| Before you purchase your laptop you'll want to | | | | accommodate a number of peripherals such as |
| familiarize yourself with the various features and | | | | printers, cameras and external floppy drives or |
| determine what you need and what you do not. | | | | modems. The number of ports you need depends on |
| Some folks seek out all the latest bells and whistles. | | | | the internal features of your laptop as well as your |
| For others it's about getting your typical job done | | | | own need for peripherals.Obviously, if you have an |
| efficiently and cost effectively.Here are some helpful | | | | internal modem you don't need a port for an external |
| hints:To save yourself money look for a Celeron | | | | one. But if you have only a CD drive and copy to |
| processor. Less expensive than a Pentium, it will work | | | | floppy on your PC at home, for the two to talk to |
| fine for all but the most detailed graphics projects. If | | | | each other you're going to need an external floppy |
| you're a graphic artist or a professional programmer, | | | | drive on your laptop. For this you'll need a port. Be |
| however, seek out a laptop with Pentium | | | | cognizant also of the types of ports. Your old mouse |
| processing.126 MB RAM is the least you can be | | | | may connect by parallel port, but the newest |
| comfortable with nowadays, no matter what you're | | | | versions require USB connection.Make sure you have |
| doing. And, unless you're buying used you're probably | | | | an internal modem and fax rather than external. And |
| not going to find a laptop with less anyway. But what | | | | if you're shopping for a brand new laptop the |
| if you want to upgrade your memory? How easy is | | | | wireless feature is terrific. Many places, such as RV |
| it to do that? How accessible is the panel for the | | | | and other resorts are totally Wi-Fi capable now.If |
| memory chips? Are you comfortable with doing it | | | | you're used to a traditional mouse do play around |
| yourself if you have to remove the case? Make sure | | | | with several versions of mice available on laptops. |
| it's not a laptop that actually requires some outside | | | | Some will drive you crazy until you get used to them. |
| technical help to install more memory. .The life of the | | | | See if you're most comfortable with trackball, touch |
| installed battery is important. Generally the range of | | | | pad or trackpoint. While you're checking that, play |
| battery life available to laptops is two-four hours. | | | | with that keyboard. So much smaller than a PC |
| Which is adequate depends on where you're going to | | | | keyboard, you may have difficulty typing accurately |
| be when you use your laptop. If you're a traveling | | | | with some. Try several.The final things you'll want to |
| sales rep who needs a laptop to your emails and | | | | compare are the software and the warranty. Major |
| prepare the daily report from your hotel room each | | | | software programs such as Windows are almost |
| evening you won't be using your battery a lot. If, | | | | always included in brand new systems, but do check. |
| however, you envision the life of the mobile warrior, | | | | Especially if buying used. You can spend many |
| sometimes creating your graphic or written | | | | hundreds of dollars on Microsoft Office and the latest |
| masterpiece from the beach, or while traveling by air, | | | | Windows version if you don't have a version that |
| you won't be able to rely on the power cord and | | | | you can upgrade.Alan Jason Smith is the owner of |
| electricity. You'll want that four-hour battery.Make | | | | which is a great place to find computer links, |
| sure you have a minimum of three ports, to | | | | resources and articles. |