Figuring Out Why You May (or May Not) Need a Laptop
I asked myself this question before i bought my first laptop: Why buy a desktop computer that’s stuck in one spot all the time? You cant move it around easily plus it gobbles up electricity faster than you can say “USB”. Naturally, a desktop computer is more powerful, expandable, and cheaper than a laptop. But as ive said, you can’t take it with you! Well, you can, but by hauling all that desktop stuff around, you’d really look like a dork. or the incredible Hulk.
On the other hand, imagine yourself sitting in that trendy coffee shop, sipping some overpriced caffeinated beverage while pouring over your e-mail and chatting on a cell phone - that’s hip! That’s so five-minutes-from-now!
Seriously, you want a laptop for one of the following reasons:
* As your main computer
Why dither over saving money with a desktop when you really want the portability of a laptop?
A desktop computer can’t pretend to be a laptop, but a laptop can certainly fake being a desktop: You can use a full-sized keyboard and monitor with your laptop. You can also connect any number of popular desktop peripherals such as a printer, scanner, external hard drive, and so on. But, unlike a desktop system, you’re free to disconnect the laptop and take it with you whenever you want.
* As a space-saving computer system
Unlike desktops, you don’t have to build a shrine to your laptop computer - that is, you don’t need a computer desk. If space is tight in your house, apartment, or dorm room, keep the laptop on the shelf or in a drawer. Then set it up on the kitchen table or coffee table when you’re ready to work. Forget about the constant mess and clutter that orbits the typical desktop computer station!
* As a second computer
Why buy a second desktop computer when you can get a laptop and enjoy not only the presence of a second computer but the ability to make that computer system portable? Further, you can network the two computers together, letting them share an Internet connection, printers, data, and files. But you still have the luxury of having one portable system.
* As your on-the-road computer
Laptops let you take your work on the road. After a few moments of synch (transferring current files between your desktop and laptop), you’re off and running to anywhere you like (though being in direct, bright sunlight can make it difficult to see the laptop screen). When you return from your “road warrior” trip, just perform another synch, and you catch up both computers for the day.
A laptop can give you the freedom to take your work with you:
• Laptops let you escape the confines of your office and do work anywhere you like for a few hours. Or if you have power at your location, you can plug in and work all day.
• The laptop lets you take your work with you when you travel. You can experience the reality of using a computer on an airplane (which isn’t as sexy as it sounds).
Why you don’t need a laptop
Laptops aren’t cheap. They’re also expensive to fix. They can easily get stolen. The battery life never lives up to the printed specifications. You may find getting work done on a jet or in a café really difficult because people either look over your shoulder or ask you questions about the laptop. Ack! But you may think that those minor quibbles don’t outweigh the benefits of owning a laptop.
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