

5. Files Cable

The files wire is critical as toshiba laptop batteries you possibly can attached by having a LAPTOP OR COMPUTER as well as notebook computers for you to shift files. Just about any volume of files might be mail via LAPTOP OR COMPUTER for you to phones as well as IBM laptop batteries vice versa. Photographs, tunes data, films anything might be shifted.

6. Recollection Card

The recollection playing cards are offered using every single device. That they can be bought in several computer batteries styles via 1GB for you to 07 GB. For that reason significant files might be rescued employing memory. This specific foliage the product recollection unfilled while there isn't ample place inside laptop batteries recollection. Hence the earlier mentioned equipment is sure to create your current mobile devices involving outstanding good quality. They feature protection and also fashion. Pertaining to after you ought to opt for samsung laptop batteries these kind of cool equipment to try out the modern effect age group.

Options For Macbook Pro Battery Replacement

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Apple's MacBook Pro computers have a battery that is supposedly non removable. Although the unibody design will keeps the cost of the product and help to keep the MacBook Pros small in size, it also does away with the ability to rapidly replace the battery. The fact is that Apple says the battery isn't removable at all unless the do the replacing. This is totally untrue. Either you can have Apple replace the battery or you can have a repair shop replace the battery or you can replace the battery yourself. Having Apple replace it is the most expensive (unless it is under warranty) and replacing it your self is the least expensive.

The MacBook Pro battery is removable. Although, it requires access to the bottom chassis, the battery is actually not hard to remove or to replace. The battery is secured in three places on the inside the MacBook Pro's case. However, users can definitely replace the battery by themselves but it will probably void the warranty.

Here is all that you have to do to replace a MacBook Pro battery: Apple A1175 Battery, Apple A1185 Battery, Apple M9324 Battery, apple PowerBook G3 Battery, Apple PowerBook G4 Battery, Apple PowerBook G4 15inch Battery, Apple A1012 Battery, Apple A1079 Battery, Apple A1078 Battery, Apple A1148 Battery, Apple M6091 Battery.

The first step that you need to do in order to replace your MacBook Pro battery is to identify the size of the laptop computer that you have. The 13" and the 15" models have a common battery design while the 17" laptop computer has its own on account of the larger screen and therefore the requirement for additional power.

Next, you will have to contact an Apple Authorized Service Provider, Apple Online, or an Apple retail store to get a replacement for your MacBook Pro battery. The 13" and 15" batteries both cost the same $129 plus tax and the 17" battery is $179 plus tax. These prices both include the cost of installation.

It will depend on where you have the battery replace in the MacBook, but you will either need to take it to the Apple store or send it in via mail. The advantage of the Apple store is that they will replace the battery the same day. The option to mail the battery in usually takes somewhere between 3 to 4 days after the battery is received. The turnaround times for authorized service providers varies.

If you decide to replace the battery yourself there are detailed instructions on the Internet on how to do so. Your only other option is to have a repair shop replace the battery.

Improve Battery Performance And Extended Battery Life

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The circuit can be automatically cut off the circuit to ensure that the batteries and equipment safety and to avoid personal harm. Use warning light flashes when the battery should be replaced with new batteries in time, to avoid excessive discharge, the case of non-last resort not to 2C discharge. As possible so that the battery used in the specifications. Lithium battery charging can accurately display the current charge, but also has the residual capacity display, LED, said section to its residual. Efficient and durable lightweight flexible lithium batteries such as IBM ThinkPad T20 battery, IBM ThinkPad X61 battery, IBM ThinkPad T61 battery, IBM ThinkPad X41 battery, IBM ThinkPad X40 battery, IBM ThinkPad X20 battery, IBM ThinkPad R60 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T60 Battery, IBM 40Y6797 Battery, IBM 40Y6799 Battery, greatly facilitate the television crew filming and writing. Large capacity lithium battery, long life, pollution-free, light weight, no memory effect, low self-discharge, high temperature or low temperature, can be used in a wider area, but very expensive and need to use a dedicated charger.

Battery life is the use of a period of time, charge and discharge capacity fell to 80% of nominal capacity prior to the charge and discharge times, they are not fully charge and discharge or failure is the battery life; self-discharge rate is after the battery fully charged long time no circumstances place the slow self-discharge phenomenon. Low self-discharge capacity after that time put down less.

To go out shooting or news interview programs in general are using the portable video recording equipment, and portable video devices supporting the use of the battery, whether efficient, high-quality continuous shooting long hours to ensure the smooth mention the crucial part. The normal functioning of the battery with our TV, audio-visual workers in their daily work in the proper use and careful maintenance were closely related to the use and maintenance should arouse our attention.

1, in their daily work, should be familiar with their own type of battery, it has the basic characteristics and performance. This guide us to correctly use and maintenance, is of great significance, for extending the battery life is also very important.

2, charging at room temperature is best controlled at between 10 -30 , the right temperature above 30 degrees Celsius is best to take measures to avoid overheating due to battery internal deformation; room temperature below 5 degrees Celsius, it could charge enough affect battery life.

3, battery use after a period of time, due to different levels of discharge and charge less than the existence of more or less the aging and performance degradation of the situation, in general, nickel-cadmium battery can charge and discharge of about 10 cycles, one-off charge. To extend the charging time is extended by more than about twice the normal charge.

With IBM of BC - 1WA (B) NP-1 charger on the battery, the green light flashes when fast charging, long bright green light stops flashing when charging starts fast charging end of the drip, drip extended charge time, charging time bit by bit over charging time, charging time 3-4 hours than is appropriate.

Toward Paper-Like Electronic Displays

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Eink Corporation, the leading developer and marketer of electronic ink technology, today announced that it has demonstrated the world’s first active matrix electronic ink display capable of producing high resolution illustrations and text. This innovative research and development milestone for electronic ink is a step toward a new generation of highly mobile devices such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and reader devices with screens as easy to read as ink on paper.

