8 Things to Consider when Buying a Laptop Computer

by: Alex Fir


1. The ports. You should make sure that laptop has lots of USB ports for devices such as printer, mouse, flash drive, digital camera, etc. If your laptop does not come with many USB ports, you will need an USB hub. If you plan to connect your laptop to a TV, you will need an s-video port.

2. CD/DVD. Most of laptops come with a CD writer\DVD reader drive. If you want to copy DVDs, you will need a DVD writer drive. At this time the maximum speed for burning a DVD is 16X.

3. The hard drive. The speed of hard drive is measured in rpm or Rotations per Minute. Try to find a laptop that has 4200rpm or 5400rpm. A laptop with 40 Gigabytes is sufficient for an average person.

4. The memory. Your laptop should have at least 1 GB of memory. However, you can get a notebook with 512 MB and work with Windows XP. You should avoid a laptop with only 256 MB of memory.

5. The processor. You can choose between Intel and AMD. At the moment, Intel has the best processor for a laptop called the Core 2 Duo. The speed of processors is measured in Gigahertz. The bigger the number, the faster the processor is. There are also Dual-Core processors. It means they can process two things at the same time. As a result, the power of the processor is doubled.

6. Size. You should choose a smaller screen if you carry your laptop a lot. Typically a 14.1 inch screen is considered small. A 17 inch screen is considered big. A 17 inch screen is heavier and use up more battery life. You can get a 15 inch or a 15.4 inch.

7. The warranty. Each laptop computer should come with one year warranty from the manufacturer covering only defective equipment. You can also get an extended warrantycovering any accidents you may have.

8. The brand. Average brand of laptop is Dell, HP, Gateway, Acer and Compaq. The better brand of laptops is Sony, Toshiba, Alienware and IBM-Lenovo.

Do You Need Computer Training?

by: Rick Boklage


The answer is yes, sooner or later you will need some computer training. As computers evolve and new software becomes available people are finding it important to keep up on their computer skills.

If you work in office environment for example, you may be faced with a situation where your employer purchases a new piece of software in the hopes that it will help his company become more efficient. As a result, you may be required to learn to use this new piece of software. Even if you work in a warehouse this new software may required that you need to enter inventory and print packing slips.

Do you need to know everything about the software? The answer is no, you by no means have to become a computer expert. Just acquire the skills that will allow you to use the software as efficiently as possible in your day to day activities. Here are some ways to gain those computer skills.

1. The software manual. Take some time to briefly read the titles and summaries. By doing so when you come across something you are not sure how to do you may think, "I remember reading something about that" and quickly find it again in the manual.

2. Software specific books. These are books you can purchase at most major book stores. They are quite often written by people who are experts with the software. The text is often followed by examples which may make it easier for you to understand and therefore you learn quicker.

3. CD tutorials. With some of the more popular software you may be able to purchase a CD tutorial. These training aids take you through step by step the different functions of the software. By "doing", as you are learning you are more often to remember these various functions.

It's never to late to start computer training. The skills you learn today may be all you need to get that promotion or qualify for that new job. Taking the initiative to upgrade you computer skills shows your employer or potential employer that you are able to adapt to the every changing computer workplace.