The little notebook computer or laptop is tailor made for
business. It's the perfect communication tool. It's the perfect
record keeping tool. It's the perfect presentation tool. And if
that wasn't enough, all of the above is neatly packaged into a
small portable machine that can be taken anywhere and everywhere.
For any size business, small to medium to jumbo, the notebook
computer is fast becoming an essential tool for business.
Savvy business people know acquiring the right tools is an
important factor in determining the success or profitability of
any company. Therefore, along with the regular outfitting of
your company or business - equal consideration should be given
to choosing your notebook computers.
Business owners should be aware that notebook technology is
changing at a blistering pace. Every two years or so, there is a
whole new generation of notebooks and notebook technology to
consider. Notebooks are getting smaller, faster, and better
connected. They are also offering performance that is matching
or almost matching their desktop rivals.
Major reasons why, for the first time in history, notebook
computers are outselling their bigger cousins - desktop
computers. Business buying, no doubt, plays a significant role
in all those sales. Large corporate organizations are buying
notebooks for their companies, sales people and employees. It
makes for a more competitive company in a very competitive world.
But how do you pick a good business notebook computer? What's
the criteria for judging a good machine? What's the right laptop
or notebook for your company or sales staff?
Here are some important factors any business should consider
when buying a notebook computer or laptop for their company.
General factors that determine a good business notebook.
Consider these...
Portability Perhaps, the most significant factor and the
main reason you're buying a notebook computer is portability.
You can take it anywhere. You can take your records, reports,
presentations or products where ever they need to be. For the
business traveler or 'road warrior', the notebook computer is an
essential tool for their business.
When buying their notebook of choice, these 'road warriors' look
at the portability of their notebook. Size and weight are very
important. They want something that's light and small, yet
powerful enough to do the job. They will probably look in the
Ultra-Portable and Thin and Light classes of notebooks to make
their choice.
Notebooks in those categories are usually well under 5 pounds,
around 10 by 14 inches in size and approximately an inch thick.
Small enough to throw in a briefcase or tuck comfortably under
your arm. They won't drain your energy even if you have to lug
it around all day!
Battery Life You also have to look for a notebook
computer that will last long enough to get the job done. You
want sufficient battery life for those long plane trips.
Fortunately, battery life is increasing, you can now get up to 5
or more hours on high quality notebooks. Buy the highest
numbered cell battery, and buy any optional built-in battery
extras that will increase battery life.
Connectivity You want something that's easy to connect to
the Internet so connectivity is another important factor. Being
in constant contact with all your employees can be a determining
factor in your choice of notebooks. Communication is vital. Most
high quality notebooks come with Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)
connections, many have a tri-mode 802.11a/b/g wireless system.
Some newer models, like the Sony's New Ultra-Portable VAIO
VGN-T350P, are raising the bar - it has the world's first
'Built-in Cellular Modem'. You can use your cell phone to
connect to the Internet. This may be a great advantage since
finding a 'Hot Spot' in some parts of the world can still be
difficult.
Performance You need to consider the performance level of
your business computer. Can it handle all your company's
demands, can it handle heavy graphics, charts, diagrams,
spreadsheets, etc. Check out the RAM - higher RAM will be better
for graphics and video. It's generally agreed that you need at
least 256MB for Windows XP and Mac OS X. You will only need
128MB for other operating systems in Windows or Mac.
Most notebooks come with plenty of storage space, 60-80 GIG hard
drives are common. External drives are also available if you
need extra space.
Other tasks may be important to your line of business. For
example, if you need to take notes in the field, i.e. real
estate agents, engineers, doctors or medical personel - then a
slate or a convertible tablet may be a better choice for your
company.
Sturdiness This is important if you want a notebook for a
lot of road work or business traveling. Your notebook should be
sturdy or ruggerized to be able to take a good pounding. Many
notebooks have some novel sturdiness features such as IBM's
Active Protection System which is designed to protect the hard
drive from falls and spills for those accident prone notebook
users in your company.
Security Living in today's world we need safeguards and
security measures in place to protect your company records and
files. Not to mention, to guard against the theft of your
notebook computer itself. Along those same lines your notebook
computer should have advanced security features. Many notebooks
such as the IBM/Sonoma ThinkPad series include an integrated
fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication that uses an
Embedded Security Subsystem and Password Manager.
Image/Style At first glance this may seem like a
superficial buying point - but not really. In today's business
world, image or style does count and contribute to your button
line. Sad but true! You want a notebook computer that matches
the image of your company.
There is one to fit your needs, you have a whole range of styles
of notebooks to choose from, whether it be conservative black or
blazing race car red. Most businesses are ultra-conservative
(nature of the beast) and should pick a notebook along those
conservative lines - other businesses may want to promote a
sharper or cooler image such as in fashion, creative arts, music
industry...
Price Economy or Deluxe. Similar to the style, another
major buying factor is price. You can go from inexpensive
notebooks to luxury models. It all depends on your company's
resources and the image you want to project.
You can choose from the relatively inexpensive but very capable
DELL notebooks...all the way up to notebook manufacturers like
the UK based Rockdirect notebooks which offers upper end
products that can be custom made to your specs. You can even
choose your own color!
Like any company purchase, especially if you're buying in bulk,
getting a good special volume price may play a role in your
choice of notebook. Always check with these notebook companies
for a group or company order - you may be pleasantly surprised
at the savings.
However, don't sacrifice performance for a special price, make
sure the notebook computer you're buying has all the desired
qualities: portability, performance, battery life, connectivity,
security and style, - all the features you want in your
company's notebook computer. If you consider all these factors,
your next business notebook computer purchase should just be a
little bit easier.
There's no reason why you can't put this little modern workhorse
to work for your business or company. Used properly, the
business laptop can make for a well organized and cohesive work
force that will pay big dividends down the road, delivering a
great return on your initial investment.
About the author:
For a list of the top rated Business Notebooks and Laptops Click
Here: Be
st Business Notebooks & Laptops Copyright ? 2005 Titus
Hoskins www.bizwaremagic.com - This article may be freely
distributed if this resource box stays attached.
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