The display prototype is 12.1 inches diagonally with the resolution of a typical laptop computer monitor and is capable of creating high quality images, including illustrations. To make the electronic ink easily compatible with the necessary electronics, E Ink scientists developed a new version of electronic ink that changes ten times faster than the previous version. Contrast was also improved by switching the ink from blue to deep black.

“By demonstrating high resolution electronic ink for the first time, we have proven that E Ink is ready to work with the world’s leading display companies to develop the next-generation in electronic device displays,” said Jim Iuliano, president and CEO of E Ink. “This advance also brings us one step closer to paper-like electronic displays that preserve many of the same qualities we enjoy in books and newspapers today.”

IBM Research provided some of the electronics used in their laptop displays to E Ink for the research prototype. Starting with the active matrix from IBM, E Ink engineers added the electronic ink and modified the circuitry to complete a working device. IBM and E Ink will jointly deliver a paper describing the display prototype at the Society for Information Display Conference in San Jose, California in June 2001.

This new display provides three main benefits over traditional and emerging display technologies such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), cathode ray tubes (CRTs), light emitting displays (LEDs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs):

Readability–Because electronic ink contains the same coloring agents as ink on paper, the display demonstrated by E Ink is three to six times brighter than reflective liquid crystal displays (LCDs), exceeds newspapers in contrast ratio and is easily read in both dim light and full sunlight. Like paper, the E Ink display has a clear image that can be seen at any angle without a change in contrast. In addition, special properties of the ink enable smoother text characters than many displays used today.

Portability–Electronic ink allows a fixed image to remain on the screen even after the power source is shut off, leading to dramatically longer life of the battery such as such as IBM ThinkPad T40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T42 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R50 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R51 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R60 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T60 Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z60t Battery, IBM ThinkPad X60 Battery, IBM ThinkPad Z61t Battery. The bright paper-white background of electronic ink also eliminates the need for a backlight in most applications. For example, E Ink’s display draws less than 1/1000th the power required by a standard notebook computer screen when used for normal reading. Portable devices incorporating E Ink displays could have far smaller batteries making them less expensive and more portable.

Ergonomics–Electronic ink displays are 30 percent thinner and lighter than traditional LCD displays. Because electronic ink displays read like ink on paper, they should cause less eyestrain than most other displays that typically emit or transmit light.

“This latest demonstration of E Ink technology represents a significant advancement in the development of high resolution electronic ink displays,” said Dr. Michael McCreary, vice president of research and development at E Ink. “Over the past year, we have significantly improved the quality of electronic ink, reduced its power requirements and increased its speed. These changes have made our electronic ink displays readily compatible with a wide variety of today’s most widely used electronic devices ranging from PC tablets to cellular phones to PDAs.”

USBCELL Rechargeable batteries

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Nowadays, we carry around a lot of electronics. Typically, these all require their own charging dock and/or adapter, so it can be quite a hassle when you take your gadgets with you on the road. But wait, if you’re carrying around your laptop anyways, you’re going to have a ready supply of USB ports. Why not make use of that low voltage power source? That’s the question that Moixa Energy has answered with the USBCELL. As its name indicates, the USBCELL is simply a rechargeable battery that finds its juice from your USB port. They remind you that it will easily latch onto any USB port, whether it’s on a hub, a monitor, a gaming console (like the Xbox 360 depicted in some of their marketing literature), or your notebook.

As a concept, I think this is brilliant. After all, with USBCELL (currently only available in AA format, though other sizes will be developed and sold at a later date) doesn’t need the extra charger that standard NiMH batteries need. But how does it perform? Keep reading to find out.

Physical Design

There’s not very much to be said about this product in terms of physical design, because — after all — it’s “just” a battery such as IBM 08K8198 Battery, IBM 08K8197 Battery, IBM 92P1075 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R32 Battery, IBM 02K6928 Battery, IBM 02K7054 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20 Battery, IBM ThinkPad A20M Battery, IBM ThinkPad A21M Battery. It’s not over-the-top flashy, nor is it so plain that you’ll bore of it. The green cap comes off quite easily, revealing a standard USB connector underneath. The cap is held in place by an elastic string that seems strong enough to withstand some abuse, but don’t go trying to use this as a slingshot.

There is one issue that I have to mention, however. Because of the way that it is shaped, you may not be able to charge two batteries at the same time in adjacent USB ports. If the ports are “vertical”, the USBCELL will block not only the port it’s plugged into, but also both of its neighbors. Alternatively, if your USB ports are “horizontal” (as is the case with several hubs), you probably can place as many USBCELLs as you’d like.

Moreover, if you have recessed USB ports (like on certain laptops), you may have some trouble getting the battery to plug in as well. These problems are inherent with the design of these batteries, and there really isn’t any way around it without implementing an additional product (like a USB extension cable), but that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it? Because couldn’t you just bring a separate charger instead? (BTW, USBCELLs will also charge in “approved” NiMH chargers.)

Where’s the Power?

While the USBCELL seems to be a good idea in theory, in practice, it seems to come up short. Whereas the batteries I use for my digital camera are 2500 mAh each (most people would opt for at least 2000 mAh for high-draw devices like cameras), each USBCELL can only hold onto 1300 mAh. That’s pretty anemic, so I certainly hope that future offerings bump that capacity up a notch or three. If you’re using these batteries for lower-draw devices (TV remotes, etc.), you should be fine though.

They say that just a few minutes of charging can provide several hours of use in “a wireless mouse, games console, dictaphone, presentation pointer, toy or camera.” You’ll get about 90% of the charge within 5 hours or so, with the final top-up taking another couple of hours as it trickle charges.

