Laptop

A notebook [ nəʊtbʊk ] (English notebook, notebook '), also known as laptop [ laep ˌ tɔp ] pronunciation? / I ( from the English, laptop' literally for Downloading " on your lap ", " lap computer ") is a special design of a personal computer with the following basic characteristics:

• In a flat rectangular housing is integrated flush on the top of a keyboard. These can be operated in Zehnfingersystem; this implies minimum sizes of the keys and a keyboard layout in accordance with ISO / IEC 9995-2, such as QWERTY for the German application.
• At this case, a similar large screen is movably mounted, which can be folded onto the housing, that in flip closed screen interface and keyboard are on the inside and the entire device is portable so no special protection requirements. The hinges hold by friction the opened screen in any position without further mechanical support; the entire device remains always tip over because the weight- intensive components are co-located with the keyboard in the base housing.
• The unit is mobile and infrastructure- independent fully usable without any additional accessories. At the present (2013 ) state of the art, this requires an integrated power supply fixed by the case or exchangeable mounted battery ( or batteries, but this is not common).

From the size and performance of her notebooks are by today's standards between the larger desktop computers and the smaller tablets. With the ability to incorporate high-quality graphics cards and powerful processors, the notebook displaced in combination with a docking station increasingly classical workstation.

• 3.1 Comparison with desktop PCs
• 3.2 Desknotes
• 3.3 Rugged Notebooks

• 5.1 processor
• 5.2 screen
• 5.3 Pointing Device
• 5.4 keyboard
• 5.5 interface
• 5.6 memory
• 5.7 hard drive
• 5.8 Optical Drive
• 5.9 Power Supply
• 5:10 Other possible components

Term

Conceptual history

End of the 1980s Toshiba introduced the term notebook to particularly compact and lightweight ( like a notebook ) devices can better market. Meanwhile, the terms notebook and laptop in the German-speaking area are largely used interchangeably with the term notebook is used tends to be for medium small designs. Laptop (which, also ) refers to the fact that the mobile computer fits on your lap.

In the English -speaking world the name laptop is consistently; Notebook and Laptop computers may also be used.

Initially, also folding machine was used in German-speaking countries, this term has, however, not enforced.

Differentiation from other concepts

The term netbook is used for a much smaller device without an optical drive, the keys can also be too small for use in touch-typing.

The term usually refers to a Portable device with the technology and the size of a desktop computer, which usually suitcase -shaped housing is however designed for regular transport and in which a screen is mostly integrated immobile ( especially with older devices with picture tube ). Unlike notebooks such devices are usually dependent on external power and have not needed a firmly connected to the device keyboard. Because of their size mostly specific for desktop computer expansion cards of the time of production common formats can be installed. Computers of this type are now (2013 ) only for special applications ( eg military) used where notebooks can not be used.

The term generally refers to a mobile computer intended for use at different locations portable computer.

In the German vernacular temporarily took the name Schlepptop input. This may be originated in the early days of mobile portable computer that looked like suitcases and about ten kilograms weighed as 1981, the Osborne 1, 1985, the Portable 8810/25 of Nixdorf Computer AG ( about 8000 DM expensive) or the Kaypro II

History

The Dynabook is a 1972 by Alan Kay at Xerox PARC designed concept. It shows a flat rectangular housing, in which both surface display and keyboard are integrated into the same plane. Thus, the basic ideas are formulated both the laptop (only without the foldability of the screen ) and the tablet computer in it. Because of the lack of technical possibilities at the time the concept was not implemented.

One of the first to be designated as a laptop computer, the GRiD Compass 1100, which was designed in 1979 by British industrial designer Bill Moggridge, but not sold until 1982 for the first time. Although this laptop had that time considerable 340 kB RAM, but had due to the lack IBM compatibility no commercial success.

1986, the IBM PC Convertible appeared with a clock frequency of 4.77 MHz, two 3.5-inch floppy drive, 256 kB of memory, an LCD screen and printer ports. The IBM PC Convertible sold so well, that one speaks of the first commercially successful notebook today.

The first notebook with today's controls was the Apple Powerbook 100 The first time user could do without external input devices since the PowerBook had a trackball and lateral hand rests. The terms notebook and laptop are now exercised by each other and are equally used. The first laptop that has been officially designated as the first was so, the Gavilan SC, was released in 1983 and was very much like a typewriter.

Previously almost every notebook had a floppy drive. However, these are not installed because of the small storage capacity of about 1.4 MB and the advent of USB flash drives today.

Notebook types

Notebooks typically weigh between 700 g ( subnotebook ) and 8 kg ( DESKNOTE ) and are not only - as the name would suggest, perhaps - to use as an electronic notebook, but the full compact workstation.

