Setting up an great PC like working environment with only a laptop.
Having a laptop in today's fast moving world is the norm now.
Many dont use desktop pc s anymore as they are just not convenient and easy to transport.
Having that conveyance to just move the computer out of your way if you want to do some other type of work at your desk like writing or drawing or anything that requires more space.
The modern laptop is far more sophisticated than the laptops of old.
although old isn't the word anymore as technology has moves on in a fin-nominal rate.
The laptops of yesteryear where more like desktop pc's than laptops.
The first laptop computer was in 1979 by its creator Bill Moggridge.
A British-born designer created the GRiD Compass clamshell computer in 1979, which was encased in magnesium, and used by the U.S. military and NASA at a cost of $8,150 when it was released in 1982. Portable computers at that time resembled sewing machines and weighed more than 20 pounds; Bill Moggridge’s design cut average device weight in half and actually made computers portable,” said the online report.
“Since then, the clamshell laptop has continued to evolve into the portable ultrabooks that are available today. ”
Connectivity
The problem with the laptops still to day is the connectivity to all your devices you may want to connect.
The idea now it to get the most out of your laptop as if it was a desktop pc.
You may have many devices like printer, cameras, webcams and other input devices that need a usb connection or similar.
you may find that you even power your mobile phone or other devices from a usb socket on your pc.
Another way to be portable and stay connected.
The very best way to to use a laptop instead of a pc is to use hubs.
If you want to connect and go and dont want the faff of having to unplug everything before you take your laptop out to work use a hub.
A USB hub is a device that expands a single Universal Serial Bus (USB) port into several so that there are more ports available to connect devices to a host system, similar to a power strip.
Read up on some forums and look at reviews of products to see what people have said about them, as these are the true measure as to whether the products you are looking at will work with your laptop model.
A USB hub is a device that expands a single Universal Serial Bus (USB) port into several so that there are more ports available to connect devices to a host system, similar to a power strip.
USB hubs are often built into equipment such as computers, keyboards, monitors, or printers. When such a device has many USB ports, they all usually stem from one or two internal USB hubs rather than each port having independent USB circuitry.
Physically separate USB hubs come in a wide variety of form factors: from external boxes (looking similar to an Ethernet or network hub) connectable with a long cable, to small designs that can be directly plugged into a USB port (see the "compact design" picture). In the middle case, there are "short cable" hubs which typically use an integral 6-inch cable to slightly distance a small hub away from physical port congestion and of course increase the number of available ports.
Laptop computers may be equipped with many USB ports, but an external USB hub can consolidate several everyday devices (like a mouse and a printer) into a single hub to enable one-step attachment and removal of all the devices.
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
The advantage with this is you can have all your devices (once the drivers have been installed first) plugged in at once just like your pc, without having to remove one before connecting another due to the lack of ports available..
The new other advantage with this was the introduction of USB 3.0.
USB 3.0 is the third major version of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard for interfacing computers and electronic devices. Among other improvements, USB 3.0 adds the new transfer rate referred to as SuperSpeed USB (SS) that can transfer data at up to 5 Gbit/s (625 MB/s), which is about ten times as fast as the USB 2.0 standard. Manufacturers are recommended to distinguish USB 3.0 connectors from their USB 2.0 counterparts by blue color-coding of the Standard-A receptacles and plugs. (From Wikipedia)
There are many products on the market and this blog may also cover one or two of them. Its best to do your research first to see what works with what, as some manufacturers say they work and they clearly dont.
Read up on some forums and look at reviews of products to see what people have said about them, as these are the true measure as to whether the products you are looking at will work with your laptop model.
There are many people (Including us) who do reviews on YouTube that will show you the products at close hand and show you how they perform, and sometimes with your chosen laptop.
Updated Reviews
Most if not all our products we review are not new and have been around for a short time.
The products have been superseded by newer ones and software may have been updated also.
This said, it doesn't mean you have to go out and buy a new ones as the items are more than likely backward compatible. The manufacturers want to keep up to date with the latest machines but dont want to loose customers who are not spending money on all the latest gear either.
Older product lines that are still available even used items may still have drivers that can be downloaded to use on them. Companies have realized that if they look after the customer the customer will be brand loyal and look after them.
Take HP and Dell just as examples. these companies keep a huge database for all there older products and have most if not all the drivers for them if needed that can be downloaded from the internet to use.