LED Indicator Light

How can you tell when your battery is ready to go? Simple. Each USBCELL sports a small green LED right near the cap. This light has three modes: full on, indicating that the battery is charging; slow blinking, indicating that the final trickle charge is occurring; and completely off, saying that the battery is fully charged.

Convenience Factor

Yes, the USBCELL is infinitely convenient, especially for road warriors who bring their laptops with them everywhere they go. It would have been nice if the design would allow for multiple batteries to be charged side by side in “vertical” oriented USB ports, but I’m not really sure how they would go about doing that without an additional device of some kind. Perhaps if the cap could come off completely, instead of being tethered to the main body (but this would inevitably lead to many lost caps, just like USB thumb drives).

Pricing

The only available package from Moixa Energy is one that contains two AA-sized USBCELLs. This two-pack retails for 12.99 GBP (including VAT), or about US$25. I find this to be on the pricey side, even if you don’t need to buy a charger to accompany. For example, I picked up an Energizer travel charger (which slides and folds up to quite the compact package) and four 2500 mAh NiMH batteries for about $40 CAD. That’s four batteries, each of which providing nearly double the power of a USBCELL.

Conclusion

The USBCELL from Moixa Energy is a great idea in theory and it works reasonably well, but there are several drawbacks that would make me hesitate from buying a pack or two. The physical design works fine, especially the LED indicator light, but at such a steep price for not very much power (1300 mAh), I can’t really recommend them unless you have your heart set on its infinite portability and convenience.

top-speed HSPA+ to notebooks

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At the Intel Developer Forum Tuesday, Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson unveiled its two newest mobile broadband modules: one is the first embedded 21Mbps HSPA+ module, and the other is the first module optimized for use in tablets running on Intel's upcoming "Oak Trail" processors.

Intel's Oak Trail mobile processor platform will be the cornerstone of the forthcoming crop of Windows tablets, with products from Dell, Asus, MSI, Sony, Fujitsu, and Toshiba all expected in early 2011. The platform is ideal for tablets and netbooks, Intel claims, because it runs on 50% less power than its other Atom-based platforms.

Because tablets need to have a longer life battery such as Fujitsu FPCBP80 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP77 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP68 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP63 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP95 Battery, Fujitsu LifeBook C1320 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP115 Battery, Fujitsu LifeBook C1321 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP152 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP130 battery, Ericsson has also reduced power consumption of its 7.2Mbps HSPA wireless module by 50%.

"We've worked very closely with Intel," Mats Norin, Ericsson's vice president of mobile broadband modules told Betanews. "That means we're combining the strengths of two industries; a giant of telecom and a giant of processing, and combining these efforts means we've done a lot of work. We've optimized this module for the Oak Trail platform, with reduced power consumption, and tightly integrated sleep/resume functionality. Manufacturers building Oak Trail tablets therefore have a shorter time to market, and their customers get a hassle-free experience from day one."

A big part of this hassle-free experience will come from Ericsson's new "Quick Connect" feature that puts the wireless connection to sleep when the device is idle, and resumes the connection as soon as the screen comes back on. This helps conserve battery life, and gives devices the feel of being permanently connected. It only takes a matter of seconds for connections that have been severed to be re-acquired. The module, known as F3307, features download speeds up to 7.2 Mbps and upload speeds of 5.76Mbps and is compatible with HSPA networks.

The second module is Ericsson's fastest mobile broadband module yet, and the first one supporting HSPA+ designed specifically for use inside notebook computers.

Americans equate HSPA+ with T-Mobile, the only network utilizing the protocol in the United States at present. But this technology is growing like a weed.

"Last year, there was not a single 21Mbps HSPA+ network out there; now there are 63 of them in 35 countries," Norin said. "We have infrastructure commitments to more than 160 networks in 54 more countries. Very soon, there will be close to 90 countries with HSPA+ networks, and this has all taken place in the span of 18 months...impressive stuff."

So Ericsson today announced the 21Mbps HSPA+ F5521gw module. With it, notebook computers will have the 21Mbps connection, GPS with support for location-based services, hardware tracking and Geo-fencing, Wake-on-Wireless, Intel anti-theft security features, and the aforementioned Quick Connect feature. It's the telecommunications company's top of the line feature set.

"This module delivers speeds better than most fixed line connections today," Norin continued. "I use this in my office in Sweden now. I've cut the cord, it's cool. Of course, now there's no excuse for being unproductive outside of the office, so I guess it's actually kind of bad news."

Ericsson's Oak Trail-optimized tablet module (F3307) is shipping to manufacturers now, and the HSPA+ module (F5521gw) will ship to manufacturers in October.

The Internet and Print Media

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Millions of people are now online, and that number will continue to increase as low cost devices become more readily available. Many of these devices will exist as a wireless technology or even inside an automobile. A constantly open floodgate of information will be available for those who would desire such as thing. Caught in the flood are the newspapers, which once stood unopposed as the primary source of information - with the exception of television. However, newspapers are more portable and tend to provide much more detailed information than television. Internet news sources do have the capacity to fulfill both of those requirements, and are the most potent threat to tradition. Subscriptions to the Philadelphia Inquirer have plummeted by the thousands in the past year. Apparently as a result, even the papers themselves can now be found online.

Online news ventures such as MSNBC, ABCNews, and CNN aggressively pursue a wider user base. Major Internet providers and software companies often provide free content in an attempt to become the dominant portal to the Internet. Attempts were made to charge for online content (Slate Magazine and its subscription fiasco), but these have ultimately been unsuccessful. Users have a wide variety of ultra competitive news sources to choose from all for the price of Internet connectivity. Literally thousands of editorials, comics, and interactive news applications are available. Users may even be notified when the topic of their choice becomes available – all for nothing. Financial news is almost real time, and there is no need to flip through pages filled with thousands of symbols that the reader could care less about. A whole wealth of information can be easily searched, navigated and updated on a continuous basis.

