When considering buying a used or even a new laptop, the first thing you need to do is to determine your computing needs.
* word processing
* e-mail
* browsing web pages
* moving the laptop from home to work (weight)
* gaming
* on-line shopping
* a database application
* personal finance
* is battery power important
Check out the Minimum Systems Requirements needed to do all of the your applications. They will not come with the laptop, as refurbished laptops often only include the Operating System (OS). If they don't include an installed OS, then be prepared to install it yourself. This is not for those that don't know what they are doing, so research what is involved before buying one without an OS.
Once you understand what you really need, you need to determine your budget.
Most old laptops do not have working batteries. If you need a battery, shop around to figure out how much they cost. You should know that on older laptops, batteries don't last more than an hour or two, so purchasing a new battery for the purpose of longer battery life may not be worth the expense. And by all means, stick with a name brand IBM, Dell, Toshiba, Compaq-HP.
If you are new to computers and you want to browse the World Wide Web, you will need to obtain the services of an ISP (Internet Service Provider). There are basically two types of Internet access options: broadband (cable modem, DSL, satellite) and lowband (dial-up). Broadband is the preferred type since download speeds can range from 128kbs to 6000kbs. The faster the better, of course. But, if your budget is tight, dial-up works just fine for typical browsing and e-mail usage.
Your choice of ISP's will be dependent upon two things: budget and location. If the budget allows and you don't mind paying upwards of 35-50+ per month, you can purchase a broadband connection. However, even if money were no object, your physical location will determine what types of services are available to you. Broadband is not available everywhere (with the exception of satellite). If you have a telephone line, you can always choose dial-up. AOL's bread and butter is dial-up users. Do your research to determine what is available in your area and compare costs.
And for you gamers out there, you definitely need a reliable broadband connection. Gaming over a lowband connection can be a frustrating experience and sometimes even impossible. You will need to check out the minimum systems requirement for the games you are interested in using to make sure the CPU speed and the RAM and graphic chip requirements will support the games you wish to play.
Once you have figured out your budget and your needs and the requirements of your laptop it is time to search for the laptop of your desires.
Some people choose to search at www.ebay.com. If you do be sure to check out the seller to be sure you will have a smooth transaction.
Many people don't want the hassle of bidding, so use your favorite search engine: Google or Yahoo or MSN for the terms "used laptops" or "refurbished laptop".
An important thing to keep in mind is how will the vendor treat you should there be a problem. If you don't like their attitude or they don't pick up the phone shop elsewhere. Price is important, but if you have a problem and spent the least amount of money possible the vendor may not have any resources available to help you after you have purchased and spent your money.
If all the above seems like too much of a hassle, then buy a new computer. It will cost around 700 + but will come with a new battery and a one year warranty, although some new ones seem to have only 90 day warranties. It will also have the latest Windows XP system and an 800 number to call the vendor, should their be a problem. I'd call the 800# first before buying to get an idea what kind of support they will provide.
Best Buy for Laptop: How to Buy a Laptop Computer
There is a wide range of laptop models available on the market today and buying the right machine can turn into a confusing mission.
There are laptop computers intended for home users, multimedia, business and gaming. You can spend from 500 to 5,000.
The very first step you need to do is to determine your needs.
If you spend a lot of time traveling, your best option is a light laptop with a long battery life.
If you are an average home user, you can easily select a low-range laptop that will cost you about 500.
If you use the Internet a lot or store photographs and videos, you choice should be a mid-range laptop that will cost you from 1,000 to 1,500.
But if plan to purchase a gaming laptop, be ready to pay at least 3,000.
Look at the following categories:
- Processor is the most important thing to take into consideration. Intel Pentium M, Mobile AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Turion 64 Mobile are high-powered processors. Intel's Celeron M and AMD's Duron and Sempron are processors found in low-end laptops.
Avoid desktop processors in laptops because they need a lot of power and will quickly exhaust your battery.
- Screen sizes range from 12 to 19 inches. A laptop computer with smaller screen is great option if you do not plan to use laptop too much. A larger screen is perfect for extensive use.
- Your new laptop should have at least 1 gigabyte of memory. Also, your machine should come with a dedicated video card with 128 megabytes of memory.
- Choose a faster hard drive with at least 60GB of space. This is sufficient for the majority of users. Gamers should get at least 100 GB hard drive.
Title:
Backup Data On Your Laptop
Word Count:
411
Summary:
You would be surprised to learn the quantum of data on laptops which have been irretrievably lost. Yet we dont take time off to create essential backups on our laptops.
Lets face it - a computer is not a hundred percent trustworthy machine. The hard drive can crash, laptops get misplaced or dropped rendering it useless. To make sure that our precious information that is stored is never lost forever, we must keep back ups of the information stored.
Did you know that ove...
Keywords:
copmputer, laptop
Article Body:
You would be surprised to learn the quantum of data on laptops which have been irretrievably lost. Yet we dont take time off to create essential backups on our laptops.
Lets face it - a computer is not a hundred percent trustworthy machine. The hard drive can crash, laptops get misplaced or dropped rendering it useless. To make sure that our precious information that is stored is never lost forever, we must keep back ups of the information stored.
Did you know that over the past years, over a million of laptops have been stolen in the United States alone ? when a laptop is stolen, chances are that it will never be found. In that case, the owner is not only without a laptop, but also without any information!
Back up data is all the more important if you have business information stored in your computer. Like desktop computers where you can create back ups, you can create back ups in your laptop as well. Using online services, remote back up operations, or many other methods are available which help you to store back up information on your laptop.
