An Introduction to Ultraportable Laptops

Ultraportable LaptopsOver the next few days we’re going to take a look at a new generation of laptops – ultraportable laptops – and show you how you can leverage ultraportable laptops for your digital lifestyle, what to look for when buying one, and how to know when you’re buying the right computer.

What is an Ultraportable Laptop?

Ultraportable laptops are a newer breed of laptop that has been introduced to consumers in the last few years. These computers, aimed at providing the full experience of a normal laptop, typically apply the “less is more” approach in design so they can be more easily carried around than your 6-10 pound brick of a laptop.

Standard classifications for ultraportable laptops have yet to surface but Intel is leading the way with their Ultrabook standard to create a standard among PC makers. While less is more, the features of ultraportable laptops allow users to go farther and be more mobile than they can be with traditional laptops. Ultraportables are defined as laptops whose screens are less than 13.3 inches and weigh less than 4 pounds. Although screen sizes might vary and be as little as 7 inches, the emphasis of an ultraportable is its weight which determines, many times, what features are or are not included in the laptop. Battery life, overall thinness, and memory/hard drive space are also determining factors that make classify a laptop as an ultraportable.

Read on for more defining characteristics, netbooks are now considered defunct, and an overview of the various types of ultraportable laptops.

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Holiday Gift Ideas from LaptopMD

LaptopMD Holiday Gift GuideEvery year our technician gurus here at LaptopMD like to share the knowledge and insights that they’ve gained throughout the year with our customers to help you make smarter holiday tech purchases.  Buying gifts related to technology can be intimidating especially if you’re buying for someone already savvy in technology or if you are unaware of the various options and brands available.  Use our holiday shopping ideas that we’ve put together to help you with your gift buying this season and relieve some of the holiday stress!

We provide gift ideas for every type of computer user in your house: students, professionals, and normal everyday users. Our list covers Mac and PC laptops, as well as netbooks. We look at the latest in cellphone/smartphone technology and help you determine whether or not you should buy an Android phone or an iPhone as a gift. Additionally, our guide looks at software titles suited for every type of computer user.  Let us know what you think in the comments and if you have any questions regarding your holiday tech purchases.

Laptops

The laptop market is full of options when considering which one to buy.  You may ask yourself questions like these when you go to make a purchase:

  • What’s the difference between a netbook and a laptop?
  • What features should I focus on?
  • Mac or PC, which one provides the better deal?

Use our holiday shopping guide as a tool to sort through the various options you are bound to come across.

Choose the Right One

There are many options out there and the number of choices can be daunting for anyone, including those who work with computers for a living!  To help simplify the laptop buying process, we have come to trust the guides put together PC World Magazine.  PC World’s guides provide the comprehensive help that you’re looking for.  There are several comparison guides online and we’ve included links to our favorite guides throughout this post.

When using these guides and buying a laptop, be sure to take into account the following considerations:

  • Speed
  • Battery life
  • Functionality and Features
  • Durability
  • The End User

Some laptops are good for students but not functional for professionals.  Knowing who you are buying for and what they want will help you frame your decision and make everybody happy.

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Best Netbooks Under $300

Lets take a look at some wallet friendly netbooks priced under $300….

Netbooks mainly cater to people who spend most of their time dealing with online services and want a cheap, light device they can use on the go.  During the recession netbook sales have risen sharply giving consumers portability at an unbeatable bargain. Every major computer manufacturer has come out with their own netbook model ranging from $250 to $600. Lets take a look at three popular models which won’t put a strain on your budget.

1. eMachines Black 10.1″ eM350-2074 Netbook PC  running Windows XP Home $258.99

Features & Specs

  • Intel Atom N450 processor 1.66GHz,
  • 1GB DDR2 system memory
  • 160GB SATA hard drive –
  • 10.1″ LED widescreen display
  • Built-in 1.3 megapixel Webcam
  • 3-cell lithium-ion battery

Overall the eMachines is a good basic netbook with a 1-year parts and labor limited warranty. This netbook is currently available at Walmart priced at $258.

2. Toshiba Mini Notebook NB 255

The Toshiba has identical specs as the eMachines except for two major benefits.

  • Double the battery life with a 6-cell lithium-ion battery (6 hrs)
  • New Windows 7 OS rather than Windows XP
  • The Toshiba is priced at $299.
3.  Asus Eee PC- unbeatable price for one of the most popular netbooks on the market.

asus Eee pc 1005ha

This netbook is normally priced at $299. Tiger Direct is offering a $60 off discount bringing the price down to $239.99. If you’re looking for an even greater bargain, Laptop MD has an ever changing inventory of refurbished laptops and netbooks starting at only $99. Give us a call or stop by to inquire about our current inventory.