From the start of the computer, linking back in time to the 1800’s all the way up to its advancement in the 1960’s, the computer has come a long way. This however was nothing compared to the start of the laptop in 1981 which revolutionized the way people thought of computing. Business people, gamers and normal computer users alike were no longer confined to their desks and could move about freely, ok well not entirely free considering the first laptops were huge; but you get the point. Just like advancements were being made then, advancements are being made now in the laptop world and at an even faster rate than ever before.
The year of 2010 has brought about some interesting advances in the field of portable computing with some memorable additions being the iPad as well as advancements in the field of netbooks and laptops with some revolutionary advances in performance enhancing materials being used in the manufacturing of laptops as well as in the development of state of the art hardware. These advances can be summed up in major trends including: the use of higher quality materials in the manufacturing process, the addition of better hard drive and graphic options and the addition of more portable laptop options.
High Quality Materials = High Quality Product
For years the use of hard plastics for the construction of the outer shell of laptops has been fine. It is durable enough for protection and is light enough to not be too inconvenient to carry. Recently however, computer manufacturers such as Sony and Asus are turning to new materials and are leading the way in laptop manufacturing. The addition of one specific material is alloying these manufacturers to create a product lighter than any others on the market while still being incredibly strong and durable. The magic ingredient is carbon fiber alloy, giving the computer a great look and feel without sacrificing any of the important features.
The Hard Drive Revolution
The traditional hard drive has been around for a long time and really hasn’t changed all that much, well that is until recently with the addition of the SSD (Sold State Drive) which is giving the traditional hard drive a run for its money. This new hard drive surpasses the capabilities of even a high end traditional hard drive running at 10,000 RPM’s and is smaller and lighter meaning smaller laptops can have the power and speed of one twice its size; a great addition for on the go users who demand performance.
Gaming on a laptop!
Even though gaming on a laptop isn’t as ideal as a high quality gaming desktop, advances are being made to make gaming on the go a more viable and more enjoyable option. Leading the way in this breakthrough are cutting edge video graphics cards which are now being put in laptops and with the addition of the latest in screen technology, including 3D in some models, gaming on the go is growing in popularity.
Portable, functional, stylish, what else is there?
For a long time, (until 2007) on the go users only had a laptop for an on the go option. In 2007 netbooks were released into the world and have only improved since then. From the addition of SSD (as discussed above) these very small compact computers have as much power as a full sized laptop and with a price (in some cases) half the size. This compact computer helped increase laptop sales by 100% from 2007-08 and have only grown in popularity since then. This year however brought the release of something different, an all in one device known as a tablet with the name of the iPad. This device deemed the “everything killer” by some took the computer market by storm and for some, has even replaced regular laptops. Despite this allegation, laptops are here to stay but it has definitely been a great addition to 2010.
Guest article by Michael Blumreich who is a contributor for the aptly named laptop review site, LaptopReviews.com. He’s currently a university student and lover of all things tech.
Latest Laptop Trends
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