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[L46]Laptop Pros And Cons

by Christophe Catesson, Chr

Technology has made inroads into our lives like never before. You have the world at your fingertips as Internet has facilitated the availability of resources on your laptop. However, the Internet also acts as a gateway for computer viruses that can damage the entire set up of your laptop. You need to install an antivirus program on your laptop to ensure that it remains protected from intruders like malicious software and virus.

Antivirus software identifies virus programs, which are often circulated in the network. As you enter the world of Internet, through your laptop, you are exposed to the various ‘invaders', which seek to breach the security of your system. Viruses like Trojan horse may cause irreparable damages to your laptop. There are several antivirus software programs available in the market to ensure that your laptop functions smoothly without breaking down in the event of an unwanted virus attack.

Most of the antivirus software programs guarantee protection against all kinds of malwares and viruses. Antivirus software creates an alarm for the user as soon as it counters a potential threat to the laptop. It gives the user an option of quarantine or deleting the virus from his/her laptop. A virus attack on your laptop may cause a good deal of damage to your stored data as it leads to automatic deletion of files, usage of the affected laptop to target other computers and unwanted access to private information.

You can protect your laptop from all these threats by installing antivirus software that provides regular updates. You can buy antivirus software from any of the websites that offer this service or just download a free edition on your laptop.

Using antivirus software on your laptop is easy. As soon as you start your machine, you get a pop up message to run a quick virus check. You should scan your laptop regularly to eliminate any chances of virus penetration into your system. Most of the antivirus software programs provide regular messages to make you aware of the software updates available. Just upgrade your antivirus from time to time and ensure that your laptop remains virus free.

While you use your laptop, you should take some precautions, in order to avoid a risk of virus attack. Do not click on pop up windows that fill up your screen as soon as you connect to any of the websites. Avoid clicking on the links that come with a warning message. You should not download any files or attachments that are not scanned by your antivirus software. Mails from unrecognized and anonymous sources should be deleted immediately.

While it is always advisable to install antivirus software on your laptop, you may find that the processes on your laptop slow down considerably. In order to avoid this, you should always choose a program that is suitable for laptop configuration. By adopting a few simple steps and by regularly scanning your laptop for virus detection, you can ensure the fact that your PC enjoys a smoother and longer run.

Are the days of the Laptop numbered?

As the world becomes a smaller place, the Internet grows ever larger and more resourceful. Today, we cannot survive without the Internet at our disposal for a very long time. Hence, vast arrays of handheld solutions which promise Internet access are available. While all of them have their uses, Internet on handheld devices is hardly as rich and resourceful as that on a full-fledged PC. Mobile browsers come with limited support, especially for features like embedded video and animation, thus leaving your web experience half-baked. In today's age of extensive mobility, even the much vaulted laptop looks like a lumbering giant. The solution? Enter the Netbook world.

As of today, Netbooks are little more than ultraportable laptops. As the name suggests, it is best suited for surfing the net on the go along with other lightweight allied tasks. It is not fundamentally designed to be a multimedia center or an office workstation and most Netbooks reflect that.

Screen size for Netbooks is generally 8-9 inches. Screen resolution varies according to make and model and is available up to a respectable 1024x600. While the smaller form factor has definite portability advantages, the smaller keyboard and touchpad area can be a real pain for people with large hands. Connectivity in Netbooks is paramount and hence it generally comes with a whole array of USB connectors, an Ethernet connection and the latest available wireless technology. External display devices maybe supported through DVI/S-Video. Optical drives are optionally available.

Under the hood, the processor for Netbooks needs to be a frugal drinker of electricity. As of today, three different platforms are available. The reliable but ageing VIA C7D (HP 2133 miniNote), the popular Intel Atom processor, and the mixed-bag options offered by AMD (Sempron 2100+, Turion64 or the puny Geode LX800). Memory typically comes in the 512MB-2GB range. Storage may be in the form of a SSD (solid state drive) or a simple hard drive. While SSD's are faster, compact and consume less power, they also add a lot to the price tag of Netbooks. As a compromise, some vendors ship their units with a limited capacity (2-4 GB) flash memory which usually contains the operating system, and a standard hard drive for storage.

In terms of software on your Netbook, you can go for Windows XP or Linux. Linux distributions like Ubuntu 8.10 are an excellent choice as they work very well out of the box. Windows Vista performance is generally poor as they require more power.

A checklist while getting Netbooks can be as follows:-

? Power efficiency- The Atom offers the best bet, but the 945 chipset it ships with is old. The newer US15 chipset is expected to be out soon. Keep a lookout

? Memory- 512MB maybe adequate but you are better off with 1GB+

? Video ? Look out for the upcoming Ion(Atom+ GeForce 9400) platform for NVidia with HD Playback capabilities

? Hard Drive ?SSD's offer performance and efficiency at higher prices

? Price- can be bought within $500 in general

Most major brands like Dell, HP, Compaq and Acer have Netbooks in their lineup. The ASUS Eee Pc, the first one launched, is also a decent choice. What you have to decide is whether you actually need a Netbook. While it offers portability, a rich web experience and lightweight computing capabilities, it is not really a replacement for a laptop or a phone and in general have failed to find a market niche till date.

Article Source : Pg. 237

Christophe Catesson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Iphone Reviews, Computers and The Internet and Global Warming. For more similar articles, visit http://www.bestlaptopsreviews.com, and read about Laptop and notebook reviews and ratings,