The advent of portable electronic devices, Xerox’s electronic paper, and more recently IBM’s flexible transistor, allow for a freedom to bring the Internet anywhere. Just as a paper can be rolled up and carried away. Large corporations such as Microsoft and 3Com are working to make them less elitist and as universal as paper is today. The potential for such devices to provide real time commerce and advertising revenues assures their longevity and future availability. Judging by the influence of the Internet and electronic media in the 2000 Presidential Election it also will be utilized for political purposes. Candidates can establish grassroots networks, and their message can reach a far larger audience without the need of support from the political establishment. This may be especially helpful in nations where the media has been strictly regulated and monitored by a dominating government. New uses for the Internet will be found as our lives and the world continues to grow and change.

Today’s busy lifestyle may prove incompatible with printed words. Work hours and productivity continue to increase, as time to sit down and read decreases. A noticeable change in newspapers and magazines can be seen in the form of larger headlines and quick summary paragraphs. On demand, customized news may be more in touch with the busy lifestyle so many of us lead. Concern for the environment also contributes to the lack of desire to unnecessarily waste trees and other resources. Although producing and powering electronics is not as innocent and environmentally friendly as it may seem. Papers are nationally recollected and recycled. Even still it takes energy to accomplish that. Life is full of advantages and disadvantages.

Newspapers happen to have plenty of advantages. Now that this comparison has segued into newspapers it would make sense to discuss how they have good "old-fashioned" appeal. A simple argument is that many people also simply remain resistant to change. Imagine a P.E.D (Portable Electronic Device) hanging on the wall at a bar rather than a newspaper clipping. Now, imagine that the featured article disappearing when the battery such as IBM 08K8193 Battery, IBM 08K8192 Battery, IBM 92P1101 Battery, IBM 92P1089 Battery, IBM 92P1087 Battery, IBM 08K8196 Battery, IBM 92P1102 Battery, IBM 92P1077 Battery, IBM 92P1073 Battery, IBM 08K8199 Battery runs out. Such a thing would be absolutely ridiculous in the mind of any sane person. For those of us like to read while using the lavatory there is also a simple, yet effective argument. No one would take kindly to handling someone else’s PED after they failed to wash their hands upon returning from those facilities. Throwing a PED out into a wastebasket like one would discard a paper is also difficult to imagine.

Much of the information available on the Internet is worth what is in any given wastebasket. Literally anyone can publish his or her thoughts and opinions online. In fact, hackers often replace the opinions of others with their own. Recent attacks by hackers on high profile Websites (Yahoo, eBay) put into question the viability of any information posted online. The rush to get a scoop in the highly competitive Internet marketplace is also a danger to accuracy and quality research. When something is published on paper it had better be accurate, but on the Internet it can be retracted almost instantaneously with the hope that no one archived it or with a brief message of the revision hidden away on a dark corner of the site. Newspapers generally have provided a proven and reliable source of information. This remains a distinct advantage of newspapers.

Best Buy launches collectively customized 'Blue Label' laptops

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How would you describe your 'ideal laptop'? Starting with new Toshiba and HP models, Best Buy is now offering an exclusive line of CE products -- based on people's answers to questions like these -- under its new 'Blue Label" program.

Retail giant Best Buy has rolled out new Toshiba and HP laptops as the first results of Blue Label, a new effort to work with computer vendors on building products that directly reflect consumers' wishes.

Geared to second- and third-time laptop buyers, the two new notebooks were created in response to the answers people gave when asked to describe their "ideal laptop."

Under questioning by Best Buy, consumers said they wanted a machine with longer life of the battery such as IBM 08K8193 Battery, IBM 08K8192 Battery, IBM 92P1101 Battery, IBM 92P1089 Battery, IBM 92P1087 Battery, IBM 08K8196 Battery, IBM 92P1102 Battery, IBM 92P1077 Battery, IBM 92P1073 Battery, IBM 08K8199 Battery, a thin and lightweight design, a better screen size, an illuminated keyboard, and improved warranty support.

The first two notebooks in Best Buy's Blue Label series -- the HP Pavilion dv3510nr and Toshiba Satellite E-105-S1402 -- are each outfitted with backlit keypads and exterior designs. Each is less than 1.5 inches thick, weighing in at under five pounds.

More precisely, at 4.6 pounds, the Pavilion is less than 1.4-inches thick. Equipped with a 13.3-inch LED screen, it provides up to four hours of battery life from a single charge.

The Satellite is a little heavier, at 4.9 pounds. But the Satellite has a longer battery life of 5.5 hours, and a bigger screen size of 14.1-inches. The Satellite is thinner, too, at 1.2-inches.

Each laptop is priced at $1,199. By purchasing either one, you get a two-year warranty at no additional charge, along with 30 days of free support from Best Buy's Geek Squad. The laptops were expected in be available in Best Buy stores this week.

As a retailer, Best Buy's program can't be directly equated with the old individual build-to-order model pioneered by Dell and Gateway for desktop PCs. In a more collective sense, though, Best Buy's customers have helped the retailer and the two computer makers create a specification for the production of custom laptops. This level of customer focus is something which Circuit City -- the closest rival in an increasingly Best Buy-dominated field -- is still struggling hard to reach.

During a conference call with financial analysts last month, Circuit City Executive VP and CFO Bruce H. Besanko said that his company will now put more emphasis on "improving the customer experience," in the wake of a $162.7 million loss for the second fiscal quarter (according to a transcript from Seeking Alpha).

