If you are going to be spending any significant amount of time working on this laptop computer, you’re going to want to be comfortable. A well-designed interface is essential for comfort, as well as good health. Carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis may be some of the more common conditions associated with extended computer usage, and selecting the most comfortable laptop may help avoid them all together.

The keyboards on laptops generally feature compressed layouts with smaller keys, which may place a strain on hands and wrists as users try to adapt to these miniature arrangements. Generally speaking, the larger the laptop, the larger the keyboard, as they are usually designed to span the entire width of the unit.

Most laptops use either a touchpad or tracking pointer (knob) as a replacement for a mouse. These may be adequate for occasional use, but even the best designs can become frustrating and uncomfortable when used extensively. Plus, when used for game play or other applications where precise motion is critical, they just don’t cut it.

Purchasing a separate mouse may be the best bet, as it allows you to place your arm in a more familiar (and comfortable) position, as well as providing something that may fit your hand much better. Notebook mice are available in a wired or wireless version, and generally feature a slightly smaller footprint than your typical mouse.

Another important productivity concern is connectivity. Being able to connect to common devices is just as important on laptops as it is on desktops, but being able to add these connections down the road is not as easy on a laptop. Upgrades aren’t as easy on laptops due to the basic design, so make sure what you need is included up front.

Wireless networking is almost a must-have feature on laptops now. The cord has been severed to every other shackle confining you to your desk; don’t let network connectivity hold you back. Wireless networking adapters are available as upgrades via either PCMCIA cards or USB adapters, but many now offer it onboard, hidden inside the system’s housing. Integrated wireless is the best option if available, as it requires fewer accessories to carry and to configure, and leaves those expansion ports open for other uses.

USB 2.0 may be the most common peripheral connection, and many laptops may still come with just one port. That’s fine if you don’t mind carrying around a USB hub, but the more you have to carry, the less mobile you are. A good example of the importance of USB is that many people decide they want to use a separate mouse for ergonomic reasons, and generally it will connect via USB. On a laptop with just one port, you now have to juggle the use of the mouse with connecting anything else, like a digital camera, MP3 player, or an external hard drive.

Firewire may not be as popular as USB, and as such, it doesn’t show up at all on many computer systems, regardless of whether they are desktops or laptops. Having this connection may not be necessary for everyone, but for those who want it, keep in mind that its inclusion on any particular laptop is not a given.

Bluetooth is another type of connectivity you may want in a laptop, but its popularity has yet to really catch up to its hype. More and more consumer electronics devices are starting feature Bluetooth technology, but for general computer applications, it may be more trouble than it is worth.

Many people rent laptops for business trips or sales conferences, when the laptop will not be connected to a power source all the ime. If you are going to use a laptop as it was intended, away from your desk, you’re going to want it to provide as much battery life as possible. The first step is to shop around for a unit that offers the best battery life possible, and then seek out independent reviews to verify this performance. A good laptop should be able to run for four hours or more on a full charge, and as the technology advances, finding units that can double this time isn’t unrealistic.

The operating system on most laptops will allow for the hardware to be configured to utilize the battery as efficiently as possible. It is just up to the user to navigate their way to these tabs and set things like the display to turn off, hard drives to power down, or even the processor to slow down when it isn’t needed to run full speed. Not all processors can provide this speed throttling, but finding a system with a Mobile Pentium/Celeron or Centrino processor may be your best bet to ensure this capability.

Another way to ensure extended life away from a power outlet is to just add a second battery. Although you can obviously carry a charged spare in your bag, some laptops allow for two batteries to be installed at once, with one generally replacing the optical disk drive.

Portability is another important consideration for laptop renters. All laptop computers are not created equal, and the size and weight of the various models reflect that. Some may weigh more than others due to the quantity of components included, but it may also be due to the quality of the components. Larger displays, multiple hard drives, and other integrated components will all contribute to the weight of a laptop. The largest single source of weight in a laptop may be the battery, and systems with two batteries as described above, should be expected to be much heavier.

No laptop may be considered heavy in the grand scheme of things, but just a few pounds more may be noticeable if you regularly have to lug it through a busy airport or across a large college campus. Geeks.com may not provided the exact weight of each laptop they carry, but they do provide a shipping weight for each, which is a good approximation of what the laptop and various accessories will weigh when loaded into your carrying bag.

The overall size of a laptop is generally governed by the size of the display included. You may have seen the commercial where Yao Ming (7′5″ basketball player) and Verne Troyer (Mini-Me) compare their laptops with 12 inch and 17 inch monitors. It is an excellent demonstration of the range of sizes available in laptop computers, and how the various sizes may be appropriate for different users. Those seeking a replacement for their desktop computer may insist on a 17” display, while those seeking to minimize size and weight in the name of portability may be willing to select a laptop with a smaller display.

You’ve been cooped up indoors for the past half-decade surfing the Internet. Your hair has grown down to your feet, the pizza delivery guy is your only source of direct human contact, and your mother has been telling her friends that you’re on business in Europe. We don’t blame you; we blame your awful desktop computer.

Your PC-addicted existence is getting more pathetic by the day, but you just can’t bear to tear yourself from the beckoning glow of your computer screen. Well, we’ve got the perfect suggestion for you - buy a laptop! With a laptop, you can actually be out in the sun as you’re checking your e-mail on a minute-by-minute basis. And with a laptop, you can reclaim the life you once had.

Now, help us help you by reading this article on renting a laptop.

A laptop (a.k.a. “portable”) is a travel-sized computer that fits on top of your lap (hence its ingenious name) and makes you look like a cool and efficient person (or a workaholic). Laptops generally have Microsoft Word, Internet access, and all the other stuff that you’ve come to depend on every day. Smaller than a desktop computer, laptops usually have four distinct components: a monitor, a keyboard, a system unit, and a mouse. So as you can tell, laptops encompass all the components of desktops, yet still somehow manage to look pretty cute. Here are some other advantages to owning a laptop…

Portability

The number one reason why people get laptops is because they can bring it anywhere - the beach, on a trip, to church, to the bathroom (just don’t email us from there… that’s sick). If you’re constantly on the go, a laptop will come in very handy.

Size and Weight

You live in an apartment the size of a closet. Are you gonna cram a hard drive, a 15-inch monitor, and a keyboard onto the ironing board you use as a desk? Laptops are lighter and much more compact than any PC or Mac system, so they’ll help you save tons of space. And when you’re not using it, you can fold it up in a briefcase and stick it under your bed with ease.

Image

You can’t help but be a little jealous of the woman pulling out a sleek black laptop on the train. She’s cool.

Disadvantages

Laptops sure are purdy, but they ain’t perfect. Because a laptop is pretty compact, the most recent technology that’s been developed for desktops has yet to be made into tinier forms and successfully crammed into laptops. So laptops are always a step behind desktops when it comes to capability and efficiency. Laptop software isn’t as fancy, and everything takes longer to load. Even saving a simple Word document is less than instantaneous.

Plus, you’re going to have to sacrifice decent sound devices, keyboard comfort, and your mouse for the sake of portability. The whole idea is to carry around as little as possible, and a subwoofer jutting out on one side of your laptop kinda defeats the whole purpose.