One of the best ways to store data is to burn a data CD. These data CDs have 700 MB memory space, which can hold a lot of data and files. To do this you need a CD/RW burner built in to your laptop. Most of the newer models carry this facility.
The biggest drawback of laptops is that the storage capacity and security system is not as proficient as a desktop. Since desktops are more powerful, they can store data, including backups in a jiffy.
Laptops were designed for people on the move so the idea of keeping back up data never crossed anyones mind. When it does occur, it is perhaps too late.
As already mentioned the quickest and simplest way to create back up for your laptop is to use online back up services. Based on the speed of your internet connection, the operation can take from several minutes to several hours. Though the process is time consuming, but it is worth your while as at the end of the day, you are left safe and secure.
Keeping a back up data is always safe whether you use a laptop for personal or official use. Try and create your back ups at least once a month or more often, depending on the quantity of information you store everyday.
Laptops can be sent back to the manufacturer if the purchaser finds the screen of the laptop scratched or with a minor blemish, or if it is an unwanted present to him or if the packaging of the laptop is dented etc. Such laptops are inspected, tested again for quality and repackaged by the manufacturer and sold for a very less price. Such laptops are called as refurbished laptops.
Factory refurbished laptops:
The laptops in the factory undergo rechecking for any manufacturing defect by passing through various stages of examination. Then, when no fault is found, the hard disk of the laptop is reformatted and again the operating system is loaded. It is again made to work for less than 4-5 hours time to check for any defect and the parts are replaced if they are found to be defective. The refurbished laptop is then updated with a new serial number to mark it as a factory refurbished laptop. Such factory refurbished laptops are of high quality available to the consumer at a lesser retail price. Such refurbished laptops can be got from almost all the renowned brands. However the process carried out for the restoration of laptops may differ from company to company. The main aim is to make the laptop run again efficiently as it used to be previously.
Custom refurbished laptops:
These are repaired laptops which are reassembled to match the customers preference. It gives an opportunity to get a complete laptop solution at a very affordable price to the customer. The utilities offered by the customer refurbished laptops are got at a cost of a used laptop. It also avoids the necessity to upgrade immediately, which is not the case with the standard laptop. It allows the customers to have preferences in terms of selecting the features like the screen size, processor speed requirements, multimedia, memory capacity, hard drive size, optical drive, graphics, accessories, Bluetooth etc.
When purchased in bulk, custom refurbished laptops are the best option as it combines both functionality and price advantage together. Additional benefits can be availed through promotional offers and discounts from the manufacturers.
Advantages of purchasing refurbished laptops:
The refurbished laptops are of high quality as they are checked for high standards of performance at each level of examination done. The consumer can get a branded, quality laptop of a latest model at a very less price compared to the retail price. More over discounts are offered to military personnel, senior citizens and students who can maximize their savings by purchasing a refurbished laptop. The refurbished laptops can be selected from renowned brands available in the market at a lesser cost. Such refurbished laptops are also got with 1 year warranty which can be extended up to 3 years. The warranty period supports replacement of parts and maintenance required by the laptop. Hence purchasing such laptops are very reliable. The refurbished model laptops enable the customers get more features at a lower cost. When the purchaser is bent on buying the latest, trendiest laptop, but cannot afford to buy a new one he can go for a refurbished laptop to get satisfied.
Taiwan is the base of the computer company called Acer which has been increasingly described as one of the most successful PC companies in the world. They have established dealership in over a hundred countries and have a solid reputation of offering customers reliable and up-to-date technological services at very reasonable prices.
Among their products is Acer laptops which are useful for both the home user that has space constraints and the business user who desires mobility. These days, laptops have many features and functions than desktops.
There are four main series of laptops and various accessories in the range. Both the Acer TravelMate series and the Acer TravelMate Tabletseries have been designed for professional and business users. The tablet laptop in particular captivates many people with its interesting features and its 360 degrees screen which can be rotated and be directly written on.
There is another Acer laptop series that is a result of collaborative efforts between Acer and the Ferrari Formula 1 Racing Team. The product is branded Acer Ferrari 4000 laptop and contains sophisticated technology which includes AMD Turion 64 processors and integrated Bluetooth.
The Acer Aspire series has many different models that will appeal to both the home user and small business user, and as a result of their efficiency, these Acer laptops have been adjudged to the among the best around and have garnered several awards from the computer media. The 5600 series contains an Intel Core Duo processing and a choice of optical drives. And for those interested in specification details, the display screen goes from 14.1 inches to 15.4 inches widescreen.
While the 1600 series comes with a choice of Intel Pentium M processor and a two-channel memory. The AMD PowerNow technology and a 15.4 inches widescreen display are the characteristic features of the 3000 series. While its 3100 series counterpart has a blutooth and wireless options, in addition to the latest optical drives. The 3610 series is famed for its very compact and but portable size, but it also comes with a widescreen.
For those who desire a long battery life and high speed, the 5000 series is the unit they should go for. The next series is the 5100 and it has a 64 bit technology and 1 gigabyte of memory. A unique 17 inch screen and many multimedia applications is what distinguishes the 7100 series from the rest, while the 9100 series come with an Intel Centurion double mobile technology and TV tuner option.
A 17 inch crystalbrite widescreen and a dual lamp option are the most prominent features of the 9500 series. The last series in the range is the 9800 series and this has an integrated video camera and a jumbo 20 inch widescreen display. All the Acer laptops that falls into the Aspire series are specifically designed to provide different applications and price range.
Besides the sales of computers, the organization also produces a range of accessories for the Acer laptops. Among the accessories are mice, carry cases, docking stations, keyboards, global positioning systems, and audio players.