Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Portable Computer shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Portable Computer offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Portable Computer at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Portable Computer? Wrong! If the Portable Computer is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Portable Computer then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Portable Computer? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Portable Computer and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Portable Computer wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Portable Computer then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Portable Computer site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Portable Computer, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Portable Computer, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
; the first portable
IBM PC compatible..
A
portable computer is a computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another (in other words, it is a computer that is
portable). Portable computers, by their nature, are microcomputers. Early portables were unkindly referred to as "luggables," referring to their great size and weight (owing partly to the need to include a full-blown cathode ray tube monitor, as
liquid crystal display technology was not yet mature). The term "luggable" is today used mainly when speaking of 17" and larger widescreen laptops.
Xerox NoteTaker, developed in 1976 at
Xerox PARC, although it remained a prototype and did not enter production.
The first portable computer was manufactured by a small company in Santa Monica, Ca. named GM Research. The machine which was designed and patented ( US Patent No. 4,294,496) by James Murez was first delivered to The Computer Store, Santa Monica, Ca in mid 1977. It was called the Micro Star and later changed the name to The Small One. Although Xerox claims to have designed the first such system, the machine by Murez predated anything on the market or that had been documented in any publication at the time - hence the patent was issued. As early as 1979 the U.S. Government was contracting to purchase these machines. Other major customers included Sandia Labs, General Dynamics, BBN (featured on the cover of their annual report in 1980 as the C.A.T. system) and several dozen private individuals and companies around the world. In 1979, Osborn viewed the machine along with several hundred other visitors at the first computer show that was sponsored by the IEEE Westec in Los Angeles. Later that year the machine was also shown at the first Comdex show.
The first mass-produced portable computer was the Osborne 1, developed by
Adam Osborne, which owed much to the NoteTaker's design. The first IBM PC compatible portable computer (and indeed the first 100% IBM PC compatible, or "clone," of any kind) was the
Compaq Portable. The first full-color portable computer was the
Commodore SX-64.
The term
portable computer is now almost exclusively used to refer to portable computers that are larger than a
laptop, often use conventional parts and usually do not run on Battery (electricity). Very few manufacturers remain for this type of computer one is Sterling Computer Sales. Smaller portable computers are also known as
mobile computing. They are referred to by their more specific terms:
- The laptop (or notebook) with a flat panel display and computer keyboard, requiring a seated position and both hands. A relatively recently introduced modification has been the Tablet PC, which essentially is a laptop operated with a stylus on a touch-sensitive screen. See also desktop replacement computer, a large laptop designed to perform all of the functions of a desktop computer.
- The sub-notebook which is something between a laptop and a personal digital assistant
- The pocket computer, which was mostly a phenomenon of the 1980s, and combined the features of an alphanumeric calculator, a small home computer (usually programmable in BASIC programming language), and a PDA. Manufacturers of these included RadioShack, Hewlett-Packard, Casio, and Sharp Corporation.
- The personal digital assistant (PDA), usually held in one hand and operated with the other.
- The wearable computer with handsfree User interface, and usually some voice capability (speech recognition and speech synthesis).
Portable computers have been increasing in popularity over the past decade, as they do not restrict the user in terms of mobility as a
desktop computer would. Wireless Internet, extended
Battery (electricity) life and more comfortable ergonomics have been factors driving this increase in popularity.
See also
- Laptops
- Palmtops
- Personal digital assistant (PDA)
- DYSEAC The Second Standards Electronic Automatic Computer. DYSEAC was a first-generation computer built by the National Bureau of Standards for the US Army Signal Corps. It was housed in a truck, making it one of the first portable computers (perhaps the first). It went into operation in April 1954.
; the first portable
IBM PC compatible..
A
portable computer is a computer that is designed to be moved from one place to another (in other words, it is a computer that is portable). Portable computers, by their nature, are microcomputers. Early portables were unkindly referred to as "luggables," referring to their great size and weight (owing partly to the need to include a full-blown
cathode ray tube monitor, as liquid crystal display technology was not yet mature). The term "luggable" is today used mainly when speaking of 17" and larger widescreen laptops.
Xerox NoteTaker, developed in 1976 at
Xerox PARC, although it remained a prototype and did not enter production.
The first portable computer was manufactured by a small company in Santa Monica, Ca. named GM Research. The machine which was designed and patented ( US Patent No. 4,294,496) by James Murez was first delivered to The Computer Store, Santa Monica, Ca in mid 1977. It was called the Micro Star and later changed the name to The Small One. Although Xerox claims to have designed the first such system, the machine by Murez predated anything on the market or that had been documented in any publication at the time - hence the patent was issued. As early as 1979 the U.S. Government was contracting to purchase these machines. Other major customers included Sandia Labs, General Dynamics, BBN (featured on the cover of their annual report in 1980 as the C.A.T. system) and several dozen private individuals and companies around the world. In 1979, Osborn viewed the machine along with several hundred other visitors at the first computer show that was sponsored by the IEEE Westec in Los Angeles. Later that year the machine was also shown at the first Comdex show.
The first mass-produced portable computer was the
Osborne 1, developed by
Adam Osborne, which owed much to the NoteTaker's design. The first IBM PC compatible portable computer (and indeed the first 100% IBM PC compatible, or "clone," of any kind) was the
Compaq Portable. The first full-color portable computer was the
Commodore SX-64.
The term
portable computer is now almost exclusively used to refer to portable computers that are larger than a
laptop, often use conventional parts and usually do not run on Battery (electricity). Very few manufacturers remain for this type of computer one is Sterling Computer Sales. Smaller portable computers are also known as
mobile computing. They are referred to by their more specific terms:
- The laptop (or notebook) with a flat panel display and computer keyboard, requiring a seated position and both hands. A relatively recently introduced modification has been the Tablet PC, which essentially is a laptop operated with a stylus on a touch-sensitive screen. See also desktop replacement computer, a large laptop designed to perform all of the functions of a desktop computer.
- The sub-notebook which is something between a laptop and a personal digital assistant
- The pocket computer, which was mostly a phenomenon of the 1980s, and combined the features of an alphanumeric calculator, a small home computer (usually programmable in BASIC programming language), and a PDA. Manufacturers of these included RadioShack, Hewlett-Packard, Casio, and Sharp Corporation.
- The personal digital assistant (PDA), usually held in one hand and operated with the other.
- The wearable computer with handsfree User interface, and usually some voice capability (speech recognition and speech synthesis).
Portable computers have been increasing in popularity over the past decade, as they do not restrict the user in terms of mobility as a desktop computer would. Wireless Internet, extended Battery (electricity) life and more comfortable
ergonomics have been factors driving this increase in popularity.
See also
- Laptops
- Palmtops
- Personal digital assistant (PDA)
- DYSEAC The Second Standards Electronic Automatic Computer. DYSEAC was a first-generation computer built by the National Bureau of Standards for the US Army Signal Corps. It was housed in a truck, making it one of the first portable computers (perhaps the first). It went into operation in April 1954.
portable computer from FOLDOC
portable computer < computer > (Commonly, "laptop") A portable personal computer you can carry with one hand. Some laptops run so hot that it would be quite uncomforable to ...
Portable Commodore 64 from FOLDOC
Portable Commodore 64 < computer > A version of the Commodore 64 modelled after the original Osborne portable PCs, with a flip-down keyboard that revealed a 5-inch colour monitor ...
Portable computer pioneer Adam Osborne dies | The Register
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