Ease of Use


Other features and functions of a new laptop are more subjective than screen size, weight, and battery life, but they can be equally important; if the computer isn't easy to use, it can become a source of irritation every time you turn it on. If you possibly can, try typing on the keyboard, moving the cursor with the touchpad or pointing stick, and testing the other controls on each of the laptops you're evaluating. If you're buying the computer by mail or online, look for a dealer or manufacturer that offers a satisfaction-guaranteed right to return the computer within a week or two (30 days at Lenovo) if you don't like it.

CROSS-REF 

If reliability is more important than convenience, see Chapter 1 for help in making the choice between a desktop and a laptop.

Keyboard

The size of a laptop's keyboard is usually related to the size of the screen: a small screen means a narrow clamshell case, with less space for the keyboard. If the screen size is less than 13.75 inches (measured on the diagonal), the keyboard might be narrower than the standard 11-inch typewriter section of a desktop keyboard, which forces the individual keys closer together. If you're an experienced touch-typist, this could mean that the keys aren't exactly where your fingers expect them to be.

In addition to key spacing, look for a keyboard whose keys are responsive to your particular style of typing: if you pound on each key, it should provide some solid physical feedback; if you're a light-fingered typist (no, that doesn't mean you steal keyboards), the keys should accept less force to enter each character.

Tip 

Almost all laptops have a PS/2 connector or a USB port that accepts an external keyboard. If you use your laptop in one or more fixed locations (such as an office or a college dorm room), consider buying a separate keyboard that you can unplug and leave behind when you move the laptop.

CROSS-REF 

In addition to convenience, separate keyboards also allow you to use the computer more comfortably. See Chapter 29 for more about improving the ergonomics of your computer workstation.

Mouse, touchpad, or pointing stick

Just about every laptop computer has a built-in pointing device that fulfills the same purpose as a mouse on a desktop system. The most common are touch-sensitive pads that follow the motion of your finger, but some laptops also include a movable pointing stick embedded in the keyboard. Neither of these tools is as easy to use as a separate mouse, but they can be tolerable after a little practice. The choice between a touchpad and a pointing stick is purely subjective; if you like one method better than the other, choose a laptop that offers that option.

The alternative is to use a traditional mouse or trackball with your laptop. If weight and size are a concern, look for one of the mice designed for notebooks that are about one-third the size of the standard desktop versions.

Control keys and buttons

You won't use them as often as the keyboard and cursor control, but the extra control buttons on your new laptop are an important part of its user interface. These controls usually include the pushbutton that turns the computer on and off, the volume controls for the built-in speakers, a brightness control for the video display, and possibly a switch that controls the built-in wireless networking interface. Some controls, like the power switch, are obvious and well-labeled, but others are camouflaged as secondary uses for a function key.

It seems as if every computer designer treats these controls as a necessary evil that's less important than making a laptop with an attractive physical appearance. It's often close to impossible to find all the controls without a guide.

The best way to learn about these controls is to consult the manual or quick-start guide supplied with the computer. Fortunately, the computer makers all offer downloadable versions of those manuals and other documents through their Web sites. It's worth the time to skim the instructions for any laptop computer you're considering in order to find the location and use of each control before you buy it. This enables you to choose the machine whose design you like best, and to avoid making an expensive mistake.

Battery replacement

If you travel often with your computer, or if you use the laptop frequently at meetings and lectures where AC power is not available, you may want to acquire a spare battery and an external recharging unit. If you have a hot spare, you can remove and replace the battery from your computer in just a few minutes, without the need to recharge the battery inside the computer.

Even if you don't use an external recharger, you eventually need to remove and replace the battery. The typical useful life of a modern Li-ion battery in a laptop computer is less than two years, so you almost certainly have to replace it with a new one long before you're ready to replace the computer.

Either way, the design of a new laptop should allow a user to remove an old battery and install a new one without major surgery to the computer's case. The battery should either be accessible from the outside of the case, or it should be under an easy-to-remove access panel.

Fit and finish

Look for a laptop whose maker appears to have paid attention to good design and careful construction. Good quality should include these features:

  • The two parts of the clamshell case should fit together easily, without any obvious gaps.

  • The hinges should operate smoothly, and the screen should remain in position.

  • Access panels and other removable parts should fit solidly.

  • Switches and control should work easily.

  • The case should have no sharp edges or excess trim.




PC User's Bible
PC Users Bible
ISBN: 0470088974
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2007
Pages: 372

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net