Compared with desktop PCs

The greatest advantage of a laptop compared to desktop PCs is the portability. Its portability allows the use of the notebook in different places - not only at home and in the office, but also in trains and flights. Furthermore notebooks can be used for example in libraries or in the offices of clients.

The performance of typical notebook is inferior to the desktop PCs of the same generation for several reasons. For processors, the usable computing performance strongly depends on the number of cores (see also multi-core processor ) and their clock from. Graphics chips benefit from a higher number of shader units and private dedicated graphics memory. All these factors require a high energy absorption and the resulting high heat output. While it is not a problem in desktop PCs, notebooks being limited thereby. They only offer limited space for components and cooling system; also their weight is a critical size. Generally slower clocked or low- voltage processors installed and used in the scope circumcised graphics chip or onboard solutions - Thus - depending on the price category. In optical drives and hard drives due to the smaller design and the necessary tolerance to shock a lower speed, which means lower transfer rates. However, the increasingly popular Solid State Drives raise this performance penalty on when hard drives.

In recent years, large-sized notebook with 17 inch screen diagonal increasingly offered. Depending on the orientation multiple hard drives, dual graphics cards and powerful desktop processors are possible. Under this configuration, however, suffers from the battery life, which is often less than two hours in idle ( idle) and halved again under load. Also, the devices are very difficult - sometimes more than 5 kilograms - and is therefore more likely to be seen as a substitute for a desktop PC.

Also standard laptops today are however quite powerful enough to replace a desktop with everyday tasks. This is also reflected in the sales figures noticeable - now in Europe a lot more laptops are sold than desktop PCs. They made 2008 already 55% of all PCs sold ( for private customers as much as 70 %) from. For tasks such as CAD, 3D gaming and rendering, place high demands on hardware, desktop computer but are still the better choice.

A disadvantage compared to a desktop PC is the difficult interchangeability and selection of individual system components. While the buyer of a desktop PC can draw on a wide variety in the design of standardized exchange components, it is with a notebook - more or less depending on the manufacturer - rely on the manufacturer spare parts. Problems arise when replacing less by the technical specifications of the individual components, but rather by the design of the notebook case ( rounded aperture of optical drives, arrangement of the slots on the chassis, type of batteries ). From this Manufacturer dependence significantly higher costs and longer repair times than comparable defects on a desktop PC arise in case of repairs mostly.

Desknotes

The manufacturer Elitegroup In 2002, a new class of devices introduced, the so-called Desknotes. These notebooks are sold as a desktop replacement and are specially adapted for this purpose, by eliminating power-saving technique for mobile use and high-capacity batteries and instead more powerful components to be installed from the desktop area in the usually somewhat larger housing. Other manufacturers such as Chaintech had such machines to offer. Although the resulting products can be used limited mobility, but you must be aware that they were not built for it, since the battery life is extremely short and many run on battery power only with lowered processor clock. A change of job is much easier than with a standard PC, and they take up less space on the desk. There are sometimes even pure Desknotes that do entirely without batteries and are intended for stationary operation. Meanwhile, these devices have largely disappeared from the market - on the one hand, because the performance of desktop processors promises not so distinct advantage over the mobile components, because especially in the low price segment, the demands on the CPU speed are low, and on the other hand, because by the rapidly increasing numbers of the notebooks with real mobile technology now are cheaper than the DESKNOTE computer. In the early days of the microcomputer, there were suitcases computer, although they were intended for simple transportation, but not to operate far from a power outlet.

Rugged notebooks

For use in particularly harsh environments or under adverse climatic conditions, the so-called ruggedized notebooks were designed, which are designed so robust that they are suitable for outdoor and outdoor use. There are fully- ruggedized devices that are fully protected against external influences, and semi - ruggedized notebooks, which only partially certain withstand adversity, such as splashing water on the keyboard (protection IP64) or falls from a height of a few decimeters.

These devices are provided with special hardened housings are impact resistant and will withstand water spray and heat. Pads are covered by rubber in order to prevent the ingress of moisture. The hard drive is gel or rubber mounted, to protect them against shocks - in particular a fall on the floor - and often still specially coated to prevent the ingress of moisture, so that at least saved the data in case of emergency ( the computer's fault) are. The resistance of these devices is given by the DIN / VDE IP and MIL -STD of the U.S. military. The devices often come then used when they have to work outside of offices, such as the police, the military, breakdown services, surveyors or similar field staff and in an industrial environment, mostly for data collection. They can therefore also be considered as a mobile version of industrial PCs. Due to their relatively high price and partially limited functionality (eg interfaces or graphics performance ) because of the special adaptation are these notebooks less interesting for home users.