Furthermore, the fact that the Blue Label products will be sold exclusively by Best Buy should give the giant yet another competitive advantage in fending off Circuit City and other smaller retailers. In a statement, Best Buy said it will expand Blue Label beyond laptops to other product categories in the future, while continuing to "incorporate customer feedback into the design process."

Wearable computer maker chooses Crusoe

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A Minnesota-based wearable computer maker announced Thursday that it is working with Transmeta to put the low-power Crusoe chip in its latest offerings.

Wearable computer-maker Via chose the Crusoe chip because it offers low power and low heat requirements, while still offering the processing power to run applications that mobile workers might use, Via President Ed McConaghay said in a statement. The Crusoe chip has more readily been seen in laptops from Sony, NEC, Fujitsu, and Hitachi. In recent weeks, IBM and Compaq have decided to cancel plans for laptops that would have used the Crusoe chip.

During the first quarter of 2001, Via will begin offering its wearable computers, which will come with 700MHz Crusoe processors and run Microsoft's Windows 2000 operating system, Via spokeswoman Nancy Crowe said.

The full-function PC is about the size of two card decks laid end-to-end and is worn on a belt around the waist, she said. The unit has a 6.4GB hard drive and 64MB of RAM. It weighs about 3 pounds with its batteries included such as IBM ThinkPad T40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T41 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T42 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T43 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R50 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R51 Battery, IBM FRU 08K8193 Battery, IBM 92P1060 Battery, IBM 08K8214 Battery, IBM 08K8195 Battery.

The base model will start at $2,000 and go up to $5,000 with applications and peripherals added on. The wearable PC is designed to work with Via's new SVGA (Super VGA) indoor readable display or its indoor/outdoor display. Pricing on the displays was not immediately available.

Input into the Via wearable computer can be done by voice or from a touchscreen display. The units are designed to handle bumps and bruises of everyday use, including withstanding a 4-foot drop, according to Crowe.

Northwest Airlines is using the current generation of Via's wearable computers for customer check-ins and non-routine aircraft maintenance, Crowe said. Via's current wearable computers, such as the Via 2 Wearable PC, use 166MHz Cyrix processors.

"Our computers are currently being used for customer service management, supply-based management, inspection, quality control, or maintenance. For the most part, it is a type of tool that most consumers would not see, except for like how Northwest is using it for its gate agents."

Early versions of the Crusoe-based wearable computers are already being used by the U.S. Military Police in field tests at Fort Polk, Louisiana. The program is financed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

The computers being tested don't look much different from a regular backpack, said Henry Girolamo, program manager of the U.S. Army Soldier Systems center in Natick, Mass. The Via computers being tested by the Army weigh less than 1 pound not including the battery, use a 600MHz Crusoe chip, and can be controlled by voice or the click of a mouse on a officer's belt, he said.

About 20 military police officers recently tested the wearable computers in Louisiana, Girolamo said. Officers ran the computers through a serious of drills to test streaming video, face recognition, speech recognition, mapping settings, and conferences and voice translation. The soldiers saw the video display of the computer on a VGA screen embedded in their glasses or a clip-on display.

"It has all the same look and feel of looking at a 13-inch monitor," Girolamo said of the 800-by-600 VGA display, developed by MicroOptical in Westwood, Mass.

Burnsville, Minn.-based Via, which has approximately 65 employees, will have its wearable computers on display at fall Comdex in the Lernout & Hauspie Speech Products booth.

IBM unveils environmentally friendly ThinkPad

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IBM Japan unveiled a new ThinkPad notebook computer that can automatically shift its power source from an AC adapter to a stored battery, the company announced Tuesday.

The ThinkPad R31 includes a peak-shift-control program that allows electricity to be used evenly throughout on-peak and off-peak times. Usually when a PC is connected to an AC adaptor, it always uses power from the adaptor. With the ThinkPad R31, users can set a time for the computer to switch its power source to an internal battery such as IBM ThinkPad T40 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T41 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T42 Battery, IBM ThinkPad T43 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R50 Battery, IBM ThinkPad R51 Battery, IBM FRU 08K8193 Battery, IBM 92P1060 Battery, IBM 08K8214 Battery, IBM 08K8195 Battery, which has been recharged during off-peak hours, says Yuko Takeuchi, a spokesperson for IBM Japan.

The Think Pad R31 is the first result of a project that IBM Japan started last March with Kansai Electric Power, Tokyo Electric Power, Sanyo Electric, and Matsushita Battery Industrial.

The purpose of the project was to decrease the volume of electricity used for PCs in offices at peak time, an IBM Japan statement says.

Power Protection

During the summer in Japan, many offices turn on air conditioners in the afternoon, causing dramatic increases in electricity consumption. Power companies have been looking for ways to avoid these peaks, according to the statement. Using stored battery power in the office during the day can ease electricity costs and protect the environment, the company says.

From July to September last year, IBM Japan, KEPCO, and TEPCO conducted a trial using the peak-shift-control program on their PCs. The trial showed that by charging the PC battery at night when demand is low and then using that stored power during the day, they were able to decrease carbon dioxide production by 4 percent to 16 percent, according to the statement.

IBM Japan also calculated that if the 1200 notebook PCs in its Tokyo headquarters were equipped with the peak-shift-control program, it could save $1,511 a year, the statement says.

Sanyo Electric and Matsushita Battery have been researching the effects on a battery of being repeatedly discharged and recharged, and will keep working on a longer-lasting battery, the statement says. Currently, the ThinkPad R31 can be used for 2.3 hours by a recharged battery, and once the battery runs out it automatically starts recharging again, Takeuchi says.

Coming to the United States?

Of 12 ThinkPad R31 models unveiled, the C5J and 48J include the peak-shift-control program. Both include a Celeron 1.06-GHz processor, 128MB of SDRAM, and a 20GB hard drive, and are equipped with an ethernet interface. In Japan, the C5J with Windows XP operation system will be rolled out on February 15 at $1,350, and the 48J with Windows 2000 will be rolled out on March 8 at the same price, the statement says.

