The world of computers, laptop and desktop alike, changes swiftly. With the pace of change increasing every day, staying on top of the latest laptops news and trends can make the difference between living on the cutting edge of technology or getting left behind.

News is worthless, however, unless it comes from a reliable source. Look for news sites, magazines and blogs from familiar names, or read those with an established track record. Some of the best places to find laptops news and trends include:

1. News aggregate sites that point you toward news websites pertaining to laptop computers.
2. Blogs that dish on up-to-the-minute news like new laptop suppliers.
3. Print magazines that cater to the owners of personal and business laptops.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use news aggregate sites to get laptop information while avoiding ads and promotional materials

Your most convenient source for ready information on laptop computers is a news aggregation site that sorts through websites for you. These sites gathers relevant articles while weeding out the sort of chaff you're likely to come across if you just use a standard search engine to find articles--ads for laptop computers for sale, for example.

I recommend: News aggregation sites like Topix and Congoo pull together news and information about laptops from all over the internet.

Get up-to-the-minute news about computer notebooks

If you want the absolute latest of the late-and-breaking news, you need to visit frequently updated blogs. That's right--blogs are a laptop news junkie's dream come true. Once you've gotten to the blog of your choice, you can quickly weed through the content by clicking on interesting tags. If, for instance, at the bottom of a post you see that it has been tagged 'new computers,' you can usually click on that tag and immediately access posts that have been tagged with the same thing.

I recommend: Blog sites like CNET's Crave and the Boy Genius Report are avidly followed for their frequent updates on all things laptop.

Read print magazines that cater to laptop owners

While print magazines aren't issued as frequently as blogs are updated, you can usually rest secure in knowing that anything that makes it to print has been fact-checked and screened by one or several editors. You might also check your favorite print magazine websites to see if they run blogs, too.

I recommend: Laptop Magazine focuses on mobile computing solutions with a wide variety of reviews, buying advice, how-to tips and more. PC Magazine also offers a lot of laptop-oriented content, including a product guide and buying guides that help you choose between the latest news and trends.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use the news and trends information you've found to monitor the reputation of prominent suppliers of laptop computers. As with any product you're likely to see general trends of reliability--or constant problems--emerge, helping you to discern which laptop manufacturers are worthy of your business.

Laptops – also called portable or notebook computers – are a vital tool for any manager, but especially for someone running a small business. A top-quality laptop can assist small business owners with the myriad tasks that larger organizations accomplish with hired staff. In the hands of small business managers they become, in effect, much-needed personal assistants.

In order to fill this vital role, a small-business laptop should:

1. Be powerful enough to run the software applications required to manage your company
2. Serve as your personal organizer and planner
3. Keep you plugged in to your business while on the road
4. Connect seamlessly to PDAs, printers, wireless networks, cell phones and other devices in order to make transferring information easy
5. Assist you in making effective presentations to clients
6. Provide a secure and durable computing environment in the office and on the road

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Determine your computing needs now and in the near future

Decide what features and how much processing power you'll need. If your laptop will be used to create simple documents and spreadsheets, send emails and perform other routine functions, you can get by with models priced under $1,000. If you plan to use your laptop for engineering, graphic arts or spreadsheet-intensive functions or to make multimedia client presentations, you may need more powerful specifications.

I recommend: Check laptop reviews at CNet, which also offers comparison shopping. See the latest and greatest laptop choices at the Web sites of major manufacturers such as Apple, Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM/Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba.

Assess your work habits

How you work can greatly influence your choice of laptop. If you travel frequently by plane, put a premium on light-weight models. If you plan to use your laptop at construction sites and other harsh environments, consider those designed to take added punishment. Large-screen models help devoted multi-taskers and those who use laptops for graphics, engineering and Web-intensive work.

I recommend: Business road warriors can get advice on extending your laptop's battery life at Microsoft's Web site. Rugged Notebooks and ToughBook Sales feature durable notebook models.