Notebook form factors

The distinction is not always clearly possible.

• All-round notebook, standard notebook
• Desktop Replacement: replaces the desktop computer is heavy and not very portable
• Tablet PC: Screen can be controlled by touch screen, with or without a keyboard ( Slate )
• Subnotebook: particularly compact notebook, but with more power than a netbook
• Netbook: exceptionally compact notebook (no optical drive, relatively low power, some with very slim operating system), which is primarily designed for Internet use

Moreover, notebooks are classified according to the screen size, since the size of the device today mainly depends on the screen size. Common notebooks have today (2013 ) a screen size of about 13 to about 17 inches, that is, about 33 to about 44 cm. Netbooks usually have about 7 inches to 11.6 inches large screen sizes.

Components

The components of a portable computer optimized for mobile use.

Processor

The installation of a special notebook processor (Intel: Intel Core i, Intel Core Duo, Intel Core 2 Duo, Pentium Dual - Core, Pentium M, Celeron M, Atom, AMD: Athlon XP -M, Sempron, Turion 64, Turion 64 X2; Transmeta Efficeon, IBM / Motorola G4, VIA C7 -M) reduces power consumption and prolongs the battery life compared to lower-cost desktop processors. In some mobile computers but also ordinary desktop processors are used for cost or performance reasons.

Screen

Usually ( 768 × 1024 ) and WUXGA are in notebooks today TFT flat screens in sizes 10.4 to 20 inches and in image resolution between XGA ( 1920 × 1200 pixels) installed, now almost exclusively in the widescreen formats 16:10 16:9. Netbooks close to each at the lower end of the scale and are down to about 7 inches at most 1024 × 600 pixels available. Almost all screens are inferior by the use of cheap TN panels and standard monitors for PCs in terms of the maximum brightness, displayable colors ( 6 bits per color channel instead of 8 ), the contrast and viewing angle - dependent color stability. High quality panel types ( IPS, MVA / PVA) are only offered sporadically. Often screens are used with reflecting surfaces, but which are poorly suited for mobile use. Chance, however, there still or again device with anti-glare screens, which can also be used in daylight. Executed transflective screens are found only in niche applications. Usually, it is possible to connect an external monitor via VGA, DVI, HDMI, or (mini) DisplayPort and use it in addition to or instead of the built-in display.

Pointing device

The currently most widely used pointing devices in notebook computers are touchpad. Rather rare and vendor bound trackpoint are offered. Some notebooks are equipped with touch sensitive screens - equipped to allow about a good operability with pins or fingers - so-called touch screen. For devices that can be used as tablet PCs, integrated digitizer are common in the screen. Before touchpad and trackpoint penetrated, trackballs were used as pointing devices.

Keyboard

The built- in laptop keyboards usually have the usual numeric keypad of desktop keyboards and sometimes the Pos1 key and end key to miss. A dedicated number pad is missing in compact devices almost always, only in notebooks with 17- inch screen size and bigger is enough space for it. For smaller devices, a part of the keyboard as a numeric keypad is umbelegbar via the FN key, which however we can not be used together with the letter keypad because they are (at least partially ) is hidden then. In many sub-notebooks keyboards come with a narrower key layout than the usual 19 mm × 19 mm was used, which requires a certain adaptation period under certain circumstances. Laptop keys can be pressed easily and are much quieter than the keys normal desktop keyboards.

Interface

Another notebook specialty is sometimes still available PCMCIA slots (including CardBus PC Card or called ) to plug-in expansion cards, but which is now replaced by the more modern variant ExpressCard or completely disappeared. The number of interfaces is usually reduced compared to desktop PCs, so missing older interfaces such as parallel or RS232 port, there are fewer USB ports available. The FireWire port, if present, only four instead of six - pole run on most laptops, that is, does not provide power to the connected devices. The audio interfaces are often limited.

Main memory

By the end of 2013, the most current notebook models offer only two memory slots instead of the usual desktop PCs in two to six. Especially at very low cost devices, it is possible also that a memory module is soldered and is therefore not interchangeable without workshop intervention. Laptops also tend to use smaller modules (SO - DIMM) than desktop PCs, which also restricts the placement. Especially high-capacity modules are dependent on the use of the latest generation of chips and therefore relatively expensive. Registered and ECC memory is not usually available.