The new R series models are already out in the U.S., Takeuchi says.

The company will distribute the software program to C5J and 48J customers for free, but it is available only in Japan, Takeuchi says.

This Dell is a solid midsize laptop

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As middle-of-the-road as a laptop gets, Dell's Inspiron 1525 is an excellent go-to choice for basic computing, especially if you take the time to configure a system to your needs via Dell's online configurator.

This $649 fixed-configuration version, called the Inspiron 1525-121B, has a low-end 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T2390 CPU, and is cheaper than the $729 T5750 version we reviewed, but it also knocks the RAM down to 2GB from 3GB, and the hard drive down to 160GB from 250GB.

The system trades some performance for the price cut, and may strain under a heavy collegiate workload of writing papers and encoding MP3s, but its battery life is actually better--on par with the 14-inch Dell Inspiron 1420.

When you add the 1525's touch-sensitive media control buttons and an HDMI output, you get a not wholly unreasonable package at the lower end of the price scale.

If your planned course of study will not include running demanding graphics or scientific applications, the Inspiron 1525-121B should get you from initiation to graduation. If you can spend a bit more, the Gateway P-6836 offers better performance for only $150 more.

Dell has managed to shave a little bulk off its previous 15-inch Inspiron model, and this version is even thinner than 14-inch Inspiron 1420, although its bigger footprint is not as well suited for lugging around campus all day.

The keyboard is the same full-size model found on Dell's other Inspiron laptops, and it feels solid and responsive. Above the keyboard sits a row of media control buttons, which you won't find on the Sony VAIO NR430, a brand more commonly associated with multimedia endeavors than a jack-of-all-trades Inspiron.

The media controls are of the touch-sensitive variety we're partial to, and the Inspiron 1525 has helped make these the industry default, even for budget-minded laptops. This version lacks the 2.0-megapixel Webcam found on the $729 configuration of the 1525.

The 15.4-inch wide-screen LCD offers a 1280x800-pixel native resolution, which is standard for budget-minded mainstream systems, but on a screen this big, text and icons can look a bit big and unwieldy -- we generally prefer 1,440x900-pixel resolutions on screens of this size -- that's an option on the configurable version available on the Dell Web site.

There are plenty of USB jacks for all your accessories and even FireWire, which we're seeing less frequently, but no Bluetooth. Adding an HDMI jack is a nice high-end touch, even if you never use it.

Unlike the Inspiron 1525-122B, this 1525 uses a 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T2390, which sits at the low end of Intel's' current CPU lineup. The system is no speed demon, we ran into occasional sluggishness while multitasking -- Web surfing, working on office documents, and playing media files -- but it's still adequate for basic academic work.

The system finished first or second on CNET Labs' benchmarks among the five entry-level back-to-school laptops we tested this summer. For an extra $80, however, you can trade up to a faster T5750 CPU, 3GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive (plus a Webcam) -- which seems like a reasonable set of upgrades for the price, although we saw minimal benefit in this price range from adding that third GB of RAM on our tests.

The Inspiron 1525 ran for 3 hours and 10 minutes on our video playback battery drain test using the included six-cell battery such as Dell 312-0068 Battery, Dell 312-0518 Battery, Dell 312-0625 Battery, Dell 312-3250 Battery, Dell 3149C Battery, Dell 315-0084 Battery, Dell 3R305 Battery, Dell 5081P Battery, Dell 53977 Battery, Dell 6171R Battery, Dell 6T473 Battery, Dell 6Y270 Battery, Dell 75UYF Battery, which is a nice improvement over the more expensive 1525, which lasted only 2 hours and 15 minutes on the same test -- perhaps because of its more powerful CPU. There's a pretty obvious trade-off to consider: slower performance and longer battery life versus faster performance and shorter battery life.

Dell includes an industry-standard, one-year parts-and-labor warranty with the system, and the Dell Web site has a robust collection of support tools, including online chat, a Flash-based question widget, and 24-7 toll-free telephone support.

Retail stores offer a variety of extended warranty plans with your laptop purchase, but they're generally expensive and hard to use, so we do not recommend them.

America Second

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I'm typing this on a Fujitsu laptop, a full-function laptop that takes up less space on my desk than a comic book. With built-in wireless networking I can surf the Web anywhere and everywhere in my house. Finally, I can read Slate in the bathroom! The laptop is so light that I carry it with me wherever I go. Who needs a PDA with a laptop this small? There's only one problem. Fujitsu won't sell you one. Like many of the hottest laptops around, it is sold only in Japan.

There's some good news for the Japanese-at-heart gear-head who demands the best at any price. Americans can get their hands on the Libretto and on a dozen or so other hot laptops at Dynamism.com, a specialty importer that focuses on Japan-only consumer electronics. (Dynamism lent me the Libretto.) They buy the laptops in Japan, install a U.S. version of Windows, and configure them with the correct hardware drivers (sometimes a nontrivial operation—drivers for Japan-only hardware do not always work on U.S. versions of Windows), then send them to you. They'll even install a U.S. keyboard on some models (mine had one), though the normal Japanese keyboard has English characters and works fine. Their not-inconsiderable markup (about 30 percent) covers all taxes, duty, and shipping fees. If required, they'll ship your laptop to Japan and back for warranty work, and they'll even send you driver updates for free.

Dynamism's Libretto starts at $1,999. To get one in Japan you'd pay about $1,500, including tax and duty (plus travel costs). If a 30 percent markup is too much for you, there's always someone selling a Libretto on eBay. But I wouldn't go that route. International auction purchases are even less reliable than domestic ones, the driver issues can be daunting, and based on the prices I saw on some of the units for sale, I strongly doubt they come with legally licensed software.

The Libretto is not for everyone. The 10-inch 1,280-by-600 screen is amazingly bright and clear, but if you find yourself squinting at a normal laptop display this one will give you eyestrain. The keys are tight compared to a standard keyboard, and even tighter if you're used to an ergonomic keyboard. The Transmeta Crusoe microprocessor (comparable to an Intel Pentium III) runs at 800 mhz. This was fast enough, though it sometimes was too slow to display certain intensive video formats. [Note: This article was changed on Aug. 28, 2002, to correct an error of fact. The writer confused the Transmeta Crusoe microprocessor with the Intel mobile Pentium.]

I got three-plus hours out of the built-in battery such as Fujitsu FPCBP80 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP77 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP68 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP63 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP95 Battery, Fujitsu LifeBook C1320 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP115 Battery, Fujitsu LifeBook C1321 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP152 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP130 battery when doing nothing but typing, but hard-disk-intensive operations like watching movies or listening to music drained it much faster. And don't plan on watching movies on the airplane. You'll need to buy a separate DVD drive that plugs into the standard USB interface or PC-card slot—and that probably means a separate power supply and/or battery. Finally, if you hate the "eraserhead" mouse-substitute then you'll hate this one too.

What makes the Libretto so great is that it takes up very little space. At 10.5 inches wide by 6.6 inches deep, it actually sits between the keyboard and monitor of my desktop, allowing me to check mail on one machine while running Photoshop full-screen on the other. On a plane that advantage is magnified because you can use it even when the bozo in front of you has his seatback fully reclined. In fact, I'll go out on a limb and claim that without advances in speech or handwriting recognition, a laptop's footprint can't get substantially smaller than this and still remain usable. You can't get any smaller without shrinking the keyboard to the point where you can't touch-type.

Based on the number of strangers who have come up to me in cafes and left with Dynamism's URL firmly in hand, Americans will pay for small and light when it is done right. And I have seldom seen products done more right than this. I hope Fujitsu changes its mind, because I'm not buying one of these machines if I have to pay the $500 markup. But that's because I'm more American than Japanese.

Keep On Plugging

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of the Toshiba Laptop Battery   First post by: www.batterystores.ca

First, some good news: Despite your desk-bound ways, you're using a laptop, which is already a greener choice than a desktop. It's not just that you don't have a monitor to plug in—although that's a big part of it. Laptops are typically designed to be more energy-efficient than their desktop counterparts, and all in all, they are estimated to use as much as 80 percent less energy while operating. There's a simple reason why laptops are more efficient: They need to be. Waste energy on a desktop, and you'll get a slightly higher electricity bill. But if your laptop isn't energy-efficient, that means either you'll need a bigger battery (and a heavier machine) or you'll spend half your time hunting for an outlet at your local coffee shop. (Laptops likely require less energy to manufacture, too—although regardless of which machine you use, one of the greenest things you can do is hold off on buying a new computer.)

Getting back to your question, start with the assumption that your computer will operate exactly the same whether or not it's plugged into the wall. In that case, you're probably better off staying plugged in, because energy is lost in the process of charging the battery such as Fujitsu FPCBP80 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP77 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP68 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP63 Battery, Fujitsu FPCBP95 Battery, Fujitsu LifeBook C1320 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP115 Battery, Fujitsu LifeBook C1321 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP152 battery, Fujitsu FPCBP130 battery, storing the electricity, and then powering the computer from the battery. A report (PDF) prepared by the Natural Resources Defense Council five years ago estimated that running a laptop from AC power is about 20 percent more energy-efficient than doing it off a battery. Even if battery charging systems have improved since then, common sense suggests that using AC power requires less energy. (Some laptop users contend that keeping a laptop plugged in damages the life of the battery. If so, this would be a tougher call, since batteries require an awful lot of energy to manufacture, and there's an environmental cost to recycling a spent one. Different manufacturers give slightly different answers: Lenovo and Dell told the Lantern your battery should be fine if your computer stays plugged in; HP says you should remove the battery if you are running on AC power for weeks at a time; and Apple suggests you should unplug and run off the battery every once in a while. Check your manual, but the Lantern thinks you should be OK using AC power most of the time.)

Still, there's a catch—although it's one you can do something about. Most laptops are set up to use less energy when they aren't plugged in, since battery life is at a premium. As soon as they start receiving AC power, however, they're often set to start running at higher speeds—and thus use more energy. If you've never touched your laptop's power settings before, chances are it uses more energy when it's plugged into the wall.

It doesn't have to. Your laptop should make it easy to change your energy settings so that they're the same whether or not your laptop is plugged in. When you do that, your computer will probably run a little slower, your screen may be a little dimmer, and your machine may go to sleep a little faster when you walk away from your desk. But unless you spend most of your time playing Left 4 Dead, you probably won't mind those changes. (A quick aside: For those wondering whether it makes sense to turn off their computer or leave it on idle, it usually makes sense to shut your machine down if you are going to be away for any extended period of time.)

And there's one more step: Make sure you aren't plugged in when you don't need to be. Even if your computer is asleep—or turned off—it's still sucking in a little bit of energy the entire time it's connected to the power grid. (In fact, a plugged-in power adapter will use a little bit of electricity even if it isn't attached to your computer.) That electricity—the wonkish term for it is "standby power"; the whimsical term is "vampire power"—isn't just an issue for computers. It makes a difference for most appliances—from speakers to microwaves—and when you tally all the electrical devices we own, it can add up to a hefty sum. By some estimates, standby power use is responsible for 5 percent to 10 percent of residential electricity consumption in many countries, and 1 percent of global CO2 emissions (PDF). As you try your best to reduce the energy needed for the gadgets you are using, there's no need to waste electricity on the ones you aren't.

Battery Life Boot Camp

Welcome to a laptop battery specialist
of the Toshiba Laptop Battery   First post by: www.batterystores.ca

It’s one of the most-asked questions we get from readers: “How do I get more battery life out of my laptop?” Many complain that their notebook’s battery can no longer hold a charge and that they have to leave their laptops plugged in at all times. We spoke with Kevin Wentzel, technical marketing manager for HP, to get his advice for keeping your laptop’s battery in tip-top shape—and to keep you working (and playing) longer when unplugged.

1 Calibrate It

Calibrate the battery based on its usage. “Under the normal usage, batteries such as Toshiba PA3191U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3166U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3331U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3098U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3084U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3399U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3250U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3356U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3291U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3591U-1BAS Battery should be calibrated once every three months,” Wentzel said. “However, a battery that is rarely discharged fully should be calibrated about once a month.”

To calibrate, turn off all hibernation or suspend modes, then charge the battery until full and unplug your notebook from the wall. Once the battery has completely drained and the laptop has automatically shut off, connect the AC adapter to the notebook again and charge it completely. Turn back on your power management settings, and the calibration will be complete.

Also, avoid battery-conditioning utilities. “They were really more applicable to previous generations of battery technology,” Wentzel said.

2 Don’t Overdo It

Remove your laptop’s battery if it’s going to remain plugged into AC power for more than two weeks straight. It’s unnecessary to plug in while you’re connected to the wall.

3 Dial Down the Brightness

“It seems obvious, but you need to turn down the display brightness while running off of a battery,” Wentzel advised. “I’ve done tests and have seen 15 to 30 minutes of saved battery life between a display at low brightness and at high brightness. Airplanes are usually dim environments, so it’s easy to keep the display brightness low.”

4 Hibernate is Better than Suspend

“The big thing that most people miss is using the display’s Suspend or Hibernate modes that come with their machines. Note that Standby keeps the notebook’s state in memory and uses some power, while Hibernate stores the machine’s state to disk and uses almost no power.”

Laptop Batteries: What Do You Need?

Welcome to a laptop battery specialist
of the Toshiba Laptop Battery   First post by: www.batterystores.ca

Simple as it may sound, batteries are the biggest differentiator between laptops and desktops. Unplug a desktop from the wall, and it shuts down; do the same with a notebook, and it might last a day (or so HP and Dell claim with their 24- and 19-hour batteries such as Toshiba PA3191U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3166U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3331U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3098U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3084U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3399U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3250U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3356U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3291U-1BAS Battery, Toshiba PA3591U-1BAS Battery, respectively). Or, more realistically, anywhere from 90 minutes to 9 hours.

Regardless of capacity, all new notebook batteries are made up of lithium-ion cells and are rechargeable via A/C adapters. While some manufacturers make it more difficult than others to remove the battery, most make it simple to pop them in and out. This opens up the possibility for mobile professionals to tote a spare battery (sold separately). However, you are better off getting one battery that lasts a long time than lugging a spare; extra batteries are bulky, and you need to shut down your computer before inserting them.

In choosing or configuring a notebook, you may be presented with different battery sizes and capacities. We can help you decide which one is right for you. H

How Much Battery Life Do You Need?

If you plan to use your notebook away from your desk, you will want a bare minimum of three hours of endurance (with four to five hours being preferable), because even when carrying a notebook around the home or office, being chained to an outlet is extremely inconvenient. If you use your notebook in public places (coffee shops, outdoors, planes, etc), you want a minimum of four and a half hours of endurance (with six or more hours preferred).

Measuring Battery Capacity

While battery capacity is the most important factor affecting battery life, you can’t tell just from the battery specs how long a notebook will last. Some notebooks are more power efficient than others and, even with the same notebook, users themselves can have a big impact on battery life based on the power settings they use and the tasks they perform. For example, a quad-core gaming notebook may get less than two hours of endurance out of high-capacity battery, while a netbook with a lower-capacity battery can last more than nine hours.

At LAPTOP, we test notebook battery life by running a custom script that surfs the Web continuously via Wi-Fi. See our "How We Test" section for more details.

However, it’s clear that the more wattage a battery provides (usually measured in either milliamps or killowatt hours), the better. Most vendors do not advertise the amount of wattage a battery provides, but rather the number of cells inside the battery. And more cells almost always equals more juice.

Choosing the Right Number of Cells

While there are batteries with two, four, or eight cells, most come in three-, six-, or nine-cell packs. If long battery life is important to you, always choose the the largest number of cells available. Whatever you do, don’t settle for a three-cell battery; notebooks and netbooks with three-cell batteries tend to get less than three hours of battery life. Batteries larger than six cells—often referred to as "extended batteries"—may add some extra bulk to your notebook, sticking out the back and adding a few tenths of a pound to the weight. However, if you need long endurance, this extra weight is worth it.

Secondary Batteries

Many business notebooks also provide the option to purchase a secondary battery, which kicks in when the main battery runs out of power. Secondary batteries typically slide into the optical drive bay (replacing the optical drive), or attach to the bottom as a battery slice. These secondary batteries add to the cost and sometimes the weight, and slices in particular can make a notebook less comfortable on your lap. However, they can add anywhere from two to six hours of endurance.

Long-Life/Prismatic Batteries

Over time, a typical notebook battery tends to lose its ability to retain a charge. After a year of use, the typical battery has lost 15 percent of capacity, and it quickly declines from there. A handful of new batteries, such as HP’s Enviro batteries (made by battery manufacturer Boston Power), use oval-shaped prismatic cells to maintain their ability to hold a charge over time. The Enviro batteries, for example, are guaranteed to last at least three years. While this new kind of battery is a rare option, it is definitely preferable when available.