Opt for maximum connectivity

Make sure your laptop can exchange information with other devices in your company, such as printers, phones and office networks, as well as devices you may need in the future. Bluetooth, Ethernet, Firewire, USB2 and Wifi top the list of popular connectivity standards. It's best to hedge your bets by insuring the laptop you buy supports each.

I recommend: Howstuffworks Shopper lets you compare laptops based on a variety of criteria, including connectivity options.

Place a premium on security

The best laptop in the world can do your company far more harm than good if it's lost or stolen or if techno thieves pilfer your data. Likewise, an undetected virus can ensnarl your data. While Windows and other popular operating systems come with security features, those may not be enough to discourage hackers.

I recommend: Read PC World's comprehensive advice on laptop security. Software maker Symantec offers a popular line of computer security applications. Compare it with other brands at CNet. Computer Security Products Inc. sells PC hardware devices such as locks and alarms to help deter theft.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy a better laptop than you need right now so it will be powerful enough to meet your growing needs in the future.
• •  Make sure your computer has the processing power needed to run the software both you and your clients use, so that needed information can be easily sent from one machine to another.
• •  Ask employees to fill out wish lists of the software and hardware features they'd like to see in a laptop to assist you if plan to buy multiple units.
• •  Create mandatory security and data back-up procedures to insure against information theft or loss.
• •  Devise procedures for 'recycling' older laptops throughout the company, allowing power users, for example, to pass on their outdated models to employees with less-intensive computing needs.

Whether you're buying new, refurbished or used laptops, you'll find that you keep running up against the same basic concerns. As computers continue to get smaller, faster and more advanced, you'll have to sort through various generations of laptops that come in different sizes, with different features, and require different standards of care.

Your best strategy for weeding through the forest of options is to focus on the basics. Essential laptops basics that you should take into account before a first purchase include:

1. Sort through laptop computers for sale by basic criteria: Size, weight and make.
2. Understand the variety of processors and other features you're likely to encounter from laptop suppliers.
3. Make sure you can properly care for your new laptop.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose business laptops that won't break your back

A few basic characteristics will make or break your laptop experience, no matter what other bells and whistles attracted you to the computer in the first place. If the computer is too big or heavy to haul around--size and weight being what's most frequently traded for a lower cost--you'll find yourself enduring more frustration than the bargain price was worth. You'll also find that laptops are available in two main categories: PC, which covers a wide variety of manufacturers, the commonality almost always being that they run Windows software; or Macintosh laptops, which run on an entirely different operating system. Much of the software that works on a PC probably won't work on a Macintosh, and vice versa.

I recommend: Popular Mechanics gives a good overview of laptop choices, organized primarily by size and weight. Leslie Poston addresses the "Mac or PC?" laptop dilemma at HubPages.

Decode cryptic notes from laptop manufacturers

You'll find laptops running on a variety of processors with exotic sounding names like Intel, Athlon, Celeron and more. While there is no standardized naming convention for laptops and processors, there is a standardized measure for speed. Look for a number followed by 'Ghz' after the brand name; the higher the number, the faster the processor speed.

I recommend: Geek.com explains the differences between various Laptop processors (the computer brain). TheLaptopAuthority.com gives you a run-down on the various features you're likely to find in a laptop computer.

Take good care of your notebook computer

Much like a desktop computer, notebooks will last longer if they're given proper care. The same general guidelines apply to laptops as to other sensitive electronic devices, like don't drop them, don't immerse them in any liquid and don't drop things on them.

I recommend: Riverland Community College and Streetdirectory both offer useful tips for taking proper care of a laptop computer.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If the prices on laptop computers for sale give you sticker shock, consider purchasing used or refurbished laptops. You'll get the same machine for a fraction of the cost, often with a warranty. Buying refurbished usually guarantees that the machine has passed inspection, as opposed to out-of-the-box purchases which may or may not have been directly inspected.