Hard disk

The hard disk is usually miniaturized to 2.5 inches; Sub-notebooks are equipped with 1.8 inches. The 2.5-inch drives to work about a third slower than desktop drives and offer, depending on the height, only 750 ( 9.5 mm, standard design ) up to 1500 GB ( 12.5 mm, only mobile workstations). In 3.5 -inch design, however, up to 3,000 GB are available. The 1.8-inch drives in contrast, are significantly restricted again and are currently being particularly strongly repressed by SSDs, which have no disadvantages because of the design. For the previously installed ATA drives its own space-saving standard interface (ATAPI -44) was created, which only integrates data and control the power supply into the power strip. For the operation of a laptop hard drive to a desktop PC (eg for data recovery ) an appropriate adapter is required. Today's SATA hard drives in notebook format, however, are fully pin - compatible with 3.5 "drives and need for use in desktop computers only have a mounting frame. Notebook drives use exclusively 5V supply voltage, which distinguishes them from desktop drives. Most laptops have a hard drive, a few devices have several.

Optical Drive

Usually laptops have a CD, DVD or Blu -ray drive, which is usually sufficient slimline standard. The possibility of burning CD and DVD is standard (if a drive is present ), while Blu- ray burners are still quite rare and expensive. The height of the drives is usually 12.7 mm, although 9.5 mm above the Superslimline standard are possible. The compact design is, however, associated with higher demands on electronics and mechanics, which is why most of the slightly larger form factor is chosen. In the specifications for SATA-6-Gb/s-Norm also new connectors are called for only 7 mm high drive generation. Allen optical notebook drives in common is that they must be set for installation in a vendor-specific framework and usually also get a notebook design appropriate front panel.

Power supply

For stationary operation, all laptops have a built-in or external power supply to operate the equipment and to charge the battery for mobile operation. In mobile use, almost all modern laptops lithium -ion batteries for power supply. A few years ago were spread batteries with nickel - metal -hydride technology, before batteries with nickel -cadmium technology. In future lithium -polymer cells could become the standard, but are currently still rather rare to find. Usual terms of notebooks in battery mode, depending on the power consumption and battery capacity or number of cells between half an hour and eight hours. While in the early days of mobile computer, these batteries were built in, they are these days - apart from a few exceptions like the Apple MacBooks - anytime and replaced without tools. Some models can be optionally equipped with a second battery to increase the runtime. The spare battery is often used as a replacement for the optical drive ( three cells ), but in some models it can also be mounted below the main battery and therefore greater ( three to twelve cells). Be charged the batteries from the low- voltage network, the cigarette lighter of motor vehicles or similar so-called EmPower socket in commercial aircraft (usually as an adapter to the cigarette lighter plug).

Other possible components

• Card reader for memory cards from digital cameras, mobile phones and MP3 players
• Webcam for video calling
• Fingerprint scanner
• Smart card readers (for example, encryption, electronic signature or HBCI)
• Docking station or port replicator for connecting peripheral devices
• Privacy Filter
• Notebook cooler

Common Mistakes source

Many processors in notebooks have a switch-off when the temperature in the device to a higher value than expected. Therefore, the proper functioning of the cooling fan on the requirement for ongoing operations. A heat pipe of copper in the notebook, which absorbs the heat from the power components, resulting in the example shown on the right in the picture the heat to a heat sink. By means of slots in the heat sink can be blown out of the housing with the fan air to remove heat. Clog the slots of the cooling body by dust and dirt, then the cooling is deteriorated. In the limiting case of a total blockage can not be cooled, the temperature inside the unit rises, the computer switches off after a few minutes of operation. Is the heatsink visible from the outside, it can be made ​​passable again with a tailored piece of thicker paper, the ventilation slot by slot. Otherwise, only helps to clean the heatsink by opening the device.

Manufacturer

On the mobile computer market there are many brands, but only relatively few manufacturers that produce for them. This is because well-known companies modified (about Fujitsu Technology Solutions ) at foundries (Original Design Manufacturer ( ODM) ) buy laptops or even slightly "personal" can produce in order to sell them under their own name. How big is the own share of the device development, it is typically difficult to estimate. Many notebook pavers are based in Taiwan, for the most part but is no longer there, but produced in the People's Republic of China. Here, the development of Taiwan and the production is increasingly concentrated on the mainland. In 2011, sales amounted to 3.837 billion euros with notebooks in Germany.

"Real" notebook manufacturers include ( in order of their production numbers, if known - the figures should be treated with caution and only suitable to estimate the order of magnitude):

• Quanta ( for virtually all notebook vendors, currently the world's largest producer with about 11 million devices in 2004 )
• Compal ( for Lenovo (formerly IBM), Dell, Hewlett -Packard (formerly Compaq) and BenQ (formerly Acer), 7.7 million units in 2004)
• Inventec ( 3.3 million in 2004)
• Wistron (former Acer, now self-employed, 3 million in 2004)
• Asus ( sell about 50% of production under its own brand, operates as a contract manufacturer for Sony and Apple, but also ODM machines to offer, a total of almost 3 million in 2004)
• Arima (1.8 million in 2004)
• MiTAC ( 1.4 million in 2004, also semi- ruggedized offer )
• Uniwill ( 1.2 million in 2004, in the summer of 2006 by Elitegroup bought )
• FIC (active in some regions, also known as private label, 700,000 in 2004)
• Clevo ( manufactures the Alienware and Voodoo Gamer laptops, also for Gericom, 550,000 in 2004)
• Elitegroup / ECS (formerly represented as own brand, since mid- 2005, only ODM)
• Twinhead ( represented in Germany as a private label )
• MSI ( previously worked for IBM, now represented as a separate brand, in Germany the brand name Microstar not heard of this company, but is registered by Medion )
• LG Electronics ( active until the end of 2004 for IBM in South Korea under the brand LG @ IBM. Customized and developed alongside IBM Compaq, HP, and other high quality manufacturers notebooks. Since around 2005 with its own brand and own production in the market)
• Vestel ( Vestel Group subsidiary for the Digital manufactures since 2005 notebook barebones both under its own brand as well as ODM )

Many well-known notebook vendors provide these laptops producers of mainly their own design in order ( order by sales in 2004, also not exactly the same ):

• Dell (2004: 7.9 million )
• Hewlett- Packard ( 2004: 7.4 million )
• Toshiba ( the "inventor" of the notebook, estimated to produce about half of the notebook itself, the rest comes from above producers, 2004: 5.8 million )
• Lenovo ( formerly IBM, 2004: 4.3 million )
• Acer ( distinction between equity and ODM design particularly difficult, some models such TravelMate 800 are also available as OEM versions from the producers; 2004: 3.9 million laptops )
• Fujitsu Technology Solutions ( Life Books come from own developments and are probably made ​​himself the Amilo series are added all bought 2004:. . 3.1 million )
• NEC ( represented in Germany as Packard Bell, 2004: 2.1 million )
• Sony (2004: 1.8 million )
• Apple (2004: 1.7 million )
• BenQ ( formerly Acer, now self-employed, some devices come from own designs, others are added, for example, bought by Mitac, 2004: 100,000 )
• MEDION (mainly in German-speaking successful)
• Wortmann AG
• Logic Instrument (Sales ruggedized and semi- ruggedized notebooks)

Very few notebook vendors mainly manufacture itself

• Panasonic ( are developed and manufactured in a factory by parent company Matsushita in Kobe )
• Samsung (until recently part of the production was outsourced to Asus, as ODM producer for Dell ( Latitude subnotebooks ) active )
• LG Electronics ( LG supposedly all notebooks themselves are produced and developed )

The relationships between the producers, well-known manufacturers and own-brand suppliers are constantly changing. So try producers like AsusTek, MSI or Twinhead reinforced to act as own brand, while Elitegroup withdraws it. You may also see Lenovo will introduce a series ODM after buying the PC and laptop division of IBM.

It is unclear, often where the actual final assembly takes place. Many OEM-/ODM-Designs get already in production in Asia their whole regional equipment (keyboard, manuals). Others are as barebones (without memory, CPU, hard drive, sometimes without ODD or without display) delivered and then in regional factories equipped ready ( for example, Fujitsu Technology Solutions in Augsburg for Life Books, Toshiba in Regensburg, Dell in Ireland) part according to customer requirements.

Environmental aspects

Most greenhouse gas emissions - measured in CO2 equivalent ( CO2e) - arise in notebooks during production and not in use. This would correspond to the useful life of up to 88 years to allow the purchase of new equipment " energetically " amortized. " The manufacturing cost has been underestimated systematically. " In terms of the greenhouse gas three different data bases were chosen EuP Lot 3, Ecoinvent 2.2 and research plan UBA 2009 research plan UBA 2009: so would a laptop with ten percent better efficiency of 33 ( according to EuP) to 88 ( according to UBA ) years be used. "Ecological behaves only uses who once acquired electronics as long and as intensively as possible." Klaus Hieronymi, director of sustainability at HP, says: " [ ... ] the situation of raw material input relaxes slowly ." Toxic agents are replaced as possible and expensive metals used impaired, such as copper instead of silver. However, the ores are poorer and less accessible: for copper as much ore must be used as a few decades ago up to 700 times. See